Roller with salient members

Abstract

A roll for feeding substrate material, which includes a sheet roller, which has a circumference and a surface layer, configured to rotate about a first axis. A plurality of salient members are disposed on the surface layer to extend along the first axis at intervals about the circumference. Each of the plurality of salient members is configured to cause a fold line to form across a width of the substrate material, which is substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the substrate material.

1 . A roll for feeding substrate material comprising: 
 a sheet roller configured to rotate about a first axis and having a circumference and a surface layer; and    a plurality of salient members disposed on said surface layer to extend along said first axis at intervals about said circumference, each of said plurality of salient members configured to cause a fold line to form across a width of said substrate material substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of said substrate material.    
   
   
       2 . The roll of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of salient members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of resins, metals and paper.  
   
   
       3 . The roll of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of salient members comprise a salient member having a substantially rectangular cross section.  
   
   
       4 . The roll of  claim 3 , wherein at least one corner of said rectangular cross sectional member is rounded.  
   
   
       5 . The roll of  claim 4 , wherein a radius of said at least one rounded corner is equal to between about half of the thickness of the salient member to about twice the thickness of the salient member.  
   
   
       6 . The roll of  claim 4 , wherein a radius of said at least one rounded corner is equal to between about 0.05 mm and about 2 mm.  
   
   
       7 . The roll of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of salient members comprise a salient member having a substantially circular cross section.  
   
   
       8 . A method comprising: 
 feeding a sheet of substrate material into a sheet roller configured to rotate about a first axis and having a circumference and a surface layer; and    forming a fold line across a width of said sheet of substrate material substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of said substrate material as said sheet of substrate material contacts at least a portion of said sheet roller.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said sheet roller comprises a plurality of salient members disposed on said surface layer to extend along said first axis at intervals about said circumference, each of said plurality of salient members configured to contact said sheet of substrate material to cause said formation of a fold line across a width of said substrate material substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of said substrate material.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of salient members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of resins, metals and paper.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of salient members comprise a salient member having a substantially rectangular cross section.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one corner of said rectangular cross sectional salient member is rounded.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a radius of said at least one rounded corner is equal to between about half of the thickness of the salient member to twice the thickness of the salient member.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a radius of said at least one rounded corner is equal to between about 0.05 mm and about 2 mm.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of salient members comprise a salient member having a substantially circular cross section.  
   
   
       16 . A roll for feeding substrate material comprising: 
 a sheet roller configured to rotate about a first axis and having a circumference and a surface layer; and    means for forming a fold line across a width of said substrate material substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of said substrate material.    
   
   
       17 . The roll of  claim 16 , wherein said means comprises a plurality of salient members disposed on said surface layer to extend along said first axis at intervals about said circumference.  
   
   
       18 . The roll of  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of salient members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of resins, metals and paper.  
   
   
       19 . The roll of  claim 17 , wherein each of said plurality of salient members comprise a salient member having a substantially rectangular cross section, wherein at least one corner of said rectangular cross sectional member is rounded.  
   
   
       20 . The roll of  claim 19 , wherein a radius of said at least one rounded corner is equal to between about 0.05 mm and about 2 mm.