Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGING A STRIP OF MATERIAL FOR USE IN CUTTING INTO SHEET
ELEMENTS ARRANGED END TO END
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Strips of material are used for manufacture of diapers and other
absorbent products. The strips are cut on the manufacturing line at
longitudinally spaced transverse cut lines to divide the strip into individual
sheet
elements each used in the manufacture of a respective absorbent product.
Generally these strips are also die cut to provide different widths for
shaping of
the products to better match the body of the user and for better aesthetics.
Most current processes of this type die cut the elements from a single strip
of
the material having a width at least equal to the maximum required width and
discard the waste at the sides formed by cutting away the side portions to the
narrower scalloped width. Attempts are made to recycle the waste portions,
generally by grinding and returning the materials to the strip manufacturer.
However, recent developments
25
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have increased the complexity of the materials thus increasing the cost and
making recycling more difficult. There is therefore pressure to reduce the
amount
of waste.
It has been previously proposed to slit longitudinally a web of the
required materials into a plurality of side by side strips which have varying
width.
The shaping is arranged so that the strips have the wider portion of one
adjacent
to the narrower portion of the next and vice-versa. This eliminates or at
least
reduces the amount of waste relative to an arrangement in which all sheet
elements are cut individually from a respective strip of constant width.
However the packaging of such continuous strips is problematic as
the strip of elements are of varied width so that the location of the side
edges
varies. One proposal is to form the strip into a single roll or pad which is
wound
spirally. Another proposal is to wind the strip in a traverse package. Neither
package structure is stable since the side edges of one wound layer do not
directly overlie the side edges of the next leaving overhanging portions and
feathered edges.
Previously packages of a continuous strip of material have been
formed using a technique known as "festooning" in which the strip is folded
back
and forth to lay a series of strip portions back and forth with each portion
being
folded relative to the next about a line transverse to the strip. The
technique of
festooning has been available for many years and is used in packaging many
different types of materials but particularly material of a fibrous nature
such as
fabric, non-woven strips and the like. In this technique, the strip is
conventionally
guided into a receptacle such as a cardboard box while a first reciprocating
movement causes portions of the strip to be laid across the receptacle and
folded
back and forth and a second reciprocating movement causes the positions of the
portions to be traversed relative to the receptacle transversely to the
portions.
Normally the receptacle comprises a rigid rectangular container at least
partly of
cardboard having a base and four upstanding sides.
Festooning can be used for packaging the strips of varying width
but this technique has significant disadvantages which inhibit the
effectiveness of
the product when removed and processed. In particular the fold lines which are
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essential to the process will interfere with the absorbency or other
performance of
the material when such fold lines occur at a central area of the sheet
element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an
improved package structure of a strip of material for cutting transversely of
the
sheet into a plurality of separate sheet elements arranged end to end.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method
of forming a package of a strip of sheet material comprising:
providing a strip of material having a first side edge, a second side
edge defining a width therebetween, a first surface and a second surface, the
strip having a width across the strip which varies along the length of the
strip
such that the width of the strip varies from areas of minimum width to areas
of
maximum width;
forming a plurality of stacks of the strip by folding the strip in each
stack repeatedly back and forth to form a plurality of folded strip portions
of the
strip, with each folded strip portion of the strip being folded relative to
one next
adjacent folded strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip
and
relative to a second next adjacent folded strip portion about a second fold
line
transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging the folded strip portions of each stack to form a plurality
of first fold lines arranged at one of two opposed ends of the stack and a
plurality
of second fold lines arranged at the other of the ends of the stack;
arranging the folded strip portions of each stack directly
superimposed each on the previous strip portion with the side edges thereof
directly aligned such that the areas of maximum width of the folded strip
portions
are directly superimposed and areas of minimum width of the folded strip
portions
are directly superimposed and such that the fold lines of each stack at each
end
of the stack are aligned so as to lie in common planes;
and arranging the stacks side by side in a common package
structure:
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with the side edges of the folded strip portions of one stack
immediately adjacent to the side edges of the folded strip portions of a next
adjacent stack;
with alternate stacks having the fold lines thereof offset from
the fold lines of next adjacent stacks in a direction longitudinal to the
strip
portions of the stacks;
and with the stacks being nested such that the areas of
minimum width of each stack lie alongside areas of maximum width of the next
adjacent stack.
