The cutting of fibrous material which does not melt easily is effected to avoid the unravelling of cut edges, using ultrasonic or laser beam techniques. The method includes (a) applying a thermoplastic powder material to the cutting region, and (b) applying thermal shock to the localised area, sufficient to destroy the fibres of the material, and melt the powder on either side of the cut, and (c) pressing the cut edges while the fused thermoplastic powder is still soft. Woven or non-woven fabrics have tendency to unravel, after cutting, and normally require a sewn hem. The method of the invention disposes of the sewn hem, and provides a thermo-cutting technique applicable to non-fusible or non-thermoplastic fibres.

A method and apparatus for constructing a tubular assembly 40 comprising an inner portion (24) and a further portion (23) surrounding the inner portion. The inner portion (24) comprises reinforcement (37) and the further portion (23) being formed from a strip (50) of material comprising two opposed longitudinal marginal side portions (53). The apparatus comprises an assembly station (220) comprising a wall (253). The apparatus comprises means for advancing the inner portion (21) along a first path (231) extending passed the wall (253), and means for advancing the strip (50) along a second path (232) and causing the strip to encircle the wall (253) and thereby wrap about and surround the inner portion (21). The apparatus further comprises means (321) for introducing resinous binder into the reinforcement (37) as the strip (50) is being wrapped about the inner portion (21).

The present disclosure relates to stranded elastomeric laminates (including bi-laminates and tri-laminates) comprising beamed elastics and may have inventive Dtex-to-Nonwoven-Basis-Weight-Ratios, Dtex-to-Spacing-Ratios, and/or Void-Area-to-Strand-Area-Ratios. The stranded laminates of the present disclosure may be used for disposable absorbent article components (including pant belts) and may comprise inventive bonding arrangements that yield inventive textures and texture arrangements. When the inventive stranded elastomeric laminates are used for pant belts, the pants may have inventive Application-Forces, Sustained-Fit-Load-Forces, and Sustained-Fit-Unload-Forces. Further, when absorbent articles are packaged under compression at inventive In-Bag-Stack-Heights, the stranded elastomeric laminates of the present disclosure maintain their inventive properties and characteristics, including their inventive textures.

The present disclosure relates to methods for making apertured elastic laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. The methods and apparatuses may be close coupled such that materials may advance directly between aperturing and bonding operations. Such close coupling of devices may help to more precisely control the positions of the apertures in substrates relative to positions of apertures opposing substrates and/or bonds in the assembled laminate. The methods and apparatuses herein may also provide the ability to orient protrusions or protuberances in the substrates created by the aperturing process so as to extend inward and away from both outer surfaces of the assembled laminate. In turn, the assembly processes may be conducted so as to help mitigate reductions in softness that might otherwise result from the aperturing process in the assembled laminate.

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.

Vertical flow-wrapper that includes a frame, a web feed, which feeds a web to a form-shoulder, and a form-fill tube, which forms the web into a web tube, a longitudinal sealing-means to seal longitudinal edges of the web tube together, and a cross sealing means to provide a cross-seal to the web tube. The cross sealing means includes seal jaws, a closing motor, and a jaw closing mechanism; the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism reciprocate between an upper and lower vertical position; the closing motor is provided at the frame and a torque transfer means is provided between the closing motor and the jaw closing mechanism; the closing motor and the reciprocation motor are operated independently from each other; and the closing motor is connected to the frame by a slide bearing or is pivotably connected to the frame.

A layered body containing continuous sheets is thermally fused when passing through a space between an anvil roll and an energy applying device to form a layered sheet. A nip stage for sandwiching the layered body is provided upstream of the space between the anvil roll and the energy applying device. The nip stage includes at least one displacement member which is displaced in accordance with the thickness of the layered body sandwiched by the nip stage. Whether the thickness of the layered body sandwiched by the nip stage has deviated from a reference range is detected on the basis of the displacement of the displacement member, and when it is detected that the thickness has deviated from the reference range, the energy applying device is caused to retreat in a direction going away from the anvil roll.

One or more implementations of a multi-layer film include a first layer non-continuously bonded to a second pigmented layer. The multi-layer film includes an unexpected appearance differing from the appearance of the pigmented layer. In one or more embodiments, the multi-layer film includes a metallic appearance despite the pigmented layer being devoid of metallic pigment. The multi-layer film also includes areas that are visually distinct from areas of the film with the unexpected appearance. The visually-distinct areas comprise areas in which the first layer non-continuously is in intimate contact with the second pigmented layer. The visually-distinct areas have the appearance of the pigmented layer or another appearance. One or more implementations also include methods of making multi-layer films and bags with an unexpected appearance and visually-distinct areas.

A method and apparatus for constructing a tubular assembly 40 comprising an inner portion (24) and a further portion (23) surrounding the inner portion. The inner portion (24) comprises reinforcement (37) and the further portion (23) being formed from a strip (50) of material comprising two opposed longitudinal marginal side portions (53). The apparatus comprises an assembly station (220) comprising a wall (253). The apparatus comprises means for advancing the inner portion (21) along a first path (231) extending passed the wall (253), and means for advancing the strip (50) along a second path (232) and causing the strip to encircle the wall (253) and thereby wrap about and surround the inner portion (21). The apparatus further comprises means (321) for introducing resinous binder into the reinforcement (37) as the strip (50) is being wrapped about the inner portion (21).

A pouch machine vertical sealer capable of fusing a pouch film web to form a plurality of spaced vertical seals along a length of the film web to form pouches. The pouch machine vertical sealer includes a sealer wheel rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation and defines a film web path about a periphery of the sealer wheel. The vertical sealer further includes a plurality of vertical sealer land assemblies spaced apart about the periphery of the sealer wheel. Each vertical sealer land assembly includes an impulse heater such that contact between the film web and each impulse heater of the plurality of vertical sealer land assemblies forms the spaced apart vertical seals along the length of the film web.