JP2004074321A - Cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cutting device equipped with an inspection means which inspects with high accuracy the shape of a tape after cutting, while performing a cutting process. <P>SOLUTION: This cutting device 10 is provided with an inspecting section 44 on the rear stage of a slitter 22 in the running direction of a magnetic tape 26. The inspecting section 44 has a light projecting section 46 and a light receiving section 48, and the width of the magnetic tape 26 is measured by the light projecting section 46 and light receiving section 48. A tension measuring device 66 is arranged on the rear stages of the light projecting section 46 and light receiving section 48, and measures the tension of the magnetic tape 26. A control device 49 calculates a width in a constant tension and inspects by correcting the measured value of the width in response to the measured value of the tension. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cutting device, and more particularly to a cutting device used in a manufacturing process of a tape such as a computer backup tape that requires high width accuracy.
[0002]
2. Description of the Related Art Magnetic tapes such as computer backup tapes are manufactured by cutting a wide web (continuous flexible support) into a plurality of pieces with a slitter. The manufactured magnetic tape is subjected to a sampling inspection in a separate process from the manufacturing process, thereby inspecting whether the shape of the product is within the standard, thereby guaranteeing the entire product.
[0003]
However, as typified by computer backup tapes in recent years, the demand for tape width accuracy has become stricter year by year, and it has become difficult to guarantee the entire product only by sampling inspection. For this reason, it is desired to inspect the tape after cutting in the entire area by incorporating an inspection device into the cutting device that is most likely to affect the width accuracy of the tape.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when a general inspection apparatus is incorporated in the cutting apparatus, there is a problem that the inspection apparatus is affected by the cutting apparatus and the inspection accuracy is lowered. For this reason, even if the tape actually falls within the standard range, it is determined that the tape is out of the standard, and the productivity may decrease.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting apparatus including an inspection unit that can inspect the shape of a tape after cutting with high accuracy while performing a cutting process. And
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cutting apparatus that continuously passes a web through a slitter and cuts it into a plurality of tapes. A width dimension measuring means for measuring the width dimension of the tape, a tension measuring means for measuring the tension of the tape, a correcting means for correcting the measured value of the width dimension measuring means based on the measured value of the tension measuring means, It is characterized by having.
[0007]
The inventor of the present invention has focused on the fact that the tension of the tape fluctuates in the running direction during inspection as a cause of the decrease in inspection accuracy when the inspection means for measuring the width of the tape is incorporated in the cutting device. The cutting apparatus performs cutting while controlling the tape tension to be constant, but it is difficult to completely eliminate the tension fluctuation, and in reality the tension slightly changes. When the tension is changed, the width dimension of the tape is changed, so that the inspection accuracy of the width dimension is lowered. Such a drop in inspection accuracy becomes a problem especially when high inspection accuracy is required because high width accuracy is required as in recent magnetic tapes.
[0008]
The present invention has been made on the basis of such knowledge. The relationship between the tape tension and the width dimension is obtained in advance, and the measured value of the tape width dimension is corrected based on the measured value of the tape tension. Therefore, it is possible to always measure and inspect the width dimension of the tape with high accuracy without being affected by fluctuations in tension.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of a cutting apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the overall configuration of a cutting apparatus 10 according to the present invention.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting device 10 mainly includes a rewind reel 12, a feed roller 16, a slitter 22, and a take-up hub 28.
[0012]
On the rewind reel 12, a bulk of the original magnetic tape 14 wound in a roll shape is mounted. The original magnetic tape 14 is usually formed by forming a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic fine particles on a nonmagnetic support by a coating method, a vacuum deposition method, or the like, and subjecting the magnetic layer to orientation treatment, drying treatment, surface treatment, etc. Manufactured by.
[0013]
The original magnetic tape 14 mounted on the rewind reel 12 is continuously pulled out from the rewind reel 12 by driving the feed roller 16. The feed roller 16 is a roller for running the magnetic tape original 14, and, for example, a suction drum is used as shown. The suction drum is a drum that rotates while adsorbing the magnetic tape original fabric 14 on the surface, and a groove for increasing the holding force of the magnetic tape original fabric 14 is formed on the surface of the drum. As the feed roller 16, other known means such as a pair of nip rollers that sandwich and convey the magnetic tape original fabric 14 may be employed.
[0014]
The magnetic tape 14 fed from the rewind reel 12 includes a plurality of guide rollers 18, 18,... Installed at the front stage of the feed roller 16 and a plurality of guide rollers 20 installed at the rear stage of the feed roller 16. 20,... Are sent to the slitter 22 while being guided.
