Transmission system and method for transmitting a web material cut at a corner

Abstract

A conveying system and method are disclosed for conveying a cut piece of web material at a corner for converting a roll of fabric material into a piece good such as a bag. The apparatus allows the cut piece to be grabbed by a grabbing clamp and conveyed by a conveying unit so that its direction of movement changes from the cutting direction via an intermediate pulling direction to a transverse direction in a non-stop but progressive manner. This change of direction once the fabric is cut is facilitated by the synchronization of three entities: the cutting speed, the grabbing of the cut piece material and the line speed of the main line. The chain mechanism used for this purpose is laid out in four different sections or domains: a grabbing domain, an inclined pulling domain, a release domain and a compensation domain.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a transport system for converting rolls of tape material into piecework goods (such as bags). In particular, this invention relates to a method for conveying flat, cut pieces of tape material at corners for further processing. Background Technology

[0002] During the conversion of continuous roll material (W) to piecework in a conversion line, the material roll is pulled along the cutting direction. A cutting unit cuts the pulled roll material into individual pieces of the desired length for further processing into the final product (such as a bag) on ​​the main line. The cutting unit and the conveyor system on the main line typically operate at different speeds, depending on the layout on the conversion line and the geometry of the product. The transfer of piecework (or units) to the main line is accomplished jointly by the conveying and pulling units. Most existing conversion processes require the main line to operate at an angle of preferably 90° to the cutting direction. This is often necessary for converting tubular roll material into bags, as further processing requires operations such as opening the ends of the cut pieces and folding and closing them at the open ends, for which individual operating units need to approach the cut pieces from their ends. This can be more easily accomplished when the cut pieces are further processed in a direction of travel up to 90° to the original cutting direction, as this allows for progressive processing of the open edges of the tubular material along the main line direction.

[0003] The cutting and traction units can operate in both stop-and-go processes and continuous operation. In stop-and-go operation, the material stops before each cut, a pre-clamping device is secured, and after cutting, it is typically pulled directly into the main line using a clamping device. In continuous operation, the material is continuously pulled from the roll and cut as it moves. Continuous transfer and cutting are generally more stable and robust at high speeds because it does not require high acceleration / deceleration of the piecework after cutting. However, moving the cut pieces from corners to the main line is more difficult than in stop-and-go operation because it requires gripping the material during operation and releasing it on the speed main line. Furthermore, continuous operation requires solutions to avoid collisions between two consecutive flat pieces. The proposed invention aims to address these difficulties and provide a machine unit for angled traction of flat workpieces in continuous motion.

[0004] Patent EP 2711166 A1 describes a method and apparatus for conveying flat workpieces in an orthogonal direction to the machine direction. Patent EP 2711166 A1 discloses a method for conveying workpieces in a stop-and-go manner during holding and bag transport, with one cut piece positioned on top of another. This method involves complex bag transport and requires high precision to prevent the bags from colliding with each other during transport. In contrast to Patent EP 2711166 A1, the proposed invention does not use a holding device in the stop-and-go operation, which is continuously released for traction; instead, a rotating chain with clamps mounted on it is able to grip the cut piece in continuous motion.

[0005] Furthermore, document DE 1929600 A1 describes an apparatus for conveying flat tubular sections formed from bags therefrom. The tubular sections are alternately stored in the longitudinal conveying direction on an ascending upper conveying surface and a descending lower conveying surface via a wedge-shaped pivotable switching element. A conveying device is adjacent to either the upper or lower conveying surface, each conveying surface having a supporting surface on which the tubular sections enter the transverse conveying direction from the longitudinal conveying direction. The tubular sections conveyed in the transverse direction are then reassembled by a conveyor belt.

[0006] In the aforementioned prior art, a drawback is that the tubular bag travels on two levels, which complicates the system and presents accessibility issues; for example, if the bag gets stuck, it will be difficult to remove, ultimately increasing machine downtime. These systems also have more complex components. Furthermore, since machine malfunctions can cause the bag to jam, there are many parts that hinder the easy removal of the bag.

[0007] Furthermore, EP 3148789B1 discloses an apparatus for conveying tubular bags, which has a longitudinal conveying device and a transverse conveying device. The tubular bag can be conveyed substantially along its longitudinal direction through the longitudinal conveying device, and the tubular bag can be conveyed substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal direction through the transverse conveying device. A major drawback of this system is that when conveying the bag from one direction to another, the system must be temporarily stopped to ensure that the bag does not deviate from the desired position, thereby preventing lateral movement. Furthermore, EP 3148789B1 discloses a complex bag conveying structure that reduces the overall efficiency of the system.

[0008] Document DE 102009000893 A1 describes a device for changing the conveying direction of flat tubular fittings. The fittings are pushed one after another against a support surface in the longitudinal direction so that they can be carried away by a conveying device in the transverse direction. Before the fittings can be transported in the transverse direction, they must first rest their side areas on the transverse conveying plane so that the side areas can be grasped by the conveying device. The tubular fabric first moves in the longitudinal direction and then temporarily stops before starting to move in the transverse direction. A disadvantage of this approach is that bag displacement may occur due to the temporary stop of the tubular bag.

