DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING TAPE WITH TEAR CUTS

A slitter device comprising a circular blade at an outer periphery of the slitter device. One or more row of transverse blades at the outer periphery and on a side of the circular blade, the blades of the row of transverse blades being oriented transversely relative to the circular blade.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to a device for manufacturing a polymeric tape of the type commonly found in rolls, and used for example as a marking tape, and to a method of fabricating such a polymeric tape with tear cuts.

BACKGROUND

Polymeric tape is commonly used for a wide spectrum of applications such as labelling, identifying, decorating, wrapping, packaging, sealing, masking, laminating, sticking to a surface, color-coding, fusing, indicating (such as thermochromic ink tapes), container closing, painting, informational, clinging such as static cling, etc. Such applications may be for various industries including medical, biomedical, industrial, electrical, electronic, construction, plumbing, roofing, automotive, avionics, aerospace, scientific, cryogenic, freezer, high-temperature, office use, packaging, shipping, arts, etc. Polymeric tape typically has a facestock having the capacity of retaining ink or be printed. Accordingly, information may be inscribed on the facestock marking tape to label things. In particular, polymeric marking tape, in which the substrate is a polymer, is used for its capacity to retain ink. Other types of tapes are used for sealing, securing or isolating objects such as electrical tape, packaging tape, duct tape, silicone tape, and others where facestocks in some of those tapes might not need to have a capability to retain ink. Yet in other applications tapes might be used for sticking together objects or surfaces, such as double-sided or mounting tapes which might not require capacity of retaining ink or such as an adhesive transfer tape where the adhesive is contained between two support liners for a future removal of one of the support liners and the transfer of the adhesive to a facestock or a surface or an object.

A characteristic of some polymers is that they may stretch when subjected to shear forces. This may for example be the case with thermoplastic film materials, silicone rubber materials, laminated paper, cloth, fabrics, laminated fabrics, laminated metallic foils, etc. Therefore, if a user wants to have a segment of an elongated polymeric tape, such as in a roll of polymeric tape, the user may need scissors or a knife to cleanly segment a portion of the polymeric tape from the roll. Otherwise, by using manual force to rip or tear tape from a roll, a user may unduly stretch the tape, which may result in waves, loss of adherence, erratic shape, excessive length, among other things. In some cases, the polymeric films are rigid and tear-resistant, making them difficult to tear manually.

Accordingly, a polymeric tape with tear cuts has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,319,464, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. In a variant, the tape described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,319,464 has a polymer facestock with transverse cuts, such as micro-cuts, penetrating the exterior edge or edges of the facestock. This may facilitate a manual tearing of a segment of tape by a user's hand. There are however challenges in manufacturing such a polymeric tape with tear cuts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aim of the present disclosure to provide a device for manufacturing a polymeric tape with tear cuts.

Therefore, in accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a slitter device comprising: a circular blade at an outer periphery of the slitter device; and at least one row of transverse blades at the outer periphery and on a side of the circular blade, the blades of the row of transverse blades being oriented transversely relative to the circular blade.

Further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, there may be two rows of the transverse blades, with the rows being on opposite sides of the circular blade.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the transverse blades intersect the circular blade.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, at least one of the transverse blades lies in a plane perpendicular to a radial plane of the circular blade.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, all of the transverse blades lie in planes perpendicular to a radial plane of the circular blade.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, edges of the transverse blades are radially inward of an edge of the circular blade.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the edges of the transverse blades are radially inward of the edge of the circular blade by a distance generally equal to a thickness of a support liner.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, at least one row of transverse blades project from an annular base.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the at least one row of transverse blades includes triangular prisms projecting from the annular base.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the transverse blades are fins.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the circular blade is part of a disc body of the slitter apparatus.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the disc body has a central bore.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cutting die device comprising: a plate body configured to be positioned on a cylindrical surface; circumferential blade edges projecting from a plane of the plate body, the circumferential blade edges configured to extend along a circumference of the cylindrical surface; at least one row of transverse blade edges projecting from the plane of the plate body, the transverse blade edges being oriented transversely relative to the circumferential blade edges.

Further in accordance with the second aspect, for instance, there may be two rows of the transverse blade edges, with the rows being on opposite sides of one of the circular blade edges.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, there may be two rows of the transverse blade edges, with each one of the rows adjacent to a respective one of the circumferential blade edges.

Still further in accordance with the first aspect, for instance, the transverse blade edges intersect one of the circumferential blade edges.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cutting die shaft comprising: a shaft body having a cylindrical surface; circumferential blade edges projecting from the cylindrical surface, the circumferential blade edges configured to extend along a circumference of the cylindrical surface; at least one row of transverse blade edges projecting from the cylindrical surface, the transverse blade edges being oriented transversely relative to the circumferential blade edges.

Further in accordance with the third aspect, for instance, there may be two rows of the transverse blade edges, with the rows being on opposite sides of one of the circular blade edges.

Still further in accordance with the third aspect, for instance, there may be two rows of the transverse blade edges, with each one of the rows adjacent to a respective one of the circumferential blade edges.

