Patent Grant
7980504
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding a continuous web of paper or like material into a rotary press, folding machine, or other machine. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for automated splicing of successive rolls of the web either with or without the need for suspending the feeding of the web along the feed path.
Many types of flexible materials such as paper, plastic and fabric are coiled into rolls and shipped to an end-user or processor. Typically, the coiled material is mounted on an unwind stand which allows the web of material to be unwound in a controlled fashion so that it can be converted into a finished product. When one roll of material is consumed, the exhausted roll is removed from the unwind stand and a new roll mounted so that the processing operation can resume.
Generally, the new roll of material is mounted in proximity to the old roll, prior to expiration of the old roll, so that the lead end of the web on the new roll can be spliced to the tail end of the web on the old roll. When the old roll is nearly exhausted, the splice is formed either manually, or through an automated process.
Although forming the splice through a manual process generally is the simplest approach, and avoids the need for complicated automated splicing and roll handling equipment, manual splicing is often undesirable because the flow of the web of material along the feed path must be stopped during the roll changing and splicing process.
Through the years, a wide variety of approaches to providing automated splicing and roll changing have been proposed and utilized. Generally, however, these prior approaches have been more complex and costly than is desirable.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for replacing and expiring roll of web material with a fresh roll of web material, and for forming an automated splice between the tail end of the web from the expiring roll and the lead end of the web from the new roll. It is further desirable that such an improved method and apparatus be capable of forming a splice while the web of material is being continuously fed along the feed path, or alternatively while the web is not being fed along the feed path.
The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for splicing a tail end of a first web, extending along a web feeding path from an exhausted first roll, to a lead end of a second web coiled in a winding direction about an unwind axis into a second roll. The splice is made by winding a portion of the first web adjacent the tail end of the first web about a splicing roll mounted for rotation about a splice roll axis oriented substantially parallel to the unwind axis, and then joining the tail end to the lead end by compressing an adhesive between an inside surface of the tail end and an outer surface of the second web. Compression of the adhesive is accomplished by urging the splice roll against the coiled second web while the coiled second web is rotating about the unwind axis in an unwind direction and the splicing roll is rolling about the splice roll axis in a direction opposite to the unwind direction.
Those having skill in the art will recognize that forming a splice, in accordance with the invention, through rolling contact of the splice roll with the outer surface of the second coil in such a manner that the portion of the tail end of the first web is directed across the adhesive is an elegantly simple approach to forming the splice. Having a length of the tail end of the first web available to be dispensed during the rolling contact as the splice is made precludes the need for precise placement and positioning of the tail end, the lead end and the adhesive, thereby allowing methods and apparatuses according to the invention to be considerably less complex and more reliable than those required in prior approaches.
In one form of the invention, a method is provided for splicing a tail end of a first web to the lead end of a second web. The first web has an uncoiled section thereof extending in an out-feed direction along a web path from a coiled section thereof which is coiled in a winding direction opposite the out-feed direction about an unwind axis into a first coil. The second web is coiled in the winding direction about the unwind axis into a second coil. Both the first and second webs define respective outer and inner surfaces thereof, and the outer surfaces of respective outer layers of the first and second webs of each of the first and second coils define respective outer surfaces of each of the first and second coils.
A portion of the uncoiled section of the first web adjacent the tail end of the first web is wound about a splicing roll. The splicing roll is mounted for rotation about a splice roll axis oriented substantially parallel to the unwind axis. The outer surface of the portion of the uncoiled section adjacent the tail end of the first web is attached to the splice roll, and the splice roll is rotated about the splice roll axis in a direction opposite the winding direction of the coils, to wind the portion of the uncoiled section of the first web adjacent the tail end of the first web about the splicing roll.
The tail end of the first coil is then joined to the lead end of the second coil through compressing an adhesive between inside surface of the tail end of the first coil and the outer surface of the second coil, by urging the splice roll against the second coil while the second coil is rotating about the unwind axis in the unwind direction, and while the splicing roll is rolling about the splice roll axis in a direction opposite to the unwind direction.
