METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A TAPE-REWINDING SUBSTRATE CLEANER
A cleaner assembly for cleaning a roller comprising a tape unwinder and winder for holding and dispensing adhesive tape which may be a continuous strip or may comprises discrete sheets of adhesive tape wound on top of each other. The winder and unwinder are connected to a drive by a timing belt. Thus a length of tape may be wound back and forth on a roller surface by alternating the rotation of the drive. The tape is passed around a backing roller to press the tape against a roller to be cleaned. In a second embodiment, the tape roll comprises a plurality of sheets of tape wound on top of each other. To remove a spent outer sheet, the outer sheet carrying the transferred particles is transferred to a continuous tape roll, exposing a fresh sheet on the sheeted tape roll which is then ready for renewed cleaning service.
1 . A system for cleaning particles from the surface of a roller, comprising:
a) means for conveying a length of adhesive tape in rolling contact with said roller surface in a first rolling direction;
b) means for conveying said length of adhesive tape in rolling contact with said roller surface in a second rolling direction opposite said first rolling direction; and
c) means for switching said rolling contact between said first rolling direction and said second rolling direction.
2 . A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said length of tape is a portion of a roll of continuous tape having a first core, and wherein said means for conveying in said first rolling direction comprises:
a) first and second spaced apart spindles for unwinding and winding said continuous tape between said first core on one of said spindles and a second core disposed on the other of said spindles;
b) drive means for driving said first and second spindles;
c) clutch means engageable on said first spindle; and
d) clutch means slipable on said second spindle.
3 . A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for conveying in said second rolling direction comprises:
a) clutch means slipable on said first spindle; and
b) clutch means engageable on said second spindle.
4 . A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said first and second spindles is provided with particle brake means.
5 . A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said drive means includes a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said first and second spindles.
6 . A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said drive means includes first and second reversible torque motors operatively connected to said first and second spindles, respectively.
7 . A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said roller to be cleaned by said system is a contact cleaning roller.
8 . A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said contact cleaning roller is a sheeted tape roller having a plurality of adhesive sheets wrapped upon a core, and wherein said system includes means for transferring the outermost of said adhesive sheets from said sheeted tape roller to said length of adhesive tape.
9 . A method for cleaning particles from the surface of a roller, comprising the steps of:
a) conveying a length of adhesive tape in rolling contact with said roller surface in a first rolling direction; and
b) conveying said length of adhesive tape in rolling contact with said roller surface in a second rolling direction opposite to said first rolling direction.
10 . A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said steps a) and b) are repeated a plurality of times.
11 . A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said length of adhesive tape is a first length which is a portion of a roll of continuous tape, the method further comprising the steps of:
a) winding said first length of adhesive tape into a storage location for discard;
b) exposing a second length of adhesive tape on said roll of continuous tape; and
c) repeating steps a) and b) of claim 9 a plurality of times.
12 . A method for cleaning a contact cleaning roller surface, comprising the steps of:
a) engaging a tape web with said contact cleaning roller surface;
b) passing a length of said tape web over said contact cleaning roller surface between a tape unwinder spindle and a tape winder spindle to clean said contact cleaning roller surface a first time; and
c) rewinding said length of said tape web over said contact cleaning roller surface toward said unwinder spindle to clean said contact cleaning roller surface a second time.