The invention relates to a method for automatically splicing a first article, unwound from a first reel, to a second article wound around a second reel, the articles being flexible and in the form of webs or strips. According to the invention, the method comprises steps consisting in: positioning an adhesive tape on an end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article; automatically moving a portion of the first article to a cutting plane situated facing the end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article; holding the portion of the first article downstream of the cutting plane with respect to the first reel; cutting the first article transversely; automatically moving the end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article as far as the cutting plane; and pressing a cut end of the first article at the cutting plane against the end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article in order to stick them together using the adhesive tape.

A device for providing a tubular foil comprises a frame (5) with a position for an active product holder (P4) from which the tubular foil (10) can be removed and at least one further position (P1-P5) for at least one subsequent product holder with a subsequent tubular foil (20). The device provides coupling means for attaching a leading end (25) of the subsequent tubular foil (20) to a tail end (15) of a spent tubular foil (10). The coupling means comprise a carriage (110) with a drivable applicator device (100). The applicator device comprises a set of opposite applicator members (130) with mutually facing operative surfaces (135) and can be manipulated between a spread position, wherein the operative surfaces lie removed from each other, and a clamping position wherein the operative surfaces lie clampingly on each other. The applicator device (100) further comprises supply means for providing adhesive strips (60) in the spread position, and can be controlled to bring the applicator members (130) with the adhesive strips (60) into the clamping position, with interposing of the tail end (15) of the spent tube (10) and the leading end (25) of the subsequent tube (20), in order to mutually connect the ends (15, 25), and to bring the applicator members into the spread position in order to release the ends with the adhesive strips.

The present application relates to a roll replacing device and a tab welding apparatus. The roll replacing device includes an unwinding mechanism, a first fixing mechanism, a second fixing mechanism, a cutting mechanism, and a strip connection mechanism; wherein the first fixing mechanism is capable of following a sliding bracket to move along a first direction until a spare material strip fixed by the first fixing mechanism and a working material strip fixed by the second fixing mechanism are aligned at a strip connection station, and allows the strip connection mechanism to connect the working material strip and the spare material strip which are aligned at the strip connection station.

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 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.