EP2864229A1 - Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement - Google Patents

Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement

Info

Publication number
EP2864229A1
EP2864229A1 EP13731718.6A EP13731718A EP2864229A1 EP 2864229 A1 EP2864229 A1 EP 2864229A1 EP 13731718 A EP13731718 A EP 13731718A EP 2864229 A1 EP2864229 A1 EP 2864229A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
reel
substrate material
treatment zone
continuous
guiding
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP13731718.6A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Roger VIGREN
Christofer ANDERSSON
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Impact Coatings AB
Original Assignee
Impact Coatings AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Impact Coatings AB filed Critical Impact Coatings AB
Publication of EP2864229A1 publication Critical patent/EP2864229A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H18/00—Winding webs
    • B65H18/08—Web-winding mechanisms
    • B65H18/10—Mechanisms in which power is applied to web-roll spindle
    • B65H18/103—Reel-to-reel type web winding and unwinding mechanisms
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H18/00—Winding webs
    • B65H18/08—Web-winding mechanisms
    • B65H18/10—Mechanisms in which power is applied to web-roll spindle
    • B65H18/106—Mechanisms in which power is applied to web-roll spindle for several juxtaposed strips
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H23/00—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs
    • B65H23/04—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally
    • B65H23/18—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web
    • B65H23/1806—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web in reel-to-reel type web winding and unwinding mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on web-roll spindle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H23/00—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs
    • B65H23/04—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally
    • B65H23/18—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web
    • B65H23/188—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web in connection with running-web
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H23/00—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs
    • B65H23/04—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally
    • B65H23/18—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web
    • B65H23/188—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web in connection with running-web
    • B65H23/1888—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web in connection with running-web and controlling web tension
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/50—Substrate holders
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/56—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
    • C23C14/562—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks for coating elongated substrates
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
    • C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
    • C23C16/458—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
    • C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
    • C23C16/54—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
    • C23C16/545—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating for coating elongated substrates
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L31/20—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof such devices or parts thereof comprising amorphous semiconductor materials
    • H01L31/206—Particular processes or apparatus for continuous treatment of the devices, e.g. roll-to roll processes, multi-chamber deposition
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/41—Winding, unwinding
    • B65H2301/412—Roll
    • B65H2301/4128—Multiple rolls
    • B65H2301/41284—Multiple rolls involving juxtaposed lanes wound around a common axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/50—Auxiliary process performed during handling process
    • B65H2301/51—Modifying a characteristic of handled material
    • B65H2301/511—Processing surface of handled material upon transport or guiding thereof, e.g. cleaning
    • B65H2301/5114—Processing surface of handled material upon transport or guiding thereof, e.g. cleaning coating
    • B65H2301/51145—Processing surface of handled material upon transport or guiding thereof, e.g. cleaning coating by vapour deposition
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/10—Rollers
    • B65H2404/16—Details of driving
    • B65H2404/165—Details of driving braking roller
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/192—Labels

