Patent ID: 6539997
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: B32B,B65H,Y10T

Abstract:
An adhesive transfer device for use with a supply roll carrying a supply of an adhesive carrying substrate for performing an adhesive transfer operation on a selected substrate, said adhesive carrying substrate having a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on a surface thereof, said device comprising:a frame; first and second cooperating structures each having a substrate engaging surface, said first cooperating structure being a nip roller rotatably mounted to said frame; said cooperating structures being mounted to said frame with said substrate engaging surfaces disposed adjacent one another so that the adhesive transfer operation can be initiated by inserting said adhesive carrying substrate and said selected substrate together between said cooperating structures with a first portion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer facing said selected substrate and a second portion of said adhesive layer adjacent a periphery of said selected substrate facing the substrate engaging surface of said rotatable nip roller; said cooperating structures being constructed and arranged such that, after initiating said adhesive transfer operation as aforesaid, said adhesive transfer operation can be continued by advancing said selected substrate and said adhesive carrying substrate between said cooperating structures with the substrate engaging surfaces thereof cooperating to apply pressure to said substrates, thereby causing said first portion of said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to adhere to said selected substrate and the second portion of said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to adhere to a portion of the substrate engaging surface of said nip roller, said portion of the substrate engaging surface of said nip roller having a greater affinity for adhesive bonding than the surface of said adhesive carrying substrate on which said layer is coated so that as said substrates are discharged from between said cooperating structures, the second portion of said adhesive layer remains adhered to said portion of said nip roller rather than to said adhesive carrying substrate; and an adhesive pick-up device that has an adhesive pick-up surface that has a greater affinity for adhesive bonding than said portion of the substrate engaging surface of said nip roller, said adhesive pick-up device being disposed adjacent to said nip roller with said adhesive pick-up surface engaging the substrate engaging surface of said nip roller such that, as said nip roller rotates during said adhesive transfer operation, (a) said portion of said nip roller having said second portion of said adhesive layer adhered thereto engages the adhesive pick-up surface of said pick-up device with sufficient pressure to cause said second portion of said adhesive to adhere to said pick-up surface so that said second portion of said adhesive layer remains bonded to said adhesive pick-up surface rather than to the substrate engaging surface of said nip roller and (b) said adhesive pick-up device continually advances said adhesive pick-up surface so that the portions of said adhesive pick-up surface with said second portion of said adhesive layer adhered thereto is moved away as said nip roller continues to rotate and is replaced by a portion of said adhesive pick-up surface that is devoid of adhesive.