Roll-to-roll apparatus

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a roll-to-roll apparatus may include an unwinding unit, a winding unit, at least one supporting unit, at least one breakage sensor, and at least one holding unit. The at least one supporting unit is disposed between the unwinding unit and the winding unit, and supports the flexible substrate to move from the unwinding unit to the winding unit. The at least one breakage sensor may sense whether the flexible substrate is broken or not. The at least one holding unit may grip the flexible substrate while a breakage of the flexible substrate is sensed by the at least one breakage sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A roll-to-roll apparatus, comprising:
 an unwinding unit;   a winding unit;   at least one supporting unit, disposed between the unwinding unit and the winding unit, and supporting a flexible substrate to move from the unwinding unit to the winding unit;   at least one breakage sensor, sensing whether the flexible substrate is broken or not; and   at least one holding unit, gripping the flexible substrate while a breakage of the flexible substrate is sensed by the at least one breakage sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one holding unit is arc-shaped and presses onto the flexible substrate on the at least one supporting unit while a breakage of the flexible substrate is sensed by the at least one breakage sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the at least one holding unit does not press onto the flexible substrate, a distance between the at least one holding unit and the flexible substrate is less than 100 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein two sides of the at least one supporting unit are higher than a middle portion of the at least one supporting unit, and a boundary of the flexible substrate is in contact with the at least one supporting unit. 
     
     
         5 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one holding unit grips a boundary of the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one holding unit is a roller and is in contact with the flexible substrate on the at least one supporting unit, and stops the flexible substrate in time while a breakage occurring in the flexible substrate is sensed by the at least one breakage sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one holding unit further comprises a first holding portion and a second holding portion, and grips the flexible substrate between the first holding portion and the second holding portion while a breakage occurring in the flexible substrate is sensed by the at least one breakage sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll-to-roll apparatus comprises a plurality of holding units and a plurality of supporting units, and the plurality of holding units correspond to the plurality of supporting units, respectively, and the flexible substrate is held by both the plurality of holding units and the plurality of supporting units. 
     
     
         9 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one breakage sensor is a tension sensor, an image sensor, or an optical sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a material of the flexible substrate is glass, metal, plastic, or paper like. 
     
     
         11 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll-to-roll apparatus comprises a plurality of supporting units, and a frictional force between the at least one holding unit and the flexible substrate to grip the flexible substrate is greater than a gravity of the flexible substrate between two adjacent supporting units of the plurality of supporting units. 
     
     
         12 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one supporting unit is a roller, a circumferential angle of a portion of the at least one supporting unit in contact with the flexible substrate is in a range of 45° to 135°. 
     
     
         13 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of the flexible substrate is L, the at least one supporting unit is a roller having a diameter is D, an area of the at least one holding unit in contact with the flexible substrate is A, and A≦L×π×D×3/8. 
     
     
         14 . The roll-to-roll apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a material of the at least one holding unit is plastic, rubber, or silicone.