Apparatus and method for converting a sheet into a continuous strip

An apparatus for converting a sheet of elastomeric material into a continuous strip, wherein the sheet has a longitudinal direction, a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge and a sequence of cuts extending in a cutting direction transversely across the sheet with respect to the longitudinal direction, wherein the cuts in the sequence alternately extend from one of the longitudinal edges towards and terminate short of the other of the longitudinal edges to form a plurality of interconnected sheet sections, wherein the continuous strip has a plurality of interconnected zig-zag sections, wherein the sheet sections are arranged to be pulled apart in a feeding direction to form the zig-zag sections of the continuous strip, wherein the apparatus comprises a separator device that is arranged for receiving the sheet with the longitudinal direction thereof parallel to the feeding direction, wherein the separator device comprises a retaining device for retaining an upstream sheet section with respect to a consecutive downstream sheet section in the feeding direction and a sensor device for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section, wherein the sensor device comprises a first side sensor that is arranged for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section at or near the first longitudinal edge of the sheet, wherein the sensor device comprises a second side sensor that is arranged for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section at or near the second longitudinal edge of the sheet, wherein the sensor device comprises one or more central sensors that are arranged for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section at a central area of the sheet between the longitudinal edges, wherein the apparatus further comprises a control unit, wherein the control unit is electronically connected to the retaining device, the first side sensor, the one or more central sensors and the second side sensor for controlling the retaining device to retain the upstream sheet section until one of the two side sensors detects the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section.

An apparatus for converting a sheet of elastomeric material into a continuous strip, wherein the sheet has a longitudinal direction, a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge and a sequence of cuts extending in a cutting direction transversely across the sheet with respect to the longitudinal direction, wherein the cuts in the sequence alternately extend from one of the longitudinal edges towards and terminate short of the other of the longitudinal edges to form a plurality of interconnected sheet sections, wherein the continuous strip has a plurality of interconnected zig-zag sections, wherein the sheet sections are arranged to be pulled apart in a feeding direction to form the zig-zag sections of the continuous strip, wherein the apparatus comprises a separator device that is arranged for receiving the sheet with the longitudinal direction thereof parallel to the feeding direction, wherein the separator device comprises a retaining device for retaining an upstream sheet section with respect to a consecutive downstream sheet section in the feeding direction and a sensor device for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section, wherein the sensor device comprises a side sensor that is arranged for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section at or near the second longitudinal edge of the sheet, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a control unit that is electronically connected to the retaining device and the side sensor for controlling the retaining device to retain the upstream sheet section until the side sensor detects the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section.

An apparatus for converting a sheet of elastomeric material into a continuous strip, wherein the sheet has a longitudinal direction, a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge and a sequence of cuts extending in a cutting direction transversely across the sheet with respect to the longitudinal direction, wherein the cuts in the sequence alternately extend from one of the longitudinal edges towards and terminate short of the other of the longitudinal edges to form a plurality of interconnected sheet sections, wherein the continuous strip has a plurality of interconnected zig-zag sections, wherein the sheet sections are arranged to be pulled apart in a feeding direction to form the zig-zag sections of the continuous strip, wherein the apparatus comprises a separator device that is arranged for receiving the sheet with the longitudinal direction thereof parallel to the feeding direction, wherein the separator device comprises a retaining device for retaining an upstream sheet section with respect to a consecutive downstream sheet section in the feeding direction and a sensor device for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section, wherein the sensor device comprises one or more central sensors that are arranged for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section at a central area of the sheet between the longitudinal edges, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a control unit that is electronically connected to the retaining device and the one or more central sensors for controlling the retaining device to retain the upstream sheet section until the one or more central sensors detect the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section.