U.S. patent application number 09/839054 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-16 for lamination machine.
Invention is credited to Boyer, John James, Pourmand, Nasser.
Application Number | 20010013394 09/839054 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23598770 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010013394 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pourmand, Nasser ; et
al. |
August 16, 2001 |
Lamination machine
Abstract
A lamination machine for adhesively heat laminating adjacent
surfaces of two or more layers of material to each other. The
machine includes upper and lower opposing conveyor belts disposed
one above the other to form a lamination passage therebetween and
through which layers of material travel during lamination. At least
one pressure roller is tensioned against the layers to be
laminated. A heating module is disposed between the entrance and
pressure roller, while a cooling module is disposed between the
pressure roller and an exit. The heating module provides a
plurality of rigidly maintained single-structure extruded heater
components for melting an adhesion constituent disposed between the
layers of material in preparation for lamination. Once the layers
are pressured together to form a laminated product, that laminated
product immediately enters the cooling module bearing a plurality
of rigidly maintained single-structure extruded cooler components
for cooling the laminated product as it travels through the cooling
module. Rigidity of both the heater and cooler components can be
enhanced by mounting hollow channels of both on respective rigid
tubes. In this manner, a beneficial generally non-elastic
lamination pathway is maintained for uniform production of
laminated goods.
Inventors: |
Pourmand, Nasser; (Encino,
CA) ; Boyer, John James; (Yorba Linda, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STETINA BRUNDA GARRED & BRUCKER
SUITE 250
75 ENTERPRISE
ALISO VIEJO
CA
92656
US
|
Family ID: |
23598770 |
Appl. No.: |
09/839054 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09839054 |
Apr 20, 2001 |
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09404240 |
Sep 23, 1999 |
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6220328 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
156/498 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 37/1027 20130101;
B32B 2305/18 20130101; Y10T 156/1741 20150115; B32B 37/12 20130101;
B32B 38/0036 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/498 |
International
Class: |
C09J 001/00 |
Claims
1. A lamination machine for laminating two or more layers of
material to each other through employment of a heat activated
adhesion constituent, the machine comprising: a) upper and lower
continuous opposing conveyor belts disposed one above the other to
form a lamination passage therebetween having an entrance through
which two layers of material can travel when placed on the lower
conveyor belt for continued travel through the lamination passage
to an exit; b) at least one pressure roller tensioned against the
layers of material to be laminated, whereby said layers of material
traveling in contact with said at least one pressure roller are
adhered to each other to form a laminated product; c) a heating
module disposed between the upper and lower conveyor belts between
the entrance and the at least one pressure roller, said module
comprising a plurality of substantially rigid respective heater
components positioned immediately above and immediately below the
upper and lower conveyor belts for melting said heat activated
adhesion constituent disposed between said layers of fabric when
said layers travel through the heating module, with each heater
component comprising an elongate one-piece heat-conductive
extrusion structure with a generally T-shape cross section wherein
a substantially hollow channel is disposed vertically and a
plurality of walled chambers in communication with respective heat
sources are disposed horizontally; and d) a cooling module disposed
between the upper and lower conveyor belts between said at least
one pressure roller and the exit, said cooling module having a
plurality of substantially rigid respective cooler components
positioned immediately above and immediately below the upper and
lower conveyor belts for cooling a laminated product subsequent to
lamination thereof when said layers thereof travel through the
cooling module, with each cooler component comprising an elongate
one-piece heat-conductive extrusion structure with a generally
T-shape cross section wherein a substantially hollow channel is
disposed vertically and a plurality of walled chambers in
communication with a cooling fluid are disposed horizontally.
2. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hollow
channel of each heater and cooler component is rectangular in cross
section and additionally comprising a rigid rectangular tube
disposed within the hollow channel and extending beyond each end of
said channel to expose a first and second end thereof, with each of
said first and second ends having connector mounts for mounting the
tube to a support bar.
3. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the connector
mounts are spring mounts.
4. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein walls of the
walled chambers of the heater components are configured in a
plurality of planes.
5. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said walls
have arc portions.
6. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein the heat
sources are electrical resistance rods disposed within the walled
chambers and having a surface configuration complimentary to said
arc portions.
7. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein each heater
component is tension biased against the conveyor belt above or
below which said heater component is situated.
8. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein walls of the
walled chambers of the cooler components are configured in a
plurality of planes.
9. A lamination machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein each cooler
component is tension biased against the conveyor belt above or
below which said cooler component is situated.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] (Not Applicable)
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
[0002] (Not Applicable)
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates in general to lamination equipment
for laminating two or more layers of material to each other through
a heat activated adhesion constituent exemplified by heat activated
adhesive or inherent thermoplasticity to form a laminated product,
and in particular to a flat-bed lamination machine having a heating
module for melting the adhesion constituent prior to lamination of
the layers of material and a cooling module for cooling a resultant
laminated product and any applied finish coating.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Lamination of two or more layers of material is an extremely
important process in the production of a myriad of goods. Such
lamination typically involves the bonding of adjacent surfaces of
two layers of different textile or wood products to each other with
heat-sensitive adhesive. The two layers typically are fed into a
lamination machine where both heat and physical pressure are
applied to consequently activate the adhesive and retain the layers
together as a laminated product. Non-limiting examples of such
laminated products include garments with backings, wadding, or
decorative panels, carpets and draperies with backings and linings,
furniture upholstery and bedding covers, automotive products,
aerospace parts, footwear, woodworking and wood lamination
products, and scores of other domestic and industrial
commodities.
