Strip splicing device and method

• US 6,881,289 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Original Assignee: G. D. Societa Per Azioni
• Inventors: Spatafora, Mario, Borderi, Luca
• Primary Examiner(s): Osele, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/632,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20040103978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 156/157, 156/159, 156/502, 156/504, 156/505, 242/551, 242/553, 242/555, 242/556, 242/556.1
• US Class Current: 156/159
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1836 the replacement web being accelerated or running prior to splicing contact
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/46174 cutting both spliced webs separately
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4621 Overlapping article or web portions
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/46312 double-sided
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4641 by pivoting element
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/46414 by nipping rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/512 involving radial plate cam
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2406/345 Rotary suction grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/212 Rotary position

Abstract

A device for splicing strips has a first drum rotating about a first axis and having a first outer face for selectively retaining and guiding a first strip; and a second drum rotating about a second axis and having a second outer face for selectively guiding and retaining a second strip; the first and second outer face are so shaped as to form a gap for passage of the strips, and to press the first and second strip and a sticker together as a function of the indexing angles of the first and second drum.

Claims

1. A splicing device for splicing a first strip (8) fed off a first reel (10), and a second strip (9) fed off a second reel (11);

the device comprising

a first drum (13) rotating about a first axis (13a) and having a first face (19) for selectively retaining and guiding the first strip (8);

a second drum (14) rotating about a second axis (14a) and having a second face (20) for selectively guiding and retaining the second strip (9);

wherein the first and second face (19, 20) are so shaped as to form a gap between said first and said second face (19, 20), and to selectively press the first (8) and second (9) strip together as a function of given indexing angles of the first and second drum (13, 14); and

a cutting tool (15) comprising a fixed portion (31) and a movable assembly (33) and located along an axis (A) of symmetry of the splicing device (5);

the axis (A) of symmetry extending between said first and said second drum (13, 14);

wherein the fixed portion (31) comprises an outer face (32), which defines, together with the first drum (13), a portion of a first path (P1) of the first strip (8), and defines, together with the second drum (14), a portion of a second path (P2) of the second strip (9).

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second face (19, 20) are looped respectively about the first and second axis (13a, 14a), and comprise, respectively, a first and a second curved face (21, 22), which press the first and second strip (8, 9) together at given indexing angles of the first and second drum (13, 14).

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second face (19, 20) respectively comprise a first and a second connecting face (23, 24);

the curved faces (21, 22) being located at a greater distance than the first and second connecting face (23, 24) from the respective first and second axis (13a, 14a).

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first and second connecting face (23, 24) are flat and parallel to the first and second axis (13a, 14a) respectively.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and said second drum (13, 14) have respective suction channels (25, 26), which come out along the first and second face (19, 20) respectively to retain the respective free ends of the first and second strip (8, 9).

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable assembly (33) comprises a first and a second blade (34, 35), and swings about a third axis (33a) to selectively position the first blade (34) to interfere with the first strip (8) along the first path (P1), and the second blade (35) to interfere with the second strip (9) along the second path (P2).

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second drum (13, 14) and the movable assembly (33) are driven by a single drive member (36).

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second drum (13, 14) are connected to each other by respective gears (38, 39).

9. A device as claimed in claim 7, and comprising at least one cam (40, 41) rotating about one of the axes (13a, 14a) of the first and second drum (13, 14) and integral with the first and second drum (13, 14);

said movable assembly (33) being integral with at least one tappet (42, 43) to activate the blades (34, 35) as a function of the position of the first and second drum (13;

14).

10. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first and a second plate (16, 17) comprising, respectively, a first and a second seating face (27, 28), along which respective suction channels (29, 30) come out to retain the first and second strip (8, 9).

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second seating face (27, 28) have ends adjacent to the first and second drum (13, 14) respectively.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second seating face (27, 28) face each other.

13. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second seating face (27, 28) are concave.

14. A method of splicing a first strip (8) fed off a first reel (10), and a second strip (9) fed off a second reel (11);

the second strip (9) having a sticker (45) on its free end; and

the method comprising the steps of

guiding the first strip (8) along a first face (19) of a first drum (13),

retaining said free end of the second strip (9) by means of a second face (20) of a second drum (14) and the sticker (45) on the second face (20) of the second drum (14);

rotating the first and the second drum (13, 14) about a first and a second axis (13a, 14a) respectively, to press the first and the second strip (8, 9) and the sticker (45) together and so splice the first and the second strip (8, 9);

stretching the first strip (8) between a fixed portion (32) of a cutting tool (15) and the first drum (13);

moving a blade (34) into a position to interfere with said first strip (8); and

cutting said first strip (8) between said fixed portion (32) and the first drum (13).

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first and second face (19, 20) respectively comprise a first and a second curved face (21, 22);

and a first and a second connecting face (23, 24), the distance of which from the respective first and second axis (13a, 14a) is less than the distance between the first and second curved face (21, 22) and the respective first and second axis (13a, 14a).

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, and comprising the step of indexing said first and said second drum (13, 14) about the first and second axis (13a, 14a) respectively, so as to position the first curved face (21) facing the second connecting face (24) to allow the first strip (8) to run along the first drum (13).

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, and comprising the step of indexing the first and second drum (13, 14), so that the first curved face (21) faces the second curved face (22) to press the first and second strip (8, 9) and said sticker (45) together.

18. A method as claimed in claim 14, and comprising the step of indexing the first and second drum (13, 14) to position the first connecting face (23) facing the second curved face (22), so as to allow the second strip (9) to run on the second curved face (22).

19. A splicing device for splicing a first strip (8) fed off a first reel (10), and a second strip (9) fed off a second reel (11);

the device comprising

a first drum (13) rotating about a first axis (13a) and having a first face (19) for selectively retaining and guiding the first strip (8);

a second drum (14) rotating about a second axis (14a) and having a second face (20) for selectively guiding and retaining the second strip (9);

wherein the first and second faces (19, 20) are so shaped as to form a gap between said first and said second faces (19, 20), and to selectively press the first (8) and second (9) strips together as a function of given indexing angles of the first and second drums (13, 14);

a cutting tool (15) comprising a fixed portion (31) and a movable assembly (33) and located along an axis (A) of symmetry of the splicing device (5);

wherein the axis (A) of symmetry extends between said first and said second drum (13, 14); and

a single drive member (36) driving the first and second drum (13, 14) and the movable assembly (33).

20. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second drum (13, 14) are connected to each other by respective gears (38, 39).

21. A device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising at least one cam (40, 41) rotating about one of the axes (13a, 14a) of the first and second drums (13, 14) and integral with the first and second drums (13, 14);

said movable assembly (33) being integral with at least one tappet (42, 43) to activate the blades (34, 35) as a function of the position of the first and second drums (13;

14).