Curt G. Joa, Inc.

Gottfried Jason Hohm

Robert E Andrews

Adam D DeNoble

Dennis J Faucher

John A McCabe

Jeffrey Wayne Fritz

Darren Horness

Jeff Middlesworth

Daniel A Peterson

Ryan M Ferguson

Jeffrey Dale Brown

Peter Jenquin

Sudeep Ingole

Debra Heus Bowe

Christopher J Nelson

Sean P Follen

Christopher A Schwartz

Anthony A Nelson

Tyler W Pagel

Zachary J Giffey

Alan J Rabe

Brian G Jankuski

Wei Wei

Jeffrey Alan Middlesworth

Thomas Muhs

Cory D Veldman

Adam D Denoble

Jeffrey W Fritz

Ryan Michael Ferguson

Brian G Januski

Adam D De Noble

Christopher J Schwartz

Darren R Horness

John A Mccabe

Apparatus and methods are provided to minimize waste and improve quality and production in web processing operations. The apparatus and methods provide defect detection in deposition of acquisition material, which on current machines frequently flips and is difficult to detect when it has flipped causing manufacturers to scrap thousands of products. Using the present invention, defects are able to be detected by discerning a difference in the appearance from side to side with a vision camera, and an acquisition inverter can flip the material to a correct orientation.

Apparatus and method for web twist defect correction

Apparatus and methods are provided to allow for creation of an elastic laminate. Non-stretched elastic can be laid at peaks over a nonwoven layer contained in valleys and atop peaks. Stretched elastic can be laid over tented nonwoven to create nonwoven tunnels when a second nonwoven is laid atop the first nonwoven and elastic, and the tunnels resist un-stretching of stretched elastic strands by frictional or obstruction forces. An elastic assembly or structure comprising a first and second layer of material bonded at spaced apart bond sites is disclosed, with a plurality of elastic strands disposed in a non-linear manner between said first and second layer of material, so that said strands meander in a cross-machine direction and traverse a machine direction line, restraining movement of the strands by frictional forces between the strands and the non-woven layers.

Apparatus and methods for securing elastic to a carrier web

Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of engaging members rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item with a first engaging member away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second engaging member back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a travel path into and out of contact with the diaper.

Apparatus and method for high speed cross folding

A pulpless core is provided with flexibility for superabsorbent expansion by using elastic strands stretched and coupled to a nonwoven layer, and then relaxed partially to create receiving valleys (puckers) and the puckers are provided with superabsorbent polymer, and then a layer of nonwoven or acquisition film can be coupled on top of nonwoven/elastic/sap carrier layers to create an absorbent core laminate. A tubular core can be created and placed into a product with or without additional absorbent material between adjacent tubular members. A printed back sheet corresponding to either the tubular core shape, or void spaces between tubular members can be provide. A forming drum pocket can be profiled to match tube or tube shaped zones and elastic placements between adjacent tubes, if desired.

Absorbent cores and apparatus and methods for producing absorbent cores

Systems and methods utilizing stationary and/or moveable cutting components provide limited interference with web processing operations, such as pad spin and pitch alteration. Heat, laser, fluid, or mechanical cutting operations may be used, including respectively, a heated element (e.g., wire, ribbon, bar, or embossing or perforating element) that may be triggered inductively, water or steam jets, or improved knife/anvil cooperation.

Systems and methods for cutting or perforating a web material

Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of vacuum drums rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second rotational vacuum drum back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a pair of belts, into and out of contact with the diaper.

Apparatus and methods are provided to allow for creation an elastic laminate. Non-stretched elastic can be laid at peaks over a nonwoven layer contained in valleys and atop peaks. Stretched elastic can be laid over tented nonwoven to create nonwoven tunnels when a second nonwoven is laid atop the first nonwoven and elastic, and the tunnels resist un-stretching of stretched elastic strands by frictional or obstruction forces. A laminated material comprising a first and second layer of material bonded at spaced apart bond sites is disclosed, with a plurality of elastic strands disposed in a non-linear manner between said first and second layer of material, so that said strands meander in a cross-machine direction and traverse a machine direction line, restraining movement of the strands by frictional forces between the strands and the non-woven layers.

Apparatus and methods are provided to minimize waste and improve quality and production in web processing operations. The apparatus and methods provide defect detection both before and after application of component patches to a traveling web to create a product. Web defect detection may be provided by way of at least one visual inspection station located upstream from the patch applicator. Patch defect detection may be accomplished by way of a visual inspection station located proximate the patch applicator. If defects are detected in either the traveling web or the component patch prior to patch application, patch application may be prevented until both a satisfactory web and patch are provided. If defects are detected after patch application, the resulting product may be culled. Furthermore, the apparatus may be provided with diagnostic software to warn against extant or imminent machine complications.

Apparatus and method for minimizing waste and improving quality and production in web processing operations by automatic cuff defect correction

A variable interference anvil and knife combination is provided to selectively sever elastics in a laminate and preferably not sever the nonwoven portions of the laminate. The distance between the anvil and the knife can be programmatically altered to provide for smaller or larger gaps as processing speeds are changed.

Methods and apparatus for elastic deactivation in a laminate

Methods and apparatus for transporting either an entire web or discrete components of disposable products such as diaper components down the machine using mechanical forces to grip the nonwoven web and transfer it from one belt or roll to another without or reducing added vacuum. There is a carrier nonwoven web that goes down the length of the machine and other substrates are added on top of this layer, and the machine provides sufficient gripping to allow transport of diaper components through the fabrication process. Securing and releasing forces are supplied so that the components can be retained at some points and released at others.

Apparatus and methods for transporting webs of material

The present invention provides machinery used to create products (for instance disposable products). The machinery is operated at high speed, with the machine occupying a small footprint. Materials can be fed into the manufacturing process vertically (from above or below), using assembly stations to feed completed components into the system at appropriate stations. Additionally, restocking of raw components can be accomplished by robotic means of transferring the raw material from staging areas into infeeding or splicing stations, without the need for human operators.

Methods and apparatus for forming disposable products at high speeds with small machine footprint

Growing community of inventors

Sheboygan Falls, WI, United States of America

Gottfried Jason Hohm