Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Convolute winding of material – With cutting – perforating – or notching
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-19
2001-08-14
Marcelo, Emmanuel M. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Convolute winding of material
With cutting, perforating, or notching
C242S533400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273356
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to apparatus for continuously winding a web of sheet material into rolls. The apparatus of the present invention may be employed to rewind a web of sheet material from a primary roll on a first mandrel (the unwind mandrel) into a smaller, secondary roll on a second mandrel (the rewind mandrel). Alternatively, it may be employed at the output end of web manufacturing apparatus to wind the web into rolls as it leaves the manufacturing apparatus.
It is known within the label manufacturing industry to rewind rolls of labels from a primary roll. The labels may be formed as a continuous web or may, particularly in the case of adhesive labels, be carried on a continuous web of backing material. The secondary rolls are wound from the primary roll to form smaller secondary rolls of a manageable size and having a diameter which allows them to be received within label dispensing apparatus. Ticket rolls and till rolls are also formed in this way; that is to say smaller, secondary rolls are wound from a primary roll. The secondary rolls may be wound from the primary roll onto cores or may be coreless.
Each time a secondary roll is rewound from the primary roll the web of material connecting the two rolls must be cut and the free end of the primary roll must be picked up and connected to the rewind mandrel of the winding machine or, in the case of cored rolls, against a core positioned on the rewind mandrel so that rewinding of the next secondary roll can begin.
Where the web of material is rewound onto a core it is known to attach the free end of the primary roll to the core using adhesive or double-sided sticky tape pre-applied to the core itself. The disadvantage of this approach is that the adhesive or double-sided sticky tape can adhere to the back of the web itself, thus causing the last few centimetres of the roll to be wasted. Where the roll carries sequentially numbered labels or tickets this is not acceptable for obvious reasons. Moreover, the adhesive may attach itself to parts of the end use apparatus in which the roll is employed, causing the end use apparatus to be disabled or even damaged.
Where the web of material is rewound directly onto the rewind mandrel it is known to insert the free end of the primary roll into a mechanical clamp carried by the rewind mandrel. The disadvantage of this approach is that the web must be stationary during insertion of the free end in the clamp and therefore it cannot be employed as part of a continuous web feed process, for example, on the end of a printing press, unless an accumulator is positioned between the press and the turret rewinder.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for continuously winding a web of sheet material into rolls which obviates or at least substantially mitigates the problems associated with the prior art which have been identified hereinabove.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for continuously winding a web of sheet material into rolls, the apparatus comprising:
i) a turret mechanism comprising two or more winding mandrels;
ii) means for rotatably indexing the turret mechanism to bring each mandrel in turn into a winding position in which it is rotatably driven to wind a web of sheet material connected thereto into a roll, and to bring the adjacent mandrel lying immediately behind it in the direction of rotation of the turret into contact with the web;
iii) drive means for selectively rotatably driving the said adjacent mandrel;
iv) rotary means adapted for selective engagement with the said adjacent mandrel, which rotary means is rotatably driven in the opposite direction to the said adjacent mandrel and at a greater speed;
v) web cutting means adapted to cut the web at a point lying between the current rewind mandrel and the said adjacent mandrel;
vi) means adapted to direct the cut end of the web between the said adjacent mandrel and the said rotary means; and
vii) control means for rotatably driving the said adjacent mandrel through a plurality of turns to wrap the web around it and for operating the indexing means to move the said adjacent mandrel into the rewind position.
When a roll has been wound onto the current winding mandrel to a predetermined diameter the rotary means is brought into engagement with the mandrel immediately adjacent to and behind it. Simultaneously, the said adjacent mandrel is rotatably driven, but at a speed slower than the rotary means and in the opposite direction thereto. The cutting means is then operated to cut the web and sever the connection with the roll on the current winding mandrel. The cut end of the web is then directed between the rotary means and the said adjacent mandrel. Owing to the greater rotational speed of the rotary means the web is pulled tight around the more slowly rotating mandrel. The rotary means continues to pull the web tightly against the mandrel for a predetermined number of revolutions of the mandrel at which point is can be disengaged from the mandrel. The web is now wrapped tightly around the mandrel and secured to it. The indexing means is now operated to move the current winding mandrel forward so that the finished roll carried by it can be removed and to bring the said adjacent mandrel into the winding position just vacated where winding of the next roll can resume.
It will be seen that the apparatus of the present invention allows rolls of web to be wound. The rolls may be wound directly on the mandrels carried by the turret or may be wound onto cores positioned over the mandrels. In either case operation of the apparatus is much the same. Where the rolls are wound on cores the apparatus may be used in conjunction with an automatic core loading device.
The apparatus of the present invention may be used to form smaller, secondary rolls from a larger primary roll of material, or may be situated at the output end of a web manufacturing apparatus. The apparatus may be used in line with web converting apparatus which print directly on the web, carry our pressing operations and the like as the web passes through to the apparatus of the present invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the rotary means comprises a roller mounted on an arm which is moveable to engage and disengage the roller with the said adjacent mandrel. Preferably, an idler roller is mounted on the arm adjacent to the roller and the web passes between the idler roller and the said adjacent mandrel before passing over the said adjacent mandrel towards the current winding mandrel. The idler roller serves to guide the cut end of the web under the web at the point where it first joins the said adjacent mandrel.
When the arm is moved to the engaged position, in which position the said adjacent mandrel is rotatably driven, the idler roller also engaged with the said adjacent mandrel and is rotatably driven thereby. Conveniently, the said driven roller takes its drive the said idler roller and to this end it is connected to the idler roller through a geared arrangement.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a guide roller located between the said adjacent mandrel and the current winding mandrel which causes the web to be guided around the said adjacent mandrel and into close proximity with the said rotary means. The guide roller may be mounted on an arm which is moveable between a first disengaged position and a second position in which it engages with the web.
Conveniently, the cutting means also serves to direct the cut end of the web between the said rotary means and the said adjacent mandrel.
Preferably, the arm carrying the rotary means comprises an anvil over which the portion of web extending between the said adjacent mandrel and the current rewinding mandrel passes and against which the cutting means operates to cut the web.
The apparatus may further comprise an additional idler roller adapted to hold the web against the said adjacent mandrel prior to the operation of the cutting means to ensure that the cut end of the web is retained in contact with
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Holmdale Precision Ltd.
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
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