[0015]
The slitter 22 is a device for cutting the wide magnetic tape 14 into a plurality of narrow magnetic tapes 26, 26,..., As shown in FIG. Rotating upper blade 32. The rotating lower blade 30 is fitted and fixed to the lower shaft 34 via a spacer 36, and the rotating upper blade 32 is fitted and fixed to an upper shaft 38 parallel to the lower shaft 34 via a spacer 40. The rotating upper blade 32 is urged to the right in the axial direction of FIG. 2 by an urging means (not shown), and the cutting edge portion of the rotating upper blade 32 is brought into contact with the side surface of the cutting edge portion of the rotating lower blade 30. Is positioned. The upper shaft 38 and the lower shaft 34 are connected to a motor (not shown) whose rotation speed can be freely changed, and according to the rotation speed of the feed roller 16 in FIG. The rotation speed of 30 is adjusted.
[0016]
When the magnetic tape original fabric 14 is introduced into the slitter 22 configured as described above, the magnetic tape original fabric 14 is applied with a shearing force by the rotating upper blade 32 while being wound around the rotating lower blade 30 as a receiving blade. Is done. Thereby, the magnetic tape original fabric 14 is cut into 100 to 250 pieces, and the magnetic tape 26 having a prescribed width dimension (for example, 12.65 mm, 25.4 mm, 3.81 mm, etc.) is formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the formed magnetic tape 26 is wound around a guide roller 24 and then wound around a winding hub 28 arranged in a plurality of stages (for example, three stages as shown). Note that reference numeral 42 in FIG. 2 is a clear portion 42 without a magnetic layer, and is removed when it is cut.
[0017]
By the way, an inspection unit 44 is provided downstream of the slitter 22 with respect to the traveling direction of the magnetic tape 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the inspection unit 44 includes a light projecting unit 46 and a light receiving unit 48 that are disposed to face each other with the magnetic tape 26 interposed therebetween. For example, a light emitting diode is used for the light projecting unit 46 and irradiates light toward the light receiving unit 48. The light receiving unit 48 uses a photodiode, a CCD line sensor, or the like, and receives light emitted from the light projecting unit 46. The control device 49 calculates the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 48 and the timing, and inspects whether the calculated value falls within the inspection standard. A plurality of light projecting units 46 and light receiving units 48 are arranged in the width direction of the magnetic tape 26 so that the width dimension of each magnetic tape 26 can be inspected.
[0018]
In the vicinity of the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48, nozzles 50 and 50 are installed. The nozzle 50 is connected to an air supply source (not shown), and is configured to blow air supplied from the air supply source toward the light projecting surface of the light projecting unit 46 or the light receiving surface of the light receiving unit 48. The The flow rate of the blown air is controlled by the flow rate adjusting valve 51, and the temperature of the blown air is controlled to be constant by a temperature adjusting unit (not shown). Note that an inert gas such as N ₂ may be used instead of air.
[0019]
The light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48 are covered with a casing 52. The casing 52 has a surface facing the magnetic tape 26 and is connected to a suction device (not shown) via an exhaust line 53. A flow rate adjustment valve 55 is disposed in the exhaust line 53, and the flow rate adjustment valve 55 adjusts the air volume to be sucked to be substantially the same as the air volume blown from the nozzle 50. Thereby, the air blown out from the nozzle 50 is exhausted with almost no leakage to the outside of the casing 52. Therefore, the air blown out from the nozzle 50 can be prevented from affecting other parts such as the slitter 22.
[0020]
A cleaning device 54 using a nonwoven fabric 57 is provided upstream of the inspection unit 44 with respect to the traveling direction of the magnetic tape 26. The nonwoven fabric 57 is formed in a belt shape and attached to the supply shaft 56 in a wound state. The nonwoven fabric 57 attached to the supply shaft 56 is fed from the supply shaft 56 and wound around the winding shaft 60 by rotating the winding shaft 60. A roller 58 for guiding the nonwoven fabric 57 is provided between the supply shaft 56 and the winding shaft 60. The nonwoven fabric 57 is guided by the roller 58 and slides on the magnetic tape 26. Thereby, dust adhering to the magnetic tape 26 (for example, swarf generated when cutting with the slitter 22) is collected by the nonwoven fabric 57 and removed from the magnetic tape 26. Therefore, dust can be prevented from entering the casing 52. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 54 is preferably provided on both sides of the magnetic tape 26 (that is, both upper and lower sides in FIG. 1).
