Configurable single transfer insert placement method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11737930-B2
Application number	US-202016803183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2020
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A configurable cutting and transfer apparatus includes a cutter mechanism to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles and a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the discrete articles from a web receiving location to an article placement location. The transfer mechanism includes a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis, a carriage plate mounted to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith about the transfer axis, and a segmented puck wheel comprising a plurality of carriage units securable to, and repositionable on, the carriage plate so as to rotate therewith to travel along a transfer path about the transfer axis from the web receiving location to the pad placement location, each of the carriage units including a puck operable to provide a rotating and re-pitching of the articles between the web receiving location and the pad placement location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A configurable cutting and transfer apparatus comprising:
a cutter mechanism having a rotating knife, configured to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles; and
a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the plurality of discrete articles from at least a web receiving location to an article placement location, the transfer mechanism comprising:
a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis;
a carriage plate formed as a ring having a continuous flat radially directed surface about a circumference thereof, the continuous flat surface having a plurality of mounting holes formed therein, the carriage plate mounted to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith about the transfer axis;
a segmented puck wheel comprising a plurality of carriage units securable to, and repositionable on, the carriage plate so as to rotate therewith to travel along a transfer path about the transfer axis from at least the web receiving location to the pad placement location, each of the plurality of carriage units including a puck that is selectively operable to provide a rotating and re-pitching of the articles between the web receiving location and the pad placement location;
a barrel cam stationarily situated about the transfer axis and positioned on aside of the carriage plate opposite the segmented puck wheel, the barrel cam having a spincam race therein around a circumference thereof; and
wherein a variable number of carriage units are mounted at selectable spacings about the continuous flat surface of the carriage plate via the mounting holes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transfer mechanism comprises:
a face cam plate stationarily situated about the transfer axis and positioned on a side of the segmented puck wheel opposite the carriage plate, the face cam plate having a pitch cam race therein on a side of the face cam plate facing the segmented puck wheel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of carriage units comprises:
a pitch cam follower in sliding or rolling communication with the pitch cam race to alter positioning of the pucks with respect to the segmented puck wheel along at least a portion of the transfer path; and
a spin cam follower in sliding or rolling communication with the spin cam race to spin the puck at least partially about a spin axis of the respective puck that is at least substantially perpendicular to the transfer axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of carriage units comprises:
a mounting block secured to the carriage plate, the mounting plate including a pair of pitch rails secured thereto that are oriented parallel to a direction of the transfer path;
a puck support positioned on the mounting block and movable relative thereto via a mating of rail guides of the puck support the with the pitch rails, the puck support oriented generally orthogonal to the pitch rails and comprising a puck mount on one end thereof that is configured to receive the puck; and
a linkage system operatively coupled to the puck support and to the pitch cam follower to transfer movement of the pitch cam follower to the puck support, so as to cause movement of the puck support along the pitch rails and thereby alter circumferential displacement of the puck with respect to the carriage unit along at least a portion of the transfer path.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the carriage plate includes a plurality of mounting holes arranged as two concentric circles on the carriage plate, and wherein the mounting plate of each respective carriage unit comprises fastener holes arranged so as to be alignable with a number of the mounting holes on the carriage plate to provide for positioning of fasteners therethrough to secure the carriage unit to the carriage plate at a desired location.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the puck support in each of the plurality of carriage units comprises:
a spin cam follower holder configured to house a portion of the spin cam follower therein; and
a belt operatively coupled to the puck support and to the spin cam follower to transfer movement from the spin cam follower to the puck mount, so as to cause the puck mounted to the puck mount to spin about the spin axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the transfer mechanism comprises a base plate positioned about the carriage plate and coupled to the barrel cam; and
wherein the carriage unit comprises:
a vacuum plate positioned between a portion of the mounting block and the base plate, the vacuum plate included one or more openings formed therein that provide an air passage into and out from the puck support; and
vacuum channels formed in the puck support to form a fluid flow path from the vacuum plate openings to the puck mount and the puck mounted thereon.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the vacuum channels are fluidly coupled to multiple vacuum zones on the puck, and wherein an orientation of the puck about the spin axis controls a fluid communication between the vacuum channels and the multiple vacuum zones, so as to selectively enable a pick-up and transfer of a respective article to and from the puck.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the puck of each respective carriage unit comprises a puck connector coupleable with the puck mount, the puck connector comprising a quick-connect connector configured to secure the puck to the puck mount.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising one or more shim spacers positioned on the puck connector, the one or more shim spacing increasing a height that the puck extends out from the puck support.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutter mechanism comprises:
a first cutter component, a majority of which is situated within the transfer path; and
a second cutter component, a majority of which is situated outside the transfer path, the second cutter component adapted to periodically cooperate with the first cutter component to form a cutting nip.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first cutter component comprises an anvil wheel comprising a plurality of anvils spaced circumferentially about an anvil wheel axis, the anvil wheel driven by a drive shaft to rotate about the anvil wheel axis; and
wherein the second cutter component comprises a knife roll including one or more knives thereon, the one or more knives periodically cooperating with the anvils to form the cutting nip.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the anvil wheel and drive shaft are mounted on an anvil wheel stand, the anvil wheel stand comprising a track along which the anvil wheel and drive shaft may be translated to alter a distance between the anvil wheel and knife roll.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a base frame on which each of the cutter mechanism and transfer mechanism are mounted, the base frame comprising a pair of rails along which at least one of the cutter mechanism and transfer mechanism is movable to increase a distance between the cutter mechanism and the transfer mechanism.

15. A method for configuring a configurable cutting and transfer apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a cutter mechanism having a rotating knife, configured to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles; and
providing a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the plurality of discrete articles from at least a web receiving location to an article placement location, wherein providing the transfer mechanism comprises:
providing a drive shaft having a carriage plate mounted the

Assignees

• Joa Curt G Inc

Inventors

• Kreif Lloyd F
• Horness Darren
• Nelson Brian
• Heinz Collin M
• Blank Kevin D

Classifications

• A61F13/15764 Primary

  Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives · CPC title

• B65H39/14

  Associating sheets with webs · CPC title

• A61F13/15723

  Partitioning batts; Cutting · CPC title

• B65G2201/02

  Articles · CPC title

• B65H2301/33216

  about an axis perpendicular to the direction of displacement and to the surface of material · CPC title