Preferably the fold lines of alternate stacks lie in common planes.
Preferably the strip in each stack is continuous from an end
connecting portion at one end of the stack to an end connecting portion at an
opposed end of the stack and including splicing one end connecting portion of
the
strip from each stack to an end connecting portion of the strip of the next
adjacent
stack by a splice connecting portion of the strip so as to form a strip that
is
continuous along its length through the package.
Preferably the stacks are substantially upright with a bottom and a
top, two sides parallel to the edges of the strips of the stacks and two ends
containing the fold lines of the stacks and wherein the end connecting portion
of
the bottom of a stack is connected to the end connecting portion of the top of
a
next adjacent stack to form the splice connecting portion which extends along
one end of the stack.
Preferably the package is compressed downwardly so as to
decrease the height of the stacks from a rest height to a compressed height;
wherein the package is engaged by packaging material which maintains the
compression.
Preferably the compression is sufficient to reduce the thickness of
each strip portion of said stacks.
Preferably the strip is fibrous.
Preferably the package is wrapped by a flexible packaging material
forming a closed bag from which air is withdrawn and which is sealed against
ingress of air.
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Preferably the method includes applying to the strip of each stack a
series of machine readable markings each located at a longitudinal location on
the strip which is arranged to identify a longitudinal location of a
respective one of
the fold lines; including unfolding the strip; scanning the unfolded strip to
locate
5 the machine readable markings; and cutting the unfolded strip by using the
machine readable markings to locate cut lines transverse to the strip at or
adjacent the fold lines.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is
provided a method of forming a package of a strip of sheet material
comprising:
providing a strip of material having a first side edge, a second side
edge defining a width therebetween, a first surface and a second surface, the
strip having a width across the strip which varies along the length of the
strip
such that the width of the strip varies from areas of minimum width to areas
of
maximum width;
forming a plurality of stacks of the strip by folding the strip in each
stack repeatedly back and forth to form a plurality of folded strip portions
of the
strip, with each folded strip portion of the strip being folded relative to
one next
adjacent folded strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip
and
relative to a second next adjacent folded strip portion about a second fold
line
transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging the folded strip portions of each stack to form a plurality
of first fold lines arranged at one of two opposed ends of the stack and a
plurality
of second fold lines arranged at the other of the ends of the stack;
arranging the folded strip portions of each stack directly
superimposed each on the previous strip portion with the side edges thereof
directly aligned such that the areas of maximum width of the folded strip
portions
are directly superimposed and areas of minimum width of the folded strip
portions
are directly superimposed and such that the fold lines of each stack at each
end
of the stack are aligned so as to lie in common planes;
and arranging the stacks in a common package structure:
with the stacks side by side such that the ends of the stacks
lie at respective ends of the package;
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with the side edges of the folded strip portions of one stack
immediately adjacent to the side edges of the folded strip portions of a next
adjacent stack;
with the fold lines at one end of the stacks of all the stacks
being aligned so as to lie in a first common plane at one end of the package
and
the fold lines at the other end of the stacks of all the stacks being aligned
so as to
lie in a second common plane at the other end of the package;
and with the stacks being nested such that the areas of
minimum width of each stack lie alongside areas of maximum width of the next
adjacent stack.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of a package of a continuous
strip according to the present invention, the package including a plurality of
layers
of the strip and being shown with the flexible packaging material omitted for
convenience of illustration.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the package of Figure 1, with the
flexible packaging material included.
Figure 3 is an end elevational view of an apparatus and method for
forming the package of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 5.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the platform of the apparatus of figure
4 showing the strips in spread arrangement for folding side by side.
Figure 6 is a top plan view of an alternative package structure
similar to that of figures 1 and 2.
Figure 7 is an isometric view of a package of the type according to
figures 1 and 2 showing the spliced connections of each strip to the next but
for
convenience of illustration the strips are shown of constant width.
Figure 8 is a schematic side elevational view of a manufacturing
line for cutting the strip into sheets.