An apparatus or method, according to the invention, may include provisions for manually or automatically apply and activate an adhesive between faying surfaces of the tail end of the first coil and the lead end of the second coil. It is contemplated that, within the scope of the invention, a wide variety of adhesives, splicing apparatuses and splicing methods may be applied with efficacy in various embodiments of the invention.
In some forms of the invention, a pressure sensitive adhesive may be particularly suitable for use in forming the splice, with the pressure sensitive adhesive being applied in a variety of forms by various appropriate methods and apparatuses. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, it is contemplated that a strip of double-sided, pressure-sensitive tape may be manually or automatically applied between faying surfaces of the tail end of the first coil and the lead end of the second coil. In other embodiments of the invention, it is contemplated that a pattern of pressure-sensitive adhesive may be manually or automatically applied between faying surfaces of the tail end of the first coil and the lead end of the second coil by spraying the pressure sensitive adhesive onto one or both of the faying surfaces.
A method, according to the invention, may also include applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive to the outer surface of the second web adjacent to and upstream from the lead end of the second web. The pressure sensitive adhesive may be applied by a variety of manual and automated methods, according to the invention, including applying a double-sided tape, or spraying the adhesive, onto one or both of the faying surfaces of the tail end of the first web and/or the lead end of the second web. A method may also include orienting the second coil bout the unwind axis to place the lead end of the second web in a predetermined pre-splicing position about the unwind axis.
In some forms of the invention, the portion of the uncoiled section wound about the splice roll is pulled back along the web path in a direction opposite to the out-feed direction by rotating the splicing roll about the splice roll axis in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the coils about the unwind axis. The uncoiled section of the first web may be continually fed along the web path in the out-feed direction while splicing the tail end of the first web to the lead end of the second web, in some forms of the invention. In some forms of the invention, an out-feed speed of feeding the uncoiled section in the out-feed direction along the web path may be reduced while splicing the tail end of the first web to the lead end of the second web.
Some forms of the invention may include accumulating a stored portion of the uncoiled section of the first web along the web path prior to severing the uncoiled section of the first web. This accumulated stored portion may be utilized for a variety of purposes in practicing the invention, including continuing to provide a flow of the web material along the web path during the process of changing from the first to the second coil and forming the splice between the first web and the second web.
Some forms of the invention may include accumulating a stored portion of the uncoiled section of the first web along the web path prior to severing the uncoiled section of the first web, and pulling part of the stored portion of the uncoiled section back along the web path while winding the portion of the uncoiled section about the splice roll.
In some forms of the invention, the splice roll may be brought into contact with the outer surface of the uncoiled section of the first web while the uncoiled section is attached to the coiled section of the first web, and severing the uncoiled section to form the tail end of the first web. Prior to severing the uncoiled section, in some forms of the invention, the uncoiled section may be deflected from a running path thereof to a cutting position thereof through movement of the splice roll axis while the splice roll is bearing against the outer surface of the uncoiled section of the first web.
Prior to severing the first web, the splice roll may be rotated into a predetermined cutting position, in some forms of the invention. The splice roll may be rotated a predetermined distance about the splice roll axis after severing the first web
A method according to the invention may be at least partly performed in an automated process, wherein, performing at least one step of the method automatically initiates at least a second step of the method according to a predetermined sequence of steps. In various forms of the invention, the first and second steps of a method performed in an automated process may be selected from the steps consisting of:
In some forms of the invention, winding a portion of the uncoiled section of the first web adjacent the tail end of the first web about a splicing roll may include the steps of:
Joining the tail end of the first coil to the lead end of the second coil, according to the invention, may include the steps of:
Some forms of the invention may include continuing to feed the uncoiled section of the first web along the web path in the out-feed direction while splicing the tail end of the first web to the lead end of the second web. Some forms of the invention may include reducing an out-feed speed of the uncoiled section in the out-feed direction along the web path while splicing the tail end of first web to the lead end of the second web.
