Sheet-material associating – Associating or disassociating – Web associating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-22
2003-04-15
Mackey, Patrick H. (Department: 3651)
Sheet-material associating
Associating or disassociating
Web associating
C221S073000, C156S230000, C156S361000, C156S540000, C156S541000, C156S583200, C156S542000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547229
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to lamination apparatuses and methods and, more particularly, to stacking lamination apparatuses and methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various lamination apparatuses and processes have been developed to produce products constructed from sheet material. Many conventional lamination approaches employ a cutting mechanism that cuts a sheet of material into small segments. The individual segments are then manually or mechanistically aligned and layered as part of a separate lamination process. The layered structure is then subjected to lamination forces by an appropriate force producing mechanism.
Notwithstanding the variety of conventional lamination and stacking approaches currently available, many of such approaches are not well suited for applications which require relatively high levels of productivity, automation, and flexibility. For example, many conventional lamination processes are unable to accommodate varying types of materials, sheet sizes, and sheet shapes. Many of such available lamination techniques are not well suited nor adaptable to autonomously and continuously laminate multiple webs of differing materials, as is typically necessary in the construction of thin-film electrochemical laminate structures, for example.
There exists a need for an improved apparatus and method for laminating and stacking films and sheet materials of varying types, colors, shapes, and sizes. There exists a particular need for an improved apparatus and method for laminating layers of electrochemical cell materials and for producing stacks of electrochemical cell materials for use in the construction of solid-state, thin-film batteries. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a product stacking apparatus and method. According to an embodiment of a product stacking apparatus, one or more stations are provided, each including a conveyor upon which spaced-apart pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A product delivery apparatus drives one or more movable webs to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus includes one or more rotatable lamination interfaces associated with each of the stations for transferring product sheets from the webs to the pucks on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective pucks.
The movable webs may each incorporate a release liner to which the segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus may include a feed apparatus and a wind apparatus associated with each of the webs. The product sheets travel through a nip respectively formed between one or more of the rotatable lamination interfaces and the respective pucks.
The product delivery apparatus may include a position adjustment mechanism coupled to the one or more rotatable lamination interfaces and a sensor that senses a change in height of the stack of product sheets developed on the pucks. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the rotatable lamination interfaces in response to the sensor sensing a change in height of the stack of product sheets.
The pucks may be coupled to the one or more conveyors for continuous loop travel thereupon. Alternatively, the pucks may be coupled to the one or more conveyors for reciprocating travel thereupon. A control system may include sensors that sense a parameter of puck movement. The control system adjusts one or both of conveyor movement and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks in response to the sensed puck movement parameter. The control system may further include sensors that sense a parameter of web movement. In this case, the control system adjusts one or both of conveyor movement and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks in response to the sensed web movement parameter.
Each of the segmented product sheets may define all or a portion of an electrochemical cell, including cells used in solid-state thin-film batteries and fuel cells, for example. In another embodiment, each of the segmented product sheets may define all or a portion of a pad comprising layers of film or sheet material, wherein a portion of each of the layers is provided with an adhesive. In a further embodiment, each of the segmented product sheets defines all or a portion of a pack comprising layers of medical dressing.
According to another embodiment of product stacking apparatus, a first station includes a first conveyor upon which spaced-apart first pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A second station includes a second conveyor upon which spaced-apart second pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A product delivery apparatus drives a movable web to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus transfers alternating product sheets to the respective first and second pucks of the first and second stations on a repetitive basis so as to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective first and second pucks.
The product delivery apparatus, according to this embodiment, includes a feed apparatus, a wind apparatus, a first application roller, and a second application roller. The alternating product sheets travels through nips respectively formed between the first and second application rollers and the first and second pucks in response to feed and wind apparatus movement of the web. The product delivery apparatus may include position adjustment mechanisms coupled to the first and second application rollers and a sensor that senses a change in height of the stack of product sheets. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the first and second application rollers in response to the sensor sensing a change in height of the stack of product sheets.
A control system may include sensors that sense a parameter of first and second puck movement, respectively. The control system adjusts first and second conveyor movement and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the respective first and second pucks.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of a product stacking apparatus, a station includes a conveyor upon which spaced-apart pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A first product delivery apparatus drives a movable first web to which segmented first product sheets are removably affixed. The first product delivery apparatus transfers first product sheets to each of the pucks. The product stacking apparatus, according to this embodiment, includes a second product delivery apparatus that drives a movable second web to which segmented second product sheets are removably affixed. The second product delivery apparatus transfers second product sheets to each of the pucks. The first and second product delivery apparatuses transfer respective first and second sheets to each of the pucks on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of alternating first and second product sheets on each of the pucks.
Each of the first and second product delivery apparatuses includes a feed apparatus, a wind apparatus and an application roller. The first and second product sheets travel through nips respectively formed between their respective application rollers and the pucks in response to feed and wind apparatus movement of the first and second webs.
Each of the first and second product delivery apparatuses may further include position adjustment mechanisms coupled to their respective first and second application rollers and a sensor that senses a change in height of the stack of product sheets. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the respective first and second application rollers in response to the sensor sensing a change in height of the stack of product sheets. First and second roller position adjustment can also be accomplished via pressure sensing and pressure control of the rolls on the pucks.
A control system including sensors that sense a parameter of puck and/or web movement
Dobbs James N.
Hanson Eric J.
Jacobson John R.
Kramlich David C.
Miller Alan P.
3M Innovative Properties Company
Hollingsworth Mark A.
Mackey Patrick H.
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