BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a web material winding machine constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a second gluing mechanism of the web material winding machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the delivery of core tubes to a guiding unit of the web material winding machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing that a core tube is conveyed to a transmission means of the web material winding machine;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing that the core tube is conveyed to a transporting passage of the transmission means;
FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing that a web material is stuck to the core tube;
FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a working core tube is gripped by a gripping arm;
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing that the working core tube is proceeding winding work in the winding region;
FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing that the winding of the working core tube is nearly completed and a new core tube is conveyed to the transmission means;
FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing that the web material is stuck on the new core tube that enters the transporting passage;
FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing that the new working core tube presses on the web material;
FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the tearing of web material; and
FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing that the roll leaves the winding region and the new core tube is conveyed to the winding region.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1 which is the schematic view of a web material winding machine constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A web material winding machine 100 is adapted to wind a web material 200 to a core tube 300. The winding machine 100 includes a core tube storage tank 1, a guiding unit 2, a transmission means 3, a web material feeding assembly 4, a gripping assembly 5 and a second gluing mechanism 6.
The core tube storage tank 1 contains with a plurality of core tubes 300 and has an opening (not labeled) at the right bottom corner for supplying the core tubes 300. The guiding unit 2 communicates with the opening of the core tube storage tank 1 and includes a guiding passage 21, a first gluing mechanism 22 and a pushing mechanism 23. The first gluing mechanism 22 contains glue. The guiding passage 21 connects the core tube storage tank 1 to the pushing mechanism 23. Through the guiding passage 21, the core tube 300 is conveyed from the core tube storage tank 1 to the platform of the pushing mechanism 23. Then, the first gluing mechanism 22 applies an initial glue to the core tube 300 on the platform of the pushing mechanism 23. The pushing mechanism 23 has a retractable arm that pushes the glued core tube 300 along the platform to the transmission means 3.
The transmission means 3 includes an oscillable feeding arm 31, a roller assembly 32 and a rolling guiding mechanism 33. The feeding arm 31 is located above the pushing mechanism 23 and has a fixed end 311, a pushing end 312 and a pushing roller 313. The feeding arm 31 is pivoted at the fixed end 311 such that the pushing end 312 is movable along a first oscillating orbit I as shown in FIG. 3. The pushing roller 313 is mounted to the pushing end 312 of the feeding arm 31 for pushing the core tube 300 forward along the oscillating orbit I.
The roller assembly 32 includes a first roller 321, a second roller 322 and a third roller 323. The first roller 321 is located nearby the feeding arm 31. The second roller 322 and the third roller 323 are below the first roller 321 and are respectively positioned at the two sides of the first roller 321. A clearance is formed between the first roller 321 and the second roller 322. The clearance is on the oscillating orbit I. A clearance is also formed between the second roller 322 and the third roller 323.
The rolling guiding mechanism 33 is arranged between the first roller 321 and the second roller 322, forming a continuous curved surface between the first roller 321 and the second roller 322. The curved surface and the first roller 321 defines a transporting passage 34 for conveying the core tube 300 therethrough.
In order to strengthen the interference action of the new core tube 300 to the feeding of web material 200 to the working core tube 300a (as shown in FIG. 5), the transporting passage 34 is designed to have a width slightly smaller than the diameter of the core tube 300. Therefore, when the core tube 300a is conveyed along the transporting passage 34, the core tube 300a is squeezed to deform slightly, turning into oval shape.
The web material 200 is fed through the web material feeding assembly 4 to the roller assembly 32. The web material feeding assembly 4 includes a stationary counter roller 41, a perforation roller 42 and a feeding roller 43. The counter roller 41 is provided with a counter blade 411, and the perforation roller 42 is provided with a plurality of blades 421 regularly spaced at the periphery of the perforation roller 42. The counter blade 411 of the counter roller 41 operates in coordination with the blades 421 of the perforation roller 42. During operation, the web material 200 is conveyed to the feeding roller 43 through a passage between the counter roller 41 and the perforation roller 42. Meanwhile, the blades 421 of the perforation roller 42 pierce through the web material 200 to the counter blade 411 of the counter roller 41, forming a line of perforations across the web material 200. The perforation roller 42 is driven to rotate at a predetermined speed such that a perforation line is produced at the web material 200 for each predetermined distance. The feeding roller 43 is located below the second roller 322 for feeding the web material 200 to the second roller 322.
The gripping assembly 5 includes an oscillable gripping arm 51 and a gripping roller 52. The gripping arm 51 has a fixed end 511 and a gripping end 512. The gripping end 512 is pivoted at the fixed end 511, such that the gripping end 512 is movable along a second oscillating orbit II as shown in FIG. 3. The gripping roller 52 is mounted to the gripping end 512 and is adjacent to the first roller 321 and above the third roller 323 for gripping the working core tube 300a. A winding region 53 is defined among the first roller 321, the third roller 323 and the gripping roller 52.
Please refer to FIG. 2, which is an exploded perspective view showing a second gluing mechanism of the web material winding machine of FIG. 1. The second gluing mechanism 6 is arranged adjacent to the third roller 323 and tilts downward. The second gluing mechanism 6 includes a cover plate 61, an injector 62, a glue supply 63 and a casing 64. The cover plate 61, the injector 62 and glue supply 63 are aligned with each other and are piled together from top to bottom in sequence. The casing 64 is fastened to the plate 61 by screws for accommodation and protection of the injector 62 and glue supply 63 therebetween.
