Perforating apparatus of a web, perforating process and production machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11529749-B2
Application number	US-201916714854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 27, 2018
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A perforating apparatus for perforating a web capable of making at least one plurality of holes in a zone of the web in a precise way and without imperfections or lacerations in the web. The present invention also relates to a process for perforating the web capable of making at least one plurality of holes in a zone of the web in an efficient way and without snags occurring. The present invention also relates to a machine for producing sanitary absorbent articles comprising at least one perforating apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A perforating apparatus for perforating at least one web advancing along an advancement path at an advancing velocity, comprising:
at least one first deformation member provided with a plurality of openings and at least one second deformation member provided with a plurality of protruding elements,
wherein said first deformation member and said second deformation member are configured to position themselves at least in a tracking position,
wherein said first deformation member and said second deformation member are placed on opposite sides of said advancement path and facing each other, and to position themselves in a coupling position downstream of the tracking position relative to the advancement path,
wherein said protruding elements are coupled with said openings orthogonally to said advancement path to make, in use, a plurality of holes in a zone of said web, and
wherein said first deformation member and said second deformation member, in said tracking position and in said coupling position, are configured to advance along a portion parallel to said advancement path at said advancing velocity, such that the first and second deformation members move in a same direction and at a substantially same speed as the at least one web in both the tracking position and coupling position so as to make said plurality of holes with substantially zero relative velocities, at least along said advancement path, between said first deformation member and said web and between said second deformation member and said web.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first deformation member comprises a first plate, and wherein said openings are present and said second deformation member comprises a second plate wherein said protruding elements are present.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising disengaging means interposed between said first deformation member and said second deformation member in said coupling position and configured to disengage said web from said protruding elements so that, in use, said perforated web is freed from said protruding elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said disengaging means comprise at least one disengaging element provided with at least one through opening, and wherein in said coupling position said protruding elements are inserted.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heating device configured to heat said protruding elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising retaining means placed along two directions parallel to said advancement path arranged laterally to said zone of said web; and
wherein, in use, said holes are made, wherein, in use, said retaining means are configured to position themselves in contact with said web for retaining said web in contact with said first deformation member, or said second deformation member, or in contact with said disengaging means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of said first deformation members and a plurality of said second deformation members, wherein each of said plurality of first deformation members and of said plurality of second deformation members is configured to move independently of the others.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least part of a surface of said first deformation member oriented, in said tracking position, towards said second deformation member, is coated with a coating comprising silicone material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first deformation member and/or said second deformation member are configured to position themselves along a direction transverse to said advancement path so that said first deformation member and said second deformation member are at least partially overlapping each other.

10. A process for perforating at least one web, comprising:
advancing said web along an advancement path at an advancing velocity;
positioning at least one first deformation member provided with a plurality of openings and at least one second deformation member provided with a plurality of protruding elements in a tracking position, wherein said first deformation member and said second deformation member are placed on opposite sides of said advancement path and facing each other facing towards two opposite surfaces of said web;
advancing said first deformation member and said second deformation member along a portion parallel to said advancement path at said advancing velocity to a coupling position, so that relative velocities, at least along said advancement path, between said first deformation member and said web and between said second deformation member and said web are substantially zero;
positioning said first deformation member and said second deformation member in the coupling position, wherein said plurality of protruding elements are coupled with said plurality of openings orthogonally to said advancement path with said web interposed between them to make a plurality of holes in a zone of said web, while said first deformation member and said second deformation member advance at said advancing velocity along a portion parallel to said advancement path so that said relative velocities remain substantially zero,
wherein the first and second deformation members move in a same direction and at a substantially same speed as the at least one web in both the tracking position and coupling position.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein said first deformation member and/or said second deformation member are positioned along a direction transverse to said advancement path so that said first deformation member and said second deformation member are at least partially overlapping each other to couple with said web and make said plurality of holes in the zone of said web, and
wherein said zone extends along said transverse direction for an extension less than a transverse extension of said web relative to said advancement path.

12. The process of claim 10 , wherein said protruding elements are heated by a heating device.

13. The process of claim 10 , further comprising using disengaging means to disengage said web from said protruding elements so as to free said web from said protruding elements.

14. The process of claim 10 , wherein retaining means position themselves in contact with said web along two directions parallel to said advancement path arranged laterally to said zone of said web, and wherein said holes are made to retain said web in contact with said first deformation member or said second deformation member.

15. A machine for producing sanitary absorbent articles comprising at least one perforating apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Fameccanica Data Spa

Inventors

• Sablone Gabriele

Classifications

• B26F3/08

  with heated members · CPC title

• A61F13/15707 Primary

  Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping · CPC title

• A61F13/15764

  Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives · CPC title

• B26F1/24 Primary

  Perforating by needles or pins · CPC title

• A61F13/15731

  Treating webs, e.g. for giving them a fibrelike appearance, e.g. by embossing · CPC title