Method and apparatus for laminating panels

Claim 2

Apparatus for adhering first and second laminates to lower and upper opposed surfaces, respectively, of a substrate to form a composite unit, said apparatus comprising in combination: (a) means for applying a pattern of adhesive to the upper and lower opposed surfaces of the substrate; (b) means for locating and positionally maintaining the first laminate at a fixed location to contactingly receive the lower surface of the substrate; (c) means for transporting the substrate from said applying means into an indexed relationship with the first laminate at the fixed location; (d) means for indexing the substrate upon the first laminate and maintaining the substrate in indexed relationship thereto, said indexing means including means for insetting the lateral and longitudinal edges of the substrate interior to the commensurate edges of the first laminate; (e) further means for locating and positionally maintaining the second laminate at the fixed location to contactingly engage the upper surface of the substrate in indexed relationship thereto; and (f) said indexing means including means for overlapping the lateral and longitudinal edges of the second laminate with respect to the corresponding edges of the substrate; whereby, the lateral and longitudinal edges of the composite unit overlap the corresponding edges of the substrate.

Claim 3

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the substrate is at least semi-rigid and said transporting means includes means for supporting the substrate along the lateral edges thereof.

Claim 4

The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises sloping elements for laterally and vertically supporting the lateral edges of the substrate.

Claim 5

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said supporting means comprises cone-shaped rollers.

Claim 6

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said positioning means comprises: (a) a pivotable member for supporting said cone-shaped rollers along one lateral edge of the substrate; and (b) means for pivoting said member to withdraw said cone-shaped rollers from supporting engagement of the one lateral edge of the substrate; whereby, said cone-shaped rollers support the substrate during positioning thereof and withdraw to allow deposition of the substrate upon the first laminate.

Claim 7

The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said positioning means includes a guide extending from said member and a base of said guide for contacting the longitudinal end of the substrate.

Claim 8

The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said locating means includes at least one fence section for locating one lateral edge of the first laminate.

Claim 9

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said positioning means further includes hold down means extending from said fence sections for locating the one lateral edge of the substrate.

Claim 10

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said further locating means comprises a prong extending from said guide for contacting the longitudinal end of the first laminate.

Claim 11

The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including trimmers for trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit.

Claim 12

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for applying pressure at a location remote from the fixed location to force the first and second laminates to the substrate and heat curing the adhesive to form the composite unit, said applying means comprising: (a) a plurality of sets of roller units for sequentially compressing the first and second laminates to the substrate; and (b) heating elements disposed intermediate said sets of roller units for heating the adhesive through the laminates to promote curing of the adhesive.

Claim 13

The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including trimmers for trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit after curing of the adhesive.

Claim 14

The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 including a feed table for introducing the substrates into said applying means.

Claim 15

The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including a receiving table for receiving the trimmed composite units.

Claim 16

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including trimmers for trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit after curing of the adhesive.

Claim 19

The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step of positioning includes the step of indexing a lateral edge and a longitudinal edge of the substrate in a predetermined relationship with the corresponding lateral and longitudinal edges of the first laminate at the fixed location.

Claim 20

The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said step of locating the second laminate includes the step of indexing a lateral edge and a longitudinal edge of the second laminate in a predetermined relationship with the corresponding lateral and longitudinal edges of the substrate at the fixed location.

Claim 21

The method as set forth in claim 18 including the step of trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit.

Claim 22

Apparatus for adhering first and second laminates to lower and upper opposed surfaces, respectively, of a substrate to form a composite unit, said apparatus comprising in combination: (a) means for applying a pattern of adhesive to the upper and lower opposed surfaces of the substrate; (b) means for locating and positionally maintaining the first laminate at a fixed location to contactingly receive the lower surface of the substrate; (c) means for transporting the substrate from said applying means into an indexed relationship with the first laminate at the fixed location; (d) means for indexing the substrate upon the first laminate and maintaining the substrate in indexed relationship thereto, said indexing means including means for insetting at least two edges of the substrate interior to the commensurate edges of the first laminate; (e) further means for locating and positionally maintaining the second laminate at the fixed location to contactingly engage the upper surface of the substrate in indexed relationship thereto; and (f) said indexing means including means for overlapping at least two edges of the second laminate with respect to the corresponding edges of the substrate; whereby, at least two edges of the composite unit overlap the corresponding edges of the substrate.

Claim 23

Apparatus for adhering first and second laminates to lower and upper opposed surfaces, respectively, of a substrate to form a composite unit, said apparatus comprising in combination: (a) means for applying a pattern of adhesive to the upper and lower opposed surfaces of the substrate; (b) means for locating and positionally maintaining the first laminate at a fixed location to contactingly receive the lower surface of the substrate; (c) means for transporting the substrate from said applying means into an indexed relationship with the first laminate at the fixed location; (d) means for indexing the substrate upon the first laminate and maintaining the substrate in indexed relationship thereto, said indexing means including means for insetting at least two edges of the substrate interior to the commensurate edges of the first laminate; (e) further means for locating and positionally maintaining the second laminate at the fixed location to contactingly engage the upper surface of the substrate in indexed relationship thereto; and (f) said indexing means including means for overlapping at least two edges of the second laminate with respect to the corresponding edges of the substrate; whereby, at least two edges of the composite unit overlap the corresponding edges of the substrate.

Claim 24

The apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein the substrate is at least semi-rigid and said transporting means includes cone-shaped rollers for supporting the substrate along the lateral edges thereof.