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to a continuous reel-to-reel arrangement for transportation of continuous substrate materials from an unwinding material reel to a winding material reel, a system comprising at least two such arrangements, a method of feeding substrate materials to at least one treatment zone and a method of treating substrate materials.
  • an elongated substrate is transported from one reel or roll to another.
  • Such apparatuses may be used in various areas, for example for paper processing and label printing.
  • Reel-to- reel apparatuses are also used for application of coatings or thin films on continuous flexible substrates and may for example be used in the production of photovoltaic cells, for coating of various components for the electronic industry, and for the purpose of decoration.
  • the apparatus in this disclosure comprises a pair of strip supply/take-up devices capable of uncoiling the strip, supplying the strip in a tensed condition to at least two coating zones, and taking up and coiling the strip.
  • the at least two coating zones are at least two of an ion plating coating zone, a sputtering coating zone and a plasma CVD coating zone arranged in series in the direction of run of a strip between said strip supply/take-up devices.
  • partition walls with slits adapted to allow the strip to pass through and to maintain a vacuum in the coating zones.
  • the partition wall has a pair of guide rollers located in the vicinity of an upper edge of the slit so as to tense the strip such that the path of the strip is slightly convex downwards to keep the strip away from upper and lower edges of the slit.
  • a continuous reel-to-reel arrangement for transportation of continuous substrate materials from an unwinding material reel to a winding material reel, wherein the substrate material is arranged to be driven through at least one treatment zone.
  • the arrangement comprises at least two guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when being rolled off from the unwinding material reel before entering into the at least one treatment zone, and at least two guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone before being winded up on the winding material reel.
  • At least one of the guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone is a driving roll, and at least one of the guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when being rolled off from the unwinding material reel is a braking roll, arranged to apply a constant braking force to the substrate material when the substrate material is driven through the at least one treatment zone.
  • the winding and unwinding material reels have substantially no effect on the driving and braking of the substrate material.
  • the braking roll is a guiding roll which is physically and functionally separate from the unwinding material reel.
  • the driving roll is a guiding roll which is physically and functionally separate from the winding material reel.
  • the substrate material may be flexible.
  • the guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from the unwinding material reel are arranged in such a way that the substrate material may be precisely aligned in the horizontal position as well as in the vertical position of the direction of the moving substrate material while being driven through the at least one treatment zone.
  • these may be arranged in series in the direction of transportation of the substrate material.
  • the use of at least one driving roll and at least one braking roll which are physically and functionally separate from the unwinding and winding material reels, prevent too high forces to act on the unwinding/winding material reels.
  • the tension force acting on the substrate material is increased after the braking roll and decreased after the driving roll and is at its maximum when the substrate material passes through the treatment zone. Thereby, the risk of plastically deforming the substrate material during unwinding/winding may be low. Also, wearing of the substrate material by sliding of different layers of substrate materials against each other on the material reels may be avoided. Further, a possible collapse of the whole winded reel structure is avoided.
  • the constant braking force applied to the substrate material by the at least one braking roll ensures that the substrate material is kept in a tensed condition when driven through the at least one treatment zone. Also, the horizontal and vertical position of the substrate material inside the treatment zone is controlled and kept
  • the number of guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from the unwinding material reel may be at least three.
  • the number of guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone may be at least three.
  • four or more guiding rolls may be arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from the unwinding material reel and four or more guiding rolls may be arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone.
  • the number of guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from the unwinding material reel may be independent of the number of guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone.
