Deflecting device for separating and drawing off a material web

Abstract

The invention relates to a deflecting device for separating and drawing off a second material web (4) from a multilayer material web (1), said device comprising: a cut first material web (2a) having punching residues (2b); and the second material web (4), the deflection device (7) having a first deflection contour (71) over which the second material web (4) can be guided for separating and drawing off the second material web (4) from the cut first material web (2a), the deflection device (7) having a second deflection contour (72) over which the second material web (4) can be guided for deflecting a leading edge (20b) of a punching residue (2b), and the second deflection contour (72) not being equal to the first deflection contour (71). The invention also relates to an apparatus and to a method for separating and drawing off a material web from a multilayer material web.

Description

[0001] Deflection device for separating and removing a material web

[0002] FIELD OF APPLICATION AND STATE OF THE ART

[0003] The invention relates to a deflection device for separating and removing a material web from a multilayer material web. The invention further relates to a device and a method for separating and removing a material web from a multilayer material web.

[0004] It is known to construct products and intermediate products with two or more layers in a web-processing method and / or a web-processing device by lamination of material webs. In the context of this application, lamination refers to both the temporary or permanent bonding of a material web to one or more other material webs or blanks, as well as the generally temporary bonding of a material web to a material web used, for example, as a carrier web or as a protective film. A multi-layer material web is also referred to as a laminate. Separating and peeling a material web from a laminate is also referred to as delamination in the context of this application.

[0005] Multilayer material webs are known for a variety of applications as end products or intermediate products, for example for the production of an adhesive wound dressing or for the production of a membrane structure for fuel cells or electrolyzers, among others, or the production of parts thereof.

[0006] Individual or all material webs can be provided with openings or recesses that serve different functions.

[0007] For example, it is known to manufacture a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) or parts thereof for a fuel cell or an electrolyzer from material webs. The MEA comprises a catalyst-coated membrane (CCM for short), on which edge reinforcements or frames (subgasket, frame, or rim) made of a more cost-effective and durable material are provided on one or both sides. It is known to provide a material web for the frames, with recesses for windows being introduced into the material web and the CCM being connected to the material web in such a way that an active region is arranged in the windows and an edge of the active region of the CCM is covered by the regions surrounding the windows.Alternatively or in addition to windows, in other designs, further or different recesses are to be introduced into material webs for frames or other layers, which form channel structures or openings for connections in a subsequent material composite.

[0008] In known processes, the recesses are created by punching, particularly by rotary punching. However, other cutting methods are also conceivable. In the context of this application, the cuts defining the recesses are referred to as punching contours, regardless of the cutting method used.

[0009] Material webs with punching contours are called incised material webs.

[0010] It is known to laminate the material web with a protective film for punching or cutting. Punching or cutting is performed in such a way that punching contours are introduced into the material web, which cut through the material web but not the protective film. The protective film thus ensures sufficient stability of the material web during and after punching or cutting. The cutouts or remnants defined by the punching contours are referred to as punching remnants in the context of this application, regardless of the cutting process used.

[0011] It is also known to delaminate the protective film used for punching from the material web after punching, i.e. to separate and remove it.

[0012] The punching residues are usually removed from the material web in one step, along with the delamination of the protective film. Devices with deflection elements, such as deflection rollers or deflection wedges, around which the protective film is deflected are known for delaminating the protective film.

[0013] TASK AND SOLUTION

[0014] It is an object of the invention to provide a deflection device as well as a device and a method for reliably separating and removing a second material web with punching residues from a cut multi-layer material web.

[0015] This object is achieved by the objects having the features of claims 1, 4 and 8. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

[0016] According to a first aspect, a deflection device is provided for separating and pulling off a second material web from a multi-layer material web, which comprises a cut first material web with punching residues and the second material web, wherein the deflection device has a first deflection contour over which the second material web can be guided for separating and pulling off the second material web from the cut first material web, and wherein the deflection device has a second deflection contour over which the second material web can be guided for deflecting a front edge of a punching residue, wherein the second deflection contour is different from the first deflection contour.

[0017] The terms "ein," "einer," etc., are used in the context of this application as indefinite articles and not as number pronouns. Likewise, the terms "first" and "second" in the context of this application serve merely to distinguish between them and do not indicate a sequence. Furthermore, the terms "first," "erste," etc., do not necessarily require the presence of second identical or similar elements.

