Device and Method for Laminating a Substrate with a Thermoplastic Film

Abstract

Device (1) for laminating a substrate (12) with a thermoplastic film (11), said device (1) having the following: a laminating unit (2) for laminating the substrate (12) with the thermoplastic film (11), a feed device (4) for feeding the thermoplastic film (11) to the laminating unit (2), wherein the feed device (4) for the thermoplastic film (11) has devices (14) for heating a first side (16) of the film (11) and devices (15) for cooling a second side (17) of the film (11), and a device (20) for collecting condensate produced on the cooling devices (15).

Claims

1. A device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film, wherein the device comprises: a laminating unit for laminating the substrate with the thermoplastic film, a feed device for feeding the thermoplastic film to the laminating unit, wherein the feed device for the thermoplastic film has devices for heating a first side of the film and devices for cooling a second side of the film, and a device for collecting condensate produced on the cooling devices.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling devices comprise at least one cooled roller over which the film is guided.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film is guided at a distance from the cooling devices.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device for collecting condensate comprises at least one device for scraping condensate from surfaces of the cooling devices.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a number of controllably driven rollers over which the film is guided past the heating devices and the cooling devices, wherein a tension of the film can be regulated by the speed of the driven rollers.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyor belt on which the film is guided at least in sections.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein, grids are arranged between the heating devices and the thermoplastic film, to protect the heating devices from contact with the film.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the feed device has at least one device for generating an air flow between the thermoplastic film and the heating devices.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film is guided in the feed device vertically upward and/or downward at least in sections and/or obliquely upward and/or downward in sections and/or in sections on a circular arc.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the feed device has an alternative feed path for a film which does not comprise any heating devices or any cooling devices.

11. A device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film, wherein the device comprises: a laminating unit for laminating the substrate with the thermoplastic film, a feed device for feeding the thermoplastic film to the laminating unit, wherein the feed device for the thermoplastic film has devices for heating a first side of the film and devices for cooling a second side of the film, and the film is guided at a distance from the cooling devices.

12. A method for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film, comprising: providing the thermoplastic film; providing a feed device; moving the film through the feed device in a feed direction; providing a heating device; heating the film on a first side using the heating device; providing a cooling device; cooling the film on a second side opposing the first side using the cooling device, wherein condensate formed on the cooling device is collected; and feeding the heated and cooled thermoplastic film to a laminating unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the film is guided at a distance from the cooling device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of moving is carried out by a number of controllably driven rollers over which the film is guided, wherein, during the moving, a tension of the film is regulated by the speed of the driven rollers.

15. The method according of claim 12, wherein the film is held at a distance from the heating device by an air flow blown into an intermediate space between the film and the heating device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 schematically shows a device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 schematically shows a device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 3 schematically shows a device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film according to a third embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 4 schematically shows a device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, and

[0041] FIG. 5 schematically shows a device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film. In FIG. 1, the thermoplastic film is denoted by the reference sign 11, the substrate by the reference sign 12 and the already laminated substrate by the reference sign 13.

[0043] The device 1 comprises a laminating unit 2, which in particular has a number of rollers 3 for pressing the film 11 onto the substrate 12. Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a feed device 4 for feeding the thermoplastic film 11 to the laminating unit 2. The film 11 is unwound from an unwinder 5 and transported by means of the feed device 4 to the laminating unit 2, after which the coated substrate 13 is rolled up by the rewinder 6.

[0044] The feed device 4 has a number of controllably driven rollers 10. In the embodiment shown, three driven rollers 10 are illustrated. However, this illustration is only exemplary and more or fewer driven rollers can also be provided.

[0045] The feed device 4 comprises further rollers or rolls which serve to guide and deflect the film 11 and are only shown by way of example and are not described in more detail. The thermoplastic film 11 is transported by means of the driven rollers 10 in the direction of the arrow 7 to the laminating unit 2. In the embodiment shown, the substrate 12 is transported along the arrow 8 to the laminating unit 2 also by means of a suitable feed device 9. After lamination, the laminated substrate 13 is transported along the arrow 7 to the rewinder 6.

[0046] The film 11 is largely guided in a contactless manner. Only in the area of the rollers 10 is the film 11 guided or supported at specific points. The film 11 is not supported between the rollers 10. It thus has a tension caused, in particular, by the gravity acting on it and by the rotational speeds of the rollers 10.

[0047] Along its path through the feed device 4, the thermoplastic film 11 is guided between the rollers 10 past devices 14 for heating a first side 16 of the film 11 and devices 15 for cooling a second side 17 of the film 11. The heating devices 14 and the cooling devices 15 are also shown here merely by way of example. The number and arrangement of the heating devices 14 and the cooling devices 15 can vary.

