Patent ID: 6502735
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: B65H,D21F,F26B

Abstract:
In combination, a web and a device using a fluid medium for suspension guidance of said web moving in a given direction, said web having first and second opposing major surfaces, said device comprising:a plurality of air ducts (13) each defined by a V-shaped surface comprised of first and second partitions (20, 20â€²), said air ducts provided adjacent to at least one of said first and second major surfaces of the web, each of said air ducts having a length at least equal to a width of the web, measured in a direction transverse to said given direction, first inlet apertures (26) being provided at spaced intervals along a base portion of the V-shaped surface of at least one of said air ducts (13) enabling the fluid medium to pass therethrough, said at least one of said air ducts being fluidly connected with an intake chamber (17) separated from a pressure chamber (10) by a fluid barrier, said intake chamber having at least one second inlet aperture (19), a first plurality of intermediate partition surfaces (14) being arranged intermediate adjacent ones of said air ducts, a second intermediate partition surface (15) being arranged between an upstream end of said device mad acid air duct positioned closest to the upstream end of said device and a third intermediate partition surface (15â€²) being arranged between a downstream end of the device and said air duct positioned closest to said downstream end of said device (15), and an array of openings (22, 22â€²) provided along at least one of said first and second partitions of each said air duct (13), said openings communicating with said pressure chamber (10), said pressure chamber receiving said fluid medium under pressure, wherein said at least one second inlet aperture (19) is located near a lateral end of one of said first intermediate partition surfaces (14), a deflector extending upwardly from said one of said first intermediate partition surfaces, arranged above said at least one second inlet aperture and deflecting downwardly into said at least one second inlet aperture, said fluid medium moving out from between said web and said device in said direction transverse to said given direction, said deflected fluid medium entering said intake chamber (17) through said at least one second inlet aperture, whereby the fluid medium entering the intake chamber (17) is emitted from said first inlet apertures (26).