Patent Application
20060076452
The present invention relates to tissue manufacturing and handling devices and, more particularly, to tissue manufacturing and handling lines where an adhesive spray is utilized to affect reel-to-reel transfer of an advancing tissue web.
The current state of the art in the tissue making industry embodies a variety of schemes for effecting transfer of an advancing tissue web from a tissue real at or near capacity to a new tissue reel. A number of these schemes involve the spray application of an adhesive to either the advancing web, the new reel, or both, to facilitate turn-up of the advancing web onto a new tissue reeel. The present invention introduces improvements in the methodology and hardware of such schemes.
A detailed description of the variety of tissue manufacturing/handling devices and the various tissue transfer schemes employed therein is not presented herein because such a description would be beyond the scope of the present invention and may be readily gleaned from a number of sources, including a number of U.S. patents and patent application publications. For example, and not by way of limitation, a number of relevant documents are classified in the subclasses indented under class 242 (WINDING, TENSIONING, OR GUIDING), subclass 520 (CONVOLUTE WINDING OF MATERIAL) in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent classification system. United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0160128, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, is an example of one patent application publication classified as such.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a tissue manufacturing/handling device is provided. The device comprises a reel turn-up section including a tissue reeling station and an adhesive application system. The tissue reeling station is configured to provide a tissue spool in the path of an advancing tissue web. The adhesive application system is configured to apply a turn-up adhesive to the advancing tissue web or the tissue spool and comprises an adhesive spray rack. The spray rack comprises at least one adhesive applicator nozzle coupled to an adhesive manifold via an adhesive valve assembly. The spray rack comprises a rotation mechanism configured to permit reciprocal rotation of the spray rack about an axis substantially parallel to the spray rack axis between a spray position and at least one maintenance position.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a tissue manufacturing/handling device is provided. The device comprises a reel turn-up section including a tissue reeling station and an adhesive application system. The adhesive application system comprises (i) an adhesive pump configured to pressurize turn-up adhesive within an adhesive manifold, (ii) a pressure transducer configured to provide an indication of a degree of adhesive pressurization in the adhesive manifold or an adhesive conduit in communication with the adhesive manifold, and (iii) a pressure controller in communication with the pressure transducer. The pressure controller is configured to (i) activate the adhesive pump in response to a signal indicating that initiation of the turn-up sequence is approaching, (ii) operate the adhesive pump as a function of a signal received from the pressure transducer, and (iii) deactivate the adhesive pump following completion of the turn-up sequence and prior to initiation of a subsequent turn-up sequence.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a tissue manufacturing/handling device is provided wherein the adhesive valve assembly is coupled to the adhesive manifold via a direct mount fitting extending from the manifold to the valve assembly. The direct mount fitting defines a fitting input coupled to the adhesive manifold and a fitting output coupled to the valve assembly. The direct mount fitting comprises an angled fitting defining at least two rotational degrees of freedom of movement, each of the degrees of freedom of movement being defined about non-parallel axes of rotation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improvements in tissue manufacturing and handling lines where an adhesive spray is utilized to affect reel-to-reel transfer of an advancing tissue web. Other objects of the present invention will be apparent in light of the description of the invention embodied herein.
The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Referring initially to
The adhesive application system 40 is configured to apply a turn-up adhesive 42 to the advancing tissue web 50 or to a new tissue spool 34. As can be appreciated from the teachings noted above, the presence of the turn-up adhesive on the web 50 or new spool 34 facilitates turn-up of the web onto the new tissue spool 34. Referring additionally to
The spray rack 60 comprises a rotation mechanism 65 configured to permit reciprocal rotation of the spray rack 60 about an axis substantially parallel to the spray rack axis 62. Of course, for the purposes of defining and describing the present invention, it is noted that the axis of rotation and the spray rack axis 62 may be co-axial. In any event, the rotation mechanism 65 is configured to permit reciprocal rotation of the spray rack 60 between the spray position illustrated in
The maintenance position illustrated in
Similarly, the maintenance position illustrated in
The adhesive application system 40 can be configured to permit the spray rack 60 to rotate without interrupting the advancement of the tissue web 50. In this manner, the technician 100 can initiate rotation of the spray rack from the spray position of
For example, the tissue reeling station 30 may be one where successive tissue spools 32, 34 are provided in the path of the advancing tissue web 50 upon initiation of successive turn-up sequences in the tissue manufacturing/handling device 10. In this case, the rotation mechanism 65 can be configured to permit reciprocal rotation of the spray rack 60 from the spray position to a maintenance position and back in an amount of time that is substantially less than the amount of time between the successive turn-up sequences. Preferably, the duration of the reciprocal rotation time of the spray rack is short enough to allow for spray rack maintenance between the successive turn-up sequences. In this manner, the technician 100 can be assured to have sufficient time to perform maintenance operations and return the spray rack 60 to the spray position prior to initiation of the next turn-up sequence.