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Figure 9 is a top plan view of the line of figure 8.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the package comprises a generally
rectangular body 10 formed from a strip 11 of a material to be packaged and
generally this material will be of a fibrous nature formed by woven or non-
woven
material although this is not essential to the package structure. Many
materials
of various thicknesses can be packaged using the festooning technique provided
they can accept the creasing necessary at the end of each portion.
The package body is formed of a plurality of side by side stacks of
the strip where each stack comprises a plurality of folded strip portions of
the strip
which are laid on top of one another. Thus as shown in Figure 1 the portions
are
folded back and forth at respective end fold lines 25 and 26 so that the fold
lines
lie in a common vertical plane defining the ends 15 and 16 of the stack. Each
portion of the strip lies directly on top of the previous portion so that side
edges
27 and 28 of the portions of the strip define a first set of lines in the
common
plane at right angles to the strip portions which contain all the side edges
27 of
the stack and similarly, the side edges 28 of the strips of the stacks define
a
second set of lines in the common plane at right angles to the strip portions
which
contain all the side edges 28 of the stack.
Thus the package is formed by stacking the portions each on top of
the next from a bottom portion 29 up to a top portion 30 to form the stack.
The
package is thus formed from the plurality of stacks 12 each of which has a
length
equal to that of the other stacks and therefore equal to that of the package
and
the stacks are formed up to a common height which is therefore equal to the
height of the package. The package 10 is formed from a plurality of individual
stacks 12 arranged side by side. In figure 1 there are shown only three such
stacks for convenience of illustration whereas in figure 2 there are shown six
such stacks arranged side by side forming a complete package structure. Each
stack is formed from a folded strip which is continuous through the stack.
Each
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stack has a top end 13, a bottom end 14, two ends 15 and 16 which are opposed
and two sides 17 and 18 which are opposed.
It will of course be appreciated that the dimensions of the package
can be varied in according to the requirements so that the number of stacks
can
be increased or decreased, the length and height of each stack can be varied
to
increase the number of folded strip portions and to increase the length of the
folded strip portions.
As best shown in figure 2 in the plan view of the strips, the strips of
each stack are folded back and forth from the fold lines 25 to the fold lines
26 to
form a folded strip portion having a length equal to the distance between the
fold
lines.
As described hereinafter, the strips are cut so that they have a
varying width between the side edges 27 and 28 of the strip. In the example
shown the strips are of a simple form in which the width varies periodically
between narrow sections 32 and wider sections 33. More complex width
variations can be employed in other example.
In the example shown, the strip is intended for manufacturing
diapers or similar products which are formed each from a respective sheet
element cut from the length of the strip. Each sheet element in the example
shown has an intended cut line 34 at the wider section 33 and a second
intended
cut line 35 also at the wider section 33 so that the narrower section 32 is
located
between the intended cut lines.
It will be appreciated that in the package structure as shown, no
cutting of the strips in the transverse direction has yet occurred and the cut
lines
34 and 35 are in effect imaginary lines. Their position can however be
determined by the design of the sheet elements and the position along the
length
of the strip which forms the beginning and end of the sheet elements. The
sheet
elements are in effect thus arranged end to end so that each is separated from
the next simply by cutting along the intended cut line.
The strip has a varying characteristic along its length which
determines the position of the sheet elements on the strip and therefore
determines the positions of the intended cut lines. In the example shown the
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varying characteristic in the varying width. Other characteristics such as
additional materials or varying thickness can be used.
It will be noted therefore from figure 2 that each folded strip portion
of each of the package bodies is defined by an exact whole number of sheet
elements. In the example shown the number of sheet elements is three but this
can of course be varied from a minimum of one up to a maximum which depends
solely upon to maximum allowable size of the transportable package structure.
In
most cases it is preferred that the folded strip portiori will contain more
than one
sheet element since the sheet elements are often of the order of six inches to
two
.10 feet in length and the required package structure will be generally
significantly
larger than this and certainly of the order of four feet in length.
In the example shown, the design of the wider and narrower
portions of the strip is arranged such that no waste is formed when the
slitting
action occurs and the wider portions match exactly with the narrower portions
of
the next strips. However it is possible in some examples that there will not
be an
exact match between the wider portions of one strip and the narrower portions
of
the next adjacent strip so that so that some waste pieces will be formed by
cutting out of the structure and discarding of those waste pieces.
