阅读说明：本技术 光学层叠体的输送装置以及输送方法 (Optical laminate conveying device and method ) 是由 宗本顺二 吉原直隆 于 2020-12-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种能够在输送方向以及与输送方向正交的方向上容易地分离光学层叠体的输送装置等。本发明的输送装置(100)具备：配置在光学层叠体(F)的输送方向上游侧且低速输送光学层叠体(F)的上游侧输送机(1)；配置在输送方向下游侧且高速输送光学层叠体(F)的下游侧输送机(2)；将光学层叠体(F)夹在与上游侧输送机(1)之间进行输送的上游侧输送辊(3)；将光学层叠体(F)夹在与下游侧输送机(2)之间进行输送的下游侧输送辊(4)；以及配置在上游侧输送机(1)与下游侧输送机(2)之间且夹持光学层叠体(F)高速输送的中间输送辊(5)。上游侧输送辊(3)和中间输送辊(5)在与光学层叠体(F)的输送方向正交的方向上,以与光学层叠体(F)的与输送方向正交的方向上的尺寸(W)对应的间距(P)呈交错状配置。(The invention provides a conveying device capable of easily separating an optical laminated body in a conveying direction and a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. A conveying device (100) is provided with: an upstream conveyor (1) that is disposed upstream in the conveying direction of the optical layered body (F) and conveys the optical layered body (F) at a low speed; a downstream side conveyor (2) which is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction and conveys the optical layered body (F) at a high speed; an upstream-side conveying roller (3) for conveying the optical layered body (F) by sandwiching the optical layered body between the upstream-side conveying roller and the upstream-side conveyor (1); a downstream-side conveying roller (4) for conveying the optical laminate (F) by sandwiching the optical laminate (F) between the downstream-side conveying roller and the downstream-side conveyor (2); and an intermediate transfer roller (5) that is disposed between the upstream-side conveyor (1) and the downstream-side conveyor (2) and that holds the optical layered body (F) therebetween and transfers the optical layered body at a high speed. The upstream-side conveying rollers (3) and the intermediate conveying rollers (5) are arranged in a staggered manner at a pitch (P) corresponding to the dimension (W) of the optical layered body (F) in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the optical layered body (F).)

1. A transport device for an optical laminate, which transports a plurality of optical laminates provided with an adhesive layer, which are cut into a rectangular shape and arranged in a matrix shape, such that a pair of opposing cut surfaces of the optical laminates are parallel to a transport direction, the transport device comprising:

an upstream conveyor that is disposed upstream in a conveying direction of the optical layered body and conveys the optical layered body placed thereon;

a downstream side conveyor that is disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the optical layered body and conveys the optical layered body placed thereon;

an upstream-side conveying roller that is disposed opposite to the upstream-side conveyor and that conveys the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body between the upstream-side conveying roller and the upstream-side conveyor;

a downstream-side transport roller disposed opposite to the downstream-side conveyor, the downstream-side transport roller being configured to transport the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body between the downstream-side transport roller and the downstream-side conveyor; and

an intermediate transport roller that is disposed between the upstream side conveyor and the downstream side conveyor in a transport direction of the optical layered body and transports the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body therebetween,

the upstream side transport rollers and the intermediate transport rollers are arranged in a staggered manner in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered body at a pitch corresponding to a dimension of the optical layered body in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction,

when a transport speed at which the optical layered body is transported by the upstream side transport roller and the upstream side conveyor is V1, a transport speed at which the optical layered body is transported by the intermediate transport roller is V2, and a transport speed at which the optical layered body is transported by the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor is V3, the following equations (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied:

V1<V2 (1)

V1<V3 (2)

V2＝V3 (3)。

2. the transport device for an optical stack according to claim 1,

the upstream side transport roller and the downstream side transport roller are disposed apart from each other by a dimension in a transport direction of the optical layered body in the transport direction of the optical layered body or more.

3. A method for conveying an optical laminate, in which a plurality of optical laminates provided with an adhesive layer, which are cut into a rectangular shape and arranged in a matrix form, are conveyed so that a pair of cut surfaces thereof facing each other are parallel to a conveying direction, the method comprising:

a step of sandwiching and conveying the optical layered body between an upstream conveyor disposed on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the optical layered body and an upstream conveying roller disposed to face the upstream conveyor;

a step of sandwiching and conveying the optical layered body between a downstream side conveyor disposed on a downstream side in a conveying direction of the optical layered body and a downstream side conveying roller disposed to face the downstream side conveyor; and

a step of sandwiching and conveying the optical layered body by an intermediate conveying roller arranged between the upstream side conveyor and the downstream side conveyor in a conveying direction of the optical layered body,

the upstream side transport rollers and the intermediate transport rollers are arranged in a staggered manner in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered body at a pitch corresponding to a dimension of the optical layered body in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction,

when a transport speed at which the optical layered body is transported by the upstream side transport roller and the upstream side conveyor is V1, a transport speed at which the optical layered body is transported by the intermediate transport roller is V2, and a transport speed at which the optical layered body is transported by the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor is V3, the following equations (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied:

