Size independent modular web processing line and modules

Claim 2

A web processing module capable of performing a web processing operation in variable spaced locations on the web, said module comprising: a tool for performing a web processing operation on the web; tool drive means for driving the tool; conveying means for conveying the web past the tool; web drive means for driving the conveying means; and electronic control means for electrically controlling the tool drive means and the web drive means to coordinate the conveying means to the tool over a range of variably spaced web processing operation locations on the web.

Claim 3

A web processiwng module as in claim 1 in which the control means constitutes digital computer control means.

Claim 4

A web processing module as in claim 1 in which the control means constitutes microprocessor control means.

Claim 5

A web processing module as in claim 1 in which the control means includes a main servo control loop for controlling the tool drive means and a web servo control loop for controlling the web drive means, said loops being electrically linked for coordination therebetween.

Claim 6

A web processing module as in claim 1 in which the control means includes control panel means for receiving manually input parameters defining web processing operation locations at variably spaced apart lengths of web.

Claim 7

A web processing module as in claim 4 further comprising: first encoder means for generating tool position information representing the tool position; second encoder means for generating web position information representing the web position; the module being one in which the main servo control loop and said web servo control loop are each connected to receive said tool positional information and said web servo control loop is also connected to receive said web position information.

Claim 8

A web processing module as in claim 6 in which the means for generating tool positional information constitutes a tool encoder, and the means for generating web positional information constitutes a web drive encoder.

Claim 9

A web processing module as in claim 1 in which the conveying means comprises tractors and the web drive means comprises a tractor drive.

Claim 10

A web processing module as in claim 8 in which the tractor drive includes a tractor drive motor and drive linkage mechanically linking the tractors and the tractor drive motor.

Claim 11

A web processing module as in claim 1 in which the tool drive means includes a tool drive motor operatively connected to the tool.

Claim 12

A web processing module capable of performing a web processing operation in variable locations on variable lengths of web comprising: a tool means for performing a web processing operation on the web; tool drive means for driving the tool means; web conveying means for conveying the web past the tool means; web conveying drive means for driving the web conveying means; control means for controlling the tool drive means and the web conveying means to coordinate the web conveying means to the tool means over a range of variable web processing operation locations and a range of variable lengths of web and in which the tool means constitutes a tool, the tool drive means includes an electrical tool drive motor operatively connected to the tool, the web conveying means constitutes tractors, the web conveying drive means includes a tractor drive motor and a drive linkage operatively connecting the tractors and the tractor drive motor, the module further comprising a tool encoder for generating tool positional information and a web tractor encoder for generating web positional information, and further in which the control means constitutes an electronic, digital, computer controller electronically, operatively connected to the tool drive motor, the tractor drive motor, the tool encoder and the tractor encoder, the controller including a control panel, an intermodule bus, a main servo control microprocessor system and a tractor servo control microprocessor system, the tractor servo control microprocessor system including memory with information to coordinate the tractors with the tool such that the web processing operations can be performed in the variable locations on the variable lengths of web, the control panel accepting manually input operating parameters including web throughput, number and locations of desired web processing operations, and desired web length of repetition of the desired web processing operations, the tractor servo control microprocessor generating, from the information in memory, profiles for control of the tractors according to the manually input operating parameters, the main servo control microprocessor system and the tractor servo control microprocessor system receiving tool positional information from the tool encoder, the tractor servo control microprocessor system receiving web positional information from the tractor encoder, the main servo control microprocessor utilizing the tool positional information as feedback to accurately control the tool, the tractor servo control microprocessor utilizing the web positional information as feedback to accurately control the tractors, and the tractor servo control microprocessor utilizing the tool positional information for coordinating the movement of the tractors to the movement of the tool.

