Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

David P Hunter

Sara J Schewe

Robert Lee Popp

Davis-Dang H Nhan

Seth M Newlin

Kent Allan Franklin

Anthony John Wisneski

Susan Joan Daniels

Michael Alan Schmidt

Mark Scott Lancaster

Gregory M Blincoe

Randall W Foss

Christopher S Larsen

Henry L Carbone

A method and apparatus including means for delivery of at least one high speed composite stream of polymer fibers and secondary material. The method and apparatus also includes a movable collection device which intersects in the composite stream of polymer fibers and secondary material and at least one non-contact deflector to redirect at least a portion of the composite stream.

Method and apparatus to shape a composite structure without contact

A method of making stretchable absorbent articles includes the steps of providing a continuous substrate layer, providing one or more streams of adhesive fibers and superabsorbent particles, shaping the one or more streams of adhesive fibers and superabsorbent particles, depositing the adhesive fibers and superabsorbent particles on the substrate layer to form a plurality of shaped absorbent cores bound to the substrate layer, and separating the absorbent cores from each other. The absorbent cores thus formed do not prevent stretching of the substrate layer. The combination of absorbent core and substrate layer can be used in a wide variety of personal care absorbent articles and medical absorbent articles.

Method of making absorbent articles having shaped absorbent cores on a substrate

A closed-loop system can maintain a pre-set cut length of a material as the material is cut and placed on a web. The system has the ability to measure the actual cut length, compare the average actual cut length to a target cut length, and to adjust web tension or feed roll speed to achieve the target cut length. Actual cut length variation is thereby reduced. Furthermore, short term cut length variation is further reduced by minimizing the tension of the web just prior to the material being cut.

System for measuring and controlling cut length of discrete components in a high-speed process

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Appleton, WI, United States of America

David P Hunter