GB2476934A

GB2476934A - Apparatus and method for rolling webs using a plurality of rolling up stations

Info

Publication number: GB2476934A
Application number: GB1000487A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christoph Johann Schmitz
Original assignee: Concepts for Success C4S
Current assignee: Concepts for Success C4S
Priority date: 2010-01-13
Filing date: 2010-01-13
Publication date: 2011-07-20
Also published as: GB201000487D0; WO2011086054A1; EP2523881A1

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rolling up continuous webs 101 comprising segments is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a web supply means 102 and a roll up device with a plurality of roll up stations 116. The roll up stations 116 have a spindle 116A with a rotational axis parallel to a cross direction of the web. The spindle 116A is rotated by a drive means. Each web segment has a front, rear and mid portion 101 A-C. The mid portions 101 B are attached to said spindlel 16A, which is then rotated around the rotational axis. This causes the segments to wind around the spindle 116A from the mid portion 101B towards the front 101A and rear portions 101C simultaneously, resulting in a web wound around the spindle 116A. The spindle 116A is withdrawn from the rolled up web, which is held by a web support 112A. Also disclosed is optional combining means 108, discharge means 112, packaging means 114 and wrapping means 114A.

Description

Method for rollinz up articles C. Schmitz

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the handling of webs which may be used in the manufacturing of articles, wherein portions of the webs are rolled up, and to an equipment for such manufacturing.

Backzround The patents US6258017B1 and US6385946Blassigned to Ethicon' discuss methods for producing folded articles. The invention relates to the paper and fabric converting process for producing folded articles, wherein the rotary folder of the setup folds the incoming 1 5 web elements one or more times along the axis of the rotary folder.

The handling of web materials is described in various patent applications published in the name of the present applicant Concepts for Success -C45', namely WO 06/103487, W008/141756 Al or W008/037281 Al) assigned to Concepts for Success -C45'.

Whilst various process and equipment features described therein can be suitably combined with the present invention, they are not describing the rolling up of articles.

Summary

In a first aspect, the present invention is a method for rolling webs comprising the steps of: (a) providing a continuous web comprising a continuous series of segments, each of the segments comprises a front, a rear and a mid portion along the machine direction; (b) delivering the web to a roll-up device, the roll-up device comprises a plurality of roll-up stations, wherein each of the roll-up stations comprises a spindle having a rotational axis parallel to a cross direction of the web and being rotatable around the axis at a predetermined varying speed; (c) attaching a part of the mid portion of the web segments to the spindle; (d) rotating the spindle around the rotational axis when the part of the mid portion of the web segment being attached to the spindle, the segment being rolled up around the spindle from the mid portion towards the front and rear portions simultaneously to form a rolled-up web around the spindle; (e) withdrawing the spindle from the rolled-up web by a laterally outward movement along or parallel to the rotational axis of the spindle while the rolled-up web is being held by a web support.

Optionally, the spindle can move transitorily parallel to the machine direction whilst rotating.

The attachment of the web to the spindle can be performed by one or more methods selected from the group of a. mechanically engaging a fork-type spindle; and b. vacuum supported attachment; and 1 0 c. engaging retractable needle-or hook-type elements to the web.

The method may further comprise one or more of the following steps: (m) separating segments of the web to form an article; (n) combining a first portion of the segments with another portion of the segments; (o) discharging the rolled-up web from the roll-up device by moving the spindle laterally 1 5 while the rolled-up web being affixed to the spindle at least at the start of said lateral movement; and (p) seaming the rolled-up web; and q) packing the rolled up web.

In a second aspect, the present invention is an apparatus for rolling up webs comprising: (i) a web supply means to supply a web at an initial web speed, the web comprising a continuous series of segments; (ii) a roll-up device, which may be a parallel treatment unit, such as an endless track, a rotary drum or a turret, and which comprises a plurality of roll-up stations positioned along machine direction of the web movement. The roll-up stations further comprise a spindle having a rotational axis parallel to the cross direction of the web, and a spindle comprises a drive means adapted for rotating the spindle at a predetermined variable speed.

The spindle may further comprise an attachment means for allowing temporary attachment of the web to the spindle, which may preferably be selected from the group a) a fork with a plurality of prongs for receiving the web; and b) a vacuum suction with openings adapted to affix the web thereto; and c) retractable needle-or hook type elements.