[0018] The deflection device with two unequal deflection contours creates a process-reliable possibility to use a deflection device to reliably separate and pull off the second material web from the cut first material web, depending on the situation, without deflecting the cut first material web or with deflection and detachment of the punching residues.

[0019] This is particularly important in the production of MEAs, where, in a subsequent process step, functional elements, for example, must be positioned with high precision relative to windows in the first material web, which are exposed after removal of the punching residues in the first material web.

[0020] The first and second deflection contours can be suitably designed by a person skilled in the art depending on the application. Since the transitions are particularly critical in methods for separating and pulling off a second material web from a multi-layer material web, in which separating and pulling off processes of the second material web without punching residues and with punching residues alternate, the deflection contours are advantageously selected in such a way that the first deflection contour ensures that edges of the cut material web adjacent to the punching residues in the transport direction are not detached, and that the second deflection contour ensures that a leading edge of the punching residues is separated from the first material web in the transport direction with the second material web.

[0021] In one embodiment, for this purpose, the first deflection contour is wedge-shaped and the second deflection contour is circular. The wedge-shaped design allows deflection at an acute angle for deflecting the second material web, while at the same time the first material web is held in the transport direction. However, if a punching residue to be detached reaches the first deflection contour, its strongly curved effective surface can result in the punching residue to be detached not following the path of the second material web with its leading edge, but being peeled off from it and remaining on the first material web. The circular second deflection contour, on the other hand, allows detachment with a large radius of curvature, through which the punching residues are reliably deflected with the second material web.

[0022] The deflection device combines the properties of a deflection pulley and a deflection wedge in one device. In one embodiment, the deflection device is designed as a single piece deflection element, wherein, depending on the orientation of the deflection element, the first or second deflection contour can be brought into a respective use position. The use positions are the same or different depending on the application. The deflection contours are provided on a circumference of the single-piece deflection element. In one embodiment, the deflection contours are selected such that surfaces bounding the wedge-shaped first deflection contour border tangentially on the circular-arc-shaped second deflection contour. In another embodiment, the deflection device is designed in multiple parts, wherein parts of the deflection device are movable relative to one another so that, depending on the arrangement of the parts of the deflection device, the first or second deflection contour can be brought into the respective use position.

[0023] In one embodiment, the first deflection contour has a first radius of curvature and the second deflection contour has a second radius of curvature, wherein the first radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature can be selected to be so small that a wedge-shaped deflection edge is created. The second radius of curvature, on the other hand, can be selected to create a deflection contour comparable to a deflection roller.

[0024] According to a second aspect, a device is provided for separating and pulling off a second material web from a multi-layer material web, comprising a cut first material web with punching residues and the second material web, wherein the device has a deflection device with a first deflection contour and a second deflection contour, wherein the deflection device is mounted so as to be movable at least partially between a first position and a second position in order to selectively guide the second material web over the first deflection contour for separating and pulling off the second material web from the cut first material web or over the second deflection contour for deflecting a front edge of a punching residue.As explained above, the deflection device is made up of one or more parts depending on the design, whereby in a multi-part design in one embodiment only individual elements are moved in order to selectively use the first or the second deflection contour.

[0025] In one embodiment, it is provided that the deflection device or parts of the deflection device is / are mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis between the first position and the second position. In one embodiment, the rotation axis is arranged coaxially to a center of curvature of the second circular path-shaped deflection contour. In one embodiment, the rotational movement is limited to a back and forth movement over a defined angular range. In other embodiments, a rotational movement of 360° is possible. In one embodiment, the second deflection contour is provided on a rotating or stationary roller or a stationary runner over which the track slides, and the first deflection contour is provided on a component that is mounted so as to be movably relative to the roller. In one embodiment, the component is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis arranged coaxially to a center axis of the roller.

[0026] In one embodiment, an actuator is provided for an adjusting movement of the deflection device. Depending on the application, the actuator is designed, for example, as a pneumatic, hydraulic and / or electric motor actuator. In embodiments, the actuator can be operated such that the deflection device is alternately moved into the first position and the second position, wherein in particular the deflection device is moved such that at the beginning of a separating and pulling process of the second material web without punching residues or a separating and pulling process of the second material web with punching residues, the deflection device is arranged in the first or the second position, and wherein during the separating and pulling process the deflection device is moved into the second position or the first position.

