Method and apparatus for manufacturing paint rollers
AssigneePaint Sundry Brands, LLC
InventorsF. Randy Tams, Kenneth D. Tams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing paint rollers includes the steps of extruding a cylindrical plastic core through a rotating extruder head, and securing an absorbent sheet material onto an outer surface of the core in a continuous process.
Claims25
A method of manufacturing paint rollers in an inline process comprising
- extruding a rotating hollow cylindrical plastic core through a rotating extruder head wherein the core exits the extruder head without an internal support structure inside the core,
- moving the core through a cooling chamber,
- winding and pulling the core downstream from the moving step, and
- wrapping and securing an absorbent sheet material onto an outer surface of the core downstream from the winding and pulling step.
The method of 1 wherein a rotational angle of the core is defined by the rate of rotation of the extruder head and the forward movement of the core, the securing step including the step of introducing a fabric to the outer surface of the core at a helical angle matching the rotational angle of the core so that a uniform seam between successive wraps of fabric is achieved.
An apparatus for producing paint rollers inline comprising
- an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a rotating hollow cylindrical plastic core without an internal support structure inside the core as it exits the head,
- an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head,
- a cooling chamber downstream from the extruder,
- a winder-puller belt downstream from the extruder for controlling rotation and translation of the core, and
- a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the winder-puller belt including a supply of paint roller fabric material.
A method of manufacturing paint rollers in an inline process comprising
- extruding a cylindrical plastic core through a rotating extruder head without an internal support structure inside the core as the core exits the extruder head,
- moving the core through a cooling chamber,
- winding and pulling the core by a winding belt while coordinating the rate of extruder head rotation and winding belt speed, and
- securing an absorbent sheet material onto an outer surface of the core downstream from the winding belt.
An apparatus for producing paint rollers inline comprising
- an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a hollow cylindrical plastic core without an internal support structure inside the core as the core exits the head,
- an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head,
- a cooling chamber downstream from the extruder,
- a winder-puller belt for coordinating rotation and forward movement of the core, the belt being positioned downstream from the extruder and upstream from the fabric application mechanism, wherein the winder-puller belt is controlled by the extruder drive unit,
- a first hollow guide mandrel upstream from the winder-puller belt, and a second hollow guide mandrel downstream from the winder-puller belt, and
- a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the extruder including a supply of paint roller fabric material.
An apparatus for producing paint rollers inline comprising
- an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a rotating hollow cylindrical plastic core,
- an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head,
- a cooling chamber for cooling the core downstream from the extruder,
- a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the extruder including a supply of paint roller fabric material,
- a winder-puller belt for coordinating rotation and forward movement of the core, the belt being positioned downstream from the extruder and upstream from the fabric application mechanism, wherein the winder-puller is controlled by the extruder drive unit, and
- a first hollow guide mandrel upstream from the winder-puller belt, and a second hollow guide mandrel downstream from the winder-puller belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.