Lamination process and roller for use therein
AssigneeUnited Solar Ovonic LLC
InventorsArthur Myatt, Gregory Demaggio, Kevin Beernink, Kermit Jones, Kenneth Lord
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A web of a first sheet material and a web of a second sheet material are laminated together by a process wherein the sheet materials are wound, in an interleaved relationship, upon a roller having a radially displaceable outer surface. The roller and webs and then subjected to heating and/or a low-pressure environment so as to complete the lamination. A body of adhesive material, such as a hot melt adhesive, may be interposed between the webs and the heating or low pressure environment can activate this adhesive. Further disposed are particular configurations of rollers with radially displaceable surfaces.
Claims20
A method for laminating elongated webs of sheet material, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first elongated web of sheet material;
- providing a second elongated web of sheet material;
- providing a roller having a radially displaceable outer surface;
- rolling said first and said second webs onto said roller in an interleaved relationship;
- and
- heating the roller having said webs rolled thereupon.
A roller having a radially displaceable outer surface, said roller comprising:
- a roller core having an outer surface;
- and
- a plurality of leaf springs supported upon at least a portion of the outer surface of said roller core so that a first portion of each of said leaf springs is affixed to said surface, and in the absence of an external bias, a second portion of each of said leaf springs is spaced from said surface and is capable of being biased towards said surface by the application of an external biasing force thereupon.
A method for laminating elongated webs of sheet material, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first elongated web of sheet material;
- providing a second elongated web of sheet material;
- providing a roller having a radially displaceable outer surface, said roller comprising a roller core having an outer surface, and a plurality of leaf springs supported upon at least a portion of the outer surface of the roller core so that a first portion of each of the leaf springs is affixed to said surface, and in the absence of an external bias, a second portion of each of the leaf springs is spaced from the surface and is capable of being biased toward the surface by the application of an external biasing force thereupon;
- rolling said first and second webs onto said roller in an interleaved relationship;
- and
- carrying out one or more processing steps selected from the group consisting of:
- heating the roller having said webs rolled thereupon, and maintaining said first and second webs at a subatmospheric pressure during at least a portion of the time they are disposed upon said roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.