Claim 25

The apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said positioning means comprises: (a) a pivotable member for supporting said cone-shaped rollers along one lateral edge of the substrate; and (b) means for pivoting said member to withdraw said cone-shaped rollers from supporting engagement of the one lateral edge of the substrate; whereby, said cone-shaped rollers support the substrate during positioning thereof and withdraw to allow deposition of the substrate upon the first laminate.

Claim 26

The apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said locating means includes at least one fence section for locating one lateral edge of the first laminate and said positioning means includes a guide extending from said member, said guide having a base for contacting the longitudinal end of the substrate and hold down means extending from said fence sections for locating the one lateral edge of the substrate.

Claim 27

The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein said further locating means comprises a prong extending from said guide for contacting the longitudinal end of the first laminate.

Claim 28

The apparatus as set forth in claim 24 including trimmers for trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit.

Claim 29

The apparatus as set forth in claim 20 including means for applying pressure at a location remote from the fixed location to force the first and second laminates to the substrate and heat curing the adhesive to form the composite unit, said applying means comprising: (a) a plurality of sets of roller units for sequentially compressing the first and second laminates to the substrate; and (b) heating elements disposed intermediate said sets of roller units for heating the adhesive through the laminates to promote curing of the adhesive.

Claim 30

The apparatus as set forth in claim 26 including trimmers for trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit after curing of the adhesive.

Claim 31

The apparatus as set forth in claim 27 including a feed table for introducing the substrates into said applying means.

Claim 32

The apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further including a receiving table for receiving the trimmed composite units.

Claim 33

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 including trimmers for trimming the lateral edges of the composite unit after curing of the adhesive.

Claim 36

The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein said step of positioning includes the step of indexing at least two edges of the substrate in a predetermined relationship with the corresponding edges of the first laminate at the fixed location.

Claim 37

The method as set forth in claim 32 wherein said step of locating the second laminate includes the step of indexing at least the two edges of the second laminate in a predetermined relationship with the corresponding edges of the substrate at the fixed location.

Claim 38

The method as set forth in claim 33, including the step of trimming the inset edges of the composite unit.

Claim 39

Apparatus for adhering at least one laminate to a surface of a substrate to form a composite unit, said apparatus comprising in combination: (a) means for applying a pattern of adhesive to at least one surface of the substrate; (b) means for transporting the substrate from said applying means to a fixed location, said transporting means including two parallel rows of bearing member means for vertically and laterally supporting opposed lower edges of the substrate on a sloping surface; (c) means for indexing the substrate with respect to the fixed location and maintaining the substrate in indexed relationship thereat, said indexing means including: i. means for repositioning one of said rows of bearing member means to withdraw the vertical and lateral support for the respective edge of the substrate, whereby the unsupported edge of the substrate will drop and the sloping surface of the other of said rows of bearing member means will cause the substrate to slide laterally until vertical support therefor ceases, causing the substrate to drop; and ii. means for contactingly receiving the first dropped edge of the substrate and positioning the edge at a predetermined place at the fixed location; (d) means for locating and positionally maintaining a laminate at the fixed location to contactingly engage the adhesive bearing surface of the substrate in indexed relationship thereto; (e) said indexing means further including means for insetting at least two edges of the substrate with respect to the corresponding edges of the laminate; whereby, the laminate is mated with the substrate such that at least two edges of the composite unit overlap the corresponding edges of the substrate.

Claim 40

Apparatus for adhering at least one laminate to a surface of a substrate to form a composite unit, said apparatus comprising in combination: (a) means for applying a pattern of adhesive to at least one surface of the substrate; (b) means for transporting the substrate from said applying means to a fixed location, said transporting means including two parallel rows of bearing member means for vertically and laterally supporting opposed lower edges of the substrate on a sloping surface; (c) means for indexing the substrate with respect to the fixed location and maintaining the substrate in indexed relationship thereat, said indexing means including: i. means for repositioning one of said rows of bearing member means to withdraw the vertical and lateral support for the respective edge of the substrate, whereby the unsupported edge of the substrate will drop and the sloping surface of the other of said rows of bearing member means will cause the substrate to slide laterally until vertical support therefor ceases, causing the substrate to drop; and ii. means for contactingly receiving the first dropped edge of the substrate and positioning the edge at a predetermined place at the fixed location; (d) means for locating and positionally maintaining a laminate at the fixed location to contactingly engage the adhesive bearing surface of the substrate in indexed relationship thereto; (e) said indexing means further including means for insetting at least two edges of the substrate with respect to the corresponding edges of the laminate; whereby, the laminate is mated with the substrate such that at least two edges of the composite unit overlap the corresponding edges of the substrate.

Claim 41

The apparatus as set forth in claim 35 wherein each row of said bearing member means comprises a row of cone-shaped rollers.

Claim 42

The apparatus as set forth in claim 36 wherein said repositioning means comprises: (a) a pivotable member for supporting one row of said cone-shaped rollers along one lateral edge of the substrate; and (b) means for pivoting said member to withdraw one row of said cone-shaped rollers from supporting engagement of the one lateral edge of the substrate; whereby, said cone-shaped rollers support the substrate during positioning thereof and withdraw to allow deposition of the substrate upon the fixed location.

Claim 43

The apparatus as set forth in claim 27 wherein said repositioning means includes a guide extending from said pivotable member and a base of said guide for contacting the longitudinal end of the substrate.

Claim 44

The apparatus as set forth in claim 38 wherein said positioning means further includes hold down means extending from said fence sections for locating the one lateral edge of the substrate.

Claim 45

The apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said locating means comprises a prong extending from said guide for contacting the longitudinal end of the first laminate.

Claim 48

The method as set forth in claim 41 wherein said step of repositioning includes the step of indexing at least two edges of the substrate in a predetermined relationship with the corresponding edges of the laminate at the fixed location.