Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

The feeding unit (10) comprises: support means (12) for rotatably supporting a first reel (R1) of two-layer tissue web and a second reel (R2) of two-layer tissue web about respective axes of rotation (x1, x2); cutting means (32, 42) for cutting the two layers (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) of the reel (R1) in use, the cutting means (32, 42) being configured to cut the two layers (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) along two cut lines spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the web (W1); joining means (44_1, 44_2) for joining each of the two layers (L1_2, L2_2) of the tissue web (W2) of the other reel (R2) of said first and second reels (R1, R2), and precisely of the new reel, to a respective layer (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) of the reel (R1) in use; and tissue web accumulation means (30) for accumulating a given amount of web (W1) downstream of the cutting means (32, 42) and the joining means (44_1, 44_2) so as to ensure the feeding of the machine with the tissue web (W1) while the portion of tissue web (W1) on which the cutting means (32, 42) and the joining means (44_1, 44_2) act is kept temporarily still to allow the cutting of the two layers (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) in use and the joining of the latter with the two layers (L2_2, L2_2) of the new tissue web (W2).

The feeding unit (10) comprises: support means (12) for rotatably supporting a first reel (R1) of two-layer tissue web and a second reel (R2) of two-layer tissue web about respective axes of rotation (x1, x2); cutting means (32, 42) for cutting the two layers (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) of the reel (R1) in use, the cutting means (32, 42) being configured to cut the two layers (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) along two cut lines spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the web (W1); joining means (44_1, 44_2) for joining each of the two layers (L1_2, L2_2) of the tissue web (W2) of the other reel (R2) of said first and second reels (R1, R2), and precisely of the new reel, to a respective layer (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) of the reel (R1) in use; and tissue web accumulation means (30) for accumulating a given amount of web (W1) downstream of the cutting means (32, 42) and the joining means (44_1, 44_2) so as to ensure the feeding of the machine with the tissue web (W1) while the portion of tissue web (W1) on which the cutting means (32, 42) and the joining means (44_1, 44_2) act is kept temporarily still to allow the cutting of the two layers (L1_1, L2_1) of the tissue web (W1) in use and the joining of the latter with the two layers (L2_2, L2_2) of the new tissue web (W2).

The first cutter that cuts, in the direction transverse to the unwinding direction, a continuous sheet of additional member unwound and drawn by a length in accordance with the thickness of the book block is arranged at the input port of the trimming station, the transport mechanism that transports the cut additional member from the first cutter out in the unwinding direction of the continuous sheet of additional member is arranged downstream of the first cutter, the second cutter that trims the cut additional member being transported on the transport path in the unwinding direction is arranged in the transport path of the transport mechanism, and the position of the blades of the second cutter may be adjusted in the direction transverse to the unwinding direction in accordance with the head-to-foot length of the book block.

The first cutter that cuts, in the direction transverse to the unwinding direction, a continuous sheet of additional member unwound and drawn by a length in accordance with the thickness of the book block is arranged at the input port of the trimming station, the transport mechanism that transports the cut additional member from the first cutter out in the unwinding direction of the continuous sheet of additional member is arranged downstream of the first cutter, the second cutter that trims the cut additional member being transported on the transport path in the unwinding direction is arranged in the transport path of the transport mechanism, and the position of the blades of the second cutter may be adjusted in the direction transverse to the unwinding direction in accordance with the head-to-foot length of the book block.

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit and a first control unit which controls the image forming unit, a varnish application apparatus provided downstream in a sheet conveyance direction with respect to the image forming apparatus and including a varnish application unit which applies varnish to a sheet and a second control unit which controls the varnish application unit, and a sheet conveyance apparatus provided between the image forming apparatus and the varnish application apparatus in the sheet conveyance direction and including a receiving roller which receives a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus, a processing unit which performs predetermined processing on a sheet present in the sheet conveyance apparatus, and a third control unit which controls the processing unit, wherein the first control unit is capable of communicating with the second control unit and the third control unit.

A method for providing a nonlinear line of weakness on a web material including providing: a base, a support, a blade, and a driving means. The base may comprise at least one counter component having a length (L.sub.CC) where the counter component comprises a nonlinear shape having a shape width (W). The support may be operatively engaged with the base. The blade may have a length (L.sub.B) and may be disposed on the support so as to either contact or to come in close proximity with the counter component. At least one of the counter component and the blade may have a nonlinear shape. The driving means may be associated with one of the support or the base to reciprocally shift the one of the support or the base with respect to the other of the base or the support for a distance (D) in a shifting direction.

A method for providing a nonlinear line of weakness on a web material including providing: a base, a support, a blade, and a driving means. The base may comprise at least one counter component having a length (L.sub.CC) where the counter component comprises a nonlinear shape having a shape width (W). The support may be operatively engaged with the base. The blade may have a length (L.sub.B) and may be disposed on the support so as to either contact or to come in close proximity with the counter component. At least one of the counter component and the blade may have a nonlinear shape. The driving means may be associated with one of the support or the base to reciprocally shift the one of the support or the base with respect to the other of the base or the support for a distance (D) in a shifting direction.

Provided are a method of producing ear loop members for masks and a device for producing ear loop members for masks with which it is possible to inhibit a reduction in the production efficiency of the masks. The method of producing ear loop members (4) for masks includes a conveyance step (S2), a tension adjustment step (S3), and a forming step (S4). In the conveyance step (S2), a sheet (U1) having high stretchability in a high-stretch direction (DH) is conveyed in a conveyance direction (C10) running along the high-stretch direction (DH) while tension is applied in the high-stretch direction (DH) to the sheet (U1). In the tension adjustment step (S3), the tension in the conveyed sheet (U1) is adjusted. In the forming step (S4), ear loop members (4) are formed by cutting the sheet (U1) after the tension adjustment.