Fixation device

Claim 1

Fixation device for permeable web materials, where air at controlled temperature and pressure is passed through the web from jets in at least one pressure chamber on one side of the web, to at least one corresponding suction chamber on the other side of the web, the device comprising an upper housing on one side of a web and a lower housing positioned below said upper housing and spaced therefrom on the other side of the web, whereby said web moves from an upstream position to a downstream position between said housings, during operation, the housings including means defining an upstream pressure chamber and means defining a corresponding upstream suction chamber located on an opposite side of a web, means defining a downstream pressure chamber and means defining a corresponding downstream suction chamber located on an opposite side of the web, and means defining at least one middle pressure chamber and means defining a corresponding middle suction chamber positioned between said upstream and downstream pressure chambers and corresponding suction chambers so that no two pressure chambers or suction chambers are next to each other, each pressure chamber being positioned with two jets arranged in an acute angle to the web and towards each other, with one upstream jet and one downstream jet, thereby establishing and maintaining an overpressure between the jets and the web, the jets arranged in the pressure chambers respectively in said upper and lower housing and adjacent each other thereby directing air past each other in such a way that air from one pressure chamber substantially is prevented from penetrating into the adjacent suction chamber, and ducts in the upper housing constructed and arranged to receive an air flow having a controlled temperature, at which deformations of the upper housing due to temperature influences from the heated air in the fixation process are prevented, and further including sealing devices extending across the length of the pressure chambers between the web and the pressure chambers, on both sides of each pressure chamber and arranged between the jets of the pressure chambers and adjacent suction chambers, thereby preventing air from the upstream or downstream pressure and suction chambers from penetrating into the air system of the middle pressure and suction chamber.