V1<V2 (1)

V1<V3 (2)

V2＝V3 (3)。

4. a method of transporting an optical stack according to claim 3,

the optical laminate comprises a polarizing film.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a conveying device and a conveying method for conveying a plurality of optical layered bodies provided with adhesive layers, which are cut into a rectangular shape and arranged in a matrix, such that a pair of cut surfaces facing each other are parallel to a conveying direction. In particular, the present invention relates to a conveying apparatus and a conveying method that can easily separate an optical laminate in a conveying direction and can easily separate a cut surface of the optical laminate parallel to the conveying direction.

Background

Conventionally, an optical laminate including a plurality of optical films such as a polarizing film and a retardation film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has been used in image display devices such as liquid crystal display devices and organic EL display devices.

An optical laminate is generally produced by sequentially performing various processes while conveying a long strip-shaped raw roll film in the longitudinal direction. Then, for example, a long strip-shaped optical laminate wound in a roll shape is unwound and conveyed, and cut into a plurality of optical laminates having a size according to the application. Alternatively, there are also cases where: after a large-sized optical laminate is cut out from a long strip-shaped optical laminate, the large-sized optical laminate is cut into a plurality of optical laminates having a size according to the application.

The plurality of optical layered bodies obtained by cutting are generally conveyed by a conveyor device provided with a conveyor, and are gravity-dropped from the conveying direction of the conveyor toward the downstream end and collected.

As the above-described conveying device, for example, a conveying device described in patent document 1 is proposed. The conveying device described in patent document 1 includes: an upstream side conveyor which is arranged on the upstream side of the conveying direction of the plurality of cut polarizing films and conveys the plurality of polarizing films; and a downstream side conveyor which is arranged at the downstream side of the conveying direction of the plurality of polarizing films and conveys the plurality of polarizing films placed thereon. Moreover, the structure is as follows: the polarizing films are separated from each other by increasing the conveying speed of the polarizing films conveyed by the downstream side conveyor to be higher than the conveying speed of the polarizing films conveyed by the upstream side conveyor.

As described in patent document 1, when the cutting direction of the polarizing film does not coincide with the transport direction (the cut surface of the polarizing film is not parallel to the transport direction), it is considered that the polarizing film can be relatively easily separated by the transport device described in patent document 1, and the separated polarizing film can be recovered without any problem.

As described above, the technology for separating a plurality of articles by increasing the downstream side conveying speed to be higher than the upstream side conveying speed is not limited to the field of optical films as described in patent documents 2 and 3, and can be used in various fields.

However, in the case of a transport apparatus that transports a plurality of optical layered bodies including an adhesive layer, which are cut into a rectangular shape and arranged in a matrix, so that a pair of opposing cut surfaces thereof are parallel to the transport direction, by setting the transport speed on the downstream side to be higher than the transport speed on the upstream side as described above, even if the optical layered bodies can be separated in the transport direction (even if the cut surfaces of the optical layered bodies orthogonal to the transport direction can be separated), the cut surfaces of the optical layered bodies parallel to the transport direction may not be separated.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration example of a conventional transport apparatus. Fig. 3(a) is a plan view, and fig. 3(b) is a CC end view of fig. 3 (a). In fig. 3, the upstream side portion of the upstream conveyor 1 and the downstream side portion of the downstream conveyor 2 are not shown.

As shown in fig. 3, a conventional transport apparatus 200 transports a plurality of optical layered bodies F provided with an adhesive layer, which are cut into a rectangular shape (a rectangular shape having long sides and short sides in the example shown in fig. 3) and arranged in a matrix shape, such that a pair of opposing cut surfaces thereof are parallel to the transport direction. In the example shown in fig. 3, the optical layered body F is transported in the longitudinal direction (from the left side to the right side in fig. 3).

The conveyance device 200 includes: an upstream conveyor 1 disposed upstream (left side in fig. 3) in the transport direction of the optical layered body F and transporting the optical layered body F placed thereon; and a downstream side conveyor 2 disposed on the downstream side (right side in fig. 3) in the conveying direction of the optical layered body F and conveying the optical layered body F placed thereon. In the example shown in fig. 3, the upstream conveyor 1 is a belt conveyor including an upstream rotary body (not shown), a downstream rotary body 11, and an endless belt 12 stretched over the upstream rotary body and the downstream rotary body 11. Similarly, the downstream conveyor 2 is a belt conveyor including an upstream rotary body 21, a downstream rotary body (not shown), and an endless belt 22 stretched over the upstream rotary body 21 and the downstream rotary body. When the conveying speed of the optical layered body F by the upstream conveyor 1 (corresponding to the circumferential speed of the downstream rotary body 11) is V1 and the conveying speed of the optical layered body F by the downstream conveyor 2 (corresponding to the circumferential speed of the upstream rotary body 21) is V3, V1< V3 is satisfied.

