Separating device and method for regionally separating a film web

A separator for separating a film web region by region, comprising:

• an anvil plate with a working surface for laying out a film web,
• a conveyor for conveying the film web along a conveying axis which is aligned parallel to the working surface,
• a cutting cylinder which is movable parallel to the working surface and which has at least one cutting edge for carrying out a cutting operation for the film web received between the cutting edge and the working surface,
• wherein bearing strips are arranged at edges of the working surface, each of the bearing strips being aligned with a longest edge parallel to the conveying axis, which bearing strips have upper sides aligned parallel to one another and at an acute angle to the working surface, and
• wherein the cutting cylinder has two cone sections on an outer circumferential surface which are aligned at an acute angle to a cutting cylinder axis to rest on the upper sides of the bearing strips, wherein an adjusting unit for positioning the cutting cylinder along the cutting cylinder axis is located between the anvil plate and the cutting cylinder.

A method for cutting a film web region by region, comprising the steps:

• detecting an end region of a film web laid out on a working surface of an anvil plate with a transport cylinder,
• performing a first winding movement for the end region of the film web onto the transport cylinder during a first linear retracting movement of the transport cylinder,
• detecting an end edge of the end region of the film web, which end edge is arranged on the transport cylinder, with a sensor, and
• controlling a second rewinding movement for the transport cylinder at a first conveying position at which the transport cylinder has a first, minimum distance from a first end region of the anvil plate,
• performing a combination of an unwinding movement and a second linear advancing movement for the transport cylinder along the working surface of the anvil plate for depositing the end region of the film web on the working surface, and
• performing a second linear retracting movement of the transport cylinder to the first conveying position,
• performing a combination of an unwinding movement and a third linear advancing movement for a cutting cylinder along the working surface of the anvil plate between a rest position with maximum distance from the first end region of the anvil plate and a working position with minimum distance from the first end region of the anvil plate,
• wherein a cutting edge of the cutting cylinder performs a cutting operation for an end region of the film web received between the cutting edge and the working surface, and gripping and transporting away a portion of the end region of the film web cut from the cutting edge by means of a gripping device mounted movably on the anvil plate.