Patent · US Expired

Method and arrangement for supporting a web and avoiding air losses in a heat treating apparatus

US6431858B1 · kind B1 · utility

9Cited by
7References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 14, 2001
Grant dateAug 13, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 14, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF26B13/005
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

In an apparatus for heat treating a material web that enters and exits the apparatus through respective gaps, an air cushion generating unit includes a slot nozzle through which a ventilator blows a laminar flow of air, which then flows laminarly along a convexly curved surface of the unit, to form a laminar air cushion which flows directly along the material web through one of the gaps, then expands outside of this gap, and is sucked back into the air cushion generating unit and recirculated through the slot nozzle. The laminar air cushion steadily holds and supports the material web so that the mechanical gap size can be reduced while reducing losses of hot process air and still avoiding physical contact with the material web.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.