Method and apparatus for making laminates
AssigneeSurface Activation Corporation
InventorArthur Bradley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process and apparatus for bonding shaped members without the use of an adhesive, comprising the steps of exposing the surfaces to be bonded to the low energy particles of a gas discharge plasma just before and substantially simultaneously as the members are brought together into intimate face-to-face contact; heating the members; and then compressing the heated members together. The process is applicable to bonding a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer to a wide variety of materials including cellophane, polyester or aluminum foil.
Claims39
A process for bonding shaped members, at least one of which is formed from a thermoplastic resin, comprising the steps of:
- exposing the surfaces to be bonded to the low energy particles of a gas discharge plasma while bringing said surfaces together in face-to-face contact and until they contact, terminating the exposure to said plasma by pressing the surfaces together;
- heating the members;
- and pressing the heated members together.
A dry lamination process for bonding two extruded sheets having different melting points, at least one of which is formed from a thermoplastic resin, comprising the steps of:
- exposing the surfaces to be bonded to the low energy, less than 15 eV, particles of a gas discharge plasma while bringing said surfaces together in face-to-face contact and until they contact, terminatng the exposure to said plasma by pressing the surfaces together;
- heating the pressed-together sheets to a temperature which is lower than the melting point of the sheet formed of the lower melting component, during which only the sheet formed of the higher melting component is in contact with the heat source;
- and further compressing the heated sheets thus bonding the sheets into a laminate.
An apparatus for bonding shaped members, at least one of which is formed from a thermoplastic resin, comprising:
- means for feeding said shaped members along a predetermined path;
- a first pair of juxtaposed compression rollers on opposite sides of said path defining a nip to press the shaped members together;
- means for exposing the surfaces of the shaped members to be bonded to the low energy particles of a gas discharge plasma just before and until the shaped members are brought together in face-to-face contact by said first compression rollers;
- a second pair of juxtaposed compression rollers at least one of which is heated, on opposite sides of said path after said first rollers, to heat and further press the shaped members together.
An apparatus for bonding shaped members, at least one of which is formed from a thermoplastic resin, comprising:
- means for exposing the surfaces of the shaped members to be bonded to low energy particles of a gas discharge plasma, means for bringing said surfaces together in face-to-face contact while exposed to said plasma and pressing them together to terminate the exposure to said plasma;
- means for heating said members;
- and means for pressing said heated members together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.