Method and apparatus for splicing three-ply ribbon

Abstract

A method for automatically splicing two consecutive three-layer strips (28) in which a longitudinally movable continuous winding strip (48) is cut transversely in order to form individual wound dressings (16) which are applied in longitudinally spaced positions on the adhesive surface (32) of consecutive carrier foils (30), and in which a splicing element (70) is cut from the continuous winding strip (48) and applied on the tail and head portions (30', 30") of two consecutive carrier foils (30).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the manufacture of hygiene products.

[0002] The development of this invention specifically relates to its application in the field of manufacturing plasters, such as plasters for covering wounds, medicated plasters, analgesic plasters, and heated plasters containing and not containing drugs.

[0003] More precisely, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for joining three layers of strips, particularly in a machine for manufacturing plasters.

[0004] The following description will refer to this particular field, but without loss of generality. Background Technology

[0005] Plasters typically consist of a carrier foil with an adhesive surface and a wound liner attached to the adhesive surface of the carrier foil. The wound liner is adapted to be placed directly to cover the wound and held on the skin by the adhesive carrier foil.

[0006] The carrier foil can be transparent or skin-colored and has a pressure-sensitive, medical-grade, hypoallergenic adhesive layer on its entire surface. The wound liner adheres to the adhesive layer of the carrier foil. The wound liner is made of one or more layers of gauze or other suitable material capable of absorbing small amounts of exudate from the wound. The wound liner may contain medications, such as disinfectants or procoagulants. The plaster typically includes a removable protective sheet applied to cover the portion of the adhesive surface surrounding the wound liner and carrier foil. When the plaster is applied to the wound, these removable protective sheets are peeled off from the adhesive surface of the carrier foil. In many cases, the plaster is individually packaged in a sleeve-shaped package.

[0007] Plasters are typically manufactured starting from a continuous three-layer strip, which includes a continuous carrier foil with an adhesive surface and a first protective film and a second protective film, respectively applied to the adhesive surface of the continuous carrier foil and the surface of the carrier foil opposite to the adhesive surface.

[0008] A continuous three-layer strip is unrolled from a spool and advanced longitudinally. A first protective film is removed to expose the adhesive surface of a continuous carrier foil, and discrete wound pads, spaced longitudinally from each other, are adhered to the adhesive surface of the continuous carrier foil. A second protective film is removed before or after the wound pads are adhered to the continuous carrier foil. A continuous protective sheet is then applied to the adhesive surface of the continuous carrier foil, covering the array of discrete wound pads. Finally, the composite strip thus formed is transversely cut to form individual plasters, which can be encapsulated in separate sleeves formed by two overlapping flexible sheets bonded together at their edges with adhesive.

[0009] When the reel containing the first continuous three-layer strip is about to run out, the tail portion of the first continuous three-layer strip must be joined to the head portion of the second continuous three-layer strip contained in the new reel.

[0010] The joining of two consecutive webs is usually achieved by applying adhesive joining elements to the tail and head portions of the two consecutive webs.

[0011] In the prior art, there are various automatic splicers that can automatically splice the tail and head portions of two consecutive webs without interrupting the supply of continuous webs.

[0012] When the strips to be joined include two outer layers covering the center layer, existing joiners can only apply adhesive joining elements to the two outer layers. Existing joiners cannot automatically apply joining elements to the unexposed middle layer of a three-layer strip.

[0013] For this reason, in existing plaster manufacturing machines using continuous three-layer strips, the assembly of the three strips is done manually when changing rolls. Typically, the plaster manufacturing machine must be stopped for manual assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0014] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for splicing three-layer strips, which overcomes the problems of the prior art.

[0015] More specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for automatically assembling three-layer strips without stopping the manufacturing machine.

[0016] According to the present invention, this objective is achieved by the method and apparatus described in the specific embodiments.

[0017] The optional features of the present invention constitute the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0018] The claims are an integral part of the disclosure relating to this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of non-limiting example only, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the plaster.

[0021] Figure 2 It is used for manufacturing Figure 1 A schematic side view of the equipment for making plasters.

[0022] Figure 3This is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the splicing area between the two three-layer strips before the protective film is removed, and

[0023] Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 A plan view of the area between the two three-layer strips cut by line IV.

[0024] It should be understood that some components may not be shown in the accompanying drawings to simplify the understanding of the drawings, and the various drawings may not be shown at the same scale. Detailed Implementation

[0025] refer to Figure 1 The plaster 10 includes a carrier foil 12 having an adhesive surface 14, and a wound pad 16 attached to the adhesive surface 14 of the carrier foil 12. The wound pad 16 is adapted to be placed directly to cover the wound and held on the skin by adhering to the carrier foil 12.

