Back to results
US 2003/0110832 A1Published application
Detection of small holes in laminates
AssigneeShawmut Corporation
InventorsGregory F. Carey, James H. Wyner, Philip J. Prakop, A. Michael Nahmias
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Laminates are tested for the presence of small holes. For example, when a laminate is moving through a processing machine in a direction along a length of the laminate, a vacuum is applied to a surface of the laminate and the surface of the laminate is inspected to detect liquid that has penetrated from another surface of the laminate through small holes to the inspected surface.
Claims53
A method comprising
- moving a web comprising a film through a machine in a direction along a length of the web,
- causing a liquid to pass from one surface of the web through small holes to another surface of the web by applying a vacuum to a surface of the web, and
- making the web available for inspecting of one of the surfaces of the web to detect liquid that has passed from another surface of the web through the small holes at the inspection surface,
- at least one of the causing and inspecting steps occurring while the web is moving through the machine.
1 more element
A method comprising
- moving a long web of laminate through a machine in a direction along a length of the laminate, and
- while the laminate is moving through the machine,
- applying a vacuum to an exposed inspection surface of the laminate from a vacuum source that spans a width of the laminate,
- supplying liquid to a second, exposed surface of the laminate from a source that spans a width of the laminate to form a film of liquid, and
- inspecting the surface of the laminate using machine vision to detect liquid that has passed from the other surface of the laminate through small holes to the inspected surface,
- in which
- the vacuum produces a pressure differential between the one surface and the other surface that is at least as large as a maximum pressure differential between the surfaces that is expected to occur during subsequent processing and use, and
- the one surface and the other surface are disposed on opposite sides of a barrier layer of the laminate.
5 more elements
A method comprising
- moving a web comprising a film through a machine, and
- while the web is moving, automatically inspecting an inspection surface of the web for stains caused by liquid having penetrated pinholes in the web.
An apparatus comprising:
- an applicator configured to dispense liquid onto a first surface;
- a vacuum port positioned to apply a vacuum to a second surface below the first surface;
- and
- downstream from the applicator and the vacuum port, a vision system aimed at the second surface and configured to detect liquid at the second surface.
1 more element
A method comprising
- while a web comprising a film is moving along a production line, automatically observing a surface of the web to identify liquid that has passed through the pinholes from another surface of the web, and
- automatically displaying to an operator of the production line current information about the pinhole state of the web.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.