Claim 13

A web processing module capable of performing a web processing operation in variable locations on variable lengths of web comprising: a tool means for performing a web processing operation on the web; tool drive means for driving the tool means; web conveying means for conveying the web past the tool means; web conveying drive means for driving the web conveying means; control means for controlling the tool drive means and the web conveying means to coordinate the web conveying means to the tool means over a range of variable web processing operation locations and a range of variable lengths of web and in which the tool means constitutes a tool, the tool drive means includes an electrical tool drive motor operatively connected to the tool, the web conveying means constitutes tractors, the web conveying drive means includes a tractor drive motor and a drive linkage operatively connecting the tractors and the tractor drive motor, the module further comprising a tool encoder for generating tool positional information and a web tractor encoder for generating web positional information, and further in which the control means constitutes an electronic, digital, computer controller electronically, operatively connected to the tool drive motor, the tractor drive motor, the tool encoder and the tractor encoder, the controller including a control panel, an intermodule bus, a main servo control microprocessor system and a tractor servo control microprocessor system, the tractor servo control microprocessor system including memory with information to coordinate the tractors with the tool such that the web processing operations can be performed in the variable locations on the variable lengths of web, the control panel accepting manually input operating parameters including web throughput, number and locations of desired web processing operations, and desired web length of repetition of the desired web processing operations, the tractor servo control microprocessor generating, from the information in memory, profiles for control of the tractors according to the manually input operating parameters, the main servo control microprocessor system and the tractor servo control microprocessor system receiving tool positional information from the tool encoder, the tractor servo control microprocessor system receiving web positional information from the tractor encoder, the main servo control microprocessor utilizing the tool positional information as feedback to accurately control the tool, the tractor servo control microprocessor utilizing the web positional information as feedback to accurately control the tractors, and the tractor servo control microprocessor utilizing the tool positional information for coordinating the movement of the tractors to the movement of the tool.

Claim 14

A web processing module as in claim 11 in which the tractor servo control microprocessor includes means for storing in memory a series of web velocity profiles and means for selecting profiles according to the manually input operating parameters.

Claim 15

A web processing line comprising: a plurality of self-contained web processing modules, each capable of performing a web processing operation at locations spaced apart by variable lengths of web, and an intermodule bus electronically operatively connecting the modules so as to drive their respective tools synchronously with respect to one another.

Claim 16

A web processing line comprising: a plurality of self-contained web processing modules, each capable of performing a web processing operation at locations spaced apart by variable lengths of web, and an intermodule bus electronically operatively connecting the modules so as to drive their respective tools synchronously with respect to one another.

Claim 17

A web processing line comprising a plurality of web processing modules each capable of performing a web processing operation in variable locations on variable lengths of web, and an intermodule bus electronically operatively connecting the modules, in which each module comprises: a tool means for performing a web processing operation on the web; tool drive means for driving the tool means; web conveying means for conveying the web past the tool means; web conveying drive means for driving the web conveying means; and control means for controlling the tool drive means and the web conveying means to coordinate the web conveying means to the tool means over a range of variable web processing operation locations and a range of variable lengths of web.

Claim 18

A web processing line comprising a plurality of web processing modules each capable of performing a web processing operation in variable locations on variable lengths of web, and an intermodule bus electronically operatively connecting the modules, in which each module comprises: a tool means for performing a web processing operation on the web; tool drive means for driving the tool means; web conveying means for conveying the web past the tool means; web conveying drive means for driving the web conveying means; and control means for controlling the tool drive means and the web conveying means to coordinate the web conveying means to the tool means over a range of variable web processing operation locations and a range of variable lengths of web.

Claim 19

A web processing line comprising a plurality of web processing modules each capable of performing a web processing operation in variable locations on variable lengths of web, and an intermodule bus electronically operatively connecting the modules, in which at least one module includes a control panel operatively connected via the intermodule bus to all modules, whereby the control panel is capable of receiving parameters for setting operation of all modules.

Claim 20

A web processing line comprising a plurality of web processing modules each capable of performing a web processing operation in variable locations on variable lengths of web, and an intermodule bus electronically operatively connecting the modules, in which at least one module includes a control panel operatively connected via the intermodule bus to all modules, whereby the control panel is capable of receiving parameters for setting operation of all modules.