Support device and sheet material recovery method

Abstract

A support device (20) is used in a separation step for separating: a winding core member (11) for winding a sheet material; and a sheet material roll (19) formed by being wound around the winding core member (11). The support device (20) comprises a deformation limiting member (21) that supports the outer circumferential surface of the sheet material roll (19) from both sides thereof, and thereby limits deformation of the sheet material roll (19) due to its own weight.

Description

Support device and sheet material recovery method

[0001] The present invention relates to a support device and a method for recovering sheet material.

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, for example, when a film such as a glass film is wound into a roll to form a film roll, a protective sheet may be used. The protective sheet is wound up in a state laminated with the main surface of the film to protect the main surface of the film. The protective sheet wound up together with the film in this way is unwound from the film roll together with the film and then separated from the film.

[0003] International Publication No. 2021 / 131617

[0004] As described above, for example, a sheet material such as a protective sheet separated from a film may be collected as a sheet material roll wound around a core member. The ability to easily separate the sheet material roll wound around the core member from the core member in this way is advantageous in terms of, for example, easily separating and collecting the sheet material rolls and reusing the core member.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a winding support device and a sheet material recovery method that allow for easy separation of a sheet material roll and a winding core member.

[0006] The present invention relates to a support device and a sheet material recovery method for solving the above problems. The support device of aspect 1 is a support device used in a separation process for separating a core member for winding up sheet material from a sheet material roll wound around the core member, and includes deformation suppression members that support the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll from both sides to suppress deformation of the sheet material roll due to its own weight.

[0007] According to this configuration, during the separation process of separating the winding core member and the sheet material roll, the deformation control member of the support device controls deformation of the sheet material roll due to its own weight, thereby reducing the load applied from the sheet material roll to the winding core member.

[0008] In the support device of Aspect 2, in Aspect 1, the deformation-restricting member may include a first deformation-restricting member and a second deformation-restricting member arranged at a distance along the axial direction of the sheet material roll, and each of the first deformation-restricting member and the second deformation-restricting member may include a pair of support portions that support the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll from both sides and a connecting portion that connects the pair of support portions. With this configuration, the first deformation-restricting member and the second deformation-restricting member of the support device further restrict deformation of the sheet material roll due to its own weight, thereby further reducing the load applied from the sheet material roll to the winding core member.

[0009] The support device of Aspect 3 may be the same as Aspect 1 or Aspect 2, further comprising a spacing member connected to the first deformation-restricting member and the second deformation-restricting member and configured to maintain a spacing between the first deformation-restricting member and the second deformation-restricting member in the axial direction of the sheet material roll. With this configuration, the sheet material roll can be easily supported at a predetermined position by the first deformation-restricting member and the second deformation-restricting member.

[0010] The support device of Aspect 4 may be any one of Aspects 1 to 3, further comprising a support base that supports the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll at a position lower than the deformation-restricting member, and the support base may include a top plate and a pair of anti-rolling members that are arranged on the top plate and prevent the sheet material roll from rolling. With this configuration, the sheet material roll can be stably supported on the support base of the support device, making it easy to perform the separation process of separating the core member and the sheet material roll.

[0011] The support device of Aspect 5 may be the same as that of Aspect 1, further comprising a main body having the deformation-restricting member, the deformation-restricting member including a pair of support parts supporting the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll from both sides, each of the pair of support parts having a structure in which a plurality of rollers whose rotation axes are inclined with respect to a horizontal plane are arranged along the axial direction of the sheet material roll, and the pair of support parts may support the sheet material roll so as to be transportable along the axial direction of the sheet material roll. With this configuration, the support step of supporting the sheet material roll on the support device can be easily performed.

[0012] In the support device of Aspect 6, in Aspect 5, the main body may further include a roller conveyor member that supports the sheet material roll from below and is capable of transporting the sheet material roll in the axial direction of the sheet material roll. With this configuration, the support step of supporting the sheet material roll on the support device can be performed more stably.

