The Procter Gamble Company

Tue Procter & Gamble Company

Kasey Marie Hudson

Horst Blessing

David Christopher Oetjen

The present disclosure relates to methods for printing absorbent article substrates. Printing systems herein may include a first printhead and a second printhead, wherein a substrate advances under the first and second printheads. The first printhead ejects ink onto the substrate to define a first printed zone, and the second printhead ejects ink onto the substrate to define a second printed zone. The first printed zone and the second printed zone together define a printed region. The first and second printed zones may be coterminous along respective edges to define a print stitch line extending in the machine direction. The substrate may then be manipulated proximate the print stitch line during a manufacturing process. Positioning the print stitch line proximate a region subject to manipulation may help hide and/or obscure the print stitch line from view. In turn, noticeable visible results of imprecise and/or inconsistent printing operations may be reduced.

Method and apparatus for inkjet printing absorbent article components

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for printing and drying inks on substrates. Printing systems may include a metering device positioned between a printing station and a light source. During operation, the printing station deposits ink onto a substrate to define a printed region. And the light source directs infrared light onto the substrate to define an illumination zone. The printed region is advanced from the printing station to the metering device and from the metering device through the illumination zone, wherein the ink is dried with infrared light traveling from the light source, which also heats the substrate and changes the modulus of elasticity of the substrate. In turn, the metering device isolates the printing station from the change in the modulus of elasticity to help reduce phase shifts caused by changes in the modulus of elasticity resulting from heat in the substrate.

Method and apparatus for drying inks printed on heat sensitive absorbent article components

The methods and apparatuses relate to digitally printing a substrate using first and second printheads. The first printhead includes a first printhead width and the second printhead includes a second printhead width. The first printhead overlaps with the second printhead such that the first printhead width overlaps with the second printhead width in a cross direction. The overlapping first and second printheads form a first print zone, an overlapping print zone, and a second print zone. The first printhead may deposit droplets onto the substrate in the first print zone and/or the overlapping zone. The second printhead may deposit droplets onto the substrate in the overlapping print zone and/or the second print zone. The droplets deposited in the overlapping print zone may unite to illustrate multiple colors and/or may remain ununited. By using overlapping printheads, various colors may be illustrated and the width of the substrate may be printed on.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Kasey Marie Hudson