[0009] In order to overcome the aforementioned problems associated with the conveying devices disclosed in the prior art documents, the present invention provides a simplified and efficient conveying device that provides a smooth and gradual change of direction during the conveying of a tubular bag. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The main objective of this invention is to provide a transport system and method for transporting flat, piece-rate goods (mainly tubular woven fabrics) at corners.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a transport system that can operate in both continuous material transport and stop-and-go operation.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a transport system and method for transporting a tubular bag, wherein the tubular bag moves continuously and progressively without interruption.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a transmission system that avoids collisions between consecutive cut pieces during continuous transmission from the cutting direction to the main line direction.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a transmission system and method for transmitting a tubular bag that runs on a single plane to achieve better accessibility.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a transmission system and method for transmitting tubular bags from a longitudinal direction to a transverse direction, which is applicable to different tubular bag sizes and has minimal manual adjustment.

[0016] A further object of the present invention is to provide a transport system and method for transporting tubular bags to improve the productivity of finished bags. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This invention illustrates a general setup for a conversion machine in the direction-changing region of a cutting element within a transmission system.

[0018] Figure 2 This illustrates a single-layer chain arrangement.

[0019] Figure 2A An alternative double-chain arrangement is shown.

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the operation of the rotating chain of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 The speed curves of the rotating chain are shown during the various stages of the cutting process.

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the rotating clamp head is shown.

[0023] Parts list:

[0024] 1. The transmission system of the present invention

[0025] 2. Rolled fabric

[0026] 3. Fabric cut parts

[0027] 4. Longitudinal conveying unit

[0028] 5. Traction Unit

[0029] 6. Horizontal main line unit

[0030] 7. Gripping clamp

[0031] 7A. Upper clamp

[0032] 7B. Lower clamp

[0033] 7C, Single clamp

[0034] 8. The cut piece being gripped

[0035] 9. Cutter Unit

[0036] 10. Rotating chain

[0037] 10A, On-chain

[0038] 10B, Next Chain

[0039] 11. Compensation Domain

[0040] 12. Crawling Domain

[0041] 13. Inclined traction domain

[0042] 14. Release Domain

[0043] 15. Cutting direction

[0044] 16. Intermediate traction direction

[0045] 17. Main line direction

[0046] 18. Speed ​​in the cutting direction

[0047] 19. Velocity along the main line

[0048] 20. Rotary clamp head

[0049] 21. Grab Point

[0050] 22. Release point

[0051] 23. Speed ​​of the rotating chain

[0052] 24. Front edge Detailed Implementation

[0053] This invention relates to a transport system and method for conveying flat fabric cut pieces, particularly in hose sections (and more particularly in automated bag changers). The invention is not limited to use in automated bag changers for conveying flat fabric cut pieces, but can also be used to convey workpieces such as metal sheets or paper. The flat cut pieces mentioned in this invention can be made of coated or uncoated woven or nonwoven fabrics. Furthermore, the cut pieces are conveyed from their longitudinal direction to their transverse direction at corners of the automated bag changer.

[0054] The term "longitudinal direction" refers to the direction in which the fabric travels along its length or longitudinal direction, while "transverse direction" refers to the direction of the cut pieces perpendicular to the fabric's movement.

[0055] According to the present invention, in an automatic bag conversion machine, fabric is unwound from an unwinding station and further conveyed in the longitudinal direction to be cut to a predetermined length. The fabric is cut to the desired bag length by a high-speed cutting device mounted on the same plane as the bag conveyor. Here, the same plane refers to the same conveyor table on which the bags move. High-speed cutting ensures that the supply of cut pieces matches the linear speed of the machine, thereby resulting in high bag productivity.

[0056] Once the fabric is cut, it is gripped by gripping fixtures, such that at least one pair of gripping fixtures holds and transports the cut piece, causing its direction of movement to change from the longitudinal direction to the transverse direction without stopping. This change in the direction of the cut piece is facilitated by the synchronization of three entities: the cutting speed, the gripping of the cut piece material, and the linear velocity of the main thread. The direction of the cut piece changes gradually in an inclined manner, causing the cut piece to be pulled in either the main thread direction or the transverse direction. The cut fabric piece is now transported for further processing. A detailed description of the invention follows:

[0057] Figure 1The transmission system 1 of the present invention is shown schematically in the direction-changing area of ​​the cutting piece in a general setting of a conversion line. The rolled fabric 2 pulled from the roll in the cutting direction 15 is cut into fabric cut pieces 3, and then conveyed to the main line direction 17 for further processing via the intermediate traction direction 16 using the traction unit 5.

[0058] The transmission system 1 of the present invention includes a longitudinal conveying unit 4, a traction unit 5, and a transverse main line unit 6. The longitudinal conveying unit 4 further includes a conveying system (not shown) with multiple drive elements to provide feedforward to the fabric cutter 3. Typical drive elements may have a set of rollers, a conveyor belt, and a motor to drive the fabric cutter 3 and align the fabric cutter 3 with the conveyor belt, such that the fabric cutter 3 moves at equidistant distances from the sides of the conveying system. Alignment can be facilitated by any electromechanical technology, such as the use of sensors, edge guidance systems, or guidance via mechanical grippers.

