System for depositing an imprint onto a substrate

• US 9,592,661 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Church & Dwight Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Church & Dwight Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Harrison, Michael J., Oleson, Andrew Y., Platt, William D., Grotyohann, Richard, Janse van Rensburg, Richard Wilheim
• Primary Examiner(s): Marini, Matthew G
• Application Number:
  US14/774,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20160031205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2006/048 with surface protuberances
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/04 Condoms, sheaths or the like , e.g. combined with devices protecting against contagion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/021 of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles, beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/026 of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 3/20 with fixed type-beds and travelling impression cylinders

Abstract

A system for depositing an imprint onto a substrate includes a deposition surface having at least one outlet disposed therein, a substrate holder for holding the substrate against the deposition surface, means operatively associated with the deposition surface for supplying a material through said at least outlet to deposit said material onto the substrate, and a spacer member disposed in contact between the deposition surface and the substrate.

Claims

1. A system for depositing an imprint onto a substrate, comprising:

a deposition surface having at least one outlet disposed therein;

a substrate holder for holding the substrate against the deposition surface, the substrate holder being rotatable and configured for movement across the deposition surface;

means operatively associated with the deposition surface for supplying a material through said at least one outlet to deposit said material onto the substrate; and

a spacer member formed of a resilient material disposed in contact between the deposition surface and the substrate, the spacer member forming a track for the movement of the rotatable substrate holder across the deposition surface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate is composed of an elastomeric material.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate is tubular or cylindrical.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the substrate is a condom.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the spacer member comprises a pair of elongated strips affixed to the deposition surface, said strips each being located on opposing sides of said at least one outlet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate holder is composed of a solid rigid material.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the solid rigid material is glass.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate holder comprises a mandrel.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the mandrel further comprises:

a cylindrical body having a base end and an opposed distal end;

said cylindrical body includes a base portion, an intermediate portion and a distal end portion; and

a squared edge portion extending peripherally around said distal end portion.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a ring recess disposed radially around the mandrel body between the base portion and the intermediate portion thereof.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising a texture recess disposed radially around the mandrel body between the intermediate portion and distal end portion thereof.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising a protrusion located centrally at the distal end of the mandrel body.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising a removable end cap operatively associated with a distal end portion of said mandrel.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the removable end cap includes means for securing said end cap to the distal end of said mandrel.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the securing means comprises a vacuum line extending through the center of said removable end cap.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the deposited material comprises a film-forming polymeric emulsion suspended in a liquid medium.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the film-forming polymeric emulsion comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of latex polymers, acrylic polymers, polyisoprene polymers, polyurethane polymers, polyvinyl polymers, polyepoxide polymers, polyvinyl chloride polymers, styrenic block polymers and combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the textured imprint comprises a deposition thickness of at least about 100 microns.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein imprint is textured.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate holder is tubular and has a longitudinal axis oriented perpendicular to the movement of the substrate holder across the deposition surface.