LINEAR-MOTOR-DRIVEN SIMULTANEOUS STRETCHING INSTALLATION

Abstract

An improved method and an associated improved device for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching installation is distinguished inter alia by the following features: during normal operation, the linear-motor-driven transporting units in the simultaneous stretching zone are subjected to an acceleration phase with a normal-operation acceleration profile involving a growing increase in the distance from a following transporting unit driven by the linear motor drive; when the web of material is moved into the stretching zone, at least two leading tenters, following one another and driven by the linear motor, are accelerated in the stretching zone in such a way that differs from the normal-operation acceleration profile that the distance formed between the at least two tenters following one another and driven by the linear motor is less than 80% or less than 75% of the distance that is brought about during normal operation.

Claims

1. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus, in particular plastics film simultaneous stretching apparatus, having the following features: transport units equipped with transport parts and clips retained thereby are moved along a guide track and/or a transport rail by means of a linear motor drive, the edge of a material web is grasped and retained by means of the clips, during normal operation, the linear-motor-driven transport units in the simultaneous stretching zone are subjected to an acceleration phase having a normal operation acceleration profile, as the spacing from a following transport unit driven by the linear motor drive becomes increasingly large, characterised by the following further features: when the material web enters the stretching zone, at least two successive leading clips that are driven by the linear motor are accelerated in the stretching zone in a manner differing from the acceleration profile during normal operation such that the spacing formed between the at least two successive linear-motor-driven clips is less than 80% or less than 75% of the spacing produced during normal operation.

2. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two clip units that pull a material web into the stretching zone and actively drive said web are activated such that, in the region of the stretching zone, the spacing between the at least two successive clips driven by the linear motor drive is less than 70%, in particular less than 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20% and in particular less than 10% compared with the corresponding position-dependent and/or zone-dependent spacing during normal operation.

3. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two successive clips driven by a linear motor drive are driven in the stretching zone at the same speed and acceleration at an unchanged spacing from one another.

4. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the activation is carried out such that two transport units driven by a linear motor, and the associated clip, travel through at least 80% or 90% or 100% of the simultaneous stretching zone so as to be in contact with one another at a spacing reduced to 0.

5. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one or at least two non-driven leading transport units and the associated non-driven clips are moved in succession between and together with two successive leading transport units that are driven by the linear motor and the associated clips.

6. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two successive leading transport units driven by a linear motor drive, and the at least one non-driven leading transport unit and associated clips optionally provided between said driven transport units travel through the stretching zone and preferably the discharge zone together as an overall pulling assembly.

7. Method for operating a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the overall pulling assembly travels through the stretching zone so as to have an acceleration profile that corresponds to the acceleration profile of the last trailing transport unit belonging to the overall pulling assembly.

8. Simultaneous stretching apparatus, in particular plastics film simultaneous stretching apparatus, for carrying out the method in particular according claim 1, having the following features: comprising a guide track and/or a transport rail along which transport units having transport parts and clips retained thereby can be moved by means of a linear motor drive, the clips each comprise a clamping device for fixing an edge of a material web, the linear motor drive comprises secondary parts, preferably in the form of permanent magnets, that are movable together with the transport part and are rigidly attached thereto or formed thereon, and stationary primary parts at a spacing gap therefrom for generating electromagnetic fields, the primary parts acting on a motor engagement side of the secondary parts while advancing the secondary parts, the primary parts comprise a plurality of zones that are connected in series and comprise stator windings that can be driven at different phase angles or at different phase angles and pre-selectable current amplitudes, comprising an activation device having converters or frequency converters that comprise an output stage, power stage or driver stage or downstream of which an output stage, power stage or driver stage is connected, and the activation device is designed such that, during normal operation, the linear-motor-driven secondary parts can be driven in the simultaneous stretching zone in an acceleration phase having a normal operation acceleration profile with an increasingly large spacing from a following transport unit that is driven by the linear motor drive, wherein the following further features: the activation unit is designed such that, when the material web enters the stretching zone, at least two successive leading clips that are driven by the linear motor are accelerated in the stretching zone in a manner differing from the acceleration profile during normal operation such that the spacing formed between the at least two successive linear-motor-driven clips is less than 75% of the spacing produced during normal operation, less than 80% or less than 75% of the spacing produced during normal operation.

9. Simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the activation device is designed such that, in the region of the stretching zone, the spacing between the at least two successive leading clips driven by the linear motor drive is less than 70%, in particular less than 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20% and in particular less than 10% compared with the corresponding position-dependent and/or zone-dependent spacing during normal operation.

