Continuous reel-to-reel arrangement

Abstract

A continuous reel-to-reel arrangement ( 1 ), for transportation of continuous substrate materials ( 3 ) from an unwinding material reel ( 2 ) to a winding material reel ( 4 ), comprises at least two guiding rolls ( 5 ) arranged to align the substrate material ( 3 ) when being rolled off from the unwinding material reel ( 2 ) before entering into at least one treatment zone ( 6 ), and at least two guiding rolls ( 5 ) arranged to align the substrate material ( 3 ) when exiting the at least one treatment zone ( 6 ) before being winded up on the winding material reel ( 4 ). At least one of the guiding rolls ( 5 ) arranged to align the substrate material ( 3 ) when exiting the at least one treatment zone is a driving roll ( 13 ), and at least one of the guiding rolls ( 5 ) arranged to align the substrate material ( 3 ) when being rolled off from the unwinding material reel ( 2 ) is a braking roll ( 12 ), arranged to apply a constant braking force to the substrate material ( 3 ) when the substrate material ( 3 ) is driven through the at least one treatment zone ( 6 ). Thereby, the risk of plastically deforming the substrate material ( 3 ) is low during transportation and during unwinding/winding and the risk of subjecting the material to wear is also low.

1 . A continuous reel-to-reel arrangement for transportation of continuous substrate materials from an unwinding material reel to a winding material reel, wherein said substrate material is arranged to be driven through at least one treatment zone, said arrangement comprising:
 at least two guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when being rolled off from said unwinding material reel before entering into said at least one treatment zone,   at least two guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when exiting said at least one treatment zone before being winded up on said winding material reel,   at least one of said guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when exiting said at least one treatment zone is a driving roll, and   at least one of said guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when being rolled off from said unwinding material reel is a braking roll, arranged to apply a constant braking force to said substrate material when said substrate material is driven through said at least one treatment zone.   
     
     
         2 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the number of guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material rolled off from said unwinding material reel are at least three. 
     
     
         3 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the number of guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when exiting said at least one treatment zone are at least three. 
     
     
         4 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the radius of said guiding rolls is larger than what causes plastic deformation of said substrate material due to combination of tensile stress and bending curvature which said substrate material is subject to in said continuous reel-to-reel arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a smallest radius, R, of said guiding rolls at a given tension force, F, is when the total tensile stress, σ tot , acting on said substrate material is equal to the yield point, σ 0.2 , of a given substrate material. 
     
     
         6 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said braking roll is enclosed by said substrate material at an angle of about 180°. 
     
     
         7 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said braking roll is arranged between a first guiding roll, guiding said substrate material at an angle of about 90° to engage said braking roll, and a second guiding roll guiding said substrate material at an angle of about 90° for further transportation to said at least one treatment zone. 
     
     
         8 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material rolled off from said unwinding material reel before entering into said at least one treatment zone, is providing said substrate material with a voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an evacuated environment is provided in at least a section of said at least one treatment zone. 
     
     
         10 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one treatment zone comprises at least one coating chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one of said guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when exiting said at least one treatment zone before being winded up on a winding material reel is a cooling roll. 
     
     
         12 . The continuous reel-to-reel arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate material is any one of a strip, a wire, and a foil. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising at least two of said continuous reel-to-reel arrangements as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one treatment zone is common for said at least two continuous reel-to-reel arrangements, and wherein at least two substrate materials are arranged substantially in parallel when driven through said at least one common treatment zone. 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating at least one continuous substrate material, said method comprising the steps of:
 unwinding said at least one substrate material from at least one unwinding material reel,   guiding said at least one substrate material to at least one treatment zone by the use of at least two guiding rolls,   treating said at least one substrate material in said at least one treatment zone, winding up said at least one substrate material on at least one winding material reel, and   braking said at least one substrate material.   
     
     
         15 . A method of feeding at least one continuous substrate material to at least one treatment zone, said method comprising the steps of:
 unwinding said at least one substrate material from at least one unwinding material reel,   guiding said substrate material at an angle of about 90° around a first guiding roll to engage a braking roll,   enclosing said braking roll by said substrate material at an angle of about 180°,   guiding said substrate material at an angle of about 90° around a second guiding roll,   entering said at least one treatment zone.   
     
     
         16 . A continuous reel-to-reel apparatus for transportation of continuous substrate materials from a pay-out chamber to a take-up chamber, wherein said substrate material is arranged to be driven through at least one treatment zone,
 wherein the pay-out chamber comprises at least two guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material rolled off from an unwinding material reel in said pay-out chamber before entering into said at least one treatment zone,   and wherein said take-up chamber comprises at least two guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material when exiting said at least one treatment zone before being winded up on a winding material reel in said take-up chamber,   at least one of said guiding rolls in said take-up chamber is a driving roll, and   at least one of said guiding rolls in said pay-out chamber is a braking roll, arranged to apply a constant braking force to said substrate material when said substrate material is driven through said at least one treatment zone.   
     
     
         17 . The continuous reel-to-reel apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the number of guiding rolls arranged to align said substrate material rolled off from said unwinding material reel are at least three.