  • the radius of the guiding rolls may be larger than what causes plastic deformation of the substrate material due to combination of tensile stress and bending curvature which the substrate material is subject to in the continuous reel-to-reel arrangement.
  • the substrate material may be transported from one material reel to another in the continuous reel- to-reel arrangement without subjecting the substrate material to tensile stress or bending curvature that could cause plastic deformation of the substrate material.
  • a smallest radius, R, of the guiding rolls at a given tension force, F may be when the total tensile stress, o to t, acting on the substrate material is equal to the yield point, o 0 .2, of a given substrate material.
  • the total tensile stress, o to t, which the substrate material is subject to in the continuous reel-to-reel arrangement, is the sum of tensile stress due to tension forces, F, and tensile stress due to bending curvature.
  • the yield point is a first point at which permanent deformation of a stressed substrate material begins to take place. For engineering purposes the yield point is taken as the point at which a certain small amount of permanent deformation, here 0.2%, Oo.2, has occurred.
  • the braking roll may be enclosed by the substrate material at an angle of about 180°.
  • the substrate material may be wrapped around the braking roll at an angle of about 180° in order to avoid slipping or sliding between the braking roll and the substrate material.
  • a wrap angle of about 180° is here meant an angle of 180° ⁇ 5°.
  • the braking roll may be arranged between a first guiding roll, guiding the substrate material at an angle of about 90°to engage the braking roll, and a second guiding roll guiding the substrate material at an angle of about 90° for further transportation to the at least one treatment zone.
  • At least one of the guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from the unwinding material reel before entering into the at least one treatment zone may provide the substrate material with a voltage.
  • a substrate material biased with a voltage may be preferred in the at least one treatment zone.
  • an evacuated environment may be provided in at least a section of the at least one treatment zone.
  • a typical working vacuum in the treatment zone may be 1-10 mTorr.
  • the at least one treatment zone may comprise at least one coating chamber.
  • One of the guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone before being winded up on a winding material reel may be a cooling roll.
  • the substrate material may be cooled down after exiting the treatment zone by a cooling roll which may be placed close to the exit of the treatment zone. It may comprise a heat absorbing material which should be able to quickly take up the heat from the substrate material by conduction and transport the heat from the substrate material contact area.
  • Suitable cooling roll surfaces could be any metal with good heating conductivity that will not smear or react with the freshly deposited surface of the substrate material.
  • a heat conductive ceramic material such as aluminium oxide could be used.
  • the substrate material may be any one of a strip, a wire, and a foil.
  • the substrate material may be substantially flat or being formed in three dimensions.
  • Substrate materials may for example be nickel plated copper alloys e.g. brass or bronze, stainless steel, aluminium, etc.
  • a system comprising at least two of the continuous reel-to-reel arrangements described above, wherein the at least one treatment zone is common for the at least two continuous reel-to-reel arrangements, and wherein at least two substrate materials are arranged substantially in parallel when driven through the at least one common treatment zone.
  • This system enables simultaneous transportation of more than one substrate material through the at least one common treatment zone without having the different substrate materials touching each other.
  • Each different substrate material pass individual adjusting guiding rolls including
  • braking/driving rolls in order to precisely keep the right tension and position of the substrate material when passing through the at least one treatment zone.
  • a method of treating at least one continuous substrate material comprising the steps of: unwinding the at least one substrate material from at least one unwinding material reel, guiding the at least one substrate material to at least one treatment zone by the use of at least two guiding rolls, treating the at least one substrate material in the at least one treatment zone, and winding up the at least one substrate material on at least one winding material reel, wherein the method comprises a step of driving and a step of braking the at least one substrate material.
  • a method of feeding at least one continuous substrate material to at least one treatment zone comprising the steps of unwinding the at least one substrate material from at least one unwinding material reel, guiding the substrate material at an angle of about 90° around a first guiding roll to engage a braking roll, enclosing the braking roll by the substrate material at an angle of about 180°, guiding the substrate material at an angle of about 90° around a second guiding roll and entering the at least one treatment zone.
