Patent Application
20050194103
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a web tension nulling mechanism for a traveling web. More particularly, it relates to such a mechanism in a corrugator glue machine, so the position and alignment of the traveling web with respect to a glue applicator roll in the machine can be very precisely controlled independently of the tension, or of tension changes, in the traveling web.
Corrugated cardboard composite is used in a large number of applications. It is particularly desirable in packaging applications because it is rugged and has high dimensional and structural integrity.
A corrugated cardboard composite generally consists of first- and second-face sheets of cardboard material having a relatively flat or smooth contour, and a corrugated sheet sandwiched in between the first- and second-face sheets with the flute crests on each side of the corrugated sheet glued to the adjacent face sheet. This composite typically is made by first gluing (the flute crests on) one side of the corrugated sheet to the first-face sheet to provide a single-faced corrugated sheet or web via known or conventional techniques. This single-faced corrugated web then is fed to a corrugator glue machine, where glue is applied to the exposed flute crests of the corrugated sheet, opposite the first-face sheet, in order subsequently to bond the second-face sheet thereto, thus creating the sandwich construction described above.
To carry out this method, a conventional corrugator glue machine has been used for applying glue to exposed flute crests opposite the first-face sheet. Such a conventional glue machine is shown in
In the conventional glue machine 10′ shown in
A pressure controller 50′ is mounted to the glue machine and is operatively coupled to the support arm 20′ to actuate the arm 20′ for regulating the width of the gap 18′. In this manner, the controller 50′ is responsible for regulating the pressure with which flutes 6 are compressed against the applicator roller 16′ by the positioning roller 14′. A significant problem in this conventional construction is that the tension of the traveling web 5 causes unequal and oppositely acting moments M1 and M2 at the delivery idler roller 12′ and the positioning roller 14′, respectively, to act on the support arm 20′ which is pivoted from a base member 40′ of the glue machine. The reason that moments M1 and M2 are unequal is that while each is the result of substantially the same net force (due to web tension), the respective lever arm lengths for each moment, measured from the pivot point of the support arm 20′ (pivot joint 22′) to the point of action of the respective moment (rotational axes of the rollers 12′ and 14′), are different. The vector sum of these unequal moments, M1 and M2, is a net effective moment M3 acting in the direction of the moment M1, which tends to pivot the support arm 20′, and therefore the positioning roller 14′, toward the applicator roller 16′.
As a result, the pressure controller 50′ must compensate for this pivot force on the positioning roller 14′ based on the tension in web 5 in addition to regulating the gap width to achieve optimal glue application to the flute crests 6. This is a substantial burden on the pressure controller 50′ in the conventional glue machine. In addition, if there is a sudden or unpredictable change in the tension of the traveling web 5, the pressure controller 50′ may not react quickly enough to compensate for the resulting change in the tension-based pivot force on the positioning roller 14′. The pressure controller 50′ also can over- or under-compensate which can result in substantial stretches of the single-faced corrugated web having too much or too little glue applied to the flutes 6, or otherwise having the flutes 6 substantially crushed. These stretches of the web are unusable or unsaleable for the intended purpose, and contribute to substantial material waste, lost profits and/or increased price to the consumer.
Alternatively, in conventional glue machines 10′ the positioning roller 14′ sometimes is maintained in a fixed absolute position during operation by biasing the support arm 20′ toward the applicator roller 16′ against one or a series of hard stops using an excessive pressure or force such that web tension (or tension changes) are insufficient to counteract the biasing force and divert the fixed position of the roller 14′. This design is limited in that neither the width of the gap 18′ nor the pressure exerted by the roller 14′ on the flute crests 6 against the applicator roller 16′ can be metered or controlled during machine operation, but are fixed.
There is a need in the art for a mechanism or method of nulling the tension effects in the traveling single-faced web 5, so that changes in the web tension do not effect the operation of a corrugator glue machine. Most preferably, such a mechanism or method not only will compensate out changes in the web tension, but also will compensate out the baseline or constant tension in the traveling web, so the glue machine does not need to actively compensate or account for web tension regardless of whether the tension is constant or changing.
a is a force-member diagram of certain members of the corrugator glue machine of
A corrugator glue machine is provided having an idler roller and a web positioning roller that cooperate to at least partially define a serpentine web path through the machine. A position of the positioning roller is freely adjustable within a predetermined range during operation of the machine. The glue machine further includes a web tension nulling mechanism effective to cancel out forces exerted on the web positioning roller resulting from tension in the web, such that these forces do not substantially affect the position of the positioning roller within the predetermined range.
