Non-contact transfer device and method for manufacturing a film

Abstract

To provide an inexpensive non-contact transport device which enables reduction of a possibility that a transported object contacts with the non-contact transport device with a simple structure and to provide a manufacturing method of a film which uses the non-contact transport device.SOLUTION: A non-contact transport device (1) includes a columnar roll (11) having a transport surface (13) which guides an elongated transported object (K) transported from the upstream side of a transport path to the downstream side of the transport path. The transport surface (13) is formed with jet holes (13a) which jet a gas for lifting the transported object (K). At positions which are located at areas on the upstream side and the downstream side on the transport surface (K) and different from positions of the jet holes, protruding parts (13b) or recessed parts extend along a width direction of the transport path or multiple protruding parts or recessed parts are provided along the width direction of the transport path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-contact conveying device that conveys a long workpiece while floating it with a gas, and a method for manufacturing a film using the non-contact conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various non-contact conveying devices have been devised that convey long workpieces such as films and metal foils while floating them with a gas such as air. As a typical non-contact conveying device, for example, there is one provided with a cylindrical roll having a conveying surface that guides a workpiece conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side of a conveying path, and a large number of fine gas ejection holes are formed in the conveying surface. In this non-contact conveying device, a gas can be ejected from the conveying surface to convey the workpiece in a non-contact state. However, when the workpiece is carried onto the conveying surface or carried out from the conveying surface toward the next process, there is a problem that the workpiece comes into contact with the roll and the workpiece is scratched.

[0003] As a countermeasure against this, the shape of the roll of the non-contact conveying device is often improved. For example, the roll of the non-contact conveying device of Patent Document 1 has a kamaboko shape in a cross-sectional view, that is, a shape in which planes are continuous at both ends of the arc of a semi-cylindrical column. In this non-contact conveying device, the workpiece is carried onto one plane, folded back at the top of the curved surface, and carried out from the other plane. The ejection holes formed in the curved surface and both planes have a carefully designed opening angle and shape. That is, when the workpiece is carried onto the roll and when it is carried out from the roll, it is designed so that an amount of gas necessary to ensure the floating of the workpiece is ejected.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In non-contact conveying devices such as Patent Document 1, etc., the ejection holes formed on the conveying surface need to be formed with a precisely calculated opening angle and shape, and the design of the flow path inside the roll is also complex. In many cases, it is a dedicated design according to the site where the non-contact conveying device is installed, and because of the high difficulty of processing, the processing cost is also high. The conveyed object is often continuously conveyed in a non-contact manner. When a large number of non-contact conveying devices are required, the equipment cost becomes extremely high, and the manufacturing cost of the product related to the conveyed object increases, which has become a problem.

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to provide a non-contact conveying device with a simple structure that can reduce the risk of the conveyed object coming into contact with the non-contact conveying device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention includes the following aspects.

[0008] 〔1〕A columnar roll having a conveying surface that guides a long conveyed object conveyed from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side of the conveying path, A plurality of ejection holes for ejecting a gas that floats the conveyed object are formed on the conveying surface, A non-contact conveying device in which a convex portion or a concave portion extends along the width direction of the conveying path, or a plurality of convex portions or concave portions are provided along the width direction of the conveying path, at regions on the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveying surface and at positions different from the ejection holes.

[0009] 〔2〕A portion that folds back the conveyed object from the upstream side to the downstream side on the conveying surface is referred to as the top, The convex portion or the concave portion is provided within a range of 0.5 degrees to 5 degrees on the top side with respect to a line passing through the center and perpendicular to a line connecting the top and the center of the cutting plane when the roll is cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll, in the non-contact conveyance device according to [1].

[0010] [3] The convex portion or the concave portion forms a semi-circular shape in a cutting plane when the roll is cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll, in the non-contact conveyance device according to [1] or [2].

[0011] [4] The convex portion or the concave portion is provided at least in a region where the conveyed object covers the conveyance surface, in the non-contact conveyance device according to any one of [1] to [3].

[0012] [5] A method for manufacturing a film, which includes, as one step, a step of conveying a long conveyed object using the non-contact conveyance device according to any one of [1] to [4]. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0013] According to the non-contact conveyance device of an embodiment of the present invention, with a simple structure, the risk of the conveyed object coming into contact with the non-contact conveyance device can be reduced. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 11

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention is not limited to each configuration described below, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims. Also, embodiments obtained by combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment, new technical features can be formed. Note that the patent documents described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference. Also, unless otherwise specified in this specification, "A~B" representing a numerical range is intended to mean "A or more (including A and greater than A) and B or less (including B and less than B)".

