Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing a perforated roller cover, the method comprising:
placing a roller cover having a core portion and an application medium on a support member; positioning at least one perforating station proximate to the support member, the perforating station having at least one perforating device; exposing the core portion at a first location; and moving at least one of the roller cover and the perforating device relative to one another between a non-piercing position and a piercing position to pierce the core in the first location; and removing the roller cover from the support member.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the support member is cylindrical and has at least one opening for receiving the perforating device in the piercing position.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the perforating station further includes a nozzle adapted to direct pressurized air at the application medium to create a separation in the application medium so as to expose the core portion.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the perforating device is a pin member.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pin member is heated by a heat source.
- 6. The method of claim 5, including heating the pin member to a temperature above a melting temperature of the core portion.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the support member after piercing in the first location.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising rotating the support member after piercing in the first location.
- 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the perforating station after piercing in the first location.
- 10. The method of claim 7, further comprising rotating the perforating station after piercing in the first location.
- 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of cutting the roller cover into commercial sized segments.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the perforating device is pneumatically actuated.
- 13. The method of claim 1, including moving at least one of the roller cover and the perforating device relative to one another between the non-piercing position and the piercing position to pierce the core in a second location.
- 14. The method of claim 1, including moving the perforating device relative to the roller cover between the non-piercing position and the piercing position.
- 15. A perforated roller cover manufactured according to the method of claim 1.
- 16. An apparatus for piercing roller covers having an application medium adhered to a core, comprising:
at least one perforating station having at least one piercing device, at least one application medium separation device and a heat source; a mandrel having a plurality of openings and adapted to support the roller cover; and an actuator adapted to move the perforating station between a piercing position and a non-piercing position.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the mandrel includes passageways adapted to receive a coolant.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the application medium separation device includes a nozzle adapted to deliver a gas from a pressurized gas source to separate the application medium and create an exposed core portion.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the piercing device pierces the core at the exposed core portion.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the perforation device is a pin having a point.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the pin has a length sufficient to pierce a near side and a far side of the core.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the actuator is adapted to rotate the perforating station between an application medium separation position and a perforating position.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the mandrel is adapted to rotate the roller cover for piercing in a first location and a second location.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the heat source is adapted to heat the perforating device to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the core.
- 25. A perforating apparatus for roller covers, comprising:
a support sleeve adapted to hold the roller cover; a perforating station having at least one piercing device adapted to selectively engage the roller cover; an actuator being further operable to move the piercing device between a first position and a second position adapted to pierce the roller cover in a first location; the actuator being further operable to move the perforating station for piercing the roller cover in a second location.
- 26. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the perforating station is positioned within the support sleeve.
- 27. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the piercing device is extendable and retractable.
- 28. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the perforating station is rotatable.
- 29. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the actuator is pneumatically operated.
- 30. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the support sleeve and the perforating station rotate in opposite directions in piercing engagement.
- 31. The perforating apparatus of claim 30, wherein the perforating apparatus is an angular wheel having a plurality of rows of pins and a plurality of nozzles.
- 32. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the perforating station is a roller having a plurality of outwardly projecting spines.
- 33. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the piercing device is a water jet.
- 34. The perforating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the piercing device is a laser.
- 35. An apparatus for piercing a roller cover, the apparatus comprising:
a support configured to support the cylindrical core; and at least one piercing device disposed within an interior of the cylindrical core and configured to perforate the core.
- 36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the piercing device is heated to a temperature above a melting point temperature of the core.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 35, including an actuator configured to actuate the piercing device between a piercing position and a non-piercing position.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein, the core extends along a first axis and the at least one piercing device rotates about a second axis offset from the first axis.
- 39. A method for manufacturing a plurality of perforated roller covers having a first axial length, the method comprising:
continuously forming an elongate roller cover stock having a second axial length greater than the first axial length, the roller cover stock including a core portion and an application medium; perforating at least the core portion of the roller cover stock; and dividing a perforated roller cover stock into a plurality of the first axial lengths.
- 40. The method of claim 39, including perforating the application medium to expose an area of the core portion, wherein the exposed area of the core portion is perforated.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the priority of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/278,973 titled “Perforated Roller Cover and Methods of Manufacture Thereof” filed Mar. 27, 2001, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60278973 |
Mar 2001 |
US |