Other

Sabee Products, Inc.

Tuff Spun Fabrics, Inc.

Tuff Spun Products, Inc.

Draper Products, Inc.

Reinhardt N Sabee

Eckhard C Schwarz

C Craig Sabee

A low cost, high web integrity fabric that can be economically produced and tailored to provide a variety of different combinations of characteristics and properties for different end uses. It is a fabric wherein the strength in any direction can be predetermined and also wherein the elasticity in any direction can be varied in a predetermined fashion. It is also a fabric that combines continuous filaments, ranging from elastomeric to non-elastic but elongatable to at least a minimum extent, for strength and elasticity with the predetermined indepth intermingling of fibrous melt blown webs for interlocking of the said continuous filaments in the formation of the integrated, fibrous and continuous filament matrix.

Composite fabrics comprising continuous filaments locked in place by

A carrier strip or filament of cold drawable material is utilized to transport discrete lengths of elastic ribbon within a manufacturing apparatus. The elastic ribbons are extruded onto the carrier strip or around the filament and adhere thereto. The carrier strip and elastic ribbon are jointly stretched a predetermined amount. The stretched carrier strip and stretched elastic ribbon are bonded to a component of a final product, as, for example, the backing sheet of a disposable diaper, wherein the elastic ribbons are employed to elasticize the leg areas. The carrier strips greatly facilitate machine handling relatively short lengths of stretched elastic ribbons without waste. The carrier strips may be transversely guided along a predetermined path to follow the hourglass contour of the margins of a diaper having form fitting legs.

Method and apparatus for forming and transporting elastic ribbons

Disposable garments such as disposable diapers are disclosed that possess improved elastic characteristics. At least one garment outer sheet is composed of a drawable fabric, such as melt blown polymeric fibers or melt spun filaments. An elastic element is affixed in the relaxed condition to a web of outer sheet fabric. The elastic web is then stretched, and simultaneously the web in the area of elastic element attachment is drawn to impart a molecular orientation to the web fibers. As a result, the web fibers are permanently elongated. Upon relaxation of the stretched elastic element, shirrs or gathers are formed in the web fibers that permit subsequent stretching of the elastic element when the garment is worn. One of the outside sheet webs need not be drawable or drawn if it is performed with corrugations or pleats in the region of elastic element attachment. The present invention also includes apparatus for manufacturing the garment. The apparatus includes novel rolls for pre-corrugating one garment sheet and for simultaneously stretching the elastic element and drawing web in the region of elastic element attachment. Alternately, the entire web may be drawn, rather than just in the region of elastic element attachment.

Diaper with waist band elastic

A non-woven web is provided that has conformability and drapability approaching that of woven fabrics. The non-woven web comprises a number of substantially parallel continuous filaments that are stabilized by melt blown fibers to create a coherent web. The continuous filaments are molecularly oriented, as by drawing before, during, or after deposition of the melt blown fibers. The melt blown fibers may be deposited on one or both sides of the continuous filaments, and two or more webs may be cross laid and laminated together. In one embodiment, the continuous filaments of a cross laid laminate are not bonded to each other. The continuous filaments are above to slide and slip relative to each other when the laminate is deformed, thereby decreasing stiffness and increasing drapability.

Stabilized continuous filament web

Disposable garments such as disposable diapers are disclosed that possess improved elastic characteristics. At least one garment outer sheet is composed of a drawable fabric, such as melt blown polymeric fibers or melt spun filaments. An elastic element is affixed in the relaxed condition to a web of outer sheet fabric. The elastic web is then stetched, and simultaneously the web in the area of elastic element attachment is drawn to impart a molecular orientation to the web fibers. As a result, the web fibers are permanently elongated. Upon relaxation of the stretched elastic element, shirrs or gathers are formed in the web fibers that permit subsequent stretching of the elastic element when the garment is worn. One of the outside sheet webs need not be drawable or drawn if it is preformed with corrugations or pleats in the region of elastic element attachment. The present invention also includes apparatus for manufacturing the garment. The apparatus includes novel rolls for pre-corrugating one garment sheet and for simultaneously stretching the elastic element and drawing the web in the region of elastic element attachment. Alternately, the entire web may be drawn, rather than just in the region of elastic element attachment.