[0016] 〔Technical Idea of Embodiments of the Present Invention〕 After extensive research, the inventors decided to use an inexpensive cylindrical roll, provide a mechanism for supplying compressed gas to one or both axial ends of the roll, and arrange gas outlet holes at a predetermined pitch on the conveying surface of the roll in the axial and circumferential directions of the roll. They discovered that by providing convex or concave portions extending along the width direction of the conveying path in the upstream and downstream regions of the conveying surface, or by providing multiple convex or concave portions along the width direction of the conveying path, the conveyed object can be floated without coming into contact with the non-contact conveying device, and conveyed without causing scratches, and thus completed the present invention.

[0017] The following is a detailed explanation based on the drawings. [Embodiment 1]

[0018] <Configuration of non-contact transport device 1> Fig. 1 is a side view showing a non-contact transport device 1 according to embodiment 1. In Fig. 1, the central axis direction of a roll 11 is set as the X-axis direction. The non-contact transport device 1 includes a roll 11 and a gas supply pipe 12 for supplying air or other gas that floats a long object K. The roll 11 is made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride, has a cylindrical shape, and has a cavity filled with gas. The roll 11 may be made of other synthetic resins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or may be made of metal. Examples of the roll 11 include rolls having an end diameter of 40 mm to 300 mm and a length in the X-axis direction of 250 mm to 2000 mm. The object K is transported in a floating state from the roll 11 along a transport path from the back side to the front side of the page in FIG. 1. The object K may be a strip-shaped object, and its material, shape, size, and thickness are not particularly limited. Examples of the object K include film, metal foil, fabric, paper, and tape. Examples of the object K include a film having a width of 50 mm to 1900 mm and a thickness of 0.01 mm to 0.4 mm.

[0019] Roll 11 has a conveying surface 13 that guides the conveyed object K conveyed from the upstream side of the conveying path (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "upstream side") to the downstream side of the conveying path (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "downstream side") without contact. A plurality of ejection holes 13a (not shown) for ejecting gas from the inside to lift the conveyed object K are provided at equal intervals over the entire length in the X-axis direction on the conveying surface 13. In FIG. 1, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the conveying surface 13 is shown surrounded by a solid line, but the conveying surface 13 is a partial region of the surface of the roll 11 and does not have to be a distinguishable region from other parts of the surface of the roll 11. The conveying surface 13 is a curved surface with semi-circular ends in the side view in the X-axis direction, and the dimension of the conveying surface 13 in the Z-axis direction in FIG. 1 is approximately half of the dimension of the roll 11 in the Z-axis direction (see FIG. 3).

[0020] It is preferable that the length of the conveying surface 13 in the X-axis direction in FIG. 1 is at least equal to or greater than the width of the conveyed object K. In this case, when the conveyed object K is conveyed, the conveyed object K can be lifted well, and contact with the non-contact conveying device 1 is suppressed. The ratio of the length of the conveying surface 13 in the X-axis direction to the width of the conveyed object K is more preferably 1.01 to 1.40, and even more preferably 1.01 to 1.10. For example, when the length of the roll 11 in the X-axis direction is 1500 mm and the width of the conveyed object K is 1300 mm, the length of the conveying surface 13 in the X-axis direction may be 1400 mm.

[0021] Supply pipes 12 are connected to both ends of the roll 11 in the central axis direction. Gas such as compressed air by a blower device (not shown) is introduced into the roll 11 through the supply pipes 12. When the gas introduced into the roll 11 is ejected from the ejection holes of the conveying surface 13, the conveyed object K is lifted and guided by the conveying surface 13 for conveyance. The supply pipes 12 may be connected to one end of the roll 11.

[0022] <Configuration of the conveying surface 13> The conveyance surface 13 will be described in detail below. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the non-contact conveyance device 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view when the roll 11 is cut by a plane parallel to the end face (when the roll 11 is cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll 11). FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion where the convex portion 13b is provided. On the conveyance surface 13 of the roll 11, a portion that folds back the conveyed object K from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveyance path of the conveyed object K is referred to as the top portion 13t. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of gas ejection holes 13a are provided on the conveyance surface 13 over the upstream side and the downstream side from the top portion 13t.