Still further in accordance with the third aspect, for instance, the transverse blade edges intersect one of the circumferential blade edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A polymeric tape with micro-cuts that may be manufactured with the devices described herein may be an elongated strip of tape or may be part of a roll, and is as described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,319,464, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. For ease of reference, a polymeric film or tape with tear cuts that may be fabricated with devices described herein is shown inFIG.13, and is generally shown as 1. The polymeric tape1may be of the type that may be used to manually inscribe information thereon, and may be in the form of strips, of a tape roll, etc. As a tape roll, the polymeric tape may also be of the type used by a printer. Some printers such as thermal printers are equipped with a cutting mechanism which is a sharp knife that moves perpendicular to the feeding direction of the printer and segments the desired length of the tape. Other devices such as tape dispensers are also equipped with cutting, dispensing and in some cases peeling mechanisms. Although the tape is primarily intended for manual cutting, the tape can be also cut, dispensed and/or peeled using various types of cutters incorporated into printers, mechanical or electrical dispensers, manual dispensers and automation or robotic devices.

The polymeric tape1may have various layers, all of which may extend from end to end of the polymeric tape1. Facestock2is the surface that can accept ink or printing, although the capability of accepting ink is not a requirement. The facestock2may already have data thereon, including a logo (e.g., repeated along the length of the tape), graphic, image, etc. This may include printing using a thermal printer, a thermal-transfer printer, a direct-thermal printer, a laser printer, an inkjet printer, LED printer, UV printer, impact printer, dot-matrix printer, laser-etching printer, flexographic printer, offset printer or a printing press or any other type of printer or device capable of delivering ink on any of the surfaces of the tape. The facestock itself may include one or more layers, including transparent and opaque layers, shielding layer(s), top coating(s), ink(s), varnishes, lamination(s), wireless communication capabilities such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth, WiFi and other types of wireless communication tags or a chip, sensor, electronic component, etc. The polymeric tape1can be provided blank or printed with any background color or color indicator such as thermochromic ink, and/or image, and/or information and/or barcode and/or alphanumeric markings, and/or indicia etc. The facestock materials can be made of a polymer. The facestock material(s) may include but are not limited to polymers such as polypropylene, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), polyester (PET), polystyrene, vinyl including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), acrylate, nylon, polyamide, satin, polyolefin, polyethylene, polyimide, tyvek, composite materials, silicone, silicone rubber, rubber, synthetic rubber, latex, thermoplastic films, thermoset plastics, plastic extrusion materials, and may also include cloth tissues, woven or non-woven fabrics, foam, graphene, magnetic film, carbon-enforced metallic foils such as aluminum foil, Velcro, degradable and soluble materials including biodegradable, compostable and recyclable materials or any combination thereof. The facestock materials include paper and polymer composites or combinations, cloth and polymer composites, including nano-composite materials or combinations thereof, including layers of polymer and paper and/or cloth, such that the paper or cloth is for example laminated with plastic. The tape1may be tamper evident and/or destructible tape, “destructible” meaning that the tape can break into pieces or fragments upon attempt to remove it from the substrate to which it has been adhered. Some tamper evident features might include specific cuts and/or perforations within the facestock at specific locations making it fragile and causing tape rupture upon attempts to remove it after applying the adhesive tape to a substrate or a container. There are other types of tamper evident materials that can reveal the tampering and the tape1may be made from such materials. In an embodiment, the microcuts created by the below described tooling alone may be used as a tamper-evident feature of the tape1. Embossed materials, stamped foil, 3-dimensional formatting and other modified facestocks can be used as a facestock for the tape1, Clear, opaque, transparent, translucent, hazy, and/or reflective materials or any combination thereof may also be used for the facestock. The polymers may be thermoplastics or thermosoftening plastics, i.e., plastic polymers that soften or become moldable when heated to a certain threshold temperatures, to solidify upon cooling. The polymers may be thermoset plastics comprising cross-linked polymers to form an irreversible chemical bond and may become non-moldable when heated. The facestock may be selected to have direct thermal printing capacity meaning that ink is incorporated inside the facestock or in its top coating. The ink may then be released upon heating the facestock layer such as by a thermal printer or a heat-emitting or heated instrument. The facestock may be for example printed with a reversible or a non-reversible thermochromic ink which may also be incorporated inside the facestock or other constituent of the tape such as inside the lamination or inside the polymer or inside the adhesive. The use of a combination of printing methods is contemplated. All tapes of the present disclosure may or may not accept writing by a pen, pencil, marker or any other instrument for manual writing. The tapes may be configured for skin contact as well, for instance in medical uses such as a transdermal patch containing a medication. The tapes described herein may be cloth tape, non-adhesive demarcation tape, nano tape, PTFE tape (polytetrafluoroethylene), among examples.

