Kimberly-clark Corporation

Other

Lyle T Lamers

Joseph Michael Kugler

David James Van Eperen

Peter James Krautkramer

Douglas Paul Rammer

Brendon Frank Ribble

David Jerome Arteman

Jon Philip Rooyakkers

Thomas W Van Eperen

An apparatus and method for forming a discrete layer of particulate material within a composite fibrous web includes a first forming chamber and a supplying mechanism for providing a flow of a selected fibrous material into the first forming chamber. A second forming chamber is selectively located within the first forming chamber to selectively divide the flow of fibrous material. A conveying mechanism transports a particulate material into the second forming chamber. A depositing mechanism is located within the second forming chamber to selectively dispense the particulate material. A foraminous forming layer is movably disposed within the first forming chamber and receives the fibrous material and the particulate material. As the foraminous forming layer moves, a first fibrous layer is formed on the foraminous forming layer, the particulate material is selectively deposited on the first fibrous layer, and a second fibrous layer is formed on the particulate material thereby providing the discrete layer of particulate material within the composite fibrous web. The depositing mechanism can be configured to dispense the particulate material in a selected pattern. The depositing mechanism can also be configured to intermittently dispense the particulate material at spaced apart locations along a length of the composite fibrous web.

Apparatus and method for depositing particulate material in a composite

A distinctive method for contouring a fibrous web includes the steps of (a) providing a fibrous web which defines an interconnected series of appointed article segments along a length dimension of said web, and (b) conveying said web at a selected speed along an appointed machine direction. The method also includes the step of (c) removing predetermined quantities of fibers from selected regions of said fibrous web with a moving, outer peripheral scarfing surface, which is movable along a selected movement direction. The scarfing surface is constructed to provide each of the article segments with a selected contoured basis weight which varies along the length dimension of said segment in a selected correspondence with a predetermined scarfing pattern. The scarfing pattern is provided by the outer peripheral scarfing surface and is variably patterned along the movement direction of the scarfing surface. A relative movement between the conveying step (b) and the removing step (c) is regulated to provide the selected correspondence and to thereby form said selected contoured basis weight on substantially each of the appointed article segments.

Intermittent, machine-direction fluff contouring method

A distinctive apparatus for contouring a fibrous web includes a supplying mechanism for providing a fibrous web which defines an interconnected series of appointed article segments along a length dimension of the web. A conveying mechanism moves the web at a selected speed along an appointed machine direction. A scarfing mechanism removes predetermined quantities of fibers from selected regions of the fibrous web. The scarfing mechanism is constructed to provide each of the article segments with a selected contoured basis weight which varies at least along the length dimension of the segment in a selected correspondence with a predetermined scarfing pattern. The scarfing pattern is provided by an outer peripheral surface of the scarfing mechanism, and the pattern is configured to have a selected variation at least along a movement direction of the scarfing mechanism. A regulating mechanism controls a relative movement between the conveying mechanism and the scarfing mechanism to provide the selected correspondence and to thereby form the selected contoured basis weight on substantially each of the article segments.

Intermittent, machine-direction fluff contouring roll

A distinctive method and apparatus for applying an elastic member onto a moving substrate along a selected curvilinear location includes a transporting mechanism for moving the substrate along a selected substrate path. A rotatable nip roll contacts the elastic member to place the elastic member onto the substrate along the curvilinear location. A guiding mechanism delivers the elastic member across a free-span distance directly onto the nip roll while selectively changing a lateral positioning of the elastic member relative to a cross direction of the invention. A conveying mechanism directs the elastic member along a selected elastic path into the guiding mechanism, and an elastic supplying mechanism provides the elastic member to the conveying mechanism. In one aspect of the invention, a bonding mechanism provides an adhesive in an arrangement which secures the elastic member to the substrate along the curvilinear location. The adhesive arrangement is configured to substantially avoid contact with the nip roll.

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Lyle T Lamers