[0027] In one embodiment, the multi-layer material web has a transport path on a side opposite the second material web, which is laminated to the first material web after the punching contours have been introduced and stabilizes the first material web after the second material web has been removed.

[0028] In another embodiment, a transport element, in particular a vacuum transport element, is provided, wherein the multilayer material web can be deposited on the transport element upstream of the deflection device with a side opposite the second material web. The transport element serves to stabilize the material. Depending on the application, the transport element is designed as a circulating conveyor belt or as a roller.

[0029] According to a third aspect, a method is provided for separating and removing a second material web from a multi-layer material web, which comprises a cut first material web with punching residues and the second material web, by means of a deflection device with a first deflection contour and a second deflection contour, wherein the deflection device is moved at least partially between a first position and a second position in order to selectively guide the second material web over the first deflection contour for separating and removing the second material web from the cut first material web or over the second deflection contour for deflecting a leading edge of a punching residue. The method thus allows for process-reliable delamination of the second material web with the punching residues without undesired deformation of the first material web.

[0030] In one embodiment, it is provided that the deflection device or parts of the deflection device is / are rotated about an axis of rotation between the first position and the second position.

[0031] In one embodiment, it is provided that cutting and pulling processes of the second material web without punching residues and with punching residues alternate with one another, wherein the deflection device is moved alternately into the first position and the second position. In embodiments, movement takes place by means of an actuator. In one embodiment, it is provided that the deflection device is moved in such a way that at the start of a cutting and pulling process of the second material web without punching residues, the deflection device is arranged in the first or the second position, and at the start of a cutting and pulling process of the second material web with punching residues, the deflection device is arranged in the second position, and wherein during the cutting and pulling process the deflection device is moved into the second position or the first position.

[0032] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Further advantages and aspects of the invention emerge from the claims and from the description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is explained below with reference to the schematic figures. These schematically show: Fig. 1: a multilayer material web comprising a first and a second material web with an adhesive layer in between;

[0034] Fig. 2: an intermediate product comprising the cut first material web of the multi-layer material web according to Fig. 1 after separating and peeling off the second material web from the first material web together with window cutouts of the first material web;

[0035] Fig. 3: an embodiment of a device comprising a deflection device for separating and pulling a material web from a cut multi-layer material web;

[0036] Fig. 4: a deflection device for separating and pulling a material web from a cut multi-layer material web in a first position; and

[0037] Fig. 5: the deflection device according to Fig. 4 in a second position.

[0038] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0039] Fig. 1 schematically shows a multi-layer material web 1 comprising a first material web 2 and a second material web 4 connected to it by means of an adhesive layer 3.

[0040] For example, the first material web 2 is a utility film, which is protected by the second material web 4, designed as a cover film. The term "film" is used for any homogeneous material web, which, depending on the application, is made of plastic, metal, or other materials or material mixtures.

[0041] An adhesive of the adhesive layer 3 is embodied, for example, as a heat-activated adhesive, which is melted in a subsequent lamination process to bond the first material web 2, designed as a functional film, to other components and thus form a laminate. The adhesive layer 3 is selected such that it exhibits a certain adhesive effect even at room temperature and is thus capable of holding the second material web 4, designed as a cover film, to the first material web 2.

[0042] According to Fig. 1, punching contours 5 for window cutouts are introduced into the first material web 2, which are removed in a subsequent step. The window cutouts to be removed are referred to as punching residues 2b. The introduction of window cutouts is necessary, for example, in the production of MEAs for fuel cells. A region of the first material web 2 without the punching residues 2b is referred to as the cut-in first material web 2a.

[0043] In some embodiments, the punching contours 5 are created using suitable (not shown) punching devices, including, for example, rotary or flat punching tools. For a punching process and subsequent processing, it can be advantageous if the punching device is designed such that a punch does not penetrate through all layers of the multi-layer material web 1, but is limited to one material web (or, in the case of multi-layer material webs with more than two material webs, to a portion of the material webs), for example the first material web 2 designed as a useful film and the adhesive layer 3. This simplifies the punching process because the punching depth does not have to be selected as precisely as for severing all material webs due to the second material web 4 arranged on an opposite side of the punching tool, in particular a cover film located underneath.In addition, the non-punched second material web 4 stabilizes the cut first material web 2a during transport from the punching device to further process stations.