[0059] The transmission system 1 further includes a traction unit 5, which transports the fabric cut piece 3 from the cutting direction 15 through an intermediate traction direction 16 to the main line direction 17. The traction unit 5 further includes multiple rotating chains 10, on which gripping clamps 7 are present, following the path of the rotating chains 10. After being cut by the cutting unit 9, the fabric cut piece 3 is gripped by the gripping clamps 7 and transported to the intermediate traction direction 16, which transports the fabric cut piece 3 by turning it at a corner to the main line direction 17, allowing the fabric cut piece 3 to be further conveyed to the processing station.

[0060] Generally, the transfer of the flat fabric cutter 3 from the cutting direction 15 to the main line direction 17 requires compensation for the speed difference. This is necessary because the conveying system of the transverse main line unit 6 typically operates at a different speed than the conveying system of the longitudinal conveying unit 4 used in the cutting area. A typical orientation-changing system employing the variable orientation of the fabric cutter 3 requires a unit that grasps the fabric cutter 3 as it travels in the cutting direction 15 and releases it after changing its orientation by compensating for the speed difference:

[0061] a. During the gripping phase, it runs at the same speed as the fabric cutter 3, and,

[0062] b. When the flat part is released, it runs at the same speed as the main line.

[0063] The transmission system 1 of the present invention is used to transmit fabric cut pieces 3 at corners. The transmission system 1 employs one or more rotating chains 10, on which one or more gripping clamps 7 are mounted. The plane of rotation of the rotating chains 10 is generally parallel to the plane of travel of the fabric cut piece 3. The arrangement of the rotating chains 10 allows them to rotate, such that the rotation has components in each of three directions 15, 16, and 17. The number of rotating chains 10 depends on the size of the fabric cut piece 3. The longer the fabric cut piece 3, the more rotating chains 10 are needed, because the fabric cut piece 3 is typically flexible and may require sufficient support to remain flat during directional changes. The rotating chains 10 are arranged continuously in the cutting direction and are driven by one or more motors (not shown). Gripping clamps 7 are mounted on the rotating chains 10 to grip the fabric cut piece 3. As the rotating chain 10 rotates, the gripping clamp 7 follows the movement of the rotating chain 10 and pulls the gripped fabric cut piece 3 from the cutting direction (or longitudinal direction) 15 to the main line direction (or transverse direction) 17 along the intermediate traction direction 16 defined by the geometry of the rotating chain 10.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the gripping clamp 7 can be a single clamp 7C with two elements, with the fabric cutter 3 preferably gripped between the two elements at its leading edge 24. The single clamp 7C follows the rotational path of the rotating chain 10, thus transferring the fabric cutter 3 from the cutting direction 15 to the main line direction 17. Alternatively, the gripping clamp 7 can have separate units, such as an upper clamp 7A and a lower clamp 7B, which push towards each other to clamp the fabric cutter 3 between them, as shown. Figure 2A As shown in the figure. For example, the action of pushing the upper clamp 7A and the lower clamp 7B toward each other can be performed using any method known to those skilled in the art (such as a spring mechanism).

[0065] like Figure 3As shown, at any point during its operation, the rotating chain 10 is arranged into four distinct sections or domains: a gripping domain 12, an inclined traction domain 13, a release domain 14, and a compensation domain 11. The geometry of the rotating chain 10 is designed such that it is parallel to the cutting direction 15 for the gripping domain 12, and is long enough to allow the fabric cut piece 3 to be properly gripped by the gripping clamp 7. The point on the chain where the fabric cut piece 3 is first gripped can be designated as gripping point 21. The next portion of the geometry of the rotating chain 10 is oriented in the transition direction of the inclined traction domain 13, which is at a predetermined angle to the cutting direction 15. The length of the chain traveled in the transition direction is determined by the overall geometry of the transition line. It should be long enough to pull and position the fabric cut piece 3 from the cutting direction 15 such that the fabric cut piece 3 will fit onto the conveyor line in the main direction 17. The third portion of the chain geometry is the release domain 14, parallel to the main direction 17, and its length allows the fabric cut piece 3 to be properly released. The point at which the clamped cut piece is released in the main direction can be designated as release point 22. Since the chain is a continuous element, it travels from release point 22 back to gripping point 21, allowing the next fabric cut piece 3 to be gripped. The distance or portion between release point 22 and gripping point 21 is the compensation domain 11. Because the gripping clamp 7 does not contact the fabric cut piece 3 while traveling between release point 22 and gripping point 21, the rotating chain 10 can present any suitable geometry or travel path between these two points, allowing the gripping clamp 7 to reach gripping point 21 in the fastest possible time. This fastest time depends on the machine's processing speed, or is generally related to the velocity component 18 in the cutting direction.

[0066] At any point during its operation, the rotating chains 10 are in motion, and they can be considered as rotating chains.