The apparatus may further comprise one or more of a separating means, a combining tool for temporarily or permanently affixing a first part of the segments of the web to a second part, a discharge means, and an enveloping means for wrapping the rolled-up web articles.

The present invention also relates to articles manufactured according to the method or on an apparatus as described, which may be disposable or non-disposable garments including diapers, training pants etc. The articles may be individually packed or wrapped in an essentially endless web of packing or wrapping material

Detailed description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWiNGS

1 0 The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following detailed description with reference to the drawing, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an apparatus for rolling webs, according to an embodiment herein.

The embodiments, various features and advantages related to the present 1 5 invention are explained in more detail in the accompanying drawing and the following description. The illustration used herein is intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced. Accordingly, the illustration should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The embodiments herein provide a new and improved method for rolling webs by employing a roll-up device such as a rotary drum or a turret. The rotary drum or turret includes a minimum of two roll-up stations; each roll-up station includes a spindle. The incoming web material is rolled-up by the spindle when the spindle rotates around its own rotational axis so as to form the rolled-up web. The spindle can move translatorily in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the web, and optionally along the direction of movement of the web. The rolling-up may be applied in the context of preparing individual articles, which may further be individually wrapped by a subsequent wrapping step.

It may also be applied in the manufacturing of web segments or articles, or precursors of such articles which have varying length on fixed length equipment. This equipment may combine or attach parts of the segments or articles to other parts, such as when forming a pants-style article. When worn by a wearer, such articles have a longitudinal extension terminated by a front and a rear waist line, and a cross directional extension terminated by left and right side margins.

When the article is supplied to the roll-up device with its front-to-back orientation of the article corresponding to the machine direction of the device, it may be folded along a cross-directional line such that the front and rear portions overlay and the sides may be combined such as by gluing or other bonding. Alternatively, and often more preferably, the article or its precursor is supplied to the roll-up device with its left to right orientation corresponding to the machine direction of the device, and may be folded along a fold line which extends parallel to the direction of web movement, such that the front and rear waist regions of the article are placed on top of each other.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art and will also be further detailed herein below, that the roll-up device can be applied to many different uses. Thus, the reference to certain aspects such as shown in the accompanying drawing should not be 1 0 considered limiting in any way. The figure is a schematic representation of the technical elements in a view of the manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an apparatus 100 for rolling-up webs, according to an embodiment herein. The apparatus 100 includes a web supply means 102, a continuous web 101, and a roll-up device 106, optionally a combining means 108, optionally a first 1 5 element of a separating means 110, a discharging means 112, and a final optional packing unit 114. The roll-up device 106 includes roll-up stations, here shown exemplarily with sixthereofll6, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126. Theroll-up stations 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126 includes spindles 11 6A, 11 8A, 1 20A, 1 22A, 1 24A and 1 26A. Optionally, each of the roll-up stations may comprise a second element of a separating means 116B, 118B, 120B, 122B, 124B and 126B, which may cooperate with the stationary first element 110.

The discharging means 112 may include a web support such as a vacuum belt 11 2A. The final optional packing unit 114 includes an optional wrapping means 1 14A and an optional package welding means 1 14B.

The apparatus 100 may be used for manufacturing of rolled-up web articles. The web articles may be a disposable or a non-disposable article. For example, the article may be an absorbent article, a diaper, training pants and other similar articles.

The web supply means 102 may be used to deliver the continuous web 101 towards the roll-up device 106 at a supply web speed in machine direction.

The continuous web includes a series of segments. The web segments include a front (lOla), a rear (lOic) and a mid (lOib) portion along the machine direction, i.e. the direction of movement of the web 101. It should be noted, that this orientation does not necessarily need to correspond to the orientation of portions or segments during use, i.e. the longitudinal extension of an article may be such that it corresponds to the machine direction of the web or to the cross-machine direction thereof The mid portions of the web segments do not necessarily need to be symmetrically centred between the front and the rear portion along a manufacturing direction. In one embodiment, the web may be at least one of a single or a composite material of any shape. The web segments may be non-uniform across a width and length with regard to at least one of a thickness, a composition, number of composite layers, densities, basis weights, etc. The web segments may be folded along their longitudinal centreline.

