Meander control device

Abstract

To provide a meander control device capable of enhancing processing accuracy by suppressing meander of a web in the vicinity of a processing position where the web is processed and securing high conveyance accuracy, when performing processing on a web to be conveyed.SOLUTION: A meander control device includes: a position adjustment part for adjusting the position in the width direction of a web at an adjustment position further on the upstream side in a conveyance path than a processing position where the web is processed, the web being conveyed along the conveyance path; a first detection part for detecting the position in the width direction of the web at a first detection position located upstream of the processing position and downstream of the adjustment position along the conveyance path; a second detection part for detecting the position in the width direction of the web at a second detection position located either upstream or downstream of the processing position and downstream of the first detection position along the conveyance path; and a meander control part for controlling the position adjustment part based on the estimated value of the meander amount of the web at the processing position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a meander control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Motors used in vehicles, etc., use a stator that is primarily composed of a coil and a core to generate a magnetic field. Slot paper is placed in the slots of the stator core of this stator for insulation. The slot paper is pre-scored to fit the slot shape of the stator core. The dimensional accuracy of the slot paper affects the yield and occupancy rate, so the accuracy of the scoring process is important. The scoring process is performed, for example, by pressing a scoring roller with protrusions and a mold shaped to match the scoring roller from both sides of the base paper.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a forming device for slot paper to be inserted into a slot in a stator core, which includes a roller having a pressing portion at its end that includes a convex portion that protrudes toward one side of the base paper and presses one side of the base paper, and a mold having a concave portion with a shape corresponding to the convex portion and pressing the other side of the base paper, the mold being formed to protrude in the axial direction of the roller beyond the pressing portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-093837 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, creasing is performed using a creasing roller and a die while the base paper, which is the source of the slotted paper, is being transported. In processes in which various processes, such as creasing, are continuously performed while a web, which is a continuous sheet-like material such as base paper, is being transported, meandering (shifting in the width direction) of the web can occur due to misalignment of multiple rollers that support the web while it is being transported. Therefore, in such processes, a meandering control device that controls the meandering of the web may be used to prevent wrinkles and other problems from occurring in the web due to the meandering of the web.

[0006] For example, a meandering control device is known that performs feedback control of a position adjustment unit that adjusts the widthwise position of the web based on the output (detection value) of a detection unit such as an edge sensor arranged along the web transport path. Generally, such a meandering control device can tolerate web meandering on the order of millimeters. However, a meandering control device applied to a process that requires high processing accuracy, such as scoring the transported web, is required to suppress web meandering with high transport accuracy on the order of submillimeters.

[0007] Here, the position adjustment unit and a detection unit such as an edge sensor located immediately below it are located at a detection position upstream of the processing position where processing such as creasing is performed on the transport path, and away from the processing position. Therefore, between the time when the position adjustment unit adjusts the widthwise position of the web so that the amount of web meandering at the detection position approaches zero and the time when the web is transported to the processing position, the web may meander due to a meandering force caused by the processing. In this way, if the web, after its meandering has been controlled at the detection position, meanders again near the processing position, reducing the transport accuracy, there is a risk that the processing accuracy performed on the web may also decrease.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a meandering control device that can improve processing accuracy when processing a transported web by suppressing meandering of the web near the processing position where the web is processed, thereby ensuring high transport accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The meandering control device according to one embodiment includes a position adjustment unit that adjusts the widthwise position of the web at an adjustment position upstream of a processing position where the web transported along the transport path is processed; a first detection unit that detects the widthwise position of the web at a first detection position upstream of the processing position and downstream of the adjustment position; a second detection unit that detects the widthwise position of the web at a second detection position downstream of the first detection position and either upstream or downstream of the processing position; and a detection unit that detects the widthwise position of the web at the processing position. a meandering control unit that controls the position adjustment unit based on an estimated value of the meandering amount of the web, wherein the meandering amount of the web at the first detection position calculated based on the detection value of the first detection unit is defined as a first meandering amount ES1, the meandering amount of the web at the second detection position calculated based on the detection value of the second detection unit is defined as a second meandering amount ES2, the conveying distance between the first detection position and the second detection position is defined as a first conveying distance X1, and the conveying distance between the processing position and the second detection position is defined as a second conveying distance X2, the meandering control device has an estimated meandering amount x that is calculated by the following formula (1): x=ES2×{(X1+X2) / X1}-ES1×(X2 / X1)...Equation (1) [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present disclosure makes it possible to provide a meandering control device that can improve processing accuracy by suppressing meandering of the web near the processing position where the web is processed, thereby ensuring high conveying accuracy when processing the transported web. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a meandering control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a meandering control device. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the meandering control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, for clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings have been simplified as appropriate. What is shown in the drawings is only a part of the whole, and in reality, many other configurations not shown are included. In the following description, the same or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0013] A meandering control device 10 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the meandering control device according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the meandering control device 10 is applied to a process in which a processing device 30 processes a web W transported by a transport device 20. The web W may be, for example, a continuous paper sheet in the process of being formed into a slotted paper sheet to be inserted into a slot provided in a stator core of a stator. The meandering control device 10 according to this embodiment is a device that uses a CPC (Center Position Control) to control the meandering of the web W in a width direction Dw perpendicular to the transport direction Ds.