Joining the tail end of the first coil to the lead end of the second coil may include the steps of:
An apparatus, according to the invention, may include a splice roll and a splice roll drive arrangement. The splice roll defines a periphery thereof and is mounted for rotation about a splice roll axis oriented substantially parallel to the unwind axis. The spice roll is configured for winding a portion of the uncoiled section of the first web adjacent the tail end of the first web about the periphery of the splice roll, by attaching the outer surface of the portion of the uncoiled section adjacent the tail end of the first web to the splice roll and rotating the splice roll about the splice roll axis in a direction opposite to the winding direction of the coils.
The splice roll drive arrangement is operatively connected between the splice roll axis and the unwind axis for selectively translating the splice roll axis to bring the tail end of the first web wound around the periphery of the splice roll into rolling contact with the outer surface of the second coil. The splice roll drive arrangement is further configured for pressing the trail end of the first web against the outer surface of the second coil when the second coil is mounted for rotation about the unwind axis. As the splice roll drive arrangement urges the splice roll into rolling contact with the outer surface of the second coil, the tail end of the first coil is joined to the lead end of the second coil, through compression of an adhesive between the inside surface of the tail end of the first coil and the outer surface of the second coil, by urging the splice roll against the second coil while the second coil is rotating about the unwind axis in the unwind direction and the splice roll is rolling about the splice roll axis in a direction opposite to the unwind direction.
An apparatus, according to the invention, may also include a coil drive arrangement for receiving the first and second coils and driving the coils in at least the unwind direction about the unwind axis. An apparatus may also include a coil replacement arrangement for facilitating removal of the first coil from the unwind axis and mounting the second coil about the unwind axis.
Some forms of the invention may also include an accumulator arrangement for accumulating a stored portion of the uncoiled section of the first web along the web path prior to severing the uncoiled section of the first web. The accumulator arrangement may include a festoon arrangement.
A splice roll drive arrangement, according to the invention, may selectively drive the splice roll about the splice roll axis in at least a direction opposite to the winding direction of the coils. A splice roll drive arrangement may further include an articulated member having a proximal end and a distal end thereof. The proximal end of the articulated member may be mounted for pivotable motion about an articulated member axis extending substantially parallel to the unwind axis. The splice roll may be rotatably mounted to the distal end of the articulated member for rotation about the splice roll axis.
A splice roll, according to the invention, may include vacuum elements for attaching the outer surface of the portion of the uncoiled section adjacent the tail end of the first web to the splice roll.
Some forms of the invention may also include a cutting arrangement for severing the first web of material when the first web of material is brought into contact with the cutting arrangement by the splice roll. The cutting arrangement may include a blade, and the splice roll may include grooves therein for receiving the blade. A cutting arrangement may also include a pair of nip rolls disposed on either side of the blade in such a manner that the splice roll urges the first web of material against the nip rolls when the first web of material is brought into contact with the cutting arrangement by the splice roll.
Some forms of the invention may also include a controller operatively connected between the cutting arrangement and the splice roll drive arrangement for rotating the splice roll to an angular position about the splice roll axis, with respect to the blade, whereat one of the grooves in the splice roll is aligned to receive the blade, and for actuating the blade to enter the groove in the splice roll for severing the web.
In forms of the invention having vacuum elements for attaching the outer surface of the portion of the uncoiled section adjacent the tail end of the first web to the splice roll, a controller may be operatively connected for selectively applying vacuum to the vacuum elements. A controller may further be operatively connected for controlling translation of the splice roll, in some forms of the invention.
The invention may also take the form of a computer readable medium storing a computer program for implementing the steps of a method according to the invention.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The splice roll 138, in the exemplary embodiment of the splicing arrangement 102, defines a periphery 142 and is mounted for rotation about a splice roll axis 143 which is oriented substantially parallel to the unwind axis 130.
The splice roll drive arrangement 140 includes an articulated member 146, a splice roll drive motor 148 and a splice roll positioning motor 150, with the splice roll drive motor 148 and splice roll positioning motor 150 being shown only in
As shown in
Additional details of the construction and operation of the exemplary embodiment of the unwind stand 100 will now be described with reference to
As shown in
It is contemplated that when the first coil 132 has been reduced in diameter to some predetermined dimension, such as approximately ½ of the original diameter in the present example, an operator of the unwind stand 100 would load the second coil 134 into the staged position in the staged coil handling arrangement 110. It is further contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may include sensors and audible or visual alerting systems to detect that the first coil 132 has been expended to the point where it is time to being preparations for splicing in the second coil 134.
