Foil stamping apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10611595-B2
Application number	US-201816100897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2010
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus for coating a part that has an asymmetrical edge. The apparatus includes a film dispenser, a film retriever, a mandrel; and a part holder. Preferably one or both of the mandrel and the part holder move in an angular relationship to one another, and the film dispenser and the film retriever move co-operatively in at least two dimensions with respect to the part holder. There is further provided a film having a first edge and a second edge, and the film can be a decorative coating, a protective coating or combinations of these. The film dispenser holds the first edge of the film, the film is positioned between the mandrel and the part holder and the film retriever holds the film second edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for coating an asymmetrical edge with a film, comprising:
(a) a film dispenser;
(b) a film retriever;
(c) a mandrel comprising a film contacting surface;
(d) a part held in place by a part holder and comprising an asymmetrical edge that circumscribes a surface of the part, wherein the asymmetrical edge comprises a first angled edge that has a first angle (α) and a second angled edge that has a second angle (β), wherein α and β are not equal and α and β are each an angle formed at an intersection between an imaginary line drawn parallel to their respective angled edge and an imaginary line drawn parallel to a bottom of the part; and
(e) wherein at least one of the mandrel and the part holder continuously move in an angular relationship to the other as the asymmetrical edge of the part changes angle around the circumscribed surface of the part such that the film contacting surface of the mandrel remains parallel to the asymmetric edge of the part when the asymmetric edge of the part is being coated with the film.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the angular difference between α and β is at least about 3°.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the film dispenser is configured to hold a first edge of the film and the film retriever is configured to hold an opposing second edge of the film.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is deformable.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is symmetrically shaped.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the mandrel is frustoconically shaped.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the film dispenser and the film retriever move co-operatively in at least two dimensions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the film dispenser and the film retriever move cooperatively in three dimensions.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the film dispenser and the film retriever rotate to move the film from the film dispenser to the film retriever and between the mandrel and the part holder.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the film dispenser and the film retriever rotate intermittently.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mandrel heater.

12. An apparatus for coating an asymmetrical edge of a part with a film, comprising:
(a) a rotatable film dispenser;
(b) a rotatable film retriever;
(c) a mandrel comprising a film contacting surface;
(d) a part holder;
(e) a film comprising a first edge attached to the film dispenser and a second edge attached to the film retriever such that the film travels from the film dispenser to the film retriever and between the mandrel and the part holder when at least one of the film dispenser and the film retriever are rotated;
(f) a part held in place by the part holder and comprising an asymmetrical edge that circumscribes a surface of the part, wherein the asymmetrical edge comprises a first angled edge having a first angle (α) and a second angled edge having a second angle (β), wherein α and β are not equal and α and β are each an angle formed at an intersection between an imaginary line drawn parallel to their respective angled edge and an imaginary line drawn parallel to a bottom of the part; and
(g) wherein at least one of the mandrel and the part holder continuously move in an angular relationship to the other as the asymmetrical edge of the part changes angle around the circumscribed surface of the part such that the film contacting surface of the mandrel remains parallel to the asymmetric edge of the part when the asymmetric edge is being coated with the film.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the film is a multi-layered film comprising a carrier, a release compound, an adhesive, and at least one of a protective coating and a decorative coating.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the asymmetrical edge of the part is in physical contact with a coating side of the film and the film contacting surface of the mandrel is in contact with a release side of the film when the asymmetrical edge is being coated with the film.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the film dispenser and the film retriever move co-operatively in at least two dimensions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the cooperative movement of the film dispenser and the film retriever relieves stress on the film by keeping the film parallel to the surface of the mandrel.

17. An apparatus for coating an asymmetrical edge of a circular lid with a film, comprising:
(a) a film dispenser;
(b) a film retriever;
(c) a mandrel comprising a film contacting surface;
(d) a part holder;
(e) a circular lid held in place by the part holder, the circular lid comprising a top wall, a side wall, and an asymmetrical edge that extends at least partially around a circumference of the circular lid between the side wall and the top wall, wherein an angle of the asymmetric edge, relative to the top wall, varies by at least about 3°;
(f) a film comprising a first edge attached to the film dispenser and a second edge attached to the film retriever such that the film travels from the film dispenser to the film retriever and between the mandrel and the part holder;
(g) wherein at least one of the mandrel and the part holder continuously move in an angular relationship to the other as the asymmetrical edge of the part changes angle around the circumference of the circular lid such that the film contacting surface of the mandrel remains parallel to the asymmetric edge of the circular lid when the asymmetric edge is being coated with the film.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the top wall and side wall intersect along a portion of the circumference of the circular lid.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the asymmetrical edge extends completely around the circumference of the circular lid.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the part rotates about a first axis and the mandrel rotates about a second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect and wherein the angle between the first and second axis changes as a result of the movement of the mandrel and/or the part holder.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Tiilikka Norm H
• Borrero Susana E
• Erhardt Ingo Dieter
• Wicklein Stefan Rudi
• Mischer Werner

Classifications

• B41F17/28

  for printing on curved surfaces of conical or frusto-conical articles · CPC title

• Y10T156/1705

  Lamina transferred to base from adhered flexible web or sheet type carrier · CPC title

• B41F16/0026

  with means for applying print under heat and pressure, e.g. using heat activable adhesive · CPC title

• B41F16/0033

  with means for applying print under pressure only, e.g. using pressure sensitive adhesive · CPC title

• B44C1/172

  Decalcomanias provided with a layer being specially adapted to facilitate their release from a temporary carrier · CPC title