10. Simultaneous stretching apparatus according to either claim 8, wherein the activation device is designed such that the at least two successive clips driven by a linear motor drive are driven in the stretching zone at the same speed and acceleration at an unchanged spacing from one another.

11. Simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the activation device is designed such that two transport units driven by a linear motor, and the associated clips, travel through at least 80% or 90% or 100% of the simultaneous stretching zone so as to be in contact with one another at a spacing reduced to 0.

12. Simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one or at least two non-driven leading transport units having associated non-driven clips are arranged one behind the other between two successive leading transport units that are driven by the linear motor and the associated clips.

13. Simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the activation device is designed such that the at least two successive leading transport units driven by a linear motor drive and the at least one non-driven leading transport unit and associated clips optionally provided between said driven transport units travel through the stretching zone and preferably the discharge zone as a jointly driven overall pulling assembly.

14. Simultaneous stretching apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the activation unit is designed such that the overall pulling assembly travels through the stretching zone so as to have an acceleration profile that corresponds to the acceleration profile of the last trailing transport unit belonging to the overall pulling assembly.

Description

[0029] The invention will be described in greater detail in the following with reference to drawings in which, in detail:

[0030] FIG. 1a is a schematic plan view of a simultaneous stretching apparatus, in which the return side together with the advance side is arranged so as to extend inside an oven;

[0031] FIG. 1b shows an embodiment that is modified compared with FIGS. 1a and 1n which the return side is separated from the process side and extends outside an oven;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross section, transverse to the longitudinal direction of a guide rail, of a simultaneous stretching apparatus that is shown schematically in FIGS. 1a and 1 b, illustrating the structure of a clip transport unit;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged detail of the view according to FIG. 1a, illustrating a movement and acceleration profile of actively driven transport parts comprising associated clips and non-driven transport parts comprising associated clips (idlers) in the region of the entry zone, the stretching zone and the following post-treatment zone during normal operation when the material web has not yet been grasped;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the method steps when a leading starting portion of a material web is grasped in the transition region to the stretching zone and pulled into the stretching zone during normal operation;

[0035] FIG. 5 is a view that builds on and is comparable to FIG. 4, illustrating how a tear in the material web or the film appears;

[0036] FIG. 6 is a view comparable to the preceding figures with regard to a solution according to the invention in which a leading material web portion or film portion is grasped and pulled into the stretching zone;

[0037] FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6 at a later point in time, in which the overall pulling assembly that comprises a plurality of clips together and is provided within the context of the solution according to the invention has already advanced almost to the end of the stretching zone;

[0038] FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 at a later point in time again, in which the overall pulling assembly provided within the context of the solution according to the invention has already left the stretching zone; and

[0039] FIG. 9 is a view comparable to the preceding figures with regard to a modified embodiment.

[0040] The linear-motor-driven transport and/or stretching apparatus discussed in the following is described on the basis of a simultaneous stretching apparatus.

[0041] A stretching apparatus of this kind comprises two symmetrical drive systems that are positioned so as to be symmetrical to a central plane of symmetry SE extending vertically with respect to the drawing plane. The two drive systems arranged symmetrically to the plane of symmetry SE in the withdrawal direction 1 are shown in FIG. 1a, the material web to be treated, i.e. to be stretched, in particular in the form of a plastics film F, being moved through in the withdrawal direction 1 between the two drive systems that circulate on closed tracks 2.

[0042] An unstretched film F (“film” always being referred to in the following, even though a treatment web F in general can be correspondingly treated and simultaneously stretched in the longitudinal and transverse directions in a stretching apparatus of this kind, meaning that the invention is not restricted to a plastics film web in this respect) enters the stretching apparatus in an entry region ER and is grasped and clamped there at both edges 8 on the stretching or process side RS by means of clips that will be described in the following and as are shown in FIG. 2 for example, specifically grasped and clamped on what is referred to as the operator side OS and on the drive side DS. The film F is then heated in a following pre-heating zone PH and subsequently fed to a stretching zone R in order to be stretched there in the longitudinal and transverse direction simultaneously. The stretched film F then travels through various heat-treatment zones HT in which the film can also be relaxed. In the delivery region AR of the stretching apparatus, i.e. at the end of what is known as the discharge zone A, the film is unclipped using suitable means and then leaves the simultaneous stretching apparatus.

[0043] Otherwise, as is also shown in FIG. 1b, the guide rail can extend differently in the advancement direction and thus the stretching region and in the return region, specifically such that, for example, only the guide rail extends through an oven O and is returned on the return side RL outside the oven. Reference is made in this respect to known stretching apparatuses and associated superstructural parts.

