Dual roll, variable sheet-length, perforation system

• US 20080028902A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Baggot, James Leo, Hada, Frank Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/498,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028902A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/13
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/626 for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2001/623 for selecting different knife sets by shifting the angle of the rotary cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2007/2692 the rollers or cylinders being mounted skewed
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/08 Means for actuating the cutting member to effect the cut
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/086 Electric, magnetic, piezoelectric, electro-magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/20 with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/20 with tools carried by a rotating drum or similar support B26F1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/5152 Cutting partially, e.g. perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/943 Electronic shaft arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/11 Length
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/212 Rotary position
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/10 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/08 from or with revolving, e.g. cylinder, cutters or perforators
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/202 characterised by a value or range of the dimension given
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/159 Including means to compensate tool speed for work-feed variations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4836 With radial overlap of the cutting members

Abstract

A method and apparatus (20) for intermittently cutting a moving target web (26) includes rotating a knife roll (32) having at least one knife member (44) to provide an operative knife-member speed, and rotating an anvil roll (34) having at least one anvil member (46) to provide an operative anvil-member speed. The knife roll and anvil roll have been positioned to provide an operative nip region (30) therebetween, and a substantially continuous target web (26) has been moved at a selected web speed through the nip region. A rotational positioning of the knife member has been coordinated with a rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member to provide an operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member, thereby cutting the moving web at cut locations which are intermittently spaced along a machine-direction (22) of the target web.

Claims

1. A method for intermittently cutting a moving target web, comprising:

rotating a knife roll having at least one knife member to provide an operative knife-member speed;

rotating an anvil roll having at least one anvil member to provide an operative anvil-member speed;

positioning the knife roll and anvil roll to provide an operative nip region therebetween;

moving a substantially continuous target web at a web speed through the nip region;

coordinating a rotational positioning of the knife member with a rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member to provide an operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member to thereby cut the moving web at cut locations which are intermittently spaced along a machine-direction of the web.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein

a knife encoder has been operatively connected to the knife roll;

rotational, knife positioning data has been provided from the knife encoder to an operative electronic computer;

the knife roll has been rotationally driven with a knife servo mechanism which is operatively controlled by the computer;

an anvil encoder has been operatively connected to the anvil roll;

rotational, anvil positioning data has been provided from the anvil encoder to the computer;

the anvil roll has been rotationally driven with an anvil servo mechanism which is operatively controlled by the computer;

to thereby coordinate the rotational positioning of the knife member with the rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member and provide the operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a selected amount of cutting interference has been provided between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member in the nip region during the rotating of the knife roll and anvil roll.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein a cutting interference of at least about 0.1 mm has been provided.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the knife-member speed and anvil member speed have been operatively controlled to provide a predetermined web pitch distance between cutting lines formed at the intermittent locations spaced along the longitudinal, machine-direction of the web.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the knife-member speed and anvil member speed have been operatively controlled to provide a web pitch distance which is at least about 7 cm.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein a computer has been operatively directed to coordinate the knife-member speed, the anvil member speed and the web speed to thereby change the web pitch distance.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the knife-member speed is at least about 70% of the web speed of the target web.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the knife-member speed is up to about 130% of the web speed of the target web.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the anvil-member speed is at least about 70% of the knife-member speed.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the anvil-member speed is up to about 130% of the knife-member speed.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the web speed is at least about 50 m/min.

13. A method for intermittently cutting a moving target web, comprising:

rotating a knife roll having at least one knife member to provide an operative knife-member speed;

rotating an anvil roll having at least one anvil member to provide an operative anvil-member speed;

positioning the knife roll and anvil roll to provide an operative nip region therebetween;

moving a substantially continuous target web at a web speed through the nip region;

coordinating a rotational positioning of the knife member with a rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member to provide an operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member to thereby cut the moving web at cut locations which are intermittently spaced along a machine-direction of the web;

wherein

a knife encoder has been operatively connected to the knife roll;

rotational, knife positioning data has been provided from the knife encoder to an operative electronic computer;

the knife roll has been rotationally driven with a knife servo mechanism which is operatively controlled by the computer;

an anvil encoder has been operatively connected to the anvil roll;

rotational, anvil positioning data has been provided from the anvil encoder to the computer;

the knife roll has been rotationally driven with an anvil servo mechanism which is operatively controlled by the computer;

to thereby coordinate the rotational positioning of the knife member with the rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member and provide the operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member;

a selected amount of cutting interference has been provided between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member in the nip region during the rotating of the knife roll and anvil roll;

the cutting interference has been maintained at a value of about at least about 0.1 mm;

the web speed is at least about 100 m/min;

the knife-member speed is at least about 70% of the web speed of the target web; and

the anvil-member speed is at least about 70% of the knife-member speed.

14. An apparatus for intermittently cutting a moving target web, comprising:

a knife roll which has at least one knife member and is rotatable to provide an operative knife-member speed;

an anvil roll which has at least one anvil member and is rotatable to provide an operative anvil-member speed, the anvil roll positioned to provide an operative nip region between the anvil roll and the knife roll;

a transport system which moves a substantially continuous target web at a web speed through the nip region;

a control system which coordinates a rotational positioning of the knife member with a rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member to provide an operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member to thereby cut the moving web at intermittent locations spaced along a longitudinal, machine-direction of the web.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein

a knife encoder has been operatively connected to the knife roll to provide

rotational, knife positioning data from the knife encoder to an operative electronic computer;

a knife servo mechanism is operatively controlled by the computer and rotationally drives the knife roll;

an anvil encoder has been operatively connected to the anvil roll to provide rotational, anvil positioning data from the anvil encoder to the computer; and

an anvil servo mechanism is operatively controlled by the computer to rotationally drive the anvil roll;

to thereby coordinate the rotational positioning of the knife member with the rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member and provide the operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the knife member and its cooperating anvil member are arranged to provide a selected amount of cutting interference between in the nip region during the rotating of the knife roll and anvil roll.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the knife-member speed and anvil member speed are operatively controlled to provide a predetermined web pitch distance between cutting lines formed at the intermittent locations spaced along the longitudinal, machine-direction of the web.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the computer can be operatively directed to coordinate the knife-member speed, the anvil member speed and the web speed to thereby change the web pitch distance.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the anvil-member speed is at least about 70% of the knife-member speed.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, further including

a knife encoder which has been operatively connected to the knife roll, and provides rotational, knife positioning data to an operative electronic computer;

a knife servo mechanism which is operatively controlled by the computer, and rotationally drives the knife roll;

an anvil encoder has been operatively connected to the anvil roll, and provides rotational, anvil positioning data to the computer;

an anvil servo mechanism which is operatively controlled by the computer, and rotationally drives the anvil roll;

to thereby coordinate the rotational positioning of the knife member with the rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member and provide the operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member.

a selected amount of cutting interference has been provided between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member in the nip region during the rotating of the knife roll and anvil roll;

wherein

the cutting interference has been maintained at a value of at least about 0.1 mm;

the web speed has been configured to be at least about 100 m/min;

the knife-member speed has been configured to be at least about 70% of the web speed; and

the anvil-member speed has been configured to be at least about 70% of the knife-member speed.