A method and apparatus for mechanically deforming a substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may advance toward a bonder apparatus. The bonder apparatus may rotate about an axis of rotation and is configured to radially traverse based on the process product pitch of the substrate assembly. The bonder apparatus may include a plurality of manifolds positioned about the axis of rotation. The substrate assembly may be advanced onto the bonder apparatus such that the substrate assembly is disposed on the plurality of manifolds. The manifolds may heat fluid and release the same onto the trailing edge portion and the leading edge portion of the substrate assembly. The heated portion of the substrate assembly may then be bonded forming a seam.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for printing and drying inks on substrates. Printing systems may include a metering device positioned between a printing station and a light source. During operation, the printing station deposits ink onto a substrate to define a printed region. And the light source directs infrared light onto the substrate to define an illumination zone. The printed region is advanced from the printing station to the metering device and from the metering device through the illumination zone, wherein the ink is dried with infrared light traveling from the light source, which also heats the substrate and changes the modulus of elasticity of the substrate. In turn, the metering device isolates the printing station from the change in the modulus of elasticity to help reduce phase shifts caused by changes in the modulus of elasticity resulting from heat in the substrate.

An apparatus for joining substrate portions includes substrate portions being positioned such that the substrate portions overlap at an overlap area. The substrate portions each have a melting temperature and an outer surface. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrate portions. A jet of the heated fluid is directed from a fluid orifice onto the substrate portions at the overlap area. The heated fluid penetrates at least one of the outer surfaces of the substrate portions. The substrate portions are at least partially melted using the heated fluid. The substrate portions are compressed using a pressure applying surface adjacent the fluid orifice to join the substrate portions together at the overlap area.

A method of joining substrate portions includes positioning the substrate portions such that the substrate portions overlap at an overlap area. The substrate portions each have a melting temperature and an outer surface. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrate portions. A jet of the heated fluid is directed from a fluid orifice onto the substrate portions at the overlap area. The heated fluid penetrates at least one of the outer surfaces of the substrate portions. The substrate portions are at least partially melted using the heated fluid. The substrate portions are compressed to join the substrate portions together at the overlap area.

The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing a diaper that has multiple moisture sensing elements on interior side of its bottom impermeable layer or on any surface of the top permeable layer. The moisture sending elements are made by spraying conductive ink on a moving sheet of either the bottom impermeable layer or the top permeable layer, before other layers of the diaper are attached. Spraying of conductive ink on the moving sheet causes parallel lines of conductive inks to be formed on the layer. The parallel lines of conductive ink run through the entire length of either of the layers and are designed to get connected with a detecting device. When a user urinates inside the diaper, the moisture causes a closed circuit between at least two of the parallel lines of conductive inks. These formations of closed circuits, between parallel lines of conductive inks, are detected by the detecting device. Also, with increasing volume of moisture, the resistance of the closed circuits also tends to decrease. This rate of decrease of resistance is also detected by the detecting device and is used to calculate a volume of moisture present in the diaper. The detecting device then generates a suitable alarm to give an idea about the saturation level of the diaper. The process of manufacturing sensing elements by spraying conductive inks on moving sheet of layer reduces the processing and modification overhead of specially designed conductive ink printers and also does not impact the manufacturing time of a diaper manufacturing assembly line.

A hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven has a first substantially planar surface on one side thereof and a second surface on an opposite side thereof. The second surface includes a plurality of protuberances in a pattern. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web has an average loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original average loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web was created and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web includes bicomponent fibers combining a polymer with PLA in a ratio of polymer/PLA within a range of about 20/80 to 80/20.

An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.

A method for manufacturing a composite material includes forming a composite precursor material comprising a nonwoven layer comprising a plurality of fibers and a polymer film layer laminated to the nonwoven layer; forming a plurality of apertured extended cells in the polymer film layer, each of the apertured extended cells having a continuous sidewall extending away from the nonwoven layer that terminates in an aperture at a distal end; and, while forming the plurality of apertured extended cells, pushing, with a fluid, at least one of the fibers into at least one of the apertured extended cells so that a portion of the at least one of the fibers extends into the at least one of the apertured extended cells and through the aperture at the distal end.

A method of fluid etching an absorbent stratum is disclosed. The method includes providing an absorbent stratum; providing a fluid etching process comprising one or more fluid jets, a carrier belt, and a stencil; c) expelling fluid from the fluid jets through the open apertures of the stencil; and d) fissuring the absorbent stratum.

An absorbent structure is disclosed. The absorbent structure includes a first fibrous layer having a first surface and a second surface and a second layer having a first surface and second surface. The first fibrous layer is substantially planar and the second absorbent layer includes voids within the layer. The absorbent structure first fibrous layer and the second layer exhibit a structural integrity substantially equal to an absorbent structure without voids.