B29C66/7294

Method and apparatus for assembling absorbent articles

The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure involve a spreader mechanism operating to activate an elastic material by stretching the elastic material in to a first elongation. The elastic material is then consolidated to a second elongation, wherein the second the elongation is less than the first elongation. The consolidated elastic material is then joined to one or more substrates. In some configurations, the substrates may be nonwovens, and the elastic material may be an elastic film and/or an elastic laminate.

METHODS AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE PLASTIC FILM PROCESSING
20210078746 · 2021-03-18 ·

A system includes a film processing module, a processor, and memory. The processor and memory are in communication with the film processing module. The processor is configured to dynamically coordinate movement of the film processing module relative to a moving web of film and to perform a function on the web of film with the film processing module.

STRETCHABLE MEMBER AND DISPOSABLE WEAR ARTICLE USING STRETCHABLE MEMBER
20210069029 · 2021-03-11 · ·

To prevent or suppress the occurrence of tearing of an elastic film between stretchable regions in an elastic sheet stretchable structure. An elastic sheet stretchable structure is provided, in which an elastic film is laminated between a first sheet layer having air permeability and a second sheet layer having air permeability, and the first sheet layer and the second sheet layer are bonded at a large number of sheet bonded portions arranged at intervals. At the boundary between a first stretchable region and a second stretchable region, a separation distance Px in an elastic limit elongation state between a bonded portion located on a side of the boundary of the first stretchable region in a stretchable direction and a bonded portion located on a side of the boundary of the second stretchable region in a stretchable direction is 10 mm or less.

CURVED ELASTIC WITH ENTRAPMENT
20210069025 · 2021-03-11 ·

An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure includes a first roller configured to transport a web layer in a machine direction and a laydown guide configured to guide a laydown pattern of a plurality of elastic threads. A rotary anvil comprises a first weld line having a first notch formed in a contact surface of the first weld line, the first notch having a first interior configured to receive a portion of a first elastic thread of the plurality of elastic threads and a portion of the web layer therein. The first notch comprises a facing surface defining at least a portion of the first interior. A smallest orientation angle of a first face axis normal to the facing surface with respect to a contact surface axis normal to the contact surface is a first angle that is less than 90 degrees.

LIGHTWEIGHT UNDERLAYMENT
20210060911 · 2021-03-04 · ·

A roofing underlayment and a novel method for manufacturing same is provided. The roofing underlayment comprises a woven scrim bonded with a nonwoven thermoplastic and at least one coating layer disposed on a deck-facing surface of the woven scrim.

STRETCH LAYERED SHEET, DISPOSABLE WEARING ARTICLE, AND METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING STRETCH LAYERED SHEET
20230414418 · 2023-12-28 · ·

The present layered stretchable sheet includes: a plurality of attachment portions at which a pair of non-woven fabrics and a film are thermally bonded together, wherein each one of the attachment portions includes at least one thermal bonding area where the pair of non-woven fabrics and the film are thermally bonded together; at least one boundary line that defines the thermal bonding area; a first vent that is defined by a first opening of the film appearing in a stretched state of the film along the boundary line and that exerts air permeability; and a second vent that is defined by a second opening where a part of the film is absent, the second opening being adjacent to the thermal bonding area and being delimited by the boundary line, wherein the second vent exerts air permeability both in the stretched state and in a non-stretched state.

Apparatus and Method for Making Side Seams on Absorbent Articles
20210022926 · 2021-01-28 ·

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses configured to bond elastic laminates together between a rotating drum and anvil. The drum includes a fluid nozzle and a press member. As such, a first elastic laminate and a second elastics laminate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating drum. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to partially melt substrate layers of the first and second elastic laminates. As the drum rotates, the press member shifts radially outward from the drum wherein a length, L, of the pattern surface extends in the cross direction across a plurality of elastic strands of first and/or second elastic laminates. And the partially melted portion of the substrate layers of the first and second elastic laminates and the plurality of elastic strands are then bonded together by being compressed between the pattern surface and the anvil roll.

Method and apparatus for producing a breathable web and relative web

A method for producing a breathable web, comprising: feeding a web on the surface of an anvil roller rotatable about its axis and having a plurality of welding protrusions cooperating with a welding element, welding said web at a plurality of welding spots on head surfaces of said welding protrusions and forming respective annular welding seams at said welding spots, about respective welding projections, and respective thin membranes located within said annular welding seams and adjacent to the head surfaces of said welding protrusions, and removing said thin membranes after said welding by means of a peeling roller having an outer surface tangent to said head surfaces of said welding protrusions.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED ULTRASONIC BONDING

A system and method for controlling the speed of both a continuous web and a bonding apparatus is provided in order to effectuate stronger bonds in the web. The bonding system includes a velocity changing device for increasing and decreasing a velocity of the web in a machine direction, an anvil and a corresponding ultrasonic horn that interact to form ultrasonic bonds on the web, and an anvil actuator configured to control a movement of the anvil. A control system is also included in the bonding system for controlling operation of the anvil actuator the velocity changing device, with the control system programmed to decrease a moving velocity of the web from a feed velocity to a bonding velocity as the web passes between the anvil and the ultrasonic horn and control movement of the anvil to synchronize the movement of the anvil with the moving velocity of the web.

Apparatus for fabricating an elastic nonwoven material

An apparatus for fabricating an elastic nonwoven material generally includes a first bonding module and a second bonding module. The second bonding module is positionable in close proximity to the first bonding module. At least one of the first bonding module and the second bonding module has a face with a width dimension and a circumferential axis and is rotatable about a rotation axis. The face has a plurality of ridges. The ridges are positioned such that at least two adjacent ridges overlap along the circumferential axis.