U.S. patent application number 11/386598 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-15 for lamination apparatus and lamination method using the same.
Invention is credited to Hong-Soo Ha, Ho-Sup Kim, Tae-Hyung Kim, Rock-Kil Ko, Sang-Soo Oh, Kyu-Jeong Song.
Application Number | 20070057017 11/386598 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37854053 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070057017 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Ho-Sup ; et
al. |
March 15, 2007 |
Lamination apparatus and lamination method using the same
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a lamination apparatus and
a lamination method using the same. The lamination apparatus
includes a process chamber and a pump connected with one side of
the process chamber for making the interior of the process chamber
a vacuum. Inside the process chamber, a first and a second supply
unit, an injection unit, and a bonding unit are provided. The first
and the second supply units supply a first and a second metal
sheet, respectively. The injection unit injects a bonding material
between the first and the second metal sheets supplied, and the
bonding unit bonds the first and the second metal sheets with each
other. According to the present invention, a bonding force of the
bonding material may be enhanced and various kinds of bonding
materials may be used.
Inventors: |
Kim; Ho-Sup; (Gim Hae-City,
KR) ; Oh; Sang-Soo; (Chang Won-City, KR) ;
Kim; Tae-Hyung; (Gumi-City, KR) ; Song;
Kyu-Jeong; (Chang Won-City, KR) ; Ha; Hong-Soo;
(Chang Won-City, KR) ; Ko; Rock-Kil; (Chang
Won-City, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KEUSEY, TUTUNJIAN & BITETTO, P.C.
20 CROSSWAYS PARK NORTH
SUITE 210
WOODBURY
NY
11797
US
|
Family ID: |
37854053 |
Appl. No.: |
11/386598 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
228/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 15/01 20130101;
B23K 1/0008 20130101; B23K 20/04 20130101; B23K 2101/34
20180801 |
Class at
Publication: |
228/101 |
International
Class: |
A47J 36/02 20060101
A47J036/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 1, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0081099 |
Claims
1. A lamination apparatus comprising: a process chamber; a first
and a second supply unit disposed inside the process chamber for
supplying a first and a second metal sheet, respectively; an
injection unit for injecting a bonding material between the first
and the second metal sheets supplied; a bonding unit for bonding
the first and the second metal sheets with each other; and a pump
connected to one side of the process chamber for making the
interior of the process chamber a vacuum.
2. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal sheets
are tape-type sheets, respectively; wherein the first and the
second supply units are a first and a second reel, respectively;
and wherein the tape-type first and second metal sheets are
supplied by rotation of the first and second reels.
3. The lamination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and the
second reels are different in width.
4. The lamination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bonding unit is
a roller for rolling the first and the second metal sheets to
closely stick and bond the same to each other.
5. The lamination apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a third
reel on which the metal sheets bonded by the bonding unit are
wound.
6. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bonding unit
bonds the first and the second metal sheets by closely sticking the
same to each other.
7. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heater
for heating the metal sheets bonded by the bonding unit to enhance
a bonding force of the first and the second metal sheets.
8. The lamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heater is one
selected from the group consisting of a high-frequency induction
heater, an infrared heater, and a halogen heater.
9. The lamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heater is
installed inside the bonding unit.
10. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the injection unit
is a metal evaporator.
11. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein an injection
outlet of the injection unit has the same width as the first or the
second metal sheet.
12. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a
position adjuster for adjusting a position of the injection unit
relative to the bonding unit.
13. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a
temperature controller connected with the injection unit for
controlling a temperature of the injection unit.
14. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heat
shielding film interposed between the first metal sheet and the
injection unit and between the second metal sheet and the injection
unit.
15. The lamination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an
adsorption sheet disposed between the process chamber and the pump
for adsorbing a vapor of the bonding material to prevent the
bonding material from flowing into the pump.
16. A lamination method comprising: making the interior of a
process chamber a vacuum, the process chamber including a first and
a second metal sheet; supplying the first and the second metal
sheets; injecting a bonding material between the first and the
second metal sheets supplied; bonding the first and the second
metal sheets with each other; and heating the bonded metal
sheets.
17. The lamination method of claim 16, wherein the first metal
sheet is a superconductive tape, and the second metal sheet is a
stabilization metal tape.
18. The lamination method of claim 17, wherein a width of the
superconductive tape is smaller than that of the stabilization
metal tape.
19. The lamination method of claim 18, wherein the superconductive
tape includes a protective film, a superconductive film, a buffer
film, and a substrate film that are stacked in the order named.
20. The lamination method of claim 19, wherein the bonding material
surrounds the superconductive tape.
21. The lamination method of claim 17, wherein injection of the
bonding material is done by means of metallic evaporation.
22. The lamination method of claim 21, wherein the metallic
evaporation is performed by heating using a heater or
high-frequency induction heating.