[0013] The support device of Aspect 7 may further include a lifting mechanism for lifting the main body in Aspect 5 or Aspect 6. With this configuration, the sheet material roll can be easily supported on the main body of the support device.

[0014] The support device of Aspect 8 may further include a carriage for moving the main body in any one of Aspects 5 to 7. According to this configuration, for example, the support device can be used to move the sheet material roll to a predetermined position.

[0015] The sheet material recovery method of aspect 9 includes a preparation step of preparing a core member for winding the sheet material, a winding step of winding the sheet material onto the core member, a support step of supporting the sheet material roll onto a support device, and a separation step of separating the sheet material roll from the core member while the sheet material roll is supported by the support device, and the support device may include a deformation control member that supports the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll from both sides to control deformation of the sheet material roll due to its own weight.

[0016] The present invention exhibits the effect of making it possible to easily separate the sheet material roll from the winding core member.

[0017] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a core member in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the core member. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a preparation process for the core member. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the core member. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a winding process. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a support device, a core member, and a sheet material roll. FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a support process. FIG. 8 is a side view showing the support device, a core member, and a sheet material roll. FIG. 9 is a side view showing the sheet material roll and the core member. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a first separation process. FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the operation of the support device. FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a second separation process. FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a sheet material recovery method. FIG. 14 is a front view showing a support device, a core member, and a sheet material roll in the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a main body of the support device. FIG. 16 is a side view illustrating the operation of the support device. FIG. 17 is a front view illustrating the support process and the first separation process. FIG. 18 is a front view illustrating the first separation process. FIG. 19 is a front view illustrating the first separation step.

[0018] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of a support device and a sheet material recovery method will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that, for the sake of convenience, the drawings may exaggerate or simplify some of the components. Furthermore, the dimensional proportions of each part may differ from the actual proportions.

[0019] The support device is used in a separation step of separating a core member for winding the sheet material from a roll of the sheet material wound around the core member. First, an example of the core member will be described.

[0020] 1 and 2, the winding core member 11 includes a shaft unit 12, a sleeve member 13, and a regulating member 14. Hereinafter, the X-axis in the drawings represents the horizontal direction along the axial direction of the winding core member 11. The X-axis also represents the horizontal direction along the axial direction of the sheet material roll. The Y-axis represents the horizontal direction perpendicular to the X-axis, and the Z-axis represents the direction perpendicular to the XY plane.

[0021] (Shaft Unit) The shaft unit 12 includes a shaft body 15 and a protrusion mechanism 16. The shaft body 15 of the shaft unit 12 is rotationally driven by a drive device (not shown). The protrusion mechanism 16 of the shaft unit 12 has protrusions 17 that can protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body 15. The protrusion mechanism 16 causes the protrusions 17 shown in FIG. 3 to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body 15 in the radial direction of the shaft body 15 as shown in FIG. 4. More specifically, the protrusion mechanism 16 includes a drive unit that uses fluid pressure such as air pressure to cause the protrusions 17 to protrude. The drive unit of the protrusion mechanism 16 includes, for example, a tube that expands when supplied with air and a supply unit that supplies air to the tube. The protrusions 17 can be protruded by pressing the protrusions 17 with the expansion of the tube in the drive unit. The protrusions 17 can be accommodated inside the shaft body 15 by discharging the air from the tube.

[0022] (Sleeve Member) As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the sleeve member 13 is composed of a plurality of sleeve segments 13a that are divided in the circumferential direction of the shaft body 15. The sleeve member 13 of this embodiment is composed of four sleeve segments 13a. Each sleeve segment 13a has an elongated shape that extends along the axial direction of the shaft body 15. The sleeve member 13 may be composed of a plurality of sleeve segments 13a other than four.

[0023] The protrusions 17 of the protrusion mechanism 16 are arranged in a plurality in the circumferential direction of the shaft body 15 so as to be able to press any of the plurality of sleeve segments 13a. The protrusions 17 are also arranged in a plurality in the axial direction of the shaft body 15, i.e., along the axial direction of the plurality of sleeve segments 13a.

