DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FEEDING MATERIAL WEBS TO A PROCESSING DEVICE

Abstract

A delivery device for feeding planar material webs, for example airlaids, wetlaids, non-wovens, or films/foils, to a processing installation is proposed, said delivery device having a splicing unit and a multiple-web unwinding device. The splicing unit is configured for connecting a fibrous-web end of a preceding individual fibrous web to a fibrous-web lead of a subsequent individual fibrous web, so as to in this way feed a non-interrupted fibrous web to the processing installation. The splicing unit is moreover configured for processing airlaid fibrous webs that are wound on winding cores and are thus made up as roll goods. The multiple-web unwinding device has at least two winding-core mounts that are capable of being loaded in a mutually independent manner. Each of the winding-core mounts may receive a plurality of comparatively narrow rolls having narrower individual fibrous webs, or alternatively also a comparatively wider roll having a wider multiple fibrous web that is perforated in the unwinding direction. By virtue of the perforation, the wider multiple fibrous web may be detached so as to form a plurality of individual fibrous webs by severing along the perforation, such that as a result narrow fibrous webs may likewise be fed to the splicing unit, as is possible in the case of correspondingly narrow rolls having narrower individual fibrous webs.

Claims

1. A delivery device for feeding planar material webs to a processing installation, characterized in that the delivery device has a splicing unit for connecting a material-web end of a preceding individual material web to a material-web lead of a subsequent individual material web, so as to feed a non-interrupted material web to the processing installation, wherein the splicing unit is configured for processing material webs that are wound on winding cores and are thus made up as rolls, and wherein the delivery device has a multiple-web unwinding device having at least two winding-core mounts that are capable of being loaded in a mutually independent manner and that each may receive a plurality of comparatively narrow rolls having narrower individual material webs or a comparatively wider roll having a wider multiple material web that is perforated in the unwinding direction, wherein the wider multiple material web may be detached so as to form a plurality of individual material webs by severing along the perforation.

2. The delivery device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the delivery device has more than two winding-core mounts and one material-web accumulator that is assigned to each winding-core mount.

3. The delivery device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the multiple-web unwinding device has a total of four winding-core mounts that are capable of being loaded in a mutually independent manner.

4. The delivery device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the winding-core mounts are in each case disposed in pairs so as to be mutually aligned and so as to be mutually opposite in a parallel manner.

5. The delivery device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the splicing unit is disposed so as to be approximately centric between all four winding-core mounts.

6. The delivery device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the multiple-web unwinding device has a plurality of tension rollers which are disposed such that the latter hold a respective individual material web to be unwound so as to be tensioned by a defined force.

7. The delivery device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the tension rollers are a composite part of a material-web accumulator, wherein one dedicated material-web accumulator is assigned to each winding-core mount.

8. A method for feeding material webs to a processing installation, the method being characterized in that on at least two winding-core mounts in each case a plurality of material webs that are wound on winding cores and thus are made up as rolls are provided either in the form of in each case a plurality of comparatively narrow rolls having narrower individual material webs, or in the form of a comparatively wider roll having a wider multiple material web that is perforated in the unwinding direction, wherein the wider multiple material web is capable of being detached by severing along the perforation into a plurality of individual material webs; and that individual material webs are alternatingly unwound from one or the other winding-core mount, and a respective material web end of a preceding individual material web is connected to a material web lead of a subsequent individual material web by splicing such that a non-interrupted material web is fed to the processing installation.

Description

[0018] The invention is now to be explained in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the figures in which:

[0019] FIG. 1: shows a side view of a delivery device according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2: shows a plan view of a delivery device according to the invention; and

[0021] FIG. 3: shows a plan view of a delivery device having a separately positioned splicing unit, enabling a parallel arrangement of a plurality of unwinding units.

[0022] The delivery device 10 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a splicing unit 12 and a multiple-web unwinding device 14 with winding-core mounts 16 and 18, the latter in the depicted example in each case being loaded with one fibrous-web roll 20 and 22. Each of the fibrous-web rolls 20 and 22 has one winding core 24 and 26, respectively, a perforated multiple fibrous web 28 or 30, respectively, being wound on each of said cores 24 and 26. Each of the multiple fibrous webs 28 and 30, respectively, is provided with perforations 32 along which the respective multiple fibrous web 28 or 30, respectively, may be detached so as to form a plurality of individual fibrous webs 34. Thus, the fibrous webs 34 are present as roll goods in the form of a perforated, wider multiple fibrous web.

[0023] The exemplary embodiments each refer to a delivery device for feeding airlaid fibrous webs to a processing installation. The material webs in the exemplary embodiments are thus airlaid fibrous webs. However, the exemplary embodiments apply in a corresponding manner to delivery devices for films/foils or other planar fibrous webs, for example wetlaid fibrous webs, or paper.

