A method for unwinding includes loading a first reel of web material into a first unwind position where the web is unwound. A splicing unit is then moved in the machine direction toward the first unwind position until there is sufficient space to allow a further reel to be loaded into a second unwind position where the web from the second reel is unwound once loaded. Then, the web from the first reel is spliced to the second reel, and the web of the first reel is thereafter cut. The process continues in the opposite direction after removing the first reel from the first unwind position. The web of the second reel is unwound in the second position, the splicing unit is moved toward the second unwind position until there is sufficient space to allow a further reel to be loaded into the first unwind position.

An apparatus and method for automatic splicing of rolls of sleeve material used in various packaging applications. The disclosed system will automatically splice the leading end of a new roll onto the trailing end of the old roll in an overlapped configuration. The apparatus performs an automatic cut and splice operation resulting in a splice of the two film rolls with tape applied to both sides of the splice joint where the new roll overlaps the cut end of the prior roll.

An apparatus (100) for splicing a patterned web (108) is provided. The apparatus includes first and second unwind spindles (110, 114) engaging a new roll (112) of patterned web (108) and expiring roll (116) of patterned web, respectively, a first web indexing mechanism (104) capable of linearly translating the patterned web from the new roll (112) along its travel direction; a first clamp surface (129) that extends across the patterned web from the new roll; a second clamp surface (131) that extends across the patterned web from the expiring roll (116); and a cutting mechanism (132, 132) for severing the patterned web from the expiring roll (116). The apparatus further includes a second web indexing mechanism capable of linearly translating the patterned web from the expiring roll along its travel direction, wherein the first and second web indexing mechanisms are independently operable to align registration features of the patterned web on the new roll and expiring roll with each other. The first and second clamp surfaces can be brought together to create a registered splice of the patterned web between the new and expiring rolls.

A method for splicing two sheets of material containing alkaloids is provided, the method including: providing a first sheet of material containing alkaloids wound in a first bobbin; providing a second sheet of material containing alkaloids wound in a second bobbin; unwinding the first sheet wound in the first bobbin; evaluating one or more of the following parameters of the unwound first sheet: moisture, thickness, width, stickiness, and presence or absence of holes or tears; and depending on a value of the evaluated one or more parameters, unwinding the second sheet wound in the second bobbin, and splicing the first sheet and the second sheet. A system for splicing two sheets of material containing alkaloids is also provided.

A method is presented for providing a continuous web to an absorbent article manufacturing line. The method includes conveying a first roll of material through a splice box. The method also includes providing a second roll of the material extending into the splice box. The method also includes sensing upcoming expiration of the first roll of material. The method also includes using a first and second vacuum to hold a respective first portion of the first roll and a second portion of the second roll against first and second components of a thermal welding apparatus. The method also includes forming a thermal weld at the splice location between the first and second portions. The method also includes cutting the first roll of material upstream of the thermal weld. The method also includes conveying the second roll of material through the splice box without stoppage of the absorbent article manufacturing line.

The splicer, for splicing a first web material and a second web material, comprises a retaining device adapted to hold a leading edge of the second web material in a standby position; and a dispenser for an adhesive, comprising a dispensing member configured to dispense a strip of adhesive onto the leading edge of the second web material in the standby position. An unwinder and a line are also disclosed, using splicers as defined above, as well as a method for splicing two web materials together.

A splice mechanism (100) for a packaging assembly (10), the packaging assembly (10) including: a former shoulder (12); a controller (14); a film drive (16) controlled by the controller (14) for feeding a film (112) at a film speed to the former shoulder (12) to form a tubular film (22) moving in a film direction (20); a sealing device (24) to seal the tubular film (22) in a first sealing direction (26), the first sealing direction (26) being parallel to the film direction (20); a set of jaws (28) controlled by the controller (14) and movable at a jaw speed to engage and seal the tubular film (22) in a second sealing direction (30) to form a first seal (32) and a second seal (34) in each bag, thereby forming a closed bag (36), the splice mechanism (100) including: an active film roll (110) from which film (112) is drawn to be fed to the former shoulder (12) by the film drive (16); a second film roll (120) having film (122) for feeding to the former shoulder (12); a film roll holder (130) holding the active film roll (110) and the second film roll (120) such that film (112) from the active film roll (110) extends along a film path (140) to the former shoulder (12) and the second film roll (120) is accessible; a splice roller (150) against which film (122) from the second film roll (120) is placed, the film (122) having a film end (124), the film end (124) having an adhesive (126), the splice roller (150) being movable between a free position, wherein the film path (140) is unimpeded by the splice roller (150), and a splice position, wherein the film path (140) is tangential to the splice roller (150) at a splice point (142) on the film path (140).

The apparatus for automatically joining reels of web material includes a joining assembly adapted to take the trailing edge of a first expiring reel of web material and to apply it on the leading edge of a second reel of web material. Said leading edge is held close to said second reel of web material by gripping means rotated, at the same angular speed, by the same second reel. Said leading edge bears, on the side facing outwardly, a label of adhesive material.

There is provided a sealing material supply device that continuously supplies a sealing material to an uncoated portion on an edge portion of a current collector on which an electrode is coated, the sealing material supply device including a pair of main body portions disposed so as to sandwich an old sealing material and a new sealing material, a welding portion provided in each of the main body portions, the welding portion being configured to weld the old sealing material and the new sealing material to each other, and a half-cut portion provided in each of the main body portions, the half-cut portion being configured to cut off a surplus portion of the old sealing material and the new sealing material.