Folding machines and methods are provided. A folding machine that utilizes a direct transfer of sheets from a knife roll to a folding roll is provided. Sheet handling rolls are provided that incorporate movable vacuum ports to assist in transfer of a sheet from one roll to another roll.

A method and apparatus for automatically splicing two continuous three-layer tapes, wherein a longitudinally movable continuous wound tape is transversely cut so as to form individual wound pads which are applied in longitudinally spaced positions on adhesive surfaces of continuous carrier foils, and wherein a splicing element is cut from the continuous wound tape and is applied on tail and head portions of two continuous carrier foils.

The negative pressure roll 1 is provided with a rotating shaft 2, an internal cylinder 3, an intermediate cylinder 4 and a multi-layered non-woven fabric laminated outer layer 5. Further, the rotating shaft 2 is a member at the center of rotation of the negative pressure roll 1 and connected to the internal cylinder 3 by a reinforcement circular disk 9. Still further, the internal cylinder 3 is formed in a tubular shape and rotates together with the rotating shaft 2. In addition, the rotating shaft 2 and the internal cylinder 3 correspond to a rotating main body. Further, the intermediate cylinder 4 is a cylindrical tubular material formed outside the internal cylinder 3 and rotates in association with the rotating shaft 2 and the internal cylinder 3. Still further, the multi-layered non-woven fabric laminated outer layer 5 is formed outside the intermediate cylinder 4 and given as a part at which the negative pressure roll 1 is in contact with the metal strip 13. The multi-layered non-woven fabric laminated outer layer 5 also rotates in association with the rotating shaft 2, the internal cylinder 3 and the intermediate cylinder 4. In addition, the negative pressure roll 1 is provided with a controller 6 for suppressing rotation of the negative pressure roll 1.

A sheet delivery system includes: a joining unit which joins, to an intermediate section of a sheet being delivered from a delivery-side original material roll, an end section of a sheet W of a standby-side original material roll; and an operation robot which retrieves the end section of the sheet from the standby-side original material roll and which conveys the end section of the sheet to the joining unit. The sheet delivery system sets, in advance, a sheet retrieval position at which the sheet is retrieved from each of the original material rolls, for each of the original material rolls. The operation robot is configured to convey the end section of the sheet from each of the sheet retrieval positions to the joining unit.

A joining unit includes: a suction holding member having a suction surface configured to suction an end section of a sheet; a moving mechanism configured to move the suction surface toward an intermediate section of a sheet of a delivery-side original material roll along a path set in advance so that tension is applied to the sheet; and a regulating mechanism that is configured to switch between a regulated state in which a movement of the end section of the sheet with respect to the suction holding member due to the tension is regulated and an allowable state in which the movement of the end section of the sheet with respect to the suction holding member is allowed. The controller switches the regulating mechanism to the regulated state during the movement of the suction surface toward the intermediate section of the sheet of the delivery-side original material roll.

A method for making an electronic product. The method includes processing a flexible substrate (e.g., a web) with the use of a tensioner having a vacuum plate and an indexer that intermittently moves the flexible substrate for processing. While a designated location of the flexible substrate is stopped at a processing location, a process is performed on the designated location. Wherein while the designated location is stopped at the processing location, the vacuum plate of the tensioner moves in an opposite direction of the transport direction.

An apparatus for folding products includes a conveying member adapted to convey the product, an oscillating member disposed adjacent the conveying member, and a folding roll disposed adjacent the conveying member and the oscillating member. The oscillating member is adapted to grasp and lift a first portion of the product from the conveying member while the product is being conveyed by the conveying member. The oscillating member is moveable in a first direction away from the conveying member and in a second direction toward the conveying member. The folding roll is adapted to receive the first portion of the product from the oscillating member and to place the first portion of the product into engagement with a second portion of the product such that the product is in a folded configuration.

A transport mechanism and method are provided for transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system. The transport mechanism includes a first conveyor device having a first conveyor body configured to hold a plurality of sheets of print medium and to convey the sheets along the transport path, and a transfer system including a second conveyor device having a second conveyor body configured to hold the sheets and to convey the sheets further along the transport path. The transfer system is configured to transfer the sheets from the first conveyor body to the second conveyor body in a transfer region. The second conveyor body is adjacent the first conveyor body in the transfer region, and the transfer system includes a suction device configured to provide an under-pressure at the second conveyor body for contactless transfer of the sheets from the first conveyor body to the second conveyor body.

A method of modifying a male fastener of a fastening system includes feeding a web having a base substrate and a male fastening material to a modifying member having an outer surface. The male fastening material has a plurality of male fasteners with a first, unmodified profile. The profile of at least some of the plurality of male fasteners of the male fastening material are modified by engagement of the plurality of male fastener with the outer surface of the modifying member and by causing the plurality of male fasteners to slip along the outer surface of the modifying member. A modified male fastening material includes a plurality of male fasteners modified from a first profile to a second, different profile by passing the male fastening material over the outer surface of the modifying member.

A web processing roll for handling a web of material using vacuum is provided. The web processing roll includes a roll body. The roll body defines an outer periphery against which the web of material is held. The roll body defines a vacuum passage. At least one first vacuum hole fluidly connects to the vacuum passage provides vacuum proximate the outer periphery of the roll body to hold the web of material against the outer periphery with vacuum supplied to the at least one first vacuum hole by the vacuum passage. A first flow path of the vacuum hole extends at a first angle that is non-perpendicular to the rotational axis and is directed, at least in part, axially toward one of the first and second ends at the first outlet end of the at least one first vacuum hole.