An absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; an elastic member that is inserted along a lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced apart in the lateral direction; and side-seal sections that are disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are disposed on two sides of the elastic member in a vertical direction, which intersects the lateral direction and a front-rear direction, so that the elastic member is sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions.

A fiber optic cable includes a cable core of core elements and a protective sheath surrounding the core elements, an armor surrounding the cable core, the armor comprising a single overlap portion when the fiber optic cable is viewed in cross-section, and a jacket surrounding the armor, the jacket having at least two longitudinal discontinuities extruded therein. A method of accessing the cable core without the use of ripcords includes removing a portion of the armor in an access section by pulling the armor away from the cable core so that an overlap portion separates around the cable core as it is being pulled past the cable core. A protective sheath protects the core elements as the armor is being pulled around the cable core.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for increasing the number of articles processed. over a distance traveled in the machine direction of an assembly line. In particular, the orientation of the long dimension of the article is provided transverse to the machine direction, thus process rug the articles side-by-side instead of end-to-end.

A swelling tape is disclosed comprising a polyurethane film and a method for manufacturing the same. The swelling tape comprises: a base layer including a polyurethane film that is composed of a chain of monomers joined by urethane links as a result of a reaction between a liquid polyol and a crosslinker; and an adhesive layer formed on a first surface of the base layer in a direction horizontal to a lengthwise direction of the base layer. When made with the liquid polyol and the crosslinker, a resulting polyurethane film exhibits appearance and performance similar to polyurethane film prepared through extrusion. The resulting polyurethane film has a uniform thickness and the advantage of being produced at a low cost.

A unit for making absorbent pads of absorbent articles including a drum for forming the absorbent pads and a hood for feeding a first and a second absorbent material to at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the hood has a chamber for mixing the first and the second absorbent materials and an opening for dispensing the first and the second absorbent materials facing at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the unit includes at least a first and a second duct for feeding the second absorbent material into the hood and means for distributing the second absorbent material both of the first feed duct and of the second feed duct; the first and the second ducts are connected to the same distribution means.

This invention generally relates to polyethylene or ethylene/?-olefin copolymer based co-extruded, multi-layer films or sheetsrigid or flexiblefor thermoforming into shaped containers such as packaging containers. Inter alia, the rigid films have improved barrier properties, toughness, and snapability. Particularly, the films of the present invention comprise one or more stacks of polypropylene layers. In one embodiment, the polypropylene layers in the stack are provided such that any two adjacent layers have different microstructures that provide a interface or interphase between the two layers with likely different microstructures and/or crystallinity. The overall polypropylene stack structure assists in disrupting the transport of oxygen, thereby providing a laminate or structure, for example a rigid film or sheet, with enhanced oxygen-barrier properties. The invention also relates a process for preparing shaped articles such as containers from such films, and to such shaped articlesrigid or flexibleboth filled and unfilled.

A litter and litter making method producing cat litter from a carbohydrate starch-containing cereal grain, e.g., corn, based admixture extruded from a single screw or twin screw extruder forming pellets having a clumping agent formed during extrusion composed at least in part of carbohydrate polymer binder. Each pellet is extruded under conditions that cause formation of carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent at least some of which is water soluble. One preferred method of extruding cat litter causes starch dextrinization to occur such that at least some of the carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent in each pellet is formed of dextrin. Each pellet can be coated such as with a smectite that preferably is bentonite. During use, pellet extrusion formed clumping agent in a pellet wetted with urine dissolves and flows in between and along adjacent pellets causing them to clump together without the presence of any clumping agent additive.

Method for manufacturing an absorbent article, the method including: while a lower bandlike member is transported in a transport direction, a process in which a cutting position is determined and an adhesion area is formed by putting adhesive on each side of the cutting position of the lower bandlike member in the transport direction; a process in which elastic members are placed so that a part of each of the elastic members overlaps the adhesion area, the elastic members being stretched in the transport direction; a process in which an upper bandlike member is stacked on and adheres to the lower bandlike member and the elastic member on the adhesion area; a process in which the lower bandlike member and the upper bandlike member are folded on the center in the intersecting direction; a process in which a welded section on which the lower bandlike member and the upper bandlike member are to be welded to each other is formed on each side of the cutting position in the transport direction; a process in which and the lower bandlike member, the upper bandlike member and the elastic members are cut together on the cutting position, a lower exterior member and an upper exterior member which are shaped in the form of underpants are cut and separated, the elastic members which are stretched in the transport direction contract towards the adhesion area from positions at which the elastic members are cut, the contraction being performed while the elastic members shifting relative to the lower exterior member and the upper exterior member.

An absorbent insert of compressed matrix of absorbent material, including a filler dispersed therein to improve stiffness/rigidity of the insert and controls the absorbency of the compressed absorbent material. The insert is pre-shaped and sized for inserting into a tooth cavity, such as a pulp chamber or a root canal space. The compressed insert expands or swells upon absorbing fluid within the tooth cavity, so as to more completely dry the tooth cavity. The absorbent insert also serve as a substrate of an applicator for medical agent to be applied to a tooth cavity. The absorbent insert is provided (e.g., coated or impregnated) with a medical agent, which medical agent is released into the tooth cavity as the absorbent material absorbs fluid in the tooth cavity.

A device for manufacturing an absorbent body includes: a shaping unit that includes a recessed portion and that makes liquid absorbent fiber and superabsorbent polymer to be deposited in the recessed portion, shaping the absorbent body; and a supply unit that supplies the liquid absorbent fiber and the superabsorbent polymer to the recessed portion. The recessed portion includes a protruding portion, and the protruding portion protrudes from a bottom surface and includes an inclined surface. In a cross section orthogonal to a ridge line of the protruding portion, an angle of the inclined surface with respect to a surface parallel to the bottom surface is greater than an angle of repose of the superabsorbent polymer and smaller than 90 degrees.