A corrugator glue machine also is provided having a web positioning roller for carrying a web of material over its circumferential outer surface during operation of the machine, means for adjusting the position of the web positioning roller during operation of the machine, and a web tension nulling mechanism effective to cancel out forces exerted on the web positioning roller resulting from tension in the web, such that the adjusting means experience substantially no forces resulting from web tension.
A corrugator glue machine also is provided having a web positioning roller for carrying a web of material over its circumferential outer surface during operation of the machine, a glue applicator roller parallel to the web positioning roller and adapted to be provided with a glue film on its circumferential outer surface during operation of the machine, wherein the positioning and glue applicator rollers define a gap between their respective circumferential outer surfaces. Means also are provided for adjusting the width of the gap during operation of the machine. The machine is configured such that the gap width adjusting means experience substantially no forces resulting from web tension during operation of the machine.
Herein, all machine elements or members, such as support arms 20a and 20b, cross member 25, etc., are considered to be rigid, substantially inelastic elements or members under the forces encountered by them in the described corrugator glue machine. All such elements or members can be made using conventional materials in a conventional manner as will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the present disclosure.
Referring now to
Still referring to
A cross member 25 is provided extending transversely of, and linking the first and second support arms 20a and 20b as described in this paragraph. The cross member 25 is pivotally attached at its first end to the first support arm 20a at a first linking pivot joint 26, and at its second end to the second support arm 20b at a second linking pivot joint 27. Thus, the cross member 25 is freely pivotable relative to each of the first and second support arms 20a and 20b at the respective linking pivot joint 26,27, and but for its attachment to the other support arm at its opposite end, the cross member 25 would be free to rotate about each of the linking pivot joints at each support arm. The geometry of the cross member 25 is selected based on the locations of the rotational axes of the idler and positioning rollers 12 and 14 relative to their respective support pivot joints 22a and 22b so that the greater moment generated at the idler roller 12, compared to that generated at the positioning roller 14, from web tension is mechanically balanced out to achieve equilibrium in both support arms based on web tension-induced forces.
Referring now to
The following variables used in
At equilibrium, the sum of the moments in each of the support arms 20a and 20b must equal zero. When the rollers 12 and 14 are vertically aligned over their respective support pivot joints 22a and 22b as described above, the distances d1 and d2 both are substantially vertical and parallel, making angles a and b both about 90°, and angles θA and θB congruent angles. Thus, for the first support arm 20a this gives:
ΣMARM 20a=0=F1d1−F3d3 Eq. 1:
For the second support arm 20b:
ΣMARM 20b=0=F2d2−F4d4 Eq. 2
The magnitudes of the forces F1 and F2 are equal because they are based on the same web tension. Also, during operation the cross member 25 is in compression due to the oppositely acting forces F1 and F2 tending to compress the first and second support arms 20a and 20b together, and at equilibrium the magnitudes of forces F3 and F4 in the cross member 25 must be equal. These relations give the following additional two equations at equilibrium:
F1=F2 Eq. 3:
F3=F4 Eq. 4:
Substituting Eqs. 3 and 4 into Eq. 1 gives:
F2d1=F4d3 Eq. 5:
Substituting Eq. 2 into Eq. 5 gives:
F4(d4/d2)d1=F4d3 Eq. 6:
Canceling the F4 terms and rearranging gives:
(d4/d2)=(d3/d1) Eq. 7:
In Eq. 7 above, all the force terms cancel out, and an equilibrium condition is achieved according to the invention for the support arms 20a and 20b, regardless of the web tension 5, so long as Eq. 7 is satisfied.
It is desirable that each of the rollers 12 and 14 be oriented such that, when the glue machine is operating 10, each roller's rotational axis is vertically aligned over the respective support pivot joint 22a or 22b, in order to avoid any roller mass-based moments being generated in either of the support arms 20a or 20b. If, for some reason, it is found to be desirable or necessary in a particular application to orient one or both of the rollers in a different geometry, then obviously the resulting mass-based moment in the affected support arm(s) will need to be taken into consideration. In addition, if the distances d1 and d2 are not oriented parallel, then the angles α and β will not both be 90° and angles θA and θB will not necessarily be congruent. In this case, one will need to calculate the normal force components for each of the forces F1-F4 relative to the respective distance d1 or d2, and use these normal force component values to solve an analogous system of equations as above to determine the appropriate geometry for the cross member 25 in a particular installation. Such trigonometric calculations can be performed by the person of ordinary skill in the art for a given system without undue experimentation.
