Lamination Belt System for Adhesion Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the manufacturing of liquid packaging carton laminates, there is a challenge in preventing the adhesion of thermoplastic coatings to rolls and ensuring proper protrusion of layers into holes within the substrate, which affects the quality and integrity of the laminate.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of intermediate endless belts between rolls at laminating stations, in conjunction with leftmost and rightmost belts, helps to prevent adhesion and promotes the protrusion of layers into holes by guiding the substrate and coating material away from the rolls, allowing for adjustable belt properties to suit different hole dimensions and material properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a press roll with elastomeric sleeve is used to urge layers into holes, then protrusion of barrier layer into holes is improved, but adhesion of thermoplastic coating to roll increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotrusion of barrier layer into holesVSAvoidadhesion of thermoplastic coating to roll
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces intermediate endless belts as intermediary elements between the press roll and the substrate. These belts serve as mediators that transfer the pressing force into the holes while preventing direct contact between the thermoplastic coating and the press roll surface, thereby eliminating adhesion problems while maintaining protrusion effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional direct mechanical contact system (press roll contacting substrate) with an indirect mechanical system using intermediate belts. This substitution allows the pressing function to be maintained while eliminating the harmful adhesion effect through a different mechanical approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If intermediate belts are added to prevent adhesion, then adhesion of thermoplastic coating is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion of thermoplastic coating to rollVSAvoidnumber of belts and guiding arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The intermediate endless belts perform multiple functions simultaneously: they prevent adhesion of thermoplastic coating, guide the substrate through the nip, and maintain the pressing force into the holes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This approach effectively reduces the adhesion of thermoplastic coatings to rolls and enhances the protrusion of layers into holes, improving the quality and integrity of the laminate by allowing for customizable belt properties to match varying laminate requirements.

Implementation Method 1

a leftmost and a rightmost endless belts extending over said first roll and a belt-guiding arrangement and through said nip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

extending over said first roll and said belt guiding arrangement and through said nip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTension: Tension

Implementation Method 3

at least one intermediate endless belt extends over said first roll and said belt guiding arrangement and through said nip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3157723B1Apparatus and method for lamination
Publication Date: 2018.10.31 ELOPAK AS
  • EP3157723B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3157723B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3157723B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A laminating station comprises a chill roll (8), a press roll (4) parallel to the chill roll (8), a back-up roll (10) for biasing the press roll (4) towards the chill roll (8), an extrusion arrangement which serves to deposit a layer entering a nip between the rolls (4) and (8), a belt-guiding arrangement (14,16) extending parallelly to the roll (4), leftmost and rightmost endless belts (12) extending over the roll (4) and the belt guiding arrangement (14,16) and through the nip, and, between the leftmost and rightmost endless belts (12), intermediate endless belts (24) extending over the roll (4) and the belt guiding arrangement (14,16) and through the nip. The belts (12) serve to deter contact, with the press roll (4), of the layer being deposited. The belts (14) and (16) have that function and/or the function of pressing an outer tie layer of the laminate being produced into holes through a core layer of the laminate and so into contact with an outermost layer of the laminate.