Web feed guide apparatus

• Main Authors: CARLBERG; DAVID L, MEIGS; THEODORE V
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.04.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS,CABLES; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; STORING; TRANSPORTING

In an apparatus for feeding and delivering a thin web in a longitudinal direction, a web guide for precisely controlling the lateral position of the web includes an assembly formed of a platen and mating cover. The platen is provided with an upper surface having a shallow channel formed therein, the channel being sufficiently deep to receive the thickness of the web. The channel includes opposed parallel edges, either one of which may be designated a reference edge. The channel is dimensioned to be wider than the thin web or film. The platen includes a plurality of shallow grooves extending laterally across the upper surface of the platen and the bottom surface of the channel and spaced longitudinally therealong. The cover includes a generally planar bottom surface that mates with the platen to seal the top of the channel. Air is introduced into the shallow grooves at like ends thereof that are opposite the designated reference edge of the channel. The web is fed longitudinally through the channel, and the lateral air flow through the shallow grooves urges the web toward the reference edge. The low pressure air flow may be adjusted so that the edge of the web abuts the reference edge, so that precise positional control of the web is obtained. In a further aspect, the cover may include shallow grooves extending laterally and spaced in registration with the shallow grooves of the channel, so that air flow occurs both above and below the web feeding through the channel.