Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses for manufacturing absorbent articles, wherein discrete zones of protrusions may be formed on a substrate. In some configurations, the protrusions may be formed as hooks. When forming the discrete zones of protrusions, localized speed variances may be imparted to the advancing substrate to ensure the adequate time to form the protrusions is provided. As such, protrusions may be formed on portions of the substrate that have been temporarily stopped or slowed to relatively slow speeds. The substrates with zones of protrusions may then be incorporated into products, such as assembled absorbent articles, so as to place the protrusions in desired positions on the absorbent articles. As such, the methods and apparatuses herein allow for the use of hook forming techniques on substrates in article manufacturing processes that provide flexibility in such configurations without sacrificing desired manufacturing speeds.

A molding device including a molding strip formed of a first material and extending along a machine direction, having a width defined along a transverse direction perpendicular to the machine direction, and a thickness measured along a direction perpendicular to the machine direction and to the transverse direction, and an inner face and an outer face, the molding strip including a plurality of cavities, characterized in that part of the cavities are at least partially obturated by a plugging material, so as to define molding cavities for forming retaining elements and/or preforms of retaining elements, and non-functional cavities.

An extruding unit, a forming roll unit and a thick portion forming mechanism are provided. The extruding unit has an ejecting slit which ejects sheet-shaped molten resin. The ejecting slit includes a standard gap portion and an enlarged gap portion. The standard gap portion is formed as a gap having a constant size. The enlarged gap portion is formed as a gap larger than the standard gap portion in a position corresponding to a thick portion. The thick portion forming mechanism forms one or several thick portions which are thicker than other portion, in the sheet-shaped molten resin continuously in the extrusion direction.

Provided is a molded surface fastener capable of stably having high engaging strength with respect to a loop member. The molded surface fastener of the present invention includes a base portion and a plurality of engaging elements provided with a stem portion and an engaging portion, and is formed of synthetic resin containing lubricant at 0.15 wt % or more and 1.00 wt % or less. A top end surface of the engaging element is formed to be flat, and the engaging portion has a hanging portion which hangs down obliquely downward toward the base portion.

Aspects disclosed herein relate to forming on a substrate fastener elements suitable for use in touch fastener by employing vibration forming methods. The processes described provide for a greater flexibility in manufacturing than prior methods and overcome certain limitations in prior forming techniques. Further, the product made can embody a variety of different configurations suitable for a given application. Employing vibration forming methods, such as ultrasonic forming methods, allows for the use of a wider variety of substrate material than materials used with convention methods of touch fastener formation.

A form for a thin reinforced composite material includes a plurality of separate linear fiber strips, each having a rectangular cross section composed of reinforcement fibers. The linear fiber strips laid out in a two-dimensional base layer defining a shape of the form. A first successive layer formed with the plurality of separate linear fiber strips contacting the base layer, the linear fiber strips laid out in the first successive layer interspersed from the separate linear fiber strips in the two-dimensional base layer. A method of forming the form includes arranging the plurality of separate linear fiber strips on a substrate and tacking the plurality of separate linear fiber strips to the substrate with a plurality of stitches. A method of forming a unitary reinforced composite component from the form is further provided. The resulting component having high strength and light weight and being efficient to manufacture.

This molded surface fastener includes: a base portion; right and left outer wall portions arranged on the upper surfaces of the base portion; a plurality of engaging elements arranged between the right and left outer wall portions; and right and left magnetic wall portions arranged between the outer wall portions and the engaging elements. This molded surface fastener is molded by melting and integrating first synthetic resin and second synthetic resin that contains magnetic particles. At least each upper end part of the outer wall portions is formed only of the first synthetic resin, while at least each upper end part of the magnetic wall portions is formed only of the second synthetic resin. Consequently, the right and left magnetic wall portions can be formed into predetermined shapes in a stable manner.

A decorative sheet includes a base material and a plurality of concave portions. The plurality of concave portions are provided on a front face of the base material. In the concave portion, a depth direction coincides with a thickness direction of the base material. The plurality of concave portions includes a first concave portion and a second concave portion. The first concave portion includes a first concavo-convex pattern on a first inner surface of the first concave portion. The second concave portion does not include the first concavo-convex pattern on a second inner surface of the second concave portion.

An absorbent article and method of making the absorbent article are disclosed. The absorbent article having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core structure having one or more layers wherein at least one layer is a heterogeneous mass layer, wherein the topsheet and the heterogeneous mass are integrated such that they reside in the same X-Y plane.

An artificial feather filling material. The material comprises artificial feathers (1), Each of the feathers (1) comprises a first sheet (20) of a first nonwoven material, A filament (10) is arranged along one extension of the sheet and the fiber is bonded to the first sheet.