Web Splicing Apparatus Aligning Same Sides for Heat-Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional web splicers fail to ensure that the same sides of web materials with differing properties are consistently spliced together, leading to high heat-sealing failure rates and interruptions in the web supply process.
Innovation Solution
A splicing apparatus that aligns and joins the same sides of two web materials by using a series of cylinders to clamp, cut, and position the web materials, ensuring that the heat-sealable side is consistently bonded with another heat-sealable side, utilizing a heating wire for bonding and maintaining continuous web supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional web splicers are used to splice running web and ready web, then the splicing operation can be performed, but the same sides of web materials cannot be ensured to be consistently spliced together, leading to high heat-sealing failure rates
Solution Approach 1:
The splicing apparatus divides the web material handling into separate functional zones: a running web path and a ready web path with preparation surfaces. The ready web is prepared on a separate surface before being transferred to the splicing point, allowing independent control and precise alignment of each web's orientation without affecting the other web's tension or speed
Solution Approach 2:
A transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary between the ready web roll and the splicing point. The ready web is first laid flat on a preparation surface, then picked up and transferred to the splicing location where it meets the running web. This intermediary transfer process ensures precise control over which side of the ready web contacts the running web, achieving consistent same-side splicing
2Reliability
If manual alignment and splicing with splicing tape is used, then the same sides can be aligned, but the running process must be stopped, causing interruptions in web supply
Solution Approach 1:
The ready web is prepared in advance on a dedicated preparation surface before the splicing operation begins. The web is laid flat, aligned, and positioned with the correct side facing up while the running web continues to feed. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the webs are joined, the same sides are guaranteed to be in contact, eliminating the need for manual alignment during production stops
Solution Approach 2:
The splicing apparatus maintains continuous web supply by keeping the running web under tension and feeding continuously while the ready web is prepared separately. The transfer mechanism seamlessly joins the ready web to the running web without stopping the running web's motion, ensuring uninterrupted web supply to the downstream process while achieving precise same-side alignment
3Productivity
If conventional splicers are used with web materials having high heat-sealing failure rate on one side, then the splicing operation can proceed, but the overall failure rate remains unacceptably high
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus replaces manual mechanical alignment methods with an automated transfer mechanism that uses controlled motion and positioning systems. The ready web is mechanically transferred from the preparation surface to the splicing point with precise control over orientation, ensuring that the heat-sealable sides are consistently aligned without requiring manual intervention or slowing down the splicing operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures consistent alignment and bonding of the same sides of web materials, reducing heat-sealing failure rates and allowing for uninterrupted web supply, meeting the requirements of modern commercial applications.
Implementation Method 1
a portion of the first film near its trailing end delivered or unwound from one of the rolls of films is connected with a portion of the second film of the other roll of film near its leading end. The film splicer comprises a pair of clamping means for clamping the first and second films, at least one heater for heating both the films for heat sealing thereof
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for performing a splicing operation where the splicing apparatus is configured to orient the web to ensure the two sealing sides are presented to each other and the splice is always made on one side of the web.