The roll-up device 106 may be configured as a parallel treatment unit, preferably as a rotatable drum or a turret located between the web supply means 102 and the discharging means 112. In one embodiment, the roll-up device 106 includes at least two roll-up stations moveably connected to a roll-up construction frame (not shown in the figure). The spindles 116A, 118A, 120A, 122A, 124A and 126A of the roll-up stations 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126 include a rotational axis parallel to the cross-direction of the web. The spindles 116A, 118A, 120A, 122A, 124A and 126A also include an attachment means (not shown in the figure). In one embodiment the attachment means is in the form of a fork with a plurality of prongs. The prongs may be used to receive the 1 5 web segments. The attachment means may additionally to such a fork or alternatively include a controllable vacuum suction with openings to affix the received web segment and/or needle or hook type elements, optionally retractable.

In one embodiment, the spindles 11 6A, 11 8A, 1 20A, 1 22A, 1 24A and 1 26A are translatorily moveable along or parallel to the rotation axis so as to allow the attachment means to engage and/or disengage with the web. The spindles 116A, 118A, 120A, 122A, 1 24A and 1 26A may also be translatorily moveable parallel to the machine direction.

The spindle may be positioned close to an upstream (i.e. positioned towards the supply means) separation means (e.g. 126B), which interacts further downstream (i.e. positioned towards the discharge means) with separation means 110, when it makes contact to the web and picks and holds part of the web. As the roll-up device 106 rotates, a part of the mid portion of the web segment is attached to the spindle 116A in the roll-up station 116. When a portion close to the mid portion of the web segment is attached to the spindle 11 6A, the spindle 11 6A is rotated around the rotational axis to roll-up the web segment-around the spindle 11 6A from the mid portion towards the front and rear portions simultaneously. The spindle 11 6A is optionally moved translatorily parallel to the machine direction towards a downstream web separating element 1 16B, which interacts later downstream with the stationary first element of a web separating means 110. The translatory motion of the spindle may advantageously be applied when forming pants-style articles, in particular when articles of varying lengths are to be manufactured without exchanging size parts.

The respective parts of the segments or articles may be combined respectively by the combining means 108. The combining means 108 may combine one or more parts (e.g., by gluing) of the respective web segments. In one embodiment, the combining means 108 may be used to temporarily or permanently affix parts of an article or its precursor to each other.

The combined precursor may be separated into individual articles by the first element of the web separating means 110 interacting with the second elements separating means 116B, 118B, 120B, 122B, 124B and 126B of the rollup stations. The web separating means may be a cutting system with anvil and knife elements, whereby one of these elements is affixed to the roll-up construction frame (110), and the other elements 116B, 118B, 120B, 122B, 124B and 126B affixed relative to the roll-up device 106. The web separating means is used for separating segments from said web into articles. In one embodiment, the web separating means 110 may separate a leading segment from a trailing segment (along machine direction) such that parts of or all of the leading segment 1 5 is rolled up around the spindle, parts of or all of the trailing segment is rolled up while still being connected to a further leading segment.

The rotational predetermined variable speed of the spindle is preferably adapted such that the trailing segment is kept under essentially constant tension such that the rotational and translatory movement of the spindle are matched to the infeed speed of the web so as to not tear off the leading segment from the trailing segment prior to the optional separation step. In one embodiment, the rotational speed of the spindle 116A when receiving the web is v( 1) = 0, v(2) > 0 from receiving the web then until prior to the combining or separation steps, v(3) = 0 while combining or separating. The speed of the spindle 11 8A may be 0 <v(4) <v(2) after combining or separation (as shown in the roll-up section 118). In case of unrolling again (e.g., no separation step), the speed of the spindle becomes v(5) < 0 (as shown for the spindle 120A in the roll-up section 120).

Herein, a rotational speed is considered relative to the roll-up stations, and positive, if it rotates in the same direction as the turret, i.e. in Fig. 1 clock-wise.

In the preceding roll-up station 118, the web article may be further rolled-up around the spindle 118A. In the roll-up station 120, the spindle 120A is withdrawn from the web article by a laterally outward movement along or parallel to the rotational axis while the article is being held e.g. by the vacuum belt 112A of the discharging means 112, the belt moving with essentially the same translator (or radial) speed as rollup unit 106.

