Gap adjuster for laminating rolls
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorScott Alan Ripley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for lamination are provided, which are advantageously used in intermittent lamination and fixed-gap lamination, the apparatus comprising first and second laminating rollers defining a laminating gap therebetween and at least one gapping block positioned between the first and second rollers such that the gapping block determines and maintains a minimum gap width. The gapping block comprises a rigid gapping block body, which may be adjustable in width, and four or more load wheels rotatably attached to the gapping block body which ride on a portion of the first and second rollers.
Claims63
An apparatus comprising first and second rollers, said first and second rollers being essentially parallel and said first and second rollers defining a gap therebetween having a gap width;
- said apparatus additionally comprises at least one gapping block comprising a rigid gapping block body and four or more load wheels rotatably attached to said gapping block body;
- wherein said gapping block is positioned between said first and second rollers such that at least two load wheels contact each roller, the gapping block thereby determining and maintaining a minimum gap width.
A method of laminating two or more sheet materials together by passing said materials concurrently into a gap between a first roller and a second roller of a laminating apparatus, said first and second rollers being essentially parallel and said first and second rollers defining a gap therebetween having a gap width;
- wherein a gapping block is positioned between said first and second rollers, said gapping block comprising a rigid gapping block body and four or more load wheels rotatably attached to said gapping block body, wherein said gapping block is positioned such that at least two load wheels contact each roller, the gapping block thereby determining and maintaining a minimum gap width.
A method of laminating two or more sheet materials together by passing said materials concurrently into a gap between a first roller and a second roller of a laminating apparatus, said first and second rollers being essentially parallel, and said gap having a constant gap width throughout said lamination.
A gapping block comprising:
- a first gapping block body element, wherein two or more load wheels are rotatably attached to said first gapping block body element;
- a second gapping block body element, wherein two or more load wheels are rotatably attached to said second gapping block body element, wherein said second gapping block body element is assembled with said first gapping block body element so as to allow linear motion of the two elements relative to each other in the direction of gapping block body width, and wherein at least one surface of either gapping block body element is canted with respect to a facing surface of the other gapping block body element when so assembled;
- a wedge disposed between said canted surface and said facing surface;
- and
- an adjusting screw to determine the position of said wedge between said canted surface and said facing surface, thereby determining the gapping block body width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.