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AssigneeFleetguard, Inc.
InventorsMurray R. Schukar, Brian K. Fillbach, Gary J. Frank, Craig A. Clayton, Douglas P. Marquis, Matthew P. Henrichsen, Robert K. Miller, William C. Haberkamp, Darryl J. Gust, Kurt M. A. Badeau, Steven D. Stokstad, Travis E. Goodlund, Thomas A. Fosdal, O. Michael Bowling, Randolph G. Zoran
Estimating the term…
A coating system (66, 68), winding system (158), finishing system (274, 276) and manufacturing system (FIGS. 6, 7, 22-29) is provided for spiral-wound fluted filter media (74, 130).
A spiral winding system for winding first and second sheets of filter media into a spiral-wound roll, said first sheet having a plurality of flutes defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between flute tips at axially extending bend lines, the flute tips on one side of said first sheet being in contiguous relation with said second sheet to define axial flow channels, comprising first and second spaced belts having a gap therebetween defining a winding zone receiving said first and second sheets of filter media, one of said sheets facing and engaging said first belt, the other of said sheets facing said second belt, wherein said sheets roll-wind in said winding zone such that said one sheet is engaged by said second belt to roll-wind said sheet into a spiral-wound roll, wherein said first belt is trained around a first set of rollers, said first set of rollers is mounted on a first carriage having one or more guide rails extending therefrom, said second belt is trained around a second set of rollers, said second set of rollers is mounted on a second carriage mounted on and moveable along said one or more guide rails toward and away from said gap.
A spiral winding system for winding first and second sheets of filter media into a spiral-wound roll, said first sheet having a plurality of flutes defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between flute tips at axially extending bend lines, the flute tips on one side of said first sheet being in contiguous relation with said second sheet to define axial flow channels, comprising first and second spaced belts having a gap therebetween defining a winding zone receiving said first and second sheets of filter media, one of said sheets facing and engaging said first belt, the other of said sheets facing said second belt, wherein said sheets roll-wind in said winding zone such that said one sheet is engaged by said second belt to roll-wind said sheet into a spiral-wound roll, and comprising a roll-starter in said winding zone starting said roll-winding of said sheets without a mandrel, wherein said roll-starter comprises an engagement member having a first position extending between said belts in said winding zone and engaging said sheets and starting said roll-winding, and a second position permitting said roll-winding.
A spiral winding system for winding first and second sheets of filter media into a spiral-wound roll, said first sheet having a plurality of flutes defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between flute tips at axially extending bend lines, the flute tips on one side of said first sheet being in contiguous relation with said second sheet to define axial flow channels, comprising first and second spaced belts having a gap therebetween defining a winding zone receiving said first and second sheets of filter media, one of said sheets facing and engaging said first belt, the other of said sheets facing said second belt, wherein said sheets roll-wind in said winding zone such that said one sheet is engaged by said second belt to roll-wind said sheet into a spiral-wound roll, wherein said roll spiral-winds around a winding axis, and comprising a roll-starter comprising a rotary engagement member in said winding zone rotating about a rotational axis and engaging said sheets and starting said roll-winding, said rotation axis is parallel to said winding axis, said roll roll-winds about said winding axis in a first rotational direction, and said rotary engagement member rotates about said rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to said first rotational direction, and wherein said sheets have a forward leading edge entering said winding zone in a forward direction, and said rotary engagement member comprises a rotary brush rotating about said rotational axis and having a plurality of bristles extending radially outwardly therefrom and gripping said leading edge and re-directing said leading edge rearwardly in curled-over relation to initiate said roll-winding.
A spiral winding system for winding first and second sheets of filter media into a spiral-wound roll, said first sheet having a plurality of flutes defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between flute tips at axially extending bend lines, the flute tips on one side of said first sheet being in contiguous relation with said second sheet to define axial flow channels, comprising first and second spaced belts having a gap therebetween defining a winding zone receiving said first and second sheets of filter media, one of said sheets facing and engaging said first belt, the other of said sheets facing said second belt, wherein said sheets roll-wind in said winding zone such that said one sheet is engaged by said second belt to roll-wind said sheet into a spiral-wound roll, said sheets are wound in tension in a spiral about a winding axis, and said flute tips extend along said bend lines parallel to said winding axis, and wherein said first belt is trained around a first set of rollers, said second belt is trained around a second set of rollers, and at least one of said sets of rollers is mounted on a carriage moveable toward and away from said winding axis and permitting growth of said roll during spiral-winding without crushing said wall segments between said flute tips.
A spiral-winding method for winding first and second sheets of filter media into a spiral-wound roll, said first sheet having a plurality of flutes defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between flute tips at axially extending bend lines, the flute tips on one side of said first sheet being in contiguous relation with said second sheet to define axial flow channels, comprising providing first and second belts having a gap therebetween defining a winding zone, feeding said first and second sheets of filter media in a forward direction into said winding zone, one of said sheets facing and engaging said first belt, the other of said sheets facing said second belt, translating each said belt initially rectilinearly in said winding zone, roll-starting said sheets to roll-wind said sheets in said winding zone such that said one sheet is engaged by said second belt to roll-wind said sheets into a spiral-wound roll, flexing each said belt from an initially flat rectilinear extension to concave curvature upon said roll-winding, wherein said first and second sheets of filter media are wound in a spiral about a winding axis to a spiral-wound roll, said first sheet having said flute tips at axially extending bend lines parallel to said winding axis, training said first belt around a first set of rollers, training said second belt around a second set of rollers, mounting at least one of said sets of rollers on a carriage moveable toward and away from said winding axis, and permitting growth of said roll during said spiral-winding without crushing said wall segments between said flute tips by moving said carriage away from said winding axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.