The Procter Gamble Company

Karen Juliana Fegelman

Curtis Hunter Van Valkenburgh

Claudio Antonio Matos

A method for forming air-laid fibrous articles. The method includes the steps of providing a stream of loose air-entrained fibers, providing a core pocket assembly comprising a central foraminous forming surface and an edge foraminous forming surface, applying a first pressure to the central foraminous forming surface, applying a second pressure to the edge foraminous forming surface wherein the second pressure applied to the edge foraminous forming surface differs from the first pressure applied to the central foraminous forming surface, depositing a portion of the stream of loose air-entrained fibers on the central foraminous forming surface, and depositing a portion of the stream of loose air-entrained fibers on the edge foraminous forming surface.

Method for making air-laid structures

A method for forming air-laid fibrous articles. The steps of the method can include providing a stream of loose air-entrained first fibers, providing a core pocket operatively related to the stream of loose air-entrained first fibers, the core pocket including a central foraminous forming surface and an edge foraminous forming surface, applying a negative pressure to one of the foraminous forming surfaces, applying a positive pressure to the other foraminous forming surface, depositing the first fibers on one of the foraminous forming surfaces, providing a stream of loose air-entrained second fibers, operatively relating the core pocket to the stream of loose air-entrained second fibers, applying a negative pressure to one of the foraminous forming surface, and depositing the second fibers on that foraminous forming surface.

An apparatus for forming air-laid fibrous articles. The apparatus can have a core pocket. The core pocket can have a shield. The core pocket can further have a central opening defined by a void in the shield. The core pocket can further have a central forming chamber in air-flow communication with the central opening and having a central forming chamber periphery. The core pocket can further have a central foraminous forming surface in air-flow communication with the central forming chamber. The core pocket can further have a pair of edge openings extending along the shield. The core pocket can further have an edge forming chamber disposed about the central forming chamber periphery and in air-flow communication with the edge openings. The core pocket can further have an edge foraminous forming surface in air-flow communication with the edge forming chamber.

Apparatus for making air-laid structures

An apparatus for forming air-laid fibrous articles. The apparatus can have a core pocket operatively related with an air-distribution manifold that can apply different air pressures to different portions of the core pocket. The core pocket can have a shield and a central opening defined by a void in the shield. The core pocket can have a central forming chamber in air-flow communication with the central opening and have a central forming chamber periphery. The core pocket can have a central foraminous forming surface in air-flow communication with the central forming chamber. The core pocket can have a pair of edge openings extending along the shield. The core pocket can have an edge forming chamber disposed about the central forming chamber periphery and in air-flow communication with the edge openings. The core pocket can have an edge foraminous forming surface in air-flow communication with the edge forming chamber.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Karen Juliana Fegelman