Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Kent William Abel

Jack Lee Couillard

Joseph Daniel Coenen

Robin Kurt Nason

Gregory John Rajala

Michael Lee Lohoff

Kurt J Kloehn

Dan James Sorensen

Christopher Peter Olson

Andrew Mark Long

Paul Theodore Van Gompel

Shirlee Ann Weber

Thomas Michael Ales

Davis Dang H Nhan

Joyce Ann Damico

Michael A Sciaraffa

David T Strohbeen

Frank C Murray

Lenore S Ryan

Ann M Sprangers

William J Santoski

Harold F Donnelly

Gary N Attoe

Disclosed is an absorbent article including a temperature change member for providing a cooling effect. The temperature change member includes a matrix of fibers and temperature change material intermixed within the matrix of fibers. The temperature change material includes erythritol.

Absorbent article featuring an endothermic temperature change member

This invention pertains to apparatus and methods for creating ultrasonic bonds in sequentially advancing absorbent article workpiece segments, in a bonding nip. The ultrasonic bonding apparatus comprises a frame, anvil support apparatus, horn support apparatus, closure apparatus, a load cell support member, and a load cell. The ultrasonic horn and the anvil roll collectively are mounted and configured such that the ultrasonic horn and the anvil roll can be brought together, via the closure apparatus, to define the nip therebetween. The load cell is mounted to the load cell support member such that force representative of force exerted on the anvil roll at the nip is detected by the load cell. In preferred embodiments, the invention includes outputting information from the load cell and adjusting force in the nip in response to the information received from the load cell.

Rotary ultrasonic bonding apparatus and methods using load cell

Method and apparatus comprising a novel ramped anvil roll for cooperating with a rotary ultrasonic horn and creating ultrasonic bonds in a work piece passing between the anvil roll and ultrasonic horn. A relatively smaller radius portion of the anvil roll extends about a first portion of the circumference, and a relatively larger-radius raised bonding element extends about a second portion of the circumference. An outer surface at at least one of a front and rear end portion of the raised bonding element defines a transition gradient between the raised operating surface and the relatively smaller radius portion. The transition gradient defines a modified sinusoidally-shaped curved loading surface including an inflection locus, the curved loading surface representing a relatively constantly changing angle as measured against respective radii of the anvil roll in combination with advancing along the corresponding portion of the circumference.

Ramped ultrasonic bonding anvil and method for intermittent bonding

This invention pertains to apparatus and methods for intermittently creating ultrasonic bonds in sequentially advancing work piece segments, in a nip. The work piece segments are up to about 0.25 inch thick. The apparatus comprises a frame, anvil support apparatus supporting an anvil, and horn support apparatus supporting an ultrasonic horn. The ultrasonic horn and anvil are collectively mounted and configured such that the ultrasonic horn and anvil can be brought together to define the nip. The frame, anvil support apparatus, and horn support apparatus collectively are sufficiently rigid that the horn and anvil can be brought together with interference levels of about 0.000 to about 0.008 inch at a raised bonding portion in combination with defining sufficient nip pressure to develop ultrasonic bonds in work piece segments passing through the nip. The method comprehends bringing a back-up roll, mounted above the ultrasonic horn, into engagement with the ultrasonic horn, to directly support the horn. First and second support rolls can be used to releasably support opposing sides of the outer surface of the ultrasonic horn, preferably below the axis of the horn, whereby the support rolls can be used to lift the horn into engagement with the back-up roll.

Ultrasonic bonding apparatus and methods

Bonding apparatus and methods for creating up to full-width ultrasonic bonds in an advancing web. The bonding apparatus comprises a first nip, defined by, in combination, a first set of bonding elements comprising a first rotary ultrasonic horn and a first rotary anvil, and first engagement apparatus bringing the first horn and first anvil into effective bonding engagement with each other. The first horn and anvil being supported from support structure and rotating in common with each other thereby to convey the web through the first nip. The bonding apparatus also comprises a second nip, defined by a second set of bonding elements comprising second separate and distinct horn and anvil, and second engagement apparatus bringing the second horn and second anvil into effective bonding engagement with each other. The first and second sets of bonding elements are cooperatively disposed at first and second separate and distinct work stations spaced along the length of the operations path, and are preferably disposed at respective first and second different locations across the width of the operations path.

Method and apparatus for up to full width ultrasonic bonding

Apparatus for ultrasonically bonding a web of bondable material, comprising web transport means for moving the web along a web travel path, a plurality of ultrasonic bonding means disposed along the travel path, means for selectively energizing the ultrasonic bonding means, and carrier means for selectively moving the ultrasonic bonding means into intermittent bonding contact with the web during movement of the web along the travel path, such that the web is multiply untrasonically bonded during travel along said travel path by at least one of: (i) successive bonding contacts with a bonding site on the web by different ones of the plurality of ultrasonic bonding means, and (ii) simultaneous bonding contacts with a plurality of different web bonding sites by different ones of the ultrasonic bonding means. Also disclosed is a corresponding method of ultrasonically bonding a web of bondable material.

Apparatus and method for ultrasonic bonding of a moving web

Disposable garments (10) having an elasticized opening including an elastic element (25, 60, 70) joined to a marginal portion of an exterior panel (21, 40, 61, 71) of the garment about the opening along a plurality of spaced bond points (50), and also joined to a marginal portion of an interior panel (20, 62, 72) or folded-over portion of the exterior panel (40a) along the opening, with the outer edges of the elastic element and panel portions joined thereto being substantially coincident. The elastic element is joined to the panel portions in an elongated condition and thereafter allowed to retract to produce micro-buckling (51) of the exterior panel between the bond points.

Elastic form-fitting closure constructions for disposable garments

An apparatus and method for cutting a web of material having a conveyor carrying and continuously moving a length of the web material, an oscillating means, a cutting arm mounted on the oscillating means and moveable between a position over the web and a position laterally outside of the web in a turn-around area. A nozzle mounted on the cutting arm and connected to a source of high pressure fluid and a fluid jet ejected from the nozzle towards the web and moved by the cutting arm in an oscillating manner along a path between the turn-around area and the position over the web. As the fluid jet oscillates along its path, the movement of the fluid jet in conjunction with the movement of the web results in the cutting out of a section of the web.

Apparatus and method for cutting a web

An elastic leg disposable diaper is provided which, when worn, forms an absorbent pocket with planar sides in the crotch area. The pocket has flex regions in the crotch area of the diaper which define a bottom crotch profile and elastic edges which encircle the leg of the baby and semirigid absorbent-containing planar sides extending upward from the flex regions to the elastic edges. The diaper at its lowest profile in the crotch area is either planer or upwardly arcuate when the baby is standing. The stiffness of the sides is generally correlative of a Taber stiffness value of at least seven gm-cms for the absorbent material located thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Black Creek, WI, United States of America

Kent William Abel