Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding – With attachment to preceding material
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-26
2002-12-03
Rivera, William A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding
With attachment to preceding material
C156S504000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06488228
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to splicing tapes suitable for splicing a leading edge portion of the outer turn of a roll of sheet material to another sheet material, and methods of making and using such splicing tapes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Splicing tapes can be used for preparing a joint between two sheet materials such as, for example, between the leading edge portion of the outer turn of a roll of sheet material and another sheet material. The splicing operation can be performed in a static or a dynamic mode.
In the static mode, the first and second sheet material first may be positioned in the desired configuration relative to each other, and one or more splicing tapes are then applied to join the two sheets together. It is also possible to apply the splicing tape or tapes to one of the sheet materials first. Then the second sheet material is provided, positioned in the desired configuration and the two sheet materials are joined. Splices which are obtained in a static mode of preparation are often referred to as permanent splices. Some typical configurations of static splices are butt splices, overlap splices and staggered overlap splices. These configurations are shown and discussed in
FIGS. 1A-1C
of WO 95/29115.
It is often desirable, however, to prepare splices in a dynamic mode. This allows, for example, in the printing industry, joining the leading edge of the new roll of paper sheet material to the trailing edge of the old, depleting roll of paper sheet material without requiring interruption of the continuous production process. Splices which are obtained in a dynamic mode of operation are usually referred to as flying splices. A conventional way of making a flying splice tape uses destructible nose tabs as is described in WO 95/29115. In a first step the new roll is appropriately prepared or “dressed” for splicing, as is shown in
FIG. 1
a
herein, which was taken from
FIG. 3A
of WO 95/29115. The leading edge
35
is formed by applying a double-sided adhesive tape in the form of a W or V or in another appropriate shape to the outermost turn
32
of the new roll of sheet material
30
. The outermost lap
32
is then torn back against the tape to form the leading edge portion
35
which is releasably adhered to the next-to-the-outer turn
31
by the nose tabs
23
. The new roll of sheet material
30
is then accelerated to the same speed as the running web sheet of the previous, depleting roll. The running web sheet is then pressed against the new roll
30
and pasted to the double-sided adhesive tape
25
on the outermost turn
32
of the new roll
30
. The previous roll is typically cut off from the running web sheet. The nose tab is then subjected to the tractive force exerted by the running web sheet. The nose tab breaks thereby releasing the temporary joint between the outer turn
32
and the next-to-the-outer turn
31
of the new roll of sheet material
30
. Another known configuration for applying a flying splice is shown in
FIG. 1
b
herein which is adapted from
FIG. 3B
of WO 95/29115. Other splicing tapes useful for flying splices and static splices are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,692,699 and 5,996,927.
Another useful splicing tape useful in preparing a flying splice is shown in EP 0 941 954. The '954 reference discloses a splicing tape which uses a non-tacky polymer layer in contact with a carrier layer. The materials are chosen so as to control the separation force between the non-tacky polymer layer and the carrier layer. An optional adhesion controlling layer may be applied between the non-tacky polymer layer and the carrier layer.
Another known type of splicing tape includes a central paper layer or tissue layer which splits in use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,919 shows an adhesive tape for flying reel change in paper finishing machines or the like, having a paper backing and a water-soluble self-adhesive composition, characterized in that the paper backing is coated on one side with a water-soluble self-adhesive composition while part of the reverse side of the paper backing is provided with a double-sided adhesive tape, which in turn has a readily splittable splicing paper backing which is provided on both sides with water-soluble self-adhesive composition.
When it is almost time to splice the new roll to the depleting roll, it is desirable to bring the new roll up to a rotational speed equal to the speed of the web from the depleting roll. Typically, this may be done by either driving the core on which the new roll is mounted, or by contacting a drive belt against the outer periphery of the new roll. When using a drive belt, it contacts against some portion of the width of the new roll, as illustrated at B in
FIG. 1
c
. This typically occurs after the adhesive on the splicing tape has been exposed for bonding to the depleting web. It is undesirable for the drive belt to contact a significant portion of the exposed adhesive
21
, as there is a chance that the splice tape could bond to the drive belt with sufficient strength to separate the splicing tape which could cause the new roll to rip or begin to unwind. One known method for minimizing this is to place bridge
29
over a portion of the exposed adhesive
21
of the splice tape for a width sufficient to protect the splice tape in the area B in which the drive belt could contact it. The bridge
29
may be a piece of adhesive tape, in which case it is applied adhesive face down, leaving the backing of the bridge tape exposed to contact the drive belt. The bridge may be a piece of paper or other material that may be conveniently adhered to the exposed adhesive
21
, in which case the bridge
29
need not have any adhesive of its own. The bridge
29
may include holes that allow some of the adhesive
21
to remain exposed to strengthen the splice in the area of the bridge. It is also known to leave a small portion of the adhesive
21
exposed by placing the bridge a short distance back from the front of the adhesive
21
. U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,924 discloses an alternative arrangement, in which portions of release liner extend along the length of the splicing tape, that is across the full width of the roll of material. The portions are separated from one another leaving lengths of splicing adhesive exposed.
A nose tab which is suitable for preparing a flying splice is described in GB 2,294,235. The '235 reference discloses a nose tab for temporarily interconnecting the leading and trailing ends of the outermost turn of a could of sheet material. The nose tab has a first layer to be in use adhesively attached to the under surface of the leading end. The nose tab is characterized in that it has a second layer to be in use adhesively attached to the trailing end and/or to the leading end of the next to outermost turn. The first and second layers are bonded to one another across their mutually abutting faces in a manner permitting them to be peelingly separable in use. Double sided adhesive tape may adhere the trailing inner end of the old coil and leading outer end of the new coil.
Both permanent and flying splices should provide a flexible, strong connection between the two sheet materials or webs and should maintain substantially all of the properties of the sheet material; for example, if the sheet material is paper which can be printed or coated, the splice is preferably thin, flexible, printable, coatable and also repulpable. When using configurations like those of
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b
for preparing a flying splice, it is important that air cannot enter beneath the leading edge
35
of the outer turn
32
which would result in the roll unwinding itself at very high speeds thus interrupting the continuous production. To prevent air entering beneath the leading edge
35
of the outer turn
32
, small destructible adhesive tabs
27
are sometimes applied not only at the noses of the leading edge
35
but, for example, also along the diagonal edges of the leading edge
35
in
FIG. 1
a
or over the lateral edges of the leading portion of the outer turn
32
Davies Michael P.
Hayes Ronald Allan
Loring Charles Jonathan
Mann Alan Thomas
3M Innovative Properties Company
Rivera William A.
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