Provided is an unwinding device for unwinding a sheet from a sheet roll, the sheet roll being inserted onto the device. The unwinding device includes a shaft, a first rotating member and a second rotating member which are inserted onto the shaft, configured to be rotatable with rotation of the sheet roll, the sheet roll being inserted onto the first rotating member and the second rotating member, a first elastic member disposed between the first rotating member and the shaft, the first elastic member being configured to provide first back tension to the sheet when the first rotating member rotates, a second elastic member disposed between the second rotating member and the shaft, the second elastic member being configured to provide second back tension to the sheet when the second rotating member rotates, and a back tension controlling member disposed between the second elastic member and the shaft.

Meandering of a medium at a time of transporting is reduced. A recording apparatus which transports medium and performs recording on the medium is provided. The apparatus includes a recording unit, a medium clamping unit which is provided on a side further upstream than the recording unit in a transport direction, and clamps the medium therebetween, and a medium support unit which is provided on the side further upstream than the medium clamping unit in the transport direction, and supports the medium. The medium is slackened between the medium clamping unit and the medium support unit.

Meandering of a medium at a time of transporting is reduced. A recording apparatus which transports medium and performs recording on the medium is provided. The apparatus includes a recording unit, a medium clamping unit which is provided on a side further upstream than the recording unit in a transport direction, and clamps the medium therebetween, and a medium support unit which is provided on the side further upstream than the medium clamping unit in the transport direction, and supports the medium. The medium is slackened between the medium clamping unit and the medium support unit.

An apparatus (un-interleaver) for unwinding a roll of material interleaved with another material, and for separating the materials, includes a first platform, a second platform, a tension-sensor, an edge-sensor, and a controller. The controller monitors signals generated by the tension sensor and the edge sensor, and in response to the signals: a) causes the speed at which the second platform rotates to change to maintain a predetermined tension in the second material as the second material travels from the first platform toward the second platform, and b) causes the second platform to move relative to the first platform to align the edge of the second material traveling toward the roll of second material with the edge of the second material in the roll.

A converting line has a unwind machine with a load station assembly and a vertical movement assembly. The load station assembly rotatably supports a roll as the web is unwound during a first portion of an unwind cycle. The vertical movement assembly rotatably supports the roll during movement between lowered and raised positions during a second portion of the unwind cycle. A lower brake assembly controls rotation of the roll in the load station assembly, and an upper brake assembly controls rotation of the roll with the roll in the vertical movement assembly. With the roll rotatably supported in the load station assembly, the converting line control generates signals for the lower brake assembly to control an unwind rotation rate of the roll. With the roll rotatably supported by the vertical movement assembly, the control generates signals for the upper brake assembly to control the unwind rotation rate.

A system for decurling a web from a roll of material comprises rollers, a decurling station actuator, a sensor, and a controller. The rollers are configured to pull the web along a path with an angle. The decurling station actuator is configured to shift one of the rollers relative to the other rollers to adjust the angle of the path. The sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of the roll of material and generate sensor data. The controller is configured to receive a signal representative of the sensor data and direct the decurling station actuator to shift one of the rollers based at least in part on the sensor data.

An apparatus for manufacturing the electrode assembly, in which an electrode and a separator are alternately stacked on a stack table, and the separator is folded in a zigzag shape so that the electrode is disposed between the folded separators to manufacture the electrode assembly, has a separator supplier configured to supply the separator to the stack table, and a separator tension adjuster configured to constantly adjust tension of the separator supplied to the stack table. The separator supplier comprises a separator winding roll around which the separator is wound, and the separator tension adjuster adjusts a supply height of the separator winding roll to adjust the tension of the separator.

A transport apparatus includes: a support unit that supports a roll; a drive unit that rotates the support unit; a cover configured to cover at least part of the support unit; and a load applying unit that applies a load to the support unit, wherein the cover is movable between a closed position at which the cover covers at least part of the support unit and an open position which is different from the closed position, and the load applying unit applies a large load to the support unit when the cover is located at the closed position compared with the case where the cover is located at the open position.

Maintaining a level of tension on material as it is processed in a manufacturing operation assists in the processing of the material. The tension of the material as it is fed through a process station is maintained by a material sag portion, such as an unsupported portion of the material extending between a roll of the material and the process station. The formation of the sag portion and the loading of the material forming the sag portion are automated and adjusted with a system having a material storage retrieval system, a shuttle, a tensioning device, and/or a processing station.

Maintaining a level of tension on material as it is processed in a manufacturing operation assists in the processing of the material. The tension of the material as it is fed through a process station is maintained by a material sag portion, such as an unsupported portion of the material extending between a roll of the material and the process station. The formation of the sag portion and the loading of the material forming the sag portion are automated and adjusted with a system having a material storage retrieval system, a shuttle, a tensioning device, and/or a processing station.