Process for Winding Dental Tape

Abstract

This present invention relates to a process for winding tape to prevent or reduce telescoping of the tape (e.g., dental tape) as it is wound onto a bobbin spool. Dispensers comprising such bobbins are also discussed herein.

1 . A process for winding elastomeric tape, comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a powered rewinding mechanism for rewinding the tape onto a take-up spool having a core, the spool having a longitudinal axis and a constant circumference C along the length of the longitudinal axis, the rewinding mechanism comprising;
 i. a traverse barrel cam providing a cam advance and 
 ii. pulleys in driving communication with and sequentially ordered from the take-up spool to the traverse barrel cam such that the product of the pulley ratios is a Ratio A, where;
   Ratio  A=P   1   /P   2   ×P   3   /P   4   ×P   z-1   /P   z    
 
  where Z is the number of pulleys used to drivingly connect the traverse barrel cam to the take-up spool and P 1  to P Z  are the sizes of the pulleys as sequentially ordered from the take-up spool to the traverse barrel cam, the traverse barrel cam and the pulley sizes selected such that the product of the cam advance and Ratio A when divided by the circumference C produces a Ratio B, where
   Ratio  B =(cam advance×Ratio  A )/Circumference  C  
 
 
  and where Ratio B provides a Helix Angle θ of from about 3.5 degrees to about 5 degrees, when determined by formula:
   sin −1 (Helix Angle θ)=Ratio  B  
 
 
   b. optionally, providing a sensing mechanism coupled to the powered unwinding mechanism for maintaining the speed of the tape such that the tension is less than 250 grams-force just prior to the rewinding of the tape onto the take-up spool; and   c. winding no more than 6 pounds of the elastomeric tape onto the take-up spool.   
     
     
         2 . A bobbin of elastomeric tape formed by winding onto a bobbin spool the tape unwound from the take-up spool produced according to the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . A process for coating and winding elastomeric tape, comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a powered unwinding mechanism for unwinding a spool of elastomeric tape having a first side and a second side, the first side being opposite the second side;   b. providing a line speed for the tape of greater than about 1000 feet per minute;   c. providing a die coating mechanism comprising a coating die adapted to receive or orientate the elastomeric tape such that the first and second sides are at a vertical orientation and comprising coating outlet ports for delivering coating to the first and second sides of the elastomeric tape;   d. providing a powered rewinding mechanism for rewinding the tape onto a take-up spool having a core, the spool having a longitudinal axis and a constant circumference C along the length of the longitudinal axis, the rewinding mechanism comprising;
 i. a traverse barrel cam providing a cam advance and 
 ii. pulleys in driving communication with and sequentially ordered from the take-up spool to the traverse barrel cam such that the product of the pulley ratios is a Ratio A, where;
   Ratio  A=P   1   /P   2   ×P   3   /P   4   ×P   z-1   /P   z    
 
  where Z is the number of pulleys used to drivingly connect the traverse barrel cam to the take-up spool and P 1  to P Z  are the sizes of the pulleys as sequentially ordered from the take-up spool to the traverse barrel cam, the traverse barrel cam and the pulley sizes selected such that the product of the cam advance and Ratio A when divided by the circumference C produces a Ratio B, where
   Ratio  B =(cam advance×Ratio  A )/Circumference  C  
 
 
  and where Ratio B provides a Helix Angle θ of from about 3.5 degrees to about 5 degrees, when determined by formula:
   sin −1 (Helix Angle θ)=Ratio  B  
 
 
   e. optionally, providing a sensing mechanism coupled to the powered unwinding mechanism for maintaining the speed of the tape such that the tension is less than 250 grams-force just prior to the rewinding of the tape onto the take-up spool; and   f. winding no more than 6 pounds of the elastomeric tape onto the take-up spool.   
     
     
         4 . A bobbin of elastomeric tape formed by winding onto a bobbin spool that tape unwound from the take-up spool produced according to the process of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         5 - 10 . (canceled)