EP0793539B1 - Enduction de bandes de metal avec des couches protectrices/decoratives sans dissolvants - Google Patents

Enduction de bandes de metal avec des couches protectrices/decoratives sans dissolvants Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0793539B1
EP0793539B1 EP95937745A EP95937745A EP0793539B1 EP 0793539 B1 EP0793539 B1 EP 0793539B1 EP 95937745 A EP95937745 A EP 95937745A EP 95937745 A EP95937745 A EP 95937745A EP 0793539 B1 EP0793539 B1 EP 0793539B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
coating
strip
head
coating head
melt
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Expired - Lifetime
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EP95937745A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0793539A1 (fr
Inventor
Robert Arthur Innes
Neil Louis Brockman
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Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd
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Alcan International Ltd Canada
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C5/00—Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work
    • B05C5/02—Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g. from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work
    • B05C5/0295—Floating coating heads or nozzles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C11/00—Component parts, details or accessories not specifically provided for in groups B05C1/00 - B05C9/00
    • B05C11/10—Storage, supply or control of liquid or other fluent material; Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material
    • B05C11/1042—Storage, supply or control of liquid or other fluent material; Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material provided with means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material in the supplying means upstream of the applying apparatus
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C5/00—Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work
    • B05C5/001—Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work incorporating means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C5/00—Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work
    • B05C5/02—Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g. from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work
    • B05C5/0254—Coating heads with slot-shaped outlet
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C9/00—Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means of applying the liquid or other fluent material is not important
    • B05C9/04—Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means of applying the liquid or other fluent material is not important for applying liquid or other fluent material to opposite sides of the work

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a process of coating a surface of an elongated strip article with a layer of polymer material according to the preamble of claim 1 and to an apparatus for coating a surface according to the preamble of claim 15.
  • a process and an apparatus of this type is known from e.g. US-A-4 675 230.
  • Metal sheet material for example thin aluminum strip used for beverage cans and other purposes, is frequently coated with organic films to provide surface protection and/or decorative finishes.
  • the coatings are typically applied by dissolving or suspending polymers and other components in organic solvents, applying the resulting mixtures to the strip by roller coater or doctor blade, and baking the resulting product to remove the solvents and to cross-link the polymer.
  • the solvents emitted during this conventional procedure cause environmental problems, thus necessitating the use of expensive pollution control systems and complex ovens to avoid the build-up of flammable vapors to explosive concentrations.
  • An alternative means of controlling coating thickness during extrusion coating is to employ an extrusion die movably connected to a supporting structure, having an extrusion opening and die lips of a suitable shape positioned around the extrusion opening.
  • the die lips are moved close to the strip and the clearance between strip and die lips is precisely controlled by adjusting the position of the extrusion head relative to the supporting structure.
  • the thickness uniformity of the coating depends on the precision used in the manufacture and control of the die and the precision of the support roll normally used to support the sheet material during coating, as well as the uniformity of the metal gauge along the strip, and it proves very difficult in practice to produce uniform coatings of the desired thickness in an acceptable manner. For example, if a mechanical spacer, such as a roller, is used to maintain a uniform clearance between the die lips and the strip, unsightly marks may be made on the surface of the strip by the spacer and the marks may not be completely hidden by the applied coating.
  • the extended surface directly contacts the coating material as it is applied to the strip, thereby generating hydrodynamic forces that cause the head to "float" on the layer of coating as it is being applied. Direct contact between the strip and the coating head is thus avoided, and this in turn avoids damage to or defacement of the metal or pre-coated metal surface to which the coating is applied.
  • coaters which employ a "doctor blade” to spread the coating material (which could be a molten polymer material).
  • a coater of this kind is disclosed, for example, in US patent 3,690,297 to Dentch et al. Such coaters rely on the use of a thin, flexible blade to meter the fluid onto the moving strip surface. The blade strip is pressed against the strip surface at a suitable pressure (e.g. 30 pounds per inch of blade width). Coaters of this kind can produce very thin coatings of a viscous material because there is essentially no back pressure from the coating fluid against the sharp point of the blade, due to the absence of any significant surface area at the blade tip facing the coating solution.
