EP1638875B1

EP1638875B1 - Method and means for unrolling perforated multiple rolls

Info

Publication number: EP1638875B1
Application number: EP04736893A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bengt BJÖRK
Original assignee: Duni AB
Current assignee: Duni AB
Priority date: 2003-06-24
Filing date: 2004-06-15
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-15
Also published as: SE0301723D0; ES2293266T3; SE525361C2; DE602004009576T2; WO2004113210A1; PL1638875T3; HK1093955A1; DE602004009576D1; SE0301723L; EP1638875A1; ATE375953T1

Abstract

The invention concerns means for unrolling at least one narrow web (3) of material at a time from perforated multiple rolls (2) having webs of material consisting of preferably dryformed paper. The means include a locking disc (5) rotatably supported by a frame (4) and from the center of which a shaft (6) for carrying the relevant multiple roll (2) extends outwardly, said locking disc (5) having a plurality of apertures (7) disposed in its surface and being connected to a source (8) of vacuum over a connection (9) for causing the multiple roll (2) to adhere thereto by means of vacuum for affixing the multiple roll (2) in position during the unrolling concurrently with respective webs (3) of material included in the roll (2) being detachable along perforations (10) limiting the widths of said webs of material, and at least one mechanical support member (11) for being applied in the direction of the shaft (6) and being positioned at an adjustable predetermined distance from the locking disc (5), said distance corresponding to the width of at least one web (3) of material in the direction of the exterior (19) of one or a plurality of remaining webs of material for preventing collapse of tilting of the web (3) of material or webs of material remaining on the shaft (6) during the unrolling.

Description

This invention refers to a method and means for unrolling perforated multiple rolls and specifically to means for unrolling at least one narrow web of material at a time from perforated multiple rolls having webs of material preferably consisting of dryformed paper. The invention also refers to a method for unrolling individual webs of material from a multiple roll containing a plurality of narrow webs of material of preferably dryformed paper interconnected by perforating and with or without superabsorbent intended for subsequent conversion, for example hygenic products such as sanitary pads.
At present a considerable problem occurs in webs of material that are rolled on big rolls, particularly narrow webs of material, which in addition to becoming easily deformed are also difficult to unroll for subsequent conversion. In this manner, thick materials have too short lengths between necessary roll changes in conversion, which causes more frequent joints and results in time-consuming measures. Alternative solutions have been developed in order to eliminate this problem, including washing, which has the disadvantage that plastic deformation occurs in some materials, thereby lending the web the shape of an attenuated sinusoidal curve, which in turn makes subsequent conversion more difficult. An alternative technology is staggering, but in that case such disadvantages occur as creases being formed, difficulty in festooning double-sided sheets, difficulty in handling low friction sheets, and also the problem of static charges in sheets assembled into a pile.
The object of this invention is to provide a new type of unrolling equipment for perforated multiple rolls, particularly thick or soft and narrow webs of material, such as dryformed paper with or without superabsorbents. The mentioned problem is solved by the method and means of the invention. The characteristic features of the invention are disclosed in the appended claims.
In consequence of the invention a method and means for performing the method have now been achieved, which in excellent manner fulfil their purpose concurrently with the method being easily performed and the means being inexpensive and simple to manufacture. In the unrolling the invention utilizes unrolling means comprising a locking disc operating by vacuum and locking the multiple roll in the unrolling process, particularly when only a few webs of material of the multiple roll remain, in combination with a support member which in the relevant case consists of disc-shaped elements which may be swung in directions towards each other, locking the remaining webs of material in position in the unrolling means so that they do not tilt or collapse when being unrolled. The vacuum of the locking disc is retained intact during the entire unrolling period when the multiple roll, which consists of a mother roll and is formed by a plurality of component rolls held together by perforations, is unrolled. During the unrolling at least one component roll at a time is detached for subsequent conversion.
When the unrolling of the multiple roll has reached a state in which only a few component rolls or webs of material remain, mechanical support means are turned down in front of the remaining roll or rolls which are being unrolled, with the latter then being successively secured when the vacuum in the locking disc is exposed by the actual unrolling of the webs of material and specifically by the last web of material. In order to retain a sufficient vacuum at the openings of the locking disc, the vacuum apertures can be provided with gaskets of of rubber or plastic around the respective apertures or in sections so as not to lose vacuum power between the locking disc and particularly the last unrollable web of material from the multiple roll.
The invention will be described more specifically in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a lateral view of a of a preferred example of an unrolling means in accordance with the invention with upwardly curved disc-shaped supporting elements,
Figure 2 shows a plan view of the unrolling means of Figure 1 taken from above,
Figure 3 shows a lateral view of the unrolling means of Figures 1 and 2,
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the unrolling means shown in Figure 1,
Figure 5 shows a partial enlargement of the folding pins illustrated in Figure 4,
Figure 6 shows the unrolling means illustrated in Figure 1 with a multiple roll positioned on its shaft before unrolling,
Figure 7 shows a plan view of the means in accordance with Figure 6 taken from above,
Figure 8 shows a lateral view of the unrolling means with a multiple roll in accordance with Figure 6,
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the illustration in Figure 6,
Figure 10 shows a partial enlargement of the folding pins illustrated in Figure 9,
Figure 11 shows a front view of the unrolling means with a partially unrolled multiple roll,
Figure 12 shows a plan view of the means in accordance with Figure 11 taken from above,
Figure 13 shows a lateral view of the unrolling means with a multiple roll in accordance with Figure 11,
Figure 14 shows a perspective view of the unrolling means illustrated in Figure 11 with the multiple roll partially unrolled,
Figure 15 shows a partial enlargement of the folding pins illustrated in Figure 14,
Figure 16 shows a lateral view of the unrolling means with an unrolled multiple roll in which only one single web of material remains and in which support means in the form of two disc-shaped elements that may swing down in directions towards each other have been swung down in order to form a support for the last web of material during the unrolling,
Figure 17 shows a plan view of the unrolling means illustrated in Figure 16 taken from above,
Figure 18 shows a lateral view of the view illustrated in Figure 16,
Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the unrolling means illustrated in Figure 16, and
Figure 20 shows a partial enlargement of the folding pins shown in Figure 19.

