Automated tape splicing system

Details Automated tape splicing system Automated tape splicing system

1999-01-21

2001-02-20

Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture

Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor

Automatic and/or material-triggered control

C156S505000, C156S157000, C156S360000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06189587

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based on, and claims priority from, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,227,668, filed Jan. 21, 1998.
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a tape splicing device, and in particular to a device for automatically splicing adhesive tape used in a carton sealing machine.
Conventional machines currently used to seal cartons, such as, for example, corrugated cardboard cartons, typically include a work table or frame, the top of which is defined by rollers for slidably receiving cartons. A pair of opposed drive belts frictionally engage the sides of each carton, and feed the carton along the length of the machine between upper and/or lower tape dispensing heads, which respectively apply tape to the top and/or bottom and ends of the cartons. The tape is dispensed from rolls mounted on arms extending upwardly and/or downwardly from the dispensing heads. When the tape in a roll runs out, it is necessary to stop the machine and replace the used roll with a new roll of tape.
It is preferable to avoid stopping the machine. A proposed solution to the problem is the use of a stack of interconnected rolls of tape. However, this solution necessitates a complicated structure for interconnecting the rolls and merely reduces the frequency of machine stoppage. In co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,792, the teaching of which is hereby incorporated by reference, the present inventor teaches a tape splicing device which is capable of providing a continuous web of tape to a carton sealing machine. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,792 comprises a pair of tape spindles mounted on a pivoting arm for receiving respective rolls of tape. In operation, tape is drawn from one of the rolls and is fed to a tape dispensing head. When the roll is nearly exhausted, an operator causes the pivoting arm to rotate through approximately 180 degrees. Rotation of the arm brings a fresh roll of tape on the other spindle into contact with the web of tape. A tab formed on the fresh roll of tape adheres to the web, thereby causing a web of tape to be drawn from the fresh roll. At this point the web of tape from the exhausted roll can be cut, such as, for example, by a knife, and the web of tape continues to be drawn from the fresh roll. The operator can then replace the exhausted roll of tape with a fresh roll of tape without interfering with the web of tape being drawn from the fresh roll. By way of this operation, a continuous web of tape can be supplied to a tape head in a carton sealing machine, thereby facilitating continuous, uninterrupted operation of the carton-sealing operation.
A disadvantage of the above-described device is that its operation is dependent on intervention by an operator, thereby rendering the device undesirably labor-intensive and prone to human error.
Thus an object of the present invention is to provide a fully automatic tape splicing device capable of operation for extended periods of time with minimal intervention from an operator.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-roll automatic tape splicing device in which a platen is rotatably mounted on a support frame via a shaft. At least two tape mandrels are rotatably disposed on the platen at a substantially equal distance from the shaft, and substantially equally spaced from each other, each mandrel being capable of receiving a respective roll of tape. An index drive is operatively coupled to the platen, for selectively rotating the platen so as to successively move each mandrel into a predetermined operating position at which a web of tape can be drawn from a respective roll of tape disposed on the mandrel, and for moving a mandrel out of the operating position when the respective roll of tape is depleted. A first sensor is operatively mounted on the support frame and capable of detecting a depleted condition of a roll of tape mounted on a respective mandrel in the operating position. A second sensor is operatively mounted on the support frame and capable of detecting rotation of a mandrel in the operating position. A cutting unit is disposed on the frame and capable of severing a web of tape being drawn from a depleted roll of tape. A control unit is responsive to the first and second sensors such that when the first sensor detects a depleted condition of a roll of tape the control unit controls the index drive to rotate the platen and thereby move the next successive mandrel into the operation position. A tab formed on the end of a fresh roll of tape mounted on the successive mandrel adheres to the web of tape being drawn from the depleted roll, thereby causing a web of tape to be drawn from the fresh roll. Thereafter, the control unit controls the cutting unit to cut the web of tape being drawn from the depleted roll, when the second sensor detects rotation of the mandrel in the operation position.
The platen can be provided with as few as two mandrels, although three or more mandrels are preferred because the use of more mandrels increases the number of tape splicing cycles which may be completed before an operator must install fresh rolls of tape.
The platen can be mounted for rotation either horizontally, or vertically (or at an angle). Furthermore, the frame can be constructed as a free-standing unit, or can be designed to be mounted onto a conventional carton sealing machine.
In an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises a single splicing unit composed of an index drive, platen and cutter unit. Alternatively, two or more splicing units can be assembled onto a single frame, so that a plurality of tape heads can be supplied from a single tape splicing device. In this case, each splicing unit may have its own control unit, or, all splicing units may be controlled by a single control unit.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3567534 (1971-03-01), Kushiro
patent: 4238261 (1980-12-01), Tetro
patent: 4643783 (1987-02-01), Hogenson
patent: 5573626 (1996-11-01), Rossini et al.
patent: 5676792 (1997-10-01), Cairns

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