# US 2019/0168980 A1 · Processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168980 A1 - Document ID: US20190168980A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/327,494 - Filed: 2017-08-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-20 - Assignees: Manz Italy S.R.L. - Applicants: Manz Italy S.R.L. - Inventors: Massimiliano SALE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168980A1 ## CPC - B65H 20/06: by friction band - B26D 1/605: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like} - B26D 5/20: with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed - B26D 2001/0066: {having shearing means, e.g. shearing blades, abutting blades} - B65H 2301/51538: Die-cutting - B65H 2403/55: Tandem; twin or multiple mechanisms, i.e. performing the same operation - B65H 2404/2532: Arrangement for selectively changing the relative position of the driving and idler rollers - B65H 2404/2614: Means for engaging or disengaging belts into or out of contact with opposite belts, rollers or balls - B65H 2404/2615: arranged on a movable frame, e.g. pivoting - B65H 2404/68: reciprocating in transport direction - B65H 2405/52: reciprocating - B65H 2801/72: Fuel cell manufacture - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) ## Abstract A processing apparatus is disclosed comprising a shearing unit that receives the material to be processed from a conveying device upstream and surrenders it to a conveying device downstream, in which the material to be sheared advances with a continuous supply motion, in which each conveying device comprises a variable geometry closed loop slidable flexible element, in which the shearing unit is constrained to move with alternating motion together with two movable portions of the two conveying devices. The apparatus can process web-shaped material for the production of electrical energy storage devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Processing apparatus comprising: comprising a first inlet, a first outlet and an endless slidable first flexible element, said first flexible element being arranged for conveying material from said first inlet to said first outlet, said first flexible element being configured with variable geometry that is controlled so as to vary at least the position of said first outlet; a processing unit arranged near said first outlet for receiving material from said first conveying device, said processing unit being drivable between at least one engagement position in which it engages the material and at least one disengagement position, said processing unit being movable together with said first outlet; a control arrangement configured to control in a coordinated manner the sliding of said first flexible element, the drive of said processing unit and the movement of said processing unit together with said first outlet, to perform a processing cycle in which the material advances in a continuous manner in a forward direction, wherein said processing cycle comprises at least one forward step in which said processing unit advances in said forward direction together with said first outlet and at least one return step in which said processing unit goes back in the opposite direction together with said first outlet, wherein said processing unit assumes said engagement position during at least a part of said forward step to engage the material as it advances with the same material, wherein said processing unit assumes said disengagement position during at least a part of said return step. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first conveying device comprises a first support system that supports said first flexible element and that comprises a first portion that is movable in a controlled manner to modify the geometry of said first flexible element while maintaining substantially constant its length, said first portion of said first support system being arranged so as to vary the position of said first outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first portion is constrained to move together with said processing unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a second conveying device comprising a second inlet, a second outlet and an endless slidable second flexible element that is arranged for conveying material from said second inlet to said second outlet and that is configured with variable geometry that is controlled so as to vary the position of said second inlet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said processing unit is arranged near said second inlet to deliver the material to said second conveying device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said processing unit is movable together with said second inlet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second conveying device comprises a second support system that supports said second flexible element and that comprises a second portion that is movable in a controlled manner to modify the geometry of said second flexible element while maintaining substantially constant its length, said second portion being arranged so as to vary the position of said second inlet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second portion is constrained to move together with said processing unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first conveying device comprises an endless slidable third flexible element that comprises a branch coupled with a branch of said first flexible element, wherein the material passes between said branch of said first flexible element and said branch of said third flexible element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said third flexible element is configured with variable geometry that is controlled in coordination with said first flexible element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first conveying device comprises a third support system that supports said third flexible element and that comprises a third portion that is movable so as to modify the geometry of said third flexible element maintaining substantially constant its length, said third portion being arranged so as to vary the position of said first outlet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said third portion is constrained to move together with said processing unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) claim 4, wherein said second conveying device comprises an endless slidable fourth flexible element that comprises a branch coupled with a branch of said second flexible element, wherein the material passes between said branch of said second flexible element and said branch of said fourth flexible element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said fourth flexible element is configured with variable geometry that is controlled in coordination with said second flexible element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said second conveying device comprises a fourth support system that supports said fourth flexible element and that comprises a fourth portion that is movable so as to modify the geometry of said fourth flexible element maintaining substantially constant its length, said fourth portion being arranged so as to vary the position of said second inlet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said fourth portion is constrained to move together with said processing unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one processing unit is configured to separate portions of material from material in the form of a continuous strip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control arrangement is configured so that the separated portion of material advances, after separation, at a higher speed than the rest of the material, to space the separated portion from the rest of the material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said at least one processing unit comprises at least one shearing unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) Method for the production of electrical energy storage devices, which uses a processing apparatus according to claim 1 for processing material comprising at least one separator for electrodes.