Film stretching apparatus and film stretching method

• US 20050211387A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Toshinao, Osaki, Kazunori, Suzuki, Nobuyuki, Ikeda, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,896,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/382
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/26 by depositing flowable material on a rotating drum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/14 successively
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/20 Edge clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2001/00 Use of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives, e.g. viscose, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 13/12 Controlling movement, tension or position of material
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/004 in the shape of discrete sheets wicket conveyors F26B15/085
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 425/053 Stretch

Abstract

In a tenter dryer, while a film is dried, the stretch or the relaxation of the film are made. The tenter dryer includes first-third drying chambers for independently controlling the drying conditions and a shiftable stretch/relaxation device for making the stretch and the relaxation of the film with holding the film. When the stretch/relaxation device holds four edges, cutter blades provided in a drying nozzle cut the film to sheet films. Then while holding the film, the stretch/relaxation device moves between the first-third drying chambers in which drying conditions are previously controlled.

Claims

1. A film stretching apparatus comprising:

a cutting device for cutting a continuous film to sheet films; and

a stretching device for stretching each of said sheet films to a predetermined direction.

2. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said stretching device includes a first stretcher for stretching said sheet film in a first direction and a second stretcher for stretching said sheet film in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.

3. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 2, wherein at least one of said first and second stretchers has a holder for holding edges of said sheet film and a shifting mechanism for shifting said holder.

4. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 3, wherein said sheet film is stretched while said holder holds four sides of said sheet film.

5. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 1, further comprising a liquid applying device for previously making said sheet film or said continuous film absorb the solvent or the water.

6. A film stretching apparatus comprising:

a drying chamber for drying a film containing a solvent or a water;

a cutting device for cutting said film to sheet films before or during the drying; and

a stretching device for stretching said sheet film in a predetermined direction in said drying chamber.

7. A film stretching apparatus comprising:

plural drying chambers for drying a film containing a solvent or a water;

a cutting device for cutting said film to the sheet films before or during the drying; and

a stretching device for stretching said sheet film in a predetermined direction in said drying chambers.

8. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 7, further comprising a controller for independently controlling said drying conditions in each drying chamber.

9. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 7, wherein said stretching device includes a first stretcher for stretching said film in a first direction and a second stretcher for stretching said film in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.

10. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 9, wherein at least one of said first and second stretchers has a holder for holding edges of said sheet film and a shifting mechanism for shifting said holder.

11. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 10, wherein said sheet film is stretched while said holder holds each of four sides of said sheet film.

12. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 7, wherein said stretching device includes a moving mechanism for moving from one to another one of said drying chambers.

13. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 7, further comprising a liquid applying device for previously making said film absorb a solvent and a water.

14. A film stretching apparatus described in claim 7, wherein said cutting device is provided in at least one of said drying chambers.

15. A film stretching method comprising steps of:

cutting a continuous film to sheet films; and

stretching each of said sheet films in a predetermined direction.

16. A film stretching method described in claim 15, wherein the stretching is made while edges of the sheet films are held.

17. A film stretching method described in claim 16, wherein the stretching is made during the drying.

18. A film stretching method described in claim 15, further comprising previously making said film absorb a solvent or a water.

19. A film stretching method comprising steps of:

drying a film;

cutting said film to sheet films before or during the drying; and

stretching said sheet film in a first direction.

20. A film stretching method described in claim 19, wherein said film or each of said sheet film contains said solvent or a water during the drying.

21. A film stretching method described in claim 20, wherein drying conditions in the drying are varied.

22. A film stretching method described in claim 21, wherein the drying is made in plural drying chambers, and said drying conditions are independently controlled between said drying chambers.

23. A film stretching method described in claim 20, further comprising stretching in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.

24. A film stretching method described in claim 23, wherein at least one of the stretching said sheet film in said first direction and the stretching in said second direction is made during the hold of edges of said sheet film.

25. A film stretching method described in claim 24, wherein the stretching in said first and second directions is made in said drying.

26. A film stretching method described in claim 20, further comprising previously making said film absorb the solvent or the water.