US 11,833,800 B2
Method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional curved surface on laminated substrate, and three-dimensional curved laminated substrate
Tohru Yashiro, Kanagawa (JP); Kohji Takeuchi, Kanagawa (JP); Yasuhiro Takahashi, Kanagawa (JP); and Sukchan Kim, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/220,084.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-242181 (JP), filed on Dec. 18, 2017; application No. 2017-242182 (JP), filed on Dec. 18, 2017; and application No. 2018-228499 (JP), filed on Dec. 5, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0184694 A1, Jun. 20, 2019
Int. Cl. B32B 38/18 (2006.01); B32B 37/00 (2006.01); B29C 51/42 (2006.01); B29C 51/28 (2006.01); B29C 51/14 (2006.01); B32B 37/12 (2006.01); B29L 31/34 (2006.01)
CPC B32B 38/1866 (2013.01) [B29C 51/14 (2013.01); B29C 51/28 (2013.01); B29C 51/428 (2013.01); B32B 37/003 (2013.01); B29C 2791/006 (2013.01); B29C 2791/007 (2013.01); B29K 2995/0005 (2013.01); B29K 2995/007 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3475 (2013.01); B32B 37/12 (2013.01); B32B 2457/208 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
12. A method for forming, using a forming apparatus including a temperature-controlled mold and an elastic sheet, a three-dimensional curved surface on a laminated substrate, comprising:
arranging a laminated substrate on a substrate-holding sheet so that the laminated substrate is vertically suspended between the elastic sheet and a surface of the temperature-controlled mold, the surface of the temperature-controlled molded being a concave surface having the three-dimensional curved surface, the temperature-controlled mold comprising a first hole connecting a back side of the mold and the concave surface, the substrate-holding sheet having a second hole penetrating front and back surfaces thereof in a thickness direction and disposed on a flat surface around the three-dimensional curved surface to form a closed space to close the three-dimensional curved surface, and the laminated substrate completely covering the second hole of the substrate-holding sheet, the laminated substrate comprising a support substrate and a conductive layer on the support substrate, and the support substrate comprises a resin substrate comprising a thermoplastic resin and a base layer on the resin substrate, the base layer having a hardness of 180 MPa or more, which is higher than a hardness of the resin substrate; and
deforming the elastic sheet while the laminated substrate is arranged on the substrate-holding sheet by pumping through the first hole to exhaust air in the closed space between the concave surface of the mold and the elastic sheet so as to force the laminated substrate into direct contact with the concave surface of the temperature-controlled mold, to soften the resin substrate.