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US 9,751,710 B2Granted
Adaptable web spreading device
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsKevin B. Newhouse, Bruce E. Tait, Onyinye Chiejina
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure describes a spreader roll (101) that can help spread webs laterally in a web processing operation, in particular to reduce or remove the presence of wrinkles or bagginess in the web. The spreader roll can be a reverse crown roll that is covered with a resilient material (160) to assist spreading the web to remove wrinkles. The surface curvature of the spreader roll (101) can be formed using layers of material such as a tape, to easily and readily approximate the shape of a reverse crown roll.
Claims36
A spreader roll, comprising:
- a reverse crown roll having a major surface, two ends, a midpoint halfway between the two ends, and a variable diameter that decreases from a first end diameter to a midpoint diameter, and increases from the midpoint diameter to a second end diameter, wherein the major surface is a stepped major surface comprising successive material layers spirally wound around the major surface of a base roll having a major surface wherein each subsequent material layer is applied extending from a subsequent layer distance from the midpoint to the respective end, wherein the subsequent layer distance from the midpoint is greater than an underlying layer distance from the midpoint;
- and
- an engagement cover comprising a resilient engagement surface, the engagement cover disposed over the major surface of the reverse crown roll.
A spreader roll, comprising:
- a reverse crown roll comprising:
- a roller having an outer surface, a first end and a second end, a midpoint having a midpoint diameter midway between the first end and the second end, and a variable outer diameter;
- a first material layer attached to the outer surface and extending in opposing directions from a first distance from the midpoint to the first end and from a second distance from the midpoint to the second end;
- a second material layer attached to the first material layer and extending in opposing directions from a third distance from the midpoint to the first end, and from a fourth distance from the midpoint to the second end, wherein the third distance from the midpoint is greater than the first distance from the midpoint, and the fourth distance from the midpoint is greater than the second distance from the midpoint;
- and
- an engagement cover comprising a resilient engagement surface, the engagement cover disposed over the outer surface, the first material layer, and the second material layer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.