  • doctor blade coaters have the disadvantage that the blade is fixed and consequently does not follow surface irregularities of the surface to be coated. Variations in thickness of the resulting coated layer are therefore common.
  • An object of the present invention is to enable the coating of strip material to be carried out without resort to the use of solvents, softeners, suspension media or similar liquids for dissolving, suspending or thinning the polymer coating material.
  • Another object of the invention is to make such strip coating possible using equipment that applies the coating material from an extrusion die without resort to stretching of the coating film before its application to the strip surface.
  • Yet another object of the invention is to make it possible to coat strip materials with polymeric coatings having thicknesses suitable for aluminum packaging applications without resort to the use of solvents or similar liquids during the coating process.
  • the present invention is based on the unexpected finding that modified versions of coating dies of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,675,230 and in WO 94/27739 can be used for the application of high viscosity molten polymers to surfaces of moving strips, if such polymers are maintained at a suitable viscosity, by being suitably heated, and if they are applied to the die under suitable pressures.
  • the disadvantageous use of solvents or other liquids can thus be avoided and yet coatings of the desired thicknesses can be produced.
  • a process of coating a surface of an elongated strip article with a layer of polymer material wherein a strip article having a surface to be coated is advanced in a direction past a coating head provided with an elongated slot and an extended surface adjacent to the slot held at an angle to said surface to form a coating gap converging in the direction advancement of the strip article, coating material is extruded from the slot onto the moving surface to be coated, and the coating head is pushed in the direction of the surface to be coated so that the material extruded from the slot is acted upon by said extended surface in said coating gap to form a layer of said coating material of reduced thickness, relative to an initial coating thickness, on said surface to be coated, said angle being effective in use to cause said coating head to float on said melt in said coating gap as the thickness of the coating is reduced, characterized in that said coating material is a heated polymer melt having a viscosity of at least 1000 centipoise when measured according to ASTM D4440
  • apparatus for coating a surface of an elongated strip article with a solid coating layer of polymer material including a strip feeder for advancing said elongated strip article in a direction of movement (A), a coating head having an elongated open-sided slot and an extended surface immediately adjacent to the open side of the slot arranged at an angle to surface of said article forming a gap between the coating head and the surface that narrows in the direction of movement of the strip article, said angle being effective in use to cause said coating head to float on said melt in said coating gap as the thickness of the coating is reduced, a support for the coating head holding said head facing said strip article, said support permitting movement of the coating head towards and away from the surface of the strip article, and a load application device for pushing the coating head towards the strip article as said melt is extruded as a coating onto said surface from the slot to reduce thickness of the coating to form a layer by pressing said extended surface of the coating head onto said coating as the coating is formed; characterized in that the apparatus includes
  • the process and apparatus of the invention can surprisingly produce coatings as thin as 1-100 ⁇ m, and even 1-25 ⁇ m, without resorting to the use of liquids as solvents, diluents, etc.
  • the use of a "floating" head makes it possible to coat relatively wide strip materials since the coating head can be pushed at various positions across the width of the strip by a suitable load application devices, thus forcing all parts of the coating head to follow both the transverse as well as the longitudinal contours of the strip.
  • the polymers employed in the present invention are those which produce shear-thinning fluid melts having viscosities of at least 1000 centipoise, more preferably at least 5000 centipoise, and even more preferably at least 50,000 centipoise, upon being heated above their melting temperatures but below their decomposition temperatures.
  • Shear-thinning fluid melts are those having viscosities that decrease as the shear rates, to which they are subjected, increase. In the present invention, as indicated above, the viscosities are measured by the procedure of standard test ASTM D4440 (approved on November 30, 1984) of the American Society of Testing and Materials at a shear rate of 1 radian per second.
  • the process and apparatus of the present invention are successful in producing thin coatings of polymer materials directly from polymer melts because the polymer melts are subjected to high shear conditions in the coating gap formed between the coating head and the surface of the strip article as the melts are being extruded. Accordingly, because of the shear-thinning nature of the polymer melt, the effective viscosity of the melt in the gap may be much lower than expected (i.e. much lower than the melt when static) and thus thinner coatings than theoretically expected may be metered out.