An adhesive layer3may be coated on the underside of the facestock2. A first support liner or release liner4may also be provided, from which the adhesive layer3with the facestock2can be released. In another embodiment, the polymeric tape1may be linerless and wound on itself, such that the adhesive layer3harbors or releasably adheres to the top surface of the facestock2from which it can be released. In the latter case the surface of the facestock2may have non-stick characteristics allowing the adhesive3of a top layer of the tape1to be released from facestock2of the underlayer of the tape1and remain associated with the underside of facestock2. It is pointed out that the devices and tooling described herein may be employed against part of the polymeric tape prior to the addition of other layers. For example, the devices and tooling may be used against the facestock2, before or after an adhesive layer3/liner4is present. The release liner4may be paper based, or polymer based, with contemplated polymers including a polyester (PET), polypropylene, bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) or any other type of a polymer or thermoplastic film. For example, the release liner4may be a silicone or fluorosilicone coated support on which the adhesive layer3is harboured or retained, though other materials can be used, including waxes or other adhesive release coatings, etc, on a substrate. For example, if the support liner4is paper based, a low friction coating may be present to facilitate the peeling off of the facestock2and adhesive layer3from the support liner4. Accordingly, when the release liner4is removed, the facestock2may be adhered to a surface, by the adhesive layer3. In an embodiment, the facestock2is a static cling film and/or relies on static cling as an alternative to having the adhesive layer3. In an embodiment, the static cling tape may only have facestock2, at least one of the surfaces of the facestock2having the capacity of clinging to the at least one surface of another portion of the facestock2via static cling force, for example when the facestock2of tape1is rolled onto itself in a roll. In another embodiment, the static cling tape includes the facestock2on a support liner4. In another embodiment the facestock2is an adhesive free wrapping tape such as a stretchable wrap. In another embodiment the facestock2is an adhesive free silicone-rubber tape as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 10,577,138, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. In another embodiment, the release liner4may have imaging properties meaning that the manual writing with a pen or a pencil or with any type of impact instrument or impact printer can create a copy of the image on the release liner4. In this case, when the facestock2is removed from the liner4, the copy of the printed information or the image remains on the release liner4similar to carbon-copying. In another embodiment, if the tape1has a paper facestock2and a polymeric release liner4, the polymeric liner4will prevent the clean tearing of the tape1, whereby tear cuts or micro tear cuts5, as described below into the liner4will facilitate the tearing. InFIG.13, the liner4is shown having the same width W1as the facestock2and as the adhesive layer3, but may have a width that is greater than the width of the facestock2and the adhesive3(adhesive coated facestock) such that the liner4extends beyond the facestock2widthwise, at one edge of the facestock2, or at both edges of the facestock2. By way of example, the polymeric tape1may have a width of at least 4.0 mm. In an embodiment, the dimension is 12 mm±6 mm. In another embodiment the dimension is 19 mm±9 mm. In another embodiment the dimension is between 25 mm and 70 mm. In another embodiment the dimension is between 70 mm and 110 mm. In another embodiment, the width of the tape is between 100 mm and 220 mm. These dimensions are given as examples. Moreover, whileFIG.13shows the tear cuts5extending through the facestock2, in an alternate embodiment, item5may be a nick that penetrates the top surface of the facestock2, but that does not extend from face to bottom of the facestock2. Such nicks are weaknesses or partial penetration in the material of the facestock2, to facilitate the tearing of a strip of the facestock2. As yet another possibility, whileFIG.13shows the tear cuts5extending through the facestock2and the support liner4(if present), in an alternate embodiment, the tear cuts5do not penetrate the support liner4. As another embodiment the support liner4of theFIG.13may be wider (W) than the facestock2on one or both sides of the tape widthwise. As another embodiment the support liner4of theFIG.13may be narrower than facestock2on one or both sides of the tape widthwise.

Still referring toFIG.13, the polymeric tape1is shown at least partially lengthwise, as extending in direction L. Only a segment of the polymeric tape1is shown, as the polymeric tape1may extend far longer in the direction L. The polymeric tape1is shown as having micro tear cuts5transverse to the longitudinal (i.e., lengthwise) dimension of the polymeric tape1, and this may be referred to as a widthwise direction, for example as shown by W1. The expression “micro” is used to indicate that the tear cuts are small (i.e., may have a small penetration length) to the point that they may not even be visible. For example, the penetration of the cuts in the facestock2may be in the micro scale, and may be as low as 0.001 mm, and may not exceed 2.0 mm (i.e., 0.001 mm to 2.0 mm). However, the tear cuts5may have a depth of penetration exceeding the micro-scale. Accordingly, the expressions “micro tear cuts” and “tear cuts” will be used interchangeably herein. The micro tear cuts5start from one or both of the elongated edges of the polymeric tape1and extend into the facestock2and/or the support liner4, i.e., the penetration. Penetration refers to the length of the tear cuts5from the edge of the tape1or liner4. In an embodiment, the penetration is from 0.001 mm to 3.5 mm, but may be up to 10.00 mm for example. In an embodiment, a paper support liner may not have tear cuts and the tear cuts5are only in the facestock2. Other penetration lengths are contemplated, and may be as a function of the width of the tape1. It is contemplated that the penetration could be less than 0.001 mm provided suitable technology enables such penetration. The micro tear cuts5into support liner4can be significantly longer and cover the entire width of the exposed support liner4in instances featuring a wider support liner4. The micro tear cuts5do not extend from edge to edge of the facestock2of the polymeric tape1, with the micro tear cuts5extending inwardly enough to reach the facestock2and penetrate it, if the facestock2is offset from the edge of the tape1. In an embodiment, the polymeric tape1is a double sided tape (adhesive coated on both sides of the facestock2) having i) one support liner4in which case it may have the release coating on both sides of the support liner4, or ii) more than one support liner4in which case the facestock2is sandwiched between two support liners4. As another embodiment, the tape1is a piggy back construction having an additional support liner4beneath the main support liner4, as described in as described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,319,464. In another embodiment, the tape1is a transfer tape meaning that the adhesive is trapped between two liners4, i.e., a main liner and a waste liner, and there is no facestock in the tape1. The transfer tape is used for removing one of the liners4(waste liner) and applying a facestock such as facestock2or a similar one to the adhesive remaining on the main liner to create customized combinations of the desired facestock with the adhesive. The tear cuts5may be in both liners of the transfer tape. Transfer tape may also function with only one liner which has a release coating on both sides of the liner, such that the transfer tape may be wound in a roll. The tools described herein are configured to perform transverse cuts and slits in single sided tape, double sided tape and transfer tape (i.e., in the support liner(s) of the transfer tape).