23. The lamination method of claim 17, wherein heating the bonded
metal sheets is done by means of one selected from the group
consisting of high-frequency induction heating, infrared heating,
and heating using a halogen heater.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority
under 35 U.S.C .sctn. 119 from Korean Patent Application 2005-81099
filed on Sep. 1, 2005, the entire contents of which are herein
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a bonding apparatus and,
more particularly, to a lamination apparatus and a lamination
method using the same.
[0003] Generally, metal sheets are bonded by means of brazing,
soldering, plasma welding or laser welding according to the kinds
of metals.
[0004] Welding is wherein metal sheets are bonded by solidifying
bonding surfaces of the metal sheets after partially fusing the
bonding surfaces. Plasma welding or laser welding should be used to
fully seal the interior defined by the bonding. Unfortunately,
plasma welding and laser welding incur much higher costs than
soldering. Namely, the plasma welding and the laser welding have a
low economical efficiency.
[0005] Soldering is wherein metal sheets are bonded by solidifying
a bonding material after fusing the bonding material having a lower
fusing point than the metal sheets to flow between the metal sheets
bonded by a capillary phenomenon. The soldering is performed at a
temperature of 430 degrees centigrade or lower. Unlike the
soldering, brazing is performed at a temperature of 430 degrees or
higher. Soldering and brazing are selectively applied according to
the kinds of metal sheets.
[0006] When metal sheets are bonded by means of soldering, there is
a limitation in selecting a bonding material because the bonding
material should have a lower fusing point than the metal sheets.
Further, bonding materials may be different in thickness and become
porous to drop in density. Since the soldering is performed in the
air, the bonding materials are apt to be oxidized. For these
reasons, bonding force of a bonding material may diminish
considerably.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed
to a lamination apparatus and a lamination method using the same.
In an exemplary embodiment, the lamination apparatus may include a
process chamber; a first supply unit and a second supply unit
disposed inside the process chamber for supplying a first and a
second metal sheet, respectively; an injection unit for injecting a
bonding material between the first and the second metal sheets
supplied; a bonding unit for bonding the first and the second metal
sheets with each other; and a pump connected to one side of the
process chamber for making the interior of the process chamber a
vacuum.
[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the lamination method may
include making the interior of a process chamber vacuum, the
process chamber including a first and a second metal sheet;
supplying the first and the second metal sheets; injecting a
bonding material between the first and the second metal sheets
supplied; bonding the first and the second metal sheets with each
other; and heating the bonded metal sheets.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a lamination apparatus according to the
present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view when two lamination tapes
are bonded by the lamination apparatus according to the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a metal lamination tape
in which a superconductive tape and a stabilization metal tape are
bonded by means of a conventional lamination method.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a metal lamination tape
in which a superconductive tape and a stabilization metal tape are
bonded by means of a lamination method according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] The present invention will now be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention,
however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather,
the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough
and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to
those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the thicknesses of
elements are exaggerated for clarity. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout.
[0014] A lamination apparatus according to the present invention is
illustrated in FIG. 1. A first reel 21, a second reel 22, and a
third reel 23 are disposed inside a process chamber 10. A first
metal lamination tape 1t wound on the first reel 21 is provided by
rotation of the first reel 21, and a second metal lamination tape
2t wound on the second reel 22 is provided by rotation of the
second reel 22.
[0015] A metal evaporator 30 injects metallic vapor that is a
bonding material 30m between the first and second metal lamination
tapes 1t and 2t provided. The metal evaporator 30 includes a sealed
housing 30h and an injection outlet 30e. A metallic substance is
introduced into the housing 30h through a sample slot (not shown)
formed at the housing 30h and inert gas is introduced into the
housing 30h through a gas inlet (not shown). At this point, instead
of inert gas, a metallic substance may be injected thereinto after
turning to a high-temperature vapor. Inside the housing 30h,
heating means (not shown) is provided for evaporating the metallic
substance introduced into the housing 30h. The inert gas and
evaporated metallic substance inside the housing 30h are injected
fast through the injection outlet 30e. A width of the injection
outlet 30e may be equal to that of the first or second metal
lamination tape 1t or 2t. The evaporated metallic substance
injected becomes the bonding material 30m, bonding the first and
second metal lamination tapes 1t and 2t with each other. Metallic
substances used as bonding materials are, for example, silver (Ag),
zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and so forth. A temperature
controller 34 is connected with the heating means for constantly
controlling a temperature of the metallic substance. A position
adjuster 32 is connected with the bottom of the metal evaporator 30
for adjusting the position of the metal evaporator 30. In order to
enhance a deposition efficiency of the bonding material 30m, the
injection outlet 30e is maximally closely adjacent to a bonding
portion of the first and second metal lamination tapes 1t and 2t.
In the metal evaporator 30, metal evaporation may be done by
heating using a heater or high-frequency induction heating.
