Apparatus and method for detecting when a web is not being perforated

An apparatus for forming and detecting perforation holes in a web, said apparatus comprising:

• an anvil blade and a cutting blade cooperating with said anvil blade to cut through a web positioned between said blades, one of said blades being electrically grounded and the other of said blades being electrically isolated from a ground when free of contact with the electrically grounded blade;
• a conductor coupled to said other of said blades for delivering an electric current from an electric current source to said other of said blades while said blades are in contact with each other at a perforating position, whereby when said blades contact each other a closed circuit is formed and whereby when said blades are in said perforating position and free of contact with each other a circuit is not formed;
• and
• a closed circuit detecting system electrically coupled to said conductor and said other of said blades, said system including a processor for determining when an expected closed circuit has not been formed along a portion of said other of said blades, and an indicator for notifying when said expected closed circuit has not been formed.

An apparatus for perforating a web and detecting when the web is not being fully perforated, said apparatus comprising:

• at least one anvil including a blade holder and an anvil blade positioned within said blade holder, said blade holder being formed of an insulating material for electrically isolating said anvil blade from a ground when said anvil blade is free of contact with a grounded perforating blade;
• a conductor coupled to said anvil blade for supplying an electric current from a current source to said anvil blade;
• at least one grounded perforating blade for moving relative to said at least one anvil blade and cooperating with said at least one anvil blade to perforate the web at predetermined points, said at least one perforating blade moving relative to said anvil blade for contacting said anvil blade after perforating the web so that a closed circuit is formed along the at least one anvil blade where said anvil and perforating blades are in contact;
• and
• a closed circuit detecting system electrically coupled to said conductor and said anvil blade, said system including a processor for determining when an expected closed circuit has not been formed along a portion of said anvil blade, and an indicator for notifying when said expected closed circuit has not been formed.