Back to results
US 7,153,122 B2Granted
Apparatus for making transversely drawn films with substantially uniaxial character
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsJeffery N. Jackson, William Ward Merrill, Andrew T. Ruff, Desiree L. Thompson, Dennis L. Krueger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for stretching films is described. The process preferably stretches films in a uniaxial fashion. Preferably, optical films are stretched including multilayer optical films. Other aspects of the invention include a roll of stretched film and an apparatus for stretching films.
Claims23
An apparatus for processing a film, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor comprising gripping members that hold opposing edge portions of the film and convey, under influence of a drive member, the film along a machine direction within a stretching region of the apparatus, wherein a portion of the conveyor in the stretching region is configured and arranged to provide diverging curvilinear paths along which the gripping members move to stretch the film;
- a slitting member positioned within the apparatus to slit the stretched portion of the film between the opposing edge portions of the film and the opposing takeaway regions of the film to form selvages that continue along the diverging paths while a remainder of the stretched portion of the film is conveyed in the machine direction;
- and
- an isolated takeaway device that receives the film from the conveyor and comprising gripping members to grasp opposing takeaway regions of the film directly from the stretching region and convey the film in the machine direction.
1 more element
An apparatus for processing a film, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor comprising gripping members that hold opposing edge portions of the film and convey, under influence of a drive member, the film along a machine direction within a stretching region of the apparatus, wherein a portion of the conveyor in the stretching region is configured and arranged to provide diverging substantially parabolic oaths along which the gripping members move to stretch the film;
- a slitting member positioned within the apparatus to slit the stretched portion of the film between the opposing edge portions of the film and the opposing takeaway regions of the film to form salvages that continue along the diverging paths while a remainder of the stretched portion of the film is conveyed in the machine direction;
- and
- an isolated takeaway device that receives the film from the conveyor and comprising gripping members to grasp opposing takeaway regions of the film directly from the stretching region and convey the film in the machine direction.
1 more element
An apparatus for processing a film, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor comprising gripping members that hold opposing edge portions of the film and convey, under influence of a drive member, the film along a machine direction within a stretching region of the apparatus, wherein a portion of the conveyor in the stretching region is configured and arranged to provide diverging paths along which the gripping members move to stretch the film;
- an isolated takeaway device that receives the film from the conveyor and comprising gripping members to grasp opposing takeaway regions of the film directly from the stretching region and convey the film in the machine direction;
- and
- a slitting member positioned to slit the stretched portion of the film between the opposing edge portions of the film and the opposing takeaway regions of the film to form selvages that continue along the diverging paths while a remainder of the stretched portion of the film is conveyed in the machine direction.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.