Biaxial Expansion Patents (Class 26/72)
  • Patent number: 11759981
    Abstract: A ventilation module is disclosed having a ventilation outlet channel including a gas flow inlet side and an opposite gas flow outlet side. The ventilation outlet channel is separated in the longitudinal direction to form at least two ventilation channel portions, such that the at least two ventilation channel portions are adjustable away from and towards one another transversely to the longitudinal extent of the ventilation outlet channel. The width of the ventilation outlet channel and thus the flow cross section can be increased or decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: BRÜCKNER MASCHINENBAU GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Mätze, Christoph Höglauer
  • Patent number: 11309737
    Abstract: A system and method for providing power to independent movers traveling along a track in a motion control system without requiring a fixed connection between the mover and a power source external to the mover. In one embodiment, a sliding transformer transfers power between the track and each mover. In another embodiment, an optical transmitter transfers power between the track and an optical receiver mounted on each mover. In yet another embodiment, a generator includes a drive wheel engaging the track as each mover travels along the track. A power converter on the mover receives the power generated on and/or transmitted to the mover to control an actuator or a sensor mounted on the mover or to activate drive coils mounted on the mover to interact with magnets mounted along the track and, thereby, control motion of each mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Floresta, Peter Bruder, Xikai Sun, Peter M. Smit, Oliver C. Haya, Mark R. Cooper, Nanwei Yao
  • Patent number: 11040481
    Abstract: An improved method and an associated improved device for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching installation is distinguished inter alia by the following features: during normal operation, the linear-motor-driven transporting units in the simultaneous stretching zone are subjected to an acceleration phase with a normal-operation acceleration profile involving a growing increase in the distance from a following transporting unit driven by the linear motor drive; when the web of material is moved into the stretching zone, at least two leading tenters, following one another and driven by the linear motor, are accelerated in the stretching zone in such a way that differs from the normal-operation acceleration profile that the distance formed between the at least two tenters following one another and driven by the linear motor is less than 80% or less than 75% of the distance that is brought about during normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: BRÜCKNER MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Günter Oedl
  • Patent number: 10836096
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and device of film stepless biaxial tension based on saddle-shaped surface transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignees: South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Huaxinke Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinping Qu, Guizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 10723062
    Abstract: This stretching device comprises a guide rail, first clamps of a first type and second clamps of a second type each intended to grip the same longitudinal edge of a film and alternately disposed along the guide rail, and an endless chain connected to the first and second clamps and configured to drive the first and second clamps along the guide rail, the endless chain being deformable between a first state and a second state in which the first and second clamps are respectively disposed close to or distant from each other. Each first clamp and each second clamp respectively include a primary guide roller and a secondary guide roller configured to cooperate with the guide rail, the first and second clamps being configured such that when the endless chain is in the first state, the primary guide roller of each first clamp and the secondary guide roller of each second clamp adjacent to said first clamp overlap at least partially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Inventor: Carolina Marchante
  • Patent number: 10525616
    Abstract: An improved guide rail in particular for a transport device or stretching unit is distinguished inter alia by the following features—the cooling device comprises at least one cooling duct which extends in a zigzag shape inside the guide rail and which is formed by connected transverse bores, and/or—the guide rail comprises at least two half-shells or halves between which a flexible tube is arranged in a sandwich-like manner to form at least one cooling duct, and/or—at least one cooling duct is arranged outside the guide rail so as to extend parallel thereto, and, in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, in each case bores extending transversely thereto are made, into which bores outwardly projecting heat lines and/or heat pipes are inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: BRÜCKNER MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Tobias Häusl, Wolfram Aumeier
  • Patent number: 10245779
    Abstract: An improved linear-motor-operated conveying system is distinguished, inter alia, by the following features: the conveyed web can be fixed to the nipper part, as a result of which a conveyed web plane is defined, said film plane being arranged at a height with respect to the motor working side of the single linear motor drive or of the more powerful linear motor drive in the case of two linear motor drives, and said height being less than or equal to the length of the secondary parts on the conveying parts; the conveying system comprises either a) only one linear motor drive provided beneath the conveying part, or b) only one linear motor drive provided above the conveying part, or c) one linear motor drive arranged beneath and one arranged above the conveying part, the upper linear motor drive and/or the associated control system being configured in such a manner that the upper linear motor drive can only be operated with a maximum power of 75% in relation to the maximum power of the lower linear motor drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: BRÜCKNER MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Helmut Gumpinger, Anthimos Giapoulis, Manfred Dusch, Wolfgang Eiselmayer, Jens Adler