[0048] Heating the first side 16 causes softening to partial melting of the thermoplastic film 11 on its first side 16, such that said film can bond to the substrate 12 in the laminating unit 2. Cooling the second side 17 serves to prevent the film 11 from melting completely and to maintain a certain stability, which is necessary for the transport process to the laminating unit 2. Thus, the cooling partially compensates for the heat introduced. In particular, it can compensate for the waste heat if the heating devices are designed as infrared emitters.

[0049] The film 11 is guided at a distance from the heating devices 14 and the cooling devices 15 and thus does not come into direct contact with cooled surfaces. Between the heating devices 14 and the film 11, grids 18 are arranged which are intended to prevent the film 11 from adhering to the heating devices 14.

[0050] The feed device 4 has an alternative feed path for a film to the laminating unit 2, which is indicated in FIG. 1 by a dashed line 19 and which is not guided past the heating devices 14 and cooling devices 15. The alternative path can be used for a film which does not consist of a thermoplastic material or which is not to be heated or cooled for other reasons.

[0051] The device 1 further comprises a trough 20 for collecting condensate which is formed on the cooling devices 15 due to the moist ambient air. The trough 20 is arranged below the cooling devices 15, such that condensate flows off the cooling devices 15 by virtue of gravity and drips into the trough 20. On this path, the condensate does not pass through any further elements of the feed device 4, in particular not the heating devices 14 or the film web, which could be damaged by the condensate. The trough 20 is thus positioned in such a way that condensate forming on the devices 15 can drip directly into the trough 20. Discharging the condensate ensures that no condensate comes into contact with the film 11, which could reduce the quality of the surface.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a device 1 for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film. This device 1 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that several driven rollers 10 are provided which guide the film 11 on a semi-circular web.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the device 1 for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film 11. This embodiment differs from those previously shown in that several driven rollers 10 are arranged one above the other such that the film 11 is guided vertically in sections. In the embodiment shown, two heating devices 14 and two cooling devices 15 are also arranged one above the other in each case.

[0054] This arrangement is particularly space-saving and can also be implemented in a small installation space. The cooling devices 15 are arranged one above the other in this embodiment, but not above heating devices 14, so that no condensate can drip onto the heating devices 14. A trough 20 for collecting condensate is again provided immediately below the lower cooling device 15.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the device 1 for laminating a substrate 12 with a thermoplastic film 11. This embodiment differs from those previously shown in that the film 11 is guided in the feed device 4 on a conveyor belt 26 by means of non-driven rollers 25. The conveyor belt 26 is guided at a distance from the cooling devices 15. The trough 20 for collecting the condensate is arranged between the cooling devices 15 and further elements of the feed device 4 in such a way that the condensate drips directly into the trough 20 and does not come into contact with further elements.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the device 1 for laminating a substrate 12 with a thermoplastic film 11. This embodiment differs from those previously shown in that the film 11 is partially guided in the feed device 4 not in a contactless manner, but by means of a cooled roller 21. The second side 17 of the film 11 thus rests, in places, on the surface of the cooled roller 21. The cooled roller 21 can also be driven at a controllable speed.

[0057] In this embodiment, scrapers 22 are provided which scrape condensate produced on the cooled roller 21 from the roller 21 and let it drip into the trough 20. In this case, the scrapers 22 are arranged in the area of an underside 23 of the roller 21, while the film 11 is guided on the upper side 24 of the roller 21. In this way, the film 11 is prevented from coming into contact with condensate on the surface of the roller 21, which could reduce the quality of the film surface.

[0058] The driven roller 10 just before the cooled roller 21 enables the web tension of the film 11 to be regulated, for example in response to a decrease in tension due to the heating of the film 11.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0059] 1 Device

[0060] 2 Laminating unit

[0061] 3 Roller

[0062] 4 Feed device

[0063] 5 Unwinder

[0064] 6 Rewinder

[0065] 7 Arrow

[0066] 8 Arrow

[0067] 9 Feed device

[0068] 10 Roller

[0069] 11 Film

[0070] 12 Substrate

[0071] 13 Laminated substrate

[0072] 14 Heating device

[0073] 15 Cooling device

[0074] 16 First side

[0075] 17 Second side

[0076] 18 Grid

[0077] 19 Dashed line

[0078] 20 Trough

[0079] 21 Roller

[0080] 22 Scraper

[0081] 23 Lower side

[0082] 24 Upper side

[0083] 25 Roller

[0084] 26 Conveyor belt