[0067] Multiple rotating chains 10 are parallel to each other with a certain offset, causing proper gripping of the fabric cutter 3 to occur. Proper gripping is defined here as such that the leading edge 24 of the fabric cutter 3 moving on the rotating chain 10 is held or gripped by the gripping clamp 7. This holding is strong enough to transport the fabric cutter 3 in a predetermined direction. However, each rotating chain 10 may hold multiple gripping clamps 7, but at least one clamp grips the fabric cutter 3 at a time. Because the fabric cutter 3 changes direction from the time it is cut to the time it is released from the gripping clamp 7 onto the main line, its speed changes during this transition, such as... Figure 4The diagram illustrates the process. The fabric cutter 3 is initially conveyed in the cutting direction 15. Importantly, when the fabric cutter 3 is gripped by the gripping clamp 7, the linear velocity of the fabric cutter 3 in its gripping area 12 is the same as the speed 23 of the rotating chain. Any difference between these two speeds will cause deformation of the cutter. As the fabric cutter 3 is conveyed in the cutting direction 15, the rotating chain 10 is typically accelerated until it reaches the same linear velocity as the fabric cutter 3. During acceleration, at least one gripping clamp 7 mounted on the rotating chain 10 must be positioned within the gripping area 12 of the rotating chain 10. Furthermore, the chain acceleration must only occur when any previous cutter has been released and no material is currently being gripped by the gripping clamp 7. When the rotating chain 10 reaches the same speed as the cutter, the gripping clamp 7 closes to grip the fabric cutter 3, and material is pulled by the rotational motion of the rotating chain 10. Once the gripping clamp 7 closes, the rotating chain 10 accelerates to ensure that the velocity component 18 of the gripped cutter 8 in the cutting direction is high enough that the continuous material (i.e., the fabric cutter 3) pulled from the material roll does not collide with it as the gripped cutter 8 moves in the intermediate traction direction 16. When the gripped cutter 8 is pulled long enough in the intermediate traction direction 16 to safely change its velocity to the velocity 19 in the main line direction without colliding with the upcoming continuous fabric cutter 3 from the material roll or material already being passed in the main line, the speed 23 of the rotating chain is readjusted to allow the gripped cutter 8 to be properly released within the release domain 14 of the chain geometry. After the gripped cutter 8 is released, the speed 23 of the rotating chain is controlled to ensure that the gripping clamp 7 is in position to begin gripping the next cutter when it must be gripped.

[0068] Another key aspect of the invention is the avoidance of twisting or deformation of the fabric cutter 3 during the inclined traction zone 13. To achieve this, it is important that the edges of the cutter maintain their absolute and relative orientations throughout its entire travel. The fabric cutter 3 should not deviate from its initial position as it travels from the cutting direction 15 through the intermediate traction direction 16 to the main line direction 17, such that its leading edge 24 is always parallel to the direction of travel. Figure 1 The axis shown in the image. Figure 5 As shown, this is facilitated by using a rotating gripper head 20. The rotational compensation of the rotating gripper head 20 is caused by directional changes due to the movement path of the gripping gripper 7.

[0069] The rotating chain 10 can be arranged in a single layer or plane below or above the fabric cutter 3, or in a double-layer or double-plane arrangement, wherein one set of chains rotates above the plane of the gripped cutter 8 and another set of chains rotates below. The single-layer method is preferred if the gripping clamp 7 is designed with a gripping mechanism in which the material is gripped at the edge closest to the main thread. The double-layer method uses one set of chains 10A above the fabric cutter 3 and one set of chains 10B below. This configuration is advantageous for clamping devices that work with the upper clamp 7A and the lower clamp 7B, with the fabric cutter 3 held between the upper clamp 7A and the lower clamp 7B.

[0070] Driving the rotating chain 10 with a servo motor can be advantageous. Each chain 10A, 10B can be driven individually by a motor, or several chains can be driven by the same motor. Driving multiple chains with the same motor can be advantageous, for example, for cost reduction purposes. Individually driving the rotating chain 10 provides greater flexibility in handling different bag formats because the individual rotating chains 10 can be shut off when they are not needed. Depending on the requirements for cost and system performance, alternative drive systems with mechanical cams and single frequency or frequency-controlled motors can also be used and can be advantageous. A method for transferring the fabric cut piece 3 from the cutting direction 15 to the main line direction 17 at a corner without stopping and starting involves the following steps:

[0071] a) The fabric from the roll fabric 2 is conveyed in the cutting direction 15 by the longitudinal conveying unit 4, and the fabric is cut into fabric cut pieces 3 of predetermined length by the cutting unit 9.

[0072] b) At the same time, the gripping clamp 7 follows the compensation field 11 on the rotating chain 10, causing it to move from the release point 22 to the gripping point 21.

[0073] c) At gripping point 21, the fabric cutter 3 is gripped at the corner or at the front edge 24 and moves along the path of gripping domain 12 on the rotating chain 10.

[0074] d) Now, the gripped cutting piece 8 moves along the path of the inclined traction domain 13 on the rotating chain 10 via the inclined traction unit 5 along the intermediate traction direction 16.

[0075] e) Further, after the release area 14 on the rotating chain 10, the fabric cutter 3 is transferred to the main line direction 17 via the transverse main line unit 6.

[0076] f) The gripper 7 now reaches the release point 22, where the fabric cutter 3 is released in the main line direction 17.

[0077] g) For consecutive pre-cut pieces, repeat steps b through f.

[0078] As can be clearly seen from the foregoing description, the present invention has multiple embodiments.

[0079] The main embodiment discloses a transport system for conveying flat fabric cut pieces. It is characterized by comprising a longitudinal conveying unit 4, a traction unit 5, and a transverse main line unit 6, wherein the longitudinal conveying unit 4 includes a conveying system with multiple drive elements to provide feedforward to the fabric cut piece 3; the traction unit 5 transports the fabric cut piece 3 from a cutting direction 15 through an intermediate traction direction 16 to the main line direction 17. The traction unit 5 includes multiple rotating chains 10, on which gripping clamps 7 are mounted and follow the path of the rotating chains 10. After being cut by a cutting unit 9, the traction unit 5 grips the fabric cut piece 3 at a gripping point 21, which is a point on the chain where the fabric cut piece 3 is first gripped onto the chain and transported through the intermediate traction direction 16. Upon reaching the main line direction 17, it is released at a release point 22 on the transverse main line unit 6 for further processing.

