Automatic laminator

Abstract

An automatic laminator such as may be used for depositing layers of photoresist material on both sides of a base panel in which movement of the base panel during the laminating operation is continuous and overheating of the photoresist film layers is prevented. On each side of the inlet to a nip between a pair of heated rolls there is provided a main vacuum bail for holding the leading end of a web of photoresist film, and a secondary vacuum bail for pulling the leading end of the web are around arcuate end of the main vacuum bail. A first air cylinder which moves the main vacuum bail in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the base panel is itself movable in the same direction by a second air cylinder which also carries a third air cylinder, the latter moving the secondary vacuum bail in a direction parallel to the plane of the base panel. A nozzle plate is disposed opposed to the inlet of the heated rolls to cause the leading end of the web to be deposited smoothly onto the base panel.

I claim: 
     
       1. An automatic laminate for depositing segments cut from a web onto a base panel, comprising: a main vacuum bail having a first surface extending parallel to a conveying direction of said web and perpendicular to a conveying direction of said base panel for selectively holding a portion of said web;   a secondary vacuum bail disposed generally between said main vacuum bail and said base panel for positioning a leading end of said web at an end of said main vacuum bail which is closest to said base panel;   first moving means for moving said main vacuum bail in a direction perpendicular to said base panel;   second moving means for moving said secondary vacuum bail in a direction parallel to said base panel;   third moving means for moving both said first moving means and said second moving means in said direction perpendicular to said base panel;   a pair of heated rolls for press sealing a segment of said web to said base panel; and   a nozzle plate disposed adjacent an inlet to a nip formed by said heated rolls for guiding said web segment onto said base panel.   
     
     
       2. The automatic laminator of claim 1, further comprising: means for rotatably driving said heated rolls; and   means for adjusting a distance between said heated rolls.   
     
     
       3. The automatic laminator according to claim 2, wherein said means for adjusting said distance between said heated rolls comprises a pair of frames on which respective ones of said heated rolls are mounted, means for pivotally mounting each of said frames, and a hydraulic cylinder extending between said frames. 
     
     
       4. The automatic laminator of claim 1, wherein said nozzle plate is directed and an air flow rate and a pressure of air flowing through said nozzle plate are set so that said segment of said web is smoothly attached to said base panel. 
     
     
       5. The automatic laminator of claim 1, wherein said third moving means comprises means for moving said main vacuum bail and said secondary vacuum bail towards said base panel at a speed faster than a speed at which said base panel is conveyed by said heated rolls. 
     
     
       6. The automatic laminator of claim 1, further comprising heater means positioned on said main vacuum bail. 
     
     
       7. The automatic laminator according to claim 1, wherein said end of said main vacuum bail closest to said base panel is arcuate in cross section. 
     
     
       8. The automatic laminator of claim 1, further comprising cutting means for cutting said web, said cutting means being opposed to said secondary vacuum bail. 
     
     
       9. The automatic laminator of claim 8, wherein said third moving means moves said first moving means, said second moving means and said cutting means as a unit toward and away from said base panel. .Iadd. 
     
     
       10.  An automatic laminator for depositing a web onto a base panel, comprising: rotatable rolls disposed on either side of said base panel;   means for supporting said rolls and for translating said rolls both horizontally and vertically with respect to said base panel to allow said rolls to clamp said base panel and a leading end of said web;   means for driving said rolls to press-seal said web to said base panel; and   said supporting means including means for removing said rolls from said base panel upon completion of said press sealing operation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The automatic laminator of claim 10, wherein said rolls comprise heated rollers. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. An automatic laminator as claimed in claim 10, further comprising means for severing said web to form web segments for application to said base panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. An automatic laminator as claimed in claim 10, wherein said supporting means comprises a pair of frames on which respective ones of said rolls are mounted, means for pivotally mounting each of said frames, and a hydraulic cylinder connected to at least one of said frames for actuating pivotal movement of said frames. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. An automatic laminator as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said frames supports a transmission gear disposed on a rotary shaft, an intermediate gear in mesh with said transmission gear, and gear means associated with said roll and in mesh with said intermediate gear, such that said rolls are rotatably driven by said transmission gears via said intermediate gears. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. An automatic laminator as claimed in claim 14, wherein said transmission gears of said respective frames are engaged with each other, and wherein said rotary shafts comprise pivot points for said respective frames. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. An automatic laminator as claimed in claim 15, wherein said hydraulic cylinder, when actuated, causes said frames to pivot about said pivot points to thereby translate said rotatable rolls. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. An automatic laminator for depositing segments cut from a web onto a base panel, comprising:   a main vacuum bail having a surface extending parallel to a conveyance direction of said web and perpendicular to a conveyance direction of said base panel, for selectively holding a portion of said web,   an auxiliary vacuum bail disposed generally between said main vacuum bail and said base panel for positioning a leading end of said web at the end of said main vacuum bail closest to said base panel,   first moving means for moving said main vacuum bail in a direction perpendicular to said base panel,   roll means for press-sealing a segment of said web to said base panel,   second moving means for moving said auxiliary vacuum bail in a direction parallel to said base panel, third moving means for moving both said first moving means and said second moving means in said direction perpendicular to said base panel,   press-sealing means for moving said roll means so as to approach a leading end of said base panel and clamp said base panel between adjacent rolls of said roll means after attachment of a leading end of a segment of said web to said base panel, and   said press sealing means including roll returning means for removing said rolls from said base panel upon completion of press-sealing said segment   
     
     
        onto said base panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  The automatic laminator of claim 10, further comprising: a main vacuum bail having a first surface extending parallel to a conveying direction of said web and perpendicular to a conveying direction of said base panel for selectively holding a portion of said web, an end of said main vacuum bail closest to said base panel being arcuate in cross section;   a secondary vacuum bail disposed generally between said main vacuum bail and said base panel for positioning a leading end of said web at said end of said main vacuum bail which is closest to said base panel; and   means for moving said secondary vacuum bail rearwardly in a direction parallel to said base panel so that a leading end of said web is pulled around said arcuate surface of a lower end of said main vacuum bail. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The automatic laminator of claim 18, further comprising:   cutting means for cutting said web, said cutting means being opposed to said secondary vacuum bail; and   means for moving said main vacuum bail and said cutting means as a unit toward said base panel to cut said web. .Iaddend.