[0024] Examples of materials for the sleeve member 13 include resin materials and metal materials. From the viewpoint of easy handling, the sleeve member 13 is preferably made of a resin material. The flexural strength of the resin material as defined in ASTM D790 is preferably in the range of 30 MPa or more and 120 MPa or less. The Rockwell hardness of the resin material as defined in ASTM D785 is preferably in the range of R50 or more and R150 or less. The sleeve member 13 is preferably made of ABS resin. The thickness of the sleeve member 13 is, for example, in the range of 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

[0025] 1 to 4, the restricting members 14 are provided so as to surround the outer peripheries of the plurality of sleeve segments 13a. The restricting members 14 restrict radial movement of the plurality of sleeve segments 13a. As shown in FIG. 2, the restricting members 14 are provided on both sides of the sheet material 18 in the axial direction of the sleeve member 13. That is, the spacing dimension W1 between the pair of restricting members 14 is greater than the width dimension W2 of the sheet material 18.

[0026] 1, 3, and 4, the restricting member 14 of this embodiment includes a pivot shaft 14a that allows a portion of the restricting member 14 in the circumferential direction to be opened and closed. More specifically, the restricting member 14 includes the pivot shaft 14a, a first arm portion 14b, a second arm portion 14c, and a fixed member 14d.

[0027] The first arm portion 14b has a support end supported by the pivot shaft 14a and an openable / closable end. The second arm portion 14c also has a support end supported by the pivot shaft 14a and an openable / closable end. The first arm portion 14b and the second arm portion 14c are connected by the pivot shaft 14a. The openable / closable end of the first arm portion 14b and the openable / closable end of the second arm portion 14c have through holes H1 into which the fixing member 14d is inserted when the arm is in the closed state. Examples of materials for the restricting member 14 include metal materials and resin materials. The restricting member 14 is preferably made of a metal material from the viewpoint of increasing the rigidity and thereby increasing the accuracy of restricting the movement of the multiple sleeve segments 13a. Examples of metal materials include stainless steel and aluminum.

[0028] 1 to 3, to assemble the winding core member 11, first, a plurality of sleeve segments 13a are arranged on the outer periphery of the sleeve member 13. The restricting member 14 is attached to the outer periphery of the sleeve segments 13a arranged in this manner.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4 , the multiple sleeve segments 13a are fixed between the shaft main body 15 and the regulating member 14 by pressing the multiple protrusions 17 of the protrusion mechanism 16 against the multiple sleeve segments 13a so that the diameter of the sleeve member 13 expands. Specifically, the multiple sleeve segments 13a are fixed by being pressed against the regulating member 14 by the multiple protrusions 17 of the protrusion mechanism 16. The fixed sleeve member 13 is maintained in an expanded diameter state corresponding to the inner diameter of the regulating member 14. When the sleeve member 13 is in this expanded diameter state, the distance D between the sleeve member 13 and the shaft main body 15 of the shaft unit 12 is preferably, for example, 5 mm or more, and more preferably 7 mm or more. The larger the distance D, the easier it is to remove the shaft main body 15 from the sleeve member 13 after the sleeve member 13 is released. The upper limit of the distance D is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 50 mm or less.

[0030] The sleeve member 13 fixed as described above is connected to the shaft body 15, and therefore the sleeve member 13 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the shaft body 15. As shown in Figure 5, the sheet material 18 is wound around the outer periphery of the rotating sleeve member 13, thereby obtaining a sheet material roll 19.

[0031] The plurality of sleeve segments 13a can be released from fixation by retracting the plurality of protrusions 17 of the protrusion mechanism 16 in the shaft unit 12. This allows the sleeve member 13 and the shaft main body 15 (shaft unit 12) to be separated.

[0032] 6 to 8, the support device 20 includes a deformation restricting member 21 that restricts deformation of the sheet roll 19 due to its own weight by supporting the outer peripheral surface of the sheet roll 19 from both sides. The deformation restricting member 21 of the support device 20 of this embodiment includes a first deformation restricting member 22 and a second deformation restricting member 23 that are spaced apart along the axial direction of the sheet roll 19.