Methods for applying elastic bands to webs to form diapers includes extruding a thermoplastic rubber onto the web with the rubber self bonding or being secured by adhesive. The extruder head is movable to form elastic with a varying cross-section and to provide non-linear deposition patterns to provide a diaper with a close comfortable fit.

Method for applying an elastic band to diapers

A form fit disposable diaper has an absorbent pad folded intermediate the ends to provide increased absorbent material in the crotch and has water impervious side seal strips folded over the pad in the crotch to minimize leakage along the edges of the diaper and to prevent the absorbent pad from shifting. A quantity of water absorbent polymer is employed to enhance moisture absorbing capabilities. The side seal strips are desirably perforated to permit moisture strike through into the pad but prevent transfer of the polymer to the facing sheet and the skin of the diaper wearer.

Method of making form fit diaper with inside seal and thickened crotch

Form fit diaper with inside seal and thickened crotch and method of

The method and apparatus for applying elastic bands to a web for disposable products such as diapers includes the use of a rotating drum as a base or working surface to support the elastic bands and web while the bands are under tension and while adhesive is setting. Various arrangements are provided for gripping and holding the elastic bands to the drum surface, and various arrangements are provided for cutting the elastic ribbons in the waistband portions of the diapers to remove portions of the ribbon.

Method for applying elastic bands to webs

A thermoplastic non-woven net fabric and a method of making the same. The fabric includes a plurality of apertures with the apertures surrounded by axially drawn, biaxially drawn and undrawn areas. In one method, the web is perforated and then drawn by one or more pairs of helical rollers. The differential drawing of the perforated web greatly increases the tensile strength, area and drapability of the fabric. The apertures make the fabric suitable for use in garments, pillowcases, sheets, sterile wraps and is a breathable waterproof fabric for use in rain gear and tents. Two layers of the fabric can be used to form a pouch or carrier for conditioning agents such as a fabric softener for a laundry dryer, the softener agent being controllably released through the apertures.

Multi-apertured web with incremental orientation in one or more

Method and apparatus for making diapers with elastic bands in the leg-contacting zone of the diaper involves forming folds, tucks or festoons in the diaper backing sheet or facing sheet and applying elastic ribbon treated with adhesive over the web and across the gaps of the folds so that the ribbon does not adhere to the web portion in the folds. Hence the elastic ribbon is only adhered to the portions of the web between the folds. The elastic ribbons are cut in the gaps of the folds, with the material in the folds later forming the nonelasticized waistband portion of the diapers. At the ribbon-web assembly station, the facing or backing sheet is supported by spaced plates separated by gaps. Before the ribbon is applied, the folds are formed by tucker bars which successively interfit in the gaps between the support plates and push the web into the gaps.

Method and apparatus for making diapers with elastic bands

A process for differentially drawing films and non-woven fiberous webs for increased drapability and strength of webs including at least in part cold drawable polymeric materials or blends thereof including incompatible polymer blends and polymeric matrixes having inorganic fillers draws portions of the web and leaves other portions undrawn. The process involves the subjecting of the web to two or more pairs of meshing toothed rollers to produce a fabric having a pattern of spaced apart undrawn quadrilateral shaped islands bounded fully on each of their four sides by an axially drawn area. Each undrawn island is continguous at each of its four apices to a biaxially drawn area. The preferred tooth form for the rollers is involute or cycloidal. The processed film or web is larger in area than the original, has a lower basis weight, and has greatly enhanced strength, softness, bulk, texture and drapability.

Pattern drawing of webs, and product produced thereby

A process for differentially drawing films and non-woven fiberous webs for increased drapability and strength of webs including at least in part cold drawable polymeric materials or blends thereof including incompatible polymer blends and polymeric matrixes having inorganic fillers draws portions of the web and leaves other portions undrawn. The process involves the subjecting of the web to two or more pairs of meshing toothed rollers to produce a fabric having a pattern of spaced apart undrawn quadrilateral shaped islands bounded fully on each of their four sides by an axially drawn area. Each undrawn island is contiguous at each of its four apices to a biaxially drawn area. The preferred tooth form for the rollers is involute or cycloidal. The processed film or web is larger in area than the original, has a lower basis weight, and has greatly enhanced strength, softness, bulk, texture and drapability.

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Appleton, WI, United States of America

Reinhardt N Sabee