[0044] Reference is made in the following to FIG. 2, which is a cross section of a linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus comprising an associated clip part and transport part.

[0045] FIG. 2 thus shows a clip/transport unit T that comprises a clip part 6 and the transport part 7. The clip part 6 is connected to the transport part 7 by means of a bridge 8. Depending on the perspective, the clip bridge 8 can be included in the transport part or in the clip part.

[0046] As usual, the clip part comprises a clip lever 25c, which is also sometimes referred to as a blade flap 25c. In the case of a film stretching apparatus, a film F is fixed, i.e. clamped and retained, between the gripping surface 25d and a clip platform 25e.

[0047] A U-shaped magnetic closure part 25g opens and closes the clip lever and thus clamps or releases the film, together with a corresponding device according to the prior art (not shown).

[0048] The actual construction of the linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus comprising the corresponding linear motor drive is known for example from EP 0 455 632 BI or DE 44 36 676 C2, with reference being made to the entire disclosure thereof. The view shown in cross section in FIG. 2 shows the guide and support rail 15.

[0049] In the embodiment described, in each case at least one pair of rollers 505 runs on each running surface, specifically an upper roller pair 505a that rotates about a horizontal axis. This roller pair bears and supports the total weight of the associated transport part and the clip part connected thereto.

[0050] This roller pair 505b merely ensures the running reliability.

[0051] Finally, a roller pair 505c is also provided on the clip side and, opposite thereto, a roller pair 505d is provided that rolls on the relevant vertical running surfaces 15c and 15d. The transport part 7 is guided and mounted thereby. The corresponding guide rail 15 is retained at intervals by a plurality of horizontal carriers that are offset in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, each extend between the upper and lower roller 505d in the space 401 remote from the clip, and are rigidly connected to the guide rail.

[0052] The corresponding transport part is driven by means of linear motors that comprise stationary primary parts 502 and secondary parts 503 that are movable together with the clip/transport parts T. In other words, the clips, i.e. the clip 6, together with the transport parts 7, are moved longitudinally by means of the primary parts 502 and the secondary parts 503 along the guide rail 15 that, in this case, is also simultaneously used as the transport rail 15 (monorail).

[0053] The primary parts 502 mentioned are attached in parallel with the guide and support rail 15. The secondary parts 503 consist of the mentioned permanent magnets 503a that are fastened in respective retaining cages 503b that are in turn retained on the clip body 6.

[0054] As can be seen in FIG. 2 and in the following figures, a (small) spacing gap Sp is formed between the primary and secondary part 502, 503, across which gap the electromagnetic waves generated by the primary part act on the permanent magnet 503a on the transport part and thus move the transport part in the advancement direction.

[0055] In the following, the process of starting to stretch a material web in general, and a film (plastics film) in particular, is discussed on the basis of FIG. 1a and FIG. 3, which shows a schematically enlarged detail from FIG. 1a. A pre-film is to be understood to mean a cast film CF for example, as is extruded from a flat slotted nozzle and cooled, but can also be understood to mean material webs that have been produced and pre-treated in other manners, such as uniaxially stretched films, coated films etc.

[0056] For example, in accordance with the view in FIG. 1a, a cast film CF is clamped in the entry zone ER of width E by means of clips 6 (that are retained by transport parts 7 and moved along the guide track or guide rail 2 in the movement direction FS) and is transported through a pre-heating zone PH while heat is supplied. Generally, the transport units T consist of at least one driven transport part 7 comprising at least one secondary part 503 of the linear motor (FIG. 2). In addition, non-driven transport parts 7a (idlers) can be arranged between the driven transport parts 7, which non-driven parts can also be moved by means of the grasped material web F in general and the described film F in particular.

[0057] At the end of the pre-heating zone PH, the film is stretched in the machine direction MD and the transverse direction TD of the film, in what is known as the stretching zone R. Stretching in the TD direction (transverse direction transverse or perpendicular to the MD direction) is achieved by means of an inclination a of the guide rail 15.

[0058] Stretching in the MD direction is achieved by the driven clips Tn, nεN being accelerated along the guide rail 15 relative to the following driven clip Tn−1 in each case until the desired stretching ratio MDx of the film in the machine direction MD is reached.

