Kimberly-clark Corporation

Thomas M Killian

Tony J Wisneski

Lorry F Sallee

Joseph Andrew Mlinar

Thomas George Olsen

Mark Gordon Heath

John T Hahn

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for forming a composite web having selected discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material. The invention includes a pattern chamber having opposed side walls, an entrance end wall and an exit end wall. A particulate supplying mechanism provides particles of high-absorbency material into the pattern chamber, and a web supplying mechanism provides a gas permeable carrier layer. A foraminous forming mechanism moves the carrier layer through the pattern chamber, and the forming mechanism includes a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of the discrete pocket regions. A vacuum supplying mechanism provides a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of the forming mechanism to produce a selected gas-flow through the carrier layer and the foraminous forming mechanism to form the pocket regions. A covering mechanism provides a layer of liquid-permeable covering material to sandwich said pocket regions of high-absorbency material between said carrier layer and said covering layer.

Apparatus and method for the zoned placement of superabsorbent material

An elastomeric nonwoven web is formed by meltblowing fibers composed of a polyether block amide copolymer.

Elastomeric polyether block amide nonwoven web

Composite elastomeric polyether block amide nonwoven web

Growing community of inventors

Green Bay, WI, United States of America

Thomas M Killian