[0044] In order to connect the incised first material web 2a, designed for example as a useful film, with blanks or other material webs in a subsequent process, the second material web 4, designed as a cover film, with the punching residues 2b must be separated from the incised first material web 2a and removed, ie delaminated.

[0045] Fig. 2 shows an intermediate product 1a comprising the incised first material web 2a of the multilayer material web 1 according to Fig. 1 after the second material web 4 has been separated and peeled off from the incised first material web 2a. Separation and peeling off takes place together with the punching residues 2b of the first material web 2, so that the incised first material web 2a has windows 50 after the second material web 4 has been peeled off. In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive layer 3 remains on the incised first material web 2.

[0046] The product 1a created in this way is, for example, an intermediate product which is further processed in further process steps to produce MEAs for fuel cells.

[0047] Fig. 3 shows a device 6 for separating and removing the second material web 4 from a multi-layer material web 1, wherein the multi-layer material web 1 comprises a cut first material web 2a with punching residues 2b and the second material web 4. The device 6 shown in Fig. 3 comprises a deflection device 7, over which the second material web 4 is guided for separation and removal, an actuator 8, and a transport element 9 designed as a conveyor belt, in particular as a vacuum conveyor belt.

[0048] The deflection device 7 has a first deflection contour 71, over which the second material web 4 can be guided, as shown in Fig. 3, for separating and pulling the second material web 4 from the incised first material web 2a. In the illustrated embodiment, the first deflection contour 71 is wedge-shaped and has a very small first radius of curvature. The design can be suitably selected by a person skilled in the art depending on the application, ensuring that the second material web 4 is reliably separated even at a transverse edge 20a of the window 50 (see Fig. 3) without deforming the first material web 2.

[0049] However, if a punching residue 2b reaches the first deflection contour 71, its strongly curved effective surface can lead to the punching residue 2b not following the path of the second material web 4 with its front edge 20b for separation and removal, but rather being peeled off from it and remaining on the transport element 9.

[0050] The deflection device 7 therefore further comprises a second deflection contour 72, over which the second material web 4 can be guided to deflect a front edge 20b of a punching residue 2b.

[0051] The design of the second deflection contour 72 can be selected by the person skilled in the art depending on the application, so that a front edge 20b of a punching residue 2b reliably follows the path of the second material web 4 for separation and detachment.

[0052] For this purpose, the second deflection contour 72 is circular in the illustrated embodiment and has a second radius of curvature which is substantially larger than the first radius of curvature.

[0053] The deflection device 7 is rotatably mounted between a first position shown in Fig. 3, in which the second material web 4 is guided over the first deflection contour 71 for separating and pulling off the second material web 4 from the incised first material web 2a, and a second position shown in dashed lines in Fig. 3, in which the second material web 4 is guided over the second deflection contour 72 for deflecting a front edge 20b of a punching residue 2b.

[0054] Fig. 4 shows the deflection device 7 in a first position for separating and pulling off the second material web 4 from the cut first material web 2a and Fig. 5 shows the deflection device 7 in a second position for deflecting the front edges 20b of the punching residues 2b.

[0055] In the illustrated embodiment, the deflection device 7 is designed as a rod-like element with a drop-shaped cross-section. The element is mounted as a whole for rotation about a rotation axis 73 extending transversely to the direction of movement of the multilayer material web 1 between a first position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and a second position shown in dashed lines in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 5.

[0056] In an alternative embodiment, the deflection device 7 comprises two or more elements movable relative to one another, wherein the elements are movable relative to one another in order to selectively guide the second material web 4 over the first deflection contour 71 for separating and pulling off the second material web 4 from the incised first material web 2a or over the second deflection contour 72 for deflecting a front edge 20b of a punching residue 2b.

[0057] Due to the punching contours 5 introduced at regular intervals (cf. Fig. 1), separation and removal processes of the second material web 4 without punching residues 2b and separation and removal processes of the second material web 4 with punching residues alternate.