Thus as shown in figure 2, the strip portions will nest each exactly
along side the next with the narrower portions of one receiving the wider
portions
of the next. In a situation where the wider portions do not exactly match the
narrower portions, they will still be some nesting effect even though there
may be
spaces left between the folded strip portions.
The fact that each folded strip portion contains an exact whole
number of sheet elements ensures that the cut lines occur directly at the fold
lines. Thus there are no fold lines across the strip in any part of the sheet
elements after the sheet elements are cut along the cut lines. This is
desirable in
that the absence of fold lines in the material of the sheet elements will
avoid
compromising the performance or absorbency of the sheet element in the main
body of the sheet element.
Furthermore, the fact that the folded strip portion contains a whole
number of the sheet elements and the sheet elements are identical ensures that
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the side edges of the each folded strip portion lie directly on top of the
side edges
of the previously laid folded strip portions. There are no overhanging or
feathered edge portions therefore and all parts of the strip are fully
contained
within the stack. The stack is therefore in effect a solid structure having a
5 constant density across its width. When compressed therefore the stack can
form a very rigid structure with no possibility of damaging the side edges of
the
strip or of interleaving any material between the side edges of the strip.
In the examples shown in figure 2, in order to provide the nesting
effect, because all of the package bodies are in effect identical with the
fold lines
10 arranged across the wider part of the strip, it is necessary to off set
each stack
relative to the next in a direction longitudinal of the strip. Thus each stack
is off
set by one half of the length of the sheet element. Thus for example the fold
line
25A of the sheet element 12A is off set from the fold line 25 and the sheet
element 12 by a distance equal to one half of the length of the sheet element
from the fold line 25A to the cut line 34. However the nesting effect of the
stack
provides an integral package structure when these are brought together and
wrapped by the packaging material as described hereinafter.
As shown in figure 6, an alternative arrangement can be provided in
which the position of the fold lines relative to the sheet elements is of less
importance and it is possible to accept a fold line 35A at a position along
the
length of the sheet element different from the intended cut line 35. Thus
there is
no necessity to offset the stacks longitudinally since the fold lines 35A at
alternate
ones of the stacks are arranged at the narrower parts 32 of the strip. Thus
the
fold lines are aligned but the sheet elements are longitudinally offset. In
such a
manner, the package structure can be directly rectangular apart from the
outside
edges which are shaped to follow the side edges of the outermost package
bodies.
The package is wrapped by a flexible packaging material preferably
of heat sealable non-permeable plastics which encompasses the whole of the
package as indicated at 40 (not shown in figure 1). The packaging material
forms
a sealed package which allows air to be extracted from the package and this
vacuum action can be used with physical compression D from the top and bottom
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13 and 14 of the package so as to compress the package to a reduced height in
a vacuum packaging system. The amount of compression can be determined so
as to minimize the volume of the package without interfering with the required
loft
of the product when withdrawn from the package. In this way the package
structure avoids the necessity for rigid sides of a box or similar container
so the
package structure is stable due to the compression of the layers to reduce the
height of the layers and due to the pressure of each layer against the sides
of the
next adjacent layers.
Compression of the package is only possible in the direction D
which is at right angles to the surfaces of the portions of the strip. This
acts to
compress the height of the stacks so that the thickness of each strip portion
in the
direction D is reduced by that compression. Compression along the portions or
at right angles to the stacks is not possible since this will act to distort
the strip.
Mechanical compression therefore of the package in the direction D thus
reduces
the dimension of the package in that direction allowing the air to be
withdrawn
from the flexible packaging material 40 causing the packaging material to be
pulled down onto the package to maintain it in its compressed condition and to
apply pressures tending to hold the stacks in intimate contact. Further detail
of
the packaging and compression arrangement are shown in the above
applications.
