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US 9,371,209 B2Granted
Single path single web single-fold interfolder and methods
AssigneeC.G. Bretting Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorsJames Andrew Walsh, Tad T. Butterworth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide new and improved folding apparatuses and methods for interfolding a continuous stream of sheets into a single-fold interfolded pattern of sheets while passing all of the sheets substantially along a single sheet path. More particularly, all sheets in the continuous stream of sheets pass through the nips between adjacent components.
Claims38
A folding apparatus for forming a pattern of single-folded interfolded sheets from a single web of material, the folding apparatus comprising:
- a sheet cutoff system receiving the single web of material to form a single stream of alternating first and second sheets;
- a sheet overlap system downstream from the sheet cutoff system operable in a single-folded interfolded mode to orient the stream of alternating first and second sheets into parallel first and second streams of sheets in an alternating overlap orientation, the first stream of sheets being formed by the first sheets and the second stream of sheets being formed by the second sheets, the alternating overlap orientation has each first sheet overlapped with a tail end of a downstream second sheet downstream from the first sheet and a leading end of an upstream second sheet upstream from the first sheet, with both the tail end of downstream second sheet and the leading end of the upstream second sheet being positioned on a same side of the overlapping first sheet, the tail end of the downstream second sheet being positioned adjacent the leading end of the upstream second sheet;
- first and second counter-rotating folding rolls forming a folding nip therebetween for passage through the folding nip the parallel first and second streams of sheets to produce the single-folded interfolded sheets;
- and
- the sheet cutoff system, sheet overlap system and first and second counter-rotating folding rolls defining a sheet flow path, all sheets passing along the sheet flow path from the sheet cutoff system through the folding nip.
2 more elements
A method of forming a pattern of single-folded sheets from a single web of material, the method comprising
- feeding the single web of material to a sheet cutoff system;
- cutting, using a sheet cutoff system receiving the single web of material to form a single stream of alternating first and second sheets, the single web of material with the sheet cutoff system to form a single stream of alternating first and second sheets;
- feeding the single stream of sheets to a sheet overlap system downstream from the sheet cutoff system, the sheet overlap system being downstream from the sheet cutoff system and being operable in a single-folded interfolded mode to orient the stream of alternating first and second sheets into parallel first and second streams of sheets in an alternating overlap orientation, the first stream of sheets being formed by the first sheets and the second stream of sheets being formed by the second sheets;
- orienting the single stream of sheets into parallel first and second streams of sheets in an alternating overlap orientation using the overlap system, the alternating overlay orientation has each first sheet overlapped with a tail end of a downstream second sheet downstream from the first sheet and a leading end of an upstream second sheet upstream from the first sheet, with both the tail end of downstream second sheet and the leading end of the upstream second sheet being positioned on a same side of the overlapping first sheet, the tail end of the downstream second sheet being positioned adjacent the leading end of the upstream second sheet;
- directing the parallel first and second streams through a folding nip formed between first and second counter-rotating folding rolls to produce the single-folded interfolded sheets;
- and
- wherein the sheet cutoff system, sheet overlap system and first and second counter-rotating folding rolls define a sheet flow path, all sheets passing along the sheet flow path from the sheet cutoff system through the folding nip.
4 more elements
A folding apparatus for forming a pattern of single-folded interfolded sheets from a single web of material, the folding apparatus comprising:
- a sheet cutoff means for forming a single stream of alternating first and second sheets from the single web of material;
- a sheet overlap means operable in a single-folded interfolded mode for orienting the stream of alternating first and second sheets into parallel first and second streams of sheets in an alternating overlap orientation, the first stream of sheets being formed by the first sheets and the second stream of sheets being formed by the second sheets, the sheet overlap means being downstream from the sheet cutoff means, the alternating overlap orientation has each first sheet overlapped with a tail end of a downstream second sheet downstream from the first sheet and a leading end of an upstream second sheet upstream from the first sheet, with both the tail end of downstream second sheet and the leading end of the upstream second sheet being positioned on a same side of the overlapping first sheet, the tail end of the downstream second sheet being positioned adjacent the leading end of the upstream second sheet;
- first and second counter-rotating folding rolls forming a folding nip therebetween for passage through the folding nip the parallel first and second streams of sheets to produce the single-folded interfolded sheets;
- and
- the sheet cutoff means, sheet overlap means and first and second counter-rotating folding rolls defining a sheet flow path, all sheets passing along the sheet flow path from the sheet cutoff means through the folding nip.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.