  • a continuous reel-to-reel apparatus for transportation of continuous substrate materials from a pay-out chamber to a take-up chamber, wherein the substrate material is arranged to be driven through at least one treatment zone, wherein the pay-out chamber comprises at least two guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from an unwinding material reel in the pay-out chamber before entering into the at least one treatment zone, and wherein the take-up chamber comprises at least two guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material when exiting the at least one treatment zone before being winded up on a winding material reel in the take-up chamber.
  • At least one of the guiding rolls in the take-up chamber is a driving roll
  • at least one of the guiding rolls in the pay-out chamber is a braking roll, arranged to apply a constant braking force to the substrate material when the substrate material is driven through the at least one treatment zone.
  • the number of guiding rolls arranged to align the substrate material rolled off from the unwinding material reel in the continuous reel-to-reel apparatus may be at least three.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic overview of a continuous reel-to-reel arrangement.
  • Fig. 2 shows a schematic overview of a continuous reel-to-reel arrangement with one treatment zone.
  • Fig. 3 shows a magnification of a part of the continuous reel-to-reel arrangement in Fig. 1 .
  • Fig. 4 shows a side view of a portion of Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 5 shows a part of a system comprising eight continuous reel-to-reel arrangements, in which system the eight substrate materials are transported substantially in parallel.
  • Fig.6 shows a magnified slightly rotated view of a part of the system in Fig. 5.
  • Fig. 1 shows an overview of a continuous reel-to-reel arrangement 1.
  • the arrangement 1 comprises an unwinding material reel 2 from which substrate material 3 is rolled off and a winding material reel 4 onto which substrate material 3 is winded up.
  • a number of guiding rolls 5 are arranged to align the substrate material 3 when being rolled off from the unwinding material reel 2 before entering into a treatment zone 6. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. three such guiding rolls 5 are used. In another embodiment two guiding rolls 5 may be used. In a yet further embodiment more than three guiding rolls 5 may be used.
  • a number of guiding rolls 5 are arranged to align the substrate material 3 when exiting the treatment zone 6 before being winded up on the winding material reel 4.
  • auxiliary guiding rolls 7 are shown. These auxiliary guiding rolls 7 are physically and functionally separate from the guiding rolls 5.
  • the number of auxiliary guiding rolls 7 in a continuous reel-to- reel arrangement 1 may vary. In one embodiment of the arrangement 1 there are no auxiliary guiding rolls 7.
  • the guiding rolls 5 are arranged in such a way that the substrate material 3 can be rolled off from a horizontally placed material reel 2 and being precisely aligned in the horizontal position as well as in the vertical position when driven through the treatment zone 6.
  • the substrate material 3 is rolled off from a vertically placed material reel 2.
  • the substrate material 3 is driven vertically though the treatment zone 6.
  • the continuous reel-to-reel arrangement 1 may be used without any treatment in the treatment zone 6.
  • an evacuated environment may be provided. Typically, the treatment zone 6 is first evacuated to a
  • the treatment zone 6 in Fig. 2 comprises two deposition chambers 8, 8 ' arranged in series in the direction of transportation of the substrate material.
  • deposition techniques such as PVD or CVD may be used.
  • the presence of more than one deposition chamber 8, 8 ' render it possible to coat the substrate material 3 with more than one coating layer.
  • no or only one deposition chamber 8, 8 ' is present in the treatment zone 6.
  • more than two deposition chambers 8, 8 ' are arranged in series in the treatment zone 6.
  • the treatment zone 6 may further comprise at least one etch chamber 9. After treatment in one deposition chamber 8, 8 ' the substrate material 3 may be transferred to another deposition chamber 8, 8 ' for a next coating step.
  • the deposition technique used in the different deposition chambers 8, 8 ' may be different or the same.
  • the unwinding material reel 2 and the guiding rolls 5 arranged to align the substrate material 3 before entering the treatment zone 6 are arranged in a so called pay-out chamber 10, Fig. 2.
  • the guiding rolls 5 arranged to align the substrate material 3 when exiting the treatment zone 6 before being winded up on the winding material reel 4 are arranged in a so called take-up chamber 1 1.
  • a pay-out chamber 10/take-up chamber 11 is shown with the unwinding material reel 2/winding material reel 4 and guiding rolls 5 including a braking roll 12/driving roll 13.
  • Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of the pay-out chamber 10/take-up chamber 1 1 in Fig. 3, in which the guiding rolls 5 including the braking roll 12/driving roll 13 are shown.
