The Procter Gamble Company

Michael Joseph Lamping

Barry Jay Anderson

Eugene Paul Daut

Donald Louis Wires

Brian Christopher Schwamberger

David Stuart Howell, Ii

Jeffrey Hale Blumenthal

Mark Levandoski

George Stephen Reising

Michael S Kolodesh

Charles Phillip Miller

Randall Allen Myers

Anand Rudra Venkitaraman

Jon Kevin McLaughlin

Albert Michael Fischer

Douglass Scott Henry

Terry Howard Thomas

Vincent Bardina Liu

Gary Lee Miller

Mark Wayne Morrow

Bryan A Robertson

Processes for initiating a web winding process, more particularly a processes for initiating a web winding process that doesn't require the use of a threading rope or manually threading a tail of the web like known processes are provided.

Process for initiating a web winding process

A simulation apparatus is provided comprising a fixed main body; a carriage associated with the main body for movement relative to the main body; a first device coupled to the fixed main body for engaging a workpiece; a second device coupled to the carriage for movement with the carriage and for engaging the workpiece; at least one motor apparatus coupled to the fixed main body and the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage and the second device relative to the main body such that a tensile load is applied to the workpiece; sensor apparatus comprising at least one force sensor for sensing the tensile load applied to the workpiece during the movement of the second device; and a drive controller. The controller is coupled to the motor apparatus for controlling the operation of the motor apparatus in accordance with predefined carriage positions corresponding to discrete time intervals and in response to feedback from the sensor apparatus comprising the at least one force sensor so as to enhance the control of the position of the carriage as a function of time.

Simulation apparatus

A method for inducing strain on a workpiece includes the step of providing a testing apparatus having a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth. The workpiece is placed adjacent to the first or second set of teeth. The second set of teeth is disposed on a movable carriage which linearly reciprocates thereby allowing the first and the second sets of teeth to engage and disengage each other. A commanded position by time is provided to the carriage while the actual position by time of the carriage is measured. The first set of teeth are in communication with at least one load cell such that when the first set of teeth engage the second set of teeth, the load applied by the carriage is measured. The actual position by time data and the load data are manipulated to produce vast information pertaining to the workpiece.

Method and apparatus for the variable speed ring rolling simulation of substrates

A flexible manufacturing system having a feature section including at least one module, at least one operational unit mounted to the module and a local controller operatively connected to the operational unit. The local controller is adapted to receive a reference signal and to control the operation of the operational unit based upon the reference signal.

Flexible manufacturing system

A new machine control method and system for registering pro-produced webs into a converting line producing disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, pants, feminine hygiene articles or a component thereof. The pre-produced web can include a multiplicity of pre-produced objects spaced on the web at a pitch interval in the web direction. The pre-produced web being manipulated in order for the pre-produced object of the web to be registered in relation to a target position constant. The present invention includes three embodiments, where the first embodiment is expressed as a generic claim. The first embodiment includes a closed-loop feedback registration system; the second and third embodiments, in addition, include an open-loop feedforward phasing system. In addition, the third embodiment uses a machine vision system to recognize any element of a complex pre-produced object (e.g., colorful graphics).

Method and system for registering pre-produced webs with variable pitch length

A simulation press is provided comprising a fixed main body; a carriage associated with the main body for movement relative to the main body; a first plate coupled to the fixed main body and being adapted to engage a workpiece; and a second plate coupled to the carriage for movement with the carriage. The second plate is also adapted to engage the workpiece. One or more motor apparatus are coupled to the fixed main body and the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage relative to the main body. A drive controller is coupled to the motor apparatus for controlling the operation of the motor apparatus in response to feedback from one or more feedback sensors so as to cause the second plate to move relative to the first plate such that the first and second plates engage at least one point site on the workpiece so as to simulate compression loading of a point site on a workpiece in a nip type process.

Press for simulating compression loading of a point site on a workpiece in a nip type process

Method for manufacturing discrete articles from a material web using a cyclic master reference signal to synchronize the servo actuation of multiple operational units in a manufacturing apparatus to perform periodic operations on successive product segments of the material web and thereby form the articles, without the need for ongoing external phasing or registration to maintain synchronization of the operational units relative to the articles being made. The method is particularly suited for application in the manufacture of disposable absorbent articles and other products formed from web materials. Because of the coordination by a common reference signal, the execution by each of the individual servo systems of its programmed actuation instructions results in its actuation being synchronous with that of the other servo systems. These actuation instructions can include motion profiles, torque profiles, force profiles, 'cam' profiles, and any other form of actuation sequence within the capability of servo actuators.

Method for manufacturing discrete articles from a material web using synchronized servo-actuated operational units

A simulation press is provided comprising a fixed main body; a carriage associated with the main body for movement relative to the main body; a first plate coupled to the fixed main body and being adapted to engage a workpiece; and a second plate coupled to the carriage for movement with the carriage. The second plate is also adapted to engage the workpiece. One or more motor apparatus are coupled to the fixed main body and the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage relative to the main body. A drive controller is coupled to the motor apparatus for controlling the operation of the motor apparatus in response to feedback from one or more feedback sensors so as to cause the second plate to move relative to the first plate such that the first and second plates engage the workpiece and simulate a ring rolling operation on the workpiece.

Ring rolling simulation press

Method and apparatus for receiving parts traveling at a first speed through a receiving zone and applying the parts onto a carrier traveling at a second speed through an application zone. Transferring devices transport the parts between the zones. The transferring devices are coupled to programmable servo motors capable of varying the speed of the transferring devices to accommodate the receiving and application processes. The receiving and application operations may be performed at matched or mismatched surface speeds. The parts to be received and applied may be formed by a rotating knife, which may vary in speed. Adhesive may be used to hold the parts on the carrier web. In some embodiments, the transferring devices transfer the parts to a bonding anvil roll and the parts and a carrier web are compressed between the bonding anvil roll and a bonding pattern roll to bond the parts to the carrier web.

Method and apparatus utilizing servo motors for placing parts onto a moving web

A method and apparatus are provide for dynamically bonding plural workpiece layers together. The apparatus comprises: a first assembly including a rotatable element having an outer circumferential portion adapted to engage one of the workpiece layers; a second assembly including an anvil roll adapted to engage another of the workpiece layers and defining with the rotatable element a nip for receiving the workpiece layers; a drive mechanism for effecting rotation of the rotatable element and the anvil roll; and servo motor apparatus for applying a predefined force to at least one of the rotatable element and the anvil roll so as to bias the rotatable element and the anvil roll together. Further provided is a control system coupled to the servo motor apparatus for varying the force applied by the servo motor apparatus to the at least one of the rotatable element and the anvil roll such that the outer circumferential portion of the rotatable element and the anvil roll engage and bond together predefined portions of the plural workpiece layers passing through the nip.

Method and apparatus for friction bonding portions of plural workpiece layers

A method and apparatus for receiving parts traveling at a first speed through a receiving zone and applying the parts to a carrier traveling at a second speed through an application zone. The method and apparatus utilizes transferring devices for transporting the parts between the zones. The transferring devices are coupled to programmable servo motors capable of varying the speed of the transferring devices to accommodate the receiving and application processes.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Michael Joseph Lamping