[0059] FIG. 3 schematically shows the situation during the approach of the pre-film CF when the pre-film CF, i.e. the start CFL thereof has for example been clamped in the actively driven clip Tn+1, has just reached the end of the pre-heating zone PH. The clips Tn−m, m=1, 2, etc. have already been accelerated to the desired stretching ratio MDx. Since no film has yet been clipped in the clips Tn−m, the non-driven idlers, i.e. non-driven clips 7a, of which there are two per each driven clip in the embodiment shown and which are denoted I1n−m and I2n−m in the view according to FIG. 3, are simply moved forwards together with the driven clip Tn−m.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows how the start of the film CFL is accelerated by the driven clip Tn+1 and is moved along on the guide track or guide rail 15 and stretched in the direction of the arrow FS. In front of the first actively driven clip Tn+1 that grasps and clamps the start of the film CFL, the two idle running and non-driven clip carriages (transport units T comprising the transport parts 7 and the clips 6 retained thereby) I1n+1 and I2n+2 (since they do not clamp a film edge) located in front of said actively driven clip Tn+1 are driven and moved forwards, in direct contact, by means of the actively driven clip carriage Tn+1, said carriages being directly in contact with, i.e. abutting, the driven clip carriage. The same applies to the following clips Tn+m, m=1, 2, etc.; the non-driven idlers I1n+2 and I2n+2 (there may also be just one idler or no idlers at all) are oriented according to the forces acting in the film.

[0061] However, a tear in the film (shown in FIG. 5) may now occur during this initial process of stretching the material web F, since the described driven transport parts 7 that accelerate the clips 6 in the stretching zone R are advanced along the guide rail 15 in a sine wave. In this case, the advancement forces are applied by the described primary parts on which the secondary parts fastened to the transport parts 7 act, and thus move the transport parts 7, including the secondary parts and the above-mentioned clips, along the guide track 15 and accelerate them accordingly in the stretching zone. In this case, as explained, according to the construction of the linear motor, a material web F can be moved forwards and stretched only by a maximum force (pull-out force). However, there are cases in which the force exerted on the material web F is greater than the maximum drive force (pull-out force) of the linear motor drive. This ultimately results in a clip Tn+2, for example, being torn out of the sine wave in question and jumping into the next sine wave of the linear motor. Consequently, the following clips Tn+2 also leave their original position, with the result that the film either tears at an unspecifiable position or is pulled out of the clip. This is indicated by way of example in FIG. 5, in which the trailing end Fx of a portion CWA of the film that was initially stretched in the longitudinal and transverse direction (ND and DD direction) is torn (the clamped and accelerated film being shown only schematically in FIG. 5).

[0062] In order to make the system operational, according to the invention an overall clip LOK is assembled from a plurality of driven leading transport units T, i.e. at least two active driven and leading transport units T are assembled to form the mentioned overall clip LOK that is sometimes referred to in the following as the super clip, “locomotive” or overall pulling assembly (FIGS. 5 to 8). Within the context of the invention, this super clip or “locomotive” LOK is thus treated in one embodiment as a single clip. Said clip is thus moved in the manner of a single clip 6 through the entire stretching apparatus from the start of the stretching zone R. In other words, this overall clip or this “locomotive” LOK, which, as explained, comprises at least two actively driven transport units TE having associated clips 6, is accelerated to the desired longitudinal stretching speed MDx, moved through the stretching zone R and the following zones (discharge zone A), in order to then optionally subject the material web to relaxation. After the described super clip or the “locomotive” LOK has left the stretching apparatus at the discharge region AR, the super clip LOK is dismantled in a control process during the return RL.

[0063] In this case, the start of the film CFL is stretched only in the TD direction, but not in MD. Since the clip spacing within the individual clips of the super clip LOK is minimal, the MD and TD force of the film is distributed among a plurality of individual clips. This makes it possible to noticeably reduce the force on the guiding part of the film and the super clip LOK. It is thus possible to move the start of the film through the stretching zone R.

[0064] In order to achieve this, the individual zones in the stretching region have to be synchronised for this super clip LOK in order to keep the spacing between the individual clips constant and to then accelerate or move the super clip LOK along the guide track 2, i.e. the guide rail 15, in the manner of an individual clip.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a super clip LOK of this kind, consisting of the driven clips Tn+3 and Tn+4 and the corresponding idle running, non-driven clips 16a or transport parts 7a (idlers) thereof in the formation phase thereof, specifically following a previously occurring tear in the film.