  • Patent number: 9890273
    Abstract: The invention provides an oriented article, for example, a yarn, tape or filaments made from a three component polymer blend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Peter Sandkuehler, Jill M. Martin
  • Patent number: 9702623
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a drying device capable of preventing entanglement of a hollow fiber membrane in a drying chamber and preventing diameter reduction and flattening of the hollow fiber membrane. This drying device includes the drying chamber having a heating means disposed therein, a guide roll that causes at least two hollow fiber membranes (A) to travel inside the drying chamber, and at least two winding bobbins disposed outside the drying chamber. The drying device simultaneously dries at least two hollow fiber membranes (A) in the drying chamber while winding one hollow fiber membrane (A) on one winding bobbin. A rotation speed control means is attached separately to each of the at least two winding bobbins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Shinada
  • Patent number: 9316773
    Abstract: In a stretching zone (Z2) included in a plurality of zones for performing temperature control for heating or cooling of a film, the plurality of zones being arranged in the conveyance direction of the film, the film is stretched in a direction tilted in relation to the width direction of the film. The film is heated by a heating unit (11) having a heating region (H) positioned facing the conveyed film and positioned along a direction intersecting at an intersection angle ? with the conveyance direction in the plane of the film, in at least one zone including the stretching zone (Z2) and positioned further downstream in the conveyance direction from the stretching zone (Z2). At this time the intersection angle ? of the heating region (H) is adjusted in accordance with the orientation direction of the film stretched in the stretching zone (Z2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shinji Inagaki, Daisuke Hojo, Shimpei Hatakeyama, Daisuke Ueno, Hiroshi Nanbu
  • Publication number: 20110252611
    Abstract: The present invention provides portable multipoint tenter made from a rotating ring with a plurality of curved slots for placement in each of a first prong of a plurality of two-prong, guide pins, a circular base plate with a plurality of straight slots for placement of the first prong and a second prong of the plurality of two-prong guide pins and a contact pad attached to each of the second prongs. The inventive portable multipoint tenter helps to assure asymmetrical stzetch and is customizable so it can be made with various numbers of pads with minimal redesign. Because the inventive device is hand powered rather than electrical, the device is both portable and environmentally friendly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: Artificial Muscle, Inc.
    Inventor: MICHAEL G. LIPTON
  • Publication number: 20020121727
    Abstract: A method for controlling the width of a polyester film support comprising, in order, the steps of: (a) extruding a polyester resin using one or more extruders; (b) casting the resin on a casting wheel to form a polyester sheet; (c) stretching the polyester sheet along the machine direction by ratios of 3 to 5 times at temperatures ranging from above the glass transition temperature to below the thermal crystallization temperature, wherein the machine contains extended edge rollers (14) in the drafter at the point where stretching occurs; (d) stretching the polyester sheet along the transverse direction by ratios of 3 to 5 times at temperatures ranging from above the glass transition temperature to below the thermal crystallization temperature; and (e) heat setting the polyester sheet at temperatures ranging from 180 to 250° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Wen-Li A. Chen, Timothy F. Cilano, Larry K. Maier, Jeffrey P. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6398993
    Abstract: A film production process having a film tentering step and a recovering step, characterized by detecting the side edge positions of the film running toward the recovering step, transferring the film running direction based on the detected information, and controlling the clamp start position of the film arriving at a tenter in the tentering step by clamp means, in the transverse direction of the film. A film production process having a film tentering step, characterized by controlling the clamp start position of a film arriving at a tenter by clamp means, in the range from 5 mm to 1,000 mm from the tip of the film in the longitudinal direction of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Haruhisa Yushio, Takanori Nishida, Koji Hayashi, Hidetoshi Okashiro, Tatsu Iinuma
  • Patent number: 6372174
    Abstract: The invention concerns an improved method of heating or tempering foils and an associated device including an arrangement for measuring the temperature, based on the following features: a separate arrangement is provided for heating the foil edges; the foil edge heating arrangement comprises an infrared radiator device (21) and a hot air heating device (29); and the infrared radiator device (21) and the hot air heating device (29) can be controlled or set at different heating output values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Brückner Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Breil, Torsten Tomaschko, Johannes Sänze
  • Patent number: 5924180
