WO2013034137A2 - Moulding press/laminator - Google Patents

Abstract

A moulding press/laminator for compression moulding/laminating components, more particularly photovoltaic modules is described. The moulding press/laminator is characterised by a specially designed heating device, which is designed as a heating plate, and forms a part of the bearing arrangement for the components to be moulded/laminated, wherein the heating plate has, close to its bearing surface, an electrical resistance heater in the form of fibres or filaments, more particularly carbon fibres or carbon filaments, which is embedded in synthetic material. This heating arrangement facilitates very rapid heating/cooling processes.

Description

 Molding press / laminator

The present invention relates to a molding press / laminator for pressing / laminating components, in particular photovoltaic modules, having a working space, a flexible or fixed pressing / pressing element arranged in the work space, a bearing device for the components to be pressed / laminated and a heating device for this, which is designed as a heating plate and forms part of the bearing device.

A laminator of this type is known for example from WO 94/29106 AI. The laminator has a flexible pressure membrane, with which the components to be laminated are pressed together. It also has a heating device with which the heat required to connect the components is introduced into the components. The pressure membrane divides the working space of an airtight sealable laminating pressure-tight in a lower chamber space in which the storage facility and the components are located, and an upper chamber space above the

Compression membrane. The required contact pressure of the pressure

Confirmation copy | Membrane is generated via a pressure gradient between the two chamber chambers, wherein the membrane is pressed onto the components by the higher pressure in the upper chamber space. Typically, a negative pressure is generated in the lower chamber space, while the upper chamber space is vented to atmospheric pressure or can be supplied to support with an overpressure.

The heat required for connecting the components is usually generated by a heater consisting of electric heating elements or ducts for transporting a heat transfer medium, and introduced into the components. The heater forms a part of the storage facility.

However, such heaters with bulky heating plates have a high heat capacity, so that relatively long preheating and cooling periods are required. Furthermore, sensitive components, in particular the photovoltaic modules mentioned, often require a lift-pin system to lift the components away from the hot plate and prevent undesirable premature melting of the films in the components. In addition, these known heating systems have a high energy consumption.

Furthermore, molding presses are known which have a solid pressing element in the form of a press plate. Again, heating devices in the form of heating plates are used, which are integrated into the bearing device for the components to be pressed. These molding presses have in relation to the Heating a corresponding problem such as the above-described laminators.

The invention has for its object to provide a molding presses / a laminator of the type described above, or which can heat up and cool down particularly quickly.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a molding press / a laminator of the specified type in that the heating plate near its bearing surface has an embedded in a plastic material electrical resistance heating in the form of fibers or filaments. With the inventively embodied molding press / the laminator, dynamic heating and cooling processes can be carried out, since the heating plate has a low heat capacity. Due to the electrical resistance heating formed by fibers or filaments, which is arranged near the bearing surface of the heating plate and thus close to the components to be pressed / laminated, the components can be heated up very quickly and allowed to cool. No long preheat periods are needed. The components can therefore be introduced in the cold state of the heating plate in the molding press / laminator. If necessary, in the cold state of the hot plate, the chamber below the flexible or solid pressing / pressing element can be evacuated. Only then can the heating of the components be started. Since the cooling process of the finished part or lamina tes due to the electrical resistance heating very quickly On the whole, a quick procedure is guaranteed.

Furthermore, the heating plate is characterized by a low weight because it has no metal parts. It can be handled easily. The bearing surface of the heating plate can be adapted relatively easily to the shape of the components to be pressed / laminated. The electrical resistance heating can be composed of individual fibers or individual filaments, which can be arranged in any pattern, so that there is a corresponding surface heating. However, the electrical resistance heating preferably comprises a woven fabric, scrim and / or a fleece of the fibers or filaments. In any case, the plastic material of the heating plate can penetrate the arrangement of the fibers or filaments.

It is understood that at least some of the fibers or filaments must have a certain electrical conductivity in order to form the electrical resistance heating provided according to the invention. Preferably, the fibers or filaments are made of carbon, whereby the required electrical conductivity is ensured.