[0033] The first deformation restricting member 22 has a pair of support portions 21a that support the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 from both sides, and a connecting portion 21b that connects the pair of support portions 21a. The second deformation restricting member 23 also has a pair of support portions 21a and a connecting portion 21b, similar to the first deformation support member. The connecting portion 21b is disposed above the sheet material roll 19, for example.

[0034] The support device 20 further includes a spacing member 24 connected to the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23. The spacing member 24 of the support device 20 maintains a distance between the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23 in the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. The spacing member 24 is connected, for example, to the connecting portion 21 b of the first deformation restricting member 22 and the connecting portion 21 b of the second deformation restricting member 23. The spacing member 24 may also be connected to the support portion 21 a of the first deformation restricting member 22 and the support portion 21 a of the second deformation restricting member 23. Examples of materials for the deformation restricting member 21 and the spacing member 24 include metal materials, resin materials, and wood materials.

[0035] The support device 20 further includes a support table 25 that supports the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 at a position lower than the deformation restricting member 21. The support table 25 includes a top plate 25a and a pair of anti-rolling members 25b arranged on the top plate 25a. The top plate 25a has a flat upper surface. The pair of anti-rolling members 25b are arranged to prevent the sheet material roll 19 from rolling. The pair of anti-rolling members 25b have a shape that extends along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. Examples of the shape of the anti-rolling members 25b include a polygonal prism such as a square prism, a semi-cylindrical shape, etc.

[0036] <Method for recovering sheet material> Next, a description will be given of a method for recovering sheet material 18. As shown in Fig. 13, the method for recovering sheet material 18 includes a preparation step (step S1), a winding step (step S2), a supporting step (step S3), a first separation step (step S4), and a second separation step (step S5).

[0037] 2 to 4, in the preparation process of step S1, the above-described winding core member 11 is prepared. In the preparation process of step S1 of this embodiment, the winding start portion of the sheet material 18 is connected to the winding core member 11 by sandwiching the winding start portion of the sheet material 18 between the multiple protrusions 17 of the protrusion mechanism 16 and the sleeve member 13.

[0038] 5, in the winding process of step S2, the sheet material 18 is wound around the winding core member 11. The winding core member 11 is connected to a rotation drive device (not shown) and is driven to rotate. In the winding process of step S2, a sheet material roll 19 is obtained in which the sheet material 18 is wound.

[0039] 6 to 8, in the supporting step of step S3, the sheet material roll 19 obtained in the winding step of step S2 is supported by a supporting device 20. More specifically, the sheet material roll 19 wound around the outer periphery of the winding core member 11 is placed on a supporting table 25 of the supporting device 20. Next, the deformation restricting member 21 of the supporting device 20 is attached to the sheet material roll 19.

[0040] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, in the first separation process of step S4 and the second separation process of step S5, the sheet material roll 19 and the core member 11 are separated. In the first separation process of step S4, first, as shown in Figure 9, the protruding portion 17 of the protruding mechanism 16 is retracted. This releases the fixation of the multiple sleeve segments 13a between the shaft main body 15 and the regulating member 14. Next, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the shaft unit 12 is pulled out from the sleeve member 13. At this time, the regulating member 14 may be removed.

[0041] 11 , when the sheet material roll 19 deforms due to its own weight after the first separation process of step S4, a load is applied to the sleeve member 13 of the winding core member 11. The sheet material roll 19 in this embodiment is supported by a support device 20. The support device 20 is provided with a deformation restriction member 21 that restricts deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight by supporting the outer circumferential surface of the sheet material roll 19 from both sides. With this configuration, the deformation restriction member 21 of the support device 20 restricts deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight, so that the load applied from the sheet material roll 19 to the sleeve member 13 of the winding core member 11 can be reduced.

[0042] 12 , in the second separation process of step S5, the sleeve member 13 of the winding core member 11 is pulled out from the sheet material roll 19. At this time, as described above, the load applied from the sheet material roll 19 to the sleeve member 13 of the winding core member 11 can be reduced, so that the sleeve member 13 of the winding core member 11 can be easily pulled out from the sheet material roll 19.