According to this transport device 200, since the downstream transport speed V3 is set to be higher than the upstream transport speed V1, a tensile force acts on a cut surface between the optical stack F reaching the downstream conveyor 2 and the optical stack F placed on the upstream conveyor 1, that is, a cut surface orthogonal to the transport direction (in the example shown in fig. 3, a cut surface extending in the short-side direction of the optical stack F). Therefore, even if the cut surfaces are adhered via the adhesive layer, the adhered state can be released by the tensile force, and as shown in fig. 3, the optical laminate F that has reached the downstream side conveyor 2 and the optical laminate F that has been placed on the upstream side conveyor 1 are conveyed while being separated in the conveying direction.

However, even if the downstream transport speed V3 is set to be higher than the upstream transport speed V1, a difference in transport speed does not occur between a plurality of optical layered bodies F (four optical layered bodies F in the example shown in fig. 3) arranged at the same position in the transport direction. Therefore, a force does not act on the cut surface parallel to the transport direction (in the example shown in fig. 3, the cut surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the optical laminate F), and when the cut surface is adhered via the adhesive layer, as shown in fig. 3, the cut surface parallel to the transport direction cannot be separated and transported.

If the cut surface parallel to the transport direction of the optical layered body F cannot be separated, when the optical layered body F is dropped and collected by gravity from the transport direction of the downstream side conveyor 2 toward the downstream end, the plurality of optical layered bodies F aligned at the same position in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction collectively drop. This may cause a problem in the recovery of the optical laminate F.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: korean patent laid-open publication No. 10-2009-0067615

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2019-116382

Patent document 3: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2019-93524

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transport device and a transport method for transporting a plurality of optical layered bodies including an adhesive layer, which are cut into a rectangular shape and arranged in a matrix, such that a pair of opposing cut surfaces of the optical layered bodies are parallel to a transport direction, the optical layered bodies being easily separable in the transport direction, and the cut surfaces of the optical layered bodies parallel to the transport direction being easily separable.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a transport device for an optical laminate, the transport device transporting a plurality of optical laminates including an adhesive layer, which are cut into a rectangular shape and arranged in a matrix, such that a pair of opposing cut surfaces of the optical laminates are parallel to a transport direction, the transport device including: an upstream conveyor that is disposed upstream in a conveying direction of the optical layered body and conveys the optical layered body placed thereon; a downstream side conveyor that is disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the optical layered body and conveys the optical layered body placed thereon; an upstream-side conveying roller that is disposed opposite to the upstream-side conveyor and that conveys the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body between the upstream-side conveying roller and the upstream-side conveyor; a downstream-side transport roller disposed opposite to the downstream-side conveyor, the downstream-side transport roller being configured to transport the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body between the downstream-side transport roller and the downstream-side conveyor; and an intermediate transport roller disposed between the upstream side conveyor and the downstream side conveyor in a transport direction of the optical layered body, and transporting the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body therebetween, the upstream side conveying roller and the intermediate conveying roller are in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the optical laminated body, and a plurality of optical layered bodies arranged in a staggered manner at a pitch corresponding to a dimension of the optical layered bodies in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction, wherein when a transport speed at which the optical layered bodies are transported by the upstream side transport rollers and the upstream side conveyor is V1, a transport speed at which the optical layered bodies are transported by the intermediate transport rollers is V2, and a transport speed at which the optical layered bodies are transported by the downstream side transport rollers and the downstream side conveyor is V3, the following expressions (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied:

V1<V2 (1)

V1<V3 (2)

V2＝V3 (3)。

the present invention provides a conveying device for an optical laminate, comprising: an upstream-side conveying roller that conveys the optical layered body by sandwiching the optical layered body between the upstream-side conveying roller and the upstream-side conveyor; a downstream-side transport roller that transports the optical layered body by sandwiching the optical layered body between the downstream-side transport roller and a downstream-side conveyor; and an intermediate transport roller disposed between the upstream side conveyor and the downstream side conveyor and transporting the optical layered body while sandwiching the optical layered body therebetween. The upstream-side transport rollers and the intermediate transport rollers are arranged in a staggered manner in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered body at a pitch corresponding to the dimension of the optical layered body in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. Therefore, when a plurality of optical layered bodies arranged in a matrix are viewed in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, an optical layered body conveyed while being sandwiched between an upstream-side conveyance roller and an upstream-side conveyor (hereinafter, this is appropriately referred to as a "first optical layered body") and an optical layered body conveyed while being sandwiched between intermediate conveyance rollers (hereinafter, this is appropriately referred to as a "second optical layered body") alternate.