  • the shear rate to which the polymer melt is subjected during coating depends on the velocity (v) of the moving strip and the separation distance (x) between the part of the coating head surface that is closest to the moving strip and strip surface itself.
  • melt it is normally desirable to maintain the melt at the highest possible temperature above the polymer melting point (which can be determined by standard differential scanning calorimetry) without causing degradation.
  • This optimum temperature differs from polymer to polymer, but can be determined for any suitable polymer by simple trial and experimentation.
  • the pressure at which the fluid melt is applied to the coating head depends on the viscosity of the melt and on any viscosity drop that occurs in the coating gap.
  • suitable pressures can be determined by simple trial and experimentation and can be generated by any suitable means for pressurizing a high viscosity fluid, e.g. high pressure pumps, although it is preferred to use a heated screw type extruder to simultaneously mix, melt, pressurize and deliver the polymer to the coating head.
  • the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is intended for coating metal strip articles and consists of a coating head 12 similar to the head described in WO 94/27739 mentioned above, except that the head is heated and the interior passages are modified for streamlined polymer flow to improve flow uniformity and to avoid “dead zones” that might cause degradation of the heated polymer.
  • the coating head 12 (shown partially in cross-section) applies a layer of polymer coating material 13 onto an aluminum strip 14 passing around a heated backup drum 16 in the direction of the arrow A.
  • the coating head 12 extends over the entire transverse width of the strip at a position, in the path of the strip advance, at which the strip is held firmly against the surface of the backup drum 16.
  • a system of spaced air cylinders 17 urges the coating head 12 towards the strip 14 at a number of locations across the width of the strip to apply a suitable load to the coating material 13 as it is applied to the strip surface, causing the head to "float" on the layer of molten coating material 13 applied through elongated coating slot 15, while metering the thickness of the applied coating.
  • the head includes integral heaters (not shown), which may be of a conventional kind, to ensure uniform temperature and viscosity of the extruded polymer.
  • the coating head 12 is fed with heated molten polymer coating material from a screw extruder 18 (shown in cross-section) via a heated high pressure hose 19.
  • the hose 19 may be a conventional flexible hose first wrapped with an electrical heating element (wire) and then wrapped with flexible insulation. Several hoses 19 may be provided to supply the melt to different parts of the coating head.
  • the polymer material 13 can be kept in molten condition within the viscosity range mentioned earlier until applied as a coating to the strip 14. It will be understood that the surface of the strip 14 may bear a previously applied undercoat or primer coat of paint, and the opposite surface of the strip may also be precoated.
  • the strip is allowed to cool sufficiently to solidify the polymer material 13 and can then be coiled in the conventional manner. If necessary, however, the strip may be subjected to a further heat treatment or baking step after being coated in the indicated manner in order to ensure proper curing or bonding of the coating to the strip article.
  • the polymer material can successfully be coated in thin layers onto the strip article 14 by a dynamic load control mechanism as opposed simply to a static adjustment of the gap between the coating head and the strip.
  • molten polymer has a high viscosity normally in the range of 1,000 to 2,000,000 centipoise (often 10,000 to 1,000,000 centipoise at 1 rad/sec according to the ASTM D4440 test mentioned above).
  • the coating head 12 forms part of a rigid metal block 30 having a flat or concavely curved coating surface 32 arranged at an angle (normally in the range of 0.1 to 5°, or more preferably 0.5 to 1°) to the surface of the moving strip 14 forming a gap 34 converging in the direction of the strip travel.
  • the part of the coating surface downstream of the coating slot 15 forms an extended surface 32a that contacts the polymer melt as it is applied and receives the hydrodynamic force of the melt as it moves through the converging coating gap 34.
  • the elongated extrusion slot 15 which opens outwardly through the surface 32 of the coating head 12, opens inwardly into a melt cavity 40 that is fully enclosed by the coating head 12 except for a polymer delivery aperture 42 communicating with pressure hose 19.
  • the slot 15 is orientated with its long dimension transverse to the direction of advance of the strip 14; most preferably, the long dimension of the slot is perpendicular to the direction of strip advance and parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum 16.