    Abstract: An improved transport device comprises a novel guide rail (3). Carriages (5) can be moved along the guide rail (3), which carriages comprise guide elements (25a, 25b; 25c, 25d) for this purpose, which elements are supported on rail guiding surfaces (17a, 17b; 17c, 17d) of the guide rail (3). The guide rail is held in a prestressed and/or damped manner with variable guide elements (25a, 25b; 25c, 25d) comprising, for example, sliding pieces or running rollers at the respective spacing of the ?sic!. As a result, the spacing distance between the rail guiding surfaces (17a, 17b; 17c, 17d) can automatically be adjusted to the variable, in each case given, spacing of the guide elements (25a, 25b; 25c, 25d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Bruckner Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Paul Lindner, Ulrich Ruhlemann
  • Patent number: 5791031
    Abstract: An improved device for producing longitudinally and/or transversely drawn-out foil webs, in particular foil webs simultaneously drawn-out along two axes, is characterized in that the actual clamping means that hold the edges of the foil are held and anchored, together with the nipper carriage that carries them, by means of an overlying bridge so as to leave a gap under the bridge in the cross view. A shielding wall projects upwards into the gap. The top edge of the wall ends above the plane of the foil web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Bruckner Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Steffl
  • Patent number: 5737812
    Abstract: An improved transport device for a moving material web, in particular a stretching system for plastic film webs, comprises tenter elements (1) which can be moved along a guide rail system (3) on both sides of the material web (11). In this case, on both sides of the moving material web (11), a linear motor (5', 5") and a guide rail (3', 3") are provided, preferably in each case at least above and below the moving material web (11). The sequence of the guide rails located above, in relation to the linear motor, is opposite with respect to the moving material web, to the linear motors located below and the guide rail located below. In an alternative preferred embodiment, a maximum vertical and a maximum horizontal distance (a, b) are provided between a point of intersection (S) at the clamping point of the material web (11), which distance is selected such that the tenter mounting is stressed as little as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Bruckner Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Breil, Manfred Steffl
  • Patent number: 5590445
    Abstract: In a tape extension device for a semiconductor producing apparatus having a vertical tension device for tensing a tape, which is withdrawn from a tape roller, in a down-web direction above a semiconductor wafer, the tape extension device in the present invention comprises a lateral tension device. The lateral tension device includes clamp means for clamping an edge of a side of the tape in a cross-web direction which tape is extended in the down-web direction by means of the vertical tension device, another clamp means for clamping another edge of the tape, and drive means for opening and closing both of the clamp means in the cross-web direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Teikoku Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Lee
  • Patent number: 5390398
    Abstract: A film stretching machine is also capable of shrinking undulating film by gripping film to be treated at its longitudinal edges by pivotable clips which are disposed spaced apart on a chain conveyor and are guided in a chain conveyor guide. The film is shrunk by a longitudinal adjustment of the film areas lying between the gripping members of neighboring clips. In the apparatus, the longitudinal adjustment or shrinking occurs in that each clip is constructed as a pivoting clip and includes a rolling part on which the gripping part is mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis which is disposed parallel to the film plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Andreas Rutz, Rudolf Langer
  • Patent number: 5341547
    Abstract: A thermoplastic film stretching apparatus includes a first and a second separate transport chain system including the respective guide tracks and tentering clamps. The tentering clamps are guided without the conventional chain plate connections. The first chain transport system performs the tentering clamp transport from the inlet of the system to the setting zone of the system, where the tentering clamps are released by the first transport chain system and taken over by the second transport chain system. The transport of the tentering clamps by the second system through the setting zone, the cooling zone, and along the way to the outlet zone of the film stretcher, takes place with a smaller transport speed than that of the first transport system. The speed difference between the first and second transport chains is the measure for the film shrinkage to be imposed onto the thermoplastic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Andreas Rutz
  • Patent number: 5184379
    Abstract: Foil stretching plant comprising a plurality of zones, more particularly a heating zone I, a stretching zone II, a stabilizing zone III and a cooling zone IV. The individual zones I, II, III and IV are designed as modules which can be installed and removed individually. Of these, at least the module designed as a stretching zone II can be installed upside down and can succeed in upside down position a first stretching zone II. In that arrangement the second stretching module can replace a stabilizing zone III.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johann Bloo, Ewald Romauer, Alois Hollerwoger
  • Patent number: 5084949
