Apparatus and method of manufacturing multi-piece closed-back isolation garments
AssigneeCurt G. Joa, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Andrews, Samuel E. Darcy, Scott A. Roehrborn, Jeffrey W. Fritz, Mark E. Justice, Samuel Griffin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for executing a method of manufacturing multi-piece closed-back isolation garments (410) includes machinery for creating discrete torso web pieces (412) from a continuous torso web, combining the discrete torso pieces with a continuous shoulder web (414) having neck openings (444) therein, and cutting the combined torso and shoulder web structure to form the isolation garments. The isolation garments may be used as protection from potentially hazardous or unclean materials in a variety of different environments.
Claims20
An apparatus for manufacturing multi-piece closed-back isolation garments, the apparatus comprising:
- a slitting unit configured to cut and separate a continuous cover strip segment from a continuous shoulder web;
- at least one die unit configured to cut a neck opening in the continuous shoulder web;
- a first folding unit configured to fold a second shoulder web panel of the continuous shoulder web over a first shoulder web panel of the continuous shoulder web and create an area on the first shoulder web panel that is uncovered by the second shoulder web panel;
- a first bonding unit configured to bond the first shoulder web panel to the second shoulder web panel;
- a first adhesive applicator configured to apply a first adhesive strip to the uncovered area of the first shoulder web panel;
- a perforation unit configured to cut a perforation line in a continuous torso web to define a first tie strap;
- a second folding unit configured to fold the continuous torso web into a tube;
- a cutting unit configured to cut a torso web piece from the folded continuous torso web;
- a transfer unit configured to transfer the torso web piece having a substantially tubular shape onto the first adhesive strip;
- a second adhesive applicator configured to apply a second adhesive strip to attach the continuous cover strip segment to the torso web piece and second shoulder web panel and forming a continuous isolation garment web;
- and
- at least one other adhesive applicator configured to attach a second tie strap to the torso web piece of the continuous isolation garment web.
A method of manufacturing multi-piece closed-back isolation garments, the method comprising:
- slitting a continuous cover strip segment from a continuous shoulder web using a slitting unit;
- cutting neck openings in the continuous shoulder web using a die unit;
- overlapping first and second shoulder web panels of the continuous shoulder web to create an area in the first shoulder web panel that is uncovered by the second shoulder web panel;
- bonding the first and second shoulder web panels with a first bonding unit;
- applying a first adhesive strip on the continuous shoulder web in the uncovered area of the first shoulder web panel;
- cutting a perforation line in a continuous torso web to define an integrated continuous tie strap;
- folding the continuous torso web to form a tube;
- cutting a torso web piece from the folded continuous torso web;
- transferring, with a transfer unit, the torso web piece having a substantially tubular shape onto the first adhesive strip such that a top edge of the torso web piece overlaps the bottom edge of the first shoulder web panel;
- attaching the continuous cover strip segment to the torso web piece and second shoulder web panel with a second adhesive strip to form a continuous isolation garment web;
- and
- adhesively attaching a second tie strap to the torso web piece of the continuous isolation garment web.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.