[0005] While lamination machines are known, these machines provide
heat and physical lamination pressure, but many times are
ineffective in cooling the joined layers of material after melting
of an adhesion constituent is completed and a laminated product is
formed. In particular, a cooler component of the prior art may
include only a single coolant circulation conduit disposed in a
non-rigid housing to result in inefficient contact coupled with
inefficient cooling of a laminated product. As a result, hot
laminated products with correspondingly produced hot laminates
emerge from the lamination process to require significant time and
space commitments while cooling and adhesive setting occurs. It is
therefore apparent that a need is present for a lamination and
coating process wherein laminated products are delivered more
rapidly after lamination in a usable or storable state.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to
provide a lamination machine that provides effective and relatively
rapid cooling of laminated products immediately after a lamination
coating procedure is completed.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
lamination machine whose cooling zone is served by a plurality of
cooler components having chambers in communication with a cooling
fluid.
[0007] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
lamination machine whose chambered cooler components are
substantially rigid to thereby reject bowed movement away from the
central cooling zone.
[0008] These and other objects of the present invention will become
apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention is a lamination machine for adhesively
heat laminating adjacent surfaces of two or more layers of material
to each other. The machine comprises, first of all, upper and lower
continuous opposing conveyor belts disposed one above the other to
form a lamination passage therebetween and through which layers of
material can travel during lamination and ultimately to an exit.
Physical pressure for lamination is maintained by at least one
pressure roller tensioned against the layers of material to be
laminated.
[0010] The lamination machine includes a heating zone, disposed
between the upper and lower conveyor belts between the entrance and
the pressure roller, and a cooling zone, disposed between the upper
and lower conveyor belts between the pressure roller and the exit.
The heating zone is a module providing a plurality of substantially
rigid respective heater components positioned immediately above and
immediately below the upper and lower conveyor belts for melting a
heat activated adhesion constituent disposed between layers of
material to be laminated when such layers travel there through in
preparation for adhesion. Each heater component is an elongate
one-piece heat-conductive extrusion structure with a generally
T-shape cross section wherein a substantially hollow channel is
disposed vertically and a plurality of walled chambers in
communication with respective heat sources are disposed
horizontally. Preferably, to enhance heater component rigidity, a
rigid rectangular tube is disposed within the hollow channel and
extends beyond each end of the channel to expose a first and second
end thereof, with each end having respective connector mounts for
mounting the tube to a support bar to thereby secure the associated
heater component.
[0011] Once the layers of material are pressured together by the
pressure roller to form a laminated product, that formed laminated
product immediately enters the cooling zone disposed between the
upper and lower conveyor belts between the pressure roller and the
exit. In particular, the cooling zone is a module providing a
plurality of substantially rigid respective cooler components
positioned immediately above and immediately below the upper and
lower conveyor belts for cooling the laminated product. Each cooler
component is an elongate one-piece heat-conductive extrusion
structure with a generally T-shape cross section wherein a
substantially hollow channel is disposed vertically and a plurality
of walled chambers in communication with respective cooling sources
are disposed horizontally. Preferably, to enhance cooler component
rigidity, a rigid rectangular tube is disposed within the hollow
channel and extends beyond each end of the channel to expose a
first and second end thereof, with each end having respective
connector mounts for mounting the tube to a support bar to thereby
secure the associated cooler component. In this manner, a
heat-laminated product including a finish coating thereon can be
produced more quickly because of proactive cooling after adhesive
melt and material adhesion, thereby permitting greater efficiency
in enhanced volume production of immediately usable product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0012] An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the
invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view in section of a
fabric lamination machine;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view in
section of a portion of the fabric lamination machine of FIG.
1;
[0015] FIG. 3a is an enlarged side elevation view in section of a
heater component;
[0016] FIG. 3b is an enlarged side elevation view in section of a
cooler component; and
[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cooler component of FIG.
3b.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a lamination machine 10 for
laminating adjacent surfaces of two layers 12, 14 of material
non-limitedly here exemplified as textile fabric to each other is
illustrated. The machine 10 has upper and lower continuous opposing
conveyor belts 18, 20 in surface contact with each other and
disposed one above the other to form a lamination passage
therebetween having an entrance 22 through which the two layers 12,
14 of material travel when placed on the lower conveyor belt 20 for
continued travel through the lamination passage to an exit 24. A
plurality of standard guide rollers 26 conventionally maintain the
belts 18, 20 taut and in place over respective courses of
continuous travel.