[0023] The ejection holes 13a are formed at predetermined angles in the circumferential direction at intervals of 2° to 15° in the cross-sectional plane of FIG. 3. That is, the distance between the centers of adjacent ejection holes 13a in the circumferential direction is equal. The angle for forming the ejection holes 13a is preferably in the range of 3° to 10°. The diameter of the ejection holes 13a is preferably in the range of 0.1 mm to 3 mm, and more preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0024] When the ejection holes 13a are formed at predetermined angles in the range of 3° to 10° in the circumferential direction and the diameter is in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, processing is easy, the internal pressure of the roll 11 for ejecting gas can be obtained, and good gas ejection speed and viscosity can be obtained. The angle for forming the ejection holes and the increase rate of the diameter are set in consideration of the weight, thickness, and width of the conveyed object K and the size of the roll 11. In FIG. 3, as an example, the ejection holes 13a are formed at intervals of 10°. As an example, the diameter of the ejection holes 13a is 1 mm.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, convex portions 13b extending in the X-axis direction are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveyance path of the conveyance surface 13. The convex portions 13b ensure the floating amount of the conveyed object K as will be described later. When the convex portion 13b is provided on the downstream side, the convex portion 13b is provided further downstream than the row of ejection holes 13a arranged on the most downstream side of the conveyance surface 13 and along the row of the ejection holes 13a. When the convex portion 13b is provided on the upstream side of the conveyance path, the convex portion 13b is provided further upstream than the row of ejection holes 13a arranged on the most upstream side of the conveyance surface 13 and along the row of the ejection holes 13a. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the case where the length of the convex portion 13b is longer than the width of the conveyance surface 13 and substantially equal to the width of the roll 11 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this case. As described above, it is preferable that the width of the conveyance surface 13 is equal to or greater than the width of the conveyed object K, and the length of the convex portion 13b is equal to or greater than the width of the conveyance surface 13, that is, equal to or greater than the width of the conveyed object K.

[0026] In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the convex portion 13b is preferably provided so as to form a predetermined angle in the range of 0.5° to 5° on the top 13t side with respect to a line v passing through the center 13m and orthogonal to a line u connecting the top 13t and the center 13m of the cut surface. In this case, in a region where gas easily escapes, the floating amount of the conveyed object K can be satisfactorily ensured as will be described later. The convex portion 13b is more preferably provided at an angle in the range of 1° to 4°. The convex portion 13b is preferably semi-cylindrical, that is, the end face is semi-circular. In this case, processing is easy. The semi-circle of the end face of the convex portion 13b does not have to be a perfect circle, and the side wall portion of the convex portion 13b standing up from the surface of the conveyance surface 13 may have a shape such that it is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the conveyance surface 13. The convex portion 13b may be a prism having a polygonal end face. When the convex portion 13b is semi-cylindrical, the diameter of the semi-circle of the end face is preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm. The diameter is more preferably 1 mm to 2.5 mm. As an example, the case where the diameter of the semi-circle of the convex portion 13b is 1 mm can be mentioned.

[0027] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the angle formed by line j connecting the center 13m and the most downstream ejection hole 13a and line v is 10°, and the case where the angle formed by line i connecting the center 13m and the downstream convex portion 13b and line v is 3.3° is shown.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll 11 when no convex portion 13b is provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyance path of the conveyance surface 13 of the roll 11. The left side in FIG. 5 is the upstream side, and the right side is the downstream side. In FIG. 5, the flow of the gas ejected from the inside of the roll 11 in the space between the conveyance surface 13 and the conveyed object K is indicated by an arrow. On the upstream and downstream sides, since the gas flows in a direction (downward in the figure) in which the pressure is easily released along the conveyed object K, the pressure generated in the space between the conveyance surface 13 and the conveyed object K is lower than that on the top portion 13t side, and the floating amount of the conveyed object K decreases. For this reason, defects or the like may occur due to the contact between the conveyance surface 13 and the conveyed object K.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll 11 when convex portions 13b are provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyance surface 13 of the roll 11. Due to the presence of the convex portions 13b, a following flow close to the centrifugal direction is generated along the curved surface of the surface of the convex portions 13b. Therefore, the pressure generated in the space between the conveyance surface 13 and the conveyed object K is maintained at approximately the same level as that on the top portion 13t side, the floating amount of the conveyed object K does not decrease, and a contact failure does not occur. From the viewpoint of this action, the convex portions 13b are provided on the upstream and downstream sides (the lower side in FIG. 6) further upstream and downstream than the rows of ejection holes 13a arranged on the most upstream and downstream sides of the conveyance surface 13, and in this cross-sectional view, it is preferable to provide them at a position forming an angle of 1° to 5° on the top portion 13t side with respect to the line passing through the center of the roll 11 and parallel to the Y axis.