[0014] The conveying device 20 conveys the web W in its longitudinal direction along the conveying path. The conveying device 20 has a plurality of rollers including two fixed rollers 21. One of the fixed rollers 21 is arranged upstream of the position adjustment unit 11 of the meandering control device 10 on the conveying path. The other fixed roller 21 is arranged downstream of the processing device 30 on the conveying path. Each fixed roller 21 is a free roller with a fixed rotation shaft. Each fixed roller 21 rotates by contacting the conveyed web W to guide the web W.

[0015] The conveying device 20 may be configured to convey the web W by, for example, winding the web W unwound by an unwinding roller with a take-up roller, or may be configured to convey the web W by rotating a drive roller. The white arrow shown in Fig. 1 indicates a conveying direction Ds from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying path. Along the conveying path, one fixed roller 21, a position adjustment unit 11, a first detection unit 12, a second detection unit 13, a processing device 30, and the other fixed roller 21 are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying path.

[0016] The processing device 30 processes the web W transported along the transport path at a processing position P4 along the transport path. The processing position P4 shown in FIG. 1 is downstream of the second detection position P3 on the transport path and is a position between the second detection unit 13 and the other fixed roller 21.

[0017] The processing device 30 performs processing to score the web W along the longitudinal direction of the web W at predetermined positions in the width direction Dw of the web W (hereinafter also referred to as score processing). The processing device 30 that performs score processing has a score roller 31 having convex portions on its outer peripheral surface that protrude toward the web W being conveyed, and a shape roller 32 having concave portions on its outer peripheral surface that have shapes corresponding to the convex portions. Such a processing device 30 can score the web W by pressing the score roller 31 and the shape roller 32 from both sides of the web W in the thickness direction.

[0018] If the conveyed web W meanders near the processing position P4, reducing the conveying accuracy, there is a risk that the processing accuracy of the processing performed on the web W will also decrease. Therefore, the meandering control device 10 is designed to suppress meandering of the web W near the processing position P4. The meandering control device 10 has a position adjustment unit 11, a first detection unit 12, a second detection unit 13, and a meandering control unit 14.

[0019] The position adjustment unit 11 adjusts the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at the adjustment position P1. The position adjustment unit 11 includes a pair of adjustment rollers 11a and a motor (not shown). The pair of adjustment rollers 11a are, for example, a pair of free rollers whose both ends are supported by support members (not shown). The pair of adjustment rollers 11a are combined so as to be parallel to each other at a predetermined distance along the conveying direction Ds, and integrally perform a pivot movement around a predetermined pivot point or a reciprocating sliding movement along a predetermined direction. Such a position adjustment unit 11 makes it possible to easily adjust the position of the web W.

[0020] The position adjustment unit 11 displaces the web W guided by the pair of adjustment rollers 11a in the width direction Dw by operating the pair of adjustment rollers 11a with a motor. The position adjustment unit 11 changes the tilt direction of the pair of adjustment rollers 11a with respect to the conveying direction Ds, for example, depending on the rotation direction of the motor. Furthermore, the position adjustment unit 11 changes the tilt angle of the pair of adjustment rollers 11a with respect to the conveying direction Ds, for example, depending on the rotation speed of the motor.

