Wound Care Lamination Apparatus with Adjustable Delamination Rolls

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The manufacturing of wound care articles is limited by the inefficiencies in adding and removing layers during the production process, which slows down production speed and yield, particularly for articles with high height differences or irregular surfaces.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that includes a delamination arrangement with adjustable delamination rolls and pressure rolls to securely laminate a multilayered structure onto a wound care article, ensuring strong adhesion and preventing detachment during the removal of protective layers, while adjusting the delamination force to maintain the article's adherence to the conveyor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional lamination methods are used with thermal bonding between metal rolls, then layers can be bonded together, but the production speed is limited and the process becomes complex for articles with irregular surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction speedVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the bonding mechanism from thermal bonding to adhesive bonding, and modifies the pressure application method from uniform roller pressure to localized pressure at specific points. This allows the lamination process to handle irregular surfaces effectively while maintaining high production speeds and simplifying the overall process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the pressure application into discrete locations rather than continuous roller pressure. Pressure is applied at specific points where layers need bonding, which simplifies the device design and allows faster processing compared to conventional thermal roller methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If production speed is increased to improve yield, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but layer adhesion reliability deteriorates particularly for thick or irregular wound pads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidlayer adhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes from thermal bonding parameters to adhesive bonding parameters, allowing faster setting times that maintain strong adhesion. The adhesive composition and application parameters are optimized to ensure reliable bonding at higher production speeds, particularly for irregular surfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer is removed beforehand before lamination, exposing the adhesive surface in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the adhesive is ready to bond immediately when the layers are brought together, maintaining reliability even at increased production speeds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If protective layers are removed during manufacturing, then the final product is achieved, but detachment of laminated layers can occur reducing quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing processVSAvoidlayer alignment and attachment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by removing the protective layer before lamination occurs. This prevents the protective layer from interfering with the bonding process and ensures that the adhesive surfaces are exposed and ready for secure attachment, preventing any detachment issues during subsequent handling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 enhances production speed and yield by ensuring reliable adhesion of the multilayered structure to the wound care article, preventing detachment during delamination and allowing for faster processing of wound care articles with complex surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

an adhesive layer (115) of the multilayered structure (114) to another adhesive layer (112) of the wound care article structure (111)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

a pressure arrangement configured to apply the pressure to the multilayered structure (114) to press an adhesive layer (115) of the multilayered structure (114) against another adhesive layer (112) of the wound care article structure (111)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP4091591B1Apparatus for laminating at least one layer onto a wound care article structure
Publication Date: 2024.09.04 PAUL HARTMANN AG
  • EP4091591B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP4091591B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4091591B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus (100, 400A, 400B, 500A, 500B) for laminating at least one layer (30, 50) onto a wound care article structure (20), comprising: a conveyor device (110) having a support surface (112) configured for supporting the wound care article structure (20); a first lamination arrangement (130) configured for laminating at least one layer (30, 50) onto the wound care article structure (20); a pressure arrangement (410, 420, 510, 520, 610, 620, 630, 640, 710, 720, 730, 740) having one or more pressure rolls configured to apply a pressure to the at least one layer (30, 50) laminated onto the wound care article structure (20) to fix the at least one layer (30, 50) to the wound care article structure (20); and a delamination arrangement (120) configured for delaminating the protective layer (32) off the wound care article structure (20) having the at least one layer (30, 50) laminated thereon.