DK201000211U3 - Laminator for laminating and applying signs / pictures and / or transferring printed / printed elements to e.g. foam boards or metal sheets in modular construction - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a laminating system composed of modular segments. This makes it easy to add or replace individual module parts of the emerging laminating table. The invention thereby also solves transport and installation especially for very large laminating devices, since it is not necessary to transport a compact unit but only the inventive individual modular elements.

Description

DK 2010 00211 U3

Laminerinasudstvr.

The attached invention relates to laminating equipment, especially laminating tables.

Within there is a need to protect the sign industry. Inkjet printed or offset printed images or texts against mechanical impact with a protection e.g. a clear or matte lamination so that images and texts are not scratched or otherwise mechanically damaged. This is e.g. an advantage of signs placed outdoors and thus exposed to the weather. Especially materials adhered to cars must be protected as mounted images or texts when passing through automatic washing machines will slowly wear off the color.

In the normal lamination technique, texts, images or graphic patterns are first transferred onto a self-adhesive foil whose adhesive backing is protected with a removable layer such as silicone paper. After positioning the self-adhesive film on the laminated substrate, the removable protective silicone paper is gradually removed and the adhesive film is pressed against the substrate, thereby being fixed thereon. The substrate desired to be laminated, e.g. signs or exhibition walls, for example. consist of cardboard, plastic, wood or metal. It is thus important to transfer, among other things, images and texts air bubble-free and smooth directly on the base material. This process can be difficult to perform especially with manual lamination, especially on large surfaces. Often air bubbles are left or folds that cannot be removed later.

To avoid this, one can use a water / soap solution which is applied to the image or text material with a spray bottle and which causes the self-adhesive laminate to not immediately adhere to the image / text material. You can now more easily with a scraper or roll squeeze soapy water and air pockets out of the laminate which, when the soapy water is evaporated, will be completely smooth and strongly adhesive.

The disadvantage of this method is that the entire table where the process is performed sails in soapy water and involves a cleaning process before the next job can be performed.

A mechanical solution for applying laminate without soapy water uses 2 superposed rotating rubber rollers between which the image and laminate foil are passed together. Typically, the 2 rubber rollers are pressed against each other with a mechanical system and the applied pressure prevents the formation of air pockets and folds.

in DK 2010 00211 U3

This machine lamination has the disadvantage that it can be difficult to run laminate and image / text material all the way through the machine, even a small skew at the driveway can grow to several cm, depending on the length of the sandwich.

Also, 2 rubber rolls pressed against each other cannot be avoided, depending on the length, to exert greater pressure on the laminate sandwich on the outside of the rollers, resulting in a tendency for air pockets in the center of the laminated material, especially when laminating long webs.

To solve this problem special laminators with rubber rollers have been developed.

Thus, e.g. the diameter of one or both rollers be thicker towards the center to smooth the different pressure between the sides and the center.

This solution is obviously not ideal since the nature of the material to be laminated is included as a significant factor in the lamination process.

Non-cylindrical rollers can at best be optimized for a simple type of material - in other laminate materials, such rolling properties can therefore even lead to enhanced air pocket formation

In order to laminate long plastic or metal objects with pictures / texts, an inlet table is required so that the plate can be steered straight in between the rubber rollers and on the outlet side a table that prevents the plate from bending or falling on the floor. These support tables are often not present on standard equipment or for small space.

One solution to the above problems may be to place the object desired for lamination on a flat surface, e.g. a table and then with a simple pressurized roller, which is pulled over a laminating object via a set of rails on each side of the table, thereby transmitting the laminate without folds or blisters.

As a backpressure, a plastic material lying on the table is used e.g. 5mm thick.

One type of laminating device is e.g. disclosed in European patent specification EP 0986459.

2 GB 2010 00211 U3 In this device a stable square laminating table is used, on which the object desired for lamination is laid. FIG. 1 shows this device which, depending on the design, can be several meters long, likewise the width of the table can also be several meters wide depending on the application. Along the table are running rails on which a driving device with a rolling system can move up and down across the longitudinal direction of the table.

In connection with the manual drive, the roller system is stabilized with a cross bar mounted above the roller, which in a rigid construction is connected to the driving system.

By means of vertical movement devices at both ends the roller can be moved in height parallel to the cross bar. In this way, the lifting device can be easily operated at a desired position above the table by the raised roller. In the actual lamination process, the roller is lowered by the height adjustment with the desired pressure on the laminating object.

