Molded body assembly, apparatus for manufacturing the molded body assembly, and method of manufacturing and using the molded body assembly

Abstract

A molded body assembly ( 1 ) includes a to-be-molded body ( 3 ) and a mold ( 5 ) formed in the shape of a sheet. The mold ( 5 ) has a fine transfer pattern ( 7 ) formed on one surface thereof facing in the thickness direction thereof. The mold ( 5 ) is caused to adhere to the to-be-molded body ( 3 ) by the transferring of the fine transfer pattern ( 7 ) to the to-be-molded body ( 3 ), and protects a fine transferred pattern ( 9 ) formed in the to-be-molded body ( 3 ).

1 . A molded body assembly comprising:
 a to-be-molded body; and   a mold formed in a shape of a sheet, the mold comprising a fine transfer pattern formed on one surface thereof facing in a thickness direction thereof, the mold being caused to adhere to the to-be-molded body by transferring of the fine transfer pattern to the to-be-molded body and protecting a fine transferred pattern formed in the to-be-molded body.   
     
     
         2 . The molded body assembly according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transferring is performed using part of an uncut mold extending from a mold raw material roll wrapped into a roll, and the mold is formed by cutting the uncut mold at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction thereof, and   a dimension of the mold is larger than a dimension of the to-be-molded body in the longitudinal direction of the mold, and two end portions of the mold which are opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction thereof extend from two opposite ends of the to-be-molded body by predetermined lengths.   
     
     
         3 . A method of manufacturing and using the molded body assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 transferring the fine transfer pattern of the mold to the to-be-molded body;   transporting the mold and the to-be-molded body caused to adhere to each other by the transferring in the transferring step to a predetermined place; and   removing the mold from the molded body assembly transported in the transporting step.   
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for manufacturing the molded body assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a to-be-molded body holder configured to hold a to-be-molded body placed thereon;   a raw material roll placement portion in which a mold raw material roll is placed;   a mold holder configured to hold a leading edge portion of an uncut mold extending from the mold raw material roll, and to move relative to the to-be-molded body holder;   a transfer unit configured to transfer a fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold to the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder;   a cutting unit configured to cut the uncut mold at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction thereof; and   a controller configured to control the to-be-molded body holder, the mold holder, the transfer unit, and the cutting unit to:
 in a state in which the to-be-molded body is placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder, in which a mold raw material roll is placed in the raw material roll placement portion, and in which the mold holder holds the leading edge portion of the uncut mold, 
 move the mold holder so that the fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold faces the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder and pull out the uncut mold from the mold raw material roll placed in the raw material roll placement portion, 
 cause the transfer unit to transfer the fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold to the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder, 
 cause the to-be-molded body holder to release the to-be-molded body, 
 move the mold holder until the to-be-molded body caused to adhere to the uncut mold by the transferring is separated from the to-be-molded body holder in the longitudinal direction of the uncut mold and further pull out the uncut mold together with the to-be-molded body adhering thereto from the mold raw material roll placed in the raw material roll placement portion, and 
 cause the cutting unit to cut the uncut mold at a predetermined position spaced away from the to-be-molded body adhering thereto in a direction of the mold raw material roll placed in the raw material roll placement portion. 
   
     
     
         5 . A method of manufacturing and using the molded body assembly according to  claim 2 , comprising the steps of:
 transferring the fine transfer pattern of the mold to the to-be-molded body;   transporting the mold and the to-be-molded body caused to adhere to each other by the transferring in the transferring step to a predetermined place; and   removing the mold from the molded body assembly transported in the transporting step.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for manufacturing the molded body assembly according to  claim 2 , comprising:
 a to-be-molded body holder configured to hold a to-be-molded body placed thereon;   a raw material roll placement portion in which a mold raw material roll is placed;   a mold holder configured to hold a leading edge portion of an uncut mold extending from the mold raw material roll, and to move relative to the to-be-molded body holder;   a transfer unit configured to transfer a fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold to the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder;   a cutting unit configured to cut the uncut mold at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction thereof; and   a controller configured to control the to-be-molded body holder, the mold holder, the transfer unit, and the cutting unit to:
 in a state in which the to-be-molded body is placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder, in which a mold raw material roll is placed in the raw material roll placement portion, and in which the mold holder holds the leading edge portion of the uncut mold, 
 move the mold holder so that the fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold faces the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder and pull out the uncut mold from the mold raw material roll placed in the raw material roll placement portion, 
 cause the transfer unit to transfer the fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold to the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder, 
 cause the to-be-molded body holder to release the to-be-molded body, 
 move the mold holder until the to-be-molded body caused to adhere to the uncut mold by the transferring is separated from the to-be-molded body holder in the longitudinal direction of the uncut mold and further pull out the uncut mold together with the to-be-molded body adhering thereto from the mold raw material roll placed in the raw material roll placement portion, and 
 cause the cutting unit to cut the uncut mold at a predetermined position spaced away from the to-be-molded body adhering thereto in a direction of the mold raw material roll placed in the raw material roll placement portion.