[0066] Since the embodiment described relates to linear-motor-driven transport units T comprising the transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6, a linear motor path is formed along the guide track or guide rail 15 and comprises the above-mentioned stationary primary part and the transport units that can be moved relative thereto by means of the secondary parts. In this case, the primary part is divided into a plurality of zones which are connected in series (chain-linked) and which, as set out above, need to be correspondingly synchronised in order to drive what is known as a super clip LOK. The above-mentioned zones, in particular the stretching zone, but also the discharge zone, generally comprise, in a known manner, stator windings for generating a wandering magnetic field by means of which the above-mentioned secondary parts, in the form of the transport units and the associated clips, can be moved. As mentioned, in this case the secondary parts generally comprise permanent magnets.

[0067] In order to activate (by means of an activation device AE) the individual linear synchronous motor path portions that are divided into zones, the individual zones are each associated with converters or frequency converters. Moreover, the activation unit AE comprising the converters or frequency converters is designed such that the converters or frequency converters comprise an output stage, power stage or driver stage, or that said output stage, power stage or driver stage are connected downstream of the individual converters or frequency converters. In addition, said converters or frequency converters generally comprise what are known as profile generators, which calculate generated time values for a phase angle and a current amplitude, on the basis of a time-pulse generator and in a time-dependent manner in each case. Accordingly, the individual stator windings of the primary parts are activated. Since in particular the stretching zone also comprises a plurality of successive activation zones of this kind, the individual transport units and the associated clips can be activated accordingly so as to have a specified speed profile and/or acceleration profile on the basis of a specified phase profile. Regarding the further construction for another mode of operation of a linear motor drive of this kind, reference is made to known solutions, in particular to DE 196 34 449 A1, the disclosure of which is the content of the present application.

[0068] Normal Operation:

[0069] During normal operation without the super clip LOK, one zone (or one frequency converter) in each case is responsible for precisely one task for all transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6, which task is constantly repeated. Each transport part 7 and the associated individual clip 6, which transport part is equipped with a secondary part and is driven together with the primary part by means of a linear motor drive, has to complete exactly the same defined stretching curve or the same defined movement and/or acceleration profile, which curve or profile is zone or position-dependent.

Operation According to the Invention:

[0070] In the case of a super clip LOK (i.e. the described overall pulling assembly LOK), however, a plurality of zones (frequency converters) now have to be synchronised with one another, since a plurality of actively driven transport parts 7 now have to be simultaneously synchronised with and accelerated or moved together with the respectively associated individual clips 6. Within the context of the described overall clip or super clip LOK, the movement and/or acceleration profile of an individual transport part 7 and the associated individual clip 6 is now different from the leading or trailing actively driven transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6 within the pulling assembly (and this also applies in principle to the idle running, i.e. non-driven, idlers). The different stretching curves are necessary in order for it to be possible to produce the formed overall clip or super clip LOK and in order to move said overall unit LOK forwards in a synchronised manner.

[0071] For this purpose, the last driven clip in the overall clip, i.e. the super clip LOK, is used as a master drive (in FIG. 5 this is the separately denoted transport unit Tn+4 and the associated clip 6n+4), which clip is also referred to as the trailing clip in the LOK unit. In principle, any other transport unit and any other clip in the overall unit LOK can also fulfil the master drive function.

[0072] In order to start the pulling formation, i.e. the formation of an overall or super pulling assembly LOK, a trigger signal is required, which can preferably be generated by a sensor (e.g. PIN, cap sensor, etc.) at the entry of the stretching zone, i.e. at the end of the pre-heating zone PH. A sensor S of this kind is shown at the corresponding point in FIG. 3 for example.

[0073] Since the super clip LOK can pull the start of the film CFL (which may also be a new start of the film CFL following the occurrence of a tear in the film) through the stretching zone R by means of the leading transport units T, the following transport units T having the transport parts 7 and the clips 6 can travel the normal stretching profiles, which applies to the actively driven transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6. Once the edge 8 of the material web to be stretched has been grasped, the non-driven idle running transport units Ta having the transport parts 7a and the clips 6a (which are also referred to as idlers) are each also moved and accelerated, as usual, at an intermediate acceleration in the stretching zone between two actively driven transport units T.