    Abstract: A tentering chain has a continuously adjustable chain pitch for the simultaneous biaxial treatment of film webs. Tenter bodies conventionally equipped with clamps or hooks for gripping an edge of the film web are carried by the tentering chain. Guide rails operate the tenter clamps. Neighboring tenter bodies are interconnected by chain links. Each chain link is connected by a hinging connection at each end to the respective tenter body. At least one of the two hinging connections of a chain link is adjustable by a hinging bolt having an eccentric section or sections and a circular section or sections. The adjustable eccentric hinging bolts are mounted for rotation in the tenter bodies and the eccentric section engages the respective end of the chain link. For this purpose the chain link has a bore in which the eccentric section is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Rutz, Rudolf Langer, Hubert Becher, Klaus Buttenbender, Heinz Zeller
  • Patent number: 5072493
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing a novel drawn film by propelling individual carriages along opposed loops from a first speed abutted in stacks in carriage collection sections to a second speed space apart in a drawing section of a tenter frame and to a third speed in stack forming sections where the carriages return to the first speed in the stacks. First primaries positioned adjacent one part of each loop develop electromagnetic waves for engaging synchronous secondaries attached to active carriages to provide controlled spacing of such carriages, and second primaries adjacent another part of the loop develop other electromagnetic waves for engaging hysteresis secondaries attached to active and to passive carriages to provide controlled abutting of the carriages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: William J. Hommes, John J. Keegan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5028289
    Abstract: Sheet material (4) is stretched transversely into longitudinally extending pleats by passage between intermeshing grooved rollers (A and B) having circularly or helically extending grooves in their surfaces. Each groove is formed of a base (6a,6b) and side walls (5a,5b) inclined outwardly to a peak (7a,7b). Portions of adjacent side walls (5a,5b) are parallel to one another. The peaks are less than about 3 mm apart and the film is stretched by the peaks and is compressed between the side walls by forcing the rollers together. The pleated material is generally then stretched longitudinally substantially to eliminate the pleats and it may then be again stretched transversely between a further set of intermeshing grooved rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Ole-Bendt Rasmussen
    Inventor: Ole-Bendt Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 4882006
    Abstract: A system stretches and severs a strip-like resin sheet unwound from a sheet roll to produce a product of a prescribed shape, the system having a stretching device having forming members for stretching the strip-like resin sheet into a fan-shaped resin sheet. The system includes a device disposed downstream of the stretching device for severing the fan-shaped resin sheet on cutting edges, and a feeding device disposed downstream of the severing device for feeding the product to a prescribed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shingo Seki
  • Patent number: 4862564
    Abstract: A thermoplastic material web is stretched transverse to the machine direction along a stretch course which widens exponentially in the stretching zone, an improved stretching apparatus being used to effect such stretching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Tae H. Kwack
  • Patent number: 4711751
    Abstract: A process of stretching tubular nets or plates made of extruded plastic material according to one or two directions at right angles to each other and an equipment for carrying out the same wherein said process consists in dipping the tubular net or plate into heated water, in causing it to be fitted on a substantially flat and wedge-shaped means, dipped into heated water too, and in cutting said net or plate close to at least one of the sides of said wedge-shaped means; and wherein said equipment consists of a substantially flat and wedge-shaped means disposed on a bearing casing and defined by a plurality of driving and idler pulleys disposed symmetrically two by two with respect to a vertical median plane of the equipment, in order to substantially define a wedge, said pulleys being drivingly connected to each other by at least a driving belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: Thermo Plastic Research Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lance W. Tipton
  • Patent number: 4554713
    Abstract: Differentially stretched plastic with a dyed border along one side suitable for shaded interlayers of laminated windshields moves in an arcuate path away from a frustoconical roll of a continuously operating differential web stretcher toward an intermittently operated web cutting machine, which tends to veer the web transversely every time it starts to pull a length of web into the cutting machine. The present invention realigns the arcuately shaped web between cutting operations when necessary to compensate for lateral veering of the arcuate plastic web from the arcuate path it takes so as to cause the web to enter the web cutting machine at a proper angle and orientation for cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1985
    Assignee: PPG Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Chabal
  • Patent number: 4525317
    Abstract: A film or fibrous web which has been stretched by moving at least two laterally spaced first longitudinal portions gripped by a first gripping means along at least two arcuate divergent paths formed jointly by at least two radially disposed first pulleys and endless belt means trained arcuately therearound, is further stretched by moving at least two laterally spaced second longitudinal portions adjacent to the first longitudinal portions gripped by a second gripping means along at least two arcuate divergent paths contiguous to the first arcuate divergent paths, respectively, formed jointly by at least two second pulleys, respectively, disposed downstream of and close to the first pulleys in coplanar relation thereto and second endless belt means trained arcuately therearound. The film while being stretched is heated to a temperature suitable for stretching with heated air and the like, or is softened by immersing in a bath of solvent or plasticizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1985
