The Procter Gamble Company

The Proctor 'gamble Company

James E Zorb

Jerry L Dragoo

David J Goulait

Michael Gary Nease

W Kenneth Ball

Donald Carroll Roe

Mark James Kline

Dean Jeffrey Daniels

A method and apparatus for making stretchable absorbent diaper articles. An absorbent material is provided and entangled with a stretchable material to form a stretchable network incorporating the absorbent material. In one embodiment a plurality of foam absorbent material particulates are drawn or accelerated by gravity, vacuum or forced air through a stream of a meltblown adhesive that contacts and entangles the particulates and forms a stretchable network incorporating the particulates.

Method and apparatus for making stretchable absorbent articles

Absorbent articles to be fitted to wearers, such as disposable diapers, incontinence briefs, diaper holders and the like with improved fastening system and waistband features that provide sustained dynamic fit about the waist of a wearer as well as improved containment characteristics. The absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a longitudinal direction which is the direction parallel to said longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, a lateral direction which is the direction parallel to said lateral centerline, a first waist region, a first waist feature positioned in said first waist region and being elastically extensible in said lateral direction, a second waist region longitudinally opposed to said first waist region, a first end edge, a second end edge, an inner surface and an outer surface, the absorbent article comprising a containment assembly having a pair of longitudinal edges; a fastening system including a pair of engaging components disposed in said second waist region; and a landing component disposed on said outer surface of the absorbent article in said first waist region coincident with said first waist feature, said landing component being engageable with said engaging components; said landing component being elastically extensible in at least said lateral direction, and at least a portion of said landing component being intermediate said engaging components when said engaging components are engaged with said landing component such that said first waist region and said landing component are activated when the absorbent article is fitted to said wearer.

Absorbent article with improved elasticized waistband

A method of and apparatus for dynamically mechanically bonding together a plurality of laminae, at least one of which comprises thermoplastic material: for example, polyethylene. In one aspect of the invention the laminae are forwarded in face to face relation through a pressure biased nip between a patterned nip defining member and an opposing nip defining member (e.g., a relief patterned cylinder and an anvil cylinder) which members are independently driven to maintain a predetermined surface velocity differential between them. In another aspect of the invention which is particularly useful at intermediate and higher line velocities--preferably for line velocities of about 300 feet or more per minute and, more preferably, for line speeds of about 450 feet or more per minute--the nip defining members may be operated with equal surface velocities. In each of these aspects of the invention, the members may be biased towards each other to provide a predetermined pattern-element-psi loading; and, additionally, they may be independently heated to provide each with an elevated surface temperature which is, preferably, in a predetermined range below the melt temperature of the thermoplastic lamina disposed closet to or in contact with each respective nip defining member as the laminae are forwarded through the nip.

Dynamic mechanical bonding method and apparatus

A method of and apparatus for dynamically mechanically bonding together a plurality of laminae, at least one of which comprises thermoplastic material: for example, polyethylene. In one aspect of the invention the laminae are forwarded in face to face relation through a pressure biased nip between a patterned nip defining member and an opposing nip defining member (e.g., a relief patterned cylinder and an anvil cylinder) which members are independently driven to maintain a predetermined surface velocity differential between them. In another aspect of the invention which is particularly useful at intermediate and higher line velocities--preferably for line velocities of about 300 feet or more per minute and, more preferably, for line speeds of about 450 feet or more per minute--the nip defining members may be operated with equal surface velocities. In each of these aspects of the invention, the members may be biased towards each other to provide a predetermined pattern-element-psi loading; and, additionally, they may be independently heated to provide each with an elevated surface temperature which is, preferably, in a predetermined range below the melt temperature of the thermoplastic lamina disposed closest to or in contact with each respective nip defining member as the laminae are forwarded through the nip.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

James E Zorb