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US 11,325,801 B2Granted
Disposable product assembly systems and methods
AssigneeCurt G. Joa, Inc.
InventorsSean P. Follen, Robert E. Andrews
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for producing disposable products anticipates when a current run of a product size is coming to an end, and therefore begins loading of material rolls intended for the next product size or code that will be run. An integrated production facility layout automatically orders and stocks raw material based on production plans, and commands a production machine to produce specific products of differing configurations, and automatically loads appropriately sized raw materials into the process.
Claims21
A system for manufacturing disposable products, the system comprising:
- a production machine having a production floor for producing each of a first configuration of disposable products and a second configuration of disposable products, the first configuration of disposable products produced from material rolls of a first set of material rolls and the second configuration of disposable products produced from material rolls of a second set of material rolls;
- a controller communicatively coupled to the production machine, the controller programmed to:
- generate an output signal controlling whether the first configuration or the second configuration of disposable products is produced by the production machine, the output signal generated responsive to a plurality of input signals received by the controller;
- control a roll transfer device of the production machine to selectively couple at least one of a first material roll of the first set of material rolls and a second material roll of the second set of material rolls with the production machine based upon at least one of the input and output signals, so as to enable the production machine to selectively produce the first or the second configuration of disposable products.
1 more element
A controller-based method for manufacturing disposable products via a system including a production machine, the method comprising:
- receiving input signals at a controller communicatively coupled to the production machine;
- determining, based on the input signals, an operational mode of the production machine to produce either a first configuration of disposable products or a second configuration of disposable products;
- based on the determined operational mode of the production machine, selecting use of a first set of material rolls configured to produce the first configuration of disposable products or use of a second set of material rolls configured to produce the second configuration of disposable products;
- identifying a time when the selected one of the first set of material rolls and the second set of material rolls is to be loaded onto turret unwinds of the production machine;
- causing a roll transfer device of the production machine to load the selected one of the first set of material rolls and the second set of material rolls onto the turret unwinds at the identified time, so as to enable production of the first configuration of disposable products or the second configuration of disposable products by the production machine;
- controlling the turret unwinds of the production machine to automatically splice material rolls of the first set of material rolls or the second set of material rolls with existing material rolls currently in use by the production machine;
- causing the production machine to continue running after splicing of the material rolls of the first set of material rolls or the second set of material rolls with the existing material rolls until an entirety of materials on the existing material rolls is pulled through the production machine;
- and
- deactivating one or more components of the production machine during the pull through of the materials on the existing material rolls.
6 more elements
A controller-based method for manufacturing disposable products via a system including a production machine, the method comprising:
- operating the production machine according to a first operational mode to produce a first configuration of disposable products, the first configuration of disposable products produced from a first material roll coupled to a first turret unwind system;
- and
- switching operation of the production machine to a second operational mode to produce a second configuration of disposable products, the second configuration of disposable products produced from a second material roll, where a web of material on the second material roll has a different width from a web of material on the first material roll;
- wherein, in switching operation of the production machine to the second operational mode, the method comprises:
- controlling a roll transfer device to selectively transport and couple the second material roll to a second turret unwind system of the production machine;
- controlling the turret unwind system of the production machine to splice the second material roll with the first material roll currently in use by the production machine;
- and
- operating the production machine to continue miming after splicing of the second material roll with the first material roll until an entirety of the web of material on the first material roll is pulled through the production machine.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.