Kimberly-clark Corporation

Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Poly-wide, Inc.

Ronald H Wideman

Marion C Morris

Jeffrey J Samida

Donald F Arthur

Franklin M Chen

Thomas M Ales, Jr

Robert R Bomber

Mark Michael Mleziva

Thomas Michael Ales

James Russell Fitts, Jr

Charles John Morell

Howard Martin Welch

Michael Charles Cook

John A Brewer

Lavada Campbell Boggs

Donald V Willitts

Raymond Jeffrey May

Leslie D Dobbins

Kenneth Michael Salter

Jr James R Fitts

Michael C Cook

Kenneth M Salter

In the invention, a method is provided for producing a composite nonwoven fabric. A polymer is extruded into heated continuous filaments, possibly elastic, from the die head to a first chilled roller, wherein the extruder is configured to provide the continuous filaments to the chilled roller in a canted direction that is at a tangent or angle to the surface of the first chilled roller. The filaments are conveyed in a downward direction by way of chilled rollers to a nip. In a next step, the nonwoven web is sprayed with an adhesive and is laminated on the continuous filaments in the nip to form a composite nonwoven fabric. The continuous filaments move vertically downward approximately in line with the lamination process, facilitating automatic re-threading of filaments when they are broken or interrupted in their travel downward onto the chilled rolls.

Method and apparatus for producing laminated articles

Disclosed is a process using an electric field for contacting a substantially neutrally charged material, that is responsive to an electric field, with a substrate. Also disclosed is a disposable absorbent product, including the electrically responsive material, that is intended for the absorption of body fluids, prepared by the process.

Placement of electric-field-responsive material onto a substrate

This invention is generally accomplished by providing continuous self-adhesive strands of elastic to a substrate having retractable supports extending therefrom. The retractable supports in a convex pattern are contracted with the self-adhering elastic and the substrate bearing the elastic and supports is brought into contact with the web to which the elastic is to be transferred. The series of supports around which the elastic contacts are forced to retract as the self-adhering elastic is pressed against the web causing the elastic to transfer to the substrate thereby creating an elastic band on the substrate. In a preferred form the substrate is fed two strips of self-adhering elastic that are applied on each side of a series of a convex pattern of pins and then pressed together around opposing sides of the convex pattern of pins to seal the elastic to itself and sever the elastic, creating a contoured closed loop around the pins.

Apparatus for applying contoured elastic to a substrate

Method for applying contoured elastic to a substrate

Apparatus and method for extruding and cooling self-adhering elastomeric materials to obtain substantial uniform consistency. This is accomplished by bisurfacially exposing the material to cooling while supporting the material as a foraminous means.

Method and apparatus for forming an isotropic self-adhering elastomeric

A bulked web composite comprises a differentially tensioned reticulated web of elastic material bonded to at least one gatherable web whereby, upon release of the tensioning forces, the gatherable web or webs are gathered by the reticulated web with different degrees of bulking in different areas due to the different tension levels of the reticulated web. Also disclosed is a method of making a bulked web composite by the steps of: forming a reticulated web of elastic material and elongating at least portions of the web by differentially tensioning it, and bonding the differentially tensioned web to at least one gatherable web to form a composite. The composite is then relaxed whereby portions of the gatherable web are gathered by the contracted reticulated web with different degrees of bulking in different areas. Bulked web composites of such type may be employed to form disposable swim wear, towels, wash cloths, and the like.

Bulked web composite and method of making the same

A method of treating burn and decubitus patients in which a generally nonadhering disposable laminated fabric having nonwoven non-migrating fibrous surfaces is interposed between the patient and a surface on which he is supported.

Method of and means for treating burn victims

Growing community of inventors

Menasha, WI, United States of America

Ronald H Wideman