Corrugated paperboard manufacturing apparatus providing controllable heat and related methods

A heating section for an apparatus for transferring heat to an advancing corrugated paperboard sheet, said heating section comprising:

• a heating plate having first and second opposing surfaces, the second surface for contacting the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet;
• heating plate mounting means for mounting said heating plate in a position for contacting the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet and accommodating thermal expansion of said plate in a direction substantially only transverse to the direction of the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet;
• and
• at least one electrically powered heater positioned adjacent the first surface of said heating plate, said at least one electrically powered heater comprising a base and an electrical heating element on said base.

A heating section for transferring heat to an advancing corrugated paperboard sheet, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a heating plate having first and second opposing surface, the second surface for contacting the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet;
• at least one electrically powered heater positioned adjacent the first surface of said heating plate;
• and
• heating plate thermal expansion accommodating mounting means for mounting said heating plate to said frame and while accommodating thermal expansion of said heating plate relative to said frame in a direction substantially only transverse to the direction of the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet.

A heating section for transferring heat to an advancing corrugated paperboard sheet, said apparatus comprising:

• a heating plate having first and second opposing surface, the second surface for contacting the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet;
• heating plate mounting means for mounting said heating plate in a position for contacting the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet and accommodating thermal expansion of said heating plate in a direction substantially only transverse to the direction of the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet;
• an electrically powered heater positioned adjacent the first surface of said heating plate;
• and
• pressure applying means for applying pressure to urge the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet against the second surface of said heating plate.

A method for applying heat to a corrugated paperboard sheet during manufacturing thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one heating plate having opposing first and second surfaces;
• heating the first surface of the at least one heating plate using an electrically powered heater positioned adjacent thereto;
• advancing a corrugated paperboard sheet along a path of travel adjacent the second surface of the at least one heating plate so that heat is transferred from the at least one heating plate to the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet, and
• accommodating thermal expansion of the heating plate by allowing thermal expansion of the heating plate in a direction substantially only transverse to the direction of the advancing corrugated paperboard sheet.