In order to complete the splice, a splicing apparatus or method, according to the invention may include provisions for manually or automatically apply and activate an adhesive between faying surfaces of the tail end of the first coil and the lead end of the second coil. It is contemplated that, within the scope of the invention, a wide variety of adhesives, splicing apparatuses and splicing methods may be applied with efficacy in various embodiments of the invention.
It is contemplated that a pressure sensitive adhesive may be particularly suitable for use in some embodiments of the invention, with the pressure sensitive adhesive being applied in a variety of forms by various appropriate methods and apparatuses. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, it is contemplated that a strip of double-sided, pressure-sensitive tape may be manually or automatically applied between faying surfaces of the tail end of the first coil and the lead end of the second coil. In other embodiments of the invention, it is contemplated that a pattern of pressure-sensitive adhesive may be manually or automatically applied between faying surfaces of the tail end of the first coil and the lead end of the second coil by spraying the pressure sensitive adhesive onto one or both of the faying surfaces.
In some embodiments of the invention using manual installation of a double-sided, pressure-sensitive tape, such as the first exemplary embodiment of the automated unwind stand 100, either prior to or after loading the second coil into the staged coil handling arrangement 110, the operator installs a strip of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape to an outside surface of the second web 136 at a point adjacent and just upstream of a lead end 156 of the second web 136. In some embodiments of the invention it is contemplated that the tape 154 will always be applied by the operator at approximately the same location about the center of the second coil 134, for example at a three o'clock or a nine o'clock position. The position at which the tape is applied, or stated another way, the desired initial positioning of the tape 154 and the lead end 156 of the second coil 134 will depend somewhat upon the orientation and placement of an unwind stand, according to the invention, and other factors such as whether the web is fed along the web path 124 from the top of a coil mounted for rotation about the unwind axis 130 as is the case in the exemplary embodiment 100, or from the bottom or some other position of the coil when used in other embodiments of the invention having the web feeding from the bottom or some other position of the coil when mounted about the unwind axis 130.
In the first exemplary embodiment of the automated unwind stand 100, once the second coil 134 is mounted in the staged position, as shown in
The accumulator arrangement 112, in the exemplary embodiment of the unwind stand 100, takes the form of a festoon arrangement, of the type generally known in the art having a series of pulleys about which the first web 118 is threaded. Some of the pulleys are moveable by a festoon actuator 158, in the manner illustrated in
In the exemplary embodiment of the unwind stand 100, at the outset of the auto-splice and roll-change operation, the festoon 112 extends to store a length of the first web 118. It is also contemplated, that some embodiments of the invention may include reducing the out-feed speed of the web 118 along the web path 124 during the auto-splice and roll-change operation.
During normal feeding operations of the unwind stand 100, and through the early stages of the auto-splice and roll-change operation, the periphery 142 of the splice roll 138 is in contact with an outer surface 160 of the first web 118, with the splice roll 138 rotating at sufficient speed about the splice roll axis 143 that there is substantially no slippage between the periphery 142 of the splice roll 138 and the first web 118. In some embodiments of the invention, the splice roll drive motor 148 may be utilized for driving the splice roll 138 in a direction opposite to the motion of the first coil 132 about the unwind axis 130.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The controller 116 then commands a blade actuator 174 (as shown in
As shown in
Once the first web 118 is severed, the controller 116 commands of the spent coil ejection arrangement 108 to eject the remainder of the first coil 132 from the unwind axis 130, in the manner illustrated in
As indicated in
In various embodiments of the invention, it is contemplated that the angular position of the pressure-sensitive tape 154 may be set in a variety of appropriate ways. In the first exemplary embodiment 100, it is contemplated that the angular position of the pressure-sensitive tape be adjusted by the coil drive arrangement 106 in a substantially automatic manner, by the controller 116, on the basis of the diameter of the second coil and a known approximate position of initial placement of the pressure-sensitive tape 154 when the second coil 134 is mounted in the staged position in the staged coil handling arrangement 110. In some embodiments of the invention utilizing splicing tape, it is contemplated that the strip of tape 254 may be applied while the second coil 134 is in the staged position, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As illustrated sequentially in
Once the splice 194 has been successfully formed, the controller 116 will initiate return of the unwind stand to the condition substantially as shown in
Regarding the drawing figures, it will be noted that
In the second exemplary embodiment of the automated unwind stand 200, once the second coil 134 is mounted in the staged position, as shown in
The accumulator arrangement 112, in the exemplary embodiment of the unwind stand 100, takes the form of a festoon arrangement, of the type generally known in the art having a series of pulleys about which the first web 118 is threaded. Some of the pulleys are moveable by a festoon actuator 158, in the manner illustrated in
In the exemplary embodiment of the unwind stand 200, at the outset of the auto-splice and roll-change operation, the festoon 112 extends to store a length of the first web 118. It is also contemplated, that some embodiments of the invention may include reducing the out-feed speed of the web 118 along the web path 124 during the auto-splice and roll-change operation.
