Methods for transferring discrete articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10494197-B2
Application number	US-201815993659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	Jun 16, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

Methods of transferring discrete articles are provided. A method comprises providing a transfer device having a frame defining a rotation axis, and circumnavigating a plurality of transfer heads of the transfer device about the rotation axis in an orbit, with the orbit passing through a pick-up location and a drop-off location. The method comprises providing a web accumulation device proximate to the drop-off location, moving the web through the web accumulation device at a variable speed, picking up a discrete article at the pick-up location, carrying the discrete article on the one of the plurality of transfer heads between the pick-up location and the drop-off location, and placing the discrete article onto a portion of the web in the drop-off location at a first discrete article pitch and when the portion of the web is moving at a first speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transferring discrete articles from a pick-up location to a drop-off location, the method comprising:
providing a transfer device having a frame defining a rotation axis, wherein the transfer device comprises a plurality of transfer heads;
circumnavigating the plurality of transfer heads about the rotation axis in an orbit, wherein the orbit passes through the pick-up location and the drop-off location;
providing a web accumulation device proximate to the drop-off location, wherein the web accumulation device is configured to convey a web;
moving the web through the web accumulation device at a variable speed;
using one of the plurality of transfer heads to pick up a discrete article at the pick-up location;
carrying the discrete article on the one of the plurality of transfer heads between the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and
placing the discrete article onto a portion of the web in the drop-off location at a first discrete article pitch and when the portion of the web is moving at a first speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
using a second one of the plurality of transfer heads to pick up a second discrete article at the pick-up location;
carrying the second discrete article on the second one of the plurality of transfer heads between the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and
placing the second discrete article onto a second portion of the web in the drop-off location at the first discrete article pitch, wherein the two placing steps occur substantially simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
using a second one of the plurality of transfer heads to pick up a second discrete article at the pick-up location;
carrying the second discrete article on the second one of the plurality of transfer heads between the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and
placing the second discrete article onto a second portion of the web in the drop-off location at the first discrete article pitch, wherein the two placing steps occur sequentially.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
using a second one of the plurality of transfer heads to pick up a second discrete article at the pick-up location;
carrying the second discrete article on the second one of the plurality of transfer heads between the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and
placing the second discrete article onto a second portion of the web in the drop-off location at a second discrete article pitch and when the second portion of the web is moving at a second speed, wherein the second discrete article's dimensions are different than the first discrete article's dimensions.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second speed is different than the first speed.

6. The method of claim 4 , comprising:
maintaining a first length of the web in the web accumulation device for the first discrete article pitch; and
maintaining a second length of the web in the web accumulation device for the second discrete article pitch;
wherein the first length is different than the second length.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising substantially matching the speed of the web with the speed of the transfer head during the placing step.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising rotating the plurality of transfer heads between a first position and a second position intermediate the pick-up location and the drop-off location.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the rotating comprises rotating the head about 90 degrees about an axis perpendicular to the rotation axis.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising repitching the discrete articles intermediate the pick-up location and the drop-off location.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising applying a fluid pressure to the plurality of transfer heads.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising conveying the web into and out of the web accumulation device at a constant velocity.

13. A method of transferring discrete articles from a pick-up location to a drop-off location, the method comprising:
providing a transfer device having a frame defining a rotation axis, wherein the transfer device comprises a plurality of transfer heads;
circumnavigating the plurality of transfer heads about the rotation axis in an orbit, wherein the orbit passes through the pick-up location and the drop-off location;
providing a web accumulation device at least partially in the drop-off location, wherein the web accumulation device is configured to convey a web;
moving the web through the web accumulation device at a variable speed;
using a first transfer head to pick up a first discrete article at the pick-up location;
carrying the first discrete article on the first transfer head between the pick-up location and the drop-off location;
using a second transfer head to pick up a second discrete article at the pick-up location;
carrying the second discrete article on the second transfer head between the pick-up location and the drop-off location;
first placing the first discrete article onto a first portion of the web in the drop-off location at a first discrete article pitch and when the first portion of the web is moving at a first speed; and
substantially simultaneously with the first placing step, second placing the second discrete article onto a second portion of the web in the drop-off location at the first discrete article pitch and when the second portion of the web is moving at the first speed.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
substantially matching the speed of the first portion of the web with the first transfer head during the first placing step; and
substantially matching the speed of the second portion of the web with the second transfer head during the second placing step.

15. The method of claim 13 , comprising rotating the first transfer head between a first position and a second position intermediate the pick-up location and the drop-off location, wherein the rotating comprises rotating the transfer head about 90 degrees about an axis perpendicular to the rotation axis.

16. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
conveying the web into and out of the web accumulation device at a constant velocity; and
applying a fluid pressure to the first and second transfer heads.

17. The method of claim 13 , comprising repitching the first and second discrete articles intermediate the pick-up location and the drop-off location.

18. A method of transferring discrete articles from a pick-up location to a drop-off location, the method comprising:
providing a transfer device having a frame defining a rotation axis, wherein the transfer device comprises a plurality of transfer heads;
circumnavigating the plurality of transfer heads about the rotation axis in an orbit, wherein the orbit passes through the pick-up location and the drop-off location;
providing a web accumulation device at least partially in the drop-off location, wherein the web accumulation device is configured to convey a web;
moving the web through the web accumulation device at a variable speed;
using the plurality of transfer heads to pick up first discrete articles at the pick-up location, wherein the first discrete articles have a first discrete article size;
carrying the first discrete articles on the plurality of transfer heads between the pick-up location and the drop-off location;
placing the first discrete articles onto a portion of the web in the drop-off location at a first discrete article pitch and when the portion of the web is moving at a first speed;
subsequently, the method comprises:

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Schneider Uwe

Classifications

• A61F13/15764

  Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives · CPC title

• B65G47/848 Primary

  the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means · CPC title

• B65G47/244

  by turning them about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying plane · CPC title

• B65H2801/57

  Diaper manufacture · CPC title

• B65H29/241

  Suction devices · CPC title