US5876549A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for stacking sheets supported by carriers
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1996-07-24
•
Granted: 1999-03-02
•
Expires: 2016-07-24
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for processing sheets, includes placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure, sizing the sheet/carrier structure, stacking the sheet/carrier structure in a stacking apparatus having a second sheet stacked in advance therein, so that the sheet contacts the second sheet, aligning the sheets with pins, tacking the sheet to the second sheet and removing the carrier.
Inventors
- 👤 Govindarajan Natarajan
- 👤 John Ulrich Knickerbocker
- 👤 Robert Williams Pasco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 12:00
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B38/00; B32B38/18; B32B38/1825; B32B38/1833; B32B38/1841; B32B2315/00; B32B2315/02; H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/03; H05K1/0306; H05K3/00; H05K3/46; H05K3/4611; H05K3/4626; H05K3/4629; H05K3/4638; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/12; Y10T156/13; Y10T156/1317; Y10T156/1322; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1744; Y10T156/1749; Y10T156/1751; Y10T156/1761
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of processing sheets, comprising steps of: providing an alignment reference on one of a stacking apparatus and a sheet; placing said sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; stacking said sheet/carrier structure in said stacking apparatus having a second sheet stacked in advance therein, said sheet/carrier structure being stacked in said stacking apparatus based on said alignment reference; tacking said sheet to said second sheet; and removing said carrier, wherein said alignment reference is provided on said sheet, and wherein said step of stacking includes: aligning said sheet/carrier structure with said second sheet by moving said sheet/carrier structure so that an alignment member of the stacking apparatus is in a predetermined position relative to the alignment reference on said sheet; and bringing said sheet into contact with said second sheet by coupling the alignment member of said stacking apparatus with the alignment reference on said sheet, and wherein said alignment reference is a location hole in said sheet and said alignment member is a pin projecting from said stacking apparatus, and wherein said sheet is aligned with said second sheet by inserting the pin of said stacking apparatus into the location hole of said sheet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of processing sheets, comprising steps of: providing an alignment reference on one of a stacking apparatus and a sheet; placing said sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; stacking said sheet/carrier structure in said stacking apparatus having a second sheet stacked in advance therein, said sheet/carrier structure being stacked in said stacking apparatus based on said alignment reference; tacking said sheet to said second sheet; and removing said carrier, wherein said alignment reference is provided on said sheet, and wherein said step of stacking includes: aligning said sheet/carrier structure with said second sheet by moving said sheet/carrier structure so that an alignment member of the stacking apparatus is in a predetermined position relative to the alignment reference on said sheet; and bringing said sheet into contact with said second sheet by coupling the alignment member of said stacking apparatus with the alignment reference on said sheet, and wherein said alignment reference is a location hole in said sheet and said alignment member is a pin projecting from said stacking apparatus, and wherein said sheet is aligned with said second sheet by inserting the pin of said stacking apparatus into the location hole of said sheet.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of processing sheets, comprising the steps of: placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; sizing said sheet/carrier structure; stacking said sheet/carrier structure in a stacking apparatus having a second sheet stacked in advance therein, said sheet contacting said second sheet; tacking said sheet to said second sheet; and removing said carrier, wherein said step of sizing includes patterning a predetermined configuration on said sheet and punching said sheet/carrier structure, and wherein step of stacking includes aligning said sheet/carrier structure with said second sheet, and wherein said step of aligning includes providing at least one pin attached to said stacking apparatus for aligning at least one hole of said second sheet with at least one hole of said sheet/carrier structure.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of processing sheets, comprising the steps of: placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; sizing said sheet/carrier structure; stacking said sheet/carrier structure in a stacking apparatus having a second sheet stacked in advance therein, said sheet contacting said second sheet; tacking said sheet to said second sheet; and removing said carrier, wherein said step of sizing includes patterning a predetermined configuration on said sheet and punching said sheet/carrier structure, and wherein step of stacking includes aligning said sheet/carrier structure with said second sheet, and wherein said step of aligning includes providing at least one pin attached to said stacking apparatus for aligning at least one hole of said second sheet with at least one hole of said sheet/carrier structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of removing said carrier comprises: breaking an adhesion between said carrier and said sheet using a stripper; and peeling said carrier from said sheet such that said carrier is completely separated from said sheet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of breaking an adhesion includes breaking said adhesion by applying one of ultraviolet rays and air to said adhesion and said step of peeling includes lifting, via vacuum, said carrier from said sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of tacking comprises applying at least one of heat and pressure to said sheet to bond said sheet to said second sheet.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of processing large sheets, comprising steps of: forming at least one location hole in a sheet; placing said sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; placing said sheet/carrier structure on a stationary holder such that said carrier contacts said holder and said sheet/carrier structure is aligned with said stationary holder; removing, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet; positioning said sheet in a blanking apparatus using said movable vacuum holder, said positioning step including placing said sheet on said blanking apparatus in such a manner that at least one pin projecting from a surface of said blanking apparatus is inserted into said at least one location hole in said sheet; and blanking said sheet into a plurality of smaller sheets such that said smaller sheets are stacked.