Patent US3718983A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3718983A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet drying apparatus
Assignee: EIDP Inc
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Filing: 1971-05-07
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Granted: 1973-03-06
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Expires: 1991-05-07
Abstract
Abstract Sheet material, such as photographic film, may be dried efficiently in an apparatus comprising A DRYING CHAMBER, HAVING FIRST AND SECOND PLENUMS, EACH OF SAID PLENUMS HAVING AN ARRAY OF NOZZLES FOR DIRECTING HIGH VELOCITY AIR AT THE RESPECTIVELY OPPOSITE SHEET SURFACES, FIRST AND SECOND SETS OF CONVEYING ROLLS ARRANGED SO AS TO PROVIDE A PATH FOR SHEET MATERIAL BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE ARRAYS OF NOZZLES OF SAID PLENUMS AND SPACED SO AS TO CONTACT SHEET MATERIAL MOVING THROUGH SAID PATH, AND A PLURALITY OF FILAMENTARY GUIDES ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF SAID PATH.
Inventors
- 👤 J Crowell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:44
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D15/00; G03D15/02; G03D15/027; F; F26; F26B; F26B13/00; F26B13/10; F26B13/24; F26B13/28; G03D15/022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A sheet drying apparatus comprising a drying chamber having first and second plenums, each of said plenums having an array of nozzles for directing high velocity air at the respectively opposite sheet surfaces, said nozzles being comprised of at least two frusto-conical sections, the largest section being located at the base of the nozzle and having a wall taper of not more than 4*, and the second section having a wall taper of 15*-20*, said nozzles being disposed in adjacent rows, the space L1, between adjacent nozzles within a row being no more than about 5 times the inside diameter of the discharge end of the nozzle, and the space L2 between adjacent rows of nozzles being no more than about 0.8 times L1, first and second sets of conveying rolls arranged so as to provide a path for sheet material between the respective arrays of nozzles of said plenums and spaced so as to contact sheet material moving through said path, and a plurality of filamentary guides for said sheet material on at least one side of said path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A sheet drying apparatus comprising a drying chamber having first and second plenums, each of said plenums having an array of nozzles for directing high velocity air at the respectively opposite sheet surfaces, said nozzles being comprised of at least two frusto-conical sections, the largest section being located at the base of the nozzle and having a wall taper of not more than 4*, and the second section having a wall taper of 15*-20*, said nozzles being disposed in adjacent rows, the space L1, between adjacent nozzles within a row being no more than about 5 times the inside diameter of the discharge end of the nozzle, and the space L2 between adjacent rows of nozzles being no more than about 0.8 times L1, first and second sets of conveying rolls arranged so as to provide a path for sheet material between the respective arrays of nozzles of said plenums and spaced so as to contact sheet material moving through said path, and a plurality of filamentary guides for said sheet material on at least one side of said path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
180 words
A sheet drying apparatus comprising a drying chamber having first and second plenums, each of said plenums having an array of nozzles for directing high velocity air at the respectively opposite sheet surfaces, said nozzles being comprised of at least two frusto-conical sections, the largest section being located at the base of the nozzle and having a wall taper of not more than 4*, and the second section having a wall taper of 15*-20*, said nozzles being disposed in adjacent rows, the space L1, between adjacent nozzles within a row being no more than about 5 times the inside diameter of the discharge end of the nozzle, and the space L2 between adjacent rows of nozzles being no more than about 0.8 times L1, first and second sets of conveying rolls arranged so as to provide a path for sheet material between the respective arrays of nozzles of said plenums and spaced so as to contact sheet material moving through said path, and a plurality of filamentary guides for said sheet material on at least one side of said path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
180 words
A sheet drying apparatus comprising a drying chamber having first and second plenums, each of said plenums having an array of nozzles for directing high velocity air at the respectively opposite sheet surfaces, said nozzles being comprised of at least two frusto-conical sections, the largest section being located at the base of the nozzle and having a wall taper of not more than 4*, and the second section having a wall taper of 15*-20*, said nozzles being disposed in adjacent rows, the space L1, between adjacent nozzles within a row being no more than about 5 times the inside diameter of the discharge end of the nozzle, and the space L2 between adjacent rows of nozzles being no more than about 0.8 times L1, first and second sets of conveying rolls arranged so as to provide a path for sheet material between the respective arrays of nozzles of said plenums and spaced so as to contact sheet material moving through said path, and a plurality of filamentary guides for said sheet material on at least one side of said path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1, at least one of said conveying rolls being driven.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 2, said filamentary guides having a diameter of no more than 0.10 inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 3, said filamentary guides being substantially parallel to said path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 4, at least one of said conveying rolls having a plurality of circumferential grooves at spaced intervals along its length, said filamentary guides passing through the portions of said grooves nearest said path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 5, said first and second conveying rolls being located at spaced intervals throughout the length of said path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 6, the filamentary guides having surfaces of polymeric material, being connected to spring tensioning means, and being located in two planes that are parallel to each other and to said path and are no more than 0.5 inch apart, one of said planes being on the bottom of said path, the other of said planes being on the top of said path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 7 having at least one pair of coacting drive rolls, at least one of which has a surface of resilient polymeric material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 8, said nozzles having three frusto-conical sections, the section of smallest diameter being located at the discharge end of the nozzle and having a wall taper of not more than 4*, the intermediate section having a wall taper of 15*-20*, and the largest section being located at the base of the nozzle and having a wall taper of not more than 4*.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 3, said conveying rolls comprising two pairs of coacting drive rolls, one pair being located at the entrance of said drying chamber, the other pair being located at the exit of said drying chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 10, at least one of said drive rolls having circumferential grooves at spaced intervals along its length, said filamentary guides being parallel to said path and passing through the portions of said grooves nearest said path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 11, the filamentary guides having surfaces of polymeric material, being connected to spring tensioning means, and being located in two planes that are parallel to each other and to said path and are no more than 0.5 inch apart, one of said planes being on the bottom of said path, the other of said planes being on the top of said path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 12, at least one of said coacting drive rolls having a surface of resilient, polymeric material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-05 | 1976-09-04 | 1977-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-05 | 1980-09-04 | 1981-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-05 | 1984-09-04 | 1985-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |