Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B7/00—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
  • B08B7/0028—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by adhesive surfaces
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
  • B65H23/00—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs
  • B65H23/02—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs transversely
  • B65H23/032—Controlling transverse register of web
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
  • B65H27/00—Special constructions, e.g. surface features, of feed or guide rollers for webs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
  • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
  • B65H2301/50—Auxiliary process performed during handling process
  • B65H2301/51—Modifying a characteristic of handled material
  • B65H2301/511—Processing surface of handled material upon transport or guiding thereof, e.g. cleaning
  • B65H2301/5115—Cleaning
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
  • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
  • B65H2404/10—Rollers
  • B65H2404/15—Roller assembly, particular roller arrangement
  • B65H2404/152—Arrangement of roller on a movable frame
  • B65H2404/1521—Arrangement of roller on a movable frame rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis, e.g. parallel to the roller axis
  • B65H2404/15212—Arrangement of roller on a movable frame rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis, e.g. parallel to the roller axis rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis perpendicular to the roller axis

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a web guidance system and in particular to a web guidance system capable of web cleaning.
• Web cleaning systems are also known in the art, these cleaning systems being used to remove particulates from at least one surface of the web.
• a web guidance system which incorporates web cleaning means, the system comprising at least one guiding roller controllable to effect guiding of the web, and at least a first cleaning roller having an outer surface coated with a material having a degree of tackiness capable of removing particulates from a surface of the web.
• the system may include a second cleaning roller having an outer surface coated with a material having a degree of tackiness capable of removing particulates from the other surface of the web.
• One of the cleaning rollers may constitute the guiding roller.
• the cleaning roller which constitutes the guiding roller has a surface hardness greater than that of the other cleaning roller.
• the or each cleaning roller is provided with a respective backup roller arranged to engage the cleaning roller and having a surface coated with a material having a degree of tackiness greater than that of the cleaning roller for removing particulates from the cleaning roller.
• the several rollers are mounted for rotation about parallel roller rotation axes m a common frame, the frame being rotatable about a frame rotation axis which is perpendicular to said roller rotation axes; and the system suitably includes a feedback control loop which comprises an edge sensor for sensing the position of the web edge at a location downstream of the rollers, and an actuator arranged to rotate said frame about the frame rotation axis m response to the output of the edge sensor.
• Cleaning may take place at an upstream side or at a downstream side of the system.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a web guidance system as known m the art
• Fig. 2 is a schematic isometric view of one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figs. 3 to 9 are views similar to fig. 2 of alternative embodiments of the invention.
• Fig. 1 illustrates web guiding apparatus 10 as is known m the art.
• the web guiding apparatus 10 comprises a mounting plate 11 on which a first guiding roller 12 and a second guiding roller 13 are mounted for rotation about spaced horizontal axes.
• a web 15 is placed m tension over the first and second guiding rollers 12 and 13.
• the web guiding apparatus 10 further comprises an edge sensor 14 for detecting the edge of the web and ensuring that the web 15 is running on track.
• a suitable control system is activated.
• the control system comprises a feedback loop 16A driving a linear actuator 16 which is arranged to rotate the mounting plate 11 about a central vertical axis.
• the linear actuator 16 causes the axes of the guiding rollers 12 and 13 to swivel m a horizontal plane, in order to cause the web 15 to track m the desired direction.
• the feedback loop 16A continues to operate the linear actuator 16 until the sensor 14 detects that the web 15 is m the desired location.
• FIG. 2 there is illustrated one embodiment of a web guidance system 20 m accordance with the present invention, which includes web cleaning apparatus for cleaning both the upper and lower surfaces of the web 25.
