Apparatus for unwinding rolls of web material
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsKevin Benson McNeil, Thomas Timothy Byrne
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for unwinding a vertically oriented roll of web material is disclosed. The roll comprises a lower surface, an upper surface and a circumferential surface. The apparatus comprises: at least one drive element adapted to rotate the vertically oriented roll, a sensor adapted to measure a tension of the web, and a controller adapted to adjust a speed of the web according to the tension of the web. The method comprises steps of rotating the roll, determining a desired web tension, and adjusting the speed of the roll according to the desired web tension.
Claims11
An apparatus for unwinding a vertically oriented roll of web material at a desired tension, the roll comprising a lower surface, an upper surface and a circumferential surface, comprising:
- a) at least one drive element adapted to contact and rotate the vertically oriented roll;
- b) a sensor adapted to measure a tension of the web;
- c) a controller adapted to adjust a speed of the web according to the tension of the web to maintain the desired tension and,
- d) a stabilizing element adapted to support an upper end of the vertically oriented roll.
The apparatus according to claim 8, comprising a support element adapted to counterbalance at least a portion of the mass of the roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.