US 6,523,595 B1Granted

Method of and apparatus for separating discrete elements from pre-perforated web for placement on product web moving at different speed

AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

InventorsJames Dell Milner, Robert Herrick Collins, James Grant Lee, David Allen Palzewicz

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for separating a discrete element from a first substrate web, moving at a first speed, and placing the discrete element on a second substrate web, moving at a second speed. The apparatus includes a first station, wherein perforations are made in the first substrate web, and a second station, wherein the discrete element is separated from the first substrate web at a line of perforations and the discrete element is transferred to a positioned on the second substrate web. The first station includes a perforation cutter assembly and conveyer assembly. The perforation cutter assembly includes first and second rollers with a cutting blade, with a discontinuous edge, and an anvil surface, respectively, to make perforations in the first substrate web. The second station includes a separation and transfer mechanism having separation and transfer segments for separating and transferring the discrete element from the first substrate web to the second substrate web. The method includes the steps of: making perforations across a width, at least partially through a thickness, and at predetermined spaced apart intervals along a length of the first substrate web; separating the discrete element from the first substrate web along a first line of the perforations; and placing the discrete element on the second substrate web.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for separating discrete elements, in sequence, from a first substrate web moving at a first speed and applying the discrete elements onto a second substrate moving at a second speed, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a first station for making lines of perforations across a width, at least partially through a thickness, and at predetermined spaced apart intervals along a length of the first substrate web;
(b) a second station, comprising a separation and transfer mechanism, for sequentially separating the discrete elements from the first substrate web at respective lines of perforations, by tearing respective lines of perforations, and placing the discrete elements onto the second substrate, said separation and transfer mechanism comprising a plurality of separation and transfer segments which tear the web at the respective lines of perforation, thereby to develop the respective discrete elements, by accelerating a speed of advance of the web adjacent the respective line of perforations, said plurality of separation and transfer segments being mounted about a common axis, and advancing respective ones of the discrete elements about the common axis in placing the discrete elements onto the second substrate;
and
(c) a third station, comprising an adhesive applicator, for applying adhesive to a first outer surface of the first substrate web which first outer surface is the surface of the substrate web which does not come into contact with the outer surface of said separation and transfer mechanism.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.