Rotary die cutting mechanism
AssigneeComputyre Inc.
InventorsDouglas Treat, Raymond Jorgenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary label die cutting apparatus and process comprises a servo motor driving either a rotary die cutter or its backup roll, preferably the latter, a servo motor driven roll pulling a web carrying uncut label under the die cutter and an electronic processor controlling the relative position and speeds of the die cutter and web through commands to the servo motors with the apparatus including a sensor for observing eye marks on the web and the angular position of the die roll with the apparatus having the unique ability to control the cutting action while the cutting is taking place. to cut labels of different lengths from one die and then return to a home position to await commands for cutting a second label.
Claims14
A process for rotary die cutting a series of labels carried on a web, said web having a series of eye marks thereon each of said eye marks being associated with a particular label, comprising:
- passing said web sequentially through a rotary die cutting station having:
- a. a die cutting roll carrying a label cutting die thereon with said die cutting roll having a home position;
- and a backup roll bearing against said die cutting roll, either of which is driven;
- and
- b. a driven pinch roll that pulls said web continuously through said rotary die cutting station;
- observing a eye mark and an angular position of said label cutting die;
- transmitting said observations to an electronic processor;
- determining by means of said electronic processor the adjustment, if any, required to position said label cutting die as desired relative to said web;
- commanding said adjustment by changing the speed of said web with respect to the speed of said die cutting roll during cutting or prior to cutting by changing the speed of the driven pinch roll that pulls the web through the die cutting roll;
- and
- returning said die cutting roll to the home position after making a cut
Apparatus for die cutting a series of labels comprising in combination:
- first means for preparing a web carrying a label stock having printed thereon labels and eye marks;
- a rotary die cutter having a label cutting die thereon;
- a backup roll bearing against said rotary die cutter;
- a driven roll pulling said web past said rotary die cutter;
- motor means driving said rotary die cutter or said backup roll and said driven roll;
- sensor means for observing said eye marks and the speed of said web;
- and
- an electronic processor receiving the observations provided by said sensor means, determining the adjustment, if any, required to properly position said label cutting die with regard to said labels and commanding said adjustment by issuing control signals to said motor means to increase or decrease the rate said web is pulled through said rotary die cutter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.