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US 11,845,623 B2Granted
Winding apparatuses, systems, and related methods
AssigneeAutomated Solutions, LLC
InventorRobert L. Campbell, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Winding apparatuses for winding sheet material and related methods are disclosed herein. The winding apparatuses can include a set of winding drive rollers. Each drive roller of the winding drive rollers can have drive wheels spaced apart along the respective drive roller with a winding zone between the winding drive rollers. The winding apparatus can also include a feed system positioned before the set of the winding drive rollers for moving sheet material along a travel path in a machine direction into the winding zone.
Claims15
A method of winding sheet material into rolls using a winding apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a winding apparatus comprising:
- a set of winding drive rollers with a winding zone between the winding drive rollers;
- a feed system positioned before the set of the winding rollers for moving sheet material along a travel path in a machine direction into the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers;
- and
- a tender perforator positioned before the winding drive rollers for perforating the sheet material in a cross-machine direction when a roll of sheet material is finished being wound in the winding zone;
- winding sheet material into a roll in the winding zone as the set of the winding drive rollers rotate;
- perforating the sheet material in the cross-machine direction with the tender perforator to create a roll separation perforation in the sheet material;
- moving the roll separation perforation in the sheet material into the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers;
- braking the feed system once the roll separation perforation in the sheet material is in the winding zone while the set of the winding drive rollers continue to rotate causing the roll separation perforation in the sheet material to break to separate the roll of sheet material in the winding zone by forming a terminal end of the roll of sheet material formed in the winding zone and forming a starting end of a new roll of the sheet material that resides in the winding zone.
6 more elements
A method of forming product rolls of sheet material using a winding apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a winding apparatus comprising:
- a set of winding drive rollers with a winding zone between the winding drive rollers;
- a feed system positioned before the set of the winding drive rollers for moving sheet material along a travel path in a machine direction into the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers;
- and
- at least one notched circular slitter blade configured to rotate in the machine direction of the travel path to create a lengthwise perforation in the sheet material in the machine direction before the sheet material enters the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers, the at least one notched circular slitter blade comprising a cutting edge surface around a circumference of the blade with one or more indentures in the cutting edge surface to form isthmuses of sheet material between the perforations formed by the cutting edge surface;
- moving sheet material with the feed system into the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers;
- perforating the sheet material in the machine direction with the at least one notched circular slitter blade to create product roll separation perforations in the sheet material;
- and
- winding the sheet material into a master roll in the winding zone as the set of the winding drive rollers rotate and separate to widen the winding zone as the roll of sheet material enlarges such that the product roll separation perforations are about normal to an axis of the master roll of the sheet material.
6 more elements
A winding apparatus comprising:
- a set of winding drive rollers with a winding zone between the winding drive rollers;
- a feed system positioned before the set of the winding drive rollers for moving sheet material along a travel path in a machine direction into the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers such that the set of winding drive rollers wind the sheet material into a roll;
- and
- at least one notched circular slitter blade configured to rotate in the machine direction of the travel path to create a lengthwise perforation in the sheet material in the machine direction before the sheet material enters the winding zone between the set of the winding drive rollers, the at least one notched circular slitter blade comprising a cutting edge surface around a circumference of the blade with one or more indentures in the cutting edge surface to form isthmuses of sheet material between perforations formed by the cutting edge surface that allow the roll of sheet material wound in the winding zone between the set of winding drive rollers to be separated into smaller product rolls of the sheet material upon application of a force to the roll of sheet material.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.