[0021]
A tension measuring device 62 for the magnetic tape 26 is provided downstream of the inspection unit 44 with respect to the traveling direction of the magnetic tape 26. The tension measuring device 62 has a roller 64 around which the magnetic tape 26 is wound. A load cell 66 is attached to the roller 64, and the tension of the magnetic tape 26 is measured by the load cell 66. A load cell 66 that can measure the tension of the magnetic tape 26 with an accuracy within ± 5% is used. The tension measuring device 62 only needs to be able to measure the tension of the magnetic tape 26 in the inspection unit 44, and may be provided upstream of the inspection unit 44 with respect to the traveling direction of the magnetic tape 26. Further, the tension measuring device 62 is not limited to the load cell 66, and other known means for measuring the tension of the magnetic tape 26 may be used.
[0022]
The load cell 66 is connected to the control device 49 via an amplifier 68. The signal of the measurement value of the load cell 66 is amplified by the amplifier 68, and then a high frequency component is cut by a filter built in the amplifier 68. 49.
[0023]
Data indicating the relationship between the tension of the magnetic tape 26 and the width dimension variation is input to the control device 49 in advance. This data is input in accordance with various types (for example, thickness, material, etc.) of the magnetic tape 26. If the type of the magnetic tape 26 is set before performing the cutting operation, the tension of the magnetic tape 26 is set. And an accurate relationship between the width dimension variation amount can be obtained. Therefore, if the width dimension and tension of the magnetic tape 26 are measured, the measurement value of the width dimension can be corrected based on the measurement value of the tension, and the width dimension at a certain constant tension value can be obtained.
[0024]
The control device 49 determines whether the correction value of the width dimension is within the standard range, and when it is out of the standard range, outputs this to a display screen (not shown) and the like, and then operates the cutting device 10. To stop. When the position is out of the standard range, the position of the portion may be recorded and extracted in a later process.
[0025]
Next, the operation of the cutting apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described.
[0026]
Since the inspection unit 44 is provided in the subsequent stage of the slitter 22, the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 cut by the slitter 22 is inspected throughout the entire area. At that time, air is blown from the nozzle 50 to the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48 of the inspection unit 44, and the periphery thereof is maintained at a substantially constant temperature. Therefore, the inspection unit 44 can inspect the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 with high accuracy without being affected by the temperature change. For example, if the temperature change of the inspection unit 44 is controlled within ± 1 ° C., the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 can be inspected with an accuracy of ± 2 μm.
[0027]
However, even if the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 is measured with high accuracy by the light projecting section 46 and the light receiving section 48, if the tension of the magnetic tape 26 varies in the longitudinal direction at the time of measurement, the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 itself. As a result, the width dimension cannot be accurately inspected. That is, the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 is reduced at a portion where the longitudinal tension of the magnetic tape 26 is large, and the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 is increased at a portion where the tension is small. Therefore, in order to accurately perform the inspection, it is necessary to obtain the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 converted to a reference constant tension value by cutting off the influence of the tension fluctuation.
[0028]
Therefore, in the cutting device 10 of the present embodiment, the tension measuring device 62 measures the tension of the magnetic tape 26 and corrects the measured value of the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 based on this measured value. That is, the measured value of the width dimension obtained by the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48 is always converted to the width dimension at the same tension. Accordingly, the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 can always be inspected with high accuracy without being affected by fluctuations in the tension of the magnetic tape 26.
[0029]
As described above, according to the cutting apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the inspection unit 44 is provided at the subsequent stage of the slitter 22 to measure the width dimension and the tension of the magnetic tape 26, and the measured value of the width dimension based on the measured value of the tension. Thus, the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 can be inspected with high accuracy without being affected by the variation in tension of the magnetic tape 26. In particular, in this embodiment, air is blown from the nozzle 50 toward the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48 to measure the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 with high accuracy of ± 2 μm, and the load cell 66 is used to measure the magnetic tape. Since the tension of 26 was measured with high accuracy within ± 5%, the width dimension can be corrected fairly accurately. Thereby, since the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 can be inspected with high accuracy in the entire area of the magnetic tape 26, even if the standard of the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 is strict, the magnetic tape 26 is within the standard in the entire area. It can be surely guaranteed.
