Ceramic-Coated Pressure Roller for Delamination-Free Longitudinal Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Delamination of laminate packaging material during the longitudinal sealing process in roll-fed packaging machines due to high pressure and heat, leading to machine downtime, waste, and potential product contamination.

Innovation Solution

Application of a ceramic nanocoating on the pressure roller to reduce adhesion and maintain elastic properties, enhancing wear resistance and preventing delamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high pressure is applied during longitudinal sealing, then sealing quality is improved, but delamination of packaging material occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing qualityVSAvoiddelamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A coating layer is applied to the pressure roller surface as an intermediary between the roller and packaging material. This coating reduces direct adhesion while transmitting sealing pressure, preventing delamination caused by high pressure without compromising sealing quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface properties of the pressure roller are modified by applying a coating with different adhesion characteristics. This changes the interaction parameters between the roller and packaging material, reducing harmful adhesion while maintaining necessary pressure transmission for sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If different roller materials are tested to reduce delamination, then adhesion properties may improve, but sealing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelamination riskVSAvoidsealing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure roller uses a composite structure with a core material optimized for sealing performance and an outer coating layer optimized for reduced adhesion. This combines the advantages of different materials, maintaining sealing effectiveness while reducing delamination risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the pressure roller have different properties: the core maintains elastic properties for sealing, while the outer coating provides low adhesion characteristics. This local differentiation allows the roller to simultaneously achieve good sealing performance and reduced delamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If elastic properties of the roller are changed to reduce delamination, then adhesion may decrease, but sealing effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesionVSAvoidsealing effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The roller combines elastic core material for sealing effectiveness with a non-elastic coating layer for reduced adhesion. The core material's elastic properties ensure proper sealing, while the coating prevents excessive adhesion and delamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The coating acts as an intermediary layer that decouples the adhesion function from the sealing function. It reduces adhesion between the roller and packaging material while allowing the elastic core to maintain sealing effectiveness through pressure transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces delamination risk, increases roller lifetime, and improves sealing performance while maintaining cost-efficiency by protecting against wear and residue buildup.

Implementation Method 1

An outer surface of the roller body is provided with an adhesion reducing coating. The adhesion reducing coating is a ceramic nanocoating.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion reduction: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

The pressure roller comprises a roller body made of an elastically deformable material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

the disclosed technology can also improve the overall lifetime of the pressure roller by increasing its wear resistance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWear resistance: Wear

Data Source

PatentEP4656357A1A pressure roller of a roll-fed packaging machine
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA
  • EP4656357A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4656357A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4656357A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A pressure roller (300) of a roll-fed food packaging machine (100) for applying pressure along a longitudinal sealing section on an inside of a tube (112) of a laminate carton-based packaging material (104) is disclosed. The pressure roller (300) comprises a roller body (302) made of an elastically-deformable material, wherein an outer surface (304) of the roller body (302) is provided with an adhesion-reducing coating that is a ceramic nanocoating, i.e. a coating composed of ceramic particles in the order of nanometres. Such a coating helps reduce the risk of delamination of the packaging material. A roller arrangement (210), a longitudinal sealing device (110), a roll-fed packaging machine (100) as well as a method for producing the pressure roller (300) are also disclosed.