  • the winding and unwinding material reels 2, 4 have substantially no effect on the driving/braking of the substrate material 3 in this continuous reel- to-reel arrangement 1.
  • the braking roll 12 is a guiding roll 5 which is physically and functionally separate from the unwinding material reel 2.
  • the driving roll 13 is a guiding roll 5 which is physically and functionally separate from the winding material reel 4.
  • the guiding rolls 5 arranged to align the substrate material 3 rolled off from the unwinding material reel 2 are arranged in such a way that the substrate material 3 may be precisely aligned in the horizontal position as well as in the vertical position of the direction of the moving substrate material 3 while being driven through the at least one treatment zone 6.
  • the use of at least one driving roll 13 and at least one braking roll 12 prevent too high forces to act on the unwinding/winding material reels 2, 4.
  • the tension force acting on the substrate material 3 is increased after the braking roll 12 and decreased after the driving roll 13 and is at its maximum when the substrate material 3 passes through the treatment zone 6. Thereby, the risk of plastically deforming the substrate material 3 during
  • unwinding/winding is low. Also, wearing of the substrate material 3 by sliding of different layers of substrate materials 3 against each other on the material reels 2, 4 is avoided. Further, a possible collapse of the whole winded reel structure is avoided.
  • the constant braking force applied to the substrate material 3 by the at least one braking roll 12 ensures that the substrate material 3 is kept in a tensed condition when driven through the treatment zone 6. Also, the horizontal and vertical position of the substrate material 3 inside the treatment zone 6 is controlled and kept substantially constant independently of the amount of material (number of layers) that is winded on the material reels 2, 4.
  • a typical substrate material 3 that may be handled in this reel-to-reel arrangement 1 has a thin sheet metal backbone (0.05 - 0.2 mm in thickness) with a width ranging from 2 mm up to 5 mm.
  • a thin sheet metal having a distributed weight of pi, and being suspended between two points of equal horizontal level at a distance L from each other and being subject to a tension force F will have a curvature described by the formula:
  • g is the earth gravity acceleration
  • the tension force, F applied to a substrate material 3 with a distributed weight in the order of 5 grams per meter is 20 to 25 N and the suspension length of the substrate material 3 is 4 meters, the resulting curvature of the substrate material 3 will have a lowest point of approximately 4 - 5 mm below the suspension points.
  • the braking roll 12/driving roll 13 shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is enclosed by the substrate material 3 at an angle of about 180°.
  • the substrate material 3 is wrapped around the braking roll 12/driving roll 13 at an angle of about 180° in order to avoid slipping or sliding between the braking roll 12/driving roll 13 and the substrate material 3.
  • wrap angle The larger the wrap angle is, the lower is the risk of slipping or sliding between the braking roll 12/driving roll 13 and the substrate material 3.
  • a wrap angle larger than about 180 ⁇ 5° would not be feasible.
  • a wrap angle smaller than about 180 ⁇ 5 ° is not desirable and would make the geometric placement of the guiding rolls 5 in the pay-out chamber 10/take-up chamber 1 1 complicated. No technical solution would, however, give a wrap angle of exactly 180° but tolerances and flexural resistance of the substrate material 3 will result in some deviation in wrap angle.
  • the material of the guiding rolls 5 should be chosen such that there is a large friction between the guiding roll 5 and the substrate material 3.
  • the material of the guiding rolls 5 should also be chosen such that there is a low risk of scratching the substrate material 3.
  • the braking roll 12 may be arranged between a first guiding roll 5, guiding the substrate material 3 at an angle of about 90°to engage the braking roll 12, and a second guiding roll 5 guiding the substrate material 3 at an angle of about 90° for further transportation to the at least one treatment zone 6.
  • a substrate material 3 that has an extra sensitive side, such as electrical contact strips, as well as strip material stamped and formed in the 3 rd dimension may be transported through the at least one treatment zone 6 without damaging the often sensitive connector pins.
  • the angle of about 90° is a preferred angle.
  • the optimal angle is about 90 ⁇ 5°. Deviations from this angle may result in undesirable twisting of and tension in the substrate material 3.
  • Continuous reel-to-reel arrangements 1 with other guiding roll 5 geometries and other guiding angles are also possible. Such arrangements 1 would, however, result in a more complicated geometric structure which would be more complicated and more space requiring to implement.
  • the radius of the guiding rolls 5 should be larger than what causes the substrate material 3 to be deformed due to combination of tensile stress and bending curvature which the substrate material 3 is subject to in the
