Apparatus and method for loading material used in the manufacture of absorbent articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017346-B2
Application number	US-201514690531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2015
Priority date	Apr 22, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus and method for loading a spool, including a core and a web of material, on a loading apparatus and unwinding the web material from the core of the spool. The loading apparatus may include a mandrel adapted to be received by the core. The mandrel may include a tubular side wall having an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface, and an aperture. A gripping member may be telescopically received within the aperture. The gripping member may be configured to move radially outward to press against the core. Likewise, the gripping member may be configured to move radially inward to release the core. The loading apparatus may be configured to associate with an unwind apparatus. The unwind apparatus allows the loading apparatus to rotate about a central longitudinal axis. As the unwind apparatus rotates, the web of material may be unwound from the core of the spool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A loading apparatus for supporting a spool comprising a core and a web of material wound around the core, the apparatus comprising:
a mandrel adapted to be received by the core, the mandrel comprising a tubular side wall extending longitudinally between a first end portion and a second end portion, the tubular side wall including an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the mandrel includes a groove configured to slidably engage at least one of a block key and a groove key
an aperture in the tubular side wall;
a gripping member telescopically received within the aperture, the gripping member including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing radially outward from the tubular side wall;
a wedge member slidably associated with the second surface of the gripping member, the wedge member received within the mandrel and adapted to move longitudinally along the inner circumferential surface of the tubular side wall;
wherein as the wedge member moves longitudinally in a first direction, the first surface of the gripping member moves radially outward to press against the core; and
wherein as the wedge member moves longitudinally in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first surface of the gripping member moves radially inward to release the core.

2. The loading apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an outer shaft having an internal outer shaft surface and an external outer shaft surface, wherein the wedge is movably associated with the external outer shaft surface.

3. The loading apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising an inner shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion, wherein at least a portion of the inner shaft is substantially surrounded by the outer shaft, and wherein the inner shaft is slidably associated with the outer shaft.

4. The loading apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a rod having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion, wherein the distal end portion of the rod is operatively engaged with the proximal end portion of the inner shaft.

5. The loading apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a clamp member comprising a plunger and a handle, wherein the plunger includes a distal end potion and a proximal end portion opposite the distal end portion, and wherein the handle is adjacent to the proximal end portion of the plunger and the rod is adjacent to the distal end portion of the plunger.

6. The loading apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the handle is configured to rotate the outer shaft.

7. The loading apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a bumper member adjacent the distal end portion of the inner shaft.

8. The loading apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the external outer shaft surface includes threads and an internal wedge surface of the wedge includes threads, and wherein the threads of the outer shaft operatively engage the threads of the internal wedge surface.

9. The loading apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a stabilizing plate member adjacent the external shaft surface of the outer shaft, wherein the stabilizing plate defines a stabilizing aperture, wherein the stabilizing aperture is configured to receive a stabilizing pin.

10. The loading apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a surface member removably connected to the gripping member.

11. The loading apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a block key and a groove key connected to at least the key receiving portion and the protruded key portion of the wedge, wherein the at least one of the block key and the groove key slidably engages the inner circumferential surface of the mandrel.

12. The loading apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a holding member adjacent the mandrel.

13. The mandrel support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a ring member disposed about the outer circumferential surface of the mandrel, wherein the ring is configured to abut a spool.

14. A loading apparatus comprising:
a clamp member;
an inner shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion, wherein the clamp member operatively engages the inner shaft, and wherein the inner shaft moves in at least one of a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction;
a mandrel comprising a tubular side wall extending longitudinally between a first end portion and a second end portion, the tubular side wall including an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface, wherein the mandrel substantially surrounds the inner shaft;
a mount member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion of the mount member is configured to receive the second end portion of the mandrel, and wherein the mount member includes an internal cavity and defines an aperture;
a block member positioned in the internal cavity of the mount member, wherein the distal end portion of the inner shaft is configured to engage with the block member;
a bracing member slidably engaged with the block member and configured to protrude through the aperture of the mount member;
a hub assembly adjacent to the mount member;
wherein as the inner shaft moves longitudinally in a first direction, the distal end portion of the inner shaft engages the block member causing the bracing member to move radially outward to press against the inner circumferential surface of the mandrel;
wherein as the inner shaft moves longitudinally in a second direction, the distal end portion of the inner shaft disengages the block member causing the bracing member to move radially inward to release the inner circumferential surface of the mandrel; and
wherein the a clamp member comprises a plunger and a handle, wherein the plunger includes a distal end portion and a proximal end portion opposite the distal end portion, and wherein the handle is adjacent to the proximal end portion of the plunger.

15. The loading apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising an outer shaft having an internal shaft surface and an external shaft surface opposite the internal shaft surface, wherein the inner shaft is slidably engaged with the internal shaft surface of the outer shaft.

16. The loading apparatus of claim 15 , a wedge member slidably associated with the external shaft surface of the outer shaft.

17. The loading apparatus of claim 16 , a gripping member slidably engaged with a portion of the wedge.

18. The loading apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a rod having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion of the rod is operatively engaged with the distal end portion of the plunger.

19. The loading apparatus of claim 14 , wherein an external surface of the wedge member includes at least one of a receiving key portion and a protruding key portion.

20. The loading apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a tension member adjacent to the block member.

21. The mandrel support apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising an unwind arm having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and wherein the hub assembly is configured to rotate about the unwind arm.

22. The mandrel support apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a brake member disposed between the mount member and the hub assembly.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Findley Daniel Patrick
• Tameishi Kazuaki
• Ohide Seiichi

Classifications

• A61F13/15764 Primary

  Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives · CPC title

• B65H19/123 Primary

  with cantilever supporting arrangements · CPC title

• B65H2801/57

  Diaper manufacture · CPC title

• B65H75/248

  expansion caused by actuator movable in axial direction · CPC title

• B65H75/2484

  movable actuator including wedge-like or lobed member · CPC title