[0024] As can be derived from FIG. 2, the fibrous-web roll 20 that is to the left in the image carries fourteen individual fibrous webs, while the fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in the image carries (now only) thirteen individual fibrous webs. Accordingly, part of the winding core 26 of the fibrous-web roll 22 may be identified.

[0025] As can also be identified, the splicing unit 12 during operation is simultaneously being fed an individual fibrous web 34 from that fibrous-web roll 20 that is to the left in the image, and a second individual fibrous web 34 from that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in the image. In the state that is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an individual fibrous web 34 is just being unwound from that fibrous-web roll 20 that is to the left in the image and is being fed to the processing installation, while a lead of the next individual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in the image has indeed already been fed to the splicing unit 12, but is connected to an end of the individual fibrous web 34 that is presently being unwound from the left fibrous-web roll 20 only once this end of the individual fibrous web 34 has been reached. Subsequently, the next individual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in the image is completely unwound, while a lead of the subsequent individual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 20 that is to the left in the image is available in the splicing unit 12, should the respective end of the individual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in the image be reached.

[0026] Once an individual fibrous web 34 of the multiple fibrous webs 28 and 30 has been unwound from the respective winding core 24 and 26, the winding cores 24 and 26 have to be retrieved from the winding-core mounts 16 and 18 and to be replaced by full fibrous-web rolls

[0027] Since this takes time, it is advantageous for the delivery device 10 to not only have two winding-core mounts 16 and 18 but instead four winding-core mounts (that is to say two times two winding-core mounts) which then are disposed on the other side of the splicing unit 12. Should the two fibrous-web rolls 20 and 22 be consumed, individual fibrous webs may be retrieved from those fibrous-web rolls that are made available on the additional winding-core mounts, while the winding-core mounts 16 and 18 are being reloaded. In this way, an interruption of production when reloading the winding-core mounts may be minimized, that is to say that the non-interrupted delivery procedure to the processing installation is further extended.

[0028] It is indicated in FIG. 2 how two additional winding-core mounts may be disposed, specifically such that those fibrous-web rolls that are disposed on the additional winding-core mounts each are aligned with one of the two fibrous-web rolls 20 or 22, respectively.

[0029] According to the exemplary embodiment, the roll goods are present in the form of a perforated wider multiple fibrous web which is wound onto a correspondingly wide winding core and which is provided with perforations 32 along which the multiple fibrous web may be detached so as to form a plurality of individual fibrous webs.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the multiple-web unwinding device 14 has a plurality of tension rollers 36 which are tasked with keeping the respective individual fibrous web 34 taut, and with absorbing and equalizing the variations in the circumferential speed of the respective individual fibrous-web reel, which variations have been described at the outset. As mentioned at the outset, one fibrous-web roll contains a plurality of individual fibrous-web reels that are disposed beside one another and which by way of a perforation and by way of a common winding core are interconnected and in total have a large centrifugal mass that is reduced in the course of the individual fibrous web being drawn off. In order for the issues associated therewith to be minimized, it is advantageous for the internal radius (the external diameter of the winding core) to be enlarged in relation to that of usual fibrous-web rolls.

[0031] In the examples, the winding cores 24 and 26 are illustrated as continuous winding cores which extend approximately across the entire width of the fibrous-web rolls 20 or 22, respectively, and consequently across a plurality of individual fibrous webs 34. Alternatively, it is also possible for a separate winding-core portion to be provided for each individual fibrous web 34, wherein the winding-core portions preferably have a mutual spacing, of 5 or 10 mm, for example. This facilitates the disposal of the winding-core portion that is associated with a respective individual fibrous web 34, when a respective individual fibrous web 34 has been consumed. A winding core that is composed of a plurality of mutually segregated winding-core portions, wherein each individual fibrous web 34 has a dedicated winding-core portion, is not illustrated in the figures.

[0032] It is illustrated in FIG. 3 that in principle any arbitrary number of unwinding units, each having one winding-core mount and one fibrous-web accumulator, may be assigned to a respective splicing unit 12. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, there are three winding-core mounts which each are loaded with one fibrous-web roll, and correspondingly three material-web accumulators 38 having respective tension rollers, that is to say three unwinding units, that are assigned to one splicing unit 12 and jointly with the latter form one delivery device 10. The three unwinding units jointly form one unwinding device.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0033] 10, 10 Delivery device

[0034] 12 Splicing unit

[0035] 14 Multiple-web unwinding device

[0036] 16, 18 Winding-core mounts

[0037] 20, 22 Fibrous-web rolls

[0038] 24, 26 Winding cores

[0039] 28, 30 Multiple fibrous webs

[0040] 32 Perforations

[0041] 34 Individual fibrous webs

[0042] 36 Tension rollers

[0043] 38 Material-web accumulator