Apparatus and method for placing particles in a pattern onto a substrate
First Claim
1. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
- a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the side wall of the rotary screen; and
c) a sheet positioned within the interior chamber of the rotary screen so as to receive and deliver particles to the rotary screen substantially along the blade.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate, methods for using the apparatus to deposit particles on a substrate and substrates prepared using the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a rotary screen, a blade disposed for directing and urging the particles through the screen, and a sheet mounted in a position to receive the particles from a feeder and deliver the particles to the rotary screen substantially across the blade. The apparatus can include a frame on which a rotary screen is rotatably mounted and a feed system disposed within and extending substantially along the length of the screen for distributing the particles. The apparatus can optionally include a vacuum means, an anti-static means and/or collection pans for handling stray particles. The screen can include a series of openings in the form of a pattern, and can be used to place particles in a pattern in register with a design or pattern on a substrate as the substrate passes under the openings in the screen.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the side wall of the rotary screen; and
c) a sheet positioned within the interior chamber of the rotary screen so as to receive and deliver particles to the rotary screen substantially along the blade. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30)
-
-
12. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a frame;
b) a rotary screen, which screen is mounted to the frame; and
c) a flexible sheet disposed within the rotary screen.
-
-
16. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the side wall of the rotary screen; and
c) an ionization bar mounted adjacent the rotary screen for removing electrostatic charges from particles attached to the rotary screen.
-
-
17. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the side wall of the rotary screen; and
c) a particulate removal system disposed within the interior cavity of the rotary screen.
-
-
19. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the side wall of the rotary screen; and
c) collection pan mounted adjacent the rotary screen in a position for catching excess particles from the rotary screen.
-
-
23. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the side wall of the rotary screen; and
c) a collection pan disposed adjacent the rotary screen.
-
-
24. A method for depositing particles on a substrate, comprising:
-
a) feeding particles to an apparatus comprising;
i) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
ii) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the rotary screen; and
iii) a sheet positioned within the interior chamber of the rotary screen so as to receive the particles and deliver the particles to the rotary screen substantially along the blade, and b) rotating the rotary screen so that the particles pass through the perforations in the side wall, and c) passing a substrate under the rotary screen as the particles pass through the perforations in a manner in which the screen does not physically contact the substrate.
-
-
29. A surface covering or surface covering component comprising a substrate, an adhesive layer overlying substantially the entire substrate and a layer of particles deposited on the adhesive in the form of a pattern.
-
31. A surface covering or surface covering component comprising a substrate, an adhesive layer overlying the substrate and a layer of particles overlying the adhesive layer, said particles having a composition different that the composition of said substrate, the thickness of said layer of particles being greater than any dimension of said particles.
- 32. A surface covering or surface covering component comprising a substrate, a pattern layer directly or indirectly overlying the substrate, and a layer of particles contacting the pattern layer and in register with at least a portion of the pattern layer, particles of the layer of particles being fused to the pattern layer.
-
38. An apparatus for placing particles onto a substrate comprising:
-
a) a rotary screen comprising a side wall defining an interior chamber and a series of perforations formed in the side wall for controllably depositing particles onto a substrate;
b) a blade extending proximate the rotary screen for directing the particles to pass through the perforations in the rotary screen;
c) an adjusting mechanism attached to the blade; and
d) a frame, wherein the rotary screen and blade are mounted to the frame in such a manner that the blade is positioned within the interior chamber of the rotary screen so as to deliver particles through the perforations in the rotary screen, and wherein the adjusting mechanism permits the blade to pivot.
-
Specification