Now that an exemplary configuration of the polymeric tape1is shown, with other configurations detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 11,319,464, devices and tooling that may be used to perform the tear cuts5in the facestock2are described.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly toFIGS.1A and1B, there is shown a slitting device10in accordance with a variant of the present disclosure. While the expression device is used herein, item10may also be referred to as a slitting blade, roller cutter, rotary knife, shear knife, knife assembly, roller cutter device, tool, as tooling, as a knife, as a cutter, among numerous potential names. In a variant, the slitting device10is of the type that may be used in a slitter-rewinder apparatus, that may also be known as a slitter rewinder, as a slitter, tape slitter, tape slitter-rewinder, rewinder, among numerous potential names. A slitter rewinder apparatus may be generally described as a machine dedicated to cutting a master roll of material into rolls of smaller width, with the capacity of winding the smaller width material into rolls. Accordingly, the slitter rewinder apparatus may have an unwind shaft (a.k.a., roller, spindle) for the unwinding of a master roll of the material, for slitting it into strips of smaller width material and rewinding the strips of smaller width material on a rewind shaft(s) (a.k.a, roller, spindle), with the tooling used to slit the material of the master roll into the strips or rolls of smaller width material. The tooling is located on the path of the material travelling from unwind to rewind or situated between the unwind shaft supporting the master roll, and rewind shaft(s) supporting the smaller width roll, “between” being related to a sequence in the slitting-rewinding actions and not necessary to a physical location of components. Optionally, some slitter-rewinder equipment may allow reverse travelling of the material meaning the rewind shaft may act in an unwinding function, and the unwind shaft may function as a rewinding shaft. In an embodiment, the slitter-rewinder may have a duplex rewinding capability meaning that the slitted rolls may be rewinded on two separate shafts e.g., the odd slitted rolls (e.g., 1, 3, 5, 7, etc) are rewinded on one shaft and even rolls (e.g., 2, 4, 6, 8 . . . ) are rewinded on the second shaft. Therefore, rewinding on more than one shaft is contemplated. In another embodiment, the unwinding shaft(s) and/or rewinding shaft(s) may use a turret configuration, i.e., the slitter-rewinder may be able to complete a roll change in a continuous mode without stopping or reducing the number of stoppages of the slitter-rewinder apparatus, including for unwinding and rewinding. A turret configuration may have more than two rewind or unwind shafts. Other components may non-exhaustively include tensions control devices and components, tensioner rollers, nip rolls, motorization, motorized unwind, transmission, laser indicators for positioning the slitting knives (a.k.a., roller cutter, slitting device), manual positioning device(s) for positioning the slitting knives, trimming device(s), plasma coated rollers and/or other coated or low adherence rollers to prevent adhesive of the material from sticking to the rollers or to the knives. In some cases the shafts and/or rollers may have an anti-adhesion tape covering or applied over the rollers to avoid adhesive sticking to the rollers, etc. Slitting knives may also have a special coating or treatment to deter adhesive build-up on the blades of the knives and/or make them more durable and/or long-lasting. Often slitting knives, such as those described herein, are accommodated partly or completely inside a knife support assembly that is positioned on a shaft or like support structure (e.g., a slide bar), and the knife is operated in rotation using compressed air input into the knife assembly. The knife support assemblies may be referred to commercially as knifeholders (i.e., knife holders) or knife assemblies.

