Method and System for Splicing Nose Wire in a Facemask Manufacturing Process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018354743-A1
Application number	US-201515768105-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, a reserve nose wire is brought up to a transport speed in a conveying direction of the running nose wire. At or near a zero relative speed between the running nose wire and the reserve nose wire, a leading end of the reserve nose wire is introduced onto the running nose wire, and the two wires are spliced together. The running nose wire is then cut upstream of the splice location such that the reserve nose wire becomes a new running nose wire in the production line.

First claim

1 . A method for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line, comprising:
prior to depletion of the running nose wire, bringing the reserve nose wire up to a transport speed in a conveying direction of the running nose wire; at or near a zero relative speed between the running nose wire and the reserve nose wire, introducing a leading end of the reserve nose wire onto the running nose wire and forming a splice between the reserve nose wire and the running nose wire; cutting the running nose wire upstream of the splice location such that the reserve nose wire becomes a new running nose wire in the production line; the reserve nose wire supplied from a reserve roll of nose wire; wherein the reserve roll is driven prior to introducing the leading end of the reserve nose wire onto the running nose wire to create an initial accumulation of the reserve nose wire that is drawn down as the reserve roll comes up to an operating rotational speed.

2 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the splice is performed by crimping the reserve nose wire to the running nose wire.

3 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the leading end of the reserve nose wire is staged at a location for subsequent feeding onto the running nose wire at or near the zero relative speed.

4 . The method as in claim 3 , wherein one or more feed rollers draw the leading end of the reserve nose wire from the reserve roll and onto the running nose wire,

5 . The method as in claim 3 , wherein the reserve roll is moved to an in-line operating position after the splice, and a new reserve roll is staged for a subsequent splice operation.

6 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the splice is performed with a portable splice cabinet that is brought into position alongside of the production line.

7 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the splice is performed by splice machinery that is permanently configured with the production line.

8 . The method as in claim 1 , further comprising sensing transport speed of the running nose wire and, based on the running speed and distance of the leading end of the reserve wire from a crimping location, bringing the reserve nose wire up to the transport speed to achieve the at or near zero relative speed between the reserve nose wire and the running nose wire.

9 . The method as in claim 8 , further comprising sensing a depletion state of the running nose wire and timing the splicing as a function of the sensed depletion state.

10 . A system for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line in accordance with the method of claim 1 , the system comprising:
a roll of reserve nose wire; a cutting station; delivery rollers downstream of the cutting station to transport individual nose wires from the cutting station onto a carrier web that defines a body portion of the facemasks made in the production line; the reserve nose wire having a leading end, wherein upon a predetermined depletion state of the running nose wire, the leading end of the reserve nose wire is brought to a transport speed in a conveying direction of the running nose wire and spliced with the running nose wire without stopping or substantially slowing an overall running speed of the production line; and wherein the roll of reserve nose wire is driven prior to introducing the leading end of the reserve nose wire onto the running nose wire to create an initial accumulation of the reserve nose wire that is drawn down as the reserve roll comes up to an operating rotational speed.

11 . The system as in claim 10 , further comprising one or more feed rollers that draw the leading end of the reserve nose wire from the reserve roll and onto the running nose wire.

12 . The system as in claim 10 , further comprising a mechanical guide that engages the accumulation of reserve nose wire.

13 . The system as in claim 12 , wherein the mechanical guide is mounted so as to traverse in the direction of the growing accumulation of reserve nose wire.

Assignees

• Avent Inc

Inventors

• Pamperin Mark Thomas
• Harris Nathan Craig
• Weber Joseph P
• Houde Ajay Y
• Harrington David Lamar

Classifications

• B65H2701/36

  Wires · CPC title

• B65H69/06 Primary

  by splicing {(grommets made by splicing D07B1/18, auxiliary apparatus for splicing ropes or cables D07B7/169)} · CPC title

• B65H69/00

  Methods of, or devices for, interconnecting successive lengths of material; Knot-tying devices {;Control of the correct working of the interconnecting device} · CPC title

• A62B23/025 Primary

  the filter having substantially the shape of a mask (surgical face masks A41D13/11) · CPC title