US 11,596,557 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for assembling absorbent articles

AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company

InventorsTodd Douglas Lenser, Urmish Popatlal Dalal

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Methods herein may include an anvil adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein first and second spreader mechanisms adjacent the anvil roll are axially and angularly displaced from each other with respect to the axis of rotation. During the assembly process, a substrate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating anvil. The first spreader mechanism stretches a first elastic material in the cross direction, and the second spreader mechanism stretches a second elastic material in the cross direction. The stretched first and second elastic materials advance from the spreader mechanisms and onto the substrate on the anvil roll. The combined and elastic materials may then be ultrasonically bonded together on the anvil to form at least one elastic laminate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of spreading an elastic material in a cross-machine direction, the method comprising:

providing a spreader mechanism comprising:
a first disk comprising a first outer rim;
and
a second disk comprising a second outer rim;
wherein the first disk and the second disk are canted relative to each other;
wherein the first outer rim comprises:
a first channel defined in the first outer rim, a first plurality of support members planar with a first surface of the first outer rim and extending over portions of the first channel, and a single row of a first plurality of nubs extending radially outwardly from the first surface of the first outer rim;
wherein the second outer rim comprises:
a second channel defined in the second outer rim, a second plurality of support members planar with a second surface of the second outer rim and extending over portions of the second channel, and a single row of a second plurality of nubs extending radially outwardly from the second surface of the second outer rim;
applying a vacuum pressure to the first and second channels;
conveying the elastic material over the first and second disks while contacting a first edge region of the elastic material with the first outer rim and while contacting a second edge region of the elastic material with the second outer rim;
rotating the first disk about its central rotational axis;
rotating the second disk about its central rotational axis;
and
stretching the elastic material between the first and second disks while gripping the first and second edge regions of the elastic material with the first and second outer rims.

12 more elements

A method of spreading an elastic material in a cross-machine direction, the method comprising:

providing a spreader mechanism comprising:
a first disk comprising a first outer rim;
and
a second disk comprising a second outer rim;
wherein the first disk and the second disk are canted relative to each other;
wherein the first outer rim comprises:
a first channel defined in the first outer rim, a first plurality of support members planar with a first surface of the first outer rim and extending over portions of the first channel, and a first plurality of nubs extending radially outwardly from the first surface of the first outer rim, wherein the first plurality of nubs are positioned more proximal to the second disk than the first plurality of channels;
wherein the second outer rim comprises:
a second channel defined in the second outer rim, a second plurality of support members planar with a second surface of the second outer rim and extending over portions of the second channel, and a second plurality of nubs extending radially outwardly from the second surface of the second outer rim, wherein the second plurality of nubs are positioned more proximal to the first disk than the second plurality of channels;
applying a vacuum pressure to the first and second channels;
conveying the elastic material over the first and second disks while contacting a first edge region of the elastic material with the first outer rim and while contacting a second edge region of the elastic material with the second outer rim;
rotating the first disk about its central rotational axis;
rotating the second disk about its central rotational axis;
and
stretching the elastic material between the first and second disks while gripping the first and second edge regions of the elastic material with the first and second outer rims;
wherein a cross-machine directional width of one of the first and second channels is in the range of about 0.7 mm to about 2 mm.

13 more elements

A method of spreading an elastic material in a cross-machine direction, the method comprising:

providing a spreader mechanism comprising:
a first disk comprising a first outer rim;
and
a second disk comprising a second outer rim;
wherein the first disk and the second disk are canted relative to each other;
wherein the first outer rim comprises:
a first channel defined in the first outer rim, a first plurality of support members planar with a first surface of the first outer rim and extending over portions of the first channel, and a single row of a first plurality of nubs extending radially outwardly from the first surface of the first outer rim;
wherein the second outer rim comprises:
a second channel defined in the second outer rim, a second plurality of support members planar with a second surface of the second outer rim and extending over portions of the second channel, and a single row of a second plurality of nubs extending radially outwardly from the second surface of the second outer rim;
applying a vacuum pressure to the first and second channels;
conveying the elastic material over the first and second disks while contacting a first edge region of the elastic material with the first outer rim and while contacting a second edge region of the elastic material with the second outer rim;
rotating the first disk about its central rotational axis;
rotating the second disk about its central rotational axis;
and
stretching the elastic material between the first and second disks while gripping the first and second edge regions of the elastic material with the first and second outer rims;
wherein a cross-machine directional width of one of the first and second channels is in the range of about 0.7 mm to about 2 mm.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/830,452Filed 2 Jun 2022 · continuation
Priority: 12 Aug 2016
Published: US 2022/0287887 A115 Sep 2022
Granted: 7 Mar 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification85 codes

A61F 13/15699
Apparatus or processes for manufacturing: forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or…
A61F 13/15593
Of babies' napkins, e.g. diapers: having elastic ribbons fixed thereto; Devices for applying the ribbons
A61F 13/15601
Having elastic ribbons fixed thereto; Devices for applying the ribbons: the ribbons being applied transversely to the direction of the movement of…
A61F 13/15609
Having elastic ribbons fixed thereto; Devices for applying the ribbons: the ribbons being applied in an irregular path

Family

Application62/374,010Us provisional application · filed 12 Aug 2016
Application62/406,025Us provisional application · filed 10 Oct 2016
Application62/419,515Us provisional application · filed 9 Nov 2016
Application15/674,563Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Aug 2017
Application16/740,814Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Jan 2020
US 10,568,775 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Feb 2020
Application17/350,240Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Jun 2021
US 11,071,654 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Jul 2021
US 2022/0287887 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Sep 2022
US 11,382,798 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2018/0042778 A1Published application
US 2020/0268563 A1Published application
US 2021/0307970 A1Published application
US 11,596,557 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.