# US 7,459,049 B2 · Method and apparatus for manufacturing open core elements from web material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,459,049 B2 - Document ID: US7459049B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/476,474 - Filed: 2006-06-28 - Published: 2008-01-03 - Granted: 2008-12-02 - Earliest claimed: 2006-06-28 - Inventors: Carl R. Marschke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7459049B2 ## CPC - B31D 3/007: {by cutting corrugated webs longitudinally into strips, piling these strips and uniting them} - B31F 1/2813: {Making corrugated cardboard of composite structure, e.g. comprising two or more corrugated layers} - B31F 1/2818: {Glue application specially adapted therefor} - B31F 1/2863: {Corrugating cylinders; Supporting or positioning means therefor; Drives therefor} - Y10T 83/0586: Effecting diverse or sequential cuts in same cutting step - Y10T 156/1002: with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina - Y10T 156/102: with deformation or cutting of corrugated lamina - Y10T 156/1025: to form undulated to corrugated sheet and securing to base with parts of shaped areas out of contact - Y10T 156/1052: with cutting, punching, tearing or severing - Y10T 156/1067: Continuous longitudinal slitting - Y10T 156/1069: Bonding face to face of laminae cut from single sheet - Y10T 156/1075: of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina - Y10T 156/1087: Continuous longitudinal slitting - B31D: MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C (manufacture by dry processes of articles made from particles or fibres consisting of wood or other lignocellulosic or like organic material B27N; making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B; making articles from cellulosic fibrous suspensions, e.g. wood pulp, D21J) - B31F: MECHANICAL WORKING OR DEFORMATION OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A continuous, fully automated and highly productive system for the production of open core elements utilizes various formations of fluted input webs which are cut into strips, glued, cross-transferred, and serially upended for placement against preceding strips to build up an open core element. The open core elements are useful in the manufacture of structural members such as doors, floor panels and all panels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for continuous manufacture of open core elements, comprising the steps of: (1) forming two composite web halves each comprising a smooth web and a fluted web; (2) orienting said composite web halves with the exposed fluted web flutes facing up; (3) applying an adhesive to the exposed flute tips of one web half; (4) adhering the other web half by its smooth web to the glued flute tips of said one web half to form an open face double wall web; (5) slitting the open face double wall web longitudinally to form a plurality of adjacent equal width open face double wall strips; (6) applying an adhesive to the exposed flute tips of said open face double wall strips; (7) cutting said strips transversely to a common selected length, and, (8) upending the strips onto common lateral strip edges and adhering the glued flutes of each strip to the smooth web of the next adjacent strip to form an open core element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 including, prior to the step of adhering said other web half to said one web half, the step of aligning the flute tips of the web halves tip-to-tip. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 including, after the step of adhering said other web half to said one web half, the step of heating the open face double wall web to cure the adhesive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 including, prior to the upending step, the steps of: (1) accelerating said strips to form a gap between said strips and the next following plurality of strips; and, (2) cross-transferring said strips out of the path of said next following plurality of strips. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 including the additional step of applying a normal force to the upended and adhered strips. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of cutting the open core element to a selected size. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the cutting step comprises at least one of: (1) cutting one edge of the core element in the longitudinal direction of the strips; and, (2) cutting one end of the core element in a direction transverse to said strips. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said composite web halves is formed separately. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said webs are formed with the fluted web flutes facing downwardly, and including the step of reorienting said webs before applying an adhesive to position the flutes to face upwardly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of: (1) forming a double width composite web; and, (2) slitting the double width web to form said two composite web halves. ### Claim 11 A method for the continuous manufacture of open core elements, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a composite web comprising at least one smooth web and a fluted web; (2) orienting said composite web with the fluted web flutes facing up; (3) slitting the web longitudinally to form a plurality of adjacent equal width strips; (4) applying an adhesive to the exposed flute tips of said plurality of strips; (5) cutting said strips transversely to a common selected length; and, (6) upending the strips onto common lateral strip edges and adhering the glued flutes of each strip to the smooth web of the next adjacent strip to form an open core element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as set forth in claim 11 including the steps of: (1) eliminating the application of adhesive to a lead strip for a strip group having a selected number of strips; (2) supporting the upended lead strip on its unglued face; and, (3) pressing the subsequent upended strips of the group against said lead strip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of orienting the upended strips to form a downwardly directed core element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as set forth in claim 13 including the step of inserting a weighted strip on the upper end strip of each core element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method as set forth in claim 11 including, prior to the upending step, the step of aligning the flute tips on adjacent strips tip-to-tip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the forming step comprises forming two composite webs, and further including the step of joining said webs to form an open face double wall web. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as set forth in claim 16 including the preliminary steps of: (1) forming a double width composite web; and, (2) slitting said double width web to form said two composite webs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said composite webs are formed separately. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method as set forth in claim 18 wherein said webs are formed with the fluted web flutes facing downwardly, and including the step of reorienting said webs before joining with the flutes facing upwardly. ### Claim 20 A method for continuous manufacture of open core elements, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a composite web from two webs including at least one fluted web; (2) orienting said composite web with exposed fluted web flutes facing up; (3) slitting the composite web longitudinally to form a plurality of adjacent equal width strips; (4) applying an adhesive to the exposed upwardly facing flute tips of said strips; (5) cutting said strips transversely to a common selected length; and, (6) upending the strips onto common lateral strip edges and adhering the glued flutes of each strip to the next adjacent strip to form an open core element.