Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/14—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers
  • B32B37/142—Laminating of sheets, panels or inserts, e.g. stiffeners, by wrapping in at least one outer layer, or inserting into a preformed pocket
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B38/00—Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
  • B32B38/18—Handling of layers or the laminate
  • B32B38/1825—Handling of layers or the laminate characterised by the control or constructional features of devices for tensioning, stretching or registration
  • B32B38/1833—Positioning, e.g. registration or centering
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2309/00—Parameters for the laminating or treatment process; Apparatus details
  • B32B2309/06—Angles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2429/00—Carriers for sound or information
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/0046—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for mutually adhering at least two layers, for instance a carrier foil, a visual information-carrying sheet and a cover foil, by pressure and optionally heat and with interposing of an adhesive layer, which device comprises: two driven rollers pressed toward each other and together defining a substantially horizontal pinch; and a flat feed plate for supporting the layers placed beforehand in mutual register such that they can be introduced collectively into the pinch in substantially flat manner by displacement over this feed plate.
• Such a device is known in diverse embodiments. It can serve to encapsulate for instance a sheet carrying visual information between a carrier and a cover foil or also to form a laminate consisting of at least two foils or sheets.
• the mutually facing surfaces for adhering to each other are mutually joined by an adhesive layer.
• This can be embodied as a pressure-sensitive glue, in which case the pressure exerted by the rollers is sufficient to effect the adhesion.
• a heat-activated glue heating takes place whereby the adhesion is effected in combination with the pressure applied in the pinch. It is an object of the invention to modify the known device such that the feeding in mutually registered relation of the layers for mutual adhesion is facilitated and improved.
• the invention of the described type according to the invention has the feature that the feed plate is disposed at an angle of inclination varying from the horizontal position such that the pinch is situated at the lower end of the upper surface of the feed plate, and that the flat plane through the rotational axis of the rollers extends substantially perpendicularly of the upper surface of the feed plate.
• An assembly is known of a carrier and a cover foil which are mutually adhered on a leading edge.
• This adhesion can be weak and correspond for instance with the adhesion of the sheets of a writing pad. This ensures that the carrier and cover foil are accurately positioned in register.
• a sheet for instance carrying visual information for receiving between the carrier and the cover foil can, after folding open of the combination, be inserted between the two such that it lies against the leading adhesive edge, whereby this sheet also obtains an accurate desired registering.
• the device according to the invention offers great advantages.
• the carrier is laid on the flat feed plate, the cover foil is folded upward, whereby the sheet for arranging between the two can easily be positioned accurately.
• the leading adhesive edge is then pushed into the pinch of the rollers to effect the mutual adhesion of the layers in question.
• the cover foil it is not necessary to this end for the cover foil to be folded back beforehand over the sheet for covering.
• This cover foil is in any case carried along and adhered in the pinch to the layer or layers lying thereunder in completely smooth manner and with no possibility of any substantial inclusion of air.
• the device according to the invention preferably has the feature that the angle of inclination amounts to roughly 45" ⁇ 30°, and preferably 45* ⁇ 10'.
• a specific embodiment has the special feature that the end edge of the feed plate directed toward the pinch has a form adapted to the form of the lower roller and is situated a small distance from this roller. With this embodiment is achieved that the supplied layers, which often have little or no inherent stiffness, can be introduced accurately and easily into the pinch of the rollers.
• a preferred embodiment is characterized by a discharge plate connecting onto the pinch.
• this variant can have the special feature that the end edge of the discharge plate directed toward the pinch has a form adapted to the form of the lower roller and is situated a small distance from this roller. It is noted that on the discharge side this aspect may generally be slightly less critical, particularly when pressure-sensitive adhesive layers are used, since a thicker structure consisting of mutually adhered layers is inherently stiffer than the individual layers.
• a practical embodiment is that in which an at least more or less vertical collecting tray connects onto the discharge plate.
• the device For processing layers provided with heat- activated glue layers the device is characterized by heating means for heating the layers.
• heating means for heating the layers A simple embodiment is that in which the rollers are heated.
• figure 1 shows a partly broken away perspective view of a device according to the invention in a first embodiment
• figure 2 shows a schematic side view of a variant
• figures 3, 4 and 5 show perspective views of three different combinations of a carrier and a cover foil adhered thereto with a leading edge.