As may be seen in the drawings, a preferred embodiment is illustrated with unrolling means 1 in accordance with the invention for a multiple roll 2 comprising at least one narrow web 3 of material which via perforations 10 comprises a plurality of adjacent webs 3 of material. The webs 3 of material are preferably composed of dryformed paper which is intended to be converted into for example hygenic products, such as sanitary pads. As is specifically illustrated in Figure 1, the unrolling means comprise a frame 4 which mountably carries a locking disc 5, from the center of which a shaft 6 for carrying the relevant multiple roll 2 extends outwardly. In its turn, the locking disc 5 exhibits a plurality of apertures 7 disposed in its surface which are connected to a vacuum source 8 over a connector 9 for drawing the multiple roll 2 against the locking disc 5 by means of vacuum. In this manner, multiple roll 2 is locked in position during the actual unrolling concurrently with the respective webs 3 of material included in roll 2 being detachable along perforations 10.
Figures 6-10, respectively, schematically show the manner in which the unrolling means 1 function after a multiple roll 2 for unrolling is positioned on shaft 6. In Figures 7-9 the unrolling has reached a state in which only one web 3 of material of multiple roll 2 remains for unrolling. At this time support members 11 in the form of disc- shaped elements 12, 13 are lowered, said elements being rotatably mounted at their upper edges 14, 15 in the upper portion 16 of the frame 4 so that they can swing down in front of said web 3 of material so as to prevent the latter from collapsing or tilting when it is being unrolled from shaft 6. This is more specifically illustrated in Figures 16-20, respectively. At that time the disc- shaped elements 12,13 engage the exterior 19 of the relevant web 3 of material.
At the location of conversion it is appropriate to position two unrolling means 1 adjacent to each other with a joining device placed between the respective unrolling means, whereby rapid and simple joining can be carried out in connection with the conversion as soon as the last component roll or the last component rolls, as the case may be, have been terminated.
At the location of unrolling, a guide roll 17 having a width at least corresponding to the total width of multiple roll 2 is placed at the lower portion of frame 4 in the illustrated example, said guide roll 17 causing the relevant unrolled web component or narrow web 3 of material to emerge from the unrolling means parallel to the plane of the floor. Furthermore, each web component has folding pins 18 disposed preferably at 45° of the longitudinal direction of the webs 3, around which the extended or unrolled web component slides and is folded 90°, whereby all unrolled components of web 3 are made to pass linearly to the actual joining equipment in correct position for performing the joining.
Then invention also concerns a method for unrolling individual webs 3 of material from a multiple roll 2 comprising a plurality of narrow webs 3 of material interconnected by perforations 10, said webs preferably being dryformed paper with or without superabsorbent, intended for subsequent conversion for example to hygenic products, such as sanitary pads. In the method of the invention, as is more specifically shown in Figures 6-10, multiple roll 2 is placed in the unrolling means 1 on a shaft 6 comprised therein. In connection with the unrolling, multiple roll 2 is affixed to locking disc 5 which is subjected to vacuum, and after the vacuum affixing, the respective web 3 of material is unrolled from multiple roll 2 along the perforation 10 which connects the respective web 3 of material, until in the normally occurring case only one web 3 of material remains on shaft 6, in which case at least one support member 11 and in the relevant case two disc- shaped elements 12,13 which may swing down are made to engage the exterior 19 of the remaining web 3 of material. In consequence of the the unrolling of the last web 3 of material from shaft 6 it is prevented from collapsing or tilting, as during the entire unrolling, in addition to the decreasing vacuum, it also has support outwards against the disc- shaped elements 12,13.