[0080] In another embodiment of the transmission system, the drive element has a set of rollers, a conveyor belt, a motor and an alignment unit to drive the fabric cutter 3 and align the fabric cutter 3 along the conveyor belt, such that the fabric cutter 3 moves at equal distances from the side of the transmission system.

[0081] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the alignment unit includes a sensor, a mechanical gripper, and an edge guidance system.

[0082] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the traction unit 5 is capable of gripping the fabric cutter 3 as it travels in the cutting direction 15 by the following steps, and releasing the gripped cutter 8 after changing the direction of the fabric cutter 3 by compensating for the speed difference: running at the same speed as the fabric cutter 3 during the gripping phase, and running at the same speed as the main line when the gripped cutter 8 is released.

[0083] In another embodiment of the transmission system, the number of the rotating chains 10 is at least one, and each of the rotating chains 10 is equipped with at least one of the gripping fixtures 7.

[0084] In another embodiment of the transmission system, the rotating chain 10 is provided in a single plane below or above the fabric cutter 3, or in a double-layer arrangement or double-plane arrangement, wherein one set of chains 10A rotates above the plane of the gripped cutter 8, and another set of chains 10B rotates below.

[0085] In a further embodiment of the transmission system 1 of the present invention, the rotating chain 10 has a geometry that allows the rotating chain 10 to rotate such that the rotation has a component in each of the three directions 15, 16, 17, and wherein when the rotating chain 10 rotates, the gripping clamp 7 follows the movement of the rotating chain 10 and pulls the gripped fabric cutter 3 from the cutting direction (or longitudinal direction) 15 to the main line direction (or transverse direction) 17 along the intermediate traction direction 16 defined by the geometry of the rotating chain 10.

[0086] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the gripping fixture 7 is a single fixture 7C with two elements, and the fabric cutter 3 is preferably gripped between the two elements at the front edge 24 of the fabric cutter 3.

[0087] In another embodiment of the transmission system, the gripping fixture 7 has separate units, such as an upper fixture 7A and a lower fixture 7B, which push towards each other to clamp the fabric cutter 3 between them.

[0088] In another embodiment of the transmission system, the action of pushing the upper clamp 7A and the lower clamp 7B toward each other is performed using a spring mechanism.

[0089] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the rotating chain 10 has four geometric sections: a gripping area 12, an inclined traction area 13, a release area 14, and a compensation area 11, wherein the gripping area 12 is parallel to the cutting direction 15, the inclined traction area 13 is oriented in a transition direction set at a predetermined angle to the cutting direction 15, the release area 14 is arranged parallel to the main line direction 17, and the portion between the release point 22 and the gripping point 21 is the compensation area 11.

[0090] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the gripping domain 12 is long enough to grip the fabric cutter 3 by the gripping clamp 7, and the chain travels long enough in the turning direction to pull and position the fabric cutter 3 from the cutting direction 15 such that the fabric cutter 3 will fit the conveyor line in the main direction 17, and the length of the release domain 14 is such that the release domain 14 can release the fabric cutter 3.

[0091] In another embodiment of the transmission system, the rotating chain 10 presents a travel path between the release point 22 and the gripping point 21, which is made possible by the capability of the transmission system 1 to achieve the fastest possible time.

[0092] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the number of rotating chains 10 is greater than 1, and all chains are parallel to each other.

[0093] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, when the fabric cutter 3 is gripped by the gripping fixture 7, the linear velocity of the fabric cutter 3 in its gripping domain 12 is the same as the speed 23 of the rotating chain.

[0094] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the fabric cutter 3 is conveyed in the cutting direction 15, typically by accelerating the rotating chain 10 to a linear velocity equal to the linear velocity of the fabric cutter 3, and wherein during acceleration, at least one of the gripping clamps 7 mounted on the rotating chain 10 is positioned in the gripping domain 12 of the rotating chain 10, and further wherein the acceleration of the chain occurs only when any previous cutter is released and no material is currently gripped by the gripping clamp 7.

[0095] In another embodiment of the transmission system, when the rotating chain 10 reaches the same speed as the fabric cutter 3, the gripping clamp 7 closes to grip the fabric cutter 3, and the gripped cutter 8 is pulled by the rotational motion of the rotating chain 10. The acceleration makes the velocity component of the gripped cutter 8 in the cutting direction 18 high enough that the next fabric cutter 3 pulled from the material roll does not collide with the gripped cutter 8 as the gripped cutter 8 moves in the intermediate traction direction 16.

[0096] In another embodiment of the transmission system, when the gripped cutter 8 is pulled long enough in the intermediate traction direction 16 to safely change its speed to the speed in the main line direction 19 without colliding with the upcoming continuous fabric cutter 3 from the material roll or the material already being passed in the main line, the speed 23 of the rotating chain is readjusted so that the gripped cutter 8 can be properly released in the release domain 14 of the chain geometry, and then the speed 23 of the rotating chain is controlled to ensure that the gripping clamp 7 is in the position to begin gripping the next piece when it is necessary to grip the next piece.