[0016] A heat shielding film 36 may be provided between the metal
evaporator 30 and the metal lamination tapes 1t and 2t for
preventing radiant heat of the metal evaporator 30 from excessively
heating the metal lamination tapes t1 and t2. A bonding unit 25
enables the first and second metal lamination tapes 1t and 2t to
adhere closely and to be bonded with each other, which is done by
rotation of a roller.
[0017] The first and second metal lamination tapes are bonded with
each other, constituting a metal lamination tape t3. The metal
lamination tape t3 is wound on the third reel 23.
[0018] A heater 40 may be provided between the roller 25 and the
third reel 23. The heater 40 may be one selected from the group
consisting of a high-frequency induction heater, an infrared
heater, and a halogen heater. The heater 40 may be installed inside
the roller 25. The heater 40 heats the metal lamination tape 3t to
enhance a bonding force. The heating temperature is lower than a
fusing point of the bonding material 30m.
[0019] A pump 50 is disposed at one side of the process chamber 10,
making the interior of the process chamber 10 a vacuum. Thus, the
metallic substance evaporated by the metal evaporator 30 may be
provided to a bonding portion of the first and second metal
lamination tapes 1t and 2t without being oxidized. An adsorption
sheet 55 may be provided between the process chamber 10 and the
pump 50. The adsorption sheet 55 adsorbs the metallic vapor, i.e.,
the bonding material 30m to prevent the metallic vapor from flowing
into the pump 50.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view when two metal lamination
tapes are bonded by the lamination apparatus according to the
present invention.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, a first metal lamination tape 1t and a
second metal lamination tape 2t are bonded by means of a bonding
material 30m. The bonding material 30m sandwiched between the first
and second metal lamination tapes 1t and 2t has a uniform
thickness. Although not illustrated in this figure, the bonding
material 30m has a high density and a fine structure.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a metal lamination tape
in which a first metal lamination tape and a second lamination tape
are bonded by means of a conventional lamination method. FIG. 4 is
a cross-sectional view of a metal lamination tape in which a first
metal lamination tape and a second metal lamination tape are bonded
by means of a lamination method according to the present
invention.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, a superconductive tape 11t includes a
substrate film 11t1, a buffer film 11t2, a superconductive film
11t3, and a protective film 11t4. The superconductive tape 11t and
a stabilization metal tape 12t are bonded by a bonding material
30m. The buffer film 11t2 is made of a dielectric substance and
sandwiched between the superconductive film 11t3 and the substrate
film 11t1. Therefore, if overcurrent higher than critical current
flows to the superconductive film 11t3, current flows through the
stabilization metal tape 12t to restrict a capacity for the
overcurrent.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 4, a superconductive tape 21t has the same
structure as the conventional superconductive tape shown in FIG. 3.
However, a width of the superconductive tape 21t is smaller than
that of a stabilization metal tape 22t. Thus, if the
superconductive tape 21t and the stabilization metal tape 22t are
bonded by a bonding material 30m, the bonding material 30m is
deposited even on a side of the superconductive tape 21t. Further,
the bonding material 30m may surround the superconductive tape 21t.
Since the bonding material 30m made of a metal, i.e., has
conductivity, a superconductive film 21t3 may be electrically
connected to a substrate film 21t1. This may enable the overcurrent
of the superconductive film 21t3 to be bypassed through the
substrate film 21t1 and the stabilization metal tape 22t. As a
result, a capacity for the overcurrent may increase.
[0025] According to the present invention, vacuum deposition is
conducted to easily raise a temperature and gain a high vapor
pressure in vacuum even when a fusing point of a bonding material
is high. Thus, lamination tapes are bonded using various kinds of
bonding materials. Since a vapor pressure of a bonding material
inside an injection unit is precisely controlled by a temperature
controller, a constant deposition rate is obtained to make a
thickness of the bonding material uniform. In the vacuum
deposition, an element-state bonding material is injected fast to
be deposited. Therefore, a high-density bonding film is obtained.
Since the vacuum deposition is conducted while reducing oxidation
reactive gas, the possibility of oxidizing the bonding material is
reduced. Even when the oxidation reactive gas remains, a high vapor
pressure established at a bonding portion of two lamination sheets
prevents the oxidation reactive gas from flowing to the bonding
portion. For these reasons, a bonding force of the bonding material
is enhanced. In addition, the cost of manufacturing and maintaining
a lamination apparatus using the vacuum deposition is low. In a
case where a superconductive tape and a stabilization metal tape
are bonded by means of the lamination method according to the
invention, the superconductive tape is electrically connected to a
substrate film because the conductive bonding material is deposited
on a side of the superconductive tape. Thus, overcurrent is
bypassed through the substrate film and the stabilization metal
tape to increase a capacity for the overcurrent.
[0026] Although the present invention has been described in
connection with the embodiment of the present invention illustrated
in the accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto. It will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitution,
modifications and changes may be thereto without departing from the
scope and spirit of the invention.
* * * * *