Equipment and method for replacing a band-like doctor blade

A method in the use of a band-like doctor blade (11), comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous and substantially infinite band-like doctor blade (11);
• feeding the doctor blade (11) from a reel (100) into a blade holder (14) wherein the doctor blade (11) comprises edge notches (18a1, 18a2 . . . ) formed along an edge thereof and a distance (E1) between the edge notches being substantially equal to a length over which the doctor blade is fed in a feed direction (L1).

A band-like doctor blade assembly, comprising:

• a continuous and substantially infinite band-like doctor blade placed in a reel, said doctor blade having a plurality of notches formed along an edge thereof, wherein said doctor blade is fed over a length equal to a distance between said notches formed along said edge of said doctor blade, such that, during an operation of said doctor blade, a first notch is located before a blade holder and a second successive notch is located after said blade holder, thereby permitting bending of said continuous and substantially infinite band-like doctor blade.

A doctor blade, comprising:

• a continuous and substantially infinite blade having an elongated body, said continuous blade including a plurality of edge notches formed along an edge of said blade, wherein said notches are structured and arranged such that a length between said notches is substantially equal to a length of contact between said continuous blade and a face of a roll when said roll is serviced by said continuous blade.

A method for the use of a band-like doctor blade comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous and substantially infinite band-like doctor blade;
• and
• feeding said doctor blade, from a reel on which said doctor blade is retained, into a blade holder, wherein said doctor blade comprises a plurality of edge notches formed along an edge thereof wherein a distance between successive edge notches is substantially equal to a length over which said doctor blade is fed in a feed direction.