Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Edward G Wollangk

Gregory John Rajala

Andrew Michael Lake

Daniel James Oshefsky

Moshe Saraf

David R Roland

Amnuey Lilaonitkul

An apparatus and method is disclosed for winding a web about a central axis and a rotating mandrel to form a roll. A rolled web product with an alternating winding pattern may be manufactured. A feeding mechanism provides a running web to be wound into a roll. A retainer assembly may be configured for holding the web as it is wound upon the rotating mandrel. The retainer assembly may be configured to accommodate oscillating movement of the rotating mandrel between a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction. The web may be placed upon a roll by winding in one direction and then back again in a second direction repeatedly to form a roll. Retaining means, such as paddles, may be actuated from an active position in contact with the web to a resting position removed from the roll. Paddles may serve to hold the web upon the outer surface of the roll at the time in which the rotating mandrel is changing rotational direction.

Rolled web products having a web wound in an oscillating fashion

An apparatus and method is disclosed for winding a web about a central axis and a rotating mandrel to form a roll. A feeding mechanism provides a running web to be wound into a roll. A retainer assembly may be configured for holding the web as it is wound upon the rotating mandrel. The retainer assembly may be configured to accommodate oscillating movement of the rotating mandrel between a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction. The web may be wound in one direction and then back again repeatedly to form a roll. Retaining means, such as paddles, may be actuated from an active position in contact with the web to a resting position removed from the roll. Paddles may serve to hold the web upon the outer surface of the roll at the time in which the rotating mandrel is changing rotational direction.

Method and apparatus for winding a web

A heat-set radially compressed tampon is made by radially compressing a prehumidified tampon pledget having absorbent fibers subjecting the compressed pledget to microwave heating.

Microwave heat setting of tampon

A tampon which is designed to be folded, has foldable absorbent material, a fluid pervious outerwrap which is overlapped at its edge and a withdrawal string that encircles the tampon at the overlapped edge of the wrap. After folding, the string and overlapped edge are on the outside surface of the tampon.

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Oshkosh, WI, United States of America

Edward G Wollangk