During normal feeding operations of the unwind stand 200, and through the early stages of the auto-splice and roll-change operation, the periphery 142 of the splice roll 138 is in contact with an outer surface 160 of the first web 118, with the splice roll 138 rotating at sufficient speed about the splice roll axis 143 that there is substantially no slippage between the periphery 142 of the splice roll 138 and the first web 118. In some embodiments of the invention, the splice roll drive motor 148 may be utilized for driving the splice roll 138 in a direction opposite to the motion of the first coil 132 about the unwind axis 130.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The controller 116 then commands a blade actuator 174 (as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Additionally, once the first web 118 is severed, the controller 116 commands of the spent coil ejection arrangement 108 to eject the remainder of the first coil 132 from the unwind axis 130, in the manner illustrated in
As indicated in
As shown in
In the exemplary embodiment of the unwind stand 100, it is contemplated that the articulated member drive motor 150 is capable of operation alternatively in a positioning mode or in a torque mode. During the initial stages of translation of the axis 143 of the splice roll 138 it is contemplated that the articulated member drive motor 150 would be driven in a positioning mode to place the outer periphery 142 of the splice roll adjacent to the second coil 134 in a position where the portion of the first web 118 wound about the splice roll 138 is not quite in contact with the outer surface of the second coil 134. The controller 116 will then command the articulated member drive motor 150 to operate in a torque mode and urge the splice roll 138 to pinch the portion of the first web 118 wound about the periphery of the splice roll 138 against the outer surface of the second coil 134 with sufficient force to cause adhesion of the lead end 156 of the second web 136 with the pattern 254 of pressure-sensitive adhesive adjacent the tail end 162 of the first web 118 to form a splice 294.
As shown in
As illustrated sequentially in
Once the splice 294 has been successfully formed, the controller 116 will initiate return of the unwind stand to the condition substantially as shown in
It is believed that spraying a pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive onto one or both of the faying surfaces of the webs may provide several advantages over application of a strip of double-sided, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, in practicing the invention. Spraying the adhesive directly onto the web, rather than using tape, may reduce the possibility that the tape can become lodged in downstream processing equipment, such as embossing rolls. Less labor is required to automatically spray on the adhesive than is required to install the strip of tape. It is also more likely that the splice can remain in the final product when the pressure-sensitive adhesive is sprayed on, rather than being applied as a tape, thereby reducing waste.
Those having skill in the art will recognize that the present invention provides a substantial improvement over prior arrangements and methods for performing splicing and roll change operations in unwind stands. It will be further recognized that, although the invention has been described herein with regard to exemplary embodiments of an automated unwind stand according to the invention, in other embodiments of the invention some or all of the aspects and elements described herein may be combined in a variety of other ways or utilized individually with efficacy.
For example, it is expressly noted that a splicing arrangement according to the invention may be utilized in a variety of other automated and manually operated embodiments. A splicing arrangement, according to the invention, may also be utilized with unwind stands in applications where it is permissible and/or desirable to stop feeding of the web during the splicing process.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/170,449, filed Apr. 17, 2009, the disclosure and teachings of which are incorporated herein, in their entireties, by reference.
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