APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLYING DISCRETE PARTS TO A MOVING WEB

• US 20130152360A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Sorenson, Jesse, Schoultz, Adam, Romzek, Chadwick I., Rhodes, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,813,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/428
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15756 Applying tabs, strips, tapes, loops; Knotting the ends of pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15764 Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/33216 about an axis perpendicular to the direction of displacement and to the surface of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/33222 90°
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/531 with relative movement of the arms relatively to the axis of rotation during rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2406/3454 performing oscillating movement during rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/57 Diaper manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/241 Suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/14 Associating sheets with webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4979 Breaking through weakened portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53348 Running-length work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53361 Assembled to article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53378 including converging conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53539 including work conveyor

Abstract

Apparatus for separately conveying a plurality of discrete parts from a web and applying each of the discrete parts to a substrate includes a plurality of transfer pucks and a drive assembly. The drive assembly is configured to rotate each of the transfer pucks such that a plurality of pairs of discrete parts is applied to the web. Each applied pair of discrete parts includes a first discrete part and a second discrete part spaced a first distance from the first discrete part, wherein adjacent pairs of discrete pairs are spaced a second distance that is different from the first distance.

Claims

1. Apparatus for conveying a plurality of discrete parts and applying each discrete part to a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of transfer pucks adapted to convey the discrete parts from the web to the substrate; and

a drive assembly configured to rotate each transfer puck such that a plurality of pairs of discrete parts is applied to the substrate, wherein each applied pair of discrete parts includes a first discrete part and a second discrete part spaced a first distance from the first discrete part, adjacent pairs of discrete parts being spaced a second distance that is different from the first distance.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transfer segments, each of the transfer segments comprising a support arm extending outwardly from the drive assembly, and one of the plurality of transfer pucks coupled to the support arm and configured to pivot about the support arm, each of the transfer pucks being pivotable between a first position wherein the transfer puck is oriented to receive one of the first and second discrete parts from the web, and a second position wherein the transfer puck is oriented to apply the one of the first and second discrete parts to the substrate.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plurality of transfer pucks includes a first transfer puck and a second transfer puck, the drive assembly being configured to pivot the first transfer puck about the support arm axis in a first rotational direction, and to pivot the second transfer puck in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the drive assembly rotates the first and second transfer pucks such that the first discrete part is applied at a first angle with respect to a placement axis, and the second discrete part is applied at a second angle with respect to the placement axis, wherein the first angle is different than the second angle.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the drive assembly comprises a cylinder cam, each transfer segment of the plurality of transfer segments comprises:

a cam arm extending outwardly from the support arm; and

a cam follower adapted to engage the cylinder cam to selectively pivot the transfer segment about the support arm.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the plurality of transfer segments comprise a first transfer segment having a leading cam follower, and a second transfer segment having a trailing cam follower.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of the transfer pucks comprises a platform adapted to contact the first and second discrete parts to convey the discrete parts to the substrate, each of the transfer pucks being coupled to the support arm at a pivot point such that the outer surface is offset a distance from the pivot point.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a vacuum assembly coupled to each transfer puck, the vacuum assembly configured to selectively apply a vacuum to each transfer puck to facilitate conveying each discrete part from the web to the substrate.

9. Apparatus for conveying a plurality of discrete parts and applying each discrete part to a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of transfer pucks adapted to convey the discrete parts from the web to the substrate; and

a drive assembly configured to rotate each transfer puck to selectively adjust a rotational speed of each transfer puck of the plurality of transfer pucks such that a plurality of pairs of discrete parts are applied to the substrate, wherein each applied pair of discrete parts includes a first discrete part and a second discrete part spaced a first distance from the first discrete part, adjacent applied pairs of discrete parts being spaced a second distance that is different from the first distance.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of pairs of transfer pucks, wherein each pair of transfer pucks comprises a first transfer puck and a second transfer puck, the drive assembly configured to rotate each transfer puck such that the second transfer puck is spaced a first circumferential distance from the first transfer puck at an application location, and adjacent transfer pucks pairs are spaced a second circumferential distance at the application location that is different than the first circumferential distance.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the drive assembly further comprises a first cam track and a second cam track, wherein the first transfer puck is adapted to engage the first cam track, and wherein the second transfer puck is adapted to engage the second cam track.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein each second transfer puck is positioned between adjacent first transfer pucks such that adjacent transfer pucks alternatively engage the first and second cam tracks, respectively.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the drive assembly comprises a drive ring assembly coupled to each of the transfer puck pairs, the drive ring assembly comprising:

a first drive ring coupled to the first transfer puck; and

a second drive ring coupled to the second transfer puck.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of transfer segments, each of the plurality of transfer segments comprising:

a base transfer member coupled to the driving assembly; and

a pair of the transfer pucks, the pair of transfer pucks being coupled to the base member, the pair of transfer pucks being adapted to convey a corresponding pair of discrete parts from a pick-up location to an application location.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the drive assembly is configured to rotate each base transfer member such that adjacent pairs of transfer pucks are spaced a first circumferential distance at the application location.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the pair of transfer pucks comprises a first transfer puck and a second transfer puck, the drive assembly being further configured to move the second transfer puck with respect to the first transfer puck such that the second transfer puck is spaced a second circumferential distance from the first transfer puck at the application that is different than the first circumferential distance.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a vacuum assembly coupled to each transfer puck, the vacuum assembly being configured to selectively apply a vacuum to each transfer puck to facilitate conveying each discrete part to the substrate.

18. A method of applying a plurality of discrete parts to a substrate comprising:

directing a web including the plurality of discrete parts toward an apparatus for conveying each discrete part from the web and applying each discrete part to the substrate, the apparatus including a plurality of transfer pucks rotatably coupled to a drive assembly;

rotating each transfer puck such that each transfer segment conveys each discrete part from the web to the substrate; and

applying a plurality of pairs of discrete parts including a first discrete part and a second discrete part to the substrate such that the applied second discrete part is spaced a first distance from the applied first discrete part, and adjacent applied pairs of discrete parts being spaced a second distance that is different from the first distance.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

rotating a first transfer puck of the plurality of transfer pucks in a first direction; and

rotating a second transfer puck of the plurality of transfer pucks in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selectively adjusting a rotational speed of each transfer puck of the plurality of transfer puck as the transfer pucks are rotated between a pick-up location located adjacent the web and an application location located adjacent the substrate; and

rotating a pair of transfer pucks including a first transfer puck and a second transfer puck such that the second transfer puck is spaced a first circumferential distance from the first transfer puck at the application location, and adjacent transfer puck pairs being spaced a second circumferential distance at the application location that is different than the first circumferential distance.