Flexible film heated roller

摘要

A film application system having multiple film application stations. Each film application station has a support for an elongated plastic component (typically vinyl) having an input and an output side. A properly positioned and oriented transfer head includes a heated roller which applies heat and pressure to the elongated film as the component moves through the application station. The roller is most preferably heated with multiple IR heaters controllably energized to achieve a desired roller temperature without too large a gradient of temperature difference across the film application contact surface of the roller.

主权项

1. A method for applying a decorative material to a target surface of an elongated building component comprising:
a) moving one or more elongated components along a path of travel through a film application station having a generally cylindrical transfer roller mounted for rotation with respect to and supported in part within a housing; b) heating the transfer roller with a plurality of elongated infrared heaters by
i) mounting the elongated infrared heaters to an inside surface of said housing between interior walls of the housing and the transfer roller wherein one or more elongated infrared heaters are oriented generally parallel to an axis of roller rotation and one or more additional elongated infrared heaters are mounted transverse to said axis of rotation and ii) controllably energizing the elongated infrared heaters so that heat from the elongated infrared heaters flows from the heaters to an outer surface of the transfer roller; c) applying heat and pressure to a decorative layer of an elongated film with the heated transfer roller as the elongated component moves through the film application station wherein an outer, heat and pressure applying surface of the roller has a width and contour based on the target surface to be treated with the decorative layer; d) monitoring a temperature of the outer surface of the transfer roller; and e) presenting a user interface on a computer monitor which allows a user to choose from a menu of different elongated components and based on the chosen elongated component, applying a recipe of parameters that include positioning of the transfer roller to control pressure applied by the roller and energization of said elongated infrared beaters to control variations in the temperature across a width of the outer surface of said transfer roller.