# US 12,758,435 B2 · Apparatuses and methods for manufacturing absorbent structures including flexible masking media

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- Number: US 12,758,435 B2
- Document ID: US12758435B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/612,470
- Filed: 2019-05-30
- Published: 2022-08-18
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-30
- Assignees: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Applicants: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Inventors: Greg J. DeGrave; Andrew E. Neubauer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758435B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/15658: {Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof}
- B05B 12/24: made at least partly of flexible material, e.g. sheets of paper or fabric
- D04H 1/724: forming webs during fibre formation, e.g. flash-spinning
- A61F 2013/15926: {for vacuum forming}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)

## Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for forming fibrous web structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming a fibrous web comprises positioning a masking media over a foraminous forming member having a forming surface, the masking media producing covered portions and uncovered portions of the forming surface, applying vacuum pressure so as to draw air through the forming surface, depositing fibrous material onto the forming surface to form a fibrous web. The masking media may be flexible such that the at least one masking media is sucked tight to the forming surface and forms direct contact with the forming surface where vacuum pressure is applied, thereby preventing the fibrous material from flowing between the at least one masking media and the forming surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a fibrous web, the method comprising:
moving a foraminous forming member in a machine direction, the foraminous forming member having a forming surface and at least one masking media disposed on the forming surface and covering portions of the forming surface and leaving portions of the forming surface uncovered, side portions of the at least one masking media covering a portion of the foraminous forming member and inboard side edges of the at least one masking media defining at least one open area corresponding to uncovered portions of the forming surface;
applying vacuum pressure along a portion of the foraminous forming member so as to draw air through the forming surface in a first direction, the at least one masking media substantially blocking the air from moving through the covered portions of the forming surface;
depositing fibrous material onto the forming surface to form a fibrous web corresponding to the uncovered portions of the forming surface; and
disengaging the formed fibrous web from the forming surface,
wherein the at least one masking media is flexible such that the at least one masking media is sucked tight to the forming surface and forms direct contact with the forming surface along the portion of the forming surface where vacuum pressure is applied, thereby preventing the fibrous material from flowing between the at least one masking media and the forming surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein disengaging the formed fibrous web from the forming surface comprises expelling air through the forming surface in a second direction, the second direction being generally opposite the first direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the expelled air is expelled by an air knife and at a pressure of between about 10 psi and about 40 psi.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the expelled air is expelled by an air blower comprising bullet-shaped nozzles and at a pressure of between about 1 psi and about 7 psi.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one masking media is flexible such that expelling air through the forming surface in the second direction causes the masking media to flex away from the forming surface to form a gap between the at least one masking media and the forming surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the gap is at least 0.25 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one masking media has a thickness of between about 0.1 mm and about 5.0 mm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one masking media comprises a single, flexible belt member.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one masking media is disposed on the forming surface such that a first end of the at least one masking media and a second end of the at least one masking media abut each other, and wherein the at least one masking media further comprises a connecting portion covering the first end of the at least one masking media and the second end of the at least one masking media.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one masking media covers portions of the forming surface to produce a series of interconnected uncovered portions of the forming surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one masking media covers portions of the forming surface to produce a series of individual, discrete uncovered portions of the forming surface, inboard side edges of the at least one masking media defining discrete open areas corresponding to the discrete uncovered portions.

### Claim 12

An apparatus for forming fibrous web structures, the apparatus comprising:
a foraminous forming member having a forming surface and comprising a vacuum zone and a blow-off zone, wherein air is drawn through the forming surface in a first direction in the vacuum zone;
at least one masking media disposed on the forming surface, the at least one masking media covering portions of the forming surface and leaving portions of the forming surface uncovered, side portions of the at least one masking media covering side edges of the foraminous forming member and inboard side edges of the at least one masking media defining at least one open area corresponding to uncovered portions of the forming surface; and
a fiber deposition apparatus disposed about the foraminous forming member and configured to introduce fibrous material proximate the vacuum zone of the foraminous forming member,
wherein the at least one masking media is flexible such that the at least one masking media is sucked tight to the forming surface and forms direct contact with the forming surface along the portion of the vacuum zone of the foraminous forming member, thereby preventing the introduced fibrous material from flowing between the at least one masking media and the forming surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein air is expelled through the forming surface in a second direction in the blow-off zone, the second direction being generally opposite the first direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one masking media is flexible such that the air expelled through the forming surface in the second direction causes the at least one masking media to flex away from the forming surface to form a gap between the at least one masking media and the forming surface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the gap is at least 0.25 mm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein there is no forced air movement through the forming surface in the blow-off zone.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the masking media has a first region comprising a first thickness and a second region comprising a second thickness, wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the masking media covers portions of the forming surface to produce a series of individual, discrete uncovered portions of the forming surface with inboard side edges of the masking media defining discrete open areas corresponding to the uncovered portions, and wherein each individual, discrete uncovered portion comprises opposing lateral side portions and opposing end portions.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the masking media has a first region comprising a first thickness and a second region comprising a second thickness, wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness, and wherein the second region is disposed directly adjacent a first end portion of one of the discrete open areas.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a metal masking plate disposed over the at least one masking media such that the masking media is sandwiched between the forming surface and the metal masking plate.