The strip of each layer is connected to the next by a traverse or
spliced portion of the strip which extends from one stack to the next so as to
form
a continuous strip through the full length of the package. The technique for
connecting the strip of each stack to the next layer is shown and described in
more detail in the above applications and is shown in figure 7. In figures 1
to 6,
the spliced portion is simply omitted for convenience of illustration. Thus in
figure
7 four stacks 222, 201, 202 and 203 are shown. The strip of each stack is
continuous from a top strip portion 205 to a bottom strip portion 206. The
connection is effected by a tail portion 208 which extends from the bottom
portion
206 beyond one end of the stack. The portion 208 extends along the end of the
stack at 216 and includes a twist 215 with fold lines 213 and 214 to form a
portion
217 extending along the end of the next adjacent stack. The portion 217 is
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connected by a splice 211 to the top portion 205 of the next adjacent stack.
Other splicing arrangements are possible as described in more detail in the
above copending applications.
Turning now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, a technique for forming the
package structure is shown in more detail. A web 50 is supplied on a master
roll
51 and is unwound from the master roll by a feeding and guide system 52
including two nip roller pairs 53 and 54. A slitting system 55 is mounted
transversely to the web for dividing the web into a plurality of parallel side
by side
strips. This can be provided a by a slitter bar which carries a plurality of
slitter
knives at transversely spaced positions so as to slit the web into a plurality
of
strips 57 which are carried forwardly by the guide system 52 so that they are
maintained in the common plane of the web and are maintained edge to edge.
However, preferably the slitting system comprises a die cutting roller 56
which
rolls on a platen 56A so as to cut the strips into the wider and narrower
portions
described hereinbefore.
In order to form the package structure shown in figures 1 and 2
where the fold lines are arranged at the wider parts of the strip, it is
necessary to
spread the strips apart to take up the position shown in figure 5 and also to
longitudinally off set the strips so that the wider portions 33 are aligned
across the
web and the narrower portions 32 are also aligned across the web. This
movement is effected in a zone generally indicated at 90 which occurs between
the rollers 54 and a guide roller 58. In this zone 90, the strips 57 are split
apart
by a suitable guide system well known to one skill in the art and alternate
ones of
the strips are passed over a diverting roller 91 which increases the path
length by
a distance equal to one half of the length of a sheet element so as the strips
pass
through the guide rollers 58 they are aligned into the position shown in
figure 5.
The strips 57 are fed over a guide roller 58 into a folding system
generally indicated at 59 located underneath the feed roller 58. The folding
system 59 comprises a support table 60 having a width sufficient to receive
the
full width of the web 50 when stretched out as shown in figure 5, that is the
strips
in side by side arrangement. The support table 60 has a length sufficient to
receive the portions of the folded strips in the structure as previously
described.
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The table 60 is mounted upon a jacking system 61 which is shown only
schematically and acts to raise and lower the table so that the table is
gradually
lowered as the strips are folded onto the table.
The folding system further includes a pair of folding bars 62 and 63
which act to fold the strips back and forth across the table 60. The folding
bar 62
is mounted on an actuating cylinder 64 and similarly the folding bar 63 is
mounted on an actuating cylinder 65. In Figure 3, the folding bar 63 is shown
in
the retracted position and the folding bar 62 is shown in the extended
position.
The folding bars move alternately between these positions so that the folding
bar
62 is firstly retracted and then the folding bar 63 is extended so as to move
the
strips across the table to form the overlying portions of the strip previously
described. The folding bars 62 and 63 extend across the full width of the web
so
as to engage all of the strips simultaneously and to move those strips
simultaneously into the folded positions. The strips thus remain in the above
described position as they are being folded. The folding bars 62 and 63 may be
in the form of rollers to allow the material to pass over the bar without
friction
while the material is being pushed by the bar to the required position on the
table.
The mounting system for supporting the cylinders is not shown for convenience
of illustration and this will of course be well apparent to one skilled in the
art.
The folding system further includes a pair of creasing jaws 66 and
67 each arranged at the end of the stroke of a respective one of the folding
bars.
The creasing jaws also extend across the full width of the web and comprise a
pair of jaw elements 68 and 69 which can be moved from an open position as
indicated on the left and a closed creasing position as indicated on the
right. The
jaws are moved between these positions by an actuating cylinder 70 timed in
relation to the operation of the cylinder 64 and 65. In addition to the
opening and
closing movement, the creasing jaws also move inwardly and outwardly in a
horizontal direction relative to the table so as to release each fold or
crease line
after it is formed to allow that layer and the fold at the end of the layer to
be
dropped onto the previous layers and to move downwardly with the table 60.
