Transport Roller With Recessed Surface For Substrate Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport rollers cause damage to sensitive substrates due to adhesion and pressure issues during horizontal transport, especially when dealing with flexible and finely structured substrates, as they bend or deform during processing, leading to surface damage and increased stress.
Innovation Solution
A transport roller with a modified surface featuring non-uniform contact areas and recesses, made from homogeneous materials like polymers or metals, allowing for liquid or gas exchange on both sides, which reduces adhesion and pressure on the substrate, minimizing deformation and enhancing drying efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a solid body roller is used for transporting substrates, then the substrate can be transported horizontally without clamps, but flexible substrates with fine structures suffer from adhesion effects causing bending and surface damage
Solution Approach 1:
The roller surface is modified to have non-uniform contact properties with alternating contact areas and recesses. This local variation in surface topology reduces adhesion effects on sensitive substrate areas while maintaining transport functionality, directly resolving the contradiction between clamp-free transport and prevention of adhesion-related damage.
2Reliability
If retaining roller pairs are used to retain treatment liquid, then liquid retention is improved, but the weight of the upper roller presses down on the substrate causing stress and damage to sensitive surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The modified surface with recesses creates localized contact areas that distribute the roller weight across multiple discrete points rather than a continuous surface. This reduces the pressure intensity on the substrate while maintaining sufficient contact for liquid retention, resolving the contradiction between reliable liquid retention and minimizing substrate stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed surface structure functions similarly to a porous configuration, allowing treatment liquid to be retained in the recesses and contact areas while reducing the effective pressure transmitted to the substrate. This enables liquid retention without the full weight burden on the substrate surface.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a modified surface with contact areas and recesses is implemented, then pressure distribution and liquid exchange are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The roller surface is segmented into alternating contact areas and recesses, creating a patterned structure that improves pressure distribution and liquid exchange. This segmentation approach resolves the technical contradiction by organizing the surface into functional units that collectively reduce harmful pressure peaks while maintaining manageable device complexity through repetitive patterning.
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
The modified transport roller effectively reduces substrate damage by minimizing adhesion-related deformations and pressure peaks, while improving drying speed and reducing liquid transfer, making it suitable for handling sensitive substrates in treatment devices.
Implementation Method 1
reducing physical stress and pressure peaks by distributing weight evenly
Implementation Method 2
the modified surface is adapted to provide a liquid or gas exchange on both sides of the transport roller
Implementation Method 3
minimizes substrate damage by reducing adhesion-related deformations
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a new type of transport roller providing a modified surface to provide improved transport properties for new substrates. Furthermore, it refers to horizontal transport systems beneficially utilizing such transport rollers, especially for providing retaining roller pairs. Additionally, the present invention refers to a treatment device containing such transport roller or horizontal transport system. Furthermore, it refers to a method for treating a substrate and the use of such transport roller.