The first optical layered body is conveyed with its leading end (end on the downstream side in the conveying direction) sandwiched between the upstream-side conveying roller and the upstream-side conveyor, and then with its leading end sandwiched between the downstream-side conveying roller and the downstream-side conveyor. In the transport device of the present invention, since the transport speed V1 at which the optical layered body is transported by the upstream side transport roller and the upstream side conveyor is less than the transport speed V3 at which the optical layered body is transported by the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor, the tip of the first optical layered body is sandwiched between the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor and then transported at high speed, and the tensile force acts on the cut surface that is positioned between the first optical layered body transported at high speed and the first optical layered body on the upstream side thereof and that is orthogonal to the transport direction. Therefore, even if the cut surface is adhered via the adhesive layer, the adhered state can be released by the tensile force, and the first optical laminate can be conveyed while being separated in the conveying direction.

On the other hand, the second optical layered body is conveyed with its leading end sandwiched between the intermediate conveyance rollers, and then the second optical layered body is conveyed with its leading end sandwiched between the downstream conveyance roller and the downstream conveyor. In the conveying device of the present invention, the conveying speed V1 at which the optical layered body is conveyed by the upstream side conveyor < the conveying speed V2 at which the optical layered body is conveyed by the intermediate conveying rollers, and, as described above, V1< V3. Therefore, the second optical layered body is conveyed at a high speed after the leading end thereof is nipped by the intermediate conveyance roller, and a tensile force acts on a cut surface orthogonal to the conveyance direction between the second optical layered body conveyed at a high speed and the second optical layered body on the upstream side thereof. Therefore, even if the cut surface is adhered via the adhesive layer, the adhered state can be released by the tensile force, and the second optical laminate can be conveyed while being separated in the conveying direction.

The first optical layered body is conveyed at a high speed after the leading end thereof is sandwiched between the downstream side conveying roller and the downstream side conveyor, whereas the second optical layered body is conveyed at a high speed after the leading end thereof is sandwiched between the downstream side conveying roller and an intermediate conveying roller located upstream of the downstream side conveying roller and the downstream side conveyor. That is, since the second optical layered body is conveyed at a high speed at an early timing, a shearing force acts on a cut surface (a cut surface parallel to the conveying direction) between the first optical layered body and the second optical layered body adjacent to each other. Therefore, even if the cut surface is adhered via the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the adhered state can be released by the shear force, and the first optical laminate and the second optical laminate can be separated from the cut surface parallel to the conveyance direction and conveyed.

Further, according to the optical stack transport device of the present invention, even when one second optical stack is in a state of being sandwiched between the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor and being transported, since the transport speed V2 at which the second optical stack is transported by the intermediate transport roller is equal to the transport speed V3 at which the second optical stack is transported by the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor, a tensile force in the transport direction does not act on the one second optical stack in the above state. Therefore, there is an advantage that the optical characteristics and the like of the second optical laminate are not adversely affected.

In the present invention, "rectangular" is not necessarily limited to a completely rectangular shape (rectangle, square), but is a concept including a shape similar to a rectangular shape. For example, depending on the application of the optical layered body, a shape in which any corner portion is chamfered or a recess is provided on any side is also included in the concept of "rectangular" in the present invention.

In the present invention, "arranged in a matrix" means a state in which: immediately after cutting into a plurality of rectangular optical layered bodies, the optical layered bodies are arranged in a matrix (adjacent optical layered bodies are arranged in a straight line in the conveying direction and in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction).

In the present invention, the phrase "the pair of opposing cut surfaces are parallel to the transport direction" is not limited to a case where the angle formed by the pair of opposing cut surfaces of the optical layered body and the transport direction is strictly 0 °, but is a concept including a range of 0 ± 5 °.

In the present invention, the "pitch corresponding to the dimension of the optical layered body in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction" is not limited to a case where the dimension of the optical layered body in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction (for example, the length of the short side) strictly matches. The following concept is adopted: in the optical layered bodies adjacent to each other in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered bodies, one optical layered body (first optical layered body) has a leading end sandwiched between the upstream side transport roller and the upstream side conveyor and is transported, and then has a leading end sandwiched between the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor, and the other optical layered body (second optical layered body) has a leading end sandwiched between the intermediate transport roller and is transported, and then has a leading end sandwiched between the downstream side transport roller and the downstream side conveyor and is transported, and so long as the above conditions are satisfied, the optical layered bodies also include a pitch deviating from the dimension orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered body.

Preferably, the upstream side transport roller and the downstream side transport roller are disposed apart from each other by a dimension in a transport direction of the optical layered body or more in the transport direction of the optical layered body.

