Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Chris Lee Heikkinen

Daniel Hoo

David Andrae Justmann

Richard Francis Keller

Jeffrey Joseph Samida

Robert Thomas Cimini

Jack Lee Couillard

Chinmay Suresh Betrabet

Lorry F Sallee

Mark John Beitz

David James Van Eperen

Donald LeRoy Smith

David James VanEperen

Raymond Gerard St Louis

Douglas Paul Rammer

James Melvin Gaestel

Joseph Conrad Burriss

Kuo-Shu Edward Chang

Sandra M Yarbrough

Cynthia Helen Nordness

Robin Kurt Nason

Barbara Ann Gossen

Eric Scott Kepner

Steven Scott Friderich

Daniel James Sorensen

Paul Gordon Klemp

Cynthia Louise Wyngaard

Monica Lynn Bontrager

Roxanne Marie Zuleger

James Leslie White

Jeffery Joseph Samida

Barbara Jean Wink

The present invention provides a distinctive method and apparatus ( ) for forming an article which includes one or more selectively configured strands of material. In particular aspects, the invention can provide a method and apparatus for wrapping a strand of material with a selected filament, and desirably, the filament can be an adhesive filament. The technique of the invention can include a moving of a strand of material ( ) at a selected speed along an appointed machine-direction ( ). A substantially continuous filament ( ) can be directed onto the strand of material ( ) along an oscillating filament path ( ) to form a plurality of filament threads ( ) extending from opposed lateral side regions ( ) of the strand of material ( ). An air stream ( ) is directed to operatively wrap the filament threads ( ) around the strand of material ( ).

Process for applying adhesive in an article having a strand material

The present invention provides a distinctive method and apparatus ( ) for forming an article which includes one or more selectively configured strands of material. In particular aspects, the invention can provide a method and apparatus for wrapping a strand of material with selected filaments, and desirably, the filaments can be adhesive filaments. The technique of the invention can include a moving of a strand of material ( ) at a selected speed along an appointed machine-direction ( ). At least a first, substantially continuous filament ( ) can be directed onto the strand of material ( ) along a corresponding, oscillating filament path ( ) to form a first plurality of filament threads ( ) which extend from opposed lateral side regions ( ) of the strand of material ( ). In particular aspects, at least a second, substantially continuous filament ( ) can be directed onto the strand of material ( ) along a corresponding, oscillating filament path ( ) to form a second plurality of filament threads ( ) which extend from opposed lateral side regions ( ) of the strand of material ( ). Additionally, at least one air stream ( ), and desirably a plurality of air streams are directed to operatively wrap the filament threads ( ) around their corresponding strand of material ( ).

Multiple stage coating of elastic strands with adhesive

An apparatus and method for effecting an operation on at least one moving substrate web is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a rotatable bonding roll that is located adjacent the substrate web and configured to rotate about a bonding axis. A rotatable anvil roll has an anvil surface and is configured to rotate about an anvil axis to press the substrate web against an outer peripheral bonding surface of the bonding roll thereby bonding the substrate web. At least three support wheels are configured to contact the bonding surface of the bonding roll and to hold the bonding roll in a substantially fixed position.

Support system for rotary function rolls

An absorbent article (,) which includes a backsheet layer (,) having a pair of laterally opposed and longitudinally extending side margins (,). Each side margin has an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour,located at appointed leg opening regions (,) in an intermediate portion (,) of the side margin. Each concave side edge contour (,) has a selected longitudinal extent along a length dimension (,) of the article (,). A liquid permeable topsheet layer (,) is connected in a superposed facing relation to the backsheet layer (,), and an absorbent body (,) is sandwiched between the topsheet layer (,) and the backsheet layer (,). A separately provided gusset-flap composite member (,) is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along each of the leg opening regions (,). The gusset-flap member (,) provides a leg gusset section (,) and a containment flap section (,), and is distinctively configured to provide improved leakage resistance, fit and comfort.

Absorbent article with more conformable elastics

A distinctive method and apparatus for forming an article includes a moving of at least one first strand of material, such as strand (,), along an appointed machine-direction (,). The at least one first strand of material is attached to a base layer of material (,) to provide a substrate composite (,), and a laminate layer (,) can be placed adjacent the at least one first strand of material to provide a laminate composite web (,). In a particular aspect, at least one second strand of material, such as strand (,), can be moved along its appointed machine-direction, and the at least one second strand of material can be attached to the base layer (,). In another aspect, an appointed portion of the base layer (,) can be folded to substantially enclose the at least one second strand (,) with the base layer material. Alternatively or additionally, an appointed portion of the base layer (,) can be folded to substantially enclose the at least one first strand (,) and the laminate layer (,) with the base layer material. In a further aspect, at least one of the strands of material can be divided of into a plurality of strand segments to provide a substantially nongathering section of at least one of the strands.

Process for manufacturing an elastic article

An improved apparatus and method for effecting an operation on at least one continuously moving substrate web is disclosed. In particular, the apparatus includes a patterned anvil roll which includes a plurality of projections arranged in a predetermined pattern for effecting an operation on the web such as, for example, bonding, cutting, embossing, perforating and the like. The anvil roll includes recesses between the projections and resilient release material located in the recesses to improve the release of the substrate web from the anvil roll.

Patterned anvil-roll

This invention relates to apparatus and methods for intermittently bonding a substrate web in fabricating a blank subassembly for an absorbent article. The invention comprises ultrasonic bonding apparatus including an anvil roll, a substrate web thereon, and at least one rotary ultrasonic horn. The substrate web can comprise at least first and second layers of material. The rotary ultrasonic horn, in combination with the anvil roll, ultrasonically bonds intermittent segments of the first and second layers of the substrate web to each other. Such intermittent bonds can comprise end seals for the absorbent articles. The ultrasonic horn and anvil roll are periodically separated from each other to provide the intermittent bonding of the substrate web. An actuator apparatus periodically moves the anvil roll and ultrasonic horn from engaging contact with each other preventing bond formation. The actuator apparatus can include a cam mechanism moving one of the anvil roll and ultrasonic horn from engaging contact with the other during rotation of the rotary ultrasonic horn. The cam mechanism can create a physical gap between the ultrasonic horn and the anvil roll. The cam mechanism moves either the ultrasonic horn and the anvil roll toward the other of the ultrasonic horn and anvil roll at a velocity of no more than about 80 millimeters/second to prevent bounce or impact loading when the horn and anvil roll are in engaging contact. The anvil roll comprises a substrate-receiving surface generally moving the substrate web through the nip at a surface speed of at least 300 meters per minute. The ultrasonic system generally creates bonds between the first and second layers of the substrate web at least about 600 times per minute.

Methods and apparatus for intermittent rotary ultrasonic bonding system

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Menasha, WI, United States of America

Chris Lee Heikkinen