Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Other

Charles Robert Tomsovic

Steven Craig Gehling

Brian Robert Vogt

Jason Gene Csida

Michael Alan Hermans

Frank Stephen Hada

Michael Lee Lohoff

Ronald Alex Hilt

Brian L Alberts

Joseph Daniel Coenen

David Albert Maxton

Lowell Everett Thoms

Nicholas Scott Wolter

Robert Lee Popp

Robert Lewis Clarke

Jack Lee Couillard

David V Lange

Roger A Kanitz

Richard Mark Konetzke

Lloyd Carl Hietpas

Mary Lou McDaniel

Kurt Garrett Krupka

Lars Nilsen Nordang

Fung-jou Chen

Marcille Faye Ruman

Garry Roland Woltman

David Arthur Kuen

John David Amundson

Frank Gerald Druecke

Richard Joseph Kamps

Debra Hartley Durrance

Heather Schenck Mortell

Scott Gerald Chapple

Robin Kurt Nason

Robert Irving Gusky

Joseph J Gimenez

Alexander M Schmidt-Foerst

Wayne D Beyer

Joshua Fiedorowicz

Martin Gottvald

Brian Wade Isenhart

Richard D Hauser

Doug A Rounds

Patrick W Murry

Patricia Katherine Eng

Thomas Earl Williamson

Timothy A Thorson

David Kevin Oldroyd

Michael William Protheroe

Alexander Schmidt-Foerst

David Michael Clemens

Brian Thomas Anderson

Scott Beck

Wade L Behnke

Mike L Lohoff

Dale H Damsteegt

Michael John Wanner

Melissa Kay Burns

Scott John Andrew Swanson

Nick Wolter

Steve Gehling

Shan Liang-Chen

Alexander Manfred Schmidt-Forst

Mary L Mcdaniel

Stephen D Franger

Timothy Alan Thorson

Sarah Austin O'Brien

In the manufacture of a tampon, an absorbent structure composed of an absorbent material can be formed into a tampon blank. In various embodiments, a withdrawal element can be attached to the absorbent structure either before or after the absorbent structure is formed into a tampon blank. The tampon blank can then undergo a compression step which can result in the pledget of the tampon. The pledget, and resultant tampon, can have at least one linear channel and at least one non-linear channel.

Method of manufacturing a tampon

A method of manufacturing a tampon includes the steps of at least partially overlaying a web of base material with a web of absorbent material. The web of absorbent material is secured to the web of base material with a first securement. At least one of the web of base material and the web of absorbent material is folded after the first securement. The web of absorbent material is further secured to the web of base material with a second securement that is a stronger securement than the first securement. The web of absorbent material and the web of base material together define a web of cover material. The web of cover material is applied to an absorbent structure. The web of cover material and the absorbent structure is manipulated such that the web of cover material extends about a circumference of the absorbent structure to form a tampon.

Tampon method of manufacture

A tampon absorbent for insertion into a vaginal cavity is provided. The tampon absorbent includes a longitudinal direction and has an insertion end and a withdrawal end. The tampon absorbent includes a first absorbent material portion at the insertion end for capturing body fluid and demonstrating a first expansion capacity, and a second absorbent material portion at the withdrawal end for storing body fluid and demonstrating a second expansion capacity. The second absorbent material portion is partially wrapped around the first absorbent material portion in a direction transverse (perpendicular) to the longitudinal direction, at a bonding region, whereby the first absorbent material portion is bonded to the second absorbent material portion at the bonding region.

Tampon having multiple absorbent regions

A method of manufacturing a tampon includes transporting a web of material in a machine direction. The web of material has a base web and an absorbent web. The absorbent web has a free end and a bonded end wherein the bonded end is bonded to the base web. The free end of the absorbent web is moved in spaced relationship with the base web. The base web is bonded to a substrate.

Method of manufacturing tampons with contact elements

A method of manufacturing a tampon comprises the steps of at least partially overlaying a web of base material with a web of absorbent material. The web of absorbent material is secured to the web of base material with a first securement. At least one of the web of base material and the web of absorbent material is folded after the first securement. The web of absorbent material is further secured to the web of base material with a second securement that is a stronger securement than the first securement. The web of absorbent material and the web of base material together define a web of cover material. The web of cover material is applied to an absorbent structure. The web of cover material and the absorbent structure is manipulated such that the web of cover material extends about a circumference of the absorbent structure to form a tampon.

A method of manufacturing a tampon generally comprises forming a softwind including a core and a cover overlying and at least in part covering the core. The cover carries an absorbent web having a free end and a bonded end wherein the free end is capable of moving relative to the cover. The softwind is passed through a transfer assist device to facilitate the transferring of the free end of the absorbent web without the absorbent web becoming misaligned relative to the cover.

