# US 5,706,994 A · Vacuum assisted web drive for corrugator double backer

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- Number: US 5,706,994 A
- Document ID: US5706994A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/670,812
- Filed: 1996-06-25
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1995-06-26
- Assignees: Marquip, Inc.
- Inventors: Harold D. Welch; Matthew A. Tourdot; Paul A. Garvoille; Carl R. Marschke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706994A

## CPC

- B32B 37/10: characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
- B31F 1/2881: {for bringing a second facer sheet into contact with an already single faced corrugated web}
- B32B 37/1027: {Pressing using at least one press band}
- B65G 21/2036: {for retaining the load on the load-carrying surface (individual suction grippers B65G17/323)}
- B65H 20/10: by a feed band against which web is held by fluid pressure, e.g. suction or air blast
- B65H 23/00: Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs (registering articles B65H9/00; in connection with splicing B65H21/00)
- B32B 2041/06: {Starting the lamination machine or method}
- B65H 2406/30: Suction means
- B65H 2515/30: Forces; Stresses
- B65H 2701/1762: Corrugated
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B31F: MECHANICAL WORKING OR DEFORMATION OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A double backer for curing the web bonding adhesive and drying the corrugated paperboard web utilizes a web holddown apparatus for maintaining the web in intimate drying contact with the lower heating units which does not require the use of a driven holddown belt. The web is pulled through the double backer by a downstream vacuum conveyor section comprising a single belt or a series of transport belt sections to the upper surfaces of which a vacuum is applied. The vacuum drive belt may have portions which are unsupported between laterally spaced vacuum slots, supported on a reduced friction support surface, or supported by air bearings to reduce friction and drive power requirements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vacuum assisted conveyor apparatus for moving a web of material comprising:
a continuous web transport belt having an upper belt surface underlying and supporting the web across the lateral width of said web;
means for driving said belt;
said belt including spaced raised discrete protrusions on the upper belt surface having flat surface portions defining a web contacting surface, said protrusions defining therebetween open channels extending between said support elements in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the belt;
laterally spaced lines of longitudinally extending openings in said belt providing communication between a lower belt surface and said channels;
a gridwork of adjoining frame sections in the upper surface of the belt, each section defined by an enclosing rib having a flat outer surface coplanar with the web contacting surface portions of said protrusions;
each frame including a portion of a line of belt openings; and,
a vacuum source operatively connected to said openings to supply negative pressure to said channels.

### Claim 2

An apparatus for moving a double face corrugated paperboard web through a heating section of a double backer comprising:
a web supporting conveyor belt positioned downstream of the heating section;
means for driving said belt in the direction of web movement;
a belt support structure under said belt including vacuum plenum means and a vacuum source operatively connected to said plenum means;
openings in said belt providing vacuum air flow communication between a web contacting surface on said belt and said plenum means;
a series of discrete raised support elements on said belt having flat surface portions defining said web contacting surface, said support elements defining therebetween a network of open channels;
said openings extending through the belt and in communication with said channels;
a gridwork of adjoining frame sections on said belt extending longitudinally and laterally thereover, the longitudinally extending frame sections defining a plurality of rows;
each frame section defined by an enclosing rib having a flat outer surface coplanar with the flat surface portions of said raised support elements; and,
said openings comprising laterally spaced lines of apertures extending along the belt, each line of apertures positioned to bisect a row of said frame sections.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said vacuum plenum means includes a vacuum plenum for each row of frame sections; and,
control means for selectively connecting the vacuum source to each of said vacuum plenums.

### Claim 4

A vacuum assisted conveyor apparatus for moving a web of material comprising:
a continuous web transport belt underlying and supporting the web across its lateral width;
means for driving said belt;
said belt having flat surface portions on the upper belt surface defining a web contacting surface, said surface portions defining therebetween open channels;
laterally spaced lines of longitudinally extending openings in said belt providing communication between the lower belt surface and said channels;
a support structure underlying said belt and providing sliding support for the driven belt;
said support structure including a series of parallel laterally spaced vacuum plenums defining belt support surfaces extending the length of the conveyor;
longitudinal vacuum distribution means in each support surface connected to said vacuum source;
one of said lines of belt openings aligned with each vacuum distribution means;
a vacuum source operatively connected to said plenums to supply negative pressure to said channels;
said plenums arranged in cooperating plenum pairs, each plenum in, a pair positioned on the opposite side of and equally spaced from the centerline of said belt with each of said pairs progressively more distant therefrom; and,
control means for selectively connecting the vacuum source to only those of said plenum pairs over which the web centered on said centerline is traveling.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the plenums of pairs furthest from said centerline are more closely spaced to adjacent plenums than plenums of pairs closest to said centerline.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the total area of the belt support surfaces comprises less than about 25% of the total area of the support structure underlying said belt.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said surface portions comprise raised protrusions defining a series of discrete support elements, and said channels extend between said support elements in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the belt.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said channels are interconnected.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said vacuum distribution means comprises a slot defining a recessed vacuum surface positioned below the vacuum plenum support surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including a series of spaced vacuum openings in the vacuum surface of each slot.