[0043] The second separation step of step S5 allows the sheet material roll 19 to be separated and recovered. The preparation step of step S1 can be repeated using the sleeve member 13 separated in the second separation step of step S5. In this way, the sleeve member 13 can be reused together with the shaft unit 12 and the regulating member 14.

[0044] <Sheet Material and Its Uses> Examples of materials for the sheet material 18 include resin, paper, etc. Examples of resin include polyester resin, polyamide resin, polyolefin resin, etc. Examples of polyester resin include polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, etc. Examples of polyamide resin include nylon 6, nylon 66, etc. Examples of polyolefin resin include polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.

[0045] The thickness of the sheet material 18 is, for example, in the range of 5 μm to 500 μm. The width W2 of the sheet material 18 is, for example, in the range of 100 mm to 5,000 mm. The length of the sheet material 18 is, for example, in the range of 100 m to 10,000 m. The support device 20 of this embodiment can be suitably used to restrict deformation due to the weight of a sheet material roll 19 on which sheet material 18 having a length of 300 m or more is wound.

[0046] Examples of uses for the sheet material 18 include a protective sheet material laminated on a long product. Examples of long products include glass films, resin films, and metal foils. Glass films are used, for example, as materials for devices that require light weight and bendability. The thickness of the glass film is preferably 0.3 mm or less, more preferably 0.1 mm or less, even more preferably 0.05 mm or less, and most preferably 0.035 mm or less. The lower limit of the thickness of the glass film is, for example, 0.005 mm or more. Glass films with such thicknesses are called ultra-thin glass (UTG).

[0047] Examples of glass constituting the glass film include soda glass, soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, and alkali-free glass. The glass film may be a glass film for chemical strengthening. Examples of glass for chemical strengthening include alkali aluminosilicate glass and soda glass containing alkali metal oxides as a glass composition. The alkali metal oxide contained in the alkali aluminosilicate glass is Li ２ O, Na ２ O and K ２ The glass for chemical strengthening is preferably an alkali aluminosilicate glass. The alkali aluminosilicate glass contains, in mass %, for example, SiO ２ :50~80%, Al ２ O ３ : 5-25%, B ２ O ３ : 0 to 15%, Li ２ O: 0-20%, Na ２ O: 1 to 20%, K ２ O: It is preferable to contain 0 to 10%.

[0048] <Functions and Effects of First Embodiment> Next, the functions and effects of the first embodiment will be described. (1-1) The support device 20 is used in a separation process that separates the winding core member 11 for winding the sheet material 18 from the sheet material roll 19 wound around the winding core member 11. The support device 20 includes a deformation suppression member 21 that supports the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 from both sides and suppresses deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight. With this configuration, in the separation process that separates the winding core member 11 from the sheet material roll 19, the deformation suppression member 21 of the support device 20 suppresses deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight. This reduces the load applied from the sheet material roll 19 to the winding core member 11. This makes it possible to easily separate the sheet material roll 19 from the winding core member 11.

[0049] (1-2) The deformation restricting member 21 of the support device 20 has a first deformation restricting member 22 and a second deformation restricting member 23 that are spaced apart along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. Each of the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23 has a pair of support portions 21a that support the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 from both sides and a connecting portion 21b that connects the pair of support portions 21a. In this case, the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23 of the support device 20 further restrict deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight, thereby further reducing the load applied from the sheet material roll 19 to the winding core member 11. This makes it easier to separate the sheet material roll 19 and the winding core member 11.

[0050] (1-3) The support device 20 further includes a spacing member 24 connected to the first deformation restraining member 22 and the second deformation restraining member 23. The spacing member 24 maintains the spacing between the first deformation restraining member 22 and the second deformation restraining member 23 in the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. In this case, the first deformation restraining member 22 and the second deformation restraining member 23 can easily support the sheet material roll 19 at a predetermined position. Therefore, for example, the sheet material roll 19 can be smoothly supported by the first deformation restraining member 22 and the second deformation restraining member 23.