[0058] The deflection device 7 is moved in such a way that at the beginning of a separating and pulling process of the second material web 4 without punching residues 2b or a separating and pulling process of the second material web 4 with punching residues 2b, the deflection device 7 is arranged in the first or the second position, and wherein during the separating and pulling process the deflection device is moved into the second position (cf. Fig. 5) or into the first position (cf. Fig. 4).

[0059] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, an actuator 8 is provided for an adjustment movement of the deflection device 7. The actuator 8 is schematically represented in Fig. 3 by an extendable cylinder. In other embodiments, a driven rotational axis 73 is provided, which is arranged at the center of the circular arc of the second contour 72.

[0060] In embodiments of the device 6, the actuator 8 is designed as a pneumatic or as an electromotive actuator, which is switched depending on a web position in order to selectively guide the second material web 4 over the first deflection contour 71 for separating and pulling the second material web 4 from the cut first material web 2a or over the second deflection contour 72 for deflecting a front edge of a punching residue.

[0061] For stabilization, the multilayer material web 1 is deposited on the transport element 9 upstream of the deflection device 7 with a side opposite the second material web 4 to be drawn off. The transport element 9 shown is designed as a conveyor belt, in particular as a vacuum conveyor belt. In another embodiment, the transport element 9 is designed as a roller, in particular as a vacuum roller, around which the multilayer material web 1 is at least partially wrapped.

Claims

Claims: Deflection device for separating and peeling off a second material web (4) from a multilayer material web (1), comprising a cut first material web (2a) with punching remnants (2b) and the second material web (4), wherein the deflection device (7) has a first deflection contour (71) over which the second material web (4) can be guided for separating and peeling off the second material web (4) from the cut first material web (2a), characterized in that the deflection device (7) has a second deflection contour (72) over which the second material web (4) can be guided for deflecting a leading edge (20b) of a punching remnant (2b), wherein the second deflection contour (72) is not equal to the first deflection contour (71). Deflection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first deflection contour (71) is wedge-shaped and the second deflection contour (72) is arc-shaped.Deflection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first deflection contour (71) has a first radius of curvature and the second deflection contour (72) has a second radius of curvature, wherein the first radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature.Device for separating and peeling off a second material web (4) from a multilayer material web (1) comprising a cut first material web (2a) with punch remnants (2b) and the second material web (4), characterized in that the device has a deflection device (7) according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3 with a first deflection contour (71) and a second deflection contour (72), wherein the deflection device (7) is at least partially movably mounted between a first position and a second position in order to selectively guide the second material web (4) over the first deflection contour (71) for separating and peeling off the second material web (4) from the cut first material web (2a) or over the second deflection contour (72) for deflecting a leading edge (20b) of a punch remnant (2b).Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the deflection device (7) or parts of the deflection device is rotatably mounted between the first position and the second position about an axis of rotation (73), wherein in particular the axis of rotation (73) is arranged coaxially to a center of curvature of the second deflection contour (72). Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that an actuator (8) is provided for adjusting the deflection device (7). Device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that a transport element (9), in particular a vacuum transport element, is provided, wherein the multilayer material web (1) can be deposited upstream of the deflection device (7) with one side opposite the second material web (4) on the transport element (9).A method for separating and peeling off a second material web (4) from a multilayer material web (1), comprising a cut first material web (2a) and the second material web (4), by means of a deflection device (7) according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3 with a first deflection contour (71) and a second deflection contour (72), wherein the deflection device (7) is moved at least partially between a first position and a second position in order to selectively guide the second material web (4) over the first deflection contour (71) for separating and peeling off the second material web (4) from the cut first material web (2a) or over the second deflection contour (72) for deflecting a leading edge (20b) of a die-cut remnant (2b). A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the deflection device (7) or parts of the deflection device (7) are rotated about a pivot axis (73) between the first position and the second position.Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that separation and peeling operations of the second material web (4) from the first material web (2a) and with stamping residues (2b) alternate, wherein the deflecting device (7) is alternately moved into the first position or the second position, wherein in particular the deflecting device (7) is moved such that at the beginning of each separation and peeling operation the deflecting device (7) is arranged in the first or the second position, and wherein during the separation and peeling operation the deflecting device (7) is moved into the second position or the first position.

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