  • the substrate material 3 may be transported from one material reel 2, 4 to another in the continuous reel-to-reel arrangement 1 without being subject to tensile stress or bending curvature that could cause plastic deformation of the substrate material 3.
  • a minimum guiding roll 5 radius which may be used for a specific substrate material 3 may be derived from the following calculations:
  • the outer surface of the strip is elongated a(r+t).
  • R the smallest radius, of a guiding roll 5, which may be used without plastically deforming the substrate material 3, at a given tension force, F, is when the total tensile stress, o to t, is equal to the yield point, ⁇ 0 .2, of a given substrate material 3.
  • the yield point is a first point at which permanent deformation of a stressed substrate material begins to take place.
  • the yield point is taken as the point at which a certain small amount of permanent deformation, here 0.2%, o 0 .2, has occurred in the substrate material 3.
  • the tension force, F, acting on the substrate material 3 is at its maximum when the substrate material 3 passes through the treatment zone 6.
  • the tension force acting on the substrate material 3 is increased after the braking roll 12 and decreased after the driving roll 13. Thereby, the risk of plastically deforming the substrate material 3 during unwinding/winding is low.
  • the driving roll 3 and other guiding rolls 5 in the take-up chamber 1 1 are made of materials that are chosen for their large friction and low tendency to scratch the substrate material 3, they are not very resistant to elevated temperatures.
  • a cooling roll 14 (Fig. 1 ) can be placed close to the exit of the treatment zone 6.
  • the cooling roll 14 should be able to quickly absorb the heat from the substrate material 3 by conducting and transporting the heat from the substrate material 3 contact area.
  • Suitable cooling roll 14 surfaces could be any metal with good heat conductivity that will not smear or react with the freshly deposited surface of the substrate material 3.
  • An alternative material choice could be a heat conductive ceramic material such as aluminium oxide.
  • One of the guiding rolls 5 in the pay-out chamber 10 (preferably the second last or the last guiding roll 5) is carrying a voltage, i.e. a biasing roll 15, Fig.1.
  • a biasing roll 15 a substrate material 3 biased with a voltage may be preferred in the treatment zone 6.
  • the voltage may be applied to the biasing roll 15 with a suitable sliding brush contacting the surface of the guiding roll 5.
  • an end stage roll (not shown) may be included before the treatment zone 6. This end stage roll may be used if the substrate material 3 is to be fed in horizontal position through the deposition zone 6.
  • a system in which at least two continuous reel-to-reel arrangements 1 are arranged may be used for simultaneous transportation of at least two substrate materials 3.
  • a pay-out chamber 10/take-up chamber 1 1 of such a system is shown.
  • the system comprises eight continuous reel-to reel arrangements 1 , including eight winding material reels 2/unwinding material reels 4, eight braking rolls 12/driving rolls 13.
  • the system also comprises one common treatment zone 6.
  • the eight substrate materials 3 in the system are arranged substantially in parallel.
  • the number of continuous reel-to-reel arrangements 1 in the system may vary. In some applications as few as two arrangements 1 are used in the system and sometimes a system may comprise up to ten or more
  • the system enables simultaneous transportation of more than one substrate material 3 through at least one common treatment zone 6 without having the different substrate materials 3 touching each other.
  • Each different substrate material 3 pass individual adjusting guiding rolls 5 (that also can serve as biasing roll 15 or cooling roll 14), as seen in Fig, 5 and Fig. 6 including braking rolls 12/driving rolls 13 in order to precisely keep the right tension and position of the substrate material 3 within a certain tolerance region when passing through the at least one common treatment zone 6.
  • the position and distance between the substrate materials 3 in the system are also dependent on the individual tension of the substrate materials 3 which is controlled by the braking rolls 12. All guiding rolls 5 may rotate individually for each substrate material 3 that is fed through the treatment zone 6.
  • the driving roll 13 normally rotates at a similar speed as the other driving rolls 13 around the common axis. However, in case of that the substrate material 3 is stopped (e.g. if the substrate material 3 is at the end), a torque limited brake will release inside that specific driving roll 13 and it will stop rotating, while the other substrate materials 3 can continue their motion in the system independently.
EP13731718.6A 2012-06-25 2013-06-18 Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement Withdrawn EP2864229A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201261663834P 2012-06-25 2012-06-25
SE1250680A SE536952C2 (sv) 2012-06-25 2012-06-25 Kontinuerlig rulle-till-rulle-anordning
PCT/EP2013/062625 WO2014001151A1 (en) 2012-06-25 2013-06-18 Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2864229A1 true EP2864229A1 (en) 2015-04-29

