Abstract:
A method and system are provided for placing nose wires (102, 26) in a facemask (11) production line (106). A supply of individual pre-cut nose wires (26) are supplied to a dispenser (132) in the production line (106). With the dispenser (132), the nose wires (102, 26) are metered at a defined spacing and orientation onto a running carrier web (118) that is conveyed past the dispenser (132). The carrier web (118) and nose wires (102, 26) deposited thereon are conveyed to a folding station (122) wherein a binder web (120) is folded over an edge (24) of the carrier web (118) such that the nose wires (102, 26) are encapsulated between the binder web (120) and the carrier web (118).
Abstract:
An automated method (100) and system for stacking and loading wrapped facemasks (132) into a carton (152) in a facemask production line (102) include conveying individual wrapped facemasks (134) to a delivery location (148) adjacent to a rotary wheel (144), the rotary wheel conveyor (144) having individual pick-up devices (146) spaced around a circumference thereof. Each wrapped facemask (134) is picked-up with a respective pick-up device (146) on the rotary wheel conveyor (144) and transported to a first carton staging area (150) at a first location on the circumference of the rotary wheel (144). At the first staging area (150), the facemasks (134) are released from the rotary wheel conveyor (144) and deposited into a carton (152).
Abstract:
A method and associated method are provided or introducing a supply of reserve nose wires (102, 104) in a facemask (11) production line (106) prior to depletion of running nose wires (104) in the production line (106). A first nose wire source (103, 105) and first cutter system are provided for supplying the running nose wires (104) to the production line (106). A reserve nose wire source (103) and second cutter system are staged in a stand-by state proximate to the first nose wire source (103, 105). Prior to depletion of the first nose wire source (103, 105), the reserve nose wire source (103) and second cutter system are brought up to an operational speed while diverting nose wires (102, 104) from the second cutter system away from the production line (106). At operational speed of the reserve nose wire source (103) and second cutter system, nose wires (102, 104) from the second cutter system are diverted to the production line (106) while diverting nose wires (102, 104) from the first cutter system away from the production line (106).
Abstract:
A method and system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire (104) in a facemask production line (106). Prior to depletion of the running nose wire (104), a reserve nose wire (102) is brought up to a transport speed in a conveying direction of the running nose wire (104). At or near a zero relative speed between the running nose wire (104) and the reserve nose wire (102), a leading end (132) of the reserve nose wire (102) is introduced onto the running nose wire (104), and the two wires are spliced together. The running nose wire (104) is then cut upstream of the splice location such that the reserve nose wire (102) becomes a new running nose wire in the production line.
Abstract:
An automated method (100) and system for preparing facemask (134) for subsequent stacking and packaging in a facemask production line include conveying individual facemasks (101) in an alternating and offset nesting pattern on a first conveyor (142) at a first conveying speed (S1). The facemasks (101) are transferred to a second conveyor (144) having a second conveying speed (S2) that is greater than the first conveying speed (S1) so that an increased gap is generated between adjacent facemasks (101). The aligned facemasks (101) are wrapped at an automated in-line wrapping station (128) wherein a continuous wrapping material (126) is bonded around each individual facemask (101). At an in-line cutting station (130), the bonded wrapping material (126) is cut between each adjacent facemask (101).
Abstract:
A method and associated system are provided for cutting and placing individual nose wires (102, 26) in a facemask (11) production line (106). A continuous wire is supplied from a supply source (103) to a cutting station (108) in the facemask (11) production line (106) where the continuous wire is cut into individual nose wires (102, 26) having a defined length. A first web (120) is conveyed to a vacuum conveyor (130, 132), and the individual nose wires (102, 26) are deposited from the cutting station (108) onto the vacuum conveyor (130, 132) such that the nose wires (102) are drawn by vacuum against the first web (120) at a defined spacing and orientation. With the vacuum conveyor (130, 132), the first web (120) and attached nose wires (102) are conveyed to a folding station (122) wherein the first web (120) and nose wires (102) are combined with a second web (118) such that the nose wires (102) are encapsulated between the first and second webs (118).
Abstract:
An automated method and system for stacking and loading wrapped or unwrapped facemasks (101) into a carton in a facemask production line (102) includes conveying individual wrapped facemasks (134) in a continuous stream to a stacking location (148). At the stacking location (148), the facemasks (134) are deposited into a vertical accumulator (164) such that the facemasks (134) are stacked in the accumulator (164). Upon reaching a predetermined fill level of facemasks (134) in the accumulator (164), a bottom retainer (166) in the accumulator (164) is opened such that the stacked facemasks (134) drop into a carton (152) placed below the accumulator (164). Upon opening the bottom retainer (166), a mid-level retainer (170) is actuated in the accumulator (164) that captures facemasks (134) that continue to be deposited into the accumulator (164) at an intermediate height above the bottom retainer (166). The bottom retainer (166) is closed after the stacked facemasks (134) drop into the carton (152), and the mid-level retainer (170) is then opened such that the facemasks (134) captured by the mid-level retainer (170) drop onto the bottom retainer (166).
Abstract:
A method and associated system for cutting and placing individual nose wires (102, 26) in a facemask production line (106) include supplying a continuous wire (101) from a supply source (103) to a cutting station (108) where the continuous wire (101) is cut into individual nose wires (102, 26) having a defined length. The nose wires (102) are then conveyed to a treatment station (130) prior to being deposited onto a carrier web (118). At the treatment station (130), a surface treatment is performed on a side of the nose wires (102) that results in an increased surface attachment of the nose wires (102) to the carrier web (118).
Abstract:
A method and system are provided for cutting and placing individual nose wires (102, 26) in a facemask production line (106). A continuous wire (101) is supplied from a source (103) to a cutting station (108) in the production line (106). At the cutting station (108), the wire (101) is engaged with a set of driven feed rollers (110) that advance the wire (101) at a first speed (SI) to a cutting roller (112), wherein the wire (101) is cut into individual nose wires (102, 26). The individual nose wires (102, 26) from the cutting roller (112) are then engaged by a set of delivery rollers (116) to deposit the individual nose wires (102, 26) onto a running carrier web (118). The delivery rollers (116) are independently driven relative to the feed rollers (110) and cutting roller (112) such that the nose wires (102) from the cutting roller (112) are initially accelerated and transported away from the cutting roller (112) at a second speed that is greater than the first speed (SI) and then decelerated and moved onto the carrier web (118) at a third speed that is less than the first speed (SI).
Abstract:
A method and associated system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire (102) to a running nose wire (104) in a facemask production line (106), wherein the running nose wire (104) is supplied continuously from a supply roll (130). Prior to depletion of the running nose wire (104), the supply roll (130) is moved from an operating location to an intermediate location that is further from the production line while continuing to supply the running nose wire (104) from the supply roll (130). The supply roll (130) is then moved from the intermediate location back towards the production line while decelerating the supply roll (130) to a stop, thereby creating an accumulation (152) of the running wire (104) functionally between the supply roll (130) and the production line (106). With the supply roll (130) at a stop, the running nose wire (104) is continuously supplied from the accumulation (152) and a leading end (132) of a reserve roll (128) of nose wire (102) is spliced to the running nose wire (104) at a location upstream of the accumulation (152) where the running nose wire (104) is at a standstill. The running nose wire (104) is then cut at a location upstream of the splice such that the reserve nose wire (102) and reserve roll (128) become a new running nose wire and new supply roll in the production line.