Magnetic splice detection system

A method of detecting a location of a splice which moves along a production line, comprising:

• splicing an end section of a first supply to an initial section of a second supply so as to create said splice;
• marking said splice with a magnetic marker;
• assembling a unit of production which contains said splice;
• assembling a first plurality of additional units of production using said first supply and a second plurality of additional units of production using said second supply, wherein said first and second pluralities of additional units of production do not contain said splice;
• detecting said magnetic marker;
• rejecting said unit of production which contains said splice based on said detecting step;
• and
• packaging said first and second pluralities of additional units of production which do not contain said splice.

A system for manufacturing units of production, comprising:

• a first web source, said first web source supplying a first web used to form a first unit of production;
• a second web source, said second web source supplying a second web used to form a second unit of production after said first web source is depleted;
• a unit of production assembly mechanism, said unit of production assembly mechanism combining said first web with a plurality of additional webs to form said first unit of production, said unit of production assembly mechanism combining said second web with said plurality of additional webs to form said second unit of production, and said unit of production assembly mechanism combining both said first web and said second web with said plurality of additional webs to form a third unit of production that contains a splice at which said first web is spliced to said second web;
• a magnetic marker, said magnetic marker being attached to at least one of said first web and said second web near said splice, said magnetic marker marking said splice;
• a magnetizer, said magnetizer generating a magnetic field which magnetizes said magnetic marker when said magnetic marker passes through said magnetic field created by said magnetizer;
• a detector, said detector detecting said magnetic marker and thereby detecting said splice;
• a packaging mechanism, said packaging mechanism packaging said first and second units of production;
• and
• a rejection mechanism, said rejection mechanism rejecting said third unit of production such that said third unit of production is not packaged with said first and second units of production.

A method of manufacturing units of production, the method comprising the steps of

• dispensing a first web of material from a first source;
• splicing a second web of material from a second source to said first web to replace said first source when said first source is depleted, and thereafter dispensing said second web of material from said second source, said splicing step including the steps of
• placing an initial section of said second web near the end of said first web so as to create a splice, and
• placing a magnetic marker on at least one of said first web and said second web near said splice;
• assembling said units of production, including the step of assembling a unit of production which contains said splice;
• magnetizing said magnetic marker, said magnetizing step inducing a magnetic field in said unit of production containing said splice which is oriented parallel to a sensing direction, said magnetizing step occurring after said assembling step such that the orientation of said magnetic field remains parallel to said sensing direction until said magnetic field is detected;
• detecting said magnetic marker with a detector, said detector having a plurality of closely spaced magnetic sensors, said plurality of closely spaced magnetic sensors being distributed substantially perpendicularly to the direction of travel of said units of production;
• and
• based on said detecting step, rejecting said unit of production containing said splice and packaging units of production which do not contain said splice.