Machine configured to produce stacks of folded wipes

Abstract

A machine to produce stacks of folded pop-up wipes from material that is threaded along a path having a direction through the machine. The machine includes a holder, a first tension unit, a perforation unit to generate perforations in the material in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the path, and a folding unit to fold the material in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the path. The material is threaded along a path through the machine via the first tension unit, the perforation unit and the folding unit. A control unit controls the machine to produce folded pop-up wipes by individually controlling tension of material along one or more sections of the path and to increase tension of the material in a section of the path located after the perforation unit to stretch a generated perforation in the section of the path by a target distance.

1 . A machine configured to produce stacks of folded pop-up wipes from material, wherein the material is threaded along a path having a direction through the machine the machine comprising:
 a holder of the material,   a first tension unit,   a perforation unit configured to generate perforations in the material in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the path,   a folding unit configured to fold the material in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the path,   a control unit communicatively coupled to at least the first tension unit, the perforation unit and the folding unit,   wherein the material is threaded along a path through the machine via at least the first tension unit, the perforation unit and the folding unit,   wherein the control unit is configured to control the machine to produce folded pop-up wipes by individually controlling tension of material along one or more sections of the path wherein the control unit is further configured to control the machine to increase tension of the material in a section of the path located after the perforation unit to stretch a generated perforation in the section of the path by a target distance.   
     
     
         2 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the produced stacks of folded pop-up wipes comprises a continuous web. 
     
     
         3 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the section of the path is located between the first tension unit and the folding unit. 
     
     
         4 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the machine to increase tension of the material in a section of the path to separate the material at a generated perforation. 
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the section of the path is located between the first tension unit and the folding unit. 
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the material is separated into parts when the generated perforations are located after the perforation unit. 
     
     
         7 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the machine to adjust tension of the material in the section of the path located after the perforation unit and before the folding unit to adjust the relative location of a perforation generated by the perforation unit in a produced stack of folded pop-up wipes. 
     
     
         8 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the machine to adjust relative distance between perforations generated by the perforation unit to adjust the relative location of a perforation generated by the perforation unit in a produced stack of folded pop-up wipes. 
     
     
         9 . A method performed by the machine according to  claim 1  configured to produce stacks of folded pop-up wipes from material, the method comprising:
 controlling the machine to produce folded pop-up wipes by individually controlling tension of material along one or more sections of the path, further comprising controlling the machine to increase tension of the material in a section of the path located after the perforation unit to stretch a generated perforation in the section of the path by a target distance. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the produced stacks of folded pop-up wipes comprise a continuous web. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the section of the path is located between the first tension unit and the folding unit. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising controlling the machine to increase tension of the material in the section of the path to separate the material at a generated perforation. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the section of the path is located between the first tension unit and the folding unit. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the material is separated into parts when the generated perforation is located after the perforation unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising controlling the machine to adjust tension of the material in the section of the path located after the perforation unit and before the folding unit to adjust the relative location of a perforation generated by the perforation unit in a produced stack of folded pop-up wipes. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the machine to adjust relative distance between perforations generated by the perforation unit to adjust the relative location of a perforation generated by the perforation unit in a produced stack of folded pop-up wipes. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method according to  claim 9 .