[0097] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, a rotating gripper head 20 on the gripper 7 is provided to compensate for changes in direction caused by the movement path of the gripper 7, thereby maintaining the absolute and relative orientation of the edge of the gripped cutter 8 throughout its entire stroke, such that the front edge 24 of the gripped cutter 8 is always parallel to the axis.

[0098] In a further embodiment of the transmission system, the rotating chain 10 is driven by a servo motor. Furthermore, each chain 10A, 10B may have a separate servo driver, or several chains may be driven by a single motor.

[0099] In another key embodiment of the invention, a method is disclosed for rotating a tape material cutter at a corner using the transport system disclosed herein. The characteristic steps of this method are as follows:

[0100] a. The fabric cut piece 3 is cut from the roll of fabric 2 to a predetermined length using the cutting unit 9, and the fabric cut piece 3 is conveyed in the cutting direction 15 by the longitudinal conveying unit 4.

[0101] b. Move the gripper 7 installed on the rotating chain 10 from the release point 22 to the gripping point 21 along the path of the rotating chain 10;

[0102] c. At the corner, at the gripping point 21 or at the front edge 24 of the fabric cutter 3, the gripping clamp 7 is used to grip the fabric cutter 3, and the gripped cutter 8 is moved along the gripping area 12 of the rotating chain 10.

[0103] d. The gripped cutting piece 8 is moved along the path of the intermediate traction direction 16 on the rotating chain 10 by the inclined traction unit 5.

[0104] e. Using the transverse main line unit 6, the gripped cutting piece 8 is transferred to the main line direction 17 along the release field 14 on the rotating chain 10;

[0105] f. Release the gripped cutting piece 8 at the release point 22.

[0106] In an embodiment of the method, the traction unit 5 is capable of grasping the fabric cutter 3 as it travels in the cutting direction 15 by the following steps, and releasing the grasped cutter 8 after changing the direction of the fabric cutter 3 by compensating for the speed difference:

[0107] a. During the gripping phase, it runs at the same speed as the fabric cutter 3, and,

[0108] b. When the gripped cutting piece 8 is released, it runs at the same speed as the main line.

[0109] In another embodiment of the method, the number of the rotating chains 10 is at least one, and each of the rotating chains 10 is equipped with at least one of the gripping clamps 7, and the rotating chains 10 are provided in a single plane below or above the fabric cutter 3, or in a double-layer arrangement or double-plane arrangement, wherein one set of chains 10A rotates above the plane of the gripped cutter 8, and another set of chains 10B rotates below.

[0110] In a further embodiment of the method, the rotating chain 10 has four geometric segments: a gripping domain 12, an inclined traction domain 13, a release domain 14, and a compensation domain 11, wherein the gripping domain 12 is parallel to the cutting direction 15, the inclined traction domain 13 is oriented in a transition direction set at a predetermined angle to the cutting direction 15, the release domain 14 is arranged parallel to the main line direction 17, and the portion between the release point 22 and the gripping point 21 is the compensation domain 11.

[0111] In a further embodiment of the method, when the fabric cutter 3 is gripped by the gripping fixture 7, the linear velocity of the fabric cutter 3 in its gripping domain 12 is the same as the speed 23 of the rotating chain.

[0112] In another embodiment of the method, as the fabric cutter 3 is conveyed in the cutting direction 15, the rotating chain 10 is typically accelerated to a linear velocity equal to that of the fabric cutter 3, and wherein during the acceleration, at least one of the gripping clamps 7 mounted on the rotating chain 10 is positioned in the gripping domain 12 of the rotating chain 10, and further wherein the acceleration of the chain occurs only when any previous cutter is released and no material is currently being gripped by the gripping clamp 7.

[0113] In another embodiment of the method, the rotating chain 10 reaches the same speed as the fabric cutter 3, the gripping clamp 7 closes to grip the fabric cutter 3, and the gripped cutter 8 is pulled by the rotational motion of the rotating chain 10. The acceleration makes the velocity component of the gripped cutter 8 in the cutting direction 18 high enough that the next fabric cutter 3 pulled from the material roll does not collide with the gripped cutter 8 as the gripped cutter 8 moves in the intermediate traction direction 16.

[0114] In a further embodiment of the method, when the gripped cutter 8 is pulled long enough in the intermediate traction direction 16 to safely change its speed to the speed in the main line direction 19 without colliding with the upcoming continuous fabric cutter 3 from the material roll or the material already being passed in the main line, the speed 23 of the rotating chain is readjusted so that the gripped cutter 8 can be properly released in the release domain 14 of the chain geometry, and then the speed 23 of the rotating chain is controlled to ensure that the gripping clamp 7 is in the position to begin gripping the next piece when it must grip the next piece.

[0115] In a further embodiment of the method, a rotating gripper head 20 on the gripping fixture 7 is provided to compensate for changes in orientation caused by the movement path of the gripping fixture 7, thereby maintaining the absolute and relative orientation of the edge of the gripped cutter 8 throughout its entire stroke, such that the front edge 24 of the gripped cutter 8 is always parallel to the axis.

[0116] In another embodiment of the method, the rotating chain 10 is driven by a servo motor, and each chain 10A, 10B has a separate servo driver or several chains are driven by a single motor.