According to the above preferred configuration, the single first optical layered body is not sandwiched between the upstream-side transport roller and the upstream-side conveyor and is not sandwiched between the downstream-side transport roller and the downstream-side conveyor to be transported, or even if the state is reached, it is instantaneous. Therefore, the tensile force in the conveying direction does not act on one first optical layered body. Therefore, there is an advantage that the optical characteristics and the like of the first optical laminate are not adversely affected.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method of conveying an optical laminate, in which a plurality of optical laminates provided with an adhesive layer and arranged in a matrix form while being cut into a rectangular shape are conveyed so that a pair of opposing cut surfaces thereof are parallel to a conveyance direction, the method comprising: a step of sandwiching and conveying the optical layered body between an upstream conveyor disposed on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the optical layered body and an upstream conveying roller disposed to face the upstream conveyor; a step of sandwiching and conveying the optical layered body between a downstream side conveyor disposed on a downstream side in a conveying direction of the optical layered body and a downstream side conveying roller disposed to face the downstream side conveyor; and a step of sandwiching and conveying the optical layered body by an intermediate conveying roller disposed between the upstream side conveyor and the downstream side conveyor in a conveying direction of the optical layered body, the upstream side conveying roller and the intermediate conveying roller being in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the optical layered body, and a plurality of optical layered bodies arranged in a staggered manner at a pitch corresponding to a dimension of the optical layered bodies in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction, wherein when a transport speed at which the optical layered bodies are transported by the upstream side transport rollers and the upstream side conveyor is V1, a transport speed at which the optical layered bodies are transported by the intermediate transport rollers is V2, and a transport speed at which the optical layered bodies are transported by the downstream side transport rollers and the downstream side conveyor is V3, the following expressions (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied:

V1<V2 (1)

V1<V3 (2)

V2＝V3 (3)。

the method for conveying an optical laminate of the present invention is suitably used, for example, when a polarizing film is included in the optical laminate.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, the optical layered body can be easily separated in the transport direction, and the cut surface of the optical layered body parallel to the transport direction can be easily separated. Therefore, the separated optical layered body can be recovered without any problem.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of an optical laminate conveyed by a conveying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration example of a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration example of a conventional transport apparatus.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a transport apparatus for an optical layered body according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to simply as "transport apparatus" as appropriate) will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

< example of optical layered body construction >

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of an optical laminate F conveyed by the conveying apparatus of the present embodiment. Note that fig. 1 is a diagram referred to in the drawings, and the sizes, scales, and shapes of components and the like shown in the drawings may be different from actual sizes, scales, and shapes. The same applies to other figures.

The optical laminate F shown in fig. 1 is an optical laminate including a polarizing film 6. Specifically, the optical laminate F is configured by laminating a polarizing film 6, an adhesive layer 7, and a release liner 8 in this order. The polarizing film 6 has a structure including a polarizer 61 and protective films 62 and 63 bonded to both surfaces thereof via adhesive layers (not shown).

The polarizer 61 is produced by subjecting a hydrophilic polymer film to various known treatments such as swelling treatment, dyeing treatment, crosslinking treatment, stretching treatment, and drying treatment.

The hydrophilic polymer film is not particularly limited, and conventionally known films can be used. Specifically, examples of the hydrophilic polymer film include a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film, a partially formalized PVA film, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer film, and a partially saponified film thereof. In addition, a polyene oriented film such as a dehydrated PVA product or a desalted polyvinyl chloride product, a stretched oriented polyvinyl film, or the like can be used. Among these, a PVA polymer film is preferable because a dichroic material is excellent in dyeing property.

The thickness of the polarizer 61 is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected according to the purpose. The thickness of the polarizer 61 is typically about 1 to 80 μm. In one embodiment, the thickness of the polarizer 61 is preferably 30 μm or less.

As the protective films 62 and 63, protective films excellent in transparency, mechanical strength, thermal stability, moisture blocking property, isotropy, and the like are preferably used. Examples thereof include polyester polymers such AS polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, cellulose polymers such AS diacetylcellulose and triacetylcellulose, acrylic polymers such AS polymethyl methacrylate, styrene polymers such AS polystyrene and acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer (AS resin), and polycarbonate polymers. Examples of the polymer forming the protective films 62 and 63 include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin polymers having a cyclic or norbornene structure, polyolefin polymers such as ethylene-propylene copolymers, vinyl chloride polymers, amide polymers such as nylon and aromatic polyamide, polyimide polymers, sulfone polymers, polyether ether ketone polymers, polyphenylene sulfide polymers, vinyl alcohol polymers, vinylidene chloride polymers, vinyl butyral polymers, aryl ester polymers, polyoxymethylene polymers, epoxy polymers, and blends of the above polymers.

Protective films 62 and 63 are laminated on polarizer 61 by applying an active energy ray-curable adhesive to the surfaces to be laminated of protective films 62 and 63 and/or polarizer 61, laminating the adhesive to both surfaces of polarizer 61, and curing the adhesive by irradiation with an active energy ray, followed by drying.

As the adhesive for forming the adhesive layer 7, for example, an acrylic adhesive, a urethane adhesive, a silicone adhesive, or the like is used.

As the release liner 8, for example, a polyethylene terephthalate release film is used.

When the optical laminate F having the above-described structure is used, the release liner 8 is peeled off, and the optical laminate F is attached to a liquid crystal cell or the like of a liquid crystal display device via the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 7.