[0026] The carrier foil 12 can be formed from a transparent or skin-colored plastic film. The adhesive surface 14 of the carrier foil 12 can be formed from a pressure-sensitive, medical-grade, hypoallergenic adhesive layer applied to the entire surface of the carrier foil 12.

[0027] The wound liner 16 adheres to the adhesive surface 14 of the carrier foil 12. The wound liner 16 is made of one or more layers of gauze or other suitable material capable of absorbing a small amount of exudate from the wound. The wound liner 16 may contain medications, such as disinfectants or procoagulants.

[0028] The plaster 10 may include a pair of removable protective sheets 18 applied to cover a portion of the adhesive surface 14 surrounding the wound liner 16 and the carrier foil 12. When the plaster 10 is applied to the wound, the removable protective sheets 18 are peeled off from the adhesive surface 14 of the carrier foil 12.

[0029] The plaster 10 can be individually packaged between two packaging sheets 20, which are connected to each other, for example, by pressure-sensitive adhesive around the plaster 10 to form a sealed package.

[0030] Reference Figure 2 The previously disclosed apparatus 10 for manufacturing plasters is schematically indicated by reference numeral 22 in the accompanying drawings.

[0031] The device 22 includes a deployment unit 24 configured to deploy consecutive three-layer strips 28 from respective reels 26. While one of the reels 26 is supplying a first consecutive three-layer strip 28, the other reel 26 remains in a non-operating position. When the first reel is depleted, the tail portion of the first consecutive three-layer strip 28 from the depleted reel 26 is joined to the head portion of a second consecutive three-layer strip 28 deployed from a replacement reel 26, as will be disclosed below.

[0032] refer to Figure 3 Each continuous three-layer strip 28 includes a continuous carrier foil 30 having an adhesive surface 32, a continuous top protective film 34 applied to the adhesive surface 32 of the continuous carrier foil 30, and a continuous back protective film 36 applied to the surface of the continuous carrier foil 30 opposite to the adhesive surface 32.

[0033] refer to Figure 2 The device 22 includes a splicing unit 38 configured to splice the tail portion of a first continuous three-layer strip 28 from the exhausted reel 26 to the head portion of a second continuous three-layer strip 28 from the replacement reel 26.

[0034] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The splicing unit 38 is configured to apply a top adhesive splicing element 40 across the tail and head portions 34', 34" of two consecutive top protective films 34, and a back adhesive splicing element 42 on the tail and back portions 36', 36" of two consecutive back protective films 36. The tail and head portions 30', 30" of the two consecutive carrier foils 30 remain unspliced.

[0035] The application of the top and back adhesive splicing elements 40, 42 can be performed using standard automated splicers known in the art, such as in machines used to manufacture absorbent sanitary products.

[0036] refer to Figure 2 The device 22 includes a second unfolding unit 44 configured to unfold a continuous wound strip 48 from a reel 46. After unfolding from the respective reel 46, the continuous wound strip 48 advances longitudinally.

[0037] The apparatus 22 includes a cutting and sliding unit 50 configured to laterally cut a continuous wound strip 48 to form individual wound pads 16 spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The cutting and sliding unit 50 includes a rotating anvil roller 52 and a rotating blade 54 engaging with the outer surface of the rotating anvil roller 52 to cut the continuous wound strip 48 laterally than in the longitudinal direction. After laterally cutting the continuous wound strip 48, the individual wound pads 16 are held on the outer surface of the rotating anvil roller 52, for example, by suction.

[0038] The apparatus 22 includes a first peeling unit 56 configured to remove a top protective film 34 from a continuous carrier foil 30 to expose the adhesive surface 32 of the continuous carrier foil 30. The continuous top protective film 34 removed from the continuous carrier foil 30 is treated as waste, for example, in a first shredder 58.

[0039] The first peeling unit 56 includes an application roller 60 having an outer surface facing the outer surface of a rotating anvil roller 52. A continuous carrier foil 30 passes through the outer surface of the application roller 60, wherein the adhesive surface 32 faces the rotating anvil roller 52. On the application roller 60, individual wound pads 16 are pressed and fixed at longitudinally spaced positions on the adhesive surface 32 of the continuous carrier foil 30.

[0040] Downstream of the application roller 60, a continuous carrier foil 30 with a wound liner 16 applied thereon is conveyed on a conveyor 62 to a second peeling unit 64, where a back protective film 36 is peeled off from the continuous carrier foil 30. The continuous back protective film 36 removed from the continuous carrier foil 30 is disposed of as waste, for example, in a second shredder 66.