The rolled -up articles may then be then discharged from the roll-up device 106.

The discharging means 112 may release the separated and rolled up web articles from the roll-up device 106. The optional packing or wrapping means 11 4A and an optional package welding means 11 4B may include an enveloping means for wrapping the rolled-up articles such as between wrapping films 119.

In one embodiment, the rolled-up articles are individually packed or wrapped optionally by forming an essentially endless series of individually packed or wrapped articles in an essentially endless web of packing or wrapping material.

Alternatively, the web may remain unseparated, and may be unrolled such as 1 0 after a treatment such as a combining step has been performed.

The embodiments herein provide an apparatus for rolling up of web articles using a rotary drum including a plurality of roll-up stations, each roll-up station includes a spindle with attachment means for holding the incoming web and rolling the web around the spindle by a rotational motion of the spindle around its own rotational axis while 1 5 moving optionally translatorily to maintain appropriate tension in the web.

The present invention may be applied to a wide variety of articles. Without wishing to imply any limitation, it may be used for making disposable or non-disposable articles such as absorbent articles, diapers, training pants etc and similar articles.

Working the details of the embodiments is within the routine of an ordinary person skilled in the art of manufacturing of rolled-up articles and is not considered limiting in any way for the present invention.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is: 1. A method for rolling webs comprising the steps of: (a) providing a continuous web comprising a continuous series of segments, each of said segments comprise a front, a rear and a mid portion along the machine direction; (b) delivering said web to a roll-up device, said roll-up device comprises a plurality of roll-up stations, wherein each of said roll-up stations comprises a spindle having a rotational axis parallel to a cross direction of said web and being rotatable around 1 0 said axis at a predetermined varying speed; (c) attaching a part of said mid portion of said web segments to said spindle; (d) rotating said spindle around said rotational axis when said part of said mid portion of said web segment being attached to said spindle, said segment being rolled up around said spindle from said mid portion towards said front and rear portions 1 5 simultaneously to form a rolled-up web around said spindle; (e) withdrawing said spindle from said rolled-up web by a laterally outward movement along or parallel to the rotational axis of said spindle while said rolled-up web is being held by a web support.
2. The method of claim 1, whereby said spindle moves transitorily parallel to the machine direction whilst rotating.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said method further comprises one or more of the following steps: (m) separating segments of said web to form an article; (n) combining a first portion of said segments with another portion of said segments; (o) discharging said rolled-up web from said roll-up device by moving said spindle laterally when said rolled-up web being affixed to said spindle; and (p) seaming said rolled-up web; and (q) packing said rolled up web.
4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said attachment of said web to said spindle is performed by one or more steps selected from the group of (r) mechanically engaging a fork-type spindle; and (s) vacuum supported attachment; and (t) engaging retractable needle-or hook-type elements to the web.
5. An apparatus for rolling ups webs comprising: (i) a web supply means to supply a web at an initial web speed, said web comprising a continuous series of segments; (ii) a roll-up device comprising a plurality of roll-up stations positioned along machine direction of said web movement, said roll-up stations further comprise a spindle having a rotational axis parallel to a 1 0 cross direction of said web, said spindle comprising a drive means adapted for rotating said spindle at a predetermined variable speed.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said roll-up device is a parallel treatment unit.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said parallel treatment unit is selected from the group of an endless track, a rotary drum or a turret.
8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said spindle further comprises an attachment means for allowing temporary attachment of said web to said spindle.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said attachment means comprises elements selected from the group of a. a fork with a plurality of prongs for receiving said web; b. a vacuum suction with openings adapted to affix said web thereto, and c. retractable needle-or hook-type elements.
10. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising one or more of the following i) a separating means; ii) a combining tool for temporarily or permanently affixing a first part of said segments of said web to a second part; iii) a discharge means; and iv) an enveloping means for wrapping said rolled-up web articles.
11. An article manufactured according to a method comprising the method according to claim 1 or on an apparatus comprising an apparatus according to claim 5.
12. An article according to claim 11 being a pant-like article, and/or a disposable absorbent article.
13. A series of articles according to claim 11 or 12, wherein each article is individually packed or wrapped in an essentially endless web of packing or wrapping material.