In fig. 1, the case where the optical laminate F is an optical laminate including the polarizing film 6 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various optical laminates such as an optical laminate including a retardation film as long as the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 7 is provided.

< Structure of conveying apparatus >

Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration example of the conveying device according to the present embodiment. Fig. 2(a) is a plan view, fig. 2(b) is an AA end view of fig. 2(a), and fig. 2(c) is a BB end view of fig. 2 (a). In fig. 2, an upstream portion of the upstream conveyor 1 and a downstream portion of the downstream conveyor 2 are not shown. In addition, the rotating shafts of the upstream side conveying roller 3, the downstream side conveying roller 4, and the intermediate conveying roller 5 are not illustrated. In fig. 2(b), the upper conveying roller 52 is not actually present, but for reference, a position corresponding to the upper conveying roller 52 is shown in a broken line. In fig. 2(c), the upstream side conveying roller 3 is not actually present, but for reference, a position corresponding to the upstream side conveying roller 3 is shown in a broken line diagram.

As shown in fig. 2, the transport apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a transport apparatus like the conventional transport apparatus 200 described with reference to fig. 3, as follows: a plurality of optical layered bodies F provided with adhesive layers 7 (see fig. 1) which are cut into rectangles (rectangles having long sides and short sides in the example shown in fig. 2) and arranged in a matrix are conveyed so that a pair of opposing cut surfaces thereof are parallel to the conveying direction. In the example shown in fig. 2, the optical layered body F is transported in the longitudinal direction (from the left side to the right side in fig. 2). The term "the plurality of optical layered bodies F are arranged in a matrix" means a state in which the plurality of optical layered bodies F are arranged in a matrix immediately after being cut into a plurality of rectangular optical layered bodies F (adjacent optical layered bodies F are arranged in a straight line in the transport direction and in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction).

The conveying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes an upstream conveyor 1 and a downstream conveyor 2, as in the conventional conveying apparatus 200. The conveying device 100 of the present embodiment is further provided with an upstream side conveying roller 3, a downstream side conveying roller 4, and an intermediate conveying roller 5, unlike the conventional conveying device 200.

The upstream conveyor 1 is disposed on the upstream side (left side in fig. 2) in the conveying direction of the optical layered body F, and operates to convey the optical layered body F placed thereon. The upstream conveyor 1 of the present embodiment is a belt conveyor including an upstream rotary body (not shown), a downstream rotary body 11, and an endless belt 12 stretched over the upstream rotary body and the downstream rotary body 11. The dimension of the endless belt 12 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction is equal to or greater than a dimension L0 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the entire plurality of optical layered bodies F arranged in a matrix. Thereby, all the optical layered bodies F are conveyed by the upstream side conveyor 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and another conveyor such as a roller conveyor may be used as the upstream conveyor 1.

The downstream side conveyor 2 is disposed on the downstream side (right side in fig. 2) in the conveying direction of the optical layered body F, and operates to convey the optical layered body F placed thereon. The downstream conveyor 2 of the present embodiment is a belt conveyor including an upstream rotary body 21, a downstream rotary body (not shown), and an endless belt 22 stretched over the upstream rotary body 21 and the downstream rotary body. The dimension of the endless belt 22 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction is equal to or greater than a dimension L0 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the entire plurality of optical layered bodies F arranged in a matrix. Thereby, all the optical layered bodies F are conveyed by the downstream side conveyor 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and another conveyor such as a roller conveyor may be used as the downstream side conveyor 2.

The upstream-side conveying roller 3 is disposed opposite to the upstream-side conveyor 1. Specifically, the upstream conveyor rollers 3 of the present embodiment are disposed above the downstream rotary body 11 provided in the upstream conveyor 1 so as to face each other. The size of the gap between the upstream side transport roller 3 and the endless belt 12 provided in the upstream side conveyor 1 is set to be equal to (the same as or slightly smaller than) the thickness of the optical layered body F. Thereby, the upstream side transport roller 3 transports the optical layered body F by sandwiching the optical layered body F between the upstream side transport roller 3 and the upstream side conveyor 1.

The upstream side feed roller 3 may be a drive roller driven by a drive source such as a rotary motor, or may be a driven roller that rotates only.

The downstream side conveying roller 4 is disposed opposite to the downstream side conveyor 2. Specifically, the downstream side conveying rollers 4 of the present embodiment are disposed above the upstream side rotating body 21 provided in the downstream side conveyor 2 so as to face each other. The size of the gap between the downstream side conveying roller 4 and the endless belt 22 provided in the downstream side conveyor 2 is set to be equal to (the same as or slightly smaller than) the thickness of the optical layered body F. Thereby, the downstream side transport roller 4 transports the optical layered body F by sandwiching the optical layered body F between the downstream side transport roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2. The length of the downstream side conveying roller 4 in the direction of the rotation axis (the vertical direction in fig. 2 a) is equal to or greater than a dimension L0 in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the entire plurality of optical layered bodies F arranged in a matrix. Thereby, all the optical layered bodies F are sandwiched between the downstream side conveying roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2 and conveyed.