The cover plate 61 is perforated with a plurality of apertures 611. The injector 62 is provided with a support base 621 and a plurality of injecting needles 622. Each of the injecting needles 622 aligns with an aperture 611 located above. The glue supply 63 comprises a support base 631, a plurality of tubes 632 and a plurality of ducts 633. The tubes 632 are supported on the support base 631. Each of the tubes 632 is connected with a duct 633 which is aligned with an injecting needle 622 above the glue supply 63. The tubes 632 contain glue and supply the glue through the ducts 633 to the injecting needles 622. When the roll 400 rolls (as shown in FIG. 9) across the cover plate 61, the injector 62 injects tail glue through the apertures 611 to the web material 200 of the roll 400.
Please refer to FIGS. 3 to 13 that show an operation of the web material winding machine of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the delivery of core tubes to the guiding unit of the web material winding machine of FIG. 1. As shown, the core tubes 300 are delivered one by one from the core tube storage tank 1 through the guiding passage 21 to the platform of the pushing mechanism 23. The first gluing mechanism 22 of the guiding unit 2 applies initial glue to the core tube 300.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing that the core tube is conveyed to the transmission means 3 of the web material winding machine. The glued core tube 300 is pushed forward by the retractable arm of the pushing mechanism 23 along the platform to the transmission means 3. In the meantime, the web material 200 is conveyed through the web material feeding assembly 4 to the roller assembly 32. The blades 421 of the perforation roller 42 works with the counter blade 411 of the counter roller 41, producing a line of perforations across the web material 200.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing that the core tube is conveyed to the transporting passage of the transmission means. The feeding arm 31 oscillates around the fixed end 311, and accordingly, the pushing end 312 moves along the first oscillating orbit I. It can be seen from FIG. 5 that the pushing roller 313 pushes the core tube 300 to displace into the transporting passage 34. As mentioned, the transporting passage 34 has a width slightly smaller than the diameter of the core tube 300. Therefore, when the core tube 300a is conveyed along the transporting passage 34, the core tube 300a is squeezed to oval shape.
Once entering the transporting passage 34, the core tube 300 contacts the web material 200 and sticks the web material 200 by the initial glue, forming a working core tube 300a, as it can be seen from FIG. 6. The relative motion between the first roller 321 and the rolling guiding mechanism 33 drives the working core tube 300a to move along the transporting passage 34. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing that the working core tube 300a reaches the winding region 53 of the gripping assembly 5 and is gripped by the gripping arm 51. At the same time, the feeding arm 31 swings back to its original position.
Please refer to FIG. 8. The working core tube 300a is driven to rotate to wind the web material 200 at the winding region 53. When the winding of the working core tube 300a is nearly completely, the first gluing mechanism 22 applies initial glue to a new core tube 300. The operation of the guiding unit 2 is controlled by a control means. The control means may be any conventional control device that can be preset with various operation parameters, e.g. the timing of release of core tube from the guiding unit 2.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the new core tube 300 is conveyed to the transmission means 3. The glued new core tube 300 is pushed forward by the arm of the pushing mechanism 23 along the platform to the transmission means 3. The working core tube 300a at the winding region 53 keeps on winding at the normal speed.
FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 3. In the drawing, the new core tube 300 is pushed to enter the transporting passage 34 by the feeding arm 31. Once entering the passage 34, the core tube 300 contacts the web material 200 and sticks the web material 200 by the initial glue, forming a new working core tube 300a.
Please refer to FIG. 11, a schematic view showing the new core tube presses on the web material feeding to the winding core tube. The new core tube 300a moves through the transporting passage 34 and is squeezed to become oval shape. The new core tube 300a presses on the web material 200, and therefore, the new core tube 300a interferes the movement of the web material 200. This interference action slows down the feeding speed of the web material 200 or even stops the feeding of the web material 200 to the working core tube 300a. However, the working core tube 300a at the winding region 53 keeps rotation at its normal speed.
Accordingly, a pulling force is generated to the web material 200. FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the tearing of the web material. The pulling force causes the web material 200 to tear along the perforation line. Hence, the winding of the working core tube 300a is completed and a roll 400 is produced.
FIG. 13 shows that the roll 400 leaves the winding region 53 and the new core tube 300a is conveyed to the winding region 53. As the second gluing mechanism 6 tilts downward, the roll 400 leaves the winding region 53 and rolls across the cover plate 61 of the second gluing mechanism 6. At this moment, the second gluing mechanism 6 injects tail glue through the apertures 611 to the web material 200 of the roll 400. The web material 200 is adhered by the tail glue to the roll 400. The processing to the roll 400 is accomplished. The injection of the final glue by the second gluing mechanism is also controlled by the control means. Meanwhile, the new working core tube 300a is conveyed to the winding region 53.
At predetermined time, the control means drives the injector 62 and the glue supply 63 to lift up such that the injecting needles 622 reaches the apertures 611 and are close to the roll 400, and injecting needles 622 inject tail glue to the roll 400. After injection, the injector 62 and the glue supply 63 returns to its original position. The upward and downward movement of the injector 62 and the glue supply 63 are achieved by a retractable lifting device. The lifting device may comprise spiral pins, springs or other effective elements.
In the present invention, the tearing of web material is achieved by the interference of the new core tube to the working core tube. The winding machine tears the web material whenever a new core tube is delivered to the transporting passage. No presser or severing means is required. Hence, no time control device is needed for controlling the working of the presser. The manufacture, operation and maintenance of the winding machine are simplified. It significantly reduces the manufacture, operation and maintenance cost.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070246595
