A method and apparatus for producing elastic laminates, wherein a first continuous elastic film is stretched in a transverse direction by a spreader device and is applied on a transfer wheel on which it is cut longitudinally to form at least two parallel continuous elastic films which are transferred on a non-woven web held on an outer cylindrical surface of an anvil wheel.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling disposable pant diapers having contoured elastic belts. During the assembly process, opposing end regions of chassis are connected with the elastic belts in the form of first and second continuous elastic laminates. The chassis are then folded to place the elastic laminates into a facing relationship. The inner longitudinal edges of one or both the elastic laminates are then cut to define a contoured shape. Discrete pieces of trim material may be removed from one or both the elastic laminates, and the first and second continuous elastic laminates are cut in the cross direction to form discrete pant diapers. In some configurations, a single knife both removes the trim material and cuts the elastic laminates in cross direction. And in some configurations, a first knife removes the trim material and a second knife cuts the elastic laminates in cross direction.

An absorbent core comprising a front portion; a back portion; a middle portion positioned between the front portion and the back portion; and a longitudinal axis extending along a length of said core and crossing said front, middle and back portions, the absorbent core having a width extending perpendicular to said length and a perimeter comprising at least two opposing ends and at least two opposing sides positioned between said ends wherein the absorbent core comprises one or more channels having a first shape when the absorbent core is in dry state and a second shape when the absorbent core is in wet state and wherein said first and second shapes are different.

A method for producing absorbent structures, including forming an array of absorbent pads having cellulose fluff, forming an array of fluff-free absorbent inserts, and inserting the fluff-free absorbent inserts into respective through-openings of absorbent pads.

An absorbent core comprising substantially continuous zones of one or more high fluid distribution structures and discontinuous zones of fluid absorption structures surrounding the one or more high fluid distribution structures, wherein the one or more high fluid distribution structures are arranged to distribute fluid across the absorbent core at a speed that is faster than the speed of fluid distribution across the absorbent core by said discontinuous fluid absorption structures, and wherein said continuous zones extend along a path that is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the perimeter of the core, said portion of the perimeter of the core comprising at least a portion of the sides of the core and one of the ends of the core.

An absorbent core comprising substantially continuous zones of one or more high fluid distribution structures and discontinuous zones of fluid absorption structures surrounding the one or more high fluid distribution structures, wherein the one or more high fluid distribution structures are arranged to distribute fluid across the absorbent core at a speed that is faster than the speed of fluid distribution across the absorbent core by said discontinuous fluid absorption structures, and wherein said continuous zones extend along a path that is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the perimeter of the core, said portion of the perimeter of the core comprising at least a portion of the sides of the core and one of the ends of the core.

Pulpless absorbent cores and methods of manufacture are disclosed. A first method for forming an absorbent core may comprise advancing a carrier sheet on a foraminous forming surface in a machine direction, the foraminous forming surface having a width extending in a cross-machine direction, creating a pressure differential across the forming surface, applying a first adhesive onto the carrier sheet, advancing the carrier sheet within a particulate material delivery chamber, and dispensing particulate material from a particulate material inlet within the particulate material delivery chamber to deposit the particulate material onto the first adhesive, wherein the particulate material inlet has a width that is between 25% and 75% of the foraminous forming surface width, and wherein the particulate material is delivered from the particulate material inlet at less than 900 meters per minute.

An absorbent core for absorbent articles such as diapers comprising a core wrap comprising a top side and a bottom side, an absorbent material between the top side and the bottom side of the core wrap, a first and second longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas substantially free of absorbent material preferably through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. The core has a central absorbent zone between the first and the second channel-forming areas and a first and second lateral absorbent zones disposed laterally outwardly. The absorbent core comprises at least one transversal folding line, preferably at least two transversal folding lines, in the region where the longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas are present.

The present invention relates to a unitary absorbent structure and method thereof wherein said unitary absorbent structure comprises an absorbent core (5) and/or an acquisition and dispersion layers (2) (3) and comprising at least one non-woven fibrous substrate layer (23) having a void volume suitable to be penetrated by super absorbent particles. The super absorbent particles are dispersed in the substrate layer (23) according to a size distribution gradient by vacuum (8) and vibration along the depth direction or z-direction of said absorbent core (5) and/or acquisition (2) and dispersion (3) layers, the smaller particles are placed on the bodyside of the absorbent articles and the larger particles are located on the opposite side of the absorbent articles.

An apparatus for manufacturing absorbent cores for absorbent sanitary articles, comprising: a rotating forming wheel including a plurality of forming elements defining a peripheral surface of the forming wheel, a forming chamber containing absorbent material facing a portion of the peripheral surface of the forming wheel, a first roller for feeding a first nonwoven web onto the peripheral surface of the forming wheel upstream of the forming chamber, a second roller for feeding a second nonwoven web onto the peripheral surface of the forming wheel downstream of the forming chamber, wherein each of said forming elements comprises a suction surface connected to a suction source and at least one protruding rib having a blowing surface selectively connected to a stationary blowing device, wherein said at least one blowing surface and said suction surface are spaced apart from each other in a radial direction.