  • heated molten polymer is continuously supplied under pressure by the screw extruder 18 to the internal melt cavity 40 and thence to the slot 15 at a rate sufficient to keep the cavity 40 entirely filled and to force the polymer from the slot 15 under pressure so that the slot, as well, is continuously entirely filled with polymer under pressure.
  • the apparatus includes a deck 44 having a flat upper surface on which the metal block 30 rests, the block being thus supported for sliding movement back and forth relative to the deck in a generally horizontal direction as shown by arrow 48.
  • a series of vertically opening slots 46 (only one of which is shown), elongated horizontally in the direction of arrow 48, are formed in the body of the block 30 rearwardly of the cavity 40 at locations spaced along the length of the block.
  • a series of bolts 50 (again only one of which is shown) respectively extend through these slots and are threaded into the deck at one end while having enlarged bolt heads 50a at the other end to retain the block 30 on the deck 44.
  • the deck 44 is mounted on a feed frame 52 for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis 54, so as to enable the block 30, with the deck 44, to be swung upwardly (e.g. by suitable pneumatic means, not shown) from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to a position removed from the path of strip advance.
  • An arm 56 fixedly secured to the frame 52 and underlying the deck 44, carries a screw 58 that projects upwardly from the arm and bears against the lower surface of the deck 44, to enable adjustment of the angular orientation of the head 12 in its operative position.
  • the frame 52 is fixed in position relative to the axis of the drum 16, both the frame and the drum being mounted in a common support structure (not shown).
  • the axis 54 is fixed in position relative to the axis of the drum 16 and when the deck 44 is in the operative position shown in Fig. 1, with the screw 58 set to provide a desired angular orientation, the drum 16 supports the advancing strip 14, opposite the slot 36, at a fixed distance from the deck 44.
  • the air cylinders 17 (which may be of generally conventional construction and which act as load application devices) are fixed securely to the deck 44 rearwardly of the block 30. As shown, the cylinders 17 are secured to the rearwardly projecting ledge portions 60 of the deck. Actuation of the cylinders causes the block 30 to be pushed towards the surface of the strip 14. As already noted, this load is opposed by the hydrodynamic fluid pressure of the molten polymer 13 created by the converging gap 34 between the strip surface 14 and the opposed extended surface 32a of the coating head 12 and the head 12 thus "floats" on the polymer layer 13.
  • a metering orifice is thus defined between an upstream edge 62 of the surface 32a and the adjacent surface of the strip 14, the size of the metering orifice being determined (for a given polymer) by the magnitude of the load exerted by the cylinders.
  • the illustrated apparatus is designed for single-sided coating
  • the invention may also be utilized for two-sided coating using apparatus of the type disclosed in the co-pending PCT application mentioned above, except modified to be fed with a molten polymer as in the apparatus described for single-sided coating.
  • FIG. 2 An example of an apparatus suitable for double-sided coating is shown schematically in Fig. 2.
  • Metal strip 14 to be coated is continuously advanced, in a direction longitudinally parallel to its long dimension, from a coil 70 along a path represented by arrows A and B extending successively around spaced guide rollers 72, 74 and 75 rotatably supported (by structure not shown) in axially fixed positions.
  • the rollers 72 and 74 cooperatively define a rectilinear portion 76 of the path, in which portion the major surfaces of the advancing strip are substantially planar.
  • polymer is applied to both major surfaces 78, 80 of the strip from two coating devices 12, 12' (disposed in register with each other and respectively facing the two major surfaces of the strip article) to establish on each of the strip surfaces a continuous layer or coating of the polymer.
  • the coating devices 12 and 12' may each be the same as the coating device 12 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and may each be provided with heated polymer melt in the same fashion as previously described.
  • the strip major surfaces may bear a previously applied undercoat or primer coat of paint.
  • the coated strip After passing roll 75, the coated strip is coiled again, e.g. on a driven rewind reel 82 which constitutes the means for advancing the strip through the coating line.
  • the strip 14 may, if necessary, be advanced through a heating oven 84 immediately upstream of the positions of the coating heads 12, 12', to provide pre-heating of the strip prior to the application of the polymer coating in order to maintain suitable viscosity of the coating at the coating heads.
  • the strip may, if necessary, be advanced through a further heating oven 86 after being coated with the polymer coating material if post-coating heating is required to assure proper bonding of the polymer coating to the strip, which may be the case for some polymer coatings and strip surfaces.