It will be understood to those of ordinary skill in the art that each of the distances d1-d4 referred to above is to be measured as the linear distance between the respectively defined points, and not necessarily as the length of any actual member. For example, d1 is the linear distance between the first pivot joint 22a (pivot axis) and the axis of rotation of the delivery idler roller 12; d2 is the linear distance between the second pivot joint 22b (pivot axis) and the axis of rotation of the web positioning roller 14; d3 is the linear distance between the axes of the first pivot joint 22a and the first linking pivot joint 26; and d4 is the linear distance between the axes of the second pivot joint 22b and the second linking pivot joint 27. This is so regardless of the actual path or shape of the respective first and second support arms 20a and 20b which may be straight or curved members. Also herein, when referring to the arms 20a and 20b as being parallel or substantially parallel, it will be understood that what is being referred to are imaginary lines drawn along the respective distances d1 for the first support arm 20a and d2 for the second support arm 20b. Where the support arms 20a and 20b are straight members, these imaginary lines will become substantially colinear with their support arms, and the distinction between the actual support arm and the respective linear distance between two points on that arm will be diminished. However, if the support arms are to be curved members, then parallelism of the support arms, as well as the angles θA and θB, must be measured relative to the linear distances d1 and d2 respectively, as they are described in this paragraph.
It is noted once again that all of the actual force terms (F1-F4) drop out of Eq. 7 above. As a result, not only is the mechanism according to the invention effective to null out web tension effects based on a constant tension in the web 5, but also changes, even unexpected or sudden changes, in web tension due to factors external to the glue machine 10 do not compromise or substantially compromise the equilibrium (based on web tension effects) established by cross member 25 between the first and second support arms 20a and 20b in the glue machine for supporting the idler and positioning rollers 12 and 14. Consequently, the absolute position of the positioning roller 14 need not be fixed during operation of the machine 10 in order to prevent its being acted on by web tension-induced forces or moments, and, according to the invention, the roller 14 is permitted to float freely within a predetermined range in an arc about its support pivot joint 22b during operation of the glue machine. Thus, the roller 14 is freely adjustable within this predetermined range during operation of the glue machine.
A pressure or gap metering controller 50 is coupled to the second support arm 20b as shown in
Second, large stretches of unusable web material associated with over- or under-compensation of the pressure controller 50 due to sudden or unexpected changes in web tension are substantially eliminated, because such changes no longer substantially affect or induce net forces exerted on the positioning roller 14 or the controller 50. Optionally, the pressure controller 50 can be coupled to the first support arm 20a in order to regulate the width of the gap 18, though this is less preferred.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that when the rotational axes of the idler and positioning rollers 12 and 14 are aligned directly over their respective support pivot joints 22a and 22b in respective vertical planes, the masses of these rollers contribute zero moment to the support arms 20a and 20b that must be accounted for by the controller 50. However, during operation it is recognized that to the extent the positioning roller 14, and therefore also the idler roller 12 (assuming the distances d1 and d2 to be parallel), are adjusted to a position outside of its respective vertical plane with the associated support pivot joint 22a,22b, then the controller 50 will need to account for the resulting moments induced in the support arms 20a and 20b in order to counteract their effect on the desired position of the roller 14. This does not introduce a significant challenge to the design of the controller 50 because the resulting moments, and more importantly the force necessary to counteract them, are known or derivable functions of the position of the positioning roller 14 based on the masses of the rollers 12,14 and the geometry of the system, all of which are known variables for a given machine 10. The nulling mechanism according to the invention as illustrated, e.g., in the disclosed embodiments, is effective to counteract or substantially null out forces and moments exerted on machine members (such as rollers 12,14, and support arms 20a,20b) resulting from tension in the traveling web 5, so these forces do not affect the position of the roller 14 within the predetermined range described above. With these forces canceled out, the controller 50 can provide effective metering of the gap 18 during operation of the glue machine 10 that takes into account and compensates against the predictable forces resulting from roller-mass induced moments based on the relative position of the positioning roller 14 within the predetermined range.
That predetermined range may vary based on the machine and its particular application, but generally will be broad enough to accommodate a wide range of flute sizes, as well as a broad range of compression rates for each flute size that is to be compatible with the glue machine. The predetermined range can be, for example, an arc length of up to at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, inches, with the controller 50 capable to maintain precise dynamic gap metering control within such range.
