Automatic web splicing system

• US 6,719,239 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
• Original Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
• Inventors: Horikawa, Shozo, Suzuki, Hisao, Kubo, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/414,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 242/552, 242/554.6, 242/555, 242/555.1, 156/504
• US Class Current: 242/552
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/14 Accumulating surplus web for advancing to machine while changing the web roll
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1836 the replacement web being accelerated or running prior to splicing contact
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1868 The roll support being of the turret type
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1889 related to driving arrangements
• 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 2301/4621 Overlapping article or web portions
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2406/311 for accumulating a loop of handled material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/112 of a loop, e.g. a free loop or a loop of dancer rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/10 Speed

Abstract

An automatic splicing system is provided that includes a motor (20a) for rotating an active roll (R1) while a web (P1) is drawn from the roll (R1) toward a cigarette rod-manufacturing machine, a motor (20b) for rotating a standby roll (R2) when a residual of the roll (R1) reaches a predetermined amount or less so that a web (P2) is fed from the roll (R2), a splicing section (70) splicing the webs (P1; P2) and changing over the feeding of web from the roll (R1) to the roll (R2) when feed speeds of the webs match each other, and suction casings (42) disposed on feed paths of the webs, respectively, the suction casings drawing the webs thereinto temporarily. The rotational speeds of the motors (20a and 20b) are controlled so as to maintain drawn amounts of the webs in the respective suction casings (42) within a predetermined range.

Claims

1. An automatic web splicing system comprising:

a web feed source including a pair of web rolls, an active path guiding a web drawn out from one of the web rolls to a main feed path as an active web, and a standby path where a web drawn out from the other web roll is caused to stand by as a standby web;

a main feed roller disposed on the main feed path and feeding the active web toward a consumption device;

residual amount-detecting means for detecting a web residual amount of said one web roll;

a sub-feed roller disposed on the standby path, said sub-feed roller feeding the standby web from said other web roll along the standby path when the web residual amount reaches a predetermined value or less;

speed-detecting means for detecting a feed speed of the standby web; and

splicing means for splicing the standby web to the active web in a splicing position when the feed speed of the standby web matches that of the active web, simultaneously cutting the active web in a potion upstream from the splicing position while cutting the standby web in a position downstream from the splicing position, and changing over the web to be fed from the main feed roller from the active web to the standby webs;

wherein said web feed source includes;

a pair of spindles on which said web rolls are mounted, respectively;

driving means for rotating said web rolls individually through said respective spindles thereof;

a pair of buffer chambers located on the active path and the standby path, respectively, said buffer chambers being capable of sucking the webs fed along the respective paths and drawing the respective webs thereinto so as to form the respective webs into a U-shape;

a pair of draw-detecting means for detecting amounts of the webs drawn into said buffer chambers, respectively;

controlling means for controlling a rotational speed of each of said web rolls by means of said driving means so that the detected draw-in amount of the corresponding web is maintained within a predetermined range; and

pushing means for pushing the webs toward the respective buffer chambers.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web feed source further includes exchanging means for interchanging positions of said web rolls.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said exchanging means includes:

a roll mount provided with said spindles at both ends thereof, respectively, the roll mount being rotatably supported in a center position between said spindles; and

a motor for rotating the roll mount around the center position thereof.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said web feed source further includes shifting means for shifting said buffer chambers individually along with the respective

web rolls when said web rolls are interchanged.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a reservoir device disposed in said main feed path, the reservoir device being located downstream from said main feed roller;

wherein the reservoir device reserves the active web prior to a changeover from the active web to the standby web.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web is used in manufacture of smoking articles including at least one of cigarette rods, filter rods and filter cigarettes.