[0117] While the above description includes many features, these features should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather as examples of preferred embodiments. It must be recognized that variations and modifications are possible based on the disclosure given above, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should not be determined by the illustrated embodiments, but rather by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A transfer system for transferring a cut piece (3) of web of a web material at a corner in a main line of a converting machine, characterized in that, The transport system comprises a longitudinal conveying unit (4), a pulling unit (5) and a cross main line unit (6), wherein the longitudinal conveying unit (4) comprises a conveying system with a plurality of driving elements to provide feed forward to the fabric cut pieces (3); the pulling unit (5) conveys the fabric cut pieces (3) from a cutting direction (15) through an intermediate pulling direction (16) to a main line direction (17); the pulling unit (5) comprises a plurality of rotating chains (10) on which picking grippers (7) are mounted and follow the path of the rotating chains (10), wherein the pulling unit (5) picks up the fabric cut pieces (3) at a picking point (21) after being cut by a cutting unit (9), which is a point on the rotating chain where the fabric cut piece (3) is first picked up onto the rotating chain and transported through the intermediate pulling direction (16) to be released at a releasing point (22) on the cross main line unit (6) when reaching the main line direction (17) for further processing.

2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein typically the driving elements have a set of rollers, a conveyor belt, a motor and an alignment unit to drive the fabric cut pieces (3) and align them along the conveyor belt so that the fabric cut pieces (3) move at equal distances from the sides of the conveying system.

3. The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the alignment unit comprises sensors, mechanical grippers and edge guiding systems.

4. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pulling unit (5) is capable of picking up the fabric cut pieces (3) while they are travelling in the cutting direction (15) and releasing the picked cut pieces (8) after changing their direction by compensating for the speed difference by: a. running at the same speed as the fabric cut pieces (3) during the picking phase, and, b. running at the same speed as the main line when the picked cut pieces (8) are released.

5. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the number of rotating chains (10) is at least one, and wherein each of the rotating chains (10) is mounted with at least one of the picking grippers (7).

6. The transport system according to claim 4, wherein the rotating chains (10) are provided in a single plane below or above the fabric cut pieces (3), or in a double plane, wherein one set of chains (10A) rotates above the plane of the picked cut pieces (8) and the other set of chains (10B) rotates below.

7. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotating chain (10) has a geometry that allows it to rotate in such a way that the rotation has a component in each of the three directions (15, 16, 17), and wherein the gripping clamp (7) follows the movement of the rotating chain (10) when the latter rotates and pulls the gripped piece of fabric (3) from the cutting direction (15) to the main line direction (17) along the intermediate traction direction (16) defined by the geometry of the rotating chain (10).

8. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping clamp (7) is a single clamp (7C) with two elements between which the piece of fabric (3) is gripped at the front edge (24) of the piece of fabric (3).

9. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping clamp (7) has an upper clamp (7A) and a lower clamp (7B) that are pushed towards each other to clamp the piece of fabric (3) between them.

10. The transport system according to claim 9, wherein the action of pushing the upper clamp (7A) and the lower clamp (7B) towards each other is performed by using a spring mechanism.

11. The transport system according to claim 4, wherein the rotating chain (10) has four geometric sections: a gripping domain (12), an inclined traction domain (13), a release domain (14) and a compensation domain (11), wherein the gripping domain (12) is parallel to the cutting direction (15), the inclined traction domain (13) is oriented in a transition direction set at a predetermined angle to the cutting direction (15), the release domain (14) is laid out parallel to the main line direction (17), and the section between the release point (22) and the gripping point (21) is the compensation domain (11).

12. The transport system according to claim 11, wherein the length of the gripping domain (12) is long enough to enable the gripping of the piece of fabric (3) by the gripping clamp (7), and wherein the length of travel of the rotating chain in the transition direction is long enough to pull the piece of fabric (3) from the cutting direction (15) and position it so that it will fit a line of transport in the main line direction (17), and the length of the release domain (14) is such that it enables the release of the piece of fabric (3).

13. The transport system according to claim 11, wherein the rotating chain (10) presents a path of travel between the release point (22) and the gripping point (21) that is achieved by the capacity of the transport system (1) in the fastest time.

14. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the number of rotating chains (10) is greater than 1, and wherein all the chains are parallel to each other.

15. The transport system according to claim 11, wherein the linear speed of the fabric cut (3) and the speed (23) of the rotating chain in the grabbing zone (12) are the same when the fabric cut (3) is grabbed by the grabbing clamp (7).

16. The transport system according to claim 11, wherein the rotating chain (10) reaches the same linear speed as the fabric cut (3) by accelerating the rotating chain (10) while the fabric cut (3) is transported in the cutting direction (15), and wherein during the acceleration at least one of the grabbing clamps (7) mounted on the rotating chain (10) is positioned in the grabbing zone (12) of the rotating chain (10), and wherein the acceleration of the rotating chain only occurs when any previous cut is released and no material is currently grabbed by the grabbing clamps (7).

17. The transport system according to claim 16, wherein when the rotating chain (10) reaches the same speed as the fabric cut (3), the grabbing clamp (7) closes to grab the fabric cut (3), and the grabbed cut (8) is pulled by the rotational movement of the rotating chain (10), the acceleration being such that the speed (18) component of the grabbed cut (8) in the cutting direction is high enough so that the next fabric cut (3) pulled from the roll of material does not collide with the grabbed cut (8) while the grabbed cut (8) moves in the intermediate pulling direction (16).

