Apparatus and method for minimizing waste and improving quality and production in web processing operations by automatic cuff defect correction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9603752-B2
Application number	US-201113196663-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2011
Priority date	Aug 5, 2010
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided to minimize waste and improve quality and production in web processing operations. The apparatus and methods provide defect detection both before and after application of component patches to a traveling web to create a product. Web defect detection may be provided by way of at least one visual inspection station located upstream from the patch applicator. Patch defect detection may be accomplished by way of a visual inspection station located proximate the patch applicator. If defects are detected in either the traveling web or the component patch prior to patch application, patch application may be prevented until both a satisfactory web and patch are provided. If defects are detected after patch application, the resulting product may be culled. Furthermore, the apparatus may be provided with diagnostic software to warn against extant or imminent machine complications.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for correcting defects in a running web comprising:
creating a running fold having a cross-direction fold width in an initial condition along a machine direction of a running web supplied at a feed rate;
monitoring said running fold for a predetermined change in cross-direction fold width of said fold width from said initial condition;
upon detection of said predetermined change in said cross-direction fold width of said fold width from said initial condition, initiating a correction sequence to restore said running fold to said initial condition; wherein said correction sequence further comprises the steps of:
engaging a mistrack correction roller against the running web; and
disengaging said mistrack correction roller from the running web.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein, if said fold width is too narrow, said correction sequence further comprises the step of urging a folding plow into engagement with said running web.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of increasing said feed rate after engaging said mistrack correction roller and then decreasing said feed rate after the step of increasing said feed rate.

Assignees

• Brown Jeffrey D
• Faucher Dennis J
• Fritz Jeffrey W
• Hohm Gottfried J
• Denoble Adam D
• Ferguson Ryan M
• Joa Curt G Inc

Inventors

• Brown Jeffrey D
• Faucher Dennis J
• Fritz Jeffrey W
• Hohm Gottfried J
• Denoble Adam D
• Ferguson Ryan M

Classifications

• B65H23/032

  Controlling transverse register of web · CPC title

• A61F2013/15796

  of the alignment or position of article or components · CPC title

• A61F13/15804

  Plant, e.g. involving several steps · CPC title

• A61F13/15772 Primary

  Control · CPC title