• Figure 1 shows a device 1 in a first embodiment of the invention.
• the device 1 comprises two rollers 4, 5 driven by a motor 3 and together defining a horizontal pinch 2.
• the lower roller 4 is mounted round a fixed axis, while roller 5 is pressed toward roller 4 by pressure springs 6.
• a flat feed plate 7 Connecting onto the infeed side of pinch 2 is a flat feed plate 7.
• the forward edge 8 thereof takes a form adapted to the form of the lower roller 4 whereby the upper surface 9 of feed plate 7 is situated at least roughly at the height of pinch 2.
• the feed plate 7 is disposed at an angle of inclination varying from the horizontal position of about 40* such that the pinch 2 is situated at the lower end of feed plate 7.
• the imaginary flat plane through the mutually parallel rotation axes of rollers 4 and 5 extends substantially perpendicularly of the upper surface 9 of feed plate 7.
• a discharge plate 10 connects onto the outfeed side of pinch 2.
• the part of discharge plate 10 adjoining the pinch 2 is flat and connects via a smoothly curving part 11 onto a collecting tray 12.
• rollers 4, 5 are heated in order to process layers which have to be mutually adhered by means of heat-activated adhesive layers prearranged on these layers.
• a carrier plate 14 is pushed along a side guide 13 toward the pinch 2 over the upper surface 9 of feed plate 7.
• a transparent cover foil 16 is adhered to carrier plate 14.
• this foil 16 Prior to feeding through pinch 2, this foil 16 is lifted up in order to place a sheet 17 carrying visual information onto the carrier plate 14 such that the leading edge of this sheet 17 lies against the leading edge 15.
• the combination 14, 17, 16 is then moved in the direction of arrow 18 so as to be transported through pinch 2.
• the motor 3 can drive rollers 4, 5 continuously. In that case the leading edge 15 may only be arranged in the pinch after positioning of sheet 17.
• the drive rollers 4, 5 are not yet driven during a preparatory phase.
• the leading edge 15 can be placed against the pinch, which automatically results in a correct parallel positioning, whereafter the foil 16 is folded upward, the sheet 17 placed and the drive of rollers 4, 5 actuated.
• FIG. 2 shows highly schematically a device 19 in a second embodiment of the invention.
• This embodiment comprises in addition to rollers 4, 5 two infeed rollers, respectively a lower infeed roller 21 and an upper infeed roller 22, which are pressed toward each other by spring means 20. These together bound a pinch 23. Extending between the pinches 23 and 2 are a stationary heating element 24 and a heating element 26 present in a supporting arm 25 for infeed roller 22.
• cover foil 16 is drawn for the sake of clarity such that it is only lifted up over a limited height.
• Figure 2 shows the above described, most practical method of operation.
• the foil 16 is folded wholly back in order to leave the upper surface of carrier plate 14 completely clear.
• the device 19 is embodied such that the rollers 4, 5 are driven continuously.
• the infeed rollers 21, 22 can be driven as required by the user, whereby in the stationary situation of the rollers 21, 22 the pinch 23 can function as registering stop.
• the drive of the rollers 21, 22 can be actuated.
• Figure 3 shows in the lifted position a combination 27 consisting of respectively a carrier 28, a polyethylene layer 29, a polyethylene layer 30 and a transparent cover foil 31.
• the layers 29 and 30 are fused together along a leading edge 32 by a heating treatment. Attention is drawn to the fact that the invention is not limited to such an embodiment. In this context attention is drawn to applicant's patent application NL-A-93 02292 filed in the Netherlands in which alternatives are also described.
• the polyethylene layers 29 and 30 serve as heat-activated adhesive layers.
• Figure 4 shows a combination 33 consisting of respectively a cardboard carrier 34, an adhesive layer 35, an adhesive layer 36 and a transparent cover foil 37.
• the adhesive layers 35 and 36 can be of any suitable type. In the case where these are of pressure-sensitive type they must be separated from each other by a non- adhesive separation foil, for instance a silicone or waxed paper, prior to use in the device according to the invention.
• the adhesive layers 35, 36 are mutually adhered along a leading edge 38.
• figure 5 shows a combination 39 comprising a carrier plate 40 of foam material, the adhesive layer 35 adhered thereto, the adhesive layer 36 and the transparent cover foil 37 to which adhesive layer 36 is adhered.
• the devices 1 and 19 according to the invention are capable of accommodating different thicknesses of combinations for processing, in that the rollers are pressed toward each other under spring load.
• the largest thickness to be accommodated can lie for instance in the order of 20-40 mm.
• the width of the rollers determines the largest width of a combination which can be accommodated.
• the device according to the invention can for instance be designed such that it can handle dimensions up to the standardized format A0. This is however a matter of freedom in design and subject to the wishes of a user.

Landscapes

• Lining Or Joining Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19760872

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (5)

Citations (8)

• 1995
  • 1995-04-11 NL NL1000123A patent/NL1000123C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1996
  • 1996-04-10 WO PCT/NL1996/000155 patent/WO1996032247A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1996-04-10 AU AU51636/96A patent/AU5163696A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (8)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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