Adhesive Resistant Coating for Web Handling Devices

Abstract

The invention pertains to coating web handling devices with a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating for preventing the accumulation of adhesive and inks from the web. The web being a web with a layer of adhesive or ink.

Claims

1: A method of preventing the accumulation of adhesive on a web handling device having an active area comprising; i) coating the active area of the web handling device with a material that is hydrophobic and oleophobic and, ii) using the device for web handling.

2: The method of claim 1 wherein the web handling device is a slitter blade.

3: The method of claim 1 wherein the web handling device is an anvil.

4: The method of claim 1 wherein the web handling device is an idler roller.

5: A slitter blade comprising; an active area, a coating made of a material that is hydrophobic and oleophobic.

6: The slitter blade of claim 5 wherein the slitter blade is a shear slitting blade having an active area further comprising a cutting edge, a kerf area and the relief area.

7: The slitter blade of claim 5 wherein the slitter blade is a crush slitting blade having an active area further comprising an outside edge and two side surfaces.

8: A web handling device having an active area for preventing the accumulation of debris comprising a coating of hydrophobic and oleophobic material on said active area.

9: The web handling device of claim 8 wherein the device is an idler roller having an active area further comprising an outside diameter.

10: The web handling device of claim 8 wherein the device is an anvil having an active area further comprising a cutting edge, an outside diameter and a relief area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1: Side of a Shear Slitter with the Prior Art.

[0019] FIG. 2: Side View of a Roller without adhesive debris.

[0020] FIG. 3: Side View of a Roller with adhesive debris.

[0021] FIG. 4: Side View of a Shear Slitter and Anvil as a web is cut.

[0022] FIG. 5: Enlarged Cross Section of a Front View of the Shear Slitter and Anvil as a web is cut.

[0023] FIG. 6: Front View of a Shear Slitter and Anvil as a web is cut.

[0024] FIG. 7: Broken Top View of a Guide Roller (also referred to as an idler) guiding a web.

[0025] FIG. 8: Side View of a Guide Roller (also referred to as an idler) guiding a web.

[0026] FIG. 9: Front View of a Crush Slitter crushing or scribing a web.

[0027] FIG. 10: Enlarged Front View of a Crush Slitter crushing or scribing a web.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] A first implementation is a shear slitter configuration. Referring to FIG. 6, the shear slitter blade 601 is held against the side of the anvil 602. Both the anvil 602 and the shear slitter blade 601 have a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating applied on their respective surfaces. The shear slitter blade 601 and the anvil 602 overlap in the slitting area 604. As the shear slitter blade 601 and the anvil 602 are rotated the causes a scissor action which cuts the web 100. This FIG. 4 shows a web 100 that is moving along a direction indicated by arrow 400 through the slitting area 604. The overlap 604 creates a scissor action that cuts the web 100 moving in the direction indicated by arrow 400.

[0029] On the web 100 is a layer of adhesive 101A, during the slitting process the adhesive 101A is pushed into contact with the shear slitter blade 601 and anvil 602. The coating applied to both the shear slitter blade 601 and the anvil 602 prevents the adhesive 100A from attaching to the shear slitter blade 601 or the anvil 602.

[0030] Referring to the FIG. 5 the web contact area on the shear slitting blade 601 is the cutting edge 500. However, the active area of the slitter blade 601 is to include the cutting edge 500, the kerf area 501 and the relief area 502.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 5 the web contact area on the anvil 602 is the outer diameter 510. However, the active area of the anvil 602 is to include the cutting edge 511, the outside diameter 510 and the relief area 512.

[0032] In another implementation, the coating described above should be located in the area where the adhesive debris will typically accumulate on an idler roller. As can be seen in FIG. 7 the web 100 is in contact with the roller 701 along the length of the outside diameter of the roller 701, shown on both FIGS. 7 and 8. This area of contact will be referred to as the active area 712 and spans from indicating lines 710 and 711 on the outside diameter of the idler roller 701. In this implementation, the web 100 may include layers adhesive 100A. Again, with a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating, the adhesive will be prevented from accumulating on the idler roller 701.

[0033] In some instances, the web 100 is cut or scribed using a crush or scribing configuration. Both of these instances use the same apparatus, the difference being that the crush configuration causes the web 100 to be cut while the scribe configuration deforms the web 100. FIG. 9 shows such a configuration. In this case the web 100 is moved between a cylindrical anvil 900 and a crush blade 901. Again, adhesive 100A on the web 100 will accumulate onto the crush blade 901 and anvil 900. Refer to FIG. 10, by coating the crush blade outside edge 902, and side surfaces 903 and 904, the adhesive 100A will not accumulate on the crush blade 901. Likewise coating the outside diameter of the anvil 900, adhesive will not accumulate on the anvil 900. The active area 905 of the crush blade is the crush blade outside edge 902, and the side surfaces 903 and 904.

[0034] The invention has been tested with a coating called Aculon Metal Repellent Treatment currently manufactured by Aculon located in San Diego, Calif. It has been found that this coating prevents the accumulation of adhesive on slitter and web guiding devices.

[0035] Aculon the manufacturer provides this product and considers the ingredients to be proprietary. However, included in the appendix is a brochure that explains the method of application.

[0036] The inventor submits the above embodiment of the invention with the expressed understanding that this embodiment is simple one possible way of applying the invention and is not to be used to limit the claims.