Method of manufacturing tampons by forming a softwind with contact elements

An apparatus for compressing a material includes a central longitudinal axis, a plurality of levers, and a plurality of jaws, wherein each jaw is attached to a lever, and wherein each jaw has a compression surface having an area. The apparatus also includes a compressing mechanism configured to move each lever in a non-linear motion such that the area of a compression surface exposed to the material decreases with the inward movement of that compression surface; and a shaping element associated with at least one compression surface. The apparatus can include a plurality of shaping elements projecting from at least one compression surface, wherein the plurality of shaping elements is configured to impart a pattern in the material. The apparatus can include a plurality of shaping elements each projecting from a compression surface, wherein the plurality of shaping elements is configured to impart a plurality of grooves in the material.

Shutter press compressor with shaping elements

An apparatus for compressing a material includes a plurality of levers and a plurality of jaws, wherein each jaw is attached to a lever, and wherein each jaw has a compression surface having an area. The apparatus also includes a compressing mechanism configured to move each lever in a non-linear motion such that the area of a compression surface exposed to the material decreases with the inward movement of that compression surface. Each jaw can be attached to a lever such that a gap is defined between adjacent jaws, the gap having a gap centerline. The compressing mechanism can be configured to move each jaw in a non-linear motion such that the gap centerline of the gap between adjacent jaws is predominantly tangential to an apparatus central longitudinal axis.

Shutter press compressor

An apparatus for compressing a material includes a central longitudinal axis, a plurality of levers each having a tool carrier and defining a lever longitudinal axis, and a plurality of jaws each attached to a lever at a tool carrier to form a lever/jaw combination, wherein each jaw has a compression surface having an area. The apparatus also includes a compressing mechanism configured to move each lever in a non-linear motion such that the area of a compression surface exposed to the material decreases with the inward movement of that compression surface, wherein each lever/jaw combination includes a biasing mechanism configured such that adjacent jaws contact each other. The plane of each compression surface can be predominantly tangential to the apparatus central longitudinal axis. Each biasing mechanism can be configured to bias its jaw along the lever longitudinal axis toward an adjacent jaw.

Shutter press compressor with movable jaws

A method of integrating a tampon includes providing an absorbent blank having a longitudinal centerline and compressing the absorbent blank in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline to form a pledget having a compressed diameter. The method also includes penetrating the pledget in the perpendicular direction to a compressed depth of at least 20% of the compressed diameter to form a discrete indentation.

Integrated tampon and method for making

A method for positioning side panels during manufacture of a pant includes positioning the side panels on side panel transfer devices. The side panels move perpendicular to a pant transport plane as the pant is transported in the machine direction and the side panels reside on the side panel transfer devices. The side panels can include refastenable fastening components. The method and apparatus can move the fastening components closer together in the cross-machine direction or maintain the fastening components at a constant cross-machine position while the side panels reside on the side panel transfer devices.

Garment side panel conveyor system and method

A method of manufacturing a tampon includes transporting a web of material in a machine direction. The web of material has a base web and an absorbent web. The absorbent web has a free end and a bonded end wherein the bonded end is bonded to the base web. At least the free end of the absorbent web of the web to is controlled to inhibit movement of the absorbent web relative to the base web. The web of material is cut into discrete web segments while controlling at least the free end of the absorbent web. The discrete web segments is bonded to a substrate.

Method of manufacturing tampons

A panel of a material is transported in operative proximity to an air knife having a nozzle and a curved Coanda surface, such that the panel is folded over the curved Coanda surface as the material is transported in a machine direction. The panel can be folded to a variety of angles and can comprise a refastenable fastening component. Air knives are employed in various methods for folding garment side panels and forming prefastened garments, such as refastenable pants.

Presentation and bonding of garment side panels

In a method and apparatus for mechanically fastening an absorbent undergarment during the initial manufacturing thereof, the undergarment is transported in a transport direction and folded longitudinally by a folding device such that first and second end regions of the undergarment are in generally opposed relationship with each other while transporting the partially assembled garment in the transport direction to fastenably engaged first and second fastening portions of the undergarment. A central region of the absorbent undergarment is held by a holding device, separate from the folding device, against bunching between the end regions of the undergarment during longitudinal folding of the undergarment. In another embodiment, the transverse position of the second fastening portion is adjusted relative to the first fastening portion to facilitate fastening engagement therebetween upon folding the absorbent garment longitudinally.

Apparatus for making pre-fastened absorbent undergarments

Growing community of inventors

Omro, WI, United States of America

Charles Robert Tomsovic