Automatic two-ply web splicer

• US 6,364,244 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: New Era Converting Machinery, Inc.
• Original Assignee: New Era Converting Machinery, Inc.
• Inventors: Lembo, Frank P., Pasquale, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US09/495,038
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 242/520, 242/522, 242/526, 242/526.3, 242/527, 242/527.2, 242/550, 242/551, 242/554, 242/554.5, 242/554.6, 242/556.1, 156/502, 156/504
• US Class Current: 242/554.6
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/181 taking place on the replacement roll
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4622 Abutting article or web portions, i.e. edge to edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4631 Adhesive tape
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/10 Speed

Abstract

The severed trailing edge of a two-ply web is spliced to a leading edge of a replacement web on a replacement roll in a two-part operation which permits on-the-fly splicing. The upper ply of the replacement web is trimmed back to reveal a strip of the lower ply. A splice tape is placed under the edge of the lower ply with a portion of the splice tape exposed. A splice roll is prepared with a splice sheet having first and second adhesive strips spaced apart on it. The replacement roll and splice roll are accelerated to synchronize their peripheral speeds with the web speed. The rotational phases of the replacement roll and splice roll are coordinated. A bump roll is triggered to urge the web against the replacement roll. A cut-off knife is triggered to sever the web. The bump roll and cut-off knife trigger are timed so that the trailing edge of the severed web falls into contact with the exposed portion of the splice tape. This splices the lower plies together. The splice roll is urged into contact with the web at a rotational phase and a timining effective to adhere the first adhesive strip to the upper ply of the web downstream of the splice and the second adhesive strip to the upper ply upstream of the splice with the splice sheet bridging the gap between the first and second adhesive strips. The completed splice of lower to lower and upper to upper plies permits independent subsequent handling, separation, etc. of the first and second plies.

Claims

1. A web splicer for on-the-fly splicing of a leading edge of a replacement web with a web comprising:

said replacement web being wound on a replacement roll movable into a position spaced from a first surface of said web;

a bump roll at a second surface of said web;

a cut-off knife;

means for matching a speed of a peripheral surface of said replacement roll with a speed of said web;

means for urging said bump roll into contact with said web, and for severing said web at a timing whereby urging said web into contact with said replacement roll affixes a splice tape at a trailing end of said web, where severed, in joining contact with said first surface of a leading edge of said replacement web, whereby a first surface of said web is spliced to a first surface of said replacement web;

a splice roll;

said splice roll being adapted for the attachment thereto of a splice sheet with first and second spaced-apart adhesive strips affixed thereto;

means for urging said splice roll into contact with a second surface of said web; and

means for controlling a rotational speed and a phase of said splice roll, with respect to said replacement roll, and a timing of urging said splice roll into contact with said web, to affix said first adhesive strip to said second surface downstream of said trailing edge, and to affix said second adhesive strip to said second surface upstream of said leading edge, with said splice sheet bridging a gap between said first and second adhesive strips, whereby first and second sides of said web are spliced to corresponding sides of said replacement web.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said web and said replacement web are each two-ply webs each having a first layer and a second layer;

said splice tape being affixed to said first layer of said web and said first layer of said replacement web; and

said first adhesive strip and said second adhesive strip being attached to said second layer of said web and said replacement web, respectively, with said splice sheet bridging the gap therebetween, whereby both said first layer of said web and said replacement web, and said second layer of said web and said replacement web are independently spliced to each other.

3. Apparatus for splicing a replacement web to a web, wherein said web and said replacement web each includes first and second plies comprising:

first means for splicing said first ply of said web and said replacement web together;

second means for splicing said second ply of said web and said replacement web together;

said second means being disposed downstream of said first means; and

said first means and said second means being operable to perform said splicing while said web is in motion, whereby a processing speed of said web is improved.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said first means includes an adhesive splice tape splicing said first ply of said web to said first ply of said replacement web; and

said second means includes a first adhesive strip affixable to said second ply of said web, a second adhesive strip affixable to said second ply of said replacement web, and a splice sheet bridging between said first and second adhesive strips.

5. A method for splicing a replacement web on a replacement roll to a moving web, wherein said replacement web and said web both include first and second plies, comprising:

preparing a leading edge of said replacement web by trimming back an outermost portion of said second ply, which exposes an upper surface of said first ply;

fixing a strip of splice tape partly below said first ply, and partly uncovered by said first ply, whereby an adhesive portion of said strip is exposed;

preparing a web splice by affixing first and second adhesive strips spaced apart on a splice sheet;

affixing said web splice to a splice roller adjacent said moving web, with said first and second adhesive strips facing outward;

accelerating said replacement roller to a peripheral speed substantially matching a speed of said moving web;

urging said web against said replacement roller, and severing said moving web at a time effective for affixing said strip of splice tape to a severed trailing edge of said web, whereby said first ply of said web is spliced to said first ply of said replacement web;

accelerating said splice roller to a peripheral speed substantially matching a speed of said moving web;

adjusting a rotational phase of said splice roller;

urging said splice roller into contact with said web at a timing which affixes said first adhesive strip downstream of said trailing edge, and affixes said second adhesive strip upstream of said leading edge, with said splice sheet bridging a space between said first and second adhesive strips, whereby said second plies of said web and said replacement web are spliced to each other.