Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Convolute winding of material – With particular drive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-12
2001-03-13
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Convolute winding of material
With particular drive
C242S542000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199790
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application No. 198 37 760.6, filed on Aug. 20, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reel winding device having two support rolls that form a winding bed for receiving a winding reel, and a compressed air support device that has a pressure chamber arrangement with end sealing elements.
2. Discussion of Background Information
In one of the final steps of production, paper webs are commonly cut to the correct width and then wound onto reels before being packaged and delivered. The winding cores, onto which the paper reels are wound, have only relatively little rigidity and load-bearing capacity in contrast to the reel-spools used during paper production. They are often constructed, e.g., as cardboard tubes. This generally leads to the paper reels being supported during winding by supporting rolls. This is particularly pronounced when the winding device is structured as a support roll winding machine. In this process, the reel lies on support rolls without additional retention force being exerted on the core. However, even with a backup roll, with which additional retention force can be exerted on the core, the reel is supported on a roll. If the paper reels are larger and heavier, the linear support forces of the paper reel become relatively large on the support roll or rolls, which has the disadvantage of increasing the winding hardness. This can lead to a subsequent failure in the winding structure of the roll. To relieve the pressure on the reels and to reduce the linear force, pneumatic overpressure can be created under the reel so that at least part of the reel weight is supported by a cushion of air.
In order to form such an air cushion at a reasonable expense, measures must be taken to seal a space at least to a considerable extent. The support rolls are used for this purpose. A sealing plate or seal housing is positioned under the support rolls. In the winding bed, the paper reel itself serves as a seal. In current construction, the seal is provided in which a sealing plate having a shape adapted to the contour of the winding bed is positioned as tightly as possible on the ends of the paper reel. However, because it is impossible to achieve bearing contact in this arrangement, this negatively affects the paper web to be wound. In such cases, the sealing plate would also wear very quickly. For this reason, a space of several millimeters is left between the ends of the paper reel and the sealing plate. It is obvious that air escapes through this gap, and it does so in considerable quantities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, therefore minimizes air consumption. In this regard, the present invention relates to a reel winding device of the type generally discussed above that includes at least one end sealing element with a sealing diaphragm arrangement that cooperates with the circumference of the winding reel.
Thus, in contrast to the sealing location known in the prior art, i.e., the end surface of the winding reel, the sealing location of the present invention can be shifted to the circumferential surface of the winding reel. In this regard, several advantages are achieved. For example, the circumferential surface of the winding reel is, generally, significantly smoother than the end surfaces, which results in a sealing diaphragm arrangement that can be positioned at a significantly smaller distance from the circumferential surface of the winding reel, e.g., a minimum distance of only 0.5 mm can be set. Further, the axial extension of the sealing diaphragm arrangement can be made somewhat larger, so that greater flow resistance can be created for the outflowing air. Accordingly, less air can escape through the sealing diaphragm arrangement that is directed against the circumference of the winding reel than with a seal that cooperates with the ends of the winding reel. In the context of the present invention, it is noted that the term “sealing diaphragm arrangement” is not limited to a plate-type formation, but includes all bodies or parts that cooperate with the circumference of the winding reel, and which thereby prevent, or at least impede, the escape of air at the ends. Of course, it is also practically impossible to achieve a hermetic seal at a reasonable expense with a seal that impinges on the circumference of the winding reel. This is because, in this arrangement as well, a seal must be made against three moving parts, namely against the two supporting (carrier) rolls and the winding, reel. However, by the present invention, air consumption can be kept to a minimum.
Preferably, the height of the sealing diaphragm arrangement and at least one support roll can be adjusted with respect to each other. This accommodates the fact that the diameter of the winding reel changes during winding. Since the support rolls have a constant distance relative to each other, the change in diameter means that the winding reel rises continuously above the winding bed, i.e., as the diameter increases, the reel lies more shallowly in the winding bed. If the height of the sealing diaphragm arrangement is adjustable, the desired small sealing gap can be substantially maintained at all times despite this change in seal geometry. This is true even when the axes of the support rolls do not lie in the same plane of elevation, or the diameters of the support rolls are unequal.
It is also advantageous if the sealing diaphragm arrangement has a sealing diaphragm of adjustable shape. Through this adjustable shape, diameter increases of the winding reel can be accommodated. When the diameter of the winding reel increases, a large “window,” through which air can escape, develops on the ends. The shape of the sealing diaphragm can be adjusted either continuously or periodicially, i.e., from time to time, so that this window is covered as well as possible.
According to this process, it can be particularly advantageous if the width of the sealing diaphragm can be changed. As the diameter of the winding reel increases, support points of the winding reel on the support rolls move away from each other. If the width of the sealing diaphragm changes, then the support points of the winding reel on the support rolls can be followed. Thus, the opening through which air could escape can be kept small.
Alternately or additionally, a vertical distance from the end to the middle of the sealing diaphragms can be adjustable. For example, the sealing diaphragm can have a cross-sectional shape of a flat V, the aperture angle of which increases as the roll diameter increases.
The shape of the sealing diaphragm may be adjustable as a function of the height adjustment. For the support roll geometry presented above, the shape of the opening to be sealed is dependent on the increasing diameter of the winding reel. Naturally, the same is true for unwinding. As mentioned above, the increase in the diameter of the winding reel has two consequences. First, the lowest point of the circumference of the winding reel constantly moves upward, i.e., out of the winding bed. Secondly, the support points of the winding reel move outward along the surface of the support rolls. Since it is desirable, for the purpose of good sealing, to keep the sealing diaphragm as close as possible to the circumference of the winding reel, information about the “height position,” i.e., concerning the vertical position of the sealing diaphragm, can be used at the same time for adjusting the shape set for a particular winding reel diameter as well, such as a particular width.
In a relatively simple embodiment, it can be provided that the sealing diaphragm is constricted of several parts that can move against each other. If the parts are moved relative to each other, the shape of the sealing diaphragm can be changed in a simple manner.
Here it is particularly preferable for the part
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Rivera William A.
Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
Walsh Donald P.
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