Referring to
Specifically, the pressure controller 49 can be configured to activate the adhesive pump 45 in response to a signal indicating that initiation of the turn-up sequence is approaching. For example, and not by way of limitation, the pressure controller 49 can be configured to activate the adhesive pump 45 about 30 seconds to about 240 seconds prior to initiation of the turn-up sequence. Of course, the most suitable duration in this regard will depend upon a number of factors including, pump capacity, manifold volume, operating pressure, etc., and should be selected to ensure that the adhesive application system 40 has ample time to pressurize before adhesive is released from the system.
The pressure controller 49 can also be configured to operate the adhesive pump 45 as a function of a signal received from the pressure transducer 47. For example, and not by way of limitation, the pressure controller 49 can be configured to deactivate the adhesive pump 45 upon receipt of a maximum pressure signal from the pressure transducer 47. Additionally, the pressure controller 49 can be configured to operate the adhesive pump to maintain operating pressure within preferred range, e.g., between about 2000 psi and about 3000 psi, or at or above a given value, e.g., about 1500 psi. It is contemplated that operation at or above about 1500 psi can provide significant assurances against adhesive drippage and clogging at the nozzle 64, particularly where the adhesive is heated to above about 150° F. and the spray duration is limited to below about 500 msec.
The pressure controller 49 can also be configured to deactivate the adhesive pump 45 following completion of the turn-up sequence and prior to initiation of a subsequent turn-up sequence. For example, and not by way of limitation, the pressure controller 49 can be configured such that the deactivation of the adhesive pump 45 following completion of the turn-up sequence is conditioned upon receipt of a signal from, for example, the reeling station controller 35 or other suitable hardware, indicating successful completion of the turn-up sequence. The pressure controller 49 can also be configured to deactivate the adhesive pump 45 upon expiration of a given time period following completion or initiation of the turn-up sequence. As is noted above with respect to activation of the adhesive pump, the most suitable duration in this regard will depend upon a number of factors and should be selected to optimize operating efficiency.
Referring specifically to
The two rotational degrees of freedom of movement θ1, θ2 provided by the direct mount fitting 80 can contribute enhanced functionality to the adhesive application system 40 because they allow for fine tuned adjustment of the orientation of the nozzle spray 42 emanating from each adhesive applicator nozzle 64 while performing the simultaneous role of supporting the valve/nozzle assembly. For example, if it is deemed necessary to adjust the orientation of the nozzle spray cross section on the advancing web 50, the technician 100 can rotate the valve assembly 46 nozzle through θ2. Alternatively, or additionally, if it is deemed necessary to adjust the relative position at which the nozzle spray contacts the advancing web 50 along the widthwise dimension of the web 50, the technician 100 can rotate the fitting 80 through θ1.
It is contemplated that a variety of fitting configurations will provide this functionality. For example, and not by way of limitation, an angled nozzle that defines a bend angle of at least about 30° may be sufficient for many applications. Direct mount fittings in the form of 45° and 90° elbows are also contemplated.
For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention, it is noted that reference herein to tissue manufacturing/handling contemplates a variety of systems utilized for the manufacture or handling of tissue products throughout the tissue industry, including but not limited to, tissue webs of a variety of basis weights and configurations including paper towels, napkins, facial tissues, toilet tissues, commercial tissues, etc.
It is noted that terms like “preferably,” “commonly,” and “typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present invention.
For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the term “substantially” is utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The term “substantially” is also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
Having described the invention in detail and by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. More specifically, although some aspects of the present invention are identified herein as preferred or particularly advantageous, it is contemplated that the present invention is not necessarily limited to these preferred aspects of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/613,841 (VAO 0011 MA), filed Sep. 28, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60613841 | Sep 2004 | US |
