Systems and methods for making dust agent free vulcanized rubber products

Abstract

Processes and systems for making a substantially smooth surfaced, dust agent free rubber or similar sheet product, are disclosed. To create the dust agent free sheet, a low-shrinkage thermoplastic textile fiber separator is inserted between layers of a calendered sheet so as to be able to separate layers of the sheeting after vulcanization. The use of the separator replaces the use of talc or dust that is commonly used to separate layers of sheeting during or after the calendering process and prior to a heating or vulcanization process.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A substantially smooth, dust free, sheet for production of medical bandages prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
 calendering a material into a sheet of a predetermined thickness;   combining the sheet on a drum with a separator without the use of any dusting agent via a separation system, wherein the separator is a tightly weaved, low shrinkage, thermoplastic textile, and wherein the separation system is configured to provide the separator to the drum for combination with the sheet and to remove the separator from the drum at a later time;   heating the combined sheet and separator; and   separating the sheet from the separator via the separation system,   wherein the separator has a thread count of 109×76 threads per square inch.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A substantially smooth, dust-free sheet according to  claim 11 , wherein the separator is heated above 150° C. prior to use in the separator system. 
     
     
         16 . A substantially smooth, dust-free sheet according to  claim 11 , wherein the separator is chemically treated with a silicone. 
     
     
         17 . A substantially smooth, dust-free sheet according to  claim 16 , wherein the silicone is selected from the group including a polysiloxane and a polydimethylsiloxane. 
     
     
         18 . A substantially smooth, dust-free sheet according to  claim 17 , wherein the separator is heated to above a temperature of vulcanizing prior to use in the separator system. 
     
     
         19 . A substantially smooth, dust-free sheet according to  claim 16 , wherein the separator is thermally stabilized after treatment with the silicone. 
     
     
         20 . A substantially smooth, dust free, sheet manufactured by the process of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         21 . A process for the manufacture of a substantially smooth, dust free, rubber sheet, comprising:
 calendering a rubber material into a rubber sheet;   combining the rubber sheet on, a drum with a separator without the use of any dusting agent, wherein the separator is a tightly weaved, low shrinkage, thermoplastic textile;   heating the combined rubber sheet and separator so as to vulcanize the rubber sheet; and   separating the vulcanized rubber sheet from the separator, wherein the separator is plain weaved and has a thread count of at least 109×76 threads per square inch.   
     
     
         22 . A process according to  claim 21 , wherein the separator is chemically treated with a silicone. 
     
     
         23 . A process according to  claim 22 , wherein the silicone is selected from the group including a polysiloxane and a polydimethylsiloxane. 
     
     
         24 . A process according to  claim 23 , wherein the separator is thermally stabilized after treatment with the silicone. 
     
     
         25 . A process according to  claim 24 , wherein the separator is heated to above a temperature of vulcanizing prior to combining the separator with the rubber sheet. 
     
     
         26 . A process according to  claim 25 , wherein the separator is heated above 150° C. 
     
     
         27 . A process according to  claim 21 , wherein the combining uses a separator system that includes a fabric release unit, a tensioning system, and a guidance system. wherein the fabric release unit includes at least one fabric roller, wherein the tensioning system includes at least one load cell roller, and wherein the guidance system includes at least one spiral roller. 
     
     
         28 . A substantially smooth, dust free, rubber sheet manufactured by the process of  claim 21 .