    Assignees: Nippon Petrochemicals, Co., Ltd., Polymer Processing Research Institute Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokio Okada, Haruhisa Tani, Shigezo Kojima, Kazuhiko Kurihara, Hirosi Yazawa
  • Patent number: 4476073
    Abstract: Method and system for orienting a multilayer polymeric film structure by differentially heating the films so that orientation at their respective optimal temperatures is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Charles R. Ashcraft
  • Patent number: 4464815
    Abstract: Apparatus for orienting a mailable film comprising means for pulling the film through at least one pair of multi-directional orientation rollers having helical grooves thereby imparting a random multi-directional orientation to the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Canterino, Craig E. Allen
  • Patent number: 4434128
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for stretching a thermoplastic polymer film in which the opposite selvages of the film are gripped by gripping means and are stretched transversely during heating by moving the selvages along two divergent arcuate paths lying in the same plane and extending over a predetermined circumferential range from a quater to a half of the full circumference of the circle containing the arcuate paths. In order to avoid drawbacks in the existing equipment such as irregular molecular orientation in and rupture of the film, the longitudinal travel of the film while being stretched is controlled by controlling means so that the central web portion is advanced by substantially the same distance as the gripped film selvages, whereby the amound of longitudinal movement of the film is held always constant throughout the width of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Assignees: Nippon Petrochemicals Co., Ltd, Polymer Processing Research Institute, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokio Okada, Shigezo Kojima, Haruhisa Tani, Kazuhiko Kurihara, Hirosi Yazawa
  • Patent number: 4384392
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for biaxial orientation of precrystalline polyacrylonitrile polymer sheet consisting essentially of a machine direction orientor which stretches the sheet in the machine direction a transverse direction orientor which stretches the sheet in the direction 90.degree. to the machine direction, both processes of which may be completed rapidly in a heated essentially aqueous environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Craig E. Allen
  • Patent number: 4331624
    Abstract: Longitudinal and transverse stretching of a tubular film is effected by gripping opposite selvages of the tubular film between a pair of substantially coplanar pulleys and a pair of endless belt means trained arcuately around the pulleys, respectively, and by rotating the pulleys at a peripheral speed greater than a speed of feed of the tubular film. As the film selvages progress along a pair of arcuate divergent paths, respectively, around the pulleys, the film is heated, reversed in direction of travel, and cut along the selvages into a pair of biaxially stretched sheets. Before stretching of the film, live steam is introduced into the tubular film for heating the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignees: Nippon Petrochemicals Co., Ltd., Polymer Processing Research Institute Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Yazawa, Hiroshi Yazawa, Haruhisa Tani, Kazuhiko Kurihara
  • Patent number: 4285100
    Abstract: There is described in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a process and apparatus for bi-axially stretching a non-woven web of synthetic fibers in a first and second station wherein the first and second stations are provided with sets of rolls having grooves parallel and perpendicular, respectively, to the axis of each set of rolls. The groove pattern of the rolls is generally a sinosoidal wave with distances between grooves of less than 1.0 millimeters times the web basis weight in grams per square meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1981
    Assignee: Biax Fiberfilm Corporation
    Inventor: Eckhard C. A. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 4025679
    Abstract: The product of the present invention is a fabric woven from oriented polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) strands, in which the strands of the weave are interconnected by a multiplicity of fine PTFE fibrils. To produce this fabric, consisting entirely of PTFE, a woven PTFE fabric is heated substantially unrestrained to a temperature above the crystalline melt point of PTFE and stretched. Alternatively, a woven PTFE fabric may be impregnated with other fluorocarbon polymers, heated substantially unrestrained to a temperature above the crystalline melt point of PTFE, and subsequently stretched, thereby generating a multiplicity of fine fibrils interconnecting the weave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Denny
  • Patent number: 3962760
    Abstract: An apparatus for expanding a laminating interlayer is disclosed. The apparatus includes structure for feeding a heated web of laminating interlayer material to a conical member. A stretching of the web occurs between the feeding structure and the conical member. The web is cooled on the conical member. The apparatus also includes structure which maximizes the yield from the web being stretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1976
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: George A. Koss, Daniel J. Gurta
  • Patent number: D409771
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: High End Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Stultz