As mentioned, the resistance heating is arranged close to the bearing surface of the heating plate, wherein the fibers or filaments are preferably arranged directly adjacent to the bearing surface of the heating plate. In this way, it is ensured that the heating device is arranged very close to the components to be heated, so that the desired dynamic heating or cooling processes with low energy consumption.

The heating plate preferably has a thermal insulation arranged in its rear part. This insulation contributes to the rapid heating of the components with low energy consumption.

The chamber formed under the pressing / pressing element is preferably evacuated, so that the pressing / pressing element is pressed against the components or pressed against the components due to the pressure difference formed between the lower chamber space and the upper chamber space above the pressing / pressing element. For support, the upper chamber can be provided with a corresponding overpressure. Since the heating process can be carried out very quickly, the lower chamber space can be evacuated or vented beforehand in the cold state of the components to be pressed or laminated.

The fibers or filaments of the electrical resistance heating are preferably designed such that they form a reinforcement of the heating plate and thus determine their strength as reinforcing fibers. Since the fibers or filaments are located near the bearing surface of the heating plate, the heating plate is particularly highly mechanically stressed, especially in this area.

The heating plate has corresponding connection conductors for connection to a power source, so that it can be heated directly with electric current. Embedding the contradictory Standsheizeinrichtung in the KunstStoffmaterial or the plastic matrix can be done in the formation of the heating plate in a simple manner that the resistance heater is introduced prior to curing of the respective plastic (synthetic resin) in the plastic material. Suitable plastics or synthetic resins for this purpose are known to the person skilled in the art.

Preferably, the laminator according to the invention is as input fachlaminator without ventable upper chamber above the pressing member to ^¬ formed. This means that over the flexible pressure element (the Andrückmembran) no specially trained vacuum-rigid chamber must be provided as an evacuation of this chamber may be omitted. It is sufficient in this case if the chamber space is designed to be evacuable and ventilated below the pressure diaphragm.

Furthermore, the molding press / laminator designed according to the invention preferably has a frame for the component to be pressed / laminated. The component to be pressed / laminated, in particular a photovoltaic module to be laminated, is provided with such a frame in the working space of the laminator in order to avoid excessive surface pressure at the edge of the component or module. Such a strong surface pressure at the edge may possibly result from the very rapid dynamic heating operations carried out according to the invention.

Furthermore, in the case of the molding press / laminator designed according to the invention, a lifting pin system for the component to be pressed / laminated can be dispensed with. While In the prior art with such a system by lifting the component from the hot plate premature melting of films of the component is prevented, such Hubstiftsystem omitted in the molding press / laminator of the invention, since the component cold i promoted the working space (with a cold hotplate ) and also the venting process is carried out with a cold hotplate.

The invention will be described below with reference to a Ausführungsbei game in connection with the drawing in detail erläu. Show it:

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross section through a

 Molding press with a fixed pressing element;

Figure 2 is a schematic cross section through a

 Laminator with a flexible pressure element; and

3 shows a schematic cross section through the heating plate used in the laminator of Figure 2. The molding press 1 shown schematically in cross-section in Figure 1 has a fixed pressing element 2, which moves up and down and seals a suitable working space 8 through suitable seals 3 together with a lower housing 7. In the working space 8 is a storage device 5, in which a heating device in the form of a heating plate 6 is integrated. The heating plate 6 has an upper bearing surface for mounting to be pressed components, one of which is shown at 4.

Corresponding conveyors, with which the components 4 can be conveyed into the working space 8, are not shown here. The heating plate 6 is made of a plastic material (resin) in which an electrical resistance heater in the form of fibers or filaments is embedded. The fibers or filaments are arranged in the form of a fabric, which is penetrated by the plastic material. The resistance heater is located near the bearing surface of the heating plate 6, so that the components 4 mounted thereon can be heated directly. The exact structure of the heating plate will be explained in connection with FIG.