The slitting device10has a disk body11, as an option. As an alternative, or as a different to describe a disk body, the structure of the slitting device10may include a hub with spokes. The disk body11is rotatable about a central axis X when mounted to a roller or shaft. For example, the disk body11may have propeller means (e.g., fins, vanes, etc) for the rotation of the disk body11to be actuated, such as by compressed air (e.g., in a knife support assembly as mentioned above). The disk body11may alternatively have a pulley portion, a gear, or any other transmission component for actuation motion to be imparted to the disk body11. The central axis X, or more precisely a vector, is normal to a radial plane of the disk body11. The disk body11may optionally have a central bore12, that may be concentrically positioned related to the central axis X. The central bore12may be of various sizes and is configured to be mounted to a roller or a shaft or a guide bar of an apparatus such as a slitter-rewinder apparatus, so as to rotate with the roller or the shaft. The slitting device10may be incorporated inside a casing or enclosure depending on the type of the slitting/rewinding equipment (e.g., part of the knife support assembly described above), and may thus be part of an assembly including such knife holder (a.k.a., knifeholder) such as a pneumatic knife holder including a score cut knife holder, a shear cut knife holder (for a male and female circular knives to create a rotating “scissor” effect on the incoming web, the female knives may for example be shaft mounted and the male knives may be in individual holders or shaft mounted), a half-cut pneumatic knife holder, a hot-cut pneumatic knife holder), casing, shield, enclosure possibly requiring a compressed air connection. Indeed, in a variant, the slitting device10is part of a casing that uses compressed air as motive force, with the slitting device10being driven in rotation by the compressor air. For example, the casing may be a holder by Carolina Knife & Manufacturing (Asheville, NC, USA), Burris Machine Company (Hickory, NC, USA), Dienes USA (Spencer, MA, USA).FIG.14shows an exemplary casing10A supporting a slitting device10, the slitting device10in the casing10A being in accordance with variants described inFIGS.1A to5B. The casing10A defines an inner cavity accommodating a substantial part of the slitting device10, though with the slitting device10exposed to performs its slitting/cutting work. The casing10A may have a shaft or shaft support, or any appropriate configuration for rotatingly support the slitting device10, such that the slitting device10may rotate about itself. Tubing10B is shown so as to provide compressed air to actuate a rotation of the slitting device10. For example, tubing10B is in fluid communication with a pneumatic motor that is engaged with the shaft to actuate a rotation of the slitting device10. However, other actuation means can be present, including a motor, a transmission (e.g., pulley/belt, sprocket/chain), magnetic actuation, hydraulics, etc. A connector100may be present for the knifeholder to be secured to structure, such as a rail, etc. The illustrated connector100is one among others. The same casing10A may be used with replacement slitting devices10, such that the slitting devices10may be sold separately. It is also contemplated to render a plurality of slitting devices10(e.g., some of different sizes) with a single casing10A.

The dimension of the central bore12may be as a function of a dimension of the roller or like rotating component to which the slitting device10will be mounted. The central bore12is shown as having a smooth inner circumference, but may have different surface features to enable the roller cutter device to roll with its support member. For example, the central bore12could be provided with spline formations, a keyway, threading, press fit, and/or locking collar(s), among possible surface features. The slitting device10may be a monoblock component of the shaft as another possibility with one or more slitting devices10being on the shaft. Any appropriate configuration or mechanical member may be provided to rotatably fix the slitting device10on its support member, if concurrent rotation is required. In an alternative embodiment, the slitting device10is interfaced to a shaft or like support member by a bearing(s). The slitting device10could then rotate relative to the shaft or like support member, in a idler-style configuration. The slitting device10may also be connected to a compressed air source (via a casing) and/or a transmission and may include a pulley, a gear, etc, for example projecting from a side surface of the disk body11. A laser cutting technology using a laser beam such as CO2laser cutter for cutting/slitting the tape material instead of or in conjunction with the slitting device10is contemplated.

The slitting device10further includes an outer circumference13. The outer circumference13is the portion of the roller cutter device12that is oriented radially outwardly. The outer circumference13is the part of the slitting device10that comes into contact with polymeric film on adhesive side or non-adhesive side in a slitter-rewinder apparatus, for example. In a variant, a circular blade14projects radially from the disk body11to define a portion of the outer circumference13. The circular blade14therefore has a cutting edge14A at its radialmost edge. The circular blade14may for example have a circular shape and may be concentrically aligned with the central axis X such that film that moved relative to the slitting device10has an elongated straight cut as a result of contact with the circular blade14. The circular blade14is typically made of a hard material, such as metals including treated metals, though other materials such as ceramic may be used. For example, the circular blade14may be as commercially available from multiple sources e.g. Portage Knife Company (Akron, OH, USA) part #W0875-60-000, 0875-60-000, 125-40-000, 125-40-000-201, 125-40-000-D2, 125-40-0015, 127-56-000, 137-10-0025-D2, 137-20-0025-D2, 180-45-006, 190-60, 193-60-1.75, 190-25/70-005, 195-60, 300-00-041, and various other models, variations and designs.

In the variant ofFIGS.1A and1B, two rows of transverse blades15are on opposite sides of the circular blade14. The transverse blades15are oriented in such a way that cutting edges15A of the blades15are transverse to the cutting edge14A of the circular blade14, such that the blades15, and other similar transverse blades described herein, are responsible for penetrating the polymeric film transversely to the longitudinal slit, and concurrently with the longitudinal slitting. As shown inFIG.1B, the circular blade14may be not be at the same level as the cutting edges15A of the traverse blades15. The circular blade14may be extending beyond the level of the cutting edges15A of the traverse blades15which will result it cutting/slitting through the tape material by the circular blade14, whereas the traverse blades15make incomplete cuts of the facestock causing weakening of the material, resulting in an easier tearing of the slitted tape. In an embodiment, the cutting edges15A intersect the cutting edge14A in a cylindrical plane, defining + shapes. In an embodiment, a plane of each blade15is perpendicular to a plane of the circular blade14, although is some configurations the blades15may not be in this perpendicular relation with the circular blade14, for instance by having some non-perpendicular angular positioning relative to the circular blade14. As observed inFIGS.1A and1B, the cutting edges15A of the rows of transverse blades15on opposite sides of the circular blade14are aligned. However, it is contemplated to have blades15on opposite sides of the circular blade14in an offset arrangement as well. In an embodiment, with reference toFIG.5C, the transverse blades15may not be symmetrical and may have different length(s) compared to the transverse blades15on the opposite side of the circular blade14, such as shown by L1and L2.FIG.5Calso depicts the circular blade14as having a tapering tip, akin a triangular prism. The configuration of the circular blade14ofFIG.5Cmay be used with any embodiment of the slitting device10described herein.