[0051] (1-4) The support device 20 further includes a support base 25 that supports the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 at a position lower than the deformation restricting member 21. The support base 25 includes a top plate 25a and a pair of anti-rolling members 25b that are arranged on the top plate 25a and prevent the sheet material roll 19 from rolling. In this case, the sheet material roll 19 can be stably supported on the support base 25 of the support device 20, which facilitates the separation process of separating the core member 11 and the sheet material roll 19.

[0052] (1-5) The method for recovering sheet material 18 includes a preparation step of step S1, a winding step of step S2, and a supporting step of step S3. In the supporting step of step S3, the sheet material roll 19 is supported by the supporting device 20. The method for recovering sheet material 18 includes a separation step of separating the sheet material roll 19 supported by the supporting device 20 from the core member 11. According to this method, as described in section (1-1) above, it is possible to easily separate the sheet material roll 19 from the core member 11.

[0053] (1-6) The winding core member 11 for winding the sheet material 18 includes a shaft unit 12 having a shaft main body 15, a sleeve member 13 around whose outer periphery the sheet material 18 is wound, and a regulating member 14. The sleeve member 13 is composed of multiple sleeve segments 13a divided in the circumferential direction of the shaft main body 15. The regulating member 14 is provided to surround the outer peripheries of the multiple sleeve segments 13a. The regulating member 14 regulates the radial movement of the multiple sleeve segments 13a. The shaft unit 12 includes a protrusion mechanism 16 that causes multiple protrusions 17 to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft main body 15 in the radial direction of the shaft main body 15. The multiple protrusions 17 of the protrusion mechanism 16 press against the multiple sleeve segments 13a so that the diameter of the sleeve member 13 expands, thereby fixing the multiple sleeve segments 13a between the shaft main body 15 and the regulating member 14.

[0054] In this case, after the sheet material 18 has been wound into a roll around the outer periphery of the sleeve member 13, the protruding portion 17 of the protruding mechanism 16 can be retracted to release the multiple sleeve segments 13a from being fixed between the shaft main body 15 and the regulating member 14. This allows the shaft unit 12 to be extracted from the sleeve member 13. Extracting the shaft unit 12 in this manner ensures space inside the sleeve member 13, making it possible to easily extract the sleeve segments 13a from the sheet material roll 19. This makes it possible to easily separate the sheet material roll 19 and the winding core member 11.

[0055] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the support device 20 and the sheet material 18 recovery method will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0056] <Support Device> As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 , the support device 20 includes a main body 26 having a deformation suppression member 21. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , the main body 26 of the deformation suppression member 21 includes a pair of support portions 21a that support the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 from both sides. Each of the pair of support portions 21a includes a plurality of rollers R. The rotation axes A of the rollers R are inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. Each of the pair of support portions 21a has a structure in which the plurality of rollers R are arranged along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. The pair of support portions 21a supports the sheet material roll 19 so that it can be conveyed along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. As shown in FIG. 16 , when viewed from the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19, the angle θ1 of the rotation axes A of the pair of support portions 21a is 45° with respect to a horizontal line along the Y axis. Note that this angle θ1 can be changed. The angle θ1 is preferably within a range of 15° to 90°.

[0057] The main body 26 of the support device 20 further has a roller conveyor member 26a that supports the sheet material roll 19 from below. The roller conveyor member 26a is capable of transporting the sheet material roll 19 along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. The roller conveyor member 26a has a plurality of rollers R. The rotation axes A of the plurality of rollers R extend in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19.

[0058] 14 , the support device 20 further includes a lifting mechanism 27 that raises and lowers the main body 26. The lifting mechanism 27 is configured to operate by fluid pressure such as hydraulic pressure. The support device 20 further includes a carriage 28 that moves the main body 26. The carriage 28 in this embodiment is capable of moving the lifting mechanism 27 together with the main body 26.

