UNIT FOR LAMINATING A FIRST WEB ONTO A SECOND WEB IN A LAMINATING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A MULTI-LAYER COMPOSITE

• US 20130068369A1
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bobst Mex SA (JBF Finance SA)
• Original Assignee: Alex Mann, Markus Zimmermann
• Inventors: MANN, Alex, ZIMMERMANN, Markus, JONGMANS, Adrianus
• Granted Patent: US 9,327,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/64
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/2836 Guiding, e.g. edge alignment; Tensioning
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/2881 for bringing a second facer sheet into contact with an already single faced corrugated web
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/72 For measuring or regulating, e.g. systems with feedback loops
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2317/127 Corrugated cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0053 Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1054 Regulating the dimensions of the laminate, e.g. by adjusting the nip or platen gap
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1841 during laying up
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1858 using vacuum

Abstract

A laminating unit to manufacture a multi-layer composite (2) in a laminating machine (1), comprising a laminating rotating roll (16), laminating a first web (3) onto a second web (4), is characterized in that it further comprises:

• • driving means (42), rotating (R) the roll (16);
  • gripping means (39, 41), maintaining the first web (3) in contact with the roll (16);
  • first detection means (43, 46) emitting first detection signals (44, 47) in accordance with detected longitudinal positions of the first web (3);
  • second detection means (48, 51) emitting second detection signals (49, 52) in accordance with detected longitudinal positions of the second web (4); and
  • control means (53), regulating a rotation speed of the driving means (42) and of the roll (16) as a function of the first and second signals (44, 47, 49, 52), to convey, correct longitudinally positions of the first web (3), and laminate the first web (3) in register onto the second web (4).

Claims

1. A laminating unit to manufacture a multi-layer composite in a laminating machine, comprising a laminating rotating roll, laminating a first web onto a second web, further comprising:

driving means, rotating the roll;

gripping means, maintaining the first web in contact with the roll;

first detection means emitting first detection signals in accordance with detected longitudinal positions of the first web;

second detection means emitting second detection signals in accordance with detected longitudinal positions of the second web; and

control means, regulating a rotation speed of the driving means and of the roll as a function of the first and second signals, to convey, correct longitudinally positions of the first web, and laminate the first web in register onto the second web.

2. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein the first detection means comprises:

a first detector positioned upstream the roll detecting the longitudinal positions of the first web before being laminated onto the second web, and

a second detector positioned downstream the roll detecting the longitudinal positions of the first web after being laminated onto the second web.

3. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein the second detection means comprises at least one of the two following detectors:

a third detector positioned upstream the roll detecting the longitudinal positions of the second web before being laminated with the first web; and

a fourth detector positioned downstream the roll detecting the longitudinal positions of the second web after being laminated with the first web.

4. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein the maintaining means are in the form of at least one suction opening, drilled through an outer wall of the roll and being in connection with a vacuum source.

5. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein the maintaining means are in the form of a coating made of a grip material, covering an external surface of the roll.

6. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein a cutting device in a cutting unit is controlled to cut the composite into plate elements as a function of one or more of the signals emitted by the first and second detection means.

7. A laminating unit according to claim 2, wherein the detectors are detectors capable of reading modifications on the first and second webs, preferably optical detectors reading printings on the first and second webs.

8. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises moving means for lifting and lowering the laminating roll, on the basis of the thickness of the multi-layer composite.

9. A laminating unit according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a second rotating roll for squeezing the first web against the laminating roll.

10. A laminating unit according to claim 9, further comprising adjusting means for moving away and closer the second roll from the laminating roll, on the basis of the thickness of the first web.

11. A laminating machine comprising first and second feeding units for feeding the first and second webs, and further comprises the laminating unit according to claim 1, positioned downstream the first and second feeding units.

12. A laminating machine according to claim 11, further comprising a unit for coating glue on a surface of the second web, positioned between the second feeding unit and the laminating unit.

13. Method for manufacturing a multi-layer composite by laminating a first web onto a second web in a laminating machine, comprising the steps of:

conveying the first web in a longitudinal direction;

conveying the second web in the longitudinal direction;

bonding the first web onto the second web;

wherein it further comprises the steps of;

detecting longitudinal positions of the first web;

detecting longitudinal positions of the second web; and

correcting longitudinally the positions of the first web, in accordance with the detected positions of the first and second webs, placed between the detecting and bonding steps.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the step of detecting longitudinal positions of the first web comprises:

a first sub step of detecting longitudinal positions of the first web before the step of bonding the first web onto the second web; and

a second sub step of detecting longitudinal positions of the first web after the step of bonding the first web onto the second web.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the step of detecting longitudinal positions of the second web comprises at least one of the two following sub steps:

a first sub step of detecting longitudinal positions of the second web before the step of bonding the first web onto the second web; and

a second sub step of detecting longitudinal positions of the second web after the step of bonding the first web onto the second web.