Machine and method for paint-roller manufacturing with integrated final cutting online

Abstract

A paint roller manufacturing system and method are described. In an embodiment, an inner strip of material and an outer strip of material are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. The inner strip of material and the outer strip of material each comprise material that results in a final paint roller which shrinks by less than 2.5 percent of the final paint roller axial length, or which has shrinkage that varies by less +/−0.1%, upon hardening and setting. An adhesive is applied to at least a portion of the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. A length of fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube, and compression is applied to the paint roller tube while advancing the paint roller tube in a direction parallel to the mandrel. A precision measuring or sensing device is used to control a cutting device causing the cutting device to cut the advancing paint roller tube into pre-selected lengths prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers, the continuous method comprising:
 using a precision measuring or sensing device to control a cutting device causing the cutting device to cut an advancing paint roller tube into pre-selected lengths prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting; and   allowing the cut lengths to harden and set into final paint rollers having final paint roller lengths.   
     
     
         2 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the final paint roller lengths measured axially are three inches, four inches, four and a half inches, six inches, six and a half inches, seven inches, nine inches, twelve inches, fifteen inches, or eighteen inches. 
     
     
         3 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 winding at least one strip of material about a mandrel, the at least one strip of material comprising a polymeric material and a filler.   
     
     
         4 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         5 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 3 , wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         6 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 5 , wherein the filler is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 70% by weight. 
     
     
         7 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material and the filler are present in a ratio that results in a final paint roller which shrinks axially by less than 2.5 percent of the final paint roller axial length upon hardening and setting. 
     
     
         8 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material and the filler are present in a ratio that results in final paint roller shrinkage which varies by less than 0.1 percent per final paint roller axial length. 
     
     
         9 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material and the filler are present in a ratio that results in final paint roller shrinkage of less than 0.05 percent per final paint roller axial length. 
     
     
         10 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , further comprising: applying an adhesive to at least a portion of the at least one strip as it is wound about the mandrel. 
     
     
         11 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 10 , wherein the adhesive comprises a combination of the polymeric material and the filler. 
     
     
         12 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 11 , wherein, the combination has an effective melt flow rate (MFR) within the range of from about 80 to about 170 g/10 min. 
     
     
         13 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the cutting device comprises a rotary cutter. 
     
     
         14 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the cutting device comprises a travelling saw or a stationary saw. 
     
     
         15 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device results in cutting the paint roller tube into desired axial lengths with a tolerance lower than +/−0.01 inches per final paint roller length. 
     
     
         16 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device results in cutting the paint roller tube into desired axial lengths online with a tolerance lower than +/−0.005 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device results in cutting the paint roller tube into desired axial lengths online with a tolerance of +/−0.0025 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device is performed when an exterior surface of the advancing paint roller tube has a temperature that is more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         19 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of changing the pre-selected lengths from one of a plurality of preset lengths to another of the plurality of preset lengths by operating a device in operative communication with the cutting device or the precision device. 
     
     
         20 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of preset lengths comprises at least two of: three inches, four inches, four and a half inches, six inches, six and a half inches, seven inches, nine inches, twelve inches, fifteen inches, and eighteen inches. 
     
     
         21 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 winding a length of fabric about the at least one strip to form a paint roller tube; and   applying compression to the paint roller tube while advancing the paint roller tube in a direction parallel to the mandrel.   
     
     
         22 . The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to  claim 21 , wherein the step of winding a length of fabric about at least the outer strip comprises winding a length of coated fabric about at least the outer strip.