Systems and methods for forming laminates

• US 9,751,288 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Walsh, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sing P
• Application Number:
  US14/978,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20160176179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 156247, 156249, 156538, 156539, 156553, 156555, 156578, 156580, 156581, 156582
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/18 comprising iron or steel B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/268 Release layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/047 Perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/416 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/732 Dimensional properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/75 Printability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/70 Automated, e.g. using a computer or microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/70 Food packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2509/00 Household appliances
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 29/00 Layered products comprising a layer of paper or cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/02 characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/025 Transfer laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1292 : selectively, e.g. in stripes, in patterns B32B37/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/203 : One or more of the layers being plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/04 : Punching, slitting or perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 : Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 : Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 : Printing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/344 : Geometry or shape factors influencing the microwave heating properties
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3467 : Microwave reactive layer shaped by delamination, demetallizing or embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3468 : Microwave reactive material directly applied on paper substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3472 : Aluminium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3478 : Stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3479 : Other metallic compounds, e.g. silver, gold, copper, nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3489 : Microwave reflector, i.e. microwave shield B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3446 : specially adapted to be heated by microwaves

Abstract

A method for forming a laminate can comprise moving an initial laminate and a sacrificial web at least partially coated with an adhesive in a downstream direction. The initial laminate can comprise a base web and an interactive web comprising a retained section and a scrap section. The method also can comprise forming a compound laminate by nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web between a raised feature of a nip roller and an opposing support surface so that the adhesive at least partially bonds the sacrificial web to the scrap section. In addition, the method can comprise separating the compound laminate into a resultant laminate, comprising the base web and at least the retained section of the interactive web, and a sacrificial laminate, comprising the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web.

Claims

1. A method for forming a laminate, the method comprising:

moving an initial laminate and a sacrificial web in a downstream direction, the initial laminate comprising a base web and an interactive web, the interactive web comprising a retained section and a scrap section, and the sacrificial web being at least partially coated with an adhesive;

receiving the sacrificial web and the initial laminate between a nip roller and an opposing support surface, the nip roller comprising a raised feature and a recess;

forming a compound laminate comprising the sacrificial web and the initial laminate, the forming the compound laminate comprising nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web between the raised feature of the nip roller and the opposing support surface so that the adhesive at least partially bonds the sacrificial web to the scrap section; and

separating the compound laminate into a resultant laminate and a sacrificial laminate, the resultant laminate comprising the base web and at least the retained section of the interactive web and the sacrificial laminate comprising the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating the compound laminate comprises moving the sacrificial web away from the resultant laminate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the retained section of the interactive web is at least partially bonded to the base web prior to the receiving the sacrificial web and the initial laminate between the nip roller and the opposing support surface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising aligning the recess of the nip roller with at least a portion of the retained section of the interactive web during the nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive web comprises a plurality of retained sections and the nip roller comprises a plurality of recesses, the recesses of the plurality of recesses being aligned with at least a portion of respective retained sections of the plurality of retained sections during the nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the initial laminate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive web comprises a plurality of scrap sections and the nip roller comprises a plurality of raised features, and the nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web comprises engaging the raised features of the plurality of raised features with respective scrap section of the plurality scrap sections so that the adhesive at least partially bonds the sacrificial web to the plurality of scrap sections.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the adhesive to the sacrificial web so that the sacrificial web is generally homogenously coated with adhesive prior to the receiving the sacrificial web and the initial laminate between a nip roller and an opposing support surface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the adhesive to the sacrificial web in an adhesive pattern prior to the receiving the sacrificial web and the initial laminate between a nip roller and an opposing support surface, wherein the adhesive pattern is at least partially aligned with the scrap section during the receiving the sacrificial web and the initial laminate between a nip roller and an opposing support surface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the nip roller is a first nip roller and the opposing support surface is a second nip roller disposed opposite to the first nip roller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving the initial laminate and the sacrificial web in the downstream direction comprises moving at least the initial laminate along an outer surface of a central drum, the nip roller is disposed adjacent the central drum with the initial laminate and the sacrificial web disposed between the outer surface of the central drum and the nip roller, and the outer surface of the central drum comprises the opposing support surface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating the compound laminate into the resultant laminate and the sacrificial laminate comprises moving the sacrificial web in an at least partially transverse direction with respect to the downstream direction while moving the resultant laminate in the downstream direction from the nip roller.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising moving the compound laminate in the downstream direction from the nip roller to a nip roller prior to the separating the compound laminate into the resultant laminate and the sacrificial laminate, wherein the moving the sacrificial web in the at least partially transverse direction comprises moving the sacrificial web along a peel-away roller that is spaced apart from the nip roller in the downstream direction.

13. A system for forming a laminate, the system comprising:

a nip roller comprising a raised feature and a recess;

an opposing support surface disposed opposite the nip roller, the nip roller and the opposing support surface being for receiving an initial laminate and a sacrificial web between the nip roller and the opposing support surface, the initial laminate comprising a base web and an interactive web, the interactive web comprising a retained section and a scrap section, and the sacrificial web being at least partially coated with an adhesive, wherein the raised portion of the nip roller is for being generally aligned with the scrap section of the interactive web so that the sacrificial web is nipped to at least a portion of the scrap section; and

a peel-away apparatus for separating the sacrificial web and the scrap section from the base web and the retained section.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the peel-away apparatus is for moving the sacrificial web away from the resultant laminate.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the recess of the nip roller is for being aligned with at least a portion of the retained section of the interactive web.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the nip roller comprises a plurality of recesses for being aligned with respective retained sections of a plurality of retained sections of the interactive web.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the nip roller comprises a plurality of raised features for engaging respective scrap sections of a plurality of scrap sections of the interactive web.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising an adhesive applicator engaging the sacrificial web for applying the adhesive to the sacrificial web so that the sacrificial web is generally homogenously coated with adhesive.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising an adhesive applicator engaging the sacrificial web for applying the adhesive to the sacrificial web in an adhesive pattern, wherein the adhesive pattern is for being at least partially aligned with the scrap section of the interactive web.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the nip roller is a first nip roller and the opposing support surface is a second nip roller disposed opposite to the first nip roller.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising a central drum for moving at least the initial laminate in a downstream direction, wherein the nip roller is disposed adjacent the central drum, the initial laminate and the sacrificial web are for being disposed between an outer surface of the central drum and the nip roller, and the outer surface of the central drum comprises the opposing support surface.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the peel-away apparatus is for moving the sacrificial web in an at least partially transverse direction with respect to a downstream direction while moving the resultant laminate in the downstream direction from the nip roller.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the peel-away apparatus comprises a peel-away roller disposed in the downstream direction from the nip roller.