18. The transport system according to claim 11, wherein when the grabbed cut (8) is pulled long enough in the intermediate pulling direction (16) to safely change its speed to a speed in the main line direction (17) without colliding with the upcoming successive fabric cut (3) from the roll of material or the material already transferred in the main line, the speed (23) of the rotating chain is adjusted again to enable a proper release of the grabbed cut (8) in the release zone (14) of the chain geometry, and subsequently the speed (23) of the rotating chain is controlled to ensure that the grabbing clamp (7) is in position to start grabbing the next cut when it has to.

19. The transport system according to claim 4, wherein the rotating clamp head (20) provided on the grabbing clamp (7) compensates for the directional changes caused by the movement path of the grabbing clamp (7), whereby the edge of the grabbed cut (8) keeps its absolute and relative direction throughout its entire travel, so that the leading edge (24) of the grabbed cut (8) is always parallel to the axis.

20. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotating chain (10) is driven by a servo motor.

21. The transport system according to claim 20, wherein each chain (10A, 10B) has a separate servo drive or several chains are driven by one motor.

22. A method for transporting a web material cut piece at a corner in a main line of a converting machine using a transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: g. cutting fabric pieces (3) from a roll of fabric (2) to a predetermined length using a cutting unit (9) and transporting the fabric pieces (3) on the cutting direction (15) by a longitudinal transport unit (4); h. moving a gripping clamp (7) mounted on the rotating chain (10) along the path of the rotating chain (10) from a release point (22) to a gripping point (21); i. gripping the fabric piece (3) at the corner at the gripping point (21) or at the leading edge (24) of the fabric piece (3) using the gripping clamp (7) and moving the gripped piece (8) along the gripping domain (12) of the rotating chain (10); j. moving the gripped piece (8) on the rotating chain (10) along the intermediate pulling direction (16) path by an inclined pulling unit (5); k. transporting the gripped piece (8) to the main line direction (17) along the release domain (14) on the rotating chain (10) using a transverse main line unit (6); l. releasing the gripped piece (8) at the release point (22) for further use in a processing station.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the pulling unit (5) is capable of gripping the fabric piece (3) while it is running on the cutting direction (15) and releasing the gripped piece (8) after changing its direction by compensating for the speed difference by: a. running at the same speed as the fabric piece (3) during the gripping phase, and, b. running at the same speed as the main line when the gripped piece (8) is released.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the number of rotating chains (10) is at least one and wherein each of the rotating chains (10) is mounted with at least one gripping clamp (7) and wherein the rotating chains (10) are provided in a single plane below or above the fabric piece (3) or in a double plane with one set of chains (10A) rotating above the plane of the gripped piece (8) and the other set of chains (10B) rotating below.

25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the rotating chain (10) has four geometric sections: a gripping domain (12), an inclined pulling domain (13), a release domain (14) and a compensation domain (11), wherein the gripping domain (12) is parallel to the cutting direction (15), the inclined pulling domain (13) is oriented in a transition direction set at a predetermined angle to the cutting direction (15), the release domain (14) is laid out parallel to the main line direction (17) and the part between the release point (22) and the gripping point (21) is the compensation domain (11).

26. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the linear speed of the fabric cut (3) and the speed (23) of the rotating chain in its gripping zone (12) are the same when the fabric cut (3) is gripped by the gripping clamp (7).

27. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the rotating chain (10) reaches the same linear speed as the fabric cut (3) by accelerating the rotating chain (10) while the fabric cut (3) is transported in the cutting direction (15), and wherein at least one of the gripping clamps (7) mounted on the rotating chain (10) is positioned in the gripping zone (12) of the rotating chain (10) during the acceleration, and wherein the acceleration of the rotating chain only occurs when any previous cut is released and no material is currently gripped by the gripping clamps (7).

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the gripping clamps (7) close to grip the fabric cut (3) when the rotating chain (10) reaches the same speed as the fabric cut (3), and the gripped cut (8) is pulled by the rotational movement of the rotating chain (10), the acceleration being such that the speed (18) component of the gripped cut (8) in the cutting direction is high enough so that the next fabric cut (3) pulled from the roll of material does not collide with the gripped cut (8) when the gripped cut (8) moves in the intermediate pulling direction (16).

29. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein when the gripped cut (8) is pulled long enough in the intermediate pulling direction (16) to safely change its speed to a speed in the main line direction (17) without colliding with the upcoming successive fabric cut (3) from the roll of material or the material already transferred in the main line, the speed (23) of the rotating chain is adjusted again to enable a proper release of the gripped cut (8) in the release zone (14) of the chain geometry, and subsequently the speed (23) of the rotating chain is controlled to ensure that the gripping clamps (7) are in position to start gripping the next piece when it has to be gripped.

30. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the rotating clamp head (20) provided on the gripping clamps (7) compensates for the directional changes caused by the movement path of the gripping clamps (7), whereby the edges of the gripped cut (8) maintain their absolute and relative orientation throughout their entire travel, so that the leading edge (24) of the gripped cut (8) is always parallel to the axis.

31. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the rotating chain (10) is driven by a servo motor, and wherein each chain (10A, 10B) has a separate servo drive or several chains are driven by one motor.

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