In another embodiment, the transverse blades15may not be symmetrical and may have different shape and/or stepping compared to the transverse blades15on the opposite side of the circular blade14, stepping being the spacing of the transverse blades15along the circumference of the circular blade14. AlthoughFIGS.1A-4B, andFIGS.6-10show that all transverse blades15are identical in the same slitting device10, it is contemplated that one or more transverse blades15may have a different configuration, dimensions, and characteristics. For example, one or more of the transverse blades15may be wider than others, or for example have a different angular positioning, or one or more of the transverse blades15may have a different stepping, or one or more transverse blades may be absent at certain locations along the circular blade14resulting an uncut area at certain position or a different shape of a cut at a specific area.

In a variant, still as shown inFIGS.1A and1B, the cutting edges15A are at a peak of triangular prisms15B, or of like pyramid or tapering formation. Triangular prisms15B are mounted to an annular base15C. For example, the triangular prisms15B may be integrally formed with the annular base15C. Therefore, the annular base15C provides some structural support considering that the peaks of the triangular prisms15B will come in contact with the polymeric film of the tape and will therefore be subjected to forces. The arrangement shown inFIGS.1A and1Bis one among others, with further examples provided below. In a variant, the cutting edges15A are parallel to the central axis X (i.e., each cutting edge15A lying in a common plane with the central axis X). It is however considered not to have them parallel to the central axis X, or to only have some of the cutting edges15A parallel to the central axis X.

While the slitting device10ofFIGS.1A and1Bwould be used to slit a larger film from a master roll in two portions of film each having transverse cuts (mirrored with respect to one another), it is also possible to have a configuration by which there is only one row of transverse blades15as shown inFIGS.2A and2B. Such arrangement may be present in a slitting device10that is used at or near an edge of a master film. Other than for the absence of a second row of transverse blades15, the embodiment ofFIGS.2A and2Bare similar to that ofFIGS.1A and1B. The embodiments ofFIGS.2A and2Bdiffer from one another, in that the cutting edge14A of the circular blade14extends beyond the cutting edges15A of the transverse blades15.

Referring toFIGS.3A and3B, a similar configuration is shown in which triangular prisms15B are present. However, flats16may be provided between the triangular prisms15B, to space apart the transverse blades15. Although the expression “flat” is used, the flat16may not be perfectly flat and may be a circumference of the annular base15c. Other configurations are contemplated, notably with filets present between the triangular prisms15B and the flats16, of between the triangular prisms15B in the absence of flats16. Moreover, while a single row of blades15is shown inFIGS.3A and3B, a second row could be provided in the manner shown inFIGS.1A and1B. The embodiments ofFIGS.3A and3Bdiffer from one another, in that the cutting edge14A of the circular blade14extends beyond the cutting edges15A of the transverse blades15.

Referring now toFIGS.4A and4B, another schematic variant is shown in which fin blades17project from the annular base15C, the fin blades17being transverse blades enabling the generation of tear cuts in a similar way as for the transverse blades15ofFIGS.1A-3B. Again, a single row of blades16is shown but a pair of rows of the fin blades17could be provided in the manner shown inFIGS.1A and1B. In a variant, the blades17are made of a rigid material, such as a metal, though other materials could be used. The blades17have blade edges17A that may be sharpened to penetrate the polymeric material of the film concurrently with the slitting action. The embodiments ofFIGS.4A and4Bdiffer from one another, in that the cutting edge14A of the circular blade14extends beyond the cutting edges17A of the fin blades17. The graphics of the fin blades shown in theFIGS.4A and4Bare illustrative only, as the fin blades17may be of different thickness. Moreover, the blade edges17A may be flat, sharp, rounded or in any other shape or form to provide the weakening of the tape facestock and facilitate cutting. Referring toFIGS.1A-4Bany combination of the depicted or similar configurations or variants thereof is contemplated.