[0059] <Method for Recovering Sheet Material> Next, a method for recovering sheet material 18 will be described. As shown in FIG. 14 , in the method for recovering sheet material 18 according to the second embodiment, after the winding process of step S2, the sheet material roll 19 is supported from below using an elevating support device 29. Furthermore, a bearing portion (not shown) that rotatably supports one end of the core member 11 is moved away from the end of the core member 11, thereby making the end of the core member 11 a free end. Next, the support device 20 is moved using the carriage portion 28 of the support device 20 so as to be inserted below the sheet material roll 19. As a result, a portion of the main body portion 26 of the support device 20 is positioned so as to overlap a portion of the sheet material roll 19 in a plan view.

[0060] Next, as shown in Fig. 17 , the lifting mechanism 27 of the support device 20 raises the main body 26. This causes a portion of the sheet material roll 19 to be supported by a portion of the main body 26 of the support device 20. Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 18 , the sheet material roll 19 and the sleeve member 13 are transported so that the entire sheet material roll 19 is supported by the main body 26 of the support device 20 (supporting step S3).

[0061] 19, the support device 20 is moved in a direction away from the shaft unit 12 using the carriage 28 of the support device 20, thereby extracting the shaft unit 12 from the sleeve member 13 (first separation step of step S4). At this time, the restricting member 14 may be removed.

[0062] Here, the sheet material roll 19 after the first separation process of step S4 may be deformed by its own weight, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 16. The support device 20 of this embodiment is provided with a deformation restriction member 21 that restricts deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight by supporting the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll 19 from both sides. With this configuration, the deformation restriction member 21 of the support device 20 restricts deformation of the sheet material roll 19 due to its own weight, so that the load applied from the sheet material roll 19 to the sleeve member 13 of the winding core member 11 can be reduced.

[0063] Next, in a second separation process of step S5, the sleeve member 13 of the core member 11 is pulled out from the sheet material roll 19, thereby separating the sheet material roll 19 from the core member 11. The sheet material roll 19 can be moved to a predetermined position using a support device 20 having a cart portion 28.

[0064] <Functions and Effects of Second Embodiment> Next, the functions and effects of the second embodiment will be described. (2-1) The support device 20 of the second embodiment can also achieve the functions and effects described in section (1-1) of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the method for recovering the sheet material 18 of the second embodiment can also achieve the functions and effects described in section (1-5) of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the core member 11 of the second embodiment can also achieve the functions and effects described in section (1-6) of the first embodiment.

[0065] (2-2) In the support device 20, each of the pair of support parts 21a of the main body 26 has a structure in which a plurality of rollers R, each with a rotation axis A inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, are arranged along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. The pair of support parts 21a also support the sheet material roll 19 so as to be transportable along the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. In this case, the support step of supporting the sheet material roll 19 on the support device 20 can be easily performed.

[0066] (2-3) The main body 26 of the support device 20 further includes a roller conveyor member 26a that supports the sheet material roll 19 from below and can transport the sheet material roll 19 in the axial direction of the sheet material roll 19. In this case, the support step of supporting the sheet material roll 19 on the support device 20 can be performed more stably.

[0067] (2-4) The support device 20 further includes a lifting mechanism 27 that lifts and lowers the main body 26. In this case, the main body 26 of the support device 20 can easily support the sheet material roll 19.

[0068] (2-5) The support device 20 further includes a carriage 28 for moving the main body 26. In this case, for example, the support device 20 can be used to move the sheet material roll 19 to a predetermined position. Also, for example, the shaft unit 12 can be extracted from the sleeve member 13 by using the carriage 28 to move the main body 26.

[0069] <Modifications> The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0070] In the support device 20 of the first embodiment, the support base 25 may be omitted. For example, the sheet material roll 19 may be placed on the floor. In the support device 20 of the first embodiment, the spacing member 24 may be omitted. That is, the sheet material roll 19 may be supported by separately attaching the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23 to the sheet material roll 19.

[0071] The spacing member 24 of the support device 20 of the first embodiment may have a spacing adjustment mechanism that adjusts the spacing between the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23. The support device 20 of the first embodiment includes two deformation restricting members 21, consisting of the first deformation restricting member 22 and the second deformation restricting member 23, but may also include a third deformation restricting member. In other words, the number of deformation restricting members 21 may be three or more. Note that the number of deformation restricting members 21 in the support device 20 of the first embodiment may be changed to one.