[0021] The first detection unit 12 detects the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at a first detection position P2, which is upstream of the processing position P4 on the conveying path and downstream of the adjustment position P1 on the conveying path. The first detection position P2 shown in FIG. 1 is a position between the position adjustment unit 11 and the second detection unit 13. That is, the first detection position P2 is set to a position directly below the adjustment position P1. Therefore, the first detection unit 12 detects the position of the web W in the width direction Dw after the position adjustment unit 11 has adjusted the position in the width direction Dw. The first detection unit 12 is electrically connected to the meandering control unit 14. The first detection unit 12 outputs a detection signal indicating a detection value obtained by detecting the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at the first detection position P2 to the meandering control unit 14.

[0022] The second detection unit 13 detects the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at a second detection position P3, which is downstream of the first detection position P2 on the conveying path and upstream of the processing position P4 on the conveying path. The second detection position P3 shown in FIG. 1 is a position between the first detection unit 12 and the processing device 30. That is, the second detection position P3 is set to a position directly above the processing position P4. Therefore, the second detection unit 13 detects the position of the web W in the width direction Dw after detection by the first detection unit 12 and before processing by the processing device 30. The second detection unit 13 is electrically connected to the meandering control unit 14. The second detection unit 13 outputs a detection signal indicating a detection value obtained by detecting the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at the second detection position P3 to the meandering control unit 14.

[0023] Each of the first detection unit 12 and the second detection unit 13 may be configured with a pair of edge sensors that detect the positions of both edges of the web W being conveyed. The edge sensor is an optical sensor that has a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit that are arranged on either side of the edge, which is the end of the web W in the width direction Dw, and detects the position of the edge of the web W based on the intensity of light emitted from the light-emitting unit and received by the light-receiving unit. Each of the first detection unit 12 and the second detection unit 13 can determine the center position Pc of the web W in the width direction Dw by detecting the positions of both edges of the web W using the pair of edge sensors.

[0024] The meandering control unit 14 may have, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read-Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), which are interconnected by a bus. Alternatively, the meandering control unit 14 may be configured to include a one-chip LSI (Large Scale Integration) or the like. The meandering control unit 14 may also be configured to be able to control at least one of the conveying device 20 and the processing device 30.

[0025] The CPU instructs the operation of the position adjustment unit 11 and performs calculations necessary for that operation. The ROM stores various programs executed by the CPU and various parameters used in the calculations. The RAM temporarily stores the calculation results of the CPU. Various parameters may also be input to the meandering control unit 14 via an input device such as a keyboard.

[0026] The meandering control unit 14 is electrically connected to each of the motors of the first detection unit 12, the second detection unit 13, and the position adjustment unit 11. The meandering control unit 14 acquires a detection value from the first detection unit 12. In this embodiment, the meandering control unit 14 acquires a detection value of the center position Pc of the web W in the width direction Dw at the first detection position P2 from the first detection unit 12. Then, the meandering control unit 14 calculates the meandering amount of the web W at the first detection position P2 based on the detection value of the first detection unit 12. The meandering amount of the web W is the displacement (deviation) of the web W in the width direction Dw with respect to the target position Pt. The target position Pt may be a target value for the center position Pc of the web W. The meandering control unit 14 calculates the deviation of the detection value of the first detection unit 12 from the target value as the meandering amount of the web W at the first detection position P2.

[0027] The meandering control unit 14 also acquires a detection value from the second detection unit 13. In this embodiment, the meandering control unit 14 acquires a detection value of the center position Pc of the web W at the second detection position P3 from the second detection unit 13. Then, the meandering control unit 14 calculates the amount of meandering of the web W at the second detection position P3 based on the detection value of the second detection unit 13. The meandering control unit 14 calculates the deviation of the detection value of the second detection unit 13 from a target value as the amount of meandering of the web W at the second detection position P3.

[0028] The meandering control unit 14 then estimates the amount of meandering of the web W at the processing position P4 using the amount of meandering of the web W at each of the first detection position P2 and the second detection position P3, the conveying distance along the conveying direction Ds between the first detection position P2 and the second detection position P3, and the conveying distance along the conveying direction Ds between the second detection position P3 and the processing position P4.