[0030]
In addition, since the cutting device 10 incorporates the inspection unit 44 to inspect the entire area of the magnetic tape 26 while performing the cutting process with the slitter 22, the magnetic tape 26 can be quality controlled over the entire length, and the productivity can be improved. Can be improved.
[0031]
Furthermore, according to the cutting device 10, dust attached to the magnetic tape 26 is removed by the cleaning device 54, so that dust does not enter the casing 52. Therefore, since dust does not adhere to the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48, the inspection accuracy of the inspection unit 44 can be further improved.
[0032]
In the above-described embodiment, the nonwoven fabric 57 is used as the dust cleaning device 54. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a brush or the like may be used. Further, dust attached to the magnetic tape 26 may be removed by blowing air onto the magnetic tape 26. Further, an electrostatic type dust removing device is installed in front of the inspection unit 44, and dust is electrostatically adsorbed to the magnetic tape 26 by removing the discharging air from the dust removing device toward the magnetic tape 26, and the magnetic tape. 26 may prevent dust from being electrostatically adsorbed.
[0033]
Further, the air blowing position by the nozzle 50 is not limited to the light projecting unit 46 or the light receiving unit 48, but may be any position around the light projecting unit 46 or the light receiving unit 48. Therefore, the temperature around the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48 may be controlled to be constant by supplying temperature-controlled air into the casing 52. Further, a temperature sensor may be provided inside the casing 52, and the temperature of the air supplied to the nozzle 50 may be controlled so that the measured value of the temperature sensor becomes constant.
[0034]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, air is blown from the nozzle 50 in order to control the temperature of the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48, but the temperature control means is not limited to this. For example, the light projecting unit 46 and the light receiving unit 48 may be covered with a jacket, and cooling water or the like may be circulated through the jacket. Further, the temperature may be controlled by attaching a Peltier element or the like to the light projecting unit 46 or the light receiving unit 48.
[0035]
In the above-described embodiment, only the width dimension of the magnetic tape 26 is inspected by the detection unit 44. However, the shape of the magnetic tape 26 such as the linearity of the edge in the width direction of the magnetic tape 26 can also be inspected. .
[0036]
Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the correction value of the width dimension is sequentially calculated in the control device 49, but when the calculation is not in time such as when cutting at high speed, the calculation process is performed after the cutting process. May be.
[0037]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the light projecting unit 46, the light receiving unit 48, and the tension measuring device 62 are provided for all the magnetic tapes 26. Effective in terms of management. For example, even if every other magnetic tape 26 is provided with a light projecting section 46, a light receiving section 48, and a tension measuring device 62 to measure the width dimension and the tension and inspect the width dimension, the quality of all the magnetic tapes 26 Can be improved.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the cutting device according to the present invention, the tension of the tape is measured, and the measured value of the width of the tape is corrected based on the measured value. It is possible to always measure with high accuracy without being affected by fluctuations in tension. Therefore, the tape can be inspected with high accuracy, and the quality of the tape can be guaranteed in the entire area.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a configuration of a cutting apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a slitter. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a configuration of an inspection unit.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Cutting device, 12 ... Rewinding reel, 14 ... Magnetic tape raw material, 16 ... Feed roller, 18 ... Guide roller, 20 ... Guide roller, 22 ... Slitter, 24 ... Guide roller, 26 ... Magnetic tape, 28 ... Winding Take-off hub, 30 ... rotating lower blade, 32 ... rotating upper blade, 34 ... lower shaft, 36 ... spacer, 38 ... upper shaft, 40 ... spacer, 42 ... clear section, 44 ... inspection section, 46 ... light projecting section, 48: Light receiving unit, 49: Control device, 50 ... Nozzle, 51 ... Flow rate adjusting valve, 52 ... Casing, 53 ... Exhaust line, 54 ... Cleaning device, 55 ... Flow rate adjusting valve, 56 ... Supply shaft, 57 ... Nonwoven fabric, 58 ... Roller, 60 ... Winding shaft, 62 ... Tension measuring device, 64 ... Roller, 66 ... Load cell, 68 ... Amplifier

Claims (1)

In a cutting device that continuously passes a web through a slitter and cuts into a plurality of tapes,
A width dimension measuring means provided at a subsequent stage of the slitter with respect to the running direction of the tape, and measuring the width dimension of the tape;
Tension measuring means for measuring the tension of the tape;
Correction means for correcting the measurement value of the width dimension measurement means based on the measurement value of the tension measurement means;
A cutting apparatus characterized by comprising:

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