[0072] In the support device 20 of the second embodiment, the cart unit 28 may be omitted. That is, the drive device that rotates the core member 11 may be configured to be movable toward and away from the support device 20.

[0073] In the support device 20 of the second embodiment, the lifting mechanism 27 may be omitted. That is, the sheet material roll 19 may be supported by the support device 20 using a transfer device that transfers the sheet material roll 19 to the support device 20.

[0074] The roller conveyor member 26a may be omitted from the main body 26 of the support device 20 of the second embodiment. Also, the roller conveyor member 26a may be replaced with a belt conveyor member or a support member with a flat upper surface.

[0075] In the first and second embodiments, a winding core member other than the winding core member 11 can also be used. The winding core member may have a structure that allows it to be deformed between an expanded diameter state and a contracted diameter state. That is, the sheet material roll 19 can be obtained by winding the sheet material 18 around the winding core member in the expanded diameter state. After the winding core member is brought to the contracted diameter state, the sheet material roll 19 and the winding core member can be separated by removing the winding core member from the sheet material roll 19.

[0076] In the preparation process of step S1, the winding start portion of the sheet material 18 may be connected to the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve member 13 using an adhesive member such as adhesive tape.

[0077] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Winding core member 18... Sheet material 19... Sheet material roll 20... Support device 21... Deformation regulating member 21a... Support portion 21b... Connecting portion 22... First deformation regulating member 23... Second deformation regulating member 24... Spacing member 25... Support base 25a... Top plate 25b... Rolling prevention member 26... Main body portion 26a... Roller conveyor member 27... Lifting mechanism 28... Carriage portion A... Rotating shaft R... Roller

Claims

1. A support device used in a separation process for separating a winding core member for winding up sheet material from a roll of sheet material wound around the winding core member, the support device being equipped with a deformation control member that supports the outer circumferential surface of the roll of sheet material from both sides, thereby controlling deformation of the roll of sheet material due to its own weight.

2. A support device as described in claim 1, wherein the deformation control member has a first deformation control member and a second deformation control member arranged at a distance along the axial direction of the sheet material roll, and each of the first deformation control member and the second deformation control member has a pair of support portions that support the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll from both sides, and a connecting portion that connects the pair of support portions.

3. A support device as described in claim 2, further comprising a spacing retaining member connected to the first deformation regulating member and the second deformation regulating member, which retains the spacing between the first deformation regulating member and the second deformation regulating member in the axial direction of the sheet material roll.

4. A support device as described in claim 1, further comprising a support stand that supports the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll at a position lower than the deformation control member, the support stand comprising a top plate and a pair of anti-rolling members arranged on the top plate to prevent the sheet material roll from rolling.

5. A support device as described in claim 1, comprising a main body having the deformation control member, the deformation control member comprising a pair of support parts supporting the outer peripheral surface of the sheet material roll from both sides, each of the pair of support parts having a structure in which a plurality of rollers whose rotation axes are inclined with respect to a horizontal plane are arranged along the axial direction of the sheet material roll, and the pair of support parts support the sheet material roll so as to be transportable along the axial direction of the sheet material roll.

6. The support device according to claim 5, wherein said main body portion further includes a roller conveyor member that supports said sheet material roll from below and is capable of transporting said sheet material roll in the axial direction of said sheet material roll.

7. The support device according to claim 5, further comprising a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering said main body portion.

8. The support device according to claim 5, further comprising a carriage portion for moving said main body portion.

9. A method for recovering sheet material, comprising: a preparation step of preparing a core member for winding the sheet material; a winding step of winding the sheet material onto the core member; a support step of supporting the sheet material roll formed by winding the sheet material onto the core member in the winding step on a support device; and a separation step of separating the sheet material roll and the core member while the sheet material roll is supported on the support device, wherein the support device is equipped with a deformation control member that supports the outer circumferential surface of the sheet material roll from both sides, thereby controlling deformation of the sheet material roll due to its own weight.

Images