Abstract:
A method and apparatus for cutting a web into a specified length in which an upper cutting edge and a lower cutting edge are provided respectively above and below the web run at a constant speed. The web is cut into the specified length by moving said upper cutting edge vertically while said upper and lower cutting edges are swung in the web movement direction. The swinging and vertical movements of said cutting edges are accomplished by rotation of an eccentric crank shaft driven by a DC motor. A rotation angle of the eccentric crank shaft and a movement length of said web are outputs provided in the form of pulses, respectively, in order to coincide a movement speed of the web with a swinging speed of the cutting edges in cutting said web.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a method of cutting webs into a specified length and a device for practicing the method, in which a web is run continuously and cut into a specified length at high speed and with high accuracy. 
     The term &#34;web&#34; as used herein is intended to mean relatively long, flexible, belt-shaped articles such as plastic films made of polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile styrene copolymer, ABS resin, polyester, polyester resin containing glass fibers, cellulose derivative or the like, or sheets such as paper and synthetic paper, or metal foils of aluminum, copper or the like. 
     Such a web is generally wound on a roll during its manufacturing process. The web thus wound is subsequently unwound to be cut into a desired length depending on its object of use in the following processing. In this case the method and apparatus for cutting the web into a desired length is especially important. Accordingly, the following two techniques have been extensively employed: In the first method, the web feeding roll and the cutting edges are driven by a single electric motor, and the cutting dimension is set by changing the speed change gear ratio of the reduction gear, for cutting the web into a desired length. In the second method, a clutch is employed instead of the reduction gear, and the cutting edges are driven through the clutch operated by a signal representative of a web running length, to thereby cut the web. 
     In these mechanical control type web cutting methods in which the cutting timing of the cutting edges is set up by a power transmission unit such as a reduction gear or a clutch, fluctuations or variations between the web running speed and the cutting speed of the cutting edges may be repeatedly induced by mechanical errors or inherent properties involved in the driving system. These include clutch slipping and gear backlash. Accordingly, it is impossible to cut a web into a desired length with repeated high accuracy. 
     In order to overcome these difficulties, a so-called motor control type web cutting method has been provided in which, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No&#39;s 890/1974 and 142785/1976, an electric motor for driving the cutting edges is provided in addition to an electric motor for the web feeding roll. The first motor is driven by a web running length signal so that the cutting speed and cutting position of the cutting edges are controlled by the operation of that motor. In this method, the above-described mechanical errors can be generally eliminated which therefore contributes to improvement of the cutting accuracy. Also the cutting length can be set electrically. Thus, this method is one which offers improved performance when compared with the conventional prior art methods described before. However, this method is still disadvantageous in that it is difficult to completely synchronize the cutting speed with the web feeding speed. Therefore, the method is not applicable to this case where it is required to cut a web more precisely with an allowable tolerance±500μ or less. 
     The reason for this is as follows: The first Japanese Patent Application discloses a cutting edge rotation type web cutting method in which a pair of rotary cutting edges confront each other through a web, while the second Japanese Patent Application discloses a cutting edge swinging type web cutting method in which two cutting edges confronting through a web are moved vertically and are moved in the web running direction. Hence on this point, the two Japanese Patent Applications are different from each other. However, in each of them, the speed of the cutting edges in the web running direction is given by circular motion, and therefore, as will become clear from an explanation described later with reference to FIG. 2, the speed of the cutting edges in that direction is greatly varied. Accordingly it is difficult to cut the web with a high degree of accuracy. If this variation of the speed is decreased, the vertical movement of the cutting edges is accordingly also decreased. With this technique, accordingly, it is impossible to provide sufficient shearing angle and engagement depth for the cutting edge, and it is therefore difficult to cut the web sharply. This leads to an irregular configuration in the web cut surface. This drawback may be eliminated by increasing the rotation radius of the cutting edges carrying out the circular motion. With this modification, the web may be cut into longer pieces; however, it is impossible to cut the web into shorter pieces shorter than 500 mm. 
     Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 160892/1975 describes a web cutting method in which the speed of cutting edges coincides with a web feeding speed. More specifically, in this method, the rotational speed of a pair of spiral rotary cutting edges confronting each other through a web is allowed to synchronize with the web feeding speed. Web cutting is carried out with a constant maintained speed of the cutting edges in the web feeding direction. 
     It is, however, difficult to manufacture such spiral cutting edges. Also, it is hard to adjust the edges of the cutting edges, and therefore difficult to cut the web sharply. Furthermore, even if the web can be sharply cut, cutting the web into shorter pieces cannot be easily accomplished. Hence, this technique also has serious disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for cutting a web into a specified length, in which all of the drawbacks accompanying the conventional methods described above have been eliminated. 
     It is another object of this invention to define a system where a web can be cut into a desired length at high speed and with high accuracy and can be cut into shorter pieces. 
     These objects of the invention can be achieved by providing a method in which an upper cutting edge and a lower cutting edge are provided, respectively, above and below the web run at a constant speed. The web is cut into a specified length by moving the upper cutting edge vertically while the upper and lower cutting edges are swung in the web movement direction. According to this invention, the swinging and vertical movements of the cutting edges are effectuated by rotation of an eccentric crank shaft driven by a DC motor and the rotation angle of the eccentric crank shaft and the movement length of the web are used to generate an output in the form of pulses, respectively. The output pulses are employed to coincide the movement speed of the web with the swinging speed of the cutting the web. 
     The pulses whose number corresponds to the movement length of the web are thinned out under given conditions at least for a period of time which elapses from the time instant that the cutting edges start cutting the web until the cutting edges complete the cutting. Hence, the number of pulses representative of apparent variation of the movement speed of the web is subtracted in a control register. The number of pulses corresponding to the movement length of the cutting edges is added in the control register. The number of pulses corresponding to one revolution of the eccentric crank shaft is subtracted from the number of pulses corresponding to the specified cutting length whenever the cutting edges pass through a cutting completion angle. The number of pulses obtained from the addition of the number of pulses thinned out in the process of cutting is added or subtracted in the control register and converted into a DC voltage which is added to a DC voltage proportional to the movement speed of the web. This resultant signal is to be used as a speed instruction as to one revolution of the eccentric crank shaft. When the resulting sum is of a polarity allowing the cutting edges to be rotated forwardly, the sum is applied as a speed instruction to a DC motor driving the cutting edges. 
     The system for carrying out this method uses an eccentric crank shaft driven by a DC motor and is adapted to swing upper and lower cutting edges mounted relative to the moving web. The upper cutting edge is moved vertically. A first pulse generator detects movement of the web and generates a series of output pulses. A second pulse generator is used to detect rotation angle of the eccentric crank shaft and generate a series of output pulses. A detector establishes a reference position of the cutting edges. The circuit employs a thinning circuit to sample and hold pulses generated by the first pulse generator to coincide the swinging speed of the cutting edge with the speed of movement of the web for at least the time interval of the cutting operation. A reference pulse setting unit substracts the number of pulses corresponding to one revolution of the crank from the number of pulses corresponding to a cutting length of the web and adds the number of pulses derived from the thinning circuit. A control register is employed in with the thinning circuit output is subtracted and the output of the second pulse generator is added. A D/A converter converts the output of the control register into an analog voltage and the output is fed to a function generator that increases the amplification factor. A frequency to voltage converter converts the output of the thinning circuit to an analog voltage. This output is fed to an adder where it is combined with the output of the function generator to provide a speed instruction signal to the DC motor. 
     In this connection, the same effect may be obtained by carrying out all of the addition and subtraction operations in the control register simultaneously in the opposite way. 
