Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

David James VanEperen

Mark John Beitz

David Andrae Justmann

Richard Francis Keller

Chris Lee Heikkinen

Raymond Gerard St Louis

Robert Lee Popp

Joseph Daniel Coenen

Michael John Faulks

Daniel Robert Schlinz

Jack Lee Couillard

Kuo-Shu Edward Chang

Daniel Hoo

Alan Francis Schleinz

Heather Schenck Mortell

Lorry F Sallee

Sandra M Yarbrough

Cynthia Helen Nordness

Barbara Ann Gossen

Eric Scott Kepner

Steven Scott Friderich

Donald LeRoy Smith

James Bennington Stopher

Walter Andrew Mattingly

Cynthia Louise Wyngaard

Douglas Paul Rammer

Robert Thomas Cimini

Gene M Gregory

Joseph Conrad Burriss

Monica Lynn Bontrager

Roxanne Marie Zuleger

Kevin Lester Fiedler

Adam Lewis Daniels

Steven Michael Parsons

A method for bonding a strip, such as a leg elastic or the like, to an opening on a web of material. The method includes providing a web that includes at least one opening and defines at least a first bonding surface adjacent each opening. For each opening the method includes: deforming the web to modify the shape of the opening, providing a strip defining a second bonding surface, bonding together at least portions of the first and second bonding surfaces of the modified opening and relaxing the web.

Method for bonding surfaces on a web

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 process and apparatus for applying a web component ( ) to a moving substrate ( ). The process aspect includes a delivering of the web component ( ) to a rotatable applicator wheel ( ). The applicator wheel has an entry surface-region ( ), an exit surface-region ( ), a transport surface-region ( ), and an applicator wheel diameter ( ). The web component ( ) is contacted onto the entry surface-region ( ) of the applicator wheel ( ), and the applicator wheel is rotated to move the web component along a substantially circumferential, applicator path along the transport surface-region ( ) of the applicator wheel. The applicator wheel ( ) is oscillated about a pivot axis ( ) which is spaced from the moving substrate ( ) by a pivot distance ( ), and the web component ( ) is operatively applied from the exit surface-region ( ) of the applicator wheel ( ) onto the moving substrate ( ) to provide a desired curved web configuration. In a particular aspect, the applicator wheel diameter ( ) can be at least a selected percentage of the pivot distance ( ).

Method and apparatus for applying a curved component to a moving web

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

An absorbent article (10) which includes a backsheet layer (30) having a pair of laterally opposed and longitudinally extending side margins (20). Each side margin has an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour 15 located at appointed leg opening regions (17) in an intermediate portion (16) of the side margin. Each concave side edge contour (15) has a selected longitudinal extent along a length dimension (26) of the article (10). A liquid permeable topsheet layer (28) is connected in a superposed facing relation to the backsheet layer (30), and an absorbent body (32) is sandwiched between the topsheet layer (28) and the backsheet layer (30). A separately provided gusset-flap composite member (19) is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along each of the leg opening regions (17). The gusset-flap member (19) provides a leg gusset section (142) and a containment flap section (144). The gusset-flap member includes a barrier layer (174) having a pair of laterally opposed, longitudinally extending, barrier layer side edges (140, 141), and has a first major facing surface (148) and a second major facing surface (149). A nonwoven fabric layer (176) is joined in facing relation with the first facing surface (148) of the barrier layer (174). The fabric layer (176) has a leg gusset region (136), an outboard side portion (170), a containment flap region (63), and an inboard side portion (62). The outboard side portion (170) of the gusset-flap fabric layer (176) is arranged to wrap around at least one side edge of the barrier layer (174) and to extend inboard therefrom along the second facing surface (149) of the barrier layer (174). A first arrangement of a first plurality of separate, longitudinally extending elastomeric members (138) are attached and interposed between the barrier layer (174) and the fabric layer (176) within the leg gusset section (142) of the gusset-flap member (19).

Absorbent article with enhanced elastic design for improved aesthetics

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

David James VanEperen