Due to the above-described embodiment of the heater dynamic heating and cooling processes can be performed in the molding press. The components 4 to be pressed are therefore introduced into the working space 8 in the cold state of the heating device and stored on the heating plate. Premature melting of the components 4 can therefore not be done. Thereafter, the pressing member 2 is lowered. Only then is the heating plate put into operation by the resistance heating being applied via suitable connection conductors (not shown) with electric current. This is followed by a very rapid heating of the components 4, so that the desired pressing operation can be carried out by means of pressure and heat. After completion of the pressing process, the resistance heating is put out of operation, so that the finished component unit can cool very quickly and can be removed from the working space. FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section through a laminator 10 which has a housing consisting of an upper part 11 and a lower part 18. In the housing there is a working space which is divided by a flexible pressure element 12 into an upper chamber 13 and a lower chamber 14. In the lower chamber 14, a bearing device 17 is arranged, in which a heating plate 16 is integrated. The heating plate 16 has on its upper side a bearing surface for receiving components 15 to be laminated. Again, suitable conveyors for the components are not shown.

The heating plate 16 is correspondingly formed as the heating plate 6 according to Figure 1. Figure 3 shows schematically the structure of the heating plate 16, which consists of a suitable synthetic resin plate 22, in which a fiber fabric 20 is embedded as a resistance heating. Via suitable connecting conductors 21, the resistance heating is supplied with electric current. The construction of the heating plate 16 is shown only schematically in FIG. The synthetic resin plate 22 can also be composed of a plurality of individual layers, in accordance with the respective requirements, in order to ensure the corresponding mechanical properties and temperature properties.

The fiber fabric 20 forming the resistance heating consists of carbon fibers, which are particularly suitable for such resistance heating. The illustrated in Figure 2 lower chamber 14 is evacuated to press the pressing member 12 against the components 15 to be laminated. During operation of the laminator, the procedure is such that the component 15 is introduced into the working space in the cold state of the heating plate 16 and stored on the heating plate. The lower chamber 14 is then evacuated so that the pressure membrane 12 is pressed against the component 15. It then follows a commissioning of the resistance heating, so that the desired lamination process under pressure and heat can be performed. After completion of the lamination process, the resistance heating is put out of operation, so that the laminated component unit can be cooled accordingly and then removed from the laminator.

In the embodiment of a laminator shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 13 arranged above the pressure membrane 12 does not have to be vacuum-tight, since this chamber does not have to be evacuated or pressurized. This results in a substantial relief in terms of structural design.

The heating plate is preferably embedded in the bearing device, so that there is a frame for the heating plate by the bearing means. The heating plate and the edge of the storage device therefore preferably form a flat surface. Since the heating plate is embedded in the bearing device, it may be made relatively thin, since it must have a lower strength. In this way a corresponding saving of material is achieved. The heating plate consists of a suitable synthetic resin, in which the fiber layer or filament layer is embedded. Suitable synthetic resins are, for example, high-temperature diuromers, in particular suitable epoxy resins.

As mentioned, the heating plate may otherwise also be multilayered in order to have the corresponding mechanical properties, temperature properties, insulating properties, etc. For example, the plate may contain glass fiber layers, polymer fiber layers or other layers for further reinforcement.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the heating plate has on its upper side a thin metal layer in order to improve the surface properties, for example to achieve a better abrasion resistance or a better heat distribution.

Claims

claims Mold press / laminator for pressing / laminating components, in particular photovoltaic modules, with a working space, a flexible or fixed pressing / pressing element arranged in the working space, a bearing device for the components to be pressed / laminated and a heating device for the latter, which is designed as a heating plate and forms a part of the bearing device, characterized in that the heating plate (6, 16) near its bearing surface has an embedded in a plastic material electrical resistance heater (20) in the form of fibers or filaments. Forming press / laminator according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical resistance heating (20) comprises a woven fabric, scrim and / or non-woven of the fibers or filaments. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating plate (6, 16) has a thermal insulation arranged in the rear part. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fibers or filaments consist of carbon. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (8, 14) formed under the pressing / pressing element (2, 12) can be evacuated. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fibers or filaments are arranged directly adjacent to the bearing surface of the heating plate (6, 16). Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fibers or filaments as reinforcement (reinforcing fibers) of the heating plate (6, 16) are formed and determine their strength. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical resistance heating device (20) is connected such that at least individual portions thereof together form an electrical parallel circuit. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that these or this is designed as a single laminator without ventable or evacuatable upper chamber (13). Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that this or this has a frame for the zuεpres / laminie-rende component. Forming press / laminator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that this or has no HubstiftSystem for lifting the send to pres / laminating component.