The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure involve a spreader mechanism operating to activate an elastic material by stretching the elastic material in to a first elongation. The elastic material is then consolidated to a second elongation, wherein the second the elongation is less than the first elongation. The consolidated elastic material is then joined to one or more substrates. In some configurations, the substrates may be nonwovens, and the elastic material may be an elastic film and/or an elastic laminate.

The methods herein relate to assembling an elastic laminate with a first elastic material and a second elastic material bonded between first and second substrates. During assembly, an elastic laminate may be formed by positioning the first and second substrates in contact with stretched central regions of the first and second elastic materials. The elastic laminates may include two or more bonding regions that may be defined by the various layers or components of the elastic laminate that are laminated or stacked relative to each other. In some configurations, a first plurality of ultrasonic bonds are applied to the elastic laminate to define a first bond density in the first bonding region, and a second plurality of ultrasonic bonds are applied to the elastic laminate to define a second bond density in the second bonding region, wherein the second bond density is not equal to the first bond density.

A sheet conveying device includes: a holding mechanism configured to hold suction members; and a driving device including a rotary shaft which is rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis and a connecting mechanism configured to connect the rotary shaft and suction members to each other; and a support mechanism configured to support the holding mechanism and the drive device. The connecting mechanism is connected to the suction members in a state where the suction members are movable in a radial direction of the circle about the first axis. The support mechanism supports the holding mechanism and the drive device such that the holding mechanism and the drive device are relatively movable from each other in a direction orthogonal to the first axis.

A method of manufacturing an absorbent web includes moving a foraminous member in a machine direction. The foraminous member has at least one masking plate with a partitioned area including at least one partition defining a plurality of segments. The method further includes drawing air through the foraminous member and depositing fibrous material onto the foraminous member to form an absorbent web. The absorbent web has a bridged area with a reduced basis weight corresponding to the partitioned area of the masking plate. The bridged area has vertical interfaces separating web segments and fibrous material at least partly bridging the vertical interfaces.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure include providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate, each having a width in a cross direction; providing an elastic material; elongating the activated elastic material using a spreader mechanism; and ultrasonically bonding the first substrate together with the second substrate with the elongated activated elastic material positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate using an anvil and an ultrasonic device.

The disclosure pertains to a process line (62) for manufacturing absorbent articles comprising a plurality of assembly modules (64), the process line (62) comprising at least one channel (70) fluidically connecting at least one assembly module (64) and a main pump (38), said main pump being arranged downstream, with respect to the airflow, of said assembly module (64) wherein at least one booster pump (72) is arranged between an assembly module (64) and said main pump (38), said at least one channel (70) fluidically connecting said assembly module (64), booster pump (72) and main pump (38).

A method of manufacturing an absorbent web includes moving a foraminous member in a machine direction. The foraminous member has at least one masking plate with a partitioned area including at least one partition defining a plurality of segments. The method further includes drawing air through the foraminous member and depositing fibrous material onto the foraminous member to form an absorbent web. The absorbent web has a bridged area with a reduced basis weight corresponding to the partitioned area of the masking plate. The bridged area has vertical interfaces separating web segments and fibrous material at least partly bridging the vertical interfaces.

The present disclosure relates to assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Methods herein may include an anvil adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein first and second spreader mechanisms adjacent the anvil roll are axially and angularly displaced from each other with respect to the axis of rotation. During the assembly process, a substrate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating anvil. The first spreader mechanism stretches a first elastic material in the cross direction, and the second spreader mechanism stretches a second elastic material in the cross direction. The stretched first and second elastic materials advance from the spreader mechanisms and onto the substrate on the anvil roll. The combined and elastic materials may then be ultrasonically bonded together on the anvil to form at least one elastic laminate.

The methods herein relate to assembling an elastic laminate with a first elastic material and a second elastic material bonded between first and second substrates. During assembly, an elastic laminate may be formed by positioning the first and second substrates in contact with stretched central regions of the first and second elastic materials. The elastic laminates may include two or more bonding regions that may be defined by the various layers or components of the elastic laminate that are laminated or stacked relative to each other. In some configurations, a first plurality of ultrasonic bonds are applied to the elastic laminate to define a first bond density in the first bonding region, and a second plurality of ultrasonic bonds are applied to the elastic laminate to define a second bond density in the second bonding region, wherein the second bond density is not equal to the first bond density.

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure involve an anvil and a spreader mechanism adjacent the anvil. During the assembly process, a first substrate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating anvil. The spreader mechanism operates to activate an elastic material by stretching the elastic material in the cross direction to a first elongation. The elastic material is then consolidated to a second elongation in the cross direction, wherein the second the elongation is less than the first elongation. The consolidated elastic material is then bonded between a first substrate and a second substrate on the anvil. In some configurations, the first and second substrates may be nonwovens, and the elastic material may be an elastic film and/or an elastic laminate.