Belt-like material-feeding apparatus and method of operating the same

Abstract

A belt-like material-feeding apparatus for continuously feeding a belt-like material to an intermittently-treating unit comprises a splicing unit which splices a second belt-like material to a first belt-like material being fed to the intermittently-treating unit to thereby switch the belt-like material being fed to the intermittently-treating unit from the first belt-like material into the second belt-like material, and a control unit for controlling the splicing timing of the splicing unit based upon the treating timing of the intermittently-treating unit. When it is judged that a splicing region formed between the first belt-like material and the second belt-like material by the splicing operation of the splicing unit, is going to be treated by the intermittently-treating unit, the control unit controls the splicing unit so as to retard the splicing operation.

1 . A belt-like material-feeding apparatus for continuously feeding a belt-like material to an intermittently-treating unit, comprising:
 a splicing unit which splices a second belt-like material to a first belt-like material being fed to the intermittently-treating unit to thereby switch the belt-like material being fed to the intermittently-treating unit from the first belt-like material into the second belt-like material; and   a control unit for controlling the splicing timing of the splicing unit based upon the treating timing of the intermittently-treating unit.   
     
     
         2 . The belt-like material-feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a judging unit for judging if a splicing region formed between the first belt-like material and the second belt-like material by the splicing operation of the splicing unit, is going to be treated by the intermittently-treating unit, wherein when it is judged that the splicing region is going to be treated by the intermittently-treating unit, the control unit controls the splicing unit so as to retard the splicing operation. 
     
     
         3 . The belt-like material-feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein when it is judged that the splicing region is not going to be treated by the intermittently-treating unit, the control unit controls the splicing unit so as to conduct the splicing operation. 
     
     
         4 . The belt-like material-feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein when the remaining amount of the first belt-like material is smaller than a lower-limit amount, the judging unit judges if the splicing region is going to be treated by the intermittently-treating unit. 
     
     
         5 . The belt-like material-feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treatment of the intermittently-treating unit includes at least one of cutting of the belt-like material and compression of the belt-like material. 
     
     
         6 . The belt-like material-feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the splicing operation of the splicing unit is conducted by adhesion. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a belt-like material-feeding apparatus for continuously feeding a belt-like material to an intermittently-treating unit, the apparatus comprising a splicing unit which splices a second belt-like material to a first belt-like material being fed to the intermittently-treating unit to thereby switch the belt-like material being fed to the intermittently-treating unit from the first belt-like material into the second belt-like material, wherein the splicing timing of the splicing unit is controlled based upon the treating timing of the intermittently-treating unit.