     This invention will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view outlining one example of a web cutting device according to this invention; 
     FIG. 2(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a driving mechanism of the device shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a driving mechanism of a conventional web cutting device; 
     FIG. 2(c) is a graph representing indicating speed characteristics of the driving mechanisms of FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b); 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a web specified-length cutting control citcuit in the cutting device shown in FIG. 1; and 
     FIGS. 4(a), 4(b), 4(c) and 4(d) are cutting time charts indicating the operation of the cutting device in FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     One example of a web cutting device according to this invention is shown in FIG. 1. It comprises a web W to be cut which is continuously fed at a constant speed by a web feeding roll (not shown). An upper cutting edge 2 is mounted on guides 5a and a lower cutting edge 3 engages the upper cutting edge 3. A swinging frame 4 is coupled to the guide 5a and a guide 5b is employed for guiding the swinging frame 4 horizontally. 
     A reduction gear 6 is connected to a DC motor 7 that turn drives an analog generator 8. A pulse generator 9 is used to supply a train of pulses in response to analog outputs from generator 8. A cutting start position detector 10 and a cutting edge disengagement position detector 11 are positioned for detecting the position represented on cam element 13 where the upper cutting edge 2 is disengaged from the web W after cutting it. A pulse generator 12 detects the longitudinal movement of the web W. A first connecting rod 1a connects an eccentric crank shaft 1 and the upper cutting edge 2 and a second connecting rod 1b connects the eccentric crank shaft 1 and the swinging frame 4. 
     The upper cutting edge 2 is coupled through guide means 5a to the swinging frame 4, while the lower cutting edge 3 is connected directly in a fixed manner to the swinging frame 4. Therefore, as the eccentric crank shaft 1 rotates, the upper cutting edge 2 is moved in a horizontal direction while moving along the guide means 5a vertically, while the lower cutting edge 3 is moving the guide 5b. The upper cutting edge 2 has, in general, a shearing angle of 0.5-3 degrees. When the upper cutting edge 2 engages the lower cutting edge at a given certain depth, the web W is cut. The engagement depth and the web cutting position can be theoretically determined from upper cutting edge driving data such as the amount of displacement of the upper cutting edge, that is, the rotational angle of the crank shaft 1, the amount of eccentricity of the crank shaft 1 and the length of the connecting rod 1a. These parameters are determined to suitable values through routine experiments. 
     The speed of the upper and lower cutting edges 2 and 3 in the web movement direction coincides with the movement speed of the swinging frame 4, and is determined depending on the rotational angular speed of the eccentric crank shaft 1 together with driving data such as the amount of eccentricity of the eccentric crank shaft 1 and the length of the connecting rod 1b. Connected to the shaft of the DC motor 7 are the analog generator 8 and the pulse generator 9 for detecting the cutting edge rotational angle. The cutting start position detector 10 and the cutting edge disengagement position detector 11 made up of first and second proximity sensors, respectively, are provided on one end portion of the eccentric crank shaft 1 and sense positions using standard encoder techniques with the cam 13. Cam 13 can also be an encode disk symmetrically mounted on shaft 1. 
     The upper and lower cutting edges 2 and 3 are moved by rotation of the eccentric crank shaft 1 in the cutting device according to this invention to allow the cutting edge speed in the web movement direction to approach the movement speed of the web W to the extent possible. This specific feature of the cutting device defined herein finds no parallel in conventional cutting devices. 
     This mode of operation can be readily understood from an analysis of the horizontal movement of the swinging frame 4 referring to FIG. 2(a). That figure shows the driving mechanism of the cutting device according to the invention. In FIG. 2(a), it is assumed that various reference characters are intended to represent the following parameters: 
     E: the vertical distance between the frame 4 and crank shaft 1; 
     R: the amount of eccentricity of the crank shaft 1 (or the rotating radius of the driving shaft); 
     K: the length of the connecting rod 1b; 
     θ: the rotation angle with respect to the top dead center of the crank shaft 1; 
     Then, the horizontal displacement (x) of the frame 4 can be expressed by the following Equation (1): 
     
         x=R{sin θ+(1/ρ)√1-(ε-ρ cos θ).sup.2 }(1) 
    
     where, ρ=R/K, and ε=E/K. 
     Therefore, the horizontal movement speed (v 2 ) of the frame 4 can be expressed by the following Equation (2): ##EQU1## where ω is the angular acceleration. 
