Methods for manufacturing printed laminates or elastic printed laminates are disclosed. The printed laminates may have a first extensible material and a second extensible material. The first extensible material may have a plurality of repeating graphic sets each having a repeating graphic set length. The first extensible material may have a first strain and the second extensible material may have a second, different strain. The second strain may be constant. The first strain may be variable to correspond to the repeating graphic set lengths to a predetermined laminate pitch. The first and second extensible material may be joined together at a point of joinder. An elastic member, such as a plurality of elastic strands, for example, may be positioned intermediate the first and second extensible materials to form an elastic laminate.

A sheet medium conveying device conveys a sheet medium in which position detection marks are provided at regular intervals in a medium conveying direction in which the sheet medium is conveyed. The sheet medium conveying device includes a controller that controls conveyance of the sheet medium. The controller selects one of a first standby position and a second standby position located downstream of the first standby position in the medium conveying direction, and conveys the sheet medium to the selected standby position and puts the sheet medium on standby.

A difference unit may include a first sensor to identify a position of a first mark printed on a first web output from a first web press, a second sensor to identify a position of the first mark of the first web, a third sensor to identify a position of a second mark printed on a second web, and a synchronization engine to determine a synchronization difference between the first web and the second web based on the identification of the first mark and second mark as sensed by the second sensor and the third sensor.

A medium feeding apparatus includes a feeding portion that performs a feeding operation, which feeds a medium to a downstream side, and a reverse feeding operation, which feeds the medium to an upstream side, and a wind-up portion that performs a wind-up operation, which winds up a medium fed to the downstream side by the feeding operation, and a unwinding operation that unwinds the wound up medium, in which the wind-up portion performs the unwinding operation prior to the reverse feeding operation.

A medium feeding apparatus includes a feeding portion that performs a feeding operation, which feeds a medium to a downstream side, and a reverse feeding operation, which feeds the medium to an upstream side, and a wind-up portion that performs a wind-up operation, which winds up a medium fed to the downstream side by the feeding operation, and a unwinding operation that unwinds the wound up medium, in which the wind-up portion performs the unwinding operation prior to the reverse feeding operation.

A tipping paper feed assembly (1) for use in smoking article manufacture. The tipping paper feed assembly (1) comprising a first feed device adapted to supply a first tipping paper web (4) that is fed into apparatus for smoking article manufacture, and a second feed device adapted to supply a second tipping paper web (11). The tipping paper feed assembly (1) also comprises a splice mechanism (12) adapted to attach the first and second tipping paper webs (4, 11) together for changeover between the first and the second feed devices. The tipping paper feed device (1) also comprises a registration system configured to register features of each tipping paper web (4, 11) prior to attaching said first and second tipping paper webs together with said features in register.

A tipping paper feed assembly (1) for use in smoking article manufacture. The tipping paper feed assembly (1) comprising a first feed device adapted to supply a first tipping paper web (4) that is fed into apparatus for smoking article manufacture, and a second feed device adapted to supply a second tipping paper web (11). The tipping paper feed assembly (1) also comprises a splice mechanism (12) adapted to attach the first and second tipping paper webs (4, 11) together for changeover between the first and the second feed devices. The tipping paper feed device (1) also comprises a registration system configured to register features of each tipping paper web (4, 11) prior to attaching said first and second tipping paper webs together with said features in register.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for positionally accurate processing of a material web in a web-processing process for the series production of products, in particular for producing membrane assemblies, wherein a shaped element (2) is introduced into the material web (1) or a shaped element (2) is applied to the material web (1), wherein multiple reference marks (3) per product are created when the shaped element (2) is being introduced into or when the shaped element (2) is being applied to the material web, and, in a subsequent process step for positionally accurate processing of the material web (1) relative to the shaped element (2) of a product, the position of at least one of the multiple reference marks (3) of this product and/or at least one of the multiple reference marks (3) of a following and/or a preceding product is detected.

A web handling system is disclosed. The web handling system includes first dancer rollers coupled to engage and move a web of a print medium in a forward and backward direction upon stopping a printing operation and allow forward motion during the printing operation.

Various apparatus embodiments include first, second, third and fourth shafts, and further include a first movable shaft having a first movable axis that is movable between a first axis position and a second axis position, and a second movable shaft having a second movable axis that is movable between a third axis position and fourth axis position. At least one linkage connects the first movable shaft to the second movable shaft. A motor linkage connects the at least one linkage to at least one motor for providing simultaneous movement of the first and second movable shafts.