A forming device for gathering the width of a traveling web is disclosed. The forming device includes opposing arrays of flute-forming bars that can be interlaced to define therebetween a longitudinal flute-forming labyrinth effective to reduce the width of a web traveling therethrough by a preselected take-up ratio. The flute-forming bars are curved beginning at an entry end of the forming device such that they converge in a lateral direction as they proceed in the machine direction. In this manner, individual elements of the web traveling between the respective arrays in the machine direction follow contour lines along the curved bars or between adjacent ones of the curved bars so that no such element crosses any flute-forming bar in the cross-machine direction as the web travels and is fluted. A corrugating die for introducing a near-net shape to the intermediate-fluted web is also disclosed, as are a corrugating line incorporating these operations and methods for its operation.

A system and method for forming a composite part. The apparatus comprises a sleeve that molds a composite material. The sleeve has a first face and a second face. The second face has features to mold the composite material. The first face comprises a first inclined surface having an angle less than about 90 degrees and greater than about 0 degrees.

Thermoplastic laminates are fabricated in a continuous compression molding production line. A lay-up of laminate plies is placed in a recess on a carrying tool, and the tool is moved through successive forming operations on the line, including preforming and consolidation operations. The tool is separated from the fully formed part at the end of the line and may be reused. Use of the carrying tool reduces material scrap.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a wearable article assembled by a front belt, a back belt, and a central chassis, the central chassis having a front waist region and a back waist region separated from each other by a crotch region, wherein at least one of the front belt and the back belt is formed by an elastic belt, the methodmay comprise making the elastic belt and joining to the central chassis by the steps of: 1) advancing a first layer of continuous sheet having a first surface and an opposing second surface in a machine direction and defining a width in a cross machine direction; 2) advancing a second layer of continuous sheet having a first surface and an opposing second surface in the machine direction and having a smaller width than the first layer of continuous sheet; 3) advancing a first group of elastic bodies in the machine direction in a stretched state; 4) joining the first group of elastic bodies between the first surface of the first layer and the first surface of the second layer of continuous sheets to form a primary elastic belt precursor; 5) advancing a second group of elastic bodies in the machine direction in a stretched state; 6) joining the second group of elastic bodies to the first surface of the first layer of continuous sheet of the primary elastic belt precursor; 7) joining the central chassis to the second surface of the second layer of continuous sheet; and 8) folding the first layer of continuous sheet to form a first layer fold over of continuous sheet, such that at least one of the second group of elastic bodies is directly joined between the first surface of the first layer of continuous sheet and the first surface of the first layer fold over of continuous sheet.

A method of manufacturing a wearable article is disclosed. The method includes advancing a first layer of continuous sheet and a second layer of discrete continuous sheet having a smaller width than the first layer of continuous sheet; intermittently joining a first group of elastic bodies between the first layer of continuous sheet and the second layer of discrete continuous sheet; joining a second group of elastic bodies to the first layer of continuous sheets outward of the second layer of discrete continuous sheet; joining a center chassis with the first layer of continuous sheet and overlapping the first group of elastic bodies not joined to the first layer of continuous sheet; folding the first layer of continuous sheet to form a first layer fold over, wherein the first layer fold over overlaps the second group of elastic bodies, the center chassis, and the second layer of discrete continuous sheet.

A tool for fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member contained therein and method of use thereof is provided. The tool includes a clamp assembly having opposed clamp members attached to one another for pivotal movement relative to one another between an open state and a closed state. The clamp members have clamping surfaces, wherein at least one of the clamping surfaces has at least one outlet. A fluid source is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, and a heat source is configured to heat fluid from the fluid source to create steam. The steam is dispensed outwardly from the at least one outlet to cause an adhesive on the sleeve to become activated to bond with an adjacent abutting surface.

A tool for fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member contained therein and method of use thereof is provided. The tool includes a clamp assembly having opposed clamp members attached to one another for pivotal movement relative to one another between an open state and a closed state. The clamp members have clamping surfaces, wherein at least one of the clamping surfaces has at least one outlet. A fluid source is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, and a heat source is configured to heat fluid from the fluid source to create steam. The steam is dispensed outwardly from the at least one outlet to cause an adhesive on the sleeve to become activated to bond with an adjacent abutting surface.

A forming device for gathering the width of a traveling web is disclosed. The forming device includes opposing arrays of flute-forming bars that can be interlaced to define therebetween a longitudinal flute-forming labyrinth effective to reduce the width of a web traveling therethrough by a preselected take-up ratio. The flute-forming bars are curved beginning at an entry end of the forming device such that they converge in a lateral direction as they proceed in the machine direction. In this manner, individual elements of the web traveling between the respective arrays in the machine direction follow contour lines along the curved bars or between adjacent ones of the curved bars so that no such element crosses any flute-forming bar in the cross-machine direction as the web travels and is fluted. A corrugating die for introducing a near-net shape to the intermediate-fluted web is also disclosed, as are a corrugating line incorporating these operations and methods for its operation.

The invention relates to a method for continuously manufacturing elastic pants (28), wherein a flat web material (1, 16, 19) is continuously conveyed in a longitudinal direction (8) of the web material (1, 16, 19), is shaped into a closed tube (4), and is closed in the longitudinal direction (8). The closed tube (4) forms a first outer layer (9). Elastic threads (10) in the form of a tubular reinforcement are then wound around the first outer layer (9) in the conveying direction (8) in such a way that the elastic threads (10) are taut when the outer layer (9) has a convex shape. A second outer layer (15) is then continuously applied to the elastic threads (10) in the conveying direction (8) and is joined to the elastic threads (10) and/or the first outer layer (9). The first outer layer (9), the elastic threads (10) and the second outer layer (15) form an elastic pants web material (21). Further down in the conveying direction (8), the pants web material (21) is closed along a joining section (29) in regular intervals such that the joining section (29) forms two approximately equally large opening sections that lie opposite each other in the transverse direction. Further down in the conveying direction (8), the pants web material (21) is cut at a distance from the joining section (29) such that a pair of elastic pants (28) is formed.

Thermoplastic laminates are fabricated in a continuous compression molding production line. A lay-up of laminate plies is placed in a recess on a carrying tool, and the tool is moved through successive forming operations on the line, including preforming and consolidation operations. The tool is separated from the fully formed part at the end of the line and may be reused. Use of the carrying tool reduces material scrap.