[0041] Then, the continuous carrier foil 30 is transversely cut in the cutting unit 68 to form individual plasters 10. Before transversely cutting the continuous carrier foil 30, a removable protective sheet (not shown) can be applied to the adhesive surface 32 of the continuous carrier foil 30.

[0042] During operation, the continuous three-layer strip 28 unwound from the corresponding reel 46 advances longitudinally toward the first peeling unit 56. In the first peeling unit 56, the top protective film 34 is removed from the continuous carrier foil 30 to expose the adhesive surface 32 of the continuous carrier foil 30.

[0043] In the cutting and sliding unit 50, a continuous wound strip 48 is transversely cut to form individual wound pads 16 that are longitudinally spaced from each other. These wound pads adhere to the adhesive surface 32 of a continuous carrier foil 30. During normal production of the plaster 10, the cutting and sliding unit 50 cuts the wound pads 16, which have the same dimensions in the longitudinal direction and are spaced apart from each other at a constant distance.

[0044] When the reel 26 supplying the first three-layer strip 28 is exhausted, the splicing unit automatically splices the tail portion of the first continuous three-layer strip 28 from the exhausted reel 26 to the head portion of the second continuous three-layer strip 28 from the replacement reel 26.

[0045] At the first peeling unit 56, the tail and head portions of two consecutive top protective films 34 are joined together, so that the peeling of the top protective film 34 is continuous and uninterrupted.

[0046] After the two consecutive top protective films 34 are removed, the tail and head portions of the two consecutive carrier foils 30 are not joined together.

[0047] Reference Figure 4 During the splicing operation, the cutting and sliding unit 50 is configured to cut the splicing element 70 from the continuous wound strip 48 and apply the splicing element 70 to the adhesive surface 32 on the tail and head portions 30', 30" of the two continuous carrier foils 30.

[0048] The splicing element 70 is made of the same material as the wound liner 16 and is applied to the bonding surfaces 32 of two consecutive carrier foils 30 on the application roller 60 in the same manner as the wound liner 16. However, unlike the wound liner 16, the splicing element 70 is applied across the lateral edges of the tail and head of the two consecutive carrier foils 30, such that the two consecutive carrier foils 30 are spliced ​​together by an element made of the same material forming the wound liner 16.

[0049] Therefore, during the normal production of the plaster, the same cutting and sliding unit that forms and applies the wound pad 16 on the continuous carrier foil 30 is used to automatically assemble the tail and head portions 30', 30 of the two continuous carrier foil sheets 30 when the roll 26 is changed.

[0050] A significant advantage of this solution is that it eliminates the need for a separate splicing unit to assemble two consecutive carrier foils 30, which reduces the cost and size of the device 22.

[0051] In one possible embodiment, the cutting and sliding unit 50 is configured to cut the splicing element 70 from the winding strip 48, the splicing element having a longitudinal extension greater than the longitudinal extension of the wound liner 16.

[0052] The joining element 70 may have an extension in the longitudinal direction, which is 3 to 6 times the longitudinal extension of the wound liner 16. This increases the strength of the joining area. The plaster 10 adjacent to the joining area is disposed of as waste, as is customary in the art.

[0053] The device 22 includes a motion control system 72 that controls the operation of all motor-driven components of the device 22. The motion control system 72 may be a programmable computer in which a computer program is installed, configured to implement a method for automatically assembling the three-layer strips 28 in a plaster-making machine.

[0054] In one possible embodiment, device 22 may include sensor 74 configured to detect the position of one of the top or back adhesive splicing elements 40, 42 on the longitudinally movable first and second consecutive three-layer strips 28. The detection signal generated by sensor 74 may be sent to motion control system 72, which controls cutting and sliding unit 50 to cut the splicing element 70 and apply it in phase with the splicing area defined by the position of the top or back adhesive splicing elements 40, 42 onto the continuous carrier foil 28.

[0055] In a possible embodiment, the speed of the rotating anvil roller 52 remains constant, while the speed of the rotating blade 54 of the cutting and sliding unit 50 selectively varies between a first speed when cutting the wound liner 16 and a second speed lower than the first speed when cutting the splicing element 70.

[0056] After the splicing element 70 is applied, the speed of the rotating blade 54 returns to the initial speed of cutting the wound liner 16.