The laminating device described here has the disadvantage that, regardless of the desired size, it is largely locked in the dimensions. A customer is therefore required, upon purchase, to decide on a fixed width or length - a subsequent change of length or width of the table will require a rebuild, roughly equivalent to a new manufacture. Thus, the table top, which is made in one piece, must be completely renewed and the overall table frame structure replaced by a new one. Likewise, it will not only be necessary to replace the drum but also control the unit for it.

Particularly problematic is the transport of laminating tables in the present embodiment in large sizes due to the large frame and the associated large countertop, which makes it necessary to insert special transport vehicles to avoid damage.

Another problem may arise with the buyer when, due to difficult bearing conditions and small premises, he can only receive the equipment associated with major problems.

Thus, delivery and installation of the table frame and associated table top for a larger laminating table of the type described in a living room workspace is only possible when the access conditions are sufficiently sized.

It is almost impossible to supply and set up one of these types of laminate tables in basement or right-hand floors, due to the size of the large frame and countertop.

The present invention is based on the laminating device described in patent EP 0986459 as the closest current state of the art. The invention is to develop a laminating device which can overcome the disadvantages described here. This task is solved with the characteristics of the main concept as described in claim 1 and with the characteristic properties of claim 1.

The inventive laminating device is modularly constructed. The individual elements are at the same time both frame elements and part of the supporting structure of which the laminating device is composed, and the composite elements thereby constitute the tabletop elements on which the lamination itself is to take place, and also serve as a holder of the rail elements used for moving the movable roller unit with which the roller can be lowered under pressure on the worktop.

The invention will be further described in the following enclosed embodiment with accompanying drawings.

The drawings show:

Figure 1 Known laminating table according to current state of the art

Figure 2 Perspective of an embodiment of the invented modular laminating table.

Figure 3 Drawing of the invented laminating table with reference to FIG. 2

Figure 4 A frame segment of the modular lamination board invention.

Figure 5 The modular frame construction.

Figure 6 An extended embodiment of the invented laminating table (in perspective)

Figure 7 Expansion frame element (in perspective)

Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the inventive modular system for laminating tables.

In this simple embodiment, only 2 frame segments (1), (2) with common connecting ice technique are fixed to each other and thus form a simple rectangular frame structure of 4 legs (3).

On 2 parallel sides of the frame structure, the rail elements with alm. connection technique applied. These rail elements (4) serve to drive the perpendicular roller unit (5), which over a movable mechanism (7) as in the known laminating table fig. 1, the double side is mounted on the rail elements (4) and thus is linearly movable. This moving mechanism (7) can e.g. be made by ball, roller or slide bearings.

The roller (8) can be lowered onto the worktop (9) by means of a height adjustment (not shown) installed in the roller unit (5). This countertop (9) consists in the modular invention of individual countertop elements (10) which are assembled on the frame structure (1,2) and which consist of durable material that can withstand the pressure of the roller (8) without bending. Depending on the design, it can be wooden boards, reinforced metal or plastic sheets or also stable glass sheets of the required thickness. The latter are particularly advantageous since, with the aid of light elements, e.g. LEDs, halogen tubes or fluorescent lamps can evenly illuminate the countertop so that the positioning of the laminating foil is simplified when placed on the laminating object.

Typically, a transparent foil (not shown) is laid on the table elements (10) which smoothes the narrow gap that occurs between the table elements (10) so that the lamination result is not affected. This film can e.g. be in approx. 5mm thick PVC cutting foil.

In the embodiment shown, an additional level (11) is inserted under the table (9). This can be done e.g. used as a drawer for the mounted light elements.

Figure 3 shows a picture of a composite lamination table with reference to Figure 2.1 this example, three equal segments (10) are used. However, the invention is not limited by this format or the elements must be of equal size, as desired, the segments (10) can have both different widths and lengths so that the desired composite final format can be obtained.

As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, each frame segment (1,2) consists of 2 parallel frame parts (12), 2 frame legs (3) and a cross connection (13). To compensate for floor level differences, height-adjustable feet have been fitted which may alternatively also be wheels.

The system invented is not limited by the embodiments shown here. Other embodiments may have multiple cross-links (13) (side by side or above each other as stabilizing elements). Additional legs (3) may also be used e.g. as the center piece at very wide cross-links (13). All of these elements are preferably performed by standard systems, such as atm. connection technology is assembled into 5 DK 2010 00211 U3 frame segments (1,2). Metal profile parts have proved particularly advantageous e.g. aluminum already available in various standard forms.

