Patent classifications
A61F2013/53043
Methods and apparatuses for making elastomeric laminates with elastic strands unwound from spools on surface unwinders
The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastomeric laminates, wherein elastic material may be stretched and joined with either or both first and second substrates. First spools are rotated to unwind first elastic strands from a first unwinder in a machine direction. The first elastic strands are positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate to form an elastomeric laminate. Before the first elastic strands are completely unwound from the rotating first spools, second spools are rotated to unwind second elastic strands from a second unwinder. Subsequently, the advancement of the first elastic strands from the first unwinder is discontinued. Thus, the elastomeric laminate assembly process may continue uninterrupted while switching from an initially utilized elastic material drawn from the first spools to a subsequently utilized elastic material drawn from the second spools.
Disposable absorbent articles having cuffs of improved stretch laminate structure
An absorbent article having longitudinal cuffs of improved structure is disclosed. The improved cuffs may be elasticized by a plurality of elastic strands that are substantially greater in number, closer in spacing, lower in pre-strain, and lower in decitex, or any combination of these, as compared with those in conventional articles. This combination of features results in ruffles or gathers of cuff material joined to the elastic strands that are substantially greater in machine-direction frequency and substantially lesser in z-direction amplitude, than those in conventional articles. As a result, the cuff structure lies more closely and evenly against the wearer's skin, has an improved, more cloth-like appearance, provides improved gasketing, and provides improved wearer comfort, as compared with cuff structures in conventional articles. A method for manufacturing articles with such cuff structures, utilizing a warp beam as a supply mechanism, is also disclosed.
ELASTOMERIC LAMINATE(S) FOR ABSORBENT ARTICLE DONNING
The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising belts comprising one or more pluralities of tightly spaced (less than 4 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, and less than 1 mm) and/or low decitex (less than 300, less than 200, less than 100 dtex) and/or low strain (less than 300%, less than 200%, less than 100%) elastics to deliver low pressure less than 1 psi (according to the conditions defined by the Pressure-Under-Strand Test in the Method below) under the elastics, while providing adequate modulus of (between about 2 gf/mm and 15 gf/mm), resulting in a Donning-Ratio from about 1.0 and about 3 to make the article easy to apply and to comfortably maintain the article in place on the wearer.
Methods and apparatuses for making elastomeric laminates
The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. Aspects of the methods for assembling elastomeric laminates may utilize elastic strands supplied from beams that may be joined with first and second substrates, and may be configured to carry out various types of operations, such as bonding and splicing operations.
Methods and apparatuses for making elastomeric laminates with elastic strands provided with a spin finish
The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. The elastomeric laminates may include a first substrate, a second substrate, and an elastic material located between the first and second substrates. During assembly of an elastomeric laminate, a beam is rotated to unwind the elastic strands from the beam, wherein the strands may include a spin finish. First bonds are applied to bond discrete lengths of the stretched elastic strands with and between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the discrete first bonds are arranged intermittently along the machine direction. In addition, second bonds are applied between consecutive first bonds to bond the first and second substrates directly to each other, wherein the second bonds extend in the machine direction and may be separated from each other in a cross direction by at least one elastic strand.
Methods and Apparatuses for Making Elastomeric Laminates with Elastic Strands Unwound from Spools on Surface Unwinders
The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastomeric laminates, wherein elastic material may be stretched and joined with either or both first and second substrates. First spools are rotated to unwind first elastic strands from a first unwinder in a machine direction. The first elastic strands are positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate to form an elastomeric laminate. Before the first elastic strands are completely unwound from the rotating first spools, second spools are rotated to unwind second elastic strands from a second unwinder. Subsequently, the advancement of the first elastic strands from the first unwinder is discontinued. Thus, the elastomeric laminate assembly process may continue uninterrupted while switching from an initially utilized elastic material drawn from the first spools to a subsequently utilized elastic material drawn from the second spools.
Beamed elastic laminate properties
The present disclosure relates to one or a combination of an absorbent article's chassis, inner leg cuffs, outer leg cuffs, ear panels, side panels, waistbands, and belts that may comprise one or more pluralities of tightly spaced and/or low Average-Dtex and/or low Average-Pre-Strain elastics to deliver low Pressure Under Strand, while providing adequate Section-Modulus to make the article easy to apply and to comfortably maintain the article in place on the wearer, even with a loaded core, to provide for the advantages described above. Further, the elastomeric laminates of the present disclosure outperform existing laminates currently used for disposable absorbent articles as it relates to one or more key parameters (including Percent Contact Area, 2-98% Height Value, Pressure-Under-Strand, Air Permeability, Water Vapor Transmission Rate, Caliper, Caliper Retention Value, Cantilever Bending, Open Area, Section-Modulus, Rugosity Wavelength, Rugosity Frequency, Graphic Distortion Ratio).
Hip-to-waist and waist-to-crotch silhouette(s) of absorbent article(s) comprising beamed elastics
The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising belts comprising one or more pluralities of tightly spaced (less than 4 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, and less than 1 mm) and/or low decitex (less than 300, less than 200, less than 100 dtex) and/or low strain (less than 300%, less than 200%, less than 100%) elastics to deliver low pressure less than 1 psi (according to the conditions defined by the Pressure-Under-Strand Test in the Method below) under the elastics, while providing adequate modulus of (between about 2 gf/mm and 15 gf/mm), resulting in a Product Hip-to-Waist Silhouette from about 0.8 to about 1.1 and a Product Waist-to-Crotch Silhouette from about 0.8 to about 2.0 to provide for the advantages described above.
ABSORBENT ARTICLE(S) CHASSIS COMPRISING BEAMED ELASTICS
The present disclosure relates to absorbent article's chassis that may comprise one or more pluralities of tightly spaced (less than 4 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, and less than 1 mm) and/or low decitex (less than 300, less than 200, less than 100 dtex) and/or low strain (less than 300%, less than 200%, less than 100%) elastics to deliver low pressure less than 1 psi (according to the conditions defined by the Pressure-Under-Strand Test in the Method below) under the elastics. The elastics in the chassis may be oriented parallel or transverse to the longitudinal axis.
Length-to-waist silhouette(s) of absorbent article(s) comprising beamed elastics
The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising belts comprising one or more pluralities of tightly spaced (less than 4 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, and less than 1 mm) and/or low decitex (less than 300, less than 200, less than 100 dtex) and/or low strain (less than 300%, less than 200%, less than 100%) elastics to deliver low pressure less than 1 psi (according to the conditions defined by the Pressure-Under-Strand Test in the Method below) under the elastics, while providing adequate Section-Modulus of (between about 2 gf/mm and 15 gf/mm), resulting in a Product Length-to-Waist Silhouette that is within from about ?0.3 to about 0.3 of the Target Body Length-to-Waist Silhouette to make the article conform better to the body of the wearer at a lower Pressure-Under-Strand, even with a loaded core (holding at least 50 mls of liquid), to provide for the advantages described above.