Referring toFIG.5A, the fin blades17are shown projecting at an angle β. The angle β can be described as being between a plane of the fin blade17to a projection of the radius R of the slitting device10, at an intersection between the fin blade17and the annular base15C. In an embodiment, angle β may approximate from 0 degrees to 45 degrees in either direction, in a direction of rotation that is shown as θ inFIG.5A. Depending of the outer diameter of the Angle β can have more fluctuation. Other configurations of a transverse knife or a blade contacting or in immediate proximity to circular blade14and/or cutting edge14A with or without the annular base15C is contemplated. The configuration of the transverse blade15,15A or17may be not just a straight line but it can be a needle-shape, micro size circle, microsize semi-circle, triangle, oval, semi-oval, zig-zag, solenoid or any other geometrical shape or irregular shape, and may be symmetrical or non-symmetrical or any combination thereof under any angle that can create cuts into the tape material penetrating through the entire depth of the material thickness (a.k.a. metal-to-metal) or penetrating the material to a depth without fully cutting through the material (e.g., to create a nick) but to a degree sufficient to allow the initiation of tearing. In an embodiment, with respect toFIG.5B, the edges of the transverse blades15A,17A may be at the same level as the edge14A of the circular blade14. Stated differently, T1may equal zero or be around 0. In another embodiment, the edges of the transverse blades15A,17A may be slightly radially inward of the slitting edge14A of the circular blade14, i.e., T1>0. For instance, the relation T1>0 may be present when it is desired to make a micro-cut only in the facestock2(FIG.13) and not in the support liner4, while the elongated slit of the slitting edge14A cuts through the facestock2and support liner4. The relation T1>0 may also be present if the support liner4is paper-based or if there is a need to make incomplete penetrations of the facestock2, such as a nick as described above, whether in the case of a self-wound tape or a tape1with a liner4. In an embodiment, T1is equal to a thickness of the support liner4or may be anywhere between around 0 and the thickness of the support liner4, or anywhere between around 0 and the thickness of other components in cases of multilayer structure materials. Stated differently, T1may be chosen so as to cause a cutting of selected layers of tape1and/or to cause a desired depth of penetration in the tape1. Any value of T1permitting slitting of the tape using slitting edge14A is contemplated.FIGS.1B,2B,3B, and4Bare all examples of slitting devices10complying with the relation T1>0. Moreover, there may be a distance T2between the edge14A of the circular blade14and the edge of the transverse blades15A,17A, though previous embodiments shown T2equals zero. The blades described herein (e.g., 14, 15, 17) may have a lubrication or coating applied them to avoid adhesive build-up on the blades in case the blades slit a tape having its adhesive side facing the blades. Such lubrication or coating helps avoiding or reducing adhesive buildup. In a variant, the blades are coated by saturating felt pads periodically with light oil, or substances such WD-40 or other lubricants, with a lubricator attachment being part of the knifeholder, or in any appropriate operative contact with the blades. One contemplated lubricator attachment is commercially available from suppliers such as Burris Machine Company (Hickory, NC, USA). If the adhesive is facing down towards the base roller or anvil in a slitter-rewinder or any other apparatus, then the base roller may be coated with an anti-stick coating (e.g., plasma coated rollers or other types of coating), an anti-stick specialty tape or equivalent.

The slitting device10described in any ofFIGS.1A to5Bmay be used in score slitting or crush cutting. Score slitting/crush cutting involve the user of a rotating knife pressed against a hardened roller, sometimes referred to as an anvil roll or crush roll.

Referring now toFIG.6, a cutting die device20is shown. The cutting die device20is of the type that is used as a magnetic die used in rotary die-cutting equipment which can be integrated in various types of slitter-rewinders, printing, coating and laminating equipment such as flexographic, inkjet, UV inkjet, UV, LED UV, waterbased, solvent based, silicone based, hotmelt, UV hotmelt, acrylic hotmelt, laser, offset, digital, liquid eletrophotographic, screen printing, 3D printing, thermal-transfer, direct thermal, sublimation, lamination machines (including flexographic printer), etc. For example, a general type of flexible dies/magnetic dies are commercially available from a number of companies such as Apple Die (Milwaukee, WI, USA), Wilson Manufacturing Company (St-Louis, MO, USA), Spilker GmbH (Leopoldshohe/Germany), to name a few examples. When used as a magnetic die, the cutting die device20is mounted to a roller30as shown inFIG.7, and retained thereon by magnetic forces. For example, the roller30may be referred to as a magnetic cylinder, magnetic die cylinder, cylinder for a flexible die. The magnetic cylinder30may be actuated to create a magnetic field that retains the cutting die device20thereon, the cutting die device20(a.k.a. flexible die, flexible magnetic die if used with magnetic attraction) being made for example of a ferromagnetic or ferrous material, or any other thin metal sheet that can be attracted and retained on the magnetic cylinder via magnetic force. The cutting die device20can be secured to the roller30in other ways, i.e., not only by magnetic forces. For example, the cutting die device20may be retained by an adhesive tape, sleeves, collars, fasteners, among numerous other ways. Magnetic cylinders30may have different diameters, such that the size of the cutting die device20is paired with the proper magnetic cylinder size. The same magnetic cylinder30can be used for different sizes of tapes and labels depending on the flexible dies, i.e., the cutting die devices20described below and shown inFIGS.6and7. The label dimensions and the distance between the labels (gap). Another variant is to use a solid cylinder (non magnetic) which is engraved with the required pattern. Such a solid cylinder may be a monolithic tool that can be used only for slitting/cutting a singular pattern engraved on the cylinder30. Another cutting/slitting technology includes laser cutters which use a laser beam to cut and slit tapes. The depth of the cut is mostly determined by the energy setting of the laser. The cutting die device20may be part of a flexographic printing press or equipment or machine or a die-cutting equipment. The cutting die device20may also be part of tape slitting equipment, a tape rewinding, a label rewinding equipment, or any other like equipment.

