The Procter Gamble Company

Ronald H Helton

Stephen Joseph Lange

Michael Gary Nease

Russell P Bridges

James R Golan

Darrell Ian Brown

Michael J Madill

Michael J Madil

A folding apparatus and method for forming a substrate including a discrete substrate including a rugosity. The folding apparatus may include a folding roll and a folding member. The folding roll includes an outer circumferential surface extending between the first roll surface and the second roll surface, and a receiving portion defined by the outer circumferential surface. The receiving portion may include an internal vacuum portion that may be operatively connected to an external vacuum portion. The folding member may be configured to associate with the receiving portion of the folding roll. The folding member may include a groove portion, a bonding portion, and a plurality of apertures. The folding apparatus may be used to bond a discrete substrate on a second substrate. The discrete substrate may include one or more rugosities.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent article including a discrete substrate having a rugosity

A method for manufacturing an absorbent article including a topsheet, a backsheet, a core, a discrete barrier member, a first cuff, and a second cuff. A barrier substrate may be cut into a discrete barrier member including a leading edge portion, an opposing trailing edge portion, and a central portion therebetween. The discrete barrier substrate may be transferred onto a folding roll. A first cuff substrate and a second cuff substrate may be advanced onto the folding roll such that the discrete barrier substrate may be disposed on at least a portion of the first cuff substrate and the second cuff substrate. The discrete barrier member may include a fold between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion. A topsheet substrate may associate with at least a portion of the discrete barrier member, the first cuff substrate, and the second cuff substrate.

Method for manufacturing absorbent articles including a discrete barrier member

A method and apparatus for forming a tensioned garter. A garter is any continuous loop of elastic material or a laminate of elastic bands and one or more flexible backing sheets. In one embodiment mandrels having a perimeter of the desired garter shape are mounted to a rotating drum. Tensioned elastic ribbons are progressively clamped, sealed, and cut around the mandrels to form individual tensioned garters which cling to the side walls of the mandrels. Once the garters are formed the mandrels may be rotated on their radial axes for alignment with downstream operations. Sealing through elastic members is avoided by interrupting the bonding of elastic members to an elasticized laminate at locations where ribbons are to be clamped. High compression of elastics where they are not sealed to the laminate causes elastic members to burst and contract. Elastic contraction leaves an area in which ribbons may then be bonded together without sealing through elastic members.

Method and apparatus for combining a tensioned elastic garter

A method for combining a tensioned garter with a substrate while holding the garter in a predetermined shape. A mandrel has a perimeter of the desired garter shape. An elastic garter is stretched and placed onto the mandrel such that an upper portion of the garter extends above a top surface of the mandrel while a lower portion of the garter clings to a side wall of the mandrel. The upper portion of the garter has sufficient elastic tension to cause it to fold over onto the top surface of the mandrel to form a garter flange. A substrate is then engaged with the garter flange and a sealing means seals the flange to the substrate, using the top surface of the mandrel as an anvil.

Method for combining a tensioned elastic garter with a substrate

A method and apparatus for forming a tensioned garter and bonding it to a substrate while holding the garter in a predetermined shape. A garter is any continuous loop of elastic material or a laminate of elastic bands and one or more flexible backing sheets. In one embodiment mandrels having a perimeter of the desired garter shape are mounted to a rotating drum. Tensioned elastic ribbons are progressively wrapped, sealed, and cut around the mandrels to form individual tensioned garters which cling to the side walls of the mandrels. In another embodiment each mandrel has a top surface. The upper portion of a garter has sufficient elastic tension to cause it to fold over the mandrel top surface to form a garter flange thereon. A substrate is then engaged with the garter flange and an external sealing means seals the flange to the substrate, using the mandrel top surface as an anvil. In still another embodiment the mandrel top surface has a raised outer rim. An ultrasonic horn seals a garter flange to a substrate where they are supported by the mandrel rim. The mandrel rim is shaped to provide a continuous seal which is weakened at its inner edge. When the weakened edge is broken, substrate and garter materials inside the seal edge are removed, thereby forming a hole around which the remaining portion of the garter may contract. Vacuum is applied from the mandrel top surface to the substrate inside the garter in this embodiment in order to break the seal edge and remove this material as the substrate and garter are stripped off the mandrel.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Ronald H Helton