Family

ID=49782294

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13731718.6A Withdrawn EP2864229A1 (en) 2012-06-25 2013-06-18 Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US20150203314A1 (zh)
EP (1) EP2864229A1 (zh)
JP (1) JP6130499B2 (zh)
CN (1) CN104395214B (zh)
SE (1) SE536952C2 (zh)
WO (1) WO2014001151A1 (zh)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105059644A (zh) * 2015-08-11 2015-11-18 浙江炜冈机械有限公司 柔印贴标联线的转接机械手装置
CN108675051B (zh) * 2018-04-26 2023-11-03 张维国 丝线牵伸装置及牵伸方法
TW202031107A (zh) * 2019-01-22 2020-08-16 以色列商奧寶科技有限公司 卷對卷網材處理系統
CN116371826B (zh) * 2023-04-07 2023-10-20 深圳市方瑞科技有限公司 一种卷对卷真空等离子清洗机及其工作方法

Family Cites Families (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2245484B1 (zh) * 1973-09-28 1978-08-11 Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp
US3866565A (en) * 1973-12-21 1975-02-18 David E U Ridout Vapor deposition apparatus with rotating drum mask
JPS5831866A (ja) * 1981-08-20 1983-02-24 Nippon Tanshi Kk 線材矯正装置
CA1219547A (en) * 1983-04-04 1987-03-24 Prem Nath Apparatus for and method of continuously depositing a highly conductive, highly transmissive film
US4763601A (en) 1987-09-02 1988-08-16 Nippon Steel Corporation Continuous composite coating apparatus for coating strip
DE59406668D1 (de) * 1993-12-02 1998-09-17 Heraeus Gmbh W C Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines Folienverbundes
DE19824797B4 (de) * 1998-06-03 2004-02-12 Indag Gesellschaft für Industriebedarf mbH & Co. Betriebs KG Beutelherstellungsvorrichtung und Verfahren zum Herstellen von Folienbeutel
PT1004369E (pt) * 1998-11-26 2004-10-29 Cockerill Rech & Dev Eclusa de estanquecidade para camara de vacuo
US6666399B2 (en) * 2001-06-18 2003-12-23 Xerox Corporation System for transfer and inversion of a continuous web substrate between printing and other devices
JP2003306271A (ja) * 2002-04-12 2003-10-28 Toray Ind Inc 水平糸道ローラー
US7028940B2 (en) * 2002-10-25 2006-04-18 The Procter & Gamble Company Apparatus for unwinding rolls of web material
JP4728671B2 (ja) * 2005-03-11 2011-07-20 日本メクトロン株式会社 フレキシブルプリント基板の搬送装置
CA2635258C (en) * 2005-12-30 2014-07-22 Overend Technologies, Llc Unwind and feed system for elastomeric thread
SE529426C2 (sv) * 2006-03-21 2007-08-07 Sandvik Intellectual Property Apparat och metod för eggbeläggning i kontinuerlig deponeringslinje
JP2007302928A (ja) * 2006-05-10 2007-11-22 Sumitomo Electric Ind Ltd 長尺基材連続処理用の搬送機構、それを用いた処理装置およびそれによって得られる長尺部材
US7926758B2 (en) * 2006-07-31 2011-04-19 Industrial Technology Research Institute Apparatus and system for roll-to-roll processing
JP4985209B2 (ja) * 2007-08-13 2012-07-25 富士電機株式会社 薄膜太陽電池の製造装置
JP5182610B2 (ja) * 2007-10-11 2013-04-17 富士電機株式会社 薄膜太陽電池の製造装置
EP2218669B1 (en) * 2007-11-21 2018-12-26 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Web carrier, web carrying method, and web carriage control program
US20110283934A1 (en) * 2009-02-03 2011-11-24 Sidrabe Inc. Highly productive apparatus for vacuum coating roll substrates
US20110143019A1 (en) * 2009-12-14 2011-06-16 Amprius, Inc. Apparatus for Deposition on Two Sides of the Web

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2014001151A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2015520092A (ja) 2015-07-16
SE1250680A1 (sv) 2013-12-26
CN104395214A (zh) 2015-03-04
JP6130499B2 (ja) 2017-05-17
SE536952C2 (sv) 2014-11-11
WO2014001151A1 (en) 2014-01-03
CN104395214B (zh) 2017-12-08
US20150203314A1 (en) 2015-07-23

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9067381B2 (en) Manufacturing method of functional film and functional film
US20150203314A1 (en) Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement
EP2702187B1 (en) Devices and methods for passivating a flexible substrate in a coating process
JP6579162B2 (ja) ガスバリア性フィルム
CN106517750B (zh) 使由硬质脆性材料构成的片保持稳定的装置和方法
WO2012005290A1 (ja) 透明導電性フィルムの製造方法
WO2009101795A1 (ja) 薄膜形成方法および成膜装置
JP5318020B2 (ja) 機能性フィルムの製造方法
WO2019103490A1 (ko) 전극 시트 압연 장치와 그에 사용되는 가이드 롤 시스템 및 이를 이용한 전극 시트 권취 방법
JP2011167967A (ja) 機能性フィルムの製造方法
JP5364001B2 (ja) 機能性フィルムの製造方法
JPWO2011016471A1 (ja) 薄膜積層体の製造装置
JP6662192B2 (ja) ガラスリボン成膜装置及びガラスリボン成膜方法
TW202306879A (zh) 用於傳輸撓性基板的輥、真空處理設備及其方法
JP6811671B2 (ja) ウエブ送給方法およびそれに用いるウエブ送給装置
JP2011214018A (ja) 冷却ドラム及びそれを備えた真空処理装置、並びに表面処理方法
JP4731363B2 (ja) ヒータユニット
JP5803796B2 (ja) 長尺樹脂フィルムの処理方法
TW201946778A (zh) 透明導電性玻璃
US20110283934A1 (en) Highly productive apparatus for vacuum coating roll substrates
US20220056576A1 (en) Processing system for processing a flexible substrate and method of measuring at least one of a property of a flexible substrate and a property of one or more coatings on the flexible substrate
TW202108524A (zh) 玻璃基材之搬送裝置、積層玻璃之製造裝置及製造方法
TW202110759A (zh) 玻璃基材之搬送裝置、積層玻璃之製造裝置及製造方法
KR20150056117A (ko) 수직형 스퍼터링 설비
JPH09134947A (ja) 薄膜製造装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20150122

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: BA ME

DAX Request for extension of the european patent (deleted)
STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN

18W Application withdrawn

Effective date: 20190110