Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

David W Heyn

Michael Barth Venturino

Susan Joan Daniels

Derek Paul Murphy

James Martin Kaun

Leon Robert Flesburg

Richard Francis Keller

Allen Todd Leak

Mark Charles Jacobs

Randy Keith Burr

Dale Arthur Peterson

Thomas George Olsen

John Wallace De Vos

Eric Donald Johnson

Michael Donald Sperl

Carl Gerard Rippl

Gordon Allen Shaw

Shannon Kathleen Melius

Thomas Allan Eby

Jeffrey Lawrence McManus

Hoa La Wilhelm

Alan Francis Schleinz

Lorry F Sallee

Gregory Todd Sudduth

Diane Michele Underhill

Kenneth Raymond Schueler, Jr

Amber Marie Fortune

Toan Thanh LeMinh

Jerome James Workman, Jr

Paula Kay Zoromski

Melanie J Milslagle

Billie D Matelski

Jean Feyen Niemeyer

Jennifer Lynn Dopke

Jennifer Marie Bauerle

Dean M Laux

Steven Walter Moster

Matthew J Barron

Sonya L Eggen

Angie M Provost

Robert E Gee

James M Kaun

Leon R Flesburg

Jennifer L Dopke

Susan J Daniels

Toan T Le Minh

Melanie J Milslagel

An absorbent structure can include a matrix of fibers, wherein the matrix is reinforced with a reinforcing member, such as scrim. Preferably, the scrim is secured to the fibrous matrix by entanglement of fibers with the scrim and entanglement of fibers in the matrix from opposite sides of the scrim with each other. The scrim layer can be restricted to a longitudinally extending, medial region of the absorbent. In a particular arrangement, the scrim has a cross-directional width dimension which is less than a narrowest width dimension of the fibrous matrix. The scrim can be located between two, opposed, major surfaces of the fibrous matrix.

Absorbent article with reinforced absorbent structure

Apparatus for making a reinforced absorbent member includes a forming chamber adapted to contain a fluent fibrous material. A forming surface is moveable within the forming chamber along an arcuate path generally from an entrance of the forming chamber to an exit thereof. The forming surface is adapted to collect fibrous material thereon to form the absorbent member. A source of reinforcing web is disposed generally exterior of the forming chamber. The forming chamber has an opening through which the reinforcing web is received into the forming chamber for subsequent conveyance within the forming chamber toward the forming surface. The opening is disposed downstream of the forming chamber entrance generally in the direction of movement of the forming surface along the path.

Apparatus for making a reinforced fibrous absorbent member

Apparatus for making a reinforced fibrous absorbent member includes a forming chamber adapted to receive a fluent fibrous material and a forming surface moveable within the forming chamber and adapted to collect fibrous material to form the absorbent member. A source of reinforcing web is disposed exteriorly of the forming chamber. A delivery tube has an inlet end open to the forming chamber exterior, a discharge end open to the forming chamber interior, and a central passage extending between the inlet end and the discharge end. At least a portion of the delivery tube adjacent the discharge end extends within the forming chamber interior. The delivery tube is arranged for receiving the reinforcing web from the source of reinforcing web into the central passage of the tube at the inlet end and for guiding the web to the discharge end for conveyance within the forming chamber toward the forming surface.

A process and apparatus for air forming an article having a plurality of superimposed reinforced fibrous layers. The layers are formed in substantially discrete forming chambers by depositing fibrous materials on a forming surface which moves along a forming path through the chambers. A first layer is air-formed on the forming surface as the surface moves through the first forming chamber and a second layer is air-formed over the first layer as the surface moves through the second forming chamber. A reinforcing web is embedded in the article during the air-forming process.

Process and apparatus for air forming an article having a plurality of reinforced superimposed fibrous layers

In a process and apparatus for making a reinforced fibrous absorbent member, fibrous material is collected on a forming surface to at least partially form the absorbent member. Fibrous material is entangled with a reinforcing web which is overlaid on at least a portion of the partially formed absorbent member. Additional fibrous material is collected on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member whereby at least a portion of the fibrous material forming the absorbent member becomes entangled with at least one of the reinforcing web and the fibrous material entangled with the reinforcing web to secure the reinforcing web within the absorbent member.

Process for making a reinforced fibrous absorbent member

Process and apparatus for air forming an article having a plurality of superimposed fibrous layers. The layers are formed in substantially discrete forming chambers by depositing fibrous material on a forming surface which moves along an arcuate path through the chambers. A first layer is air-formed on the forming surface as the surface moves through the first forming chamber and a second layer is air-formed over the first layer as the surface moves through the second forming chamber.

Process and apparatus for air forming an article having a plurality of superimposed fibrous layers

A method is provided for making absorbent pads that may have a longitudinally asymmetric shape. The pads may be used in various consumer absorbent articles. The method includes delivering a supply of an absorbent web material in a machine-direction and cutting the absorbent web material in a cross-direction to form a repeating nested pattern of generally identically shaped and oppositely oriented absorbent pads, the pads being disposed longitudinally in the cross-direction of the absorbent web. The pads are longitudinally asymmetric and nested such that the crotch portion of one pad is oriented towards the back portions of immediately adjacent pads, and adjacent nested pads share defining cut lines such that there is no wastage of absorbent web material between the nested pads.