[0030] When the conveyed object K is carried into the roll 11 and when it is carried out from the roll 11 as described above, the non-contact transfer device 1 according to the present embodiment can ensure a floating amount such that the conveyed object K does not contact the roll 11, reduce the risk of contacting the roll 11, and suppress the occurrence of scratches. The configuration of the roll 11 is simple and can be manufactured using an inexpensive material such as polyvinyl chloride, and the manufacturing cost of the non-contact transfer device 1 is low.

[0031] By providing the convex portions 13b at least in the region where the conveyed object K covers the conveying surface 13, contact with the non-contact transfer device 1 is favorably suppressed when the conveyed object K is conveyed.

[0032] <Modification Example 1> FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a non-contact transfer device 14 according to Modification Example 1. The non-contact transfer device 14 includes a roll 15 and a gas supply pipe 12. The roll 15 has the same configuration as the roll 11. A plurality of gas ejection holes 16a are provided in the conveying surface 16 of the roll 15, similar to the conveying surface 13.

[0033] In Modification Example 1, the convex portions 16b are semi-cylindrical and are provided intermittently along the row of the ejection holes 16a, downstream of the row of the ejection holes 16a arranged on the most downstream side of the conveying surface 16. Similarly, on the upstream side of the conveying surface 16, the convex portions 16b are provided intermittently. The interval between the convex portions 16b adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction is set so as to ensure a floating amount such that the conveyed object K does not contact the roll 15 when the conveyed object K is carried into the roll 15 and when it is carried out from the roll 15. The convex portions 16b may be prismatic with end faces being polygonal, or may be dome-shaped like a hemisphere.

[0034] <Modification Example 2> FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a non-contact transfer device 17 according to Modification Example 2. The non-contact transfer device 17 includes a roll 18 and a gas supply pipe 12. The roll 18 has the same configuration as the roll 11. A plurality of gas ejection holes 19a are provided in the conveying surface 19 of the roll 18, similar to the conveying surface 13.

[0035] In the second modification, the convex portions 19b are semi-cylindrical and are provided in two rows each along the X-axis direction on the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveying surface 19. That is, in the case of the downstream side, one row of convex portions 19b is provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the row of ejection holes 19a arranged on the most downstream side of the conveying surface 19. Similarly, in the case of the upstream side, two rows of convex portions 19b are provided. The interval between the rows of the convex portions 19b is set so as to ensure the amount of lifting of the conveyed object from the roll 18 and reduce the occurrence of scratches. In the second modification, on the upstream side and the downstream side, the pressure generated in the space between the conveying surface 13 and the conveyed object K is higher than that in the case of one row. When the conveyed object K is carried into the roll 18 and when it is carried out from the roll 18, a larger amount of lifting can be ensured so that the conveyed object K does not contact the roll 18. Note that the height of the convex portions 19b on the loading side and the unloading side of the conveyed object K may be made higher than the height in the row on the top side.

[0036] <Configuration of the conveying system 100> FIG. 9 is a front view showing the conveying system 100. When the Z-axis direction in FIG. 9 is the vertical direction, in the conveying system 100, a plurality of non-contact conveying devices 1 are arranged along the X-axis direction such that the upper and lower ones are staggered. Since it is configured as described above, the pressure in the space between the conveyed object K and the conveying surface 13 is high on the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveying surface 13. When the conveyed object K is carried into the roll 11 and when it is carried out from the roll 11, a lifting amount can be ensured so that the conveyed object K does not contact the roll. Therefore, the conveyed object K is conveyed by the conveying system 100 without generating scratches. The configuration of the conveying surface 13 is simple, and the non-contact conveying device 1 can be manufactured at low cost, so that the conveying system 100 can also be manufactured at low cost.

[0037] <Method for manufacturing a film> Hereinafter, a case of manufacturing a film using the transport system 100 will be described. As an example, a case where the transport system 100 is housed in a drying furnace (not shown) and a laminate in which a resin layer is laminated on a base material is transported as a transported object K will be described. The inside of the drying furnace is maintained at a predetermined temperature. While the laminate is being transported through the heating furnace by the transport system 100, it is thermally shrunk to form a film. Since the laminate does not come into contact with the roll 11, the film is formed without any scratches. Note that the laminate is not limited to being heated using the transport system 100, and the transport system 100 can also be used in other manufacturing processes of the film.

