Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1995-07-13
2001-04-03
Mayes, Curtis (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210509
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of devices and methods for laminating two or more sheets of material. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of devices and methods for laminating a sheeted topfilm to a sheeted substrate while holding the topfilm in tension and maintaining registration between the topfilm and the substrate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The laminating of a topfilm to a substrate is well known. One particular application is in the lamination of topfilms to substrates to produce laminated blanks used for vehicles license plates, traffic signs and related objects. Where high speed output is desired, the lamination process is typically performed on web-fed equipment in which the topfilm and substrate are fed from large rolls and laminated by nip rolls. After the lamination process, the laminated webs can be run through a sheeter or otherwise processed to obtain the laminated blanks used for signs, license plates, etc.
Web-fed processes offer particularly high levels of control over the lamination process, as the speed of the webs can be independently controlled, thereby also controlling the tension in those webs, which can be critical to maintain registration and reduce waste. One disadvantage is, however, that for relatively short runs where small numbers of products are needed, web-fed processes can result in substantially increased waste when measured as a percentage of product produced in the run. This additional waste can be attributed to many factors, but is primarily the result of waste produced during set-up procedures.
Such short runs are often encountered in situations in which a relatively small number of laminated blanks are needed, such as small states in the United States of America, or when any governmental unit which must produce laminated blanks for license plates, signs, etc. in volumes insufficient to justify a high speed web-fed lamination line based on both the increased waste generated as well as the high capital costs associated with the equipment.
Current technology available to produce laminate blanks for license plates, signs, etc. in low volumes typically involve vacuum lamination devices which use vacuum to provide pressure for lamination or manually-operated nip roll stacks into which a sheeted topfilm and a sheeted substrate are fed. Those devices are, however, typically slow, requiring a significant amount of labor per piece part and can result in a significant amount of waste due to poor registration control.
As a result, a need exists for a low-volume, lamination process and devices for laminating a sheeted topfilm to a sheeted substrate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and devices for laminating a sheeted topfilm to a sheeted substrate while achieving substantial control over registration between the topfilm and the substrate and reducing the formation of lamination defects.
The invention accomplishes that by allowing the operator to register the sheets before lamination and then performs the lamination process while maintaining registration. Registration is maintained by laminating only a portion of the sheets together in a contact patch and then advancing that contact patch over the surface of the sheets to produce a laminated blank.
In addition, the topfilm is held in tension during lamination, which assists in maintaining registration between the sheets, and also reduces the formation of wrinkles, bubbles and other lamination defects common to sheet lamination processes. As a result, laminated blanks can be produced in low volumes with significantly reduced waste.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides the ability to produce a significant number of laminated blanks with a minimum amount of labor.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon reading the detailed description which follows, along with reference to the drawings.
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Jornlin James B.
Sommerfeldt Frank A.
3M Innovative Properties Company
Mayes Curtis
Olson Peter L.
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