  • Polymeric materials suitable for use in the apparatus of the invention are those having viscosities in the ranges stated above at temperatures between their melting points and their decomposition temperatures, i.e. normally at temperatures in the range of 150 to 350°C.
  • suitable polymers include, but are not limited to polyethylene (e.g. EPOLENE® C-17 or C-13 polyethylene wax; effective temperature range 150-260°C), polyethylene terephthalate (e.g. VECODUR® EPPN; effective temperature range 200-340°C) and mixtures of ethylene acrylic acid copolymer and polybutylene (e.g. PRIMACOR® 3440 - 75% PRIMACOR® and 25% SHELL® PB 0300; effective temperature range 160-310°C).
  • polyethylene e.g. EPOLENE® C-17 or C-13 polyethylene wax
  • effective temperature range 150-260°C polyethylene terephthalate
  • VECODUR® EPPN effective temperature range 200-340°C
  • a powerful and sophisticated extruder (model 1.75 18:1 having a 1.9 cm (3/4 inch) screw with an 18 to 1 length to diameter ratio from Bramptom Engineering) was connected to a single-sided coater of the type disclosed in U.S. patent 4,675,230 and a gas heater was installed to preheat the backup drum.
  • the coater head itself was a simple rigid coating head, originally designed for liquid coatings, approximately 125 mm wide with attached heaters.
  • This equipment was used to apply films of molten polymer as thin as 3 microns to aluminum can end stock and to foil lidstock for pet food cans.
  • the equipment was operated as fast as 210 metres per minute (690 feet per minute).
  • the viscosity of the EPOLENES C-13 used in runs 1 and 2 was measured according to ASTM D 4440 on a RheometricsTM System 4 viscometer using a parallel plate measuring unit.
  • the sensor plate had a 12.5 mm radius and clearance of 2 mm.
  • An estimate of the shear rate based on the conditions at the circumference of the plate gives 6.25 sec-1 for 1 rad/sec, and 625 sec-1 for 100 rad/sec.
  • the results for EPOLENE® C-13 at 190°C were:
  • the shear rates in the coating gap are much higher than in the test instrument, typically in the range 10,000 sec-1 to 100,000 sec-1. Consequently, the effective viscosity under actual operating conditions may be much lower than measured in a viscometer.
  • the high shear nature of the coater may be the reason why thin coatings can be achieved because the high shear rate may reduce the effective viscosity of the polymer in the gap formed between the coater head and the surface of the strip article.

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  • Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)
  • Extrusion Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Claims (20)

  1. Procédé de revêtement d'une surface d'un article de bande allongée, avec une couche de matière polymère, dans lequel l'article de bande (14) ayant une surface à revêtir avance dans une direction devant une tête de revêtement (12) munie d'une fente allongée (15) et d'une surface étendue (32a) adjacente à la fente maintenue à un angle par rapport à ladite surface afin de former un intervalle de revêtement (34) qui converge dans la direction d'avancement de l'article de bande, la matière de revêtement est extrudée à partir de la fente sur la surface en déplacement à revêtir, et la tête de revêtement est poussée dans la direction de la surface à revêtir de sorte que ladite surface étendue dans ledit intervalle de revêtement agit sur la matière extrudée provenant de la fente afin de former une couche (13) de ladite matière de revêtement d'une épaisseur réduite, par rapport à une épaisseur de revêtement initiale, sur ladite surface à revêtir, ledit angle étant efficace à l'utilisation pour faire flotter ladite tête de revêtement sur ladite masse en fusion dans ledit intervalle de revêtement à mesure que l'épaisseur de revêtement se réduit, caractérisé en ce que ladite matière de revêtement est une masse fondue polymère chauffée ayant une viscosité d'au moins 1 000 centipoises lorsqu'on la mesure selon ASTM D4440 à 1 radian par seconde.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la tête de revêtement (12) est poussée vers la surface de l'article de bande (14) à mesure que ladite masse fondue est extrudée à partir de la fente (15) sur la surface de l'article de bande à revêtir avec une force réduisant ledit revêtement à une épaisseur de 1 à 100 micromètres.