Thus as illustrated, the creasing jaw 66 at the completion of the crease moves
outwardly away from the crease or fold line and at the same time opens
slightly to
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release the fold between the two portions to drop downwardly onto the
underlying
portions. The jaws then open and move back inwardly ready to receive the
portion of the strips wrapped around the folding bar and to grasp those as
they
are released from the folding bar as shown at the creasing jaw 67 in Figure 5.
This compound motion can be effected by suitable mechanical linkage operated
by the actuating cylinder 70, this arrangement again being well apparent to
one
skilled in this art.
The strips are therefore simultaneously laid down in portions folded
back and forth on top of one another to simultaneously form a plurality of the
stacks of the package structure. Each stack is thus formed by a single
respective
one of the strips. The strip is continuous throughout the stack. In order to
provide a continuous strip, one or more master rolls may be spliced into the
supply with the splice being formed across the width of the web so that each
slit
strip also acts to slit through the splice.
The back and forth folding of the strips into the stacks is continued
until sufficient of the portions are applied to the stack to complete the
stack in
accordance with the required dimensions of the stack.
A modified method for manufacturing the package of the structure
as shown in Figures 1 and 2 uses basically the steps shown in Figures 3, 4 and
5
but instead of using the slitter system 55 uses the cutting method shown in
and
described in the above applications in which a folded web is cut using a band
knife across the folded structure. Such an arrangement will form a package
structure in which the individual package bodies are fully nested with the
fold
lines aligned so that is not possible to manufacture such a structure in which
the
fold lines are all located at the intended cut lines of the sheet elements.
In a yet further modified method for manufacturing the package,
each individual strip separated from the slitting system 55 can be transported
to
an individual folding head where the strip is folded back and forth as
previously
describe to form individual package bodies. When the individual package bodies
are so formed, they can be collated and nested on a suitable collation
platform for
subsequent compression and wrapping as previously described.
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A marker 56B is located adjacent the packaging system 59 for
applying a machine readable marking 56C on the strip in registration with the
intended cutting lines for dividing each sheet element from the next the
markings
shown as a chain dot line in figures 2 and 6 can comprise an ink jet marking,
5 possibly in the form of a dot or square, visible both to the eye and to the
machine
or in some cases just to the machine. The marking may or may not be located
directly at the cut line depending upon the location of the machine reader
relative
to the cutting blade and in the example shown, the marking is located in
advance
of the intended cut line. The marking may extend only across a short part of
the
10 width of the strip. It will be appreciated that as the markings are
registered with
respective ones of the cut lines, each marking is offset from its associated
cut line
by the same distance. In an arrangement in which only the fold lines are
marked
by the ink jet marking, there will be only one marking on each strip portion.
In an
arrangement in which the number of sheet elements on each strip portion is a
15 whole number greater than one, each intended cut line can be marked and
therefore there will be a plurality of markings on each strip portion.
Turning now to figures 8 and 9, there is shown schematically the
unfolding and cutting line for using the strip and separating the strip into
the
separate sheet elements. Thus the package is indicated at 10 and the strip is
withdrawn from the package over a guide member 80 for directing into an
operating line 81. A cutting device 82 is operated by a control unit 83 which
receives registration information from the markings 56C as read by a reader
84.
Thus the markings are located at a position to operate the control device to
effect
cutting at the intended cut line.
As explained previously, some of the cut lines are located at the
fold lines. Depending upon tolerances, the cut may not be effected directly at
the
fold line but may deviate slightly therefrom. As the sheet elements are often
intended to be stitched or otherwise formed into a final product, with edges
of the
sheet element thus being formed into edges of the final product, the cut line
can
deviate from the fold line by a small amount provided the fold line does not
end
up in a central absorbent area 85 of the final product, indicated by dash
lines 86,
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87. That is the fold lines are arranged sufficiently close to an end of the
sheet
elements to avoid compromising the performance of the sheet elements.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein
above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same
made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such
spirit
and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying
specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting
sense.
