US 5,851,592 AGranted

Apparatus and method for applying coating materials to individual sheet members

AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

InventorsFrederic Pierre Alain Le Riche, Bernard Raymond Pierre

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Sheets to be coated with water-based coating material, for example a primer and a low adhesion backsize, are supplied from a feeder (1), in end-to-end overlapping relationship, to a dual coater (3) in which the sheets are coated individually on both sides. A sheet inserter (2) is provided, upstream of the dual coater, to insert sheets from a second supply into the sheets from the feeder (1). The dual coated sheets are dried as individual sheets or as a pseudo-web of overlapped sheets. The sheets are then overlapped, unless previously overlapped, and the direction of overlap changed, if necessary, to provide the trailing edge of each sheet on top of the leading edge of each succeeding sheet. The overlapped sheets are conveyed through an adhesive transfer station (7) where stripes (236) of at least partially dried adhesive are coated onto the dual coated sheets from a transfer belt (71).

Claims10

Dependent claims

An apparatus for applying coating material to a succession of overlapped sheets, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a conveyor for transporting a succession of overlapped sheets along a sheet path and through a transfer location, wherein a trailing edge portion of each sheet is positioned over a leading edge portion of a succeeding sheet;
(b) a transfer surface configured and arranged to pass through the transfer location and contact overlapped sheets being conveyed through the transfer location on the conveyor;
(c) an applicator configured and arranged to apply a coating material to the transfer surface for subsequent transfer from the transfer surface onto overlapped sheets as the overlapped sheets are conveyed through the transfer location on the conveyor;
and
(d) a single detachment mechanism configured and arranged to interact with the overlapped sheets as the sheets exit the transfer location with (i) a first zone proximate the transfer location effective for applying a suction of about 350-550 mm to the sheets so as to facilitate detachment of the sheets from the transfer surface, and (ii) a second zone downstream from the first zone effective for applying a suction of about 150-200 mm H.sub.2 O to the sheets so as to maintain the sheets in position as the sheets are transported away from the transfer location.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/949,873Filed 14 Oct 1997 · division
Priority: GB 96/0328116 Feb 1996
Granted: 22 Dec 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

B05C 1/0808
Using a roller or other rotating member which contacts the work along a generating line: details thereof, e.g. surface characteristics
B05C 1/0821
Using a roller or other rotating member which contacts the work along a generating line: characterised by driving means for rollers or work
B05C 1/0834
The work being a web or sheets: the coating roller co-operating with other rollers, e.g. dosing, transfer rollers
B05C 9/04
Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means…

Family

Serial291,610Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Aug 1994
Serial291,628Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Aug 1994
Serial615,587Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Mar 1996
Serial675,857Parent of this division · filed 5 Jul 1996
US 5,851,592 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.