     This speed v 2  will be compared with that of the driving mechanism of the conventional device in which a circular mode of motion is carried out. In this case, as is clear from FIG. 2(b), that the horizontal movement speed v 1  of the cutting edge is: 
     
         v.sub.1 =-Rω cos θ                             (3) 
    
     If design numerical values selected experimentally for parameters such as the cutting edge configuration, dimension and engagement depth are substituted into Equations (2) and (3), these speeds are indicated in FIG. 2(c). As is apparent from the graphical representation in FIG. 2(c), speed v 2  varies less than speed v 1  in the region of the highest speed. Hence, its equal speed range is longer around the highest speed. Accordingly, if the web movement speed is represented by v, the speed v 2  can approach the web movement speed v over a longer range. The timing of cutting the web by the upper cutting edge 2 moved downwardly can, of course, set as desired irrespective of the aforementioned rotation angle θ. 
     In the cutting device according to this invention, for the cutting range obtained until the upper cutting edge 2 completes its cutting operation after it starts, the rotation angle θ is approximately 150-170 degrees. Accordingly, the speed difference between the frame&#39;s horizontal movement speed and the web movement speed v in the cutting range can be reduced to a smaller value than the corresponding range conventional cutting device which is similarly set up. In this connection, it should be noted that it is impossible to set the cutting range to the region of θ=180°, as was described herein. 
     The control system of the cutting device according to this invention will be now described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control circuit which is employed in the cutting device to cut a web into a specified length. 
     As will become more apparent from the following description, an important feature of this control circuit resides in the compensation of the speed difference v 2  -v in the cutting range described with reference to FIG. 2(c). This is accomplished by utilizing a thinning-out circuit. 
     The control circuit, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises: a reference pulse setting unit 21, scale-factor elements 22 and 25 and a thinning-out circuit 23 receiving the output of scale-factor element 22. A cutting control register 26 delivers an output to a digital-to-analog converter (hereinafter referred to as D/A converter) 27. A frequency-to-voltage converter (hereinafter referred to as an F/V converter) 24 receives thinning circuit output and delivers it to a summing junction. Function generators 28 and 32 received the analog output from D/A converters 27 and 31. An adder 29 is coupled to summing junction 37. A stop control register 30 receives scale 25 outputs and is coupled to D/A converter 31. Analog voltage section circuits 33 and 34 are coupled as shown in FIG. 3 with analog section 33 coupled to summing junction 38. A speed control unit 35 delivers an output to motor 7. 
     The speed control unit 35 is made up of a thyristor bridge allowing current to flow in the armature in forward and reverse directions, a speed error amplifier, and a high speed responsive thyristor gate phase shifter. 
     A cutting length Lo is applied to the reference pulse setting unit 21 by means of a digital switch or the like, and is compared with a predetermined value Bo&#39; in the unit 21. The value Bo&#39; is obtained by adding the number of correcting pulses Bc at the time of cutting (described later) to the number of pulses Bo corresponding to one revolution 360° of the cutting edge. When cutting length value Lo is greater than the value Bo&#39;, the number of pulses corresponding a value obtained by subtracting Lo from Bo&#39; is added to a value in the cutting control register 26. 
     In the opposite case, the number of pulse corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting Lo from Bo&#39; is subtracted from a value in the cutting control register 26. The addition or subtraction is carried out at the time of passing through the cutting edge disengagement position. The reference pulses setting unit 21 comprises an oscillator, a gate counter, and a coincidence circuit all of which are standard, well known components. 
     The number of pulses produced by the pulse generator adapted to detect the web movement length is multiplied by the factor in scale unit 22 and the resulting pulses are applied to the thinning-out circuit 23. The thinning-out circuit 23 is made up of a permanent memory such as a wire memory, and a driver circuit coupled to the memory. The driver circuit becomes operative for the period of time from the occurrence of a signal from the proximity sensor 10 to the occurrence of a signal from the proximity sensor 11, and bypasses pulses generated from the other period of time. More specifically, the thinning-out circuit is so designed that upon application of the output signal of the proximation sensor 10, it counts and stores the pulses from the scale-factor element 22, to thin out or block a predetermined number of pulses. This output of the thinning-out circuit is applied to the control register 26 and the F/V converter 24. The total number of pulses thus thinned out is the value Bc mentioned above. 
