The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
May. 20, 2002
James K. Ward, Rockton, IL (US);
Roger Cederholm, Roscoe, IL (US);
Martin Automatic Inc., Rockford, IL (US);
Abstract
A low inertia, low friction roller ( ), which is particularly adapted for handling relatively high speed, relatively fragile running webs, comprises an inner tube ( ) and an outer tube ( ). The outer tube ( ) is disposed substantially coaxially about the inner tube ( ) and is rotatable with respect to the inner tube ( ). An annular gap ( ) is defined between the inner and outer tubes and has a first portion that is supplied with a restricted flow of a pressurized compressible fluid and that is adjacent the portion of the outer tube about which the web passes. A second portion of the annular gap is circumferentially spaced from the first portion of the annular gap and communicates with a fluid exhaust passage ( ) in the inner tube. The dimensions of the annular gap are selected so that the fluid pressure in the first portion is greater than the fluid pressure in the second portion and so that the pressure of the fluid in the first portion of the annular gap will substantially balance the force exerted by the web on the outer tube as the web passes about the outer tube. The Figure shows an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view.