The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 04, 1991
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1988
Douglas A Swenson, Maplewood, MN (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
Apparatus and method for applying heat-sensitive adhesive tape, such as frontal diaper tape, of the type having a layer of heat sensitive adhesive material to a web moving at high speed, such as a web of water-resistant material designed for use as the outer layer of disposable diapers. The apparatus comprises a tape-feed wheel for preheating and feeding the tape to the apparatus from a supply of generally continuous tape, and a tape-applying wheel in rolling engagement with the web for applying tape fed to it from the tape-feed wheel to the web. The tape-applying wheel includes vacuum passageways for providing suction through a circumferential surface of the tape-applying wheel to hold the tape thereon, and a heating mechanism for heating the tape to an elevated temperature at which the heat-sensitive adhesive is tacky and for maintaining the tape at the elevated temperature until it is applied to the web. Successive end portions of the tape are cut against the tape-applying wheel into pieces to be applied to the web, and each successive piece of tape cut from the tape is accelerated by the tape-applying wheel from the relatively slow velocity of the tape-feed wheel to the relatively fast velocity of the web and applied to the web.