Apparatus for guiding continuous fibers
US7134371B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 14, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 28, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T83/4838
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is directed towards an apparatus for guiding continuous materials. In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises first and second conveyors, each comprising a continuous conveyor belt carried by a set of pulleys including a drive pulley and an idler pulley. The conveyor belts have opposing inner surfaces that are oriented to travel substantially parallel to one another to sandwich continuous materials therebetween. The ratio of the diameters of the idler pulleys to the drive pulleys is greater than about 8:1. In another embodiment of the invention, a chopper is provided. The chopper comprises a cutting roll and a cot member defining a nip region therebetween. The cutting roll has an axis of rotation that is aligned substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of a cot member. The small turning radii permit the conveyor belts to extend within the nip region.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.