The downstream side transport roller 4 may be a drive roller driven by a drive source such as a rotary motor, or may be a driven roller that rotates only.

The intermediate transfer roller 5 is disposed between the upstream side conveyor 1 and the downstream side conveyor 2 in the transfer direction of the optical layered body F. The intermediate conveyance roller 5 is composed of a lower conveyance roller 51 and an upper conveyance roller 52 disposed above the lower conveyance roller 51 in an opposed manner.

The length of the lower transport roller 51 in the direction of the rotation axis (the vertical direction in fig. 2 a) is equal to or greater than a dimension L0 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the entire plurality of optical layered bodies F arranged in a matrix. Thereby, all the optical layered bodies F are conveyed by passing over the lower conveying roller 51. Therefore, the optical layered body F does not fall or the conveyance does not become unstable between the upstream conveyor 1 and the downstream conveyor 2. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the following configuration may be adopted: the lower conveying rollers 51 having the same length as the upper conveying rollers 52 are provided only at positions facing downward of the upper conveying rollers 52.

The gap between the upper transport roller 52 and the lower transport roller 51 is set to be equal to (the same as or slightly smaller than) the thickness of the optical layered body F. In other words, the upper conveying roller 52 and the lower conveying roller 51 constitute a pinch roller. Thereby, the optical layered body F (second optical layered body F2) passing below the upper conveying roller 52 is nipped and conveyed by the intermediate conveying roller 5 (upper conveying roller 52 and lower conveying roller 51).

At least one of the lower conveyance roller 51 and the upper conveyance roller 52 is a drive roller driven by a drive source such as a rotary motor.

The upstream-side conveying rollers 3 and the intermediate conveying rollers 5 are arranged in a staggered manner at a pitch P corresponding to the dimension of the optical layered body F in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. Specifically, the upstream-side conveying roller 3 and the upper conveying roller 52 constituting the intermediate conveying roller 5 are arranged in a staggered manner at a pitch P corresponding to the dimension of the optical layered body F in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction.

In the present embodiment, the pitch P coincides with the dimension (the length W of the short side in the present embodiment) of the optical layered body F in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction (that is, P is W). However, the pitch P is not limited to the case where the pitch P strictly coincides with the dimension W of the optical layered body F in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. Among the optical layered bodies F adjacent to each other in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered body F, the optical layered body F (first optical layered body F1) of one side (end on the downstream side in the transport direction) is sandwiched between the upstream-side transport roller 3 and the upstream-side conveyor 1 and transported, the front end is sandwiched between the downstream-side transport roller 4 and the downstream-side conveyor 2 and transported, and the optical layered body F (second optical layered body F2) of the other side is sandwiched between the intermediate transport roller 5 and transported, the front end is sandwiched between the downstream-side transport roller 4 and the downstream-side conveyor 2 and transported, as long as the above conditions are satisfied, the pitch P deviating from the dimension W in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the optical layered body F is included. In the present embodiment, the arbitrary pitches P all have the same value (the three pitches P shown in fig. 2 a have the same value), but the pitches P do not necessarily have to have the same value, and may be set to different values as long as the above conditions are satisfied.

Then, assuming that the transport speed of the optical layered body F by the upstream side transport roller 3 and the upstream side conveyor 1 (corresponding to the circumferential speed of the upstream side transport roller 3 and the downstream side rotary body 11) is V1, the transport speed of the optical layered body F by the intermediate transport roller 5 (corresponding to the circumferential speed of the lower transport roller 51 and the upper transport roller 52) is V2, and the transport speed of the optical layered body F by the downstream side transport roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2 (corresponding to the circumferential speed of the downstream side transport roller 4 and the upstream side rotary body 21) is V3, the following equations (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied.

V1<V2 (1)

V1<V3 (2)

V2＝V3 (3)

Preferably, the conveyance speed V2 is set to be 2 times or more and 6 times or less the conveyance speed V1. Similarly, the conveyance speed V3 is preferably set to be 2 times or more and 6 times or less the conveyance speed V1.

In the present embodiment, as a preferable configuration, the upstream side transport roller 3 and the downstream side transport roller 4 are disposed apart from each other in the transport direction of the optical layered body F from the dimension (the length L of the long side in the present embodiment) in the transport direction of the optical layered body F. That is, the separation distance LL between the upstream side conveying roller 3 and the downstream side conveying roller 4 (the distance between the central axes of the rollers 3 and 4) is set to be larger than the dimension L in the conveying direction of the optical layered body F. Specifically, the separation distance LL between the upstream side conveying roller 3 and the downstream side conveying roller 4 is set to be slightly larger than the dimension L in the conveying direction of the optical layered body F.

