A rotary device for welding a continuous web comprises a rotary unit rotating about a respective axis and welding units for welding the web mounted, angularly spaced, on the rotary unit. A movement device varies a radial position of the welding units. First and second supporting elements supporting the web are disposed, respectively, upstream and downstream of respective ones of the welding units, to keep the web tensioned when the respective welding unit is at an operating position. The first and second supporting elements are supported by a load-bearing structure connected to the welding units in such a way that a radial movement of the welding units corresponds to a movement of the first and second supporting elements towards and away from the axis.

A disposable wearable article includes an elastic film stretchable structure in which an elastic film is laminated between a first sheet layer and a second sheet layer. The first sheet layer and the second sheet layer are bonded to each other through holes passing through the elastic film with many bonded portions arranged at intervals. A region having the elastic film stretchable structure includes a stretchable region that elastically stretches and contracts together with the elastic film. The stretchable region includes a plurality of elastic films disposed so as to have an overlapping portion. The number of laminated layers of the elastic film in a region located in an intermediate portion of the stretchable region in an orthogonal direction (XD) orthogonal to a stretchable direction (ED) is different from that in each of second regions adjacent to both sides of the first region.

An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes an anvil with weld pattern comprising at least one anchoring region and at least one deactivating region. The anchoring region includes anchoring welds that form anchoring bonds that fuse facing web layers and anchor elastic thread(s) in position relative to the facing web layers. The deactivating region includes a break bar constructed to sever the thread(s). A method of manufacturing the elastic composite structure includes positioning a tensioned elastic thread between web layers, fusing the web layers to form an anchored zone that includes anchoring bonds that fuse the web layers and anchor the tensioned elastic thread therebetween, and cutting the thread to form a deactivated zone between adjacent portions of the anchored zone that is free of tensioned threads. The method further includes fusing the web layers within the deactivated zone.

The rotary anvils herein may be used in combination with a tool member to perform various types of manufacturing operations, such as cutting, bonding, and embossing. The anvil roll may include a cylindrically-shaped outer circumferential surface and may be adapted to rotate about a first axis of rotation. More particularly, the anvil roll may include a body formed from a first material, such as a metallic material. The body may also include grooves in the outer circumferential surface, and abrasion resistant material may be fused to the body to fill the grooves to form strips. During operation, a tool member may be positioned to contact the strips of abrasion resistant material.

An energy apparatus can be configured for providing energy to an item being transferred over a rotatable drum. The energy apparatus can include a first energy mechanism configured to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable drum and rotate with the rotatable drum. The energy apparatus can also include a second energy mechanism configured to rotate around a circumference of the rotatable drum. The energy apparatus can additionally include a translation system coupled to the second energy mechanism and configured to move the second energy mechanism to an end position that allows the second energy mechanism and the first energy mechanism to provide energy to the item while there is no relative motion between the first energy mechanism and the second energy mechanism. Methods of providing energy to an item utilizing an energy apparatus are also disclosed.

A method for manufacturing a deflection member is disclosed. The method may include the step of incorporating a monomer, a photoinitiator system, a photoinhibitor, and/or a reinforcing member. A further step includes blending the monomer, photoinitiator, and/or photoinhibitor to form a blended photopolymer resin. Further steps may be exposing the photopolymer resin to radiation form a first radiation source and/or a second radiation source.

To reduce a discrepancy between sealing areas on outward and homeward paths through which superposed parts of a continuous material are joined to each other, a method for manufacturing a wearable article includes: superposing a first and second parts of a continuous material on each other; winding the continuous material around a rotary drum and conveying the continuous material; and moving a movable part of a sealer unit outward and homeward in a cross direction crossing a conveyance direction, while the continuous material is conveyed, to form liner sealing areas and joining the first and second parts through the formed liner sealing areas. The method includes, after the superposing and before the joining, inhibiting a movement of the first and second parts relative to each other by temporary fastening such as heat sealing at a place at which the first and second parts are to be joined together.

An elastic nonwoven material includes a first non-woven fabric including a plurality of rows. Each row has a plurality of adjacent bonds formed therein. The elastic nonwoven material also includes a first elastic strand entrapped between a first pair of adjacent bonds within a first row of the plurality of rows, and a second elastic strand entrapped between a second pair of adjacent bonds within the first row. A third pair of adjacent bonds within the first row is free of elastic material therebetween and is located between the first pair of adjacent bonds and the second pair of adjacent bonds.

Printed, breathable thermoplastic films, laminates, and methods of making films having a basis weight less than or equal to 15 gsm and a water vapor transmission rate of at least about 500 grams H.sub.2O/24-hour/m.sup.2, wherein the film has a ratio of the MD load at break to the CD load at break of less than about 10, and at least one of a machine-direction notched Elmendorf tear strength of at least about 5 g or a machine-direction notched trapezoidal tear strength of at least about 15 g.

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for making patterned apertured substrates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. During the manufacturing processes, a precursor substrate advances in a machine direction between a pattern roll and an anvil roll. The pattern roll rotates about an axis of rotation and includes a plurality of pattern surfaces, wherein the substrate is compressed between the anvil roll and the pattern surfaces of the pattern roll to form discrete bond regions in the substrate. The pattern surfaces on the pattern roll are formed on continuous threads extending circumferentially around the axis of rotation along helical paths parallel with each other. As such, the pattern surfaces press the substrate against the outer circumferential surface of the anvil roll in the different axial locations along the cross direction as the pattern roll rotates when forming the discrete bond regions.