Apparatus For Handling Rolled Material

Abstract

An apparatus for supplying web material to an image creation and cutting device, taking up processed material from the device, and physically supporting the device. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a plurality of upright support structures, adjacent ones defining troughs therebetween. The apparatus can further have the image creation and cutting device pivotably mounted thereupon. Servomotors selectively drive the rolls such that a loop of predetermined length is maintained between each roll and the image creation and cutting device, while the image creation and cutting device processes the web material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings furnished herewith illustrate a preferred construction of the present invention in which the above advantages and features are clearly disclosed as well as others which will be readily understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention, taken at a first side thereof.

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the apparatus of FIG. 1A, taken at a second side thereof;

FIG. 1C is an isometric view of a variant of the apparatus of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1C;

FIG. 3A is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3B is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 1C;

FIG. 4 is a top, plan, view of the apparatus of FIG. 1C;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a material-handling cart for use with the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the material-handling cart of FIG. 6 having a roll of web material deposited thereon;

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded view of the material-handling cart of FIG. 6 having a roll of web material deposited thereon;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a material-handling cart for use with the apparatus of the present invention and a lift for lifting the roll of web material from the handling cart;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view showing the lift of FIG. 9 lifting the roll of web material from the handling cart;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view showing the lift of FIG. 9 depositing the roll of web material on the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view showing the lift and the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded isometric view of a first core assembly for rotatably supporting a roll of web material;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the core assembly and the roll of web material of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the roll of web material taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is an end view of the core assembly and roll of web material of FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 is an exploded isometric view of a second core assembly for rotatably supporting a roll of web material;

FIG. 18 is a schematic view of a control mechanism for the apparatus of FIGS. 1A-1C; and

FIG. 19 is a schematic view showing operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1A.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying web material to an image creation and cutting device for processing the web of material comprising: a) a first roll of web material for dispensing such web material to the image creation and cutting device;b) a second roll, parallel to the first roll, for taking up the web material from the image creation and cutting device; andc) a base structure upon which the image creation and cutting device is pivotably mounted.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the image creation and cutting device is pivotably mounted for pivoting about a generally vertical axis of pivotation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second rolls is mounted upon the base structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first support extending upwardly from the base for supporting a roll of web material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base structure is an upwardly extending support holding the image creation and cutting device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second rolls is mounted to the base structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the first roll, the second roll, and the image creation and cutting device, is mounted to a distinct upwardly extending support.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein adjacent upwardly extending supports define a trough therebetween.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein web material extends between the first roll and the image creation and cutting device in a free-hanging loop manner.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein web material extends between the image creation and cutting device and the second roll in a free-hanging loop manner.

11. A method of printing using an image creation and cutting device that processes the web of material comprising: a) providing a first roll for dispensing unprocessed web material and a second roll for taking up processed web material; andb) feeding the unprocessed web material from the first roll to the image creation and cutting device and outputting the processed web material from the image creation and cutting device to the second roll; andc) pushing and pulling the web material through the image creation and cutting device in first and second, opposite, directions; andd) while pushing and pulling the web material through the image creation and cutting device, maintaining a predetermined length of web material, in a free-hanging manner, between one of the rolls and the image creation and cutting device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the web material is maintained at the predetermined length by rotating at least one of the rolls.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the web material is maintained at the predetermined length by rotating both of the rolls simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the web material is maintained at the predetermined length by rotating both of the rolls at different rotational speeds.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the image creation and cutting device is movably mounted to a base for movement during use.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the image creation and cutting device is pivotably mounted.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the image creation and cutting device is pivotably mounted and pivots about a generally vertical axis of pivotation.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the method includes detecting information relating to an angle of entry of the web material into the image creations an cutting device.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the method further includes providing a base with first and second upright supports for mounting one of the rolls and the image creation and cutting device upon the first and second upright supports defining a trough therebetween.

20. An apparatus for supplying web material to an image creation and cutting device that processes the web of material comprising: a) a first support which supports a roll of web material;b) a second support which movably supports the image creation and cutting device; andc) a third support which supports a roll which receives processed web material.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first and second supports define an input trough for receiving a predetermined length of web material therein.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the second and third supports define an output trough for receiving a predetermined length of processed material therein.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a control mechanism for controlling processing of the web material.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the image creation and cutting device is pivotably mounted to the second support.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the image creation and cutting device pivots about a generally vertical axis of pivotation.