Hot rotary stamper apparatus and methods for metal leaf stamping
AssigneePhilip Morris Incorporated
InventorAngel Amendola
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A continuous sheet of metal leaf advanced at a constant rate is moved at variable velocity through a rotary die stamper such that between stamps the metal leaf moves at a velocity which is slower than the velocity of a substrate web; but just prior to stamping the metal leaf is accelerated by contact between the metal leaf and a raised die rotating at the velocity of the substrate web so that when the stamp occurs the metal leaf is traveling at a velocity substantially equal to the velocity of the substrate web. Varying the velocity of the metal leaf has the effect of minimizing the distance the metal leaf travels between stamps which conserves consumption of the metal leaf. Separate means for accelerating the leaf prior to stamping and decelerating the leaf after stamping also may be provided.
Claims24
An apparatus for stamping metal leaf designs from a continuous sheet of metal leaf onto a continuous sheet of substrate web moving in the same direction as the metal leaf at a first velocity at a stamping location, comprising:
- a die roller having a raised die including a design;
- a back-up roller mounted in opposition to the die roller so that the metal leaf and substrate web may be passed between the die roller and the back-up roller and sot hat the raised die will contact and urge the metal leaf against the substrate web and the back-up roller, thereby to transfer metal leaf in the design to the substrate;
- first means for feeding the metal leaf between the die roller and the back-up roller at a variable velocity between a second velocity and the first velocity having an average velocity equal to the third velocity, the second velocity being slower than the first velocity;
- and
- means for rotating the die roller and the back-up roller at the first velocity so that the contact between the raised die and the metal leaf accelerates the metal leaf from the second velocity to the first velocity as the metal leaf is urged against the substrate.
A method for stamping metal leaf designs from a continuous sheet of metal leaf onto a continuous sheet of substrate at a stamping location, comprising:
- passing the substrate at a first velocity in a first direction between a back-up roller and a die roller having a raised die including a design thereon;
- passing the metal leaf moving at a second velocity in the same direction as the substrate, in superposition to the substrate and between the die roller and back-up roller, said first velocity being faster than said second velocity;
- rotating the back-up roller and the die roller at the first velocity;
- accelerating the metal leaf from the second velocity to the first velocity by contacting the metal leaf with the rotating raised die;
- absorbing the forces exerted on the metal leaf during acceleration of the metal leaf;
- and
- urging the raised die in contact with the metal leaf against the substrate web and the back-up roller to stamp the design onto the substrate at the stamping location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.