It will be understood that
In
Thus, it will be understood from the foregoing description that according to the invention, the geometries of the first and second support arms 20a and 20b, the cross member 25, the first and second pivot joints 22a and 22b and the first and second linking pivot joints 26 and 27, all cooperate to provide an effective web tension nulling mechanism such that web tension-effect forces on the respective idler and positioning rollers 12 and 14 are effectively canceled out. In other words, the geometry of the elements mentioned in this paragraph is selected according to the invention such that the moments acting on the first and second support arms 20a and 20b, based on the tension in the web 5 acting through contact with the rollers 12 and 14, are effectively mechanically canceled out so that their vector sum is equal or substantially equal to zero. It will be seen from the foregoing explanation that the cross member 25 dynamically links the rollers 12 and 14 in a manner so as to achieve this effect. (By “dynamically links,” it is meant that the rollers 12 and 14 are linked through a series of intermediately linked machine members or elements so that their relative positions are not static; i.e. they are movable relative to one another to a degree permitted by the intermediate elements). As a result, any change in the tension of traveling web 5 will result in corresponding equal changes in the magnitudes of the oppositely acting moments in the respective first and second support arms 20a and 20b, the net effect being that these moments mechanically cancel out resulting in a net zero change in the position of the positioning roller 14 due to transient web tension effects. Consequently, the pressure controller experiences no or substantially no net forces as a result of web tension effects, which is then responsible solely for regulating the gap 18 width (and for compensating predictable roller mass-based moments).
This is especially important when changing flute sizes in the glue machine. It is important to accurately meter the width of the gap 18 and the pressure exerted by the positioning roller 14 against the flutes 6 (against applicator roller 16) to ensure the correct amount of glue is applied across different flute sizes when such different sizes are used.
The glue machine according to the invention, incorporating the above-described web tension nulling geometry, allows very precise metering of the gap 18 regardless and independent of the web tension, or of sudden changes in the web tension based on external factors beyond the scope of the glue machine.
The above description of the web tension nulling mechanism has been provided with respect to a transversely extending cross member 25 pivotally linked to first and second support arms 20a and 20b, which in turn support the idler roller 12 and web positioning roller 14. However, the nulling mechanism according to the invention is not to be correspondingly limited to this construction. For example, it is possible and contemplated that linkage systems comprising a plurality of members can be incorporated to dynamically link the idler and positioning rollers 12 and 14, or the first and second support arms 20a and 20b, so as to effectively cancel out the web tension-induced forces as described herein; the invention is not limited to a single cross member 25. Also, it will be evident to the person of ordinary skill in the art, on reading the present disclosure, that other mechanical linkages or linkage systems can be established to achieve the web tension nulling effect as described, herein, so that the controller 50 that is operatively coupled to the positioning roller 14 is shielded from web tension-induced forces during operation of the glue machine 10. It is contemplated that the present invention encompasses all such mechanical linkages and linkage systems. The constructions disclosed herein are provided to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention.
It is to be noted that precise gap metering control has been described above with respect to adjusting the position of the web positioning roller 14. Alternatively, it is contemplated that gap metering control can be achieved by fixing the position of the positioning roller 14 and adjusting the position of the glue roller 16. This construction, however, is less preferred because of the relative complexity associated with adjusting the position of the glue applicator roller 16 during machine operation. For example, the thickness of the glue film 4 applied to the circumferential surface of the applicator roller 16 also typically is precisely metered to achieve optimal glue application, e.g., by the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,546 incorporated hereinabove. Thus, in order to adjust the relative position of the applicator roller 16, the relative positions of a substantial number of additional machine components also would need to be correspondingly adjusted, such as the glue tray and isobar assemblies described in that patent. For example, one method would be to incorporate all of the applicator roller-associated components onto a subassembly and to provide a rail system for translating the subassembly relative to the positioning roller 14. However, adjustment in this manner may compromise the precision of the glue film application components, as well as contribute excessive complexity and cost to the machine's manufacture. For at least these reasons, it is preferred to adjust the position of the positioning roller 14 relative to that of the applicator roller 16 whose position is fixed on a stationary rotational axis, and to mechanically cancel out web tension-induced forces acting on the positioning roller, or on any of its associated linkages, by incorporating a web tension nulling mechanism as disclosed herein.
Though the web tension nulling mechanism has been described herein with respect to its application in a corrugator glue machine 10, the basic invention can be applied to null or cancel out transient web tension effects in any processing unit or other machine that carries or operates on a traveling material web. A person of ordinary skill in the art, based on the present disclosure, will be able to adapt the teachings of this document to provide an effective web tension nulling mechanism to other such processing units or machines without undue experimentation.
Although the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, it will be understood that various changes or modifications can be made thereto based on the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/549,518 filed Mar. 2, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60549518 | Mar 2004 | US |
