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US 7,155,876 B2Granted
Heat tunnel for film shrinking
AssigneeDouglas Machine Inc.
InventorsBradley Jon VanderTuin, Richard Jerome Schoeneck, Irvan Leo Pazdernik, Bruce Malcolm Peterson, Paul Howard Wagner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat tunnel for applying heated air to articles enclosed in shrink-wrap film includes at least one air supply unit; a conveyor; and a heat shroud spaced from the conveyor. Tha air supply unit includes a source of heated air, a fan, a heated air plenum, air ducts, and a return air plenum. Multiple air supply units can be provided along the conveyor to create a heat tunnel of desired length.
Claims21
Apparatus for applying heat to articles enclosed in shrink-wrap film, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a conveyor having a plurality of first apertures therethrough;
- (b) wherein the conveyor moves in a first direction;
- (c) a source of heated air;
- (d) a heated air plenum under the conveyor and supporting the conveyor, the plenum having a top surface having a plurality of second apertures therethrough;
- (e) a fan blowing heated air from the source of heated air through the heated air plenum, through the second apertures, and through the first apertures;
- (f) a return air plenum returning air to the source of heated air;
- (g) a shroud partially enclosing the conveyor along the first direction and spaced therefrom at a displacement, forming therewith a film shrinking area between the conveyor and the shroud;
- and
- (h) an air flow control mechanism controlling the volume of heated air passing through the second apertures, the air flow control mechanism further comprising one or more air lanes in the heated air plenum, the air lanes directing the air flow only at specific, designated portions of the article;
- and
- (i) wherein each of the air lanes are open and extend substantially parallel to the first direction for a major length of said heated air plenum.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.