By Web Or Strand Tension Or Breaking Patents (Class 34/556)
  • Patent number: 6996921
    Abstract: A web positioning device includes one or more ports positioned in or adjacent at least one platen of a gap drying system, wherein upon generation of a vacuum force through each port, movement of a web of material conveyed through the gap drying system is arrested by drawing a first face of the web of material into contact with a portion of the web positioning device immediately surrounding each port. A method for controlling movement of a portion of a web of material using the web positioning device is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William Blake Kolb, Don W. Hendrickson, Gary L. Huelsman
  • Patent number: 5787606
    Abstract: A clothes dryer fabric softener sheet dispenser with a fabric softener sheet dispenser mounted on a door of a clothes dryer, a filling chamber in the dispenser for holding a roll of fabric softener sheets, a sheet guide inside the filling chamber guiding the sheets away from the filling chamber, a pair of electric motors allowing the driving of the sheets away from the sheet guide and allowing the driving of the sheets away from the filling chamber toward a dryer compartment of the clothes dryer. The clothes dryer fabric softener sheet dispenser also has belts for engaging the sheets driven from the sheet guide in order to facilitate movement toward the dryer compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Inventor: Timothy A. Bokholdt