US 5,783,007 A · Method for splicing heat transfer printing paper

Abstract

The disclosed apparatus implements a method of joining two sheets of heat transfer paper into a single sheet almost twice as wide for use in heat transfer printing of extra wide cloth. The paper is withdrawn from source rolls and passed along first and second respective web paths with a very slight overlap between the papers. A glue station applies a speed controlled amount of glue to the overlap region of one paper and the edges of the paper are brought together in the desired overlapping relationship. The thus joined paper is passed through compression rollers and wound onto a resilient rewind roll. Edge sensors in each of the web paths maintain the overlap alignment of the paper paths and tension sensors in each of the paths maintain a desired level of tension. A video camera imaging system provides the operator with periodic video images of a magnified region of the overlap so that proper registration between the patterns on the respective papers can be maintained. Should the pattern loose registration, the operator can pulse a brake on one of the source rolls which has the effect of quickly moving the paper back into alignment.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for splicing heat transfer printing paper unwound from first and second source rolls located upstream of a rewind roll, the paper on each of said source rolls having a width and moving along parallel paths, together into a single sheet of paper said rewind roll, where said rewind roll has first and second sides and said single sheet of paper on said rewind roll has a width which is no greater than the sum of the widths of the paper on the source rolls and where paper from each source roll has heat transfer printing thereon in a pattern, and said patterns on paper from said source rolls are in registration on the single sheet of paper on said rewind roll, said method comprising:

providing first and second web paths for paper moving in a downstream direction from said first and second source rolls, respectively, to first and second sides of said rewind roll;
adjusting the spacing between said parallel paths such that paper from one of said first and second rolls forms at least a partial overlap with paper from the other of said first and second rolls;
assuring registration, in the direction of movement along said web paths, of paper from one of said first and second rolls with paper from the other of said first and second rolls;
and
bonding paper from one of said first and second rolls to paper from the other of said first and second rolls in at least a portion of said overlap.

2 more elements

A method for splicing heat transfer printing paper from first and second source rolls located upstream of a rewind roll, the paper on each of said source rolls having a width and moving along parallel paths, together into a single sheet of paper on said rewind roll, where said rewind roll has first and second sides and said single sheet of paper on said rewind roll has a width which is no greater than the sum of the widths of the paper on the source rolls and where paper from each source roll has heat transfer printing thereon in a pattern, and said particular pattern on each source roll is in registration on the paper on said rewind roll, said method comprising:

providing first and second web paths for paper moving in a downstream direction from said first and second source rolls, respectively, to first and second sides of said rewind roll;
adjusting the spacing between said parallel paths such that paper from one of said first and second rolls forms at least a partial overlap with paper from the other of said first and second rolls, wherein said adjusting step comprises the steps of:
sensing the position of an edge of paper from said at least one of said rolls and providing an output indicative of the lateral position of said edge;
and
moving at least one of said source rolls along an axis of rotation of said at least one of said rolls until said lateral position of said edge of paper is in a desired position, said desired position resulting in a desired amount of overlap between paper from said first and second source rolls;
assuring registration, in the direction of movement along said web paths, of paper from one of said first and second rolls with paper from the other of said first and second rolls, wherein said registration assuring step comprises:
examining the junction between paper at said at least a partial overlap for registration in the direction of paper movement between said patterns on said paper in the first web path and said patterns on said paper in the second web path and providing an output indication in the event of any misregistration;
and
at least momentarily changing speed of movement of paper from one of said first and second source rolls, responsive to said examining means output indication of misregistration, thereby reducing any misregistration;
and
bonding paper from one of said first and second rolls to paper from the other of said first and second rolls in at least a portion of said overlap, wherein said bonding step comprises:
providing an adhesive between said papers at least before said overlap at a rate which varies in proportion to the speed of the paper;
and
compressing at least the overlap region between said paper from said first and second source rolls at a location downstream of the adhesive providing step.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for splicing heat transfer printing paper

Life of this patent

Method for splicing heat transfer printing paper

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13