A particular advantage of the modular invention is that the frame segments (1,2) can be prefabricated to standard basic sizes, thus an already executed frame segment (1,2) can be extended by simple addition. In particular, there is an advantage when different frame rail elements, as standard, have different lengths (eg 1- 2- and 3 meters).

A combination of such frame elements (1,2) enables the system to be easily and quickly constructed at any length. Similarly, the length of the cross-links (13) can also be prefabricated in various standard dimensions.

A major advantage of the invention is the ease of transport, since rebuilds and subsequent length changes of the frame element (1,2) can be delivered as either pre-assembled elements or in the individual pieces (3,4,12,13).

As mentioned, the invention enables simple and easy resizing after delivery. As shown in FIG. 5, a simple extension of an existing lamination table can be accomplished by simply connecting additional frame segments (1,2).

Subsequently, it is then only necessary to place the required number of countertops (10) and replace the cutting foil (eg of PVC) so that it also covers the applied extension.

FIG. 6 shows in perspective a frame segment composed of several elements (1,2)

Thus, for the modular lamination invention, several composite rail elements (4) can be mounted to guide the roller unit (5), depending on the overall length.

In order to more easily be able to join several frame segments (1,2) with a continuous rail structure, as shown in the embodiment, the rail elements (4) are extended beyond the ends of the parallel frame elements (12) (eg as in Fig. 2, fig. 4), the rail elements (4) can be easily mechanically fixed to the frame segments (1,2). Thus, the transition of a subsequent rail element (4) to the frame segment (12) can be carried out with great accuracy.

6 DK 2010 00211 U3

It has also been found to be an advantage that the projecting rail elements (4) are made with e.g. notches, cones or the like can serve as mounting aids, thereby ensuring an almost joint-free transition to subsequent rail elements (4). This ensures easy and non-slip movement of the roller unit (5).

Thus, the above rail elements (4) can, as shown in FIG. 7 be provided with end members (15) for stabilization and to prevent injury.

Alternatively, this terminating element (15) may be designed as a removable rod e.g. for hanging a laminate roll.

The modular invention even makes it possible to subsequently change the original width of the lamination table by replacing the cross-links (13) in the frame segments (1,2) with longer, replacing the roller (5) with a wider one, and providing the countertops (10) with a corresponding wider PVC cutting foil.

The modular structure of the invention solves all transport problems even at very large laminating tables, since instead of sending a compact unit the modular components (1; 2; 4; 5; 10) can be sent. Also, the modular invention solves the problems of installing large lamination tables as normal entryways (doors, stairs, elevators, etc.) are sufficient to supply the modular parts in any workspace and assemble the modular lamination table to the desired size. A further advantage of the invention is that a subsequent addition or replacement of single frame elements (1,2,10) or single components (12,13) can be easily and inexpensively carried out in a length or width change.

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Claims (11)

A laminating system having a frame structure bearing a table surface element (9) on which is mounted a foil covering the table surface and on which the opposite sides are mounted parallel-extending rail elements (4) which serve to drive a transverse roller unit (5) provided with a double-sided lifting / lowering mechanism (7) across the table surface (9). The vane unit (5) is provided with a roller (8) which extends at least partially over the table surface and whose axes are height-adjustable by double-sided verticals relative to the table surface (9), characterized in that the frame structure consists of at least 2 modular frame segments (1, 2) on which the table surface (9) consisting of adjacent surface elements (10) is constructed. 2. Laminating system according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame segments (1,2) are formed in a geometrically identical module parts. A laminating system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that as a component of a frame segment (1,2), two parallel frame parts (12) and at least one cross-connection (13) and at least 2 legs (3) are arranged. 4. Laminating system according to claim 3, characterized in that some or all parts and components (3,12,13) of the frame segments (1,2) are of metal e.g. steel or aluminum. Laminating system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail elements (4) are composed of several segments. 6. Laminating system according to claim 5, characterized in that the rail elements (4) are arranged as components for the frame segments (1,2) DK 2010 00211 U3 Laminating system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the segmented rail elements (4) have adjustment aid (notch, cone or the like). Laminating table according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface element (10) consists of sustainable material. 9. Laminating system according to claim 8, characterized in that the surface elements (10) consist of glass. 10. Laminating table according to claim 9, characterized in that a transparent material is arranged on the surface element (9). of plastic. Laminating table according to claim 10, characterized in that lighting elements are arranged under the surface element (6) of the frame structure.