System and method for producing folded articles
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorBalbir Singh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for producing folded articles includes a cutting station (56) operable to segment a fabric web (42, 44) into a continuous stream of individual web segments (74, 76). The system also includes a first folding station (58) operable to fold each of the web segments (74, 76). The system further includes a spacing station (88) operable to receive the stream of web segments (74, 76) from the folding station (58) and deliver the stream of web segments (74, 76) at a predetermined spacing to correspond with a packaging registration.
Claims19
A method for producing folded articles comprising:
- segmenting a web into a continuous stream of individual web segments at a cutting station;
- folding each of the web segments at a folding station;
- receiving the web segments on a stripper belt of a spacing station from a folding roller of the folding station, the stripper belt coupled to the folding roller;
- and
- spacing the web segments at a predetermined interval at the spacing station to correspond with a packaging registration.
A system for producing folded articles comprising:
- a cutting station operable to segment a web into a continuous stream of individual web segments;
- a first folding station operable to fold each of the web segments;
- and
- a spacing station comprising a spacing roller and a stripper belt coupled between the spacing roller and a folding roller of the folding station, the spacing station operable to receive the stream of web segments from the folding station and deliver the stream of web segments at a predetermined spacing to correspond with a packaging registration.
A system for producing folded fabric articles comprising:
- a first cutter roller operable to segment a first fabric web into a continuous first stream of individual web segments;
- a second cutter roller operable to segment a second fabric web into a continuous second stream of individual web segments;
- a first folding roller operable to fold each of the web segments of the first stream;
- a second folding roller operable to fold each of the web segments of the second stream, the first and second folding rollers defining a nip for receiving and superposing the folded web segments from the first and second streams;
- and
- a spacing station operable to receive the superposed web segments from the first and second folding rollers and space the superposed web segments at a predetermined interval to correspond with a packaging registration, the spacing station comprising:
- a first spacing roller;
- a second spacing roller;
- a first stripper belt coupled to the first spacing roller and the first folding roller;
- a second stripper belt coupled to the second spacing roller and the second folding roller;
- and
- wherein the first and second spacing rollers are operable to drive the first and second stripper belts at a velocity different than a rotational velocity of the first and second folding rollers to obtain the predetermined interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.