Device and method for splicing and continuously providing a film web

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11987461-B2
Application number	US-202117462810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2021
Priority date	Sep 14, 2020
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

A device for splicing and continuously providing an outgoing film web includes a splicing unit for splicing a first or a second incoming film web to the outgoing film web, and a clamping unit and an intermediate film storage for the outgoing film web. The splicing unit includes a first sealing jaw with a first holding device for the outgoing film web, and a first cutting device for severing the outgoing film web in the region of the first sealing jaw. The splicing unit includes a second sealing jaw with a second holding device alternately for the first or the second incoming film web, and a second cutting device for severing this incoming film web. The sealing jaws with their respective holding devices can be displaced relative to one another out of the region of action of their first and second cutting devices into their mutual region of action.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for splicing and continuously providing an outgoing film web, the device comprising:
a first film supply for feeding in a first incoming film web;
a second film supply for feeding in a second incoming film web;
a splicing unit configured to splice the first incoming film web or the second incoming film web to the outgoing film web;
a clamping unit;
an intermediate film storage for the outgoing film web, wherein said intermediate film storage is downstream of said clamping unit;
said splicing unit including a first sealing jaw with a first holding device for the outgoing film web;
said splicing unit further including a first cutting device configured to sever the outgoing film web in a region of said first sealing jaw;
said splicing unit further including a second sealing jaw with a second holding device alternately for said first incoming film web or said second incoming film web;
said splicing unit including a second cutting device configured to sever said first or said second incoming film web;
said first cutting device defining a first region of action;
said second cutting device defining a second region of action; and,
said first sealing jaw with said first holding device and said second sealing jaw with said second holding device being configured to be displaceable relative to one another out of corresponding ones of said first region of action of said first cutting device and said second region of action of said second cutting device into a mutual region of action.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said second sealing jaw has a second sealing jaw region of action; and, said first sealing jaw with said first holding device and said second cutting device are configured to be alternately displaceable into said second sealing jaw region of action with said second holding device.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said splicing unit has a first preparation table for said first incoming film web and a second preparation table for said second incoming film web; said first preparation table and said second preparation table are configured to be displaceable back and forth between an active operating position and a passive preparation position; said first preparation table and said second preparation table each have a holding device for a free end portion of said first incoming film web or said second incoming film web; said first preparation table has a first severing region for severing the free end portion; said second preparation table has a second severing region for severing the free end portion; and, said second cutting device is arranged in one of said first severing region and said second severing region, and a counter-holder for said second cutting device and, adjacent to said counter-holder, said second sealing jaw with said second holding device are arranged in another one of said first severing region and said second severing region.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein each of said holding devices for the free end portion can be displaced relative to a corresponding one of said first severing region and said second severing region counter to a spring pretension.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein said first preparation table and said second preparation table are each mounted so as to be horizontally displacable; and, said first sealing jaw with said first holding device is mounted so as to be vertically displaceable.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first cutting device and said second cutting device is formed by a heating wire.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first holding device and said second holding device is formed by a vacuum plate.

8. A method for operating a device for splicing and continuously providing an outgoing film web, wherein the splicing device includes a first film supply for feeding in a first incoming film web, a second film supply for feeding in a second incoming film web, a splicing unit configured to splice the first incoming film web or the second incoming film web to the outgoing film web, a clamping unit, an intermediate film storage for the outgoing film web, wherein the intermediate film storage is downstream of the clamping unit, the splicing unit including a first sealing jaw with a first holding device for the outgoing film web, the splicing unit further including a first cutting device configured to sever the outgoing film web in a region of the first sealing jaw, the splicing unit further including a second sealing jaw with a second holding device alternately for the first incoming film web or the second incoming film web; the splicing unit including a second cutting device configured to sever the first or the second incoming film web, the first cutting device defining a first region of action, the second cutting device defining a second region of action, and, the first sealing jaw with the first holding device and the second sealing jaw with the second holding device being configured to be displaceable relative to one another out of corresponding ones of the first region of action of said first cutting device and said second region of action of said second cutting device into a mutual region of action, wherein the method comprises the following method steps:
during normal operation, continuously guiding one of the two incoming film webs in the form of the outgoing film web through the intermediate film storage and out of the device for splicing and continuously providing an outgoing film web;
detecting that the one of the two incoming film webs is running low;
as soon as it is detected that the one of the two incoming film webs is running low, securing the outgoing film web via the clamping unit and guiding the outgoing film web out of the device on an outlet side of the clamping unit via removal from the intermediate film storage;
holding the outgoing film web on the first sealing jaw via the first holding device and severing the outgoing film web in a region of the first sealing jaw via the first cutting device;
holding the other of the two incoming film webs on the second sealing jaw via the second holding device and severing the other of the two incoming film webs in the region of the second sealing jaw via the second cutting device;
displacing the first sealing jaw with the severed outgoing film web, which is held on the first holding device, and the second sealing jaw with the severed second or first incoming film web, which is held on the second holding device, relative to one another out of respective ones of the first region of action and the second region of action into the mutual region of action, and the severed second or first incoming film web being spliced to the severed outgoing film web via the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw; and,
reopening the clamping unit and continuing normal operation with the spliced outgoing film web.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the outgoing film web and the two incoming film webs are water-soluble, and, the outgoing water-soluble film web is supplied to a machine for the production of filled water-soluble pouches.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the two incoming film webs are made from PVOH.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the machine is continuously operating.

Assignees

• Hoefliger Harro Verpackung

Inventors

• Thienst Andreas
• Walker Tim

Classifications

• B65H19/1852 Primary

  taking place at a distance from the replacement roll · CPC title

• B65H19/20

  Cutting-off the expiring web · CPC title

• B29C65/22

  Heated wire {resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip (electrical insulating support therefor B29C66/81871)} · CPC title

• B29C65/74

  by welding and severing {, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area} · CPC title

• B29C65/7433

  the tool being a wire · CPC title