Patent ID: 8083896

Claim:
An air stabilization system for supporting a flexible continuous web and for controlling its contour as the web moves in a downstream machine direction (MD) that comprises: (a) a body having an operative surface facing the web wherein the operative surface has a web entry end and a web exit end that is downstream from the web entry end wherein the contour of the web is substantially planar as the web travels over the operative surface; (b) a first nozzle, positioned on the operative surface at the web entry end, that defines a first slot that extends across the operative surface along a first direction that is substantially transverse to the MD wherein the first slot has a first elongated opening at a first surface of the body wherein the first slot has a first curved convex surface at the first elongated opening on its upstream side and wherein the first nozzle includes a first baffle that defines an exit on an upstream MD side through which a first elongated jet of pressurized gas flows before being exhausted through the first slot and moves toward the upstream MD to impart a first controlled force on the web wherein the first baffle restricts gas flow along the upstream MD side of the first nozzle and equalizes gas pressure across the first slot; and (c) a second nozzle, positioned on the operative surface at the web exit end, that defines a second slot that extends across the operative surface along a second direction that is substantially transverse to the MD, wherein the second slot has a second elongated opening at a second surface of the body wherein the second slot has a second curved convex surface at the second elongated opening on its downstream side, wherein the operative surface between the first slot and second slot defines a continuous surface wherein the second nozzle includes a second baffle that defines an exit on a downstream MD side through which a second elongated jet of pressurized gas flows before being simultaneously exhausted through the second slot and moves toward a downstream MD to impart a second controlled force on the web wherein the second baffle restricts gas flow along the downstream MD side of the second nozzle and equalizes gas pressure across the second slot and whereby the first force and the second force maintain at least a portion of the moving web, that is located between the web entry end and the web exit end, at a substantially fixed distance to the operative surface.