American Roller Company, LLC

Randy L Mittelstaedt

Bruce E Hyllberg

Gary S Butters

Thomas S Smith

A heat transfer roller in a machine for coating, printing, copying or heating a web, has a hollow cylindrical roller core and a metal sleeve for conducting heat to or from an object contacting an outer surface of the roller. A ring-shaped cavity for receiving a heat transfer medium is formed between the cylindrical roller core and the sleeve (15) and extends the length of the roller excluding portions on respective ends. Cartridge heaters are provided for heating the outer wall of the core to further heat the heat transfer medium in the heat pipe cavity. The ring-shaped cavity is divided into sector compartments by longitudinally extending barriers. Wicking material is disposed in respective compartments. The wicking material and flow restriction elements hold a portion of the heat transfer medium in the compartments while also allowing a portion of the heat transfer medium to move circumferentially around the roller to make temperature more consistent across the outer surface of the roller.

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Muskego, WI, United States of America

Randy L Mittelstaedt