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of processing large sheets, comprising steps of: forming at least one location hole in a sheet; placing said sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; placing said sheet/carrier structure on a stationary holder such that said carrier contacts said holder and said sheet/carrier structure is aligned with said stationary holder; removing, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet; positioning said sheet in a blanking apparatus using said movable vacuum holder, said positioning step including placing said sheet on said blanking apparatus in such a manner that at least one pin projecting from a surface of said blanking apparatus is inserted into said at least one location hole in said sheet; and blanking said sheet into a plurality of smaller sheets such that said smaller sheets are stacked.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of processing large sheets, comprising steps of: placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; sizing said sheet/carrier structure; placing said sheet/carrier on a stationary holder such that said carrier contacts said holder and said sheet/carrier are aligned with said stationary holder; removing, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet; positioning said sheet in a blanking apparatus using said movable vacuum holder; and blanking said sheet into a plurality of smaller sheets such that said smaller sheets are stacked, wherein said removing step includes breaking an adhesion between said carrier and said sheet and peeling, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet such that said sheet is completely separated from said carrier, wherein said step of peeling includes tilting said movable vacuum holder.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of processing large sheets, comprising steps of: placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; sizing said sheet/carrier structure; placing said sheet/carrier on a stationary holder such that said carrier contacts said holder and said sheet/carrier are aligned with said stationary holder; removing, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet; positioning said sheet in a blanking apparatus using said movable vacuum holder; and blanking said sheet into a plurality of smaller sheets such that said smaller sheets are stacked, wherein said removing step includes breaking an adhesion between said carrier and said sheet and peeling, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet such that said sheet is completely separated from said carrier, wherein said step of peeling includes tilting said movable vacuum holder.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of processing large sheets comprising the steps of: placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; sizing said sheet/carrier structure; placing said sheet/carrier on a stationary holder such that said carrier contacts said holder and said sheet/carrier are aligned with said stationary holder; removing, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet; positioning said sheet in a blanking apparatus using said movable vacuum holder; blanking said sheet into a plurality of smaller sheets such that said smaller sheets are stacked; and aligning said sheet on said movable vacuum holder using at least one pin included on said movable vacuum holder; aligning said sheet/carrier structure on said stationary vacuum holder using at least one pin included on said stationary vacuum holder, and aligning said sheet on said blanking apparatus using at least one pin included on said blanking apparatus.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of processing large sheets comprising the steps of: placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure; sizing said sheet/carrier structure; placing said sheet/carrier on a stationary holder such that said carrier contacts said holder and said sheet/carrier are aligned with said stationary holder; removing, with a movable vacuum holder, said carrier from said sheet; positioning said sheet in a blanking apparatus using said movable vacuum holder; blanking said sheet into a plurality of smaller sheets such that said smaller sheets are stacked; and aligning said sheet on said movable vacuum holder using at least one pin included on said movable vacuum holder; aligning said sheet/carrier structure on said stationary vacuum holder using at least one pin included on said stationary vacuum holder, and aligning said sheet on said blanking apparatus using at least one pin included on said blanking apparatus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said blanking step includes moving a punch through cut-out regions of said movable vacuum holder.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the pin of said stacking apparatus is inserted through the location hole of said sheet by a desired amount to align said sheet with said second sheet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising: forming a plurality of location holes in said sheet, and wherein the sheet is aligned with the second sheet by inserting a plurality of pins formed on the stacking apparatus into respective ones of said plurality of location holes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of sizing said sheet/carrier structure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said sizing step is performed after said placing step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 12, further comprising: patterning a predetermined metallization configuration on said sheet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said sheet and said second sheet are green sheets.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said sheet and said second sheet are green sheets of a size which is at least approximately 200×200 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said tacking step includes pressing said sheet/carrier structure onto said second sheet so that a surface of said sheet is at a desired level.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said blanking step includes: blanking said sheet to simultaneously form said plurality of smaller sheets, said smaller sheets being stacked on respective sheets within a lamination frame to form a plurality of stacks of smaller sheets.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of smaller sheets are simultaneously stacked onto said respective sheets within the lamination frame as a result of said blanking step.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said method further comprises: sizing said sheet/carrier structure before said sheet/carrier structure is placed on said stationary holder.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 6, further comprising: laminating said plurality of stacks of smaller sheets.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 6, further comprising: aligning said sheet/carrier structure onto said stationary holder by inserting at least one hole in said carrier into at least one pin projecting from a surface of said stationary holder.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 22, further comprising: aligning said movable vacuum holder on said sheet by inserting at least one pin projecting from a surface of said movable vacuum holder into said at least one hole in said sheet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4929295A
Cited
US4960361A
Cited
US5174842A
Cited
US5358593A
Cited
JPH0478118A
Cited
US5261986A
Cited
EP0530052A1
Cited
JPH05198947A
Cited
JPH08139166A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-01 | 2002-08-31 | 2003-03-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-01 | 2006-08-31 | 2007-03-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-01 | 2010-08-31 | 2011-03-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |