Flexible drive and core engagement members for a rewinding machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11643294-B2
Application number	US-202117545125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2021
Priority date	Nov 26, 2018
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A core end engagement assembly is provided for a rewinding machine. The core end engagement assembly is configured to engage an end of the core and transmit rotational movement to the core during winding of the web material about the core. The assembly may include a drive housing. A chuck may project from a first end of the drive housing and may be configured to engage the end of the core. A first actuator may reciprocate the drive housing along a central axis of the core between an engagement and disengagement position of the chuck relative to the core. A second actuator may be mounted on the drive housing. The second actuator may be configured and adapted to move the chuck between release and hold positions. A flexible drive shaft operatively connects with and rotationally drives the chuck.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of winding a web material about a core to form a log of wound web material comprising:
providing a winding nest in which a log is supported at a periphery of the log during winding;
feeding a web material toward the winding nest;
directing a core toward the winding nest;
causing the log to rotate in the winding nest by driving the periphery of the log and winding the web material about the core;
engaging an axial end of the core with at least one core end engagement assembly;
transmitting rotational movement to the core with the at least one core end engagement assembly by rotationally driving the core end engagement assembly with a flexible drive shaft.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the core end engagement assembly along a path followed by a central axis of the core during winding of the web material about the core.

3. A method of engaging an end of a core during winding of web material about the core to form a log of wound web material, the method comprising:
providing a core chuck, the core chuck being rotatable with the core at least some time during the winding of the web material about the core, the core chuck having an end, the end comprising at least one elastomer ring adapted and configured for engaging an inside surface of the core;
inserting the end of the core chuck with the at least one elastomer ring into an end of the core while the core is rotating;
axially compressing the at least one elastomer ring to radially expand the at least one elastomer ring in a manner such that the at least one elastomer ring engages the inside surface of the core;
winding the web material about the core;
axially elongating the at least one elastomer ring to radially contract the at least one elastomer ring in a manner such that the at least one elastomer ring disengages from the inside surface of the core; and
withdrawing the end of the core chuck with the at least one elastomer ring from the core end while the core is rotating.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting rotational movement to the core with the core chuck while the core chuck is engaging an inside surface of the core.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:
providing a second core chuck, the second core chuck being laterally opposite the core chuck at an axially opposite end of the core, the second core chuck being rotatable with the core at least some time during the winding of the web material about the core, the second core chuck having an end, the end comprising at least one elastomer ring adapted and configured for engaging an inside surface of the core; and
inserting the end of the second core chuck with the at least one elastomer ring into an end of the core while the core is rotating;
axially compressing the at least one elastomer ring of the second core chuck to radially expand the at least one elastomer ring in a manner such that the at least one elastomer ring engages the inside surface of the core;
axially elongating the at least on elastomer ring of the second core chuck to radially contract the at least one elastomer ring in a manner such that the at least one elastomer ring disengages from the inside surface of the core; and
withdrawing the end of the second core chuck with the at least one elastomer ring from the core end while the core is rotating.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
operating the core chuck and second core chuck in a manner so as to apply axial tension to the core during winding of the web material about the core.

7. A core end engagement assembly for a rewinding machine, wherein the rewinding machine is configured for winding web material into a log about a core, the core end engagement assembly being adapted and configured to engage an end of the core and transmit rotational movement to the core during winding of the web material about the core, the core end engagement assembly comprising a chuck, the chuck being movable between a hold position in which the chuck holds the end of the core and a release position in which the chuck releases the end of the core, the chuck having an end insertable into the core, the chuck end comprising at least one elastomer ring, the at least one elastomer ring being axially compressible to radially expand the at least one elastomer ring when the chuck is in the hold position, the at least one elastomer ring being axially stretchable to radially contract the at least one elastomer ring when the chuck is in the release position.

8. The core end engagement assembly of claim 7 further comprising a flexible drive shaft operatively connected with and rotationally driving the chuck.

9. The core end engagement assembly of claim 7 further comprising a chuck hold actuator configured to move the chuck between the hold position and the release position.

10. The core end engagement assembly of claim 9 further comprising a drive housing, the chuck projecting from a first end of the drive housing, the chuck hold actuator being mounted to the drive housing adjacent to a second end of the drive housing, the second end of the drive housing being opposite the first end of the drive housing.

11. The core end engagement assembly of claim 9 further comprising a control rod extending between the chuck hold actuator and the chuck, the control rod being coupled to the chuck hold actuator to move with the chuck hold actuator between the hold and release positions of the chuck.

12. The core end engagement assembly of claim 11 wherein the control rod is coupled to the chuck hold actuator to allow relative rotation between the control rod and the chuck hold actuator, the control rod is operatively connected to a flexible drive shaft and configured to rotationally drive the chuck.

13. The core end engagement assembly of claim 11 wherein when the chuck hold actuator moves the chuck to the hold position, the control rod moves in a manner so as to cause axial compression of the at least one elastomer ring to radially expand the at least one elastomer ring.

14. The core end engagement assembly of claim 11 wherein when the chuck hold actuator moves the chuck to the release position, the control rod moves in a manner so as to cause axial tension in the at least one elastomer ring to radially contract the at least one elastomer ring.

15. The core end engagement assembly of claim 11 wherein the core end engagement assembly further comprises a support shaft, the support shaft is operatively rotatable with the control rod and slidingly supports the control rod in a manner to allow the control rod to rotationally drive the chuck and move the chuck between the hold position and the release position.

16. The core end engagement assembly of claim 7 further comprising a chuck position actuator, the chuck position actuator being mountable in a core end assembly positioning linkage of the rewinding machine, the chuck position actuator being adapted and configured to reciprocate the chuck in a direction along a central axis of the core between an engagement position in which the chuck is positioned to engage the end of the core and a disengagement position in which the chuck is spaced axially away from the end of the core.

Assignees

• Paper Converting Machine Co

Inventors

• Techlin Michael E
• Usimaki R Paul

Classifications

• B65H18/20

  the web roll being supported on two parallel rollers at least one of which is driven · CPC title

• B65H19/2269 Primary

  Cradle · CPC title

• B65H2301/414

  Winding · CPC title

• B65H18/22

  by friction band · CPC title

• B65H18/10 Primary

  Mechanisms in which power is applied to web-roll spindle · CPC title