Claims

Means for unrolling at least one narrow web (3) of material at a time from a perforated multiple roll (2) having webs of material consisting of preferably dryformed paper, characterised by a locking disc (5) rotatably supported by a frame (4) and from the center of which a shaft (6) for carrying the relevant multiple roll (2) extends, said locking disc (5) exhibiting a plurality of apertures (7) disposed in its surface, which are connected to a vacuum source (8) via a connection (9) for drawing the multiple roll (2) against the same for affixing the multiple roll (2) in position during the unrolling concurrently with the respective webs (3) of material included in the roll (2) being detachable along perforations (10) limiting the widths of said webs of material, and at least one mechanical support member (11) in the direction of the shaft (6), at an adjustable predetermined distance from the locking disc (5), said distance corresponding to the width of at least one web (3) of material, for being applied in the direction of the exterior (19) of one or a number of remaining webs of material for preventing collapse or tilting of the web (3) or webs (3) of material remaining on the shaft (6) during the unrolling.
Means in accordance with Claim 1, characterised by the support member (11) comprising two disc-shaped elements (12,13), which may swing down in directions towards each other and the shaft (6), being rotatably mounted in their upper edges (14,15) in the upper portion (16) of the frame (4).
Means in accordance with Claim 1, characterised by a guide roll (17) being disposed at the lower portion of the frame (4) and having a width corresponding at least to the total width of the multiple roll (2) for guiding the unrolled web (3) or webs (3) of material in a direction parallel to the plane of a floor supporting it, concurrently with folding pins (18) disposed 45° in the direction of the web (3) after the guide roll turning the unrolled web 90° to make it run linearly to an actual joining equipment in appropriate position for performning the joining when the joining equipment is disposed between two unrolling means (1).
A method for unrolling individual webs of material from a multiple roll (4) comprising a plurality of narrow webs (3) of material of preferably dryformed paper interconnected by means of perforations (10) with or without superabsorbent, intended for subsequent conversion into for example hygenic products such as sanitary pads, characterised by placing the multiple roll (2) in unrolling means (1) on a shaft (6) comprised therein exhibiting a locking disc (5) under vacuum for making the multiple roll (2) adhere, thereafter causing the multiple roll (2) to rotate at the unrolling concurrently with the relevant number of webs (3) of material, with at least one web of material at a time being detached from the multiple roll (2) along the perforation (10) that connects the respective webs (3) of material until only one web of material remains on the shaft (6), at which time at least one support member (11) is caused to engage the exterior (19) of the remaining web (3) of material during its unrolling, whereby tilting or collapse is prevented during the decrease of power of the vacuum.
A method in accordance with Claim 4, characterised by placing two unrolling means (1) adjacent to each other with joining equipment therebetween, whereby rapid joining can be performed with the first web (3) of material on the new multiple roll (2) on the other unrolling means (1) when the last web (3) of material on the multiple roll (2) of one of the unrolling means has been unrolled.