According to the transport apparatus 100 having the configuration described above, when the plurality of optical layered bodies F arranged in a matrix are viewed in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the optical layered body F (first optical layered body F1) transported while being sandwiched between the upstream-side transport roller 3 and the upstream-side conveyor 1 and the optical layered body F (second optical layered body F2) transported while being sandwiched between the intermediate transport rollers 5 alternate.

The first optical layered body F1 has its leading end sandwiched between the upstream-side conveying roller 3 and the upstream-side conveyor 1 and then conveyed, and has its leading end sandwiched between the downstream-side conveying roller 4 and the downstream-side conveyor 2. The conveying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment satisfies the above equation (2). That is, the transport speed V1 at which the optical layered body F is transported by the upstream side transport roller 3 and the upstream side conveyor 1< the transport speed V3 at which the optical layered body F is transported by the downstream side transport roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2. Therefore, the first optical laminate F1 is fed at high speed after the tip thereof is sandwiched between the downstream side feed roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2, and a tensile force acts on a cut surface (in the present embodiment, a cut surface extending in the short side direction) orthogonal to the feeding direction, which is positioned between the first optical laminate F1 fed at high speed and the first optical laminate F1 on the upstream side thereof. Therefore, even if the cut surface is attached through the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 7, the attached state can be released by the tensile force, and the first optical laminate F1 can be separately conveyed in the conveying direction.

On the other hand, the second optical layered body F2 is conveyed with its leading end pinched by the intermediate conveyance roller 5, and then with its leading end pinched between the downstream side conveyance roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2. The conveying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment satisfies the above equation (1). That is, the transport speed V1 at which the optical layered body F is transported by the upstream side conveyor 1< the transport speed V2 at which the optical layered body F is transported by the intermediate transport rollers 5, and V1< V3 as described above. Therefore, the second optical laminate F2 is fed at high speed after the leading end thereof is nipped by the intermediate feed rollers 5, and a tensile force acts on a cut surface (in the present embodiment, a cut surface extending in the short-side direction) that is positioned between the second optical laminate F2 fed at high speed and the second optical laminate F2 on the upstream side thereof and that is orthogonal to the feeding direction. Therefore, even if the cut surface is attached through the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 7, the attached state can be released by the tensile force, and the second optical laminate F2 can be separately conveyed in the conveying direction.

The first optical layered body F1 is fed at high speed after the leading end thereof is sandwiched between the downstream side feed roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2, whereas the second optical layered body F2 is fed at high speed after the leading end thereof is sandwiched between the intermediate feed roller 5 located upstream of the downstream side feed roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2. That is, since the second optical laminate F2 is conveyed at a high speed at an early timing, a shearing force acts on a cut surface (a cut surface parallel to the conveying direction, in this embodiment, a cut surface extending in the longitudinal direction) between the first optical laminate F1 and the second optical laminate F2 adjacent to each other. Therefore, even if the cut surfaces are attached to each other through the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 7, the first optical laminate F1 and the second optical laminate F2 can be separated from each other in the direction parallel to the transport direction and transported.

The conveying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment satisfies the above equation (3). That is, the conveying speed V2 at which the second optical layered body F2 is conveyed by the intermediate conveying rollers 5 is equal to the conveying speed V3 at which the second optical layered body F2 is conveyed by the downstream-side conveying rollers 4 and the downstream-side conveyor 2. Therefore, even if the single second optical layered body F2 is sandwiched between the downstream side conveying roller 4 and the downstream side conveyor 2 and conveyed while being sandwiched between the intermediate conveying rollers 5, a tensile force in the conveying direction does not act on the single second optical layered body F2 in this state. Therefore, there is an advantage that the optical characteristics and the like of the second optical laminate F2 are not adversely affected.

As described above, according to the transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the optical layered body F can be easily separated in the transport direction, and the cut surface of the optical layered body F parallel to the transport direction can be easily separated. Therefore, the separated optical layered body F can be recovered without any problem. The method of collecting the optical layered body F is not particularly limited, and a method of collecting the optical layered body F by gravity-dropping from the downstream end in the transport direction of the downstream side conveyor 2 may be employed as in the conventional method.

In the transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as described above, the separation distance LL between the upstream transport roller 3 and the downstream transport roller 4 is preferably set to be larger than the dimension L of the optical layered body F in the transport direction. Therefore, the single first optical layered body F1 is not sandwiched between the upstream-side conveying roller 3 and the upstream-side conveyor 1 and between the downstream-side conveying roller 4 and the downstream-side conveyor 2 to be conveyed, or even in this state, it is instantaneous. Therefore, the tensile force in the conveying direction does not act on one first optical layered body F1. Therefore, there is an advantage that the optical characteristics and the like of the first optical laminate F1 are not adversely affected.

Description of the reference numerals

1 upstream side conveyor

2 downstream side conveyor

3 upstream side feed roller

4 downstream side feed roller

5 intermediate transfer roller

100. 200 conveying device

F optical laminate

Dimension of the W optical laminate in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction

P pitch