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 relates to a method for fabricating absorbent article having multiple layers, and deformed zones of targeted performance, and colored regions, the method comprising the steps of forming discrete features on at least one layer, printing colored regions on at least one layer, integrating multiple layers to form an absorbent assembly, and cutting the absorbent assembly into individual absorbent articles, wherein the steps are carried out continuously.

An underpants-type disposable diaper includes outer members 12F and 12B having stretchable regions A2 and A3 disposed adjacent to the inner edges of the side seal portions 12A in the width direction. The stretchable regions A2 and A3 include multiple elongated elastically stretchable members 19 disposed between two sheet layers 12S and 12H at predetermined intervals in the front-back direction and extending in the width direction. The elastically stretchable members 19 each include two fixed ends 19f fixed to the two sheet layers 12S and 12H, and the section between the fixed ends 19f is unfixed to the two sheet layers 12S and 12H. The two sheet layers 12S and 12H are welded into sheet bonding sections 20, at positions between the elastically stretchable members 19 in the stretchable regions A2 and A3 adjacent is the front-back direction. No sheet bonding section protrudes from the side seal portion in the stretchable regions A2 and A3.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core sandwiched between a liquid permeable topsheet and a liquid impermeable back-sheet, and an acquisition distribution system positioned between said topsheet and said absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core comprises absorbent material selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, superabsorbent polymers and combinations thereof, wherein said absorbent material is contained within at least one core wrap substrate enclosing said absorbent material, and wherein a top layer of said core wrap is adhered to a bottom layer of said core wrap to form one or more channels substantially free of said absorbent material, wherein said channels have a length extending along a longitudinal axis and the absorbent core has a length extending along said longitudinal axis and wherein the length of said channels is from 10% to 95% of the length of said absorbent core and wherein said channels each follow a substantially continuous path such as from a first end of a channel to a second end of the same channel wherein the acquisition distribution system is multi-layered and comprises at least one spunbond layer and at least one meltblown layer, and wherein said acquisition distribution system is positioned between said absorbent core and said topsheet such that said spunbond and/or meltblown layers are in direct contact with said absorbent core and said topsheet.

A disposable diaper has front and rear waist regions, a crotch region, and an absorbent chassis. The absorbent chassis includes an absorbent structure and a pair of side flaps. Each of the side flaps has layered sheet materials and includes a distal edge, a cuff branch line between the side edge of the absorbent structure and the distal edge, a leg-opening elasticized area between the cuff branch line and the distal edge, and a leakage-barrier cuff branched from the cuff branch line and intersecting with the leg-opening elasticized area. The leakage-barrier cuff has a free edge parallelly-spaced from the cuff branch line. The distance from the cuff branch line to the distal edge is larger than from the cuff branch line to the free edge. The number of sheet material layers included in the leg-opening elasticized area is larger than in the leakage-barrier cuff.

An apparatus for the transverse welding of a tape traveling in a machine direction, comprising: a stationary structure, a rotary structure rotatable with respect to the stationary structure about a rotation axis perpendicular to said machine direction, a plurality of welding units carried by said rotary structure and spaced apart in a circumferential direction, wherein each of said welding units comprises an inner welding element fixed relative to the rotary structure and an outer welding element cyclically movable with respect to the rotary structure between a release position and an operative position, and vice versa, wherein each of said outer welding elements during the movement from said release position to said operative position, and vice versa, performs an angular rotation movement about a respective radial axis perpendicular to said rotation axis, and a linear translation movement along said radial axis.

Provided are a perforated non-woven fabric and a production method thereof. The perforated non-woven fabric is formed by overlapping three-dimensional funnel-shaped openings of two perforated non-woven fabric layers. The first perforated non-woven fabric layer has a protruding portion and a recessed portion. The protruding portion has an internal space. An upper side of the second perforated non-woven fabric layer is adhered to a lower side of the recessed portion of the first perforated non-woven fabric layer. The overlapped three-dimensional funnel-shaped openings pass through the first perforated non-woven fabric layer and the second perforated non-woven fabric layer. An air flow passage is formed between continuous internal spaces of the protruding portions of the first perforated non-woven fabric layer and the second perforated non-woven fabric layer, thereby facilitating penetration of liquid and soft feces, reducing residues, enabling internal and external air flow circulation, and reducing discomfort from wetness.

An apparatus for making a multilayer absorbent element apt to be incorporated in a sanitary article is provided. The apparatus has an embossing roller bearing a plurality of protruding elements, a pierced roller bearing a plurality of protruding elements and cavities, and a unit of cohesion and drilling. The configuration of the apparatus is such that, after a first layer of sheet material is deformed by the embossing roll and the perforated roller continues to slide on the pierced roller, a second layer of sheet material is superimposed. The first and second layer of sheet material are then carried to the joining and piercing unit in which, at the intermediate zones of the first layer, it forms a plurality of holes passing through the first and second layer and joins them near or at the plurality of holes.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating absorbent article having multiple layers, and deformed zones of targeted performance, and colored regions, the method comprising the steps of forming discrete features on at least one layer, printing colored regions on at least one layer, integrating multiple layers to form an absorbent assembly, and cutting the absorbent assembly into individual absorbent articles, wherein the steps are carried out continuously.