Center/surface rewinder and winder

#Winders are machines that roll lengths of paper, commonly known as paper webs, into rolls. These machines are capable of rolling lengths of web into rolls at high speeds through an automated process. Turret winders are well known in the art. Conventional turret winders comprise a rotating turret assembly which support a plurality of mandrels for rotation about a turret axis. The mandrels travel in a circular path at a fixed distance from the turret axis. The mandrels engage hollow cores upon which a paper web can be wound. Typically, the paper web is unwound from a parent roll in a continuous fashion, and the turret winder rewinds the paper web onto the cores supported on the mandrels to provide individual, relatively small diameter logs. The rolled product log is then cut to designated lengths into the final product. Final products typically created by these machines and processes are toilet tissue rolls, paper toweling rolls, paper rolls, and the like.

#The winding technique used in turret winders is known as center winding. In center winding, a mandrel is rotated in order to wind a web into a roll/log, either with or without a core. Typically, the core is mounted on a mandrel that rotates at high speeds at the beginning of a winding cycle and then slows down as the size of the rolled product being wound increases, in order to maintain a constant surface speed, approximately matching web speed. Center winders work well when the web that is being wound has a printed, textured, or slippery surface. Also, typically, center winders are preferable for efficiently producing soft-wound, higher bulk rolled products.

#A second type of winding is known in the art as surface winding. A machine that uses the technique of surface winding is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,698. Typically, in surface winding, the web is wound onto the core via contact and friction developed with rotating rollers. A nip is typically formed between two or more co-acting roller systems. In surface winding, the core and the web that is wound around the core are usually driven by rotating rollers that operate at approximately the same speed as the web speed. Surface winding is preferable for efficiently producing hard-wound, lower bulk rolled products.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a winder of the present invention. This winder includes a plurality of independent winding modules that are positioned in the web direction with respect to one another and substantially contained within a modular frame.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a winder of the present invention. This drawing shows a plurality of independent winding modules, which are performing the various functions of a log winding cycle.

#FIG. 3 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a winder of the present invention. The drawing shows a plurality of independent winding modules linearly situated with respect to one another and performing the various functions of a log winding cycle.

#Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one exemplary embodiment can be used with another exemplary embodiment to yield still a third exemplary embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations.

#A winder is provided in the present invention that is capable of winding web directly from a parent roll to form a rolled product. The winder may comprise a winding module that has a rotating mandrel that engages the leading edge of a moving web. Upon transfer of the leading edge of the web to the core, the winding mandrel is disengaged from the transport apparatus removing any nip pressure for the remainder of the wind. The web may be wound about the core through the rotation of the center driven mandrel. This type of winding is known as center winding. Additionally, the mandrel may be placed onto the web to form and maintain nip pressure between the winding mandrel and the web. The web may be wound about the core through the rotation of the surface driven mandrel. This type of winding is a form of surface winding. As such, the winding module of the present invention may wind web into a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. This allows for the production of rolled products with varying degrees of softness and hardness.

#Also, the present invention provides for a winder that has a plurality of independent winding modules. Each individual winding module may wind the web such that if one or more modules are disabled, the remaining modules may continue to wind without interruption. This allows for operator servicing and routine maintenance or repairs of a module to be made without shutting down the winder. This configuration has particular advantages in that waste is eliminated and efficiency and speed of the production of the rolled product is improved.