Coanda effect support for material processing
AssigneeKornylak Corporation
InventorThomas A. Kornylak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveying and supporting surface is provided with a plurality of coanda effect nozzles for providing a directional film of gas along the surface to support and/or convey a plurality of articles, in indefinite length web, or material along the surface. The directional coanda effect nozzles will produce a conveying film of gas and a film of gas that will produce a suction spaced from the surface to hold the articles closely adjacent the surface while at the same time produce an air bearing to prevent the articles or web material from contacting the surface.
Claims10
Apparatus for continuously molding a web of foam synthetic resin material, comprising:
- means for dispensing material that will foam and expand to form a generally continuous web;
- lower support means having an entrance end adjacent said dispensing means and an exit end, and operatively associated with said dispensing means for supporting said web of material and moving said web of material along a processing path from said entrance end to said exit end where it will expand and cure adjacent said exit end;
- upper support means operatively associated with said lower support means and being spaced from said lower support means along said path so that when said material is expanded, said material will be confined between said upper and lower support means;
- sheet feeding means operatively associated with said upper support means for feeding an indefinite length of cover sheet along said upper support means to overly said web of material as said web of material moves along said path, with said cover sheet being between said web of material and said upper support means;
- said upper support means including a gas plenum chamber for containing therein gas under pressure;
- means operatively associated with said plenum chamber for supplying gas under pressure to within said plenum chamber;
- and
- coanda effect nozzle means providing through apertures between said plenum chamber and the space between said cover sheet and said upper support means for exhausting the gas in a flat jet along and attached to the lower surface of said upper support means for creating a suction along said surface adjacent said entrance end to support said cover sheet in spaced relationship upwardly from said web during initial stages of expansion of said web.
Apparatus for continuously processing web material, comprising:
- wall means forming a fixed plenum chamber having a guide surface extending in one direction from an entrance end to an opposite exit end to define an adjacent fixed path in said one direction from said entrance end to said exit end;
- feeding means operatively associated with said fixed plenum chamber for feeding an indefinite length of web material along said guide surface in said one direction from said entrance end of the guide surface to said exit end of the guide surface;
- means for supplying compressed gas to within said plenum chamber;
- and
- coanda effect nozzle means in said guide surface and having a through passage extending in fluid communication with said plenum chamber through said guide surface and opening into said guide surface for passing the compressed gas from within said plenum chamber through said guide surface and exiting the compressed gas along and attached to said guide surface so as to produce a suction for biasing the web towards said guide surface, for supporting said web closely adjacent said surface and simultaneously for forming an air bearing for preventing contact between said guide surface and said web.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.