US 4,081,301 A · Method and apparatus for continuously attaching discrete, stretched elastic strands to predetermined isolated portions of disposable abosrbent products

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, a continuous elastic ribbon is fed to a diaper web assembly station in a stretched condition. While traveling to the assembly station, an adhesive is applied to discrete lengths of the elastic ribbon at regularly spaced intervals. Simultaneously, discrete absorbent core segments as well as webs of moisture-impervious backsheet material and moisture-pervious topsheet material are fed to the diaper web assembly station. At the station, the stretched elastic ribbon is adhered to the moisture-impervious backsheet web in the discrete areas of the elastic which are covered by adhesive at predetermined points along the length of said web. After the adhesive has set up, the assembled web and the elastic contained therein is severed in its unadhered areas, whereupon the unadhered end portions become relaxed and inactive without affecting the functionality of the adhered portions in the ultimate assemblage. The inventive concept in its broadest sense relates to the continuous adherence of discrete lengths of stretched elastic to a continuously moving web at relativey high operating speeds and thereafter severing the elastic in the unadhered areas to produce elasticized structures having discrete strands of elastic adhered thereto at predetermined locations along their length. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the aforementioned process is utilized to apply discrete elastic leg bands to a disposable diaper structure to provide improved containment and fit therein.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method for continuously attaching discrete lengths of elastic ribbon to isolated portions of a moving, substantially inelastic web of interconnected articles to impart an elasticized character to predetermined, isolated portions of said articles while preserving the substantially inelastic character of said articles in areas where said ribbon is unattached to said web, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) feeding an elastic ribbon to an assembly station in a stretched condition;
(b) applying adhesive intermittently to discrete lengths of said stretched elastic ribbon at predetermined intervals along the length of said ribbon while said stretched elastic ribbon is being fed to said assembly station;
(c) feeding a web of interconnected articles comprised of a substantially inelastic material to said assembly station;
(d) adhering the discrete lengths of stretched elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of the articles comprising said web at said assembly station in the discrete areas of said elastic ribbon having adhesive applied thereto;
(e) maintaining said elastic ribbon in a stretched condition at least until said adhesive sets up;
(f) cutting said elastic ribbon transversely in an area which is not adhered to said web, thereby forming severed, unadhered ends of elastic at both ends of each discrete length of stretched elastic ribbon adhered to said web;
and
(g) allowing the severed, unadhered ends of said elastic ribbon to relax and contract to their unstretched state, whereby said unadhered ends do not impart an elasticized character to said web nor do they interfere with the functioning of the elasticized portions of the web to which said discrete lengths of elastic ribbon are adhered.

5 more elements

A method of intermittently attaching an elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of at least one of a pair of continuously moving, substantially inelastic, superposed webs to impart an elasticized character thereto while preserving the substantially inelastic character thereof in areas where said ribbon is unattached to said web, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) feeding an elastic ribbon to an assembly station in a stretched condition;
(b) applying adhesive intermittently on said stretched elastic ribbon at predetermined intervals along the length of said ribbon while said stretched elastic ribbon is being fed to said assembly station;
(c) feeding first and second webs of substantially inelastic material to said assembly station;
(d) adhering the stretched elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of at least one of said webs at said assembly station in those discrete areas of the ribbon that have adhesive applied thereto;
(e) applying bands of adhesive to at least one of said webs while said webs are being fed to said assembly station, said bands being registered such that they will ultimately lie outside the area occupied by said stretched elastic ribbon;
(f) adhering said second web to said first web at said assembly station in the areas of said bands of adhesive;
(g) maintaining said elastic ribbon in a stretched condition at least until said adhesive on said ribbon sets up;
(h) cutting said webs into discrete articles transversely along a line severing said elastic ribbon in a portion of its length which is not adhered to either of said webs;
and
(i) allowing the severed, unadhered ends of said elastic ribbon to relax and contract to their unstretched length, whereby said unadhered ends do not impart an elasticized character to the articles cut from said webs nor do they interfere with the functioning of the elasticized portions of said articles to which said elastic ribbon is adhered.

7 more elements

A method of intermittently attaching a pair of elastic ribbons intermediate the opposed waistband portions of the absorbent pad elements contained in a continuously moving, substantially inelastic web of interconnected disposable diapers to form a pair of discrete elasticized legbands in