• the system 20 comprises mounting plates 21A and 2 IB adapted to mount an input roller 22, an upper cleaning roller 23A, a lower cleaning roller 23B, a first back-up roller 24A and a second back-up roller 24B.
• the various rollers rotate about parallel, horizontal axes, while the mounting plates are mounted (by means not shown) to rotate about a vertical axis at the midlength of the assembly.
• the web 25 is fed over the input roller 22 then between the upper and lower cleaning rollers 23A and 23B.
• the web passes an anti-static device 26, which removes static built up through the system.
• An edge sensor 14, feedback loop 16A and linear actuator 16 are provided which operate as m the prior art system to keep the web 25 on the desired track.
• the lower cleaning roller 23B also acts as a web guiding roller equivalent to the web guiding roller 12 of the prior art design shown m Fig. 1.
• the web 25 must be m tension over the guiding roller 23B.
• cleaning rollers by their nature, are not as hard as guiding rollers, because the cleaning rollers generally use elastomeric materials and have a degree of "give" . This means that when the web 25 is put m tension over the lower cleaning roller 23B, it is compressed and the web guiding system may not operate effectively.
• the surface of the lower cleaning roller 24B is harder than the surface of the upper cleaning roller 23A. Therefore, the lower cleaning roller 23B has less "give" than the upper cleaning roller 23A thus allowing the guidance aspect of the embodiment to function properly.
• the web cleaning system operates m a manner that is well known m the prior art, that is, having upper and lower cleaning rollers 23A and 23B respectively, both having first degrees of adhesive tackiness to remove particulates from the upper and lower surfaces of the web 25, respectively.
• These upper and lower cleaning rollers 23A and 23B engage first and second back-up rollers 24A and 24B, respectively.
• These first and second back-up rollers 24A and 24B have second degrees of adhesive tackiness for removing the particulates from the upper and lower cleaning rollers 23A and 23B.
• a mounting plate 11 is pivoted on a support 30.
• Two rollers are rotatably carried by the mounting plate 11: a cleaning roller 23A at the input side, and a guiding roller 13 at the output side.
• the mounting plate 11 carries guiding rollers 12 and 13, the guiding roller 13 at the output end having associated therewith a cleaning roller 23A and adhesive backup roller 24A.
• Fig. 5 is similar, but the cleaning roller 23A and backup roller 24A are positioned at the input end.
• Figs. 3 to 5 are therefore suitable for cleaning only one side of the web.
• the embodiments shown in Figs. 6 to 9 clean both sides of the web.
• Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5, but the input end guiding roller is replaced by a second cleaning roller 23B and backup roller 24B.
• Fig. 7 shows an arrangement in which the web 25 passes through the system substantially linearly, supported by non-steerable infeed and outfeed rollers 70 and 71.
• Upper and lower cleaning rollers 23A and 23B and backup rollers 24A and 24B are rotatably mounted, as shown only schematically, on a carrier 72 to form an assembly 73 which can be rotated about a vertical axis on a base 74.
• the assembly 73 is rotated under feedback control as before to correct the track of the web.
• Fig. 8 shows an assembly 73 similar to that of Fig. 7, but mounted within a mounting plate 11 which also carries guiding rollers 12 and 13.
• Fig. 9 is similar functionally to Fig. 8, but the assembly 73 is secured by readily accessible bolts 90 into a modified mounting plate 91 such that the assembly 73 can readily be removed and replaced in a modular manner.

Landscapes

• Cleaning In General (AREA)
• Controlling Rewinding, Feeding, Winding, Or Abnormalities Of Webs (AREA)
• Soil Working Implements (AREA)
• Preliminary Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
• Fixing For Electrophotography (AREA)
• Current-Collector Devices For Electrically Propelled Vehicles (AREA)
• Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)
• Polarising Elements (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26243611

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (3)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2000
  • 2000-09-07 DE DE60009316T patent/DE60009316D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-09-07 EP EP00958798A patent/EP1212252B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-09-07 AT AT00958798T patent/ATE262467T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-09-07 WO PCT/GB2000/003413 patent/WO2001017882A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-09-07 AU AU70217/00A patent/AU7021700A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

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