The cutting die device20has a plate body21that is curved to be mounted on the roller30as inFIG.7. The plate body21may be ferrous or ferromagnetic, for instance if held by magnetic forces, but this is optional. The cutting die device20ofFIG.6is of the type that is used to produce two separate rolls of polymeric tape with tear cuts, from a single master (e.g., master roll). The plate body21has a set of circumferential blade edges22(three shown) that will be used to cut the polymeric tape lengthwise. Rows of transverse blade edges are shown at23, with a central one of the circumferential blade edges22having transverse blade edges23on opposite sides thereof, while the outer circumferential blade edges22only have inward transverse blade edges23(though alternative arrangements are possible). The transverse blade edges23may intersect the circumferential blade edges22. Hence, the cutting die device20may be described as having a plate body21configured to be positioned on a cylindrical surface, such as that of roller30, with circumferential blade edges22projecting from a plane of the plate body, the circumferential blade edges22configured to extend along a circumference of the cylindrical surface; and one or more rows of transverse blade edges23projecting from the plane of the plate body21, the transverse blade edges23being oriented transversely relative to the circumferential blade edges22. In an embodiment, the transverse blades23may not be symmetrical and may have different length(s) compared to the transverse blades23on the opposite side of the circumferential blade edges22, in a similar configuration as inFIG.5C. In another embodiment, the transverse blades23may not be symmetrical and may have different shape and/or stepping compared to the transverse blades23on the opposite side of the circular blade edges22.

The blade edges22and23may be punched, cast, engraved, machined, 3D printed, CNC machined, etc onto the plate body21. Accordingly, when the cutting die device20is mounted on the roller30as inFIG.7and film is passed between the roller30and another roller such as base roll (a.k.a. anvil), the blade edges22and23will concurrently perform cuts (a longitudinal slit and transverse cuts) that will result in the polymeric tape with tear cuts as in U.S. Pat. No. 11,319,464. In a variant, only the central one of the circumferential blade edges22has transverse blade edges23, to produce a polymeric tape having only one edge with tear cuts. In an embodiment, all or a plurality of the circumferential blade edges22have transverse blade edges23on both sides of the blade22(e.g., with the exception of plate end blade edges22). In an embodiment, on a same flexible die, it is possible to have more than one circumferential blade edges22with transverse blade edges23on both sides of the blade22which can result in a production of multiple rolls of tapes rewinded on a single shaft, dual shaft or multiple shaft device such as a turret. Other arrangements are possible as well.

FIG.9shows another cutting die device20, but used to manufacture a single roll of tape, in contrast to the embodiment ofFIGS.6and7that allows the preparation of a pair of rolls with tear cuts—or that could be scaled up to die-cut more than two rolls. Thus, it is contemplated to have a polymeric tape that has tear cuts only on one of its two lateral longitudinal edges. The cutting die device20ofFIG.10may be used for such a task. The configuration of the transverse blades23may be not just a straight line but it can be a needle-shape, micro size circle, microsize semi-circle, triangle, oval, semi-oval, zig-zag, selenoid or any other geometrical shape under any angle that can create cuts into the tape material penetrating through part of or the entire depth of the material thickness (a.k.a. metal-to-metal). In an embodiment, the transverse blades23may be replaced by micro-dot shape pins, or needles. In another embodiment there may be any combination of the above mentioned shapes. As an embodiment the transverse blades23may be at the same level as the circumferential blade22. As another embodiment the transverse blades23may be slightly beneath the slitting edge of the circumferential blade in the manner shown inFIG.5Bfor the same reasons as described forFIG.5B. Stated differently with combined reference toFIG.5Band to the embodiments of the cutting die device20, the approximate values of T10and/or T20may be used in the cutting die device20, as required by the application. In another embodiment instead of using a magnetic die, it is contemplated to use of a solid die instead of a plate, the solid die being a single monolithic roll engraved with the circumferential blade22and transverse blades23. The solid die once installed on die-cutting equipment, flexographic or other type of die-cutting equipment can function in a similar fashion as the magnetic die described above, producing similar product. A solid die may have greater durability but may be more expensive than thin sheet metal dies for magnetic cylinders.

Referring now toFIGS.11and12, a cutting blade device in accordance with another variant of the present disclosure is generally shown at40. The cutting blade device40is of the type that may be used for razor slitting. Thus, a plurality of the cutting blade device40may be mounted at an angle in individual holders or as multiples in cassettes to slit the moving web. The cutting blade device40may be used in different razor slitting set-ups, such as Razor-in-Air (top) and Razor-in-Groove (bottom). The former requires no extra support at the slitting area and is better for slower speeds. The latter uses a roll with grooves that provide additional support at the point of slitting for higher running speeds. Razor slitting has lower tooling costs, with simple adjustment and maintenance. It's generally best used for thin films and light foils. The cutting blade device40, also known as a razor blade, can be made of metal or other types of materials such as ceramic. For example,FIGS.11and12show one such cutting blade device40. The device40has a plate body41, that may be a flat plate, or may have a thicker connection edge as shown inFIG.12. Various slots or connector formations may be present, such as slot41A and notches41B. Other connector formations include holes, depressions, etc. An edge42of the cutting blade device40is sharp and thus configured to perform the slitting and/or cutting. Still has observed inFIG.12, the edge42may have a serrated pattern. In an alternative embodiment, the edge42has a single elongated straight blade equivalent to the circular blade14, and a plurality of transverse blades equivalent to the transverse blades15.

While the slitting device10, the cutting die device20and the cutting blade device40are well suited to be used with a tape1having a polymeric facestock2, these tools may be used with facestocks including one or more of paper, cloth, fabric, thin metal foil, aluminum foil, laminated paper, laminated fabric, rubber, silicone rubber, silicone, to name a few examples.