     Before the proximity sensor 10 is operated, the output of the scale-factor element 22 coincides with the output of the thinning-out circuit 23. For instance, if it is assumed that the output of the scale-factor element 22 is 10 pulses when the web W is moved 1 m/m. the thinning-out circuit 23 is so set up that it outputs 10 pulses also when the frame 4 is moved 1 m/m. The rotation angle of the eccentric crank shaft 1 is indicated by the number of pulses from the pulse generator 9. The number of pulses is multiplied by the factor in the scale-factor element 25, and the resultant number of pulse is subjected to addition in the control registor 26 when the crank shaft is rotated forwardly, and to subtraction when rotated reversely. Thus, the number of pulses R stored in the control register 26 can be represented by the following Equation: 
     
         R=Lo-Bo-A+B 
    
     where A is the value obtaining by integrating the output of the thinning-out circuit 23, and B is the value obtaining by integrating the output of the scale-factor element 25. 
     The D/A converter 27 operates to convert the output of the control register 26 into an analog value Vc. If the value R is negative, then the value Vc is negative and if the value R is positive then the value Vc is positive. The value Vc is made non-linear by the function generator 28. When the value Vc is small, the amplification factor is increased and a value V c  &#39; is outputted with the same polarity, the value V c  &#39; being applied to the adder 29. 
     The F/V converter 24 operates to convert the output of the thinning-out circuit 23 into an analog voltage V A  which is employed as a web speed signal when the web is not cut. The voltage V A  is employed as an analog signal to coincide the web speed with the operation of the swinging frame 4 when the web is being cut. The polarity of the analog voltage V A  is negative. The values V A  and V c  &#39; are subjected to addition and polarity conversion in the adder 29, the output Vo of which is applied to the analog voltage section circuit 33 where it is compared with the output V B  of the analog voltage selection circuit 34. This is a comparator section in which the larger value Vo or V B  is the output and is applied as a speed signal V R  to the speed control unit 35. 
     Pulses from the scale-factor element 25 are applied to the stop control register 30. The pulses are added when the cutting edge is in the forward direction, and are subtracted when the cutting edge is in the reverse direction. The stop control register 30 has a presetting function. A value Co corresponding to the number of pulses representative of the rotational angle from the proximity sensor 11 is set in the stop control register 30 with the aid of the signal of the proximity switch 11. After the cutting edge passes through the proximity sensor 11, the contests R&#39; of the stop control register 30 becomes R&#39;=Co-B. The value R&#39; is decreased as the cutting edge is rotated, and finally it becomes zero (0). The value R&#39; is converted into a positive analog voltage and a negative analog voltage by the D/A converter 31 according to its positive and negative polarities, respectively. The output of the D/A converter 31 is changed to a non-linear output by the function generator 32. The output of the generator 32 is compared with a value -V A  in the analog voltage comparison circuit 34, where only the lower voltage is selected and applied as the signal V B  to the analog voltage selection circuit 33. 
     The operation of the cutting system using the circuitry will be described. 
     (1) When the cutting length Lo is equal to the predetermined value Bo&#39;: 
     In this case, the length setting pulse from the reference pulse setting unit 21 is not applied to the control register 26, through junction 36. Only the web movement length pulse and the cutting edge movement pulse are available. Furthermore, adjustment has been made so that the signal Vc is zero. Therefore, the cutting edge is rotated only by the signal V A  and the difference between the web movement length and the cutting edge movement length is stored in the control register 26 and is superimposed as a correcting value for signal V A . Since Vc is substantially equal at each cutting time, the web is cut with the value Bo&#39;. A cutting time chart for this mode is indicated in FIG. 4(a). 