[0029] Furthermore, the meandering control unit 14 controls the position adjustment unit 11 based on an estimated value of the meandering amount of the web W at the processing position P4. Here, if the meandering amount of the web W at the first detection position P2 calculated based on the detection value of the first detection unit 12 is defined as a first meandering amount ES1, the meandering amount of the web W at the second detection position P3 calculated based on the detection value of the second detection unit 13 is defined as a second meandering amount ES2, the conveying distance between the first detection position P2 and the second detection position P3 is defined as a first conveying distance X1, and the conveying distance between the processing position P4 and the second detection position P3 is defined as a second conveying distance X2, the estimated meandering amount x, which is the estimated value, can be calculated by the following formula (1): x=ES2×{(X1+X2) / X1}-ES1×(X2 / X1)...Equation (1)

[0030] The meandering control unit 14 performs feedback control such as PID control based on the estimated meandering amount x so that the center position Pc of the web W at the processing position P4 approaches the target position Pt. The meandering control unit 14 outputs, for example, an instruction signal to the position adjustment unit 11 indicating the operation of the position adjustment unit 11 so that the estimated meandering amount x becomes zero. The position adjustment unit 11 operates in accordance with the instruction signal output from the meandering control unit 14 to displace the web W in the width direction Dw.

[0031] The meandering control unit 14 may generate meandering control data that defines the tilt direction and tilt angle of the pair of adjustment rollers 11a according to, for example, the misalignment direction and meandering amount of the web W, and may use the meandering control data to determine the operation of the position adjustment unit 11. Specifically, the meandering control unit 14 may determine the rotation direction of the motor (i.e., the tilt direction of the pair of adjustment rollers 11a) according to the misalignment direction of the web W. Furthermore, the meandering control unit 14 may determine the rotation speed of the motor so that as the estimated meandering amount x increases, the tilt angle of the pair of adjustment rollers 11a increases, and as the estimated meandering amount x decreases, the tilt angle of the pair of adjustment rollers 11a decreases, by decreasing the rotation speed of the motor.

[0032] In this way, the position adjustment unit 11 adjusts the position of the web W in the width direction Dw so that the amount of meandering of the web W at the processing position P4 approaches zero, thereby suppressing meandering of the web W at the processing position P4.

[0033] As described above, the meandering control device 10 according to this embodiment detects the position in the width direction Dw of the conveyed web W at two locations, the first detection position P2 and the second detection position P3, and estimates the meandering amount of the web W at the processing position P4 using the first meandering amount ES1 and the second meandering amount ES2 based on these detection values, and the conveying distances X1 and X2 based on the first detection position P2, the second detection position P3, and the processing position P4. The meandering control device 10 according to this embodiment then performs feedback control based on the estimated meandering amount x, which is an estimated value of the meandering amount of the web W at the processing position P4, and is therefore able to suppress meandering of the web W at the processing position P4.

[0034] Therefore, according to the meandering control device 10 of this embodiment, when processing the transported web W, meandering of the web W near the processing position P4 where the web W is processed can be suppressed, thereby ensuring high transport accuracy and thereby improving processing accuracy.

[0035] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the first detection position P2 is set to a position directly below the adjustment position P1 and the second detection position P3 is set to a position directly above the processing position P4, but the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, the second detection unit 13 may detect the widthwise position of the web W at the second detection position P3, which is downstream of the first detection position P2 on the conveying path and either upstream or downstream of the processing position P4 on the conveying path. Therefore, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a modified example of the meandering control device. Referring to FIG. 2, a meandering control device 40 according to a first modified example, which is a modified example of the meandering control device 10, will be described, focusing on the differences from the meandering control device 10.

[0036] The meandering control device 40 shown in FIG. 2 is configured similarly to the meandering control device 10 shown in FIG. 1, except for the second detection position P3. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the first detection unit 12 of the meandering control device 40, like the meandering control device 10, detects the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at a first detection position P2, which is upstream of the processing position P4 and downstream of the adjustment position P1. Meanwhile, the second detection unit 13 of the meandering control device 40 detects the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at a second detection position P3, which is downstream of the first detection position P2 and downstream of the processing position P4. Thus, the first detection position P2 shown in FIG. 2 is a position between the position adjustment unit 11 and the processing device 30, while the second detection position P3 shown in FIG. 2 is a position between the processing device 30 and the other fixed roller 21. That is, the first detection position P2 is set directly above the processing position P4, and the second detection position P3 is set directly below the processing position P4.