[0074] FIG. 7 shows a situation at a later point in time than that represented in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, at which the overall clip LOK that has been coupled together to form an overall pulling unit has already travelled almost all the way through the stretching zone R, and the following idle running idlers 7a or Ta and the following additional driven transport units 7 are driven in the stretching zone so as to have a conventional movement and acceleration profile. In this case, FIG. 7 shows, in the form of the corresponding MDx_y values for the position-dependent and/or zone-dependent spacings, the spacings that occur between two successive driven transport parts 7 on account of the position-dependent or zone-dependent acceleration profile (i.e. the spacings that result because the corresponding actively driven transport units T having the transport parts 7 and the clips 6 are not coupled together to form the mentioned overall pulling unit LOK). It can be seen therefrom that, as the film travels through more of the stretching zone due to the acceleration that increases from the start to the end of the stretching zone, the spacing between two successive actively driven transport units T having the associated transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6 is greater the closer a pair of this kind consisting of driven transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6 comes to the end of the stretching zone R.

[0075] FIG. 8 shows a summary of the situation after the overall pulling assembly LOK according to the invention has left the stretching zone R.

[0076] The fact that, in the region of the leading overall pulling unit or overall clip (super clip) LOK, stretching of the material web occurs only in the transverse direction TD and not in the machine longitudinal direction MG, is indicated in the drawings by film bulges 1′ that are located one behind the other in the withdrawal direction 1.

[0077] In summary, it can thus be seen that, in order to initialise a stretching process in the region of a leading material web portion CFL in the form of the above-mentioned pre-film CFL in the embodiment described, an overall clip/pulling assembly LOK in the sense of an overall clip is formed, which comprises more than one individual transport unit 7/clip 6 that can otherwise be individually activated. Within the context of the invention, this leading overall clip/pulling assembly LOK is accelerated and moved through the stretching apparatus at least as far as the discharge end and in particular the stretching zone R as a virtually coherent and usually contiguous unit and so as to have a shared movement profile (stretching profile) that is specified in the embodiment described. The individual clips (both the driven active individual clips 6 and associated transport parts 7 and the non-driven clips 6a and associated non-driven transport units 7a) following this overall pulling assembly LOK are moved through the apparatus as in normal operation.

[0078] In the embodiment shown, an overall pulling assembly has been selected using two actively driven leading transport parts 7 and associated clips 6. However, the number can also be selected to be different, i.e. for example 3, 4 or more individual actively driven transport units T and associated clips 6 can be combined to form an overall clip/pulling assembly LOK.

[0079] Likewise, the described leading overall clip/pulling assembly LOK can be formed using only actively driven transport parts 7 and associated clips 6. It is also possible for just one non-driven leading transport part 7a and the associated non-driven clip 6a to be located between two actively driven transport parts 7 in each case. However, a plurality of idlers can be used here, for example two, three or more non-driven transport units Ta having transport parts 7a and associated clips 6a. The described embodiment has been described for two idlers, i.e. idle running transport parts 7a having associated clips 6a, between two transport parts 7.

[0080] The stretching profile described can be selected as desired within the stretching zone R.

[0081] After leaving the treatment portion, the overall pulling assembly LOK is dismantled after the discharge AR, and the individual transport parts and associated individual clips are activated as in normal operation.

[0082] In the following, reference is made to a modified embodiment, specifically with reference to FIG. 9, which shows a schematic embodiment that is modified compared with FIG. 7.

[0083] In this embodiment, too, a leading initial portion of a material web to be stretched, specifically an initial film portion CWL, is not subjected to the acceleration in the longitudinal direction MD that occurs during normal operation and increases from the start of the stretching zone to the end of the stretching zone. Unlike in the previous embodiments in which an overall pulling assembly LOK was formed (in the region of which longitudinal stretching in the MD stretching direction does not occur at all), this embodiment provides for a different acceleration profile to be used here between at least two successive leading active, i.e. driven, transport units T having transport parts 7 and associated clips 6. In this case, an acceleration profile is used in which a lower relative acceleration is carried out compared with normal operation, with respect to an initial material web portion CWL guided through the stretching zone R, with the result that the corresponding MDx_y value at least between the two first successive and thus leading actively driven transport units T having the transport parts 7 and the associated clips 6 is smaller than a usual spacing MD between two successive driven transport parts/clips that is dependent on the position (zone) within the stretching zone R and represents a measure for the acceleration, as is shown in FIG. 7 by indicating the value MD4_5, MD5_6 and MD6_7.

[0084] In other words, the linear-motor-driven simultaneous stretching apparatus is started up such that, when the material web F enters the stretching zone R, at least two successive leading clips 6 driven by the linear motor are accelerated in the stretching zone R in a manner differing from the acceleration profile during normal operation such that the spacing MDa_b formed between the at least two successive linear-motor-driven clips 6 is less than 80% or 75%, in particular less than 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20% and in particular less than 10% compared with the corresponding position-dependent and/or zone-dependent spacing MDx_y during normal operation.