     (2) When the cutting length Lo is longer than the value Bo&#39;: 
     With the aid of the cutting completion signal, the number of pulses representative of Lo-Bo&#39; is applied to the control register 26 by the reference pulse setting unit 21 and are addition therein. The contents of the control register changes as R=Lo-Bo&#39;-A+B in a short time, and the value Vc becomes positive while the value Vo becomes negative. On the other hand, the contents of the stop control register 30 become positive with R&#39;=C&#39;-B , and the analog voltage selection circuit 33 selects the value V B . Therefore, servo control is effectuated until the value V B  becomes zero, and finally the rotation is stopped. As the web runs the value A is increased, the value R is decreased, and the value Vo becomes positive. 
     The analog voltage selection circuit 33 selects the signal Vo, since it is the highest level signal and the DC motor 7 starts to accelerate. Even during the acceleration, increment of the value A is smaller than that of the value B. Therefore, the value R is decreased, becoming a signal to rotate the motor at a higher speed. Finally the value Vc becomes zero substantially, and the rotation and cutting are started by the signal V A  only. In the cutting operation, thinning-out control is also carried out to coincide the web running speed with the frame speed. 
     With the aid of the cutting edge disengagement signal, the number of pulses representative of Lo-Bo&#39; is subjected to addition in the control register 26. Thereafter, the above-described operation is repeatedly carried out. When the cutting length Lo is slightly longer than the value Bo&#39;. servo control takes place with the aid of the signal V B  after the cutting edge disengagement. Before the DC motor 7 completely stops, the value Vo becomes positive and larger than the signal V B , and therefore the motor will again accelerate for synchronization. This is similar to the case where the motor is completely stopped. The web is moved by the value Lo-Bo&#39; for the period time for one cutting to the following cutting cycle, and therefore the web is cut into the length Lo. A cutting time chart for this mode is as shown in FIG. 4(b) and (c). 
     (3) When the cutting length Lo is shorter than the value Bo&#39;: 
     In this case, the number of pulses representative of Bo&#39;-Lo is subtracted in the control register 26, and the contents of the control register 26 becomes negative as R=Lo-Bo&#39;-A+B. The value Vc becomes larger than the value V A , and the DC motor 7 is accelerated upon application of the cutting edge disengagement signal. As the value A becomes greater than the value B, the value R is increased to zero from a negative value, and the DC motor 7 is decelerated so that its speed coincides with the web running speed. This is similar to the case where the cutting length is longer than the predetermined value. The cutting time chart is as indicated in FIG. 4(d). 
     As is apparent from the above description, in this embodiment, the web movement length pulses are thinned out under given conditions for the period of time which elapses from the time instant that the upper cutting edge 2 starts cutting the web W until it is disengaged therefrom. However, the same effect can be obtained by thinning out the pulses until the upper cutting edge 2 has completed cutting, or for the period of time corresponding to the cutting range shown in FIG. 4(c). In addition, if the cutting edge is to be disengaged from the web at a higher speed after the web is cut, this requirement can be accomplished by suitably decreasing the extent of the thinning-out pulses. 
     In the above-described preferred embodiment, the upper and lower cutting edges are driven by one DC motor. However, if the web to be cut is relatively thick and rigid, the upper and lower cutting edges may be driven by two DC motors. 
     As is clear from the above description, this invention has the following significant advantages: 
     (1) Since the upper and lower cutting edges are swingably moved while the upper cutting edge is moved vertically by the revolution of the eccentric crank shaft, it is possible to allow the cutting edge movement speed to approach the web running speed for a longer time when compared with the conventional cutting device. 
     (2) As the difference between the cutting edge speed and the web movement speed in the cutting range is controlled to be zero by utilizing a thinning-out circuit, the cutting edge speed can completely coincide with the web movement speed. 
     (3) The cutting timing of the upper cutting edge can be set as desired independent of the movement of the lower cutting edge, and the shearing angle and engagement depth can be set sufficiently for the upper and lower cutting edges. Therefore, webs can be cut sharply. 
     Hence, a web can be cut into a desired length irrespective of the web running speed. Thus, a web can be cut into pieces with a high degree high accuracy. It is apparent that variations of this invention can be made without departing from the essential scope thereof.