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite matière polymère est une matière polymère qui, lorsqu'elle est chauffée au-dessus de son point de fusion mais au-dessous de sa température de décomposition, forme une masse fondue ayant une viscosité d'au moins 5 000 centipoises lorsqu'on la mesure selon ASTM D4440 à 1 radian par seconde.
  4. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite matière polymère est une matière polymère qui, lorsqu'elle est chauffée au-dessus de son point de fusion mais au-dessous de sa température de décomposition, forme une masse fondue ayant une viscosité d'au moins 50 000 centipoises lorsqu'on la mesure selon ASTM D4440 à 1 radian par seconde.
  5. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la masse fondue est délivrée à la tête de revêtement (12) sous pression tout en étant chauffée pour maintenir ladite viscosité.
  6. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé de plus en ce que ladite tête d'extrusion (12) est chauffée pour maintenir ladite viscosité.
  7. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la masse fondue est formée en mélangeant et en comprimant des granulés (22) de la matière polymère et en chauffant lesdits granulés à une température au-dessus du point de fusion de la matière polymère mais au-dessous de sa température de décomposition.
  8. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la couche de revêtement (13) est réduite en épaisseur entre 1 et 25 micromètres.
  9. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la couche de revêtement (13) est réduite en épaisseur entre 2 et 7 micromètres.
  10. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé de plus par l'application dudit revêtement à une matière de feuille d'aluminium en tant que dit article de bande (14).
  11. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit article de bande (14) portant ledit revêtement est soumis à une étape de chauffage.
  12. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit article de bande (14) possède une deuxième surface (78) opposée à une première surface (76), caractérisé en ce que ladite deuxième surface est revêtue de la même matière polymère de la même manière et en même temps que la première surface à partir d'une deuxième tête de revêtement identique (12') faisant face à ladite deuxième surface à une position opposée par rapport à ladite tête de revêtement (12) faisant face à ladite première surface.
  13. Procédé selon la revendication 12, caractérisé en ce que la deuxième tête de revêtement (12') est poussée vers la deuxième surface (78) de l'article de bande (14) à mesure que ladite masse fondue est extrudée sur la deuxième surface à partir de la deuxième tête de revêtement avec une force réduisant la couche de revêtement sur la deuxième surface à une épaisseur de 1 à 100 micromètres.
  14. Procédé selon la revendication 12, caractérisé en ce que ledit article de bande (14) est chauffé immédiatement en amont d'une position à laquelle les revêtements sont appliqués.
  15. Appareil pour revêtir une surface d'un article de bande allongé (14) d'une couche de revêtement solide (13) de matière polymère, comprenant un dispositif d'alimentation de bande (16) pour faire avancer ledit article de bande allongé dans une direction de mouvement (A), une tête de revêtement (12) ayant une fente allongée ouverte sur un côté (15) et une surface étendue (32a) immédiatement adjacente au côté ouvert de la fente disposé à un angle par rapport à ladite surface dudit article formant un intervalle (34) entre la tête de revêtement et la surface qui se rétrécit dans la direction de mouvement de l'article de bande, ledit angle étant efficace à l'utilisation pour faire flotter ladite tête de revêtement sur ladite masse fondue dans ledit intervalle de revêtement à mesure que l'épaisseur du revêtement se réduit, un support (44) pour la tête de revêtement maintenant ladite tête en face dudit article de bande, ledit support permettant un mouvement de rapprochement et d'éloignement de la tête de revêtement par rapport à la surface de l'article de bande, et un dispositif d'application de charge (17) pour pousser la tête de revêtement vers l'article de bande à mesure que ladite masse fondue est extrudée en tant que revêtement sur ladite surface à partir de la fente pour réduire l'épaisseur du revêtement pour former une couche (13) en pressant ladite surface étendue de la tête de revêtement sur ledit revêtement à mesure que se forme le revêtement; caractérisé en ce que l'appareil comprend un appareil de fusion (18) destiné à chauffer une matière polymère solide (22) en vue de former une masse fondue ayant une viscosité d'au moins 1 000 centipoises lorsqu'elle est mesurée selon ASTM D4440 à 1 radian par seconde et afin de délivrer ladite masse fondue sous pression à ladite tête de revêtement en vue d'une extrusion à travers ladite fente, et un élément chauffant pour ladite tête de revêtement afin de maintenir ladite viscosité de la masse fondue contenue dans ladite tête de revêtement.
