A machine and a method for manufacturing a sanitary product with an hourglass shaped absorbent core, such as a panty liner or a light-inco diaper. The machine and the method allow virtually scrap-free shaping of the core into an hourglass shape.

A method for making an absorbent article comprising an absorbent core comprising one or more channels, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a first endless moving surface comprising a plurality of molds, each mold comprising a non-porous insert therein, typically said insert having the inverse shape of said channel(s), wherein the molds are in fluid communication with an under-pressure source except for said insert; ii. feeding a first nonwoven web to said first endless moving surface and over one or more said molds; iii. depositing an absorbent material, comprising cellulose fibers and/or superabsorbent polymer particles, over at least a portion of said nonwoven web; iv. removing said absorbent material from areas of the nonwoven web corresponding to said insert; v. applying a second nonwoven web directly or indirectly over the absorbent material, or folding said first nonwoven web, such to sandwich said absorbent material between upper and lower layers of said nonwoven web(s); vi. joining said upper and lower layers together at least in the areas of the nonwoven web(s) corresponding to the insert to form an absorbent core having one or more channels substantially free of absorbent material; vii. optionally joining an acquisition distribution layer to said absorbent core, typically a skin facing surface of said upper layer; viii. optionally laminating said absorbent core and acquisition distribution layer between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impervious backsheet; wherein step vi. comprises the step of selectively applying a first pressure onto the absorbent core, preferably only, in a central portion thereof and a second pressure, preferably only, along peripheral longitudinal side edges thereof running opposite and parallel to each other and being outboard of said central portion, said central portion corresponding at least to a region of the core comprising said channel(s), and wherein said first and second pressures are successively applied along a machine direction (MD).

A machine and a method for manufacturing sanitary product with an hourglass shaped absorbent core, such as a panty liner or a light-inco diaper. The machine and the method allow shaping of the core into an hourglass shape with minimized scrap.

A manufacturing apparatus for an absorbent body including: a first conveyor that conveys an air-permeable first sheet while sucking the first sheet along a flat first slope surface; a second conveyor that conveys an air-permeable second sheet while sucking the second sheet along a flat second slope surface having a slope opposite to the first slope surface; a first distribution device that forms a first absorbent layer in the first sheet by distributing absorbent powder on an upper surface of the first sheet being conveyed along the first slope surface; a second distribution device that forms a second absorbent layer in the second sheet by distributing absorbent powder on an upper surface of the second sheet being conveyed along the second slope surface; and a stacking part that stacks the first sheet conveyed by the first conveyor and the second sheet conveyed by the second conveyor in such a manner as to cause the first absorbent layer of the first sheet and the second absorbent layer of the second sheet to face each other.