Methods for transferring discrete articles

1. A method of transferring discrete articles from or to a rotating carrier member using a transfer assembly comprising a frame defining a rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a substantially flat transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:

rotating the transfer member about the rotation axis; and

maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from the rotating carrier member throughout a zone of discrete article transfer.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising moving the substantially flat transfer surface radially inwardly and radially outwardly relative to the rotation axis in the zone of discrete article transfer to maintain the substantially constant minimum distance.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at substantially the same tangential velocity as the velocity of the rotating carrier member in the zone of discrete article transfer.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising rotating the substantially flat transfer surface about a second rotation axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the rotation axis extends in a first direction, and wherein the second rotation axis extends in a second, different direction.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the substantially flat transfer surface is rotated between about 80 degrees and about 100 degrees between the first position and the second position.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising using a radial displacement mechanism operably engaged with a portion of the transfer member to maintain the substantially flat transfer surface at the substantially constant minimum distance away from the rotating carrier member in the zone of discrete article transfer.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising maintaining a substantially constant pressure between the substantially flat transfer surface and the rotating carrier member.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the substantially constant pressure enables substantially uniform bonding pressure between a discrete article and another component.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotating carrier member comprises a roll.

10. A method of transferring discrete articles from or to a rotating carrier member using a transfer assembly comprising a frame defining a rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:

rotating the transfer member about the rotation axis such that the transfer surface has a tangential velocity substantially the same as the velocity of the rotating carrier member in a zone of discrete article transfer; and

maintaining the transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from the rotating carrier member in the zone of discrete article transfer.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising moving the transfer surface radially inwardly and radially outwardly relative to the rotation axis in the zone of discrete article transfer to maintain the substantially constant minimum distance.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising moving the transfer surface radially inwardly and radially outwardly relative to the rotation axis in the zone of discrete article transfer to maintain the tangential velocity of the transfer surface substantially the same as the velocity of the rotating carrier member.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the transfer surface is substantially flat.

14. The method of claim 10 , comprising rotating the transfer surface about a second rotation axis between a first position and a second position about 70 to about 110 degrees, wherein the rotation axis extends in a first direction, and wherein the second rotation axis extends in a second, different direction.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprising moving the transfer surface radially outwardly during at least a portion of the rotation between the first position and the second position.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the rotating carrier member comprises a roll.

17. A method of transferring discrete articles from a first rotating carrier member to a second rotating carrier member using a transfer assembly comprising a frame defining a rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a substantially flat transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:

rotating the transfer member about the rotation axis; and

maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from the first rotating carrier member and the second rotating carrier member in zones of discrete article transfer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first rotating carrier member has a first velocity in the zone of discrete article transfer, and wherein the second rotating carrier member has a second, different velocity in the zone of discrete article transfer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first velocity is a first tangential velocity, and wherein the second velocity is a second tangential velocity.

20. The method of claim 17 , comprising rotating a portion of the transfer member about a second rotation axis between the first rotating carrier member and the second rotating carrier member, wherein the rotation axis extends in a first direction, and wherein the second rotation axis extends in a second, different direction.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first and second rotating carrier members comprise rolls.

22. A method of transferring discrete articles from or to a rotating carrier member using a transfer assembly comprising a frame defining a rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a substantially flat transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:

rotating the transfer member about the rotation axis;

maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from the rotating carrier member at the point of discrete article transfer; and

moving the substantially flat transfer surface radially relative to the rotation axis at the point of discrete article transfer to maintain the substantially constant minimum distance.

23. The method of claim 22 , comprising maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at substantially the same tangential velocity as the velocity of the rotating carrier member at the point of discrete article transfer.

24. The method of claim 22 , comprising rotating the substantially flat transfer surface about a second rotation axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the rotation axis extends in a first direction, and wherein the second rotation axis extends in a second, different direction.

25. A method of transferring discrete articles from or to a rotating carrier member using a transfer assembly comprising a frame defining a rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a substantially flat transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:

rotating the transfer member about the rotation axis;

maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from the rotating carrier member at the point of discrete article transfer by radial displacement of a portion of the transfer surface relative to the rotational axis.

26. The method of claim 25 , comprising maintaining the substantially flat transfer surface at substantially the same tangential velocity as the velocity of the rotating carrier member at the point of discrete article transfer.

27. The method of claim 25 , comprising rotating the substantially flat transfer surface about a second rotation axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the rotation axis extends in a first direction, and wherein the second rotation axis extends in a second, different direction.