  16. Appareil selon la revendication 15 ayant un tambour support pour soutenir ledit article de bande (14) à mesure qu'il avance devant ladite tête de revêtement (12), caractérisé par un moyen de chauffage pour chauffer l'article de bande lorsqu'il vient en contact avec ledit tambour support.
  17. Appareil selon la revendication 15 caractérisé en ce que ledit appareil de fusion comprend un mélangeur à vis chauffée (28) pour fondre et mélanger les particules (22) de ladite matière polymère.
  18. Appareil selon la revendication 17, caractérisé par un tuyau sous pression chauffé (19) raccordant ledit mélangeur à vis (28) à ladite tête de revêtement (12).
  19. Appareil selon la revendication 15, caractérisé de plus par une deuxième tête de revêtement chauffée (12') pour former un revêtement de matière polymère sur une deuxième surface (78) dudit article de bande (14).
  20. Appareil selon la revendication 15 caractérisé de plus par un élément chauffant (84) pour chauffer ledit article de bande (14) disposé en amont de ladite tête de revêtement (12).
EP95937745A 1994-11-23 1995-11-23 Enduction de bandes de metal avec des couches protectrices/decoratives sans dissolvants Expired - Lifetime EP0793539B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US34456294A 1994-11-23 1994-11-23
US344562 1994-11-23
PCT/CA1995/000659 WO1996015858A1 (fr) 1994-11-23 1995-11-23 Enduction de bandes de metal avec des couches protectrices/decoratives sans dissolvants

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0793539A1 EP0793539A1 (fr) 1997-09-10
EP0793539B1 true EP0793539B1 (fr) 1999-06-30

Family

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EP95937745A Expired - Lifetime EP0793539B1 (fr) 1994-11-23 1995-11-23 Enduction de bandes de metal avec des couches protectrices/decoratives sans dissolvants

Country Status (7)

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EP (1) EP0793539B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH10509638A (fr)
BR (1) BR9509757A (fr)
CA (1) CA2205833C (fr)
DE (1) DE69510560T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2135103T3 (fr)
WO (1) WO1996015858A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2294434C (fr) * 1997-06-27 2004-10-19 Alcan International Limited Procede et appareil de revetement d'articles en feuille ou en bande
US10000049B2 (en) * 2014-06-23 2018-06-19 Exel Industries Methods and apparatus for applying protective films

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3690297A (en) * 1969-07-22 1972-09-12 Blandin Paper Co Non-aqueous coating of webs
SE394963B (sv) * 1974-02-11 1977-07-25 Inventing Ab Sett och anordning for tvasidig bestrykning av en pappersbana
FR2473361A1 (fr) * 1979-12-05 1981-07-17 Bitumes Speciaux Procede d'application d'une couche de matiere plastique sur un support et un dispositif pour la mise en oeuvre de ce procede
US4388349A (en) * 1980-11-21 1983-06-14 Permacel Extrusion coating process
US4667852A (en) * 1983-09-29 1987-05-26 Bernd Siemann Apparatus for preparing and dispensing thermoplastic resin
US4675230A (en) * 1985-11-12 1987-06-23 Alcan International Limited Apparatus and method for coating elongated strip articles
US4805554A (en) * 1987-05-22 1989-02-21 Acumeter Laboratories, Inc. Method of and apparatus for maintaining uniform hot melt coatings on thermally sensitive webs by maintaining dimensional stability of silicone and rubber-like web back-up rolls

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH10509638A (ja) 1998-09-22
EP0793539A1 (fr) 1997-09-10
DE69510560T2 (de) 1999-10-21
CA2205833C (fr) 2001-01-23
CA2205833A1 (fr) 1996-05-30
DE69510560D1 (de) 1999-08-05
ES2135103T3 (es) 1999-10-16
WO1996015858A1 (fr) 1996-05-30
BR9509757A (pt) 1997-11-25

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