Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing paint rollers comprising
extruding a rotating hollow cylindrical plastic core through a rotating extruder head wherein the core exits the extruder head without an internal support structure inside the core, and securing an absorbent sheet material onto an outer surface of the core.
- 2. The method of 1 wherein a rotational angle of the core is defined by the rate of rotation of the extruder head and the forward movement of the core, the securing step including the step of introducing a fabric to the outer surface of the core at a helical angle matching the rotational angle of the core so that a uniform seam between successive wraps of fabric is achieved.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the core moves forward at a rate of approximately 3.375 inches per full revolution of the extruder head.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of moving the core through a cooling chamber between the extruding step and the securing step.
- 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of cooling the core between the extruding step and the securing step.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the cooling step includes the step of spraying water on the core.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the cooling step proceeds until the core has a temperature of about 225° F. or less.
- 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of vacuum sizing the core after it exits the extrusion head before the core cools to a freeze point.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the vacuum sizing includes the step of moving the core into a vacuum sizing chamber and applying a vacuum to the outer surface of the core.
- 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of vacuum sizing the core and simultaneously cooling the core in a vacuum sizing and cooling chamber between the extruding step and the securing step.
- 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of winding and pulling the core between the extruding step and the securing step.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the winding and pulling steps are performed by a winding belt.
- 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of coordinating the rate of extruder rotation and winding belt speed.
- 14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of moving the core through a first hollow guide mandrel upstream from the winding belt and moving the core through a second hollow guide mandrel downstream from the winding belt.
- 15. The method of claim 1 further comprising plasma treating the outer surface of the core prior to the securing step.
- 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the plasma treating step includes the step of applying corona discharge to the outer surface of the core.
- 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising applying epoxy resin to the outer surface of the core prior to the securing step.
- 18. The method of claim 15 further comprising applying epoxy resin to the outer surface of the core after the plasma treating step and prior to the securing step.
- 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of applying epoxy resin includes the steps of extruding thin films of first and second epoxy resin subcomponents.
- 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the extruding step and the securing step are performed in a single continuous process.
- 21. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of cutting the core into sections according to desired paint roller dimensions after the securing step.
- 22. An apparatus for producing paint rollers comprising
an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a rotating hollow cylindrical plastic core without an internal support structure inside the core as it exits the head, an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head, and a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the extruder.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising
a vacuum sizing and cooling chamber downstream from the extruder and upstream from the fabric application mechanism.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising
a winder-puller belt for coordinating rotation and forward movement of the core, the belt being positioned downstream from the extruder and upstream from the fabric application mechanism, wherein the winder-puller is controlled by the extruder drive unit.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a first hollow guide mandrel upstream from the winder-puller belt, and a second hollow guide mandrel downstream from the winder-puller belt.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising
a corona discharge element for plasma treating the core upstream from the fabric application mechanism.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising
an epoxy resin extruder for applying thin films of resin onto an outer surface of the core upstream from the fabric application mechanism.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a parabolic infrared heater located downstream from the epoxy resin extruder for heating films of epoxy resin prior to applying fabric.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a cut-off saw located downstream from the fabric application mechanism for cutting the core into sections according to desired paint roller dimensions.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the extruder and the fabric application mechanism are operatively connected in a continuous paint roller fabrication process.
- 31. A method of manufacturing paint rollers comprising
extruding a cylindrical plastic core, plasma-treating an outer surface of the core after the extruding step, and securing an absorbent sheet material onto the outer surface of the core.
- 32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of
applying adhesive to the outer surface of the core after the plasma-treating step.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the extruding step, plasma-treating step, applying step, and securing step are all performed in a single continuous process.
- 34. A paint roller cover comprising
a cylindrical extruded plastic core having an outer surface, an absorbent fabric bound to the outer surface by an epoxy adhesive.
- 35. The cover of claim 34 wherein the outer surface of the core is plasma etched.
- 36. A method of manufacturing paint rollers comprising
extruding a cylindrical plastic core through a rotating extruder head without an internal support structure inside the core as the core exits the extruder head, winding and pulling the core by a winding belt while coordinating the rate of extruder head rotation and winding belt speed, and securing an absorbent sheet material onto an outer surface of the core.
- 37. An apparatus for producing paint rollers comprising
an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a hollow cylindrical plastic core without an internal support structure inside the core as the core exits the head, an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head, a winder-puller belt for coordinating rotation and forward movement of the core, the belt being positioned downstream from the extruder and upstream from the fabric application mechanism, wherein the winder-puller belt is controlled by the extruder drive unit, a first hollow guide mandrel upstream from the winder-puller belt, and a second hollow guide mandrel down stream from the winder-puller belt, and a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the extruder.
- 38. An apparatus for producing paint rollers comprising
an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a hollow cylindrical plastic core without an internal support structure inside the core as the core exits the head, an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head, a plasma treatment station downstream from the extruder, an epoxy resin extruder for applying thin films of resin onto an outer surface of the core upstream from the fabric application mechanism, and a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the extruder.
- 39. An apparatus for producing paint rollers comprising
an extruder including a rotatable head configured to extrude a rotating hollow cylindrical plastic core, an extruder drive unit for driving rotation of the head, a fabric application mechanism located downstream from the extruder, a winder-puller belt for coordinating rotation and forward movement of the core, the belt being positioned downstream from the extruder and upstream from the fabric application mechanism, wherein the winder-puller is controlled by the extruder drive unit, and a first hollow guide mandrel upstream from the winder-puller belt, and a second hollow guide mandrel downstream from the winder-puller belt.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/024,971, filed Feb. 6, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09024971 |
Feb 1998 |
US |
Child |
09733620 |
Dec 2000 |
US |