IP Library Patent Application 11513043
Patent Application
App. No. 11/513,043

Apparatus and method for matching and splicing webs

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/513,043
Abstract

A method for matching and splicing webs that splices, by use of splicing tape, a rear end of a strip-shaped flexible backing that is drawn and conveyed from an old roll and a front end of a strip-shaped flexible backing that is drawn and conveyed from a new roll, in a state in which the front end and the rear end are matched, wherein the method performs matching and splicing by executing: a preparation step of performing matching and splicing preparations by retaining a front end of a strip-shaped flexible backing of the new roll with one of a pair of cutting drums, and supplying splicing tape to a pair of splicing drums, respectively; a cutting step of cutting with the pair of cutting drums a strip-shaped flexible backing of the old roll and a strip-shaped flexible backing of the new roll in an overlapping state after the preparation step; a feeding step of feeding to a splicing position a rear end of the strip-shaped flexible backing of the old roll and a front end of the strip-shaped flexible backing of the new roll that are cut in the cutting step, as they are in a matched state; and a splicing step of using the pair of splicing drums to adhere and attach splicing tape to each of a front surface side and a rear surface side of a matching portion that is fed to a splicing position in the feeding step; wherein, in the preparation step, at least one of the pair of splicing drums is driven independently, and in the cutting step, the feeding step and the splicing step, the one of the pair of splicing drums is driven in synchrony with other drums.

Claims (18)

1 . A method for matching and splicing webs that splices, by use of splicing tape, a rear end of a strip-shaped flexible backing that is drawn and conveyed from an old roll and a front end of a strip-shaped flexible backing that is drawn and conveyed from a new roll, in a state in which the front end and the rear end are matched, wherein the method performs matching and splicing by executing:

a preparation step of performing matching and splicing preparations by retaining a front end of a strip-shaped flexible backing of the new roll with one of a pair of cutting drums, and supplying splicing tape to a pair of splicing drums, respectively;

a cutting step of cutting with the pair of cutting drums a strip-shaped flexible backing of the old roll and a strip-shaped flexible backing of the new roll in an overlapping state after the preparation step;

a feeding step of feeding to a splicing position a rear end of the strip-shaped flexible backing of the old roll and a front end of the strip-shaped flexible backing of the new roll that are cut in the cutting step, as they are in a matched state; and

a splicing step of using the pair of splicing drums to adhere and attach splicing tape to each of a front surface side and a rear surface side of a matching portion that is fed to a splicing position in the feeding step;

wherein, in the preparation step, at least one of the pair of splicing drums is driven independently, and in the cutting step, the feeding step and the splicing step, the one of the pair of splicing drums is driven in synchrony with other drums.

2 . The method for matching and splicing webs according to claim 1 , wherein the one splicing drum is connected via a clutch mechanism to a main drive system that drives other drums, and the clutch mechanism switches between the independent driving and the synchronized driving.

3 . The method for matching and splicing webs according to claim 1 , wherein the one splicing drum is driven by an independent drive system that is independent from a main drive system that drives other drums.

4 . An apparatus for matching and splicing webs that splices, by use of splicing tape, a rear end of a strip-shaped flexible backing that is drawn and conveyed from an old roll and a front end of a strip-shaped flexible backing that is drawn and conveyed from a new roll, in a state in which the front end and the rear end are matched, comprising:

a turret device that supports the old roll and the new roll in a drawnable condition and is rotatable at predetermined angles;

a pair of cutting drums that cut a strip-shaped flexible backing of an old roll and a strip-shaped flexible backing of a new roll in an overlapping state by rotationally driving at the same speed as a conveying speed of the strip-shaped flexible backings at a time of a splicing operation;

a pair of splicing drums that comprise a tape retaining part that retains the splicing tape and that, by rotationally driving at the same speed as a conveying speed of the strip-shaped flexible backings at a time of a splicing operation, adhere and attach the splicing tape from a front surface side and a rear surface side, respectively, to a matching portion of ends of the two strip-shaped flexible backings;

a main drive system that synchronously drives other drums that exclude at least one splicing drum of the pair of splicing drums; and

a switch drive device that drives the one splicing drum by switching between independent driving and synchronized driving with the main drive system.

5 . The apparatus for matching and splicing webs according to claim 4 , wherein the switch drive device comprises a clutch mechanism that engages with or disconnects from the main drive system.

6 . The apparatus for matching and splicing webs according to claim 4 , wherein the switch drive device comprises:

an independent drive system that drives the one splicing drum independently from the main drive system; and

a control device that controls so as to synchronize the main drive system and the independent drive system.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2007
From: FUJIFILM HOLDINGS CORPORATION (FORMERLY FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.)
To: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018904/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2006
From: HIKITA, SHINJI; TONOHARA, KOJI; TAKAHASHI, MINORU
To: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018851/0946 →