Method and apparatus for splicing polymeric webs
AssigneeAllied Corporation
InventorFrederick G. Dunning
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method of splicing polymeric webs using an ultrasonic welder and a web support means. There is a means to secure the trailing end of at least one first web and the leading end of at least one second web between the ultrasonic welder and the web support means. The trailing end of the first web and the leading end of the second web overlap between the ultrasonic welder and the web support means and are welded together.
Claims15
A method of splicing reinforced polymeric planar sheets having an axial direction, a transverse direction, a leading end, and a trailing end, using an ultrasonic welder and a sheet support means, there being a means to move the ultrasonic welder across the sheet, comprising the steps of:
- feeding the trailing end of at least one first polymeric sheet between the ultrasonic welder and the sheet support means;
- feeding the leading end of at least one second polymeric sheet between the ultrasonic welder and the sheet support means, with the trailing end of the first polymeric sheet and the leading end of the second polymeric sheet overlapping;
- securing the first polymeric sheet and the second polymeric sheet with the overlapping portions of the trailing end of the first sheet and leading end of the second sheet located between the ultrasonic welder and the sheet support means;
- bringing the ultrasonic welder into contact with one side of the overlapping polymeric sheets and with the sheet support means in contact with the opposite side of the overlapping polymeric sheets;
- moving the ultrasonic welder across the sheet;
- and
- repeatedly spot welding the overlapping polymer sheets together across the transverse direction by repeating the steps of bringing the ultrasonic welder into contact with one side of the overlapping polymeric sheets and with the sheet support means in contact with the opposite side of the polymeric sheets, heating the overlapping polymeric sheets with the ultrasonic welder
An appatatus for ultrasonically welding reinforced polymeric sheets having an axial direction, a transverse dircetion, a leading end and a trailing end comprising:
- an ultrasonic welder;
- a sheet support means;
- a means to secure the trailing end of at least one first sheet and the leading end of at least one second sheet between the ultrasonic welder and the sheet support means, whereby the trailing end of the first sheet and the leading end of the second sheet overlap between the ultrasonic welder and the web support means;
- a means to move the ultrasonic welder twoard and away from the sheet to bring the ultrasonic welder into contact with the sheet to form spot welds;
- and an indexing means to control a plurality of spot welds transversely across the sheet, comprising a means to move the spot welder transversely across a sheet, a means to control distance between welds, and a means to control the time of heating and the time pressure is exterted at each weld.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.