[0038] 〔Embodiment 2〕 <Configuration of non-contact transport device 20> FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a non-contact transport device 20 according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view when the roll 21 is cut along a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll 21. FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion where the recess 22b is provided.

[0039] The non-contact transport device 20 includes a roll 21 and a gas supply pipe 12. The roll 21 has the same configuration as the roll 11. A plurality of gas ejection holes 22a are provided in the transport surface 22 of the roll 21, similarly to the transport surface 13.

[0040] <Configuration of transport surface 22> As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the non-contact transfer device 20 is different from the non-contact transfer device 1 in that recesses 22b extending in the X-axis direction are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the transfer path of the transfer surface 22. The recesses 22b ensure the floating amount of the transferred object K. When the recess 22b is provided on the downstream side, the recess 22b is provided further downstream than the row of ejection holes 22a arranged on the most downstream side of the transfer surface 22 and along the row of the ejection holes 22a. In the case of the upstream side, the recess 22b is provided further upstream than the row of ejection holes 22a arranged on the most upstream side of the transfer surface 22 and along the row of the ejection holes 22a. In FIGS. 10 and 11, the case where the length of the recess 22b is longer than the width of the transfer surface 22 and substantially equal to the width of the roll 21 is shown, but it is not limited to this case. The width of the transfer surface 22 is preferably equal to or greater than the width of the transferred object K, and the length of the recess 22b is preferably equal to or greater than the width of the transfer surface 22, that is, equal to or greater than the width of the transferred object K.

[0041] In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 11, the recess 22b is provided at a position forming a predetermined angle in the range of 0.5° to 5° on the side of the top 22t with respect to the line v passing through the center 22m and orthogonal to the line u connecting the top 22t and the center 22m of the cut surface. In this case, in the region where the gas easily escapes, the floating amount of the transferred object K can be satisfactorily ensured. The recess 22b is preferably provided at an angle in the range of 1° to 4°. As shown in FIG. 12, the recess 22b is preferably a circular groove having a semi-circular end face. In this case, the processing is easy. The end face of the recess 22b may not be a perfect circle, and may have a shape such that the side surface of the recess 22b is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the transfer surface 22. The recess 22b may be a square groove having a polygonal end face. When the end face of the recess 22b is semi-circular, the diameter of the semi-circle of the end face is preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm. The diameter is more preferably 1 mm to 2.5 mm. As an example, the case where the diameter of the semi-circle of the recess 22b is 1 mm can be mentioned.

[0042] In FIGS. 11 and 12, the angle formed by a line j connecting the center 22m and the most downstream ejection hole 22a, a line v that is orthogonal to a line u connecting the top 22t and the center 22m and passes through the center 22m is 10°, and a case is shown where the angle between a line i connecting the center 22m and the downstream recess 22b and the line v is 3.3°.

[0043] The non-contact transfer device 20 is configured as described above. The gas ejected from the ejection hole 22a flows into the recess 22b before passing through the inlet or outlet side of the transfer object K, and when flowing out of the recess 22b, it proceeds in a direction away from the surface of the transfer surface 22. Therefore, the pressure generated in the space between the transfer surface 22 and the transfer object K on the inlet or outlet side of the transfer object K is higher than when the recess 22b is not provided, the floating amount of the transfer object K does not decrease, contact failure does not occur, and the occurrence of scratches is reduced. From the viewpoint of the above action, the recess 22b is preferably provided on the upstream side and the downstream side (the lower side in FIG. 11) further upstream and downstream of the rows of the ejection holes 22a arranged on the most upstream side and the most downstream side of the transfer surface 22, at a position where the angle between the line i and the line v is 1° to 5°. By providing the recess 22b at least in the region where the transfer object K covers the transfer surface 22, contact with the non-contact transfer device 20 is preferably suppressed during the transfer of the transfer object K.

[0044] The configuration of the roll 21 is simple and can be manufactured using an inexpensive material such as polyvinyl chloride, and the manufacturing cost of the non-contact transfer device 20 is low.