[0057] Of course, without prejudice to the principles of the invention, the details of the configuration and embodiments may be extensively changed relative to those described and shown, and thus without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for automatically combining two consecutive three-layer strips (28), the method comprising: Two longitudinally movable, continuous three-layer strips (28) are provided, each continuous three-layer strip comprising a continuous carrier foil (30) having: an adhesive surface (32); a top protective film (34) applied to the adhesive surface (32) of the continuous carrier foil (30); and a back protective film (36) applied to the surface of the carrier foil (30) opposite to the adhesive surface (32). Top adhesive bonding elements (40) are applied to the tail and head portions (34', 34") of the top protective film (34), and back adhesive bonding elements (42) are applied to the tail and head portions (36', 36") of the back protective film (36). Peel off the top protective film (34) to expose the adhesive surfaces (32) of the two consecutive carrier foils (30). A longitudinally movable continuous wound strip (48) is provided, the continuous wound strip (48) is laterally cut to form individual wound pads (16), and the wound pads (16) are applied at longitudinally spaced positions on the adhesive surface (32) of the continuous carrier foil (30), and Cut the splicing element (70) from the continuous winding strip (48) and apply the splicing element (70) to the bonding surface (32) of two continuous carrier foils (30) located on the tail and head portions (30', 30") of the continuous carrier foil (30).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The longitudinal extension of the splicing element (70) is greater than the longitudinal extension of the wound liner (16).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The longitudinal extension of the splicing element (70) is between 3 and 6 times the longitudinal extension of the wound liner (16).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The continuous wound strip (48) is cut in a cutting and sliding unit (50), which includes a rotating blade (54) cooperating with a rotating anvil roller (52), and wherein the splicing element (70) is formed by slowing down the rotating blade (54) relative to the speed at which it cuts the wound pad (16).

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising: Detect the position of one of the top or back adhesive splicing elements (40, 42) on the longitudinally movable continuous three-layer strip (28); and control the rotating blade (54) to cut the splicing element (70) and apply the splicing element in phase with the detected position of the top or back adhesive splicing element (40, 42) to the tail and head portions (30', 30") of the continuous carrier foil (30).

6. The method of claim 1, comprising peeling off the back protective film (36) after applying the splicing element (70) to the tail and head portions (30', 30") of the continuous carrier foil (30).

7. An apparatus for automatically splicing two consecutive three-layer strips (28), comprising: An unfolding unit (24) is configured to unfold two longitudinally moving three-layer strips (28) from a corresponding first reel (26), each three-layer strip comprising: a continuous carrier foil (30) having an adhesive surface (32); a top protective film (34) applied to the adhesive surface (32) of the continuous carrier foil (30); and a back protective film (36) applied to the surface of the continuous carrier foil (30) opposite to the adhesive surface (32). A splicing unit (38) is configured to apply a top adhesive splicing element (40) to the tail and head portions (34', 34") of the top protective film (34) and to apply a back adhesive splicing element (42) to the tail and head portions (36', 36") of the back protective film (36). A first peeling unit (56) is configured to remove the top protective film (34) to expose the adhesive surface (32) of the continuous carrier foil (30). The second unfolding unit (44) is configured to unfold a longitudinally moving continuous wound strip (48) from the second reel (46). A cutting and sliding unit (50) is configured to laterally cut the continuous wound strip (48) to form individual wound pads (16) and to apply the wound pads (16) at longitudinally spaced locations on the adhesive surface (32) of the continuous carrier foil (30). The cutting and sliding unit (50) is also configured to cut the splicing element (70) from the continuous winding strip (48) and to apply the splicing element (70) to the adhesive surface (32) of two continuous carrier foils (30) on the tail and head portions (30', 30") of the continuous carrier foil (30).

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the cutting and sliding unit (50) is configured to cut the splicing element (70), the longitudinal extension of the splicing element being greater than the longitudinal extension of the wound liner (16).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The cutting and sliding unit (50) is configured to cut the splicing element (70), which has an extension in the longitudinal direction that is between 3 and 6 times the longitudinal extension of the wound liner (16).

10. The device according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, The cutting and sliding unit (50) includes a rotating blade (54) that cooperates with a rotating anvil roller (52), and wherein the speed of the rotating blade (54) selectively varies between a first speed when cutting the wound liner (16) and a second speed lower than the first speed when cutting the splicing element (70).

11. The device according to claim 10, comprising: A sensor (74) is arranged to detect the position of one of the top or back adhesive splicing elements (40, 42) on a longitudinally movable continuous three-layer strip (28); and a motion control system (72) is configured to control the cutting and sliding unit (50) to cut the splicing element (70) and apply the splicing element in phase with the detected position of the top or back adhesive splicing element (40, 42) onto the continuous carrier foil (30).

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second peeling unit configured to remove the back protective film from the continuous carrier foil downstream of the cutting and sliding unit (50).

13. A computer program product that can be mounted on a motion controller, the computer program product comprising a computer program configured to implement the method for automatically merging two consecutive three-layer strips (28) according to claim 1.

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