Bulk textured material sheeting

Abstract

A process is provided for making bulk textured material sheeting. As a continuous supply of flat material sheeting is fed, the sheeting is repeatedly impacted with toothed knives, each knife creating a row of raised and generally pointed structures on the sheeting to texture the sheeting.

Claims

1. A process for making bulk textured material sheeting, comprising: a) feeding a continuous supply of material sheeting to a texturing apparatus; and b) repeatedly impacting the sheeting with toothed knives of the texturing apparatus, each knife creating a row of raised and pointed structures on the sheeting to texture the sheeting; wherein step b) comprises actuating a first one of the knives downward and across the sheeting, and actuating a second one of the knives downward and across the sheeting in an opposing direction; wherein each pointed structure has a finished height of between 150% to 300% of a thickness of the sheeting; and wherein in step b), the sheeting is not perforated.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the knives are actuated downward and across the sheeting to gouge the pointed structures out of the sheeting.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the row created by at least one of the knives is continuous and substantially spans a width of the sheeting.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the knives are arranged in one or more packs to form several rows of pointed structures in a single stroke.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises creating pointed structures on first and second opposed sides of the sheeting.

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising taking up the textured sheeting in a take up reel after the step b).

7. The process of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises actuating a first set of the knives generally downward and across the sheeting, and actuating a second set of the knives generally downward and across the sheeting in the opposing direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a single-sided texturing process.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a double-sided texturing process.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a sample apparatus used to provide single-sided texturing.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a finished roll of bulk single-sided textured material sheeting.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a close-up of the texture of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) A process is provided for making bulk textured material sheeting. As a continuous supply of flat material sheeting is fed, the sheeting is repeatedly impacted with toothed knives, each knife creating a row of raised and generally pointed (nail-like) structures on the sheeting to texture the sheeting.

(7) The process is shown in summary form in FIG. 1. A feed mechanism draws the material 2 from a self-wound coil 1 (or supply reel). The material is fed into an apparatus 3 for texturing. The apparatus uses knives (not shown) to impact the material and raise pointed structures on its surface. The material emerges from the apparatus now bearing pointed structures. This textured material 4 is then guided into a coil 5 (or onto a take-up reel).

(8) As shown in FIG. 2, the material 2 may also be textured on both sides. A feed mechanism draws the material 2 from the self-wound coil 1 (or supply reel). The material is fed into a modified apparatus 3, that includes opposed impacting sections (knives disposed on both sides of the materialnot shown). The material emerges from the apparatus now bearing pointed structures on both sides. This textured material 4 is then guided into a coil 5 (or onto a take-up reel).

(9) Alternatively, a roll of single-sided textured material 4 may be run through the apparatus a second time to texture the opposing face using appropriate support to protect the first face's pointed structures.

(10) As shown in FIG. 5, the pointed structures may be in the form of hooks. Each hook is integrally formed from the material itself that is gouged or scraped up from the surface of the material by the impacting knives. The hooks are not punched through from the opposing side, so the underlying material is not punctured or perforated, but retains the integrity of its continuous body. Detail of the pointed structures (here, hooks) is shown in FIG. 4. The apparatus and tooling can be modified to form various shapes, dimensions and densities of hooks, depending on the material requirements and tolerances.

(11) The knives of the apparatus are preferably in a pack with opposing knives being positioned offset from each other (i.e. an A set of knives and a B set of knives interleaved with each other in a pack, with the A set extended out to one side and the B set extended out to the other side). Side impacts from the apparatus force the A and B sets toward each other, so that the teeth of the knives gouge or scrape up hooks from the surface of the material.

(12) Various types of apparatus may be used to drive the knives and form the hooks. One useful embodiment uses a press to actuate the toothed knives generally into and across the surface of the material sheeting. As shown in FIG. 3, apparatus 3 includes an upper die plate 13 (this may be mounted in a press, or be part of a free standing assembly actuated by an independent pressas in CA 2,760,923, filed on Dec. 6, 2011, publication forthcoming). Transverse slide rods 16 are suspended from the apparatus and slide within slots in the knives 10. Return springs (not shown) are connected to the slide rods to bias the slide rods toward each other. A pressure plate 19 is disposed above the knives. Two block housings 21 are mounted transversely on the upper die plate adjacent to the edges of the knives. A drive block 22 is mounted on each block housing by slide bolt 23, which is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the knives. A slide block 24 is slidably mounted in each housing adjacent to the drive block.

(13) In operation, a press (not shown) drives upper die plate 13 of the apparatus 3 onto the material that has been fed into a material strike zone below knives 10. The force of the press causes the slide block 24 to impact the bottom surface of the press (not shown) before the knives 10 impact the surface of the material. The impact against the bottom surface of the material drives the slide block up relative to the drive block 22, causing the angled surface of 24 to exert a force on the drive block in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the knives. This force causes each drive block to move separate individual knives in the pack in opposing directions along their respective longitudinal axes. Because only alternate knives contact each drive block before impact, adjacent knives are pushed in opposite directions by each drive block. Preferably, the knives are moving before contact with the material surface.

(14) The teeth 11 of the knives are pushed down into the material, and the knives also slide along slide rods 16 parallel to their longitudinal axes. These simultaneous downward and sliding movements cause each tooth 11 of a knife to form one pointed structure (hook).

(15) After the press lifts, the slide block 24 is returned to its starting position by compress springs 20, and the knives 10 and drive block 22 are returned to their starting positions by other springs (not shown). The knives are withdrawn from the material, which is then advanced by the feed mechanism (in a progression) to form another textured section.

(16) FIGS. 4 and 5 show a possible embodiment of the textured material sheeting in finished form. As shown, the material may be coiled onto itself (or on a take-up reel) and sold as a bulk (mechanical-attachment-ready) material.

(17) The finished material can be cut into specific products or combined with one or more heterogeneous materials in a double- or multi-ply laminate.

(18) Material may also be directed to other downstream operations (e.g. stamping into shaped parts/strips/pieces, joining with one or more heterogeneous materials in a laminate, or other forming. The bulk material in one embodiment may be roll-formed or bent to take on a three-dimensional shape (e.g. cylindrical or other shaped tube).

(19) Various ductile materials can be used with this process. Although metal sheeting is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the process has also be found to work on various harder plastics (Shore hardness of approximately D55 and up) and other materials in a range of widths and thicknesses. The sheeting can also be cooled or heated prior to impacting in order to make it more ductile or otherwise amenable to the texturing operation. For example, soft and rubbery materials (including those below the suggested Shore hardness of D55) may be cooled or frozen to apply this process.

(20) Further, although the material may be selected to retain and hold an upstanding pointed structure as taught and shown, there may also be advantages in processing material according to this method where the hooks do not stay raised, but collapse on themselves. The process may be advantageous simply for roughening or providing a disturbed surface on a material.

(21) The foregoing description illustrates only certain preferred embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the foregoing examples. That is, persons skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that modifications and variations are, or will be, possible to utilize and carry out the teachings of the invention described herein. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest purposive construction consistent with the description as a whole.