[0045] When a transfer system is configured by a plurality of non-contact transfer devices 20, when the transfer object K is carried into the roll 21 and when carried out from the roll 21 in each non-contact transfer device 20, a floating amount can be ensured such that the transfer object K does not contact the roll 21. Therefore, the transfer object K is transferred by the transfer system without scratches. Since the configuration of the transfer surface 22 is simple and the non-contact transfer device 20 can be manufactured at low cost, the transfer system can also be manufactured at low cost. When the transfer system is used in the film manufacturing process, a film is formed without scratches.

[0046] <Modification 3> FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a non-contact transfer device 23 according to Modification 3. The non-contact transfer device 23 includes a roll 24 and a gas supply pipe 12. The roll 24 has the same configuration as the roll 11. A plurality of gas ejection holes 25a are provided in the transfer surface 25 of the roll 24, similarly to the transfer surface 13.

[0047] In Modification 3, the recess 25b is a round groove with a semi-circular end face, and is provided intermittently along the row, downstream of the row of ejection holes 25a arranged on the most downstream side of the transfer surface 25. Similarly on the upstream side of the transfer surface 25, the recess 25b is provided intermittently. The interval between adjacent recesses 25b in the X-axis direction is set so as to ensure a floating amount at which the conveyed object K does not contact the roll 24 when the conveyed object K is carried into the roll 24 and when it is carried out from the roll 24. The recess 25b may be a corner groove with a polygonal end face. Also, the recess 25b may be a hemispherical dent.

[0048] <Modification 4> FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a non-contact transfer device 26 according to Modification 4. The non-contact transfer device 26 includes a roll 27 and a gas supply pipe 12. The roll 27 has the same configuration as the roll 11. A plurality of gas ejection holes 28a are provided in the transfer surface 28 of the roll 27, similarly to the transfer surface 13.

[0049] In Modification 4, the recesses 28b are provided in two rows each along the X-axis direction on the upstream side and the downstream side. That is, in the case of the downstream side, one row of recesses 28b is provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the row of ejection holes 28a arranged on the most downstream side of the transfer surface 28. Similarly in the case of the upstream side, two rows of recesses 28b are provided. The interval between the rows of recesses 28b is set so as to ensure the floating amount of the conveyed object from the roll 27 and reduce the occurrence of scratches. In Modification 4, on the upstream side and the downstream side, the pressure generated in the space between the transfer surface 28 and the conveyed object K becomes higher than in the case of one row, and when the conveyed object K is carried into the roll 27 and when it is carried out from the roll 27, a floating amount at which the conveyed object K does not contact the roll 27 can be ensured more reliably.

Industrial Applicability

[0050] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a non-contact conveyance device with a simple structure and low cost that can reduce the risk of a conveyed object coming into contact with the non-contact conveyance device. Therefore, the present invention can be suitably used for non-contact conveyance of thin conveyed objects such as films.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0051] 1, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26 Non-contact conveyance device 11, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 Roll 12 Supply pipe 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 Conveying surface 13a, 16a, 19a, 22a, 25a, 26a, 28a Jet holes 13b, 16b, 19b Protrusions 22b, 25b, 28b Recesses 100 Conveying system

Claims

1. A non-contact conveying device comprising a columnar roll having a conveying surface for guiding a long conveyed object conveyed from the upstream side of a conveying path to the downstream side of the conveying path, wherein a plurality of ejection holes for ejecting a gas for lifting the conveyed object are formed in the conveying surface, wherein a convex portion or a concave portion extends along the width direction of the conveying path in regions on the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveying surface and at positions different from the ejection holes, or a plurality of convex portions or concave portions are provided along the width direction of the conveying path, wherein a portion for folding back the conveyed object from the upstream side to the downstream side on the conveying surface is referred to as a top, wherein the convex portion or the concave portion is orthogonal to a line connecting the top and the center of a cross-sectional plane obtained by cutting the roll with a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll, and is provided within a range of 0.5 degrees to 5 degrees on the top side with respect to a line passing through the center in the cross-sectional plane, wherein the conveying direction of the conveyed object upstream of the roll and the conveying direction of the conveyed object downstream of the roll are parallel to each other.

2. The non-contact conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion or the concave portion forms a semi-circular shape in a cross-sectional plane obtained by cutting the roll with a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the roll.

3. The non-contact conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the convex portion or the concave portion is provided at least in a region where the conveyed object covers the conveying surface.

4. A method for manufacturing a film, comprising, as one step, a step of conveying a long conveyed object using the non-contact conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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