[0037] In addition to the same effects as those of the above embodiment, Modification 1 further provides the following effect: That is, Modification 1, in which the first detection unit 12 is provided instead of the second detection unit 13 between the position adjustment unit 11 and the processing device 30, can shorten the conveyance distance from the adjustment position P1 to the processing position P4, thereby improving the responsiveness of feedback control and efficiently suppressing meandering of the web W at the processing position P4.

[0038] Furthermore, in the above embodiment and Modification 1, an example has been described in which the position in the width direction Dw of the web W is adjusted at the adjustment position P1 upstream of the processing position P4 on the conveying path, but the present invention is not limited to this. Therefore, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing another modification of the meandering control device. Referring to Fig. 3, a meandering control device 50 according to a second modification, which is another modification of the meandering control device 10, will be described, focusing on the differences from the meandering control device 40.

[0039] The meandering control device 50 shown in Fig. 3 is configured similarly to the meandering control device 40 shown in Fig. 2, except that it has two position adjustment units 11. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, one position adjustment unit 11 of the meandering control device 50 adjusts the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at an adjustment position P1 that is upstream of the processing position P4 on the conveying path, similar to the meandering control device 40. Meanwhile, the other position adjustment unit 11 of the meandering control device 50 adjusts the position of the web W in the width direction Dw at an adjustment position P5 that is downstream of the processing position P4 on the conveying path. The adjustment position P5 shown in Fig. 3 is downstream of the processing position P4 and the second detection position P3 on the conveying path, and is a position between the second detection unit 13 and the other fixed roller 21.

[0040] In addition to the same effects as those of the above-described Modification 1, Modification 2 further provides the following effect: That is, according to Modification 2 in which two position adjustment units 11 are provided on either side of the processing device 30, the position of the web W in the width direction Dw can be adjusted on both the upstream side and downstream side of the conveying path from the processing position P4, which improves the responsiveness of the feedback control and makes it possible to more efficiently suppress meandering of the web W at the processing position P4.

[0041] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and each modified example, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in the above-described embodiment and each modified example, the web W is paper, but this is not limiting. The web W is not limited to paper, and may be foil made of a metal material, a resin sheet, a rubber sheet, cloth, or a composite material combining these.

[0042] In addition, in the above-described embodiment and each modified example, the first detection unit 12 and the second detection unit 13 are configured by optical sensors, but this is not limiting. The first detection unit 12 and the second detection unit 13 are not limited to optical sensors, and may be configured by, for example, an image sensor having an image pickup element, an ultrasonic sensor, or other sensors. The type of sensor used in the first detection unit 12 and the second detection unit 13 may be selected appropriately depending on the web W. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10, 40, 50 Snake control device 11 position adjustment portion 11a adjustment roller 12 First detection unit 13 Second detection unit 14 Meandering control unit 20 conveying device 21 fixed roller 30 Processing device 31 Score roller 32 Shape roller P1, P5 Adjustment position P2 First detection position P3 Second detection position P4 Processing position Pc Center position Pt Target position W Web

Claims

[Claim 1] a position adjusting unit that adjusts the widthwise position of the web at an adjustment position upstream of a processing position where the web transported along the transport path is processed; a first detection unit that detects a widthwise position of the web at a first detection position that is upstream of the processing position on the conveying path and downstream of the adjustment position on the conveying path; a second detection unit that detects a widthwise position of the web at a second detection position that is downstream of the first detection position on the conveying path and either upstream or downstream of the processing position on the conveying path; a meandering control unit that controls the position adjustment unit based on an estimated value of the meandering amount of the web at the processing position, a meandering amount of the web at the first detection position calculated based on the detection value of the first detection unit is defined as a first meandering amount ES1; a meandering amount of the web at the second detection position calculated based on the detection value of the second detection unit is defined as a second meandering amount ES2; a conveying distance between the first detection position and the second detection position is defined as a first conveying distance X1; When the conveying distance between the processing position and the second detection position is a second conveying distance X2, The estimated meandering amount x is calculated by the following equation (1): x=ES2×{(X1+X2) / X1}-ES1×(X2 / X1)...Formula (1)

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