Cross-machine-direction nested absorbent pads with minimal waste geometries

A method and apparatus ( ) for making an absorbent article can include a delivering of a first contoured web-strip ( ) from a first production supply ( ) of contoured web-strip material, with the first contoured web-strip ( ) presenting a primary production sequence of side edge contours during its delivery. At least a second contoured web-strip ( ) can be delivered from a second production supply ( ) of the contoured web-strip material, with the second contoured web-strip ( ) also presenting the primary production sequence of side edge contours during its delivery. In a particular aspect, the first and second contoured web-strips ( and ) have been produced from a web ( ) of absorbent material which has been divided to provided at least two web-strips ( ) having a substantially nested configuration. In another aspect, the first web-strip ( ) provides a first orientation which presents a first sequence of side edge contours; and the second web-strip ( ) provides a longitudinally-reversed orientation which presents a different, substantially reversed sequence of side edge contours. In an additional aspect, the web-strips ( ) have been separately stored to provide the first and second production supplies ( ) of contoured web-strip material.

Apparatus and process for converting asymmetrically nested absorbent webs

A method and apparatus for forming an article ( ) includes a moving of a forming surface ( ) through an operative forming chamber ( ) along a forming path length ( ). A first fibrous stratum ( ) of fiber material ( ) can be deposited onto the forming surface ( ), and the first fibrous stratum ( ) can have a first stratum thickness ( ). A first quantity of a first superabsorbent material ( ) can be directed to form a selected combination with the first fibrous material to provide a first superabsorbent-containing stratum. A second fibrous stratum ( ) of fibrous material can be deposited to overlie the first fibrous stratum ( ), and the second fibrous stratum ( ) can have a second stratum thickness ( ). A second superabsorbent material ( ) can be directed to form a selected combination with the second fibrous material to provide a second superabsorbent-containing stratum.

Method for obtaining a dual strata distribution of superabsorbent in a fibrous matrix

A method and apparatus for depositing particulate material (,) in an airlaid fibrous web (,) includes a moving of a forming surface (,) through a forming chamber (,), and a laying of a fibrous material (,) onto the forming surface to form the fibrous web. The particulate material is delivered into the forming chamber with an arcuate curved nozzle (,) which is positioned within the forming chamber at a location spaced from the forming surface.

Method and apparatus for depositing particulate material in a fibrous web

An absorbent article, such as the shown diaper (10), has a front waistband portion (14), a back waistband portion (12) and an intermediate portion (16) interconnecting said front and back waistband portions. The article includes a backsheet member (30), a liquid permeable topsheet layer (28), and an absorbent body (32) sandwiched between the topsheet layer (28) and backsheet member (30). The backsheet member includes an air permeable, polymer sheet layer (96), and a first, outward nonwoven fibrous web (94) attached to or otherwise operatively joined with a major facing surface (78) of the polymer sheet layer (96) at a plurality of individual, spaced apart thermal bonds (98). The outward nonwoven web (94) includes a plurality of fibers having substantially unbonded lengths which extend substantially continuously between at least an adjacent pair of the bonds, and the substantially unbonded fiber lengths are arched away from an outward surface of the thermal bonds by arch heights (60) which provides a distinctive embossing element depth value. In addition, the fibers of the outward nonwoven web can have a selected denier, and the outward nonwoven web (94) can have a selected basis weight.

Absorbent article with visually and tactilely distinctive outer cover

An absorbent article (10) has a front waistband portion (14), a back waistband portion (12) and an intermediate portion (16). The article comprises a flexible backsheet member (30), and a liquid permeable topsheet layer (28). An absorbent body structure (32), with a retention portion (48), is sandwiched between the backsheet member (30) and the topsheet layer (28), and a wetness indicator (40) visually shows a presence of liquid in selected areas of the article. The wetness indicator is provided by at least one indicator section of the backsheet member (30) which includes a polymer sheet layer (96). Desirably, The wetness indicator is provided by at least one indicator section of the backsheet member (30) which includes a backsheet laminate material having a fibrous nonwoven web (94) attached to a polymer sheet layer (96). The indicator section of the backsheet member (30) includes a plurality of translucent windows (98) which are arranged in an area pattern and are formed by a selected thermal treatment of the polymer sheet layer (96). In particular arrangements, the translucent windows (98) can be arranged in an area pattern and can be formed by a bonding of the fibrous nonwoven web (94) to the polymer sheet layer (96) in the backsheet laminate material. A layer of contrast material (44) may be attached to the article at an operative location which is interposed between an intended wearer of the article and the indicator section of the backsheet member (30). In particular arrangements, the contrast layer (44) can have a first appearance through the translucent windows (98) when the contrast material is dry, and can have a visually different second appearance through the translucent windows (98) when the contrast material is wetted with water or other aqueous liquid.

Absorbent article with wetness indicator

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Neenah, WI, United States of America

David W Heyn