[0019] Upper and lower opposing pressure rollers 28, 30 are
tensioned against each other and disposed respectively above and
below the opposing conveyor belts 18, 20 to thereby produce
lamination pressure against the touching layers 12, 14 of material
as the layers 12, 14 travel between these rollers 28, 30. As is
illustrated in FIG. 2, the lower roller 30 is stationary while the
upper roller 28 is provided with a standard belt network 32
allowing it to move vertically as thicknesses of material vary
between the rollers 28, 30. While two opposing pressure rollers 28,
30 are exemplified, it is to be understood that only one such
pressure roller could be employed so long as that roller provides
tensioned pressure against a stop while layers of material pass
between such a roller and the stop.
[0020] A heating module generally shown as 34 is disposed between
the upper and lower conveyor belts 18, 20 between the entrance 22
and the opposing rollers 28, 30. The heating module 34 includes a
plurality of respective generally T-shaped extruded
single-structure heater components 36 disposed on respective
rectangular rigid steel tubes 45 that are conventionally spring or
pneumatic-cylinder mounted on support bars 38, 40 to thereby
tension bias the heater components 36 against and positioned
immediately above and immediately below the upper and lower
conveyor belts 18, 20 for heating heat-sensitive adhesive disposed
between two layers of material 12, 14 to be laminated. As
particularly shown in FIG. 3a, each heater component 36 has a
plurality of horizontally aligned walled chambers 40 each
accommodating a conventional electric heating element 42. The walls
44 of each chamber 40 have arc portions 41 complimentary in shape
to the heating elements 42 and erratically configured portions 43
to provide a plurality of planes and thereby efficiently increase
surface area where heat from the heating elements 42 can pass. The
vertical portion of the T-shaped heater component 36 is a hollow
channel 46, here non-limitedly exemplified as rectangular in
cross-section, whose resultant configuration provides superior
structural rigidity with reduced mass. Within the channel 46 is
disposed a rectangular rigid steel tube 45 that functions to
further enhance rigidity of the heater component 36.
[0021] Immediately downstream from the opposing rollers 28, 30 is a
cooling module generally shown as 48 disposed between the upper and
lower conveyor belts 18, 20 and substantially extending from the
opposing rollers 28, 30 to the exit 24. The cooling module 48
includes a plurality of respective generally T-shaped extruded
single-structure cooler components 50 disposed on respective
rectangular rigid steel tubes 45 that are conventionally spring or
pneumatic-cylinder mounted on support bars 52, 54 to thereby
tension bias the cooler components immediately above and
immediately below the upper and lower conveyor belts 18, 20 for
cooling a laminated product 16 emerging from between the opposing
rollers 28, 30. As is evident, the construction of the cooler
component 50 is substantially identical to that of the heater
component 36 minus the heating elements 42. As particularly shown
in FIGS. 3b and 4, each cooler component 50 has a plurality of
horizontally aligned walled chambers 56 each in conventional
communication with a standard fluid supply reservoir 58 (FIG. 2)
whose fluid can be refrigerated flowing gas or liquid. Portions 61
of the walls 60 of each chamber 56 are erratically configured to
provide a plurality of planes and thereby efficiently increase
surface area for heat transfer into cooling fluid flowing through
the chambers 56. The vertical portion of the T-shaped cooler
component 50 is a hollow channel 62, here non-limitedly exemplified
as rectangular in cross-section, whose resultant configuration
provides superior structural rigidity with reduced mass. Within the
channel 62, as earlier described, is disposed a rectangular rigid
steel tube 45 that functions to further enhance rigidity of the
cooler component 50. In addition to enhancing rigidity, the tube 45
is provided with standard spring mounts 47, clearly shown in FIG. 4
in connection with a cooler component 50 and included in FIGS. 1-3b
to illustrate relative placement, for identically mounting
respective heater 36 or cooler 50 components to respective support
bars 38, 40 or 52, 54.
[0022] In operation, two layers 12, 14 of material having
heat-sensitive adhesive there between are inserted into the
entrance 22 of the lamination passage to thereafter travel with the
moving upper and lower continuous opposing conveyor belts 18, 20
into the heating module 34. The heating elements 42 within each
chamber 40 of the heater components 36 are powered to thereby melt
the adhesive whose melting temperature is reached prior to pressure
application by the opposing rollers 28, 30. As the two layers of
material 12, 14 pass within the pressure application of the rollers
28, 30, they become adhered to each other and form a laminated
product 16. The now-laminated product 16 then proceeds into the
cooling module 48 where cooling fluid is circulating through the
chambers 56 of the cooler components 50 to thereby accept heat
transfer from the hot laminated product 16 as travel progresses via
the moving upper and lower continuous opposing conveyor belts 18,
20. Ultimately, the laminated product 16 reaches the exit 24 from
which it emerges cooled and substantially ready for incorporation
in the construction of goods.
[0023] While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of
the invention has been described in detail herein for efficient
production of a laminated product through incorporation of cooling
for rapidly setting heat-sensitive lamination adhesion, it is to be
understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously
embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to
be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited
by the prior art.
* * * * *