Carpe Diem Technologies, Inc.

Proteqt Technologies, Inc.

Dimitar B Bentchev

John S Berg

David A Waldman

A vacuum roller for a web handling system comprises a hollow, cylindrical, rotably driven drum and an end cap threadingly mounted onto the rear end of the drum. Together, the drum and the end cap define a plurality of individual, externally communicable vacuum paths. A spherical, metal movable element is internally disposed within each vacuum path and regulates the passage of air therethrough. A plurality of magnetic elements is fixedly mounted on a stationary annular holder. In use, each magnetic element selectively displaces each movable element when disposed in close proximity thereto to the extent necessary so as to permit the passage of air through its corresponding vacuum path. As such, the vacuum roller is provided with a predefined range of suction, or vacuum zone, about the outer surface of its rotating drum that directly corresponds to the angular arrangement of the plurality of stationary magnetic elements.

Web handling system and vacuum roller for use in conjunction therewith

A fluid bearing assembly well-suited for use as high performance, web handling roller includes a stationary inner component that extends coaxially within a rotatable outer component. The inner component includes a single conical member from which extends a narrow stem. The delivery of fluid into a nominal gap between the inner and outer components creates a tapered bearing, with the outer component capable of frictionless rotation relative to the inner component. A thrust plate is axially mounted onto the stem and is retained thereon by a threaded nut. By delivering fluid into a nominal gap between the thrust plate and the outer component, a thrust bearing is created which counterbalances the net axial force produced from the tapered bearing. Furthermore, precise adjustment of the tapered bearing air gap can be achieved through rotation of the threaded nut, thereby enabling certain performance characteristics of the fluid bearing assembly to be modified.

Fluid bearing assembly

A product dispensing system includes a partially-open container for retaining a supply of the product, a mechanism for dispensing a quantity of the product from the container, and a remotely-activated security device for selectively restricting the dispensing of product from the container. In one embodiment, the security device is in the form of a spherical enclosure that is mounted over the inlet port for a draw tube of the dispensing mechanism. In use, the security device includes an activation mixture, such as an expandable adhesive, that transitions the security device between a first state and a second state in response to an application of certain non-mechanical stimuli, such electromagnetic energy of a particular profile, the security device restricting the passage of the product through the draw tube when disposed in the first state and permitting the passage of the product through the draw tube when disposed in the second state.

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Norwood, MA, United States of America

Dimitar B Bentchev