# US 9,751,710 B2 · Adaptable web spreading device

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- Number: US 9,751,710 B2
- Document ID: US9751710B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/421,242
- Filed: 2013-08-26
- Published: 2015-08-06
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-08-29
- Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Inventors: Kevin B. Newhouse; Bruce E. Tait; Onyinye Chiejina
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751710B2

## CPC

- B65H 27/00: Special constructions, e.g. surface features, of feed or guide rollers for webs (rollers in general F16C13/00)
- B65H 23/0251: {with a straight axis}
- B65H 2404/114: Built-up elements
- B65H 2404/1141: covering a part of the periphery
- B65H 2404/1313: concave
- B65H 2404/1316: stepped or grooved
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the variable diameter decreases stepwise from the first end diameter to the midpoint and increases stepwise from the midpoint to the second end diameter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the material layers comprise a tape, a sheet, a cord, a string, a wire, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the material layers are sequentially applied to the major surface of the base roll.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the base roll is cylindrical, the major surface of the base roll having a uniform diameter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The spreader roll of claim 4, wherein a first material layer is applied on the uniform diameter base roll major surface, extending from a first distance from the midpoint to a first end, and also extending in an opposite direction from a second distance from the midpoint to a second end.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein each material layer has a first thickness between about 0.025 mm and about 0.25 mm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, further comprising a second material layer disposed adjacent the stepped major surface, the second material layer having a second thickness that is less than a first material thickness.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the material layers comprise a sheet that is circumferentially wound around the base roll major surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein adjacent material layers abut each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the resilient engagement surface comprises a resilient looped pile, an open cell foam, a closed cell foam, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The spreader roll of claim 11, wherein the resilient looped pile comprises a fibrous material selected from poly(tetrafluoroethylene), aramid, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the resilient engagement surface is a knit fabric comprising a base layer having first and second faces and a resilient looped pile protruding from the first face.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The spreader roll of claim 13, wherein the base layer comprises a woven base layer, a knitted base layer, a non-woven base layer, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the engagement cover attaches to the major surface of the reverse crown roll by compression, adhesion, mechanical attachment, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the engagement cover comprises a tube shape or a rectangle shape.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The spreader roll of claim 1, wherein the spreader roll comprises at least two engagement covers concentrically disposed over the major surface of the reverse crown roll.

### Claim 18

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.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the first distance and the second distance are approximately equal, and the third distance and the fourth distance are approximately equal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the first material layer and the second material layer each comprise a tape, a sheet, a cord, a string, a wire, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein each material layer has a first thickness between about 0.025 mm and about 0.25 mm.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein each material layer comprises a tape that is spirally wound around the outer surface.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein each material layer comprises a sheet that is circumferentially wound around the outer surface.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The spreader roll of claim 22, wherein adjacent spirally wound tape layers abut each other.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, further comprising one or more subsequent material layers, wherein the subsequent material layers are applied extending from a subsequent layer distance from the midpoint to the respective end.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the resilient engagement surface comprises a resilient looped pile, an open cell foam, a closed cell foam, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The spreader roll of claim 26, wherein the resilient looped pile comprises a fibrous material selected from poly(tetrafluoroethylene), aramid, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 28 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the resilient engagement surface is a knit fabric comprising a base layer having first and second faces and a resilient looped pile protruding from the first face.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The spreader roll of claim 28, wherein the base layer comprises a woven base layer, a knitted base layer, a non-woven base layer, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 30 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the engagement cover attaches to the outer surface of the reverse crown roll by compression, adhesion, mechanical attachment, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 31 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the engagement cover comprises a tube shape or a rectangle shape.

### Claim 32 (depends on 18)

The spreader roll of claim 18, wherein the spreader roll comprises at least two engagement covers concentrically disposed over the outer surface of the reverse crown roll.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1, 18)

An apparatus for spreading a web, comprising:
a spreader roll according to claim 1 or claim 18, capable of rotating around an axis of rotation;
wherein the spreader roll is capable of spreading a web material in a cross-web direction essentially parallel to the axis of rotation while conveying the web material in a downweb direction perpendicular to the spreader roll axis of rotation.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the web material has a center that can be offset from the spreader roll midpoint by an offset distance.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the offset distance can include any distance from the spreader roll midpoint where the variable diameter is equal to the midpoint diameter.

### Claim 36 (depends on 1, 18)

A method for spreading a web, comprising:
providing a spreader roll according to claim 1 or claim 18, capable of rotating around an axis of rotation;
providing a web material;
conveying the web material in a downweb direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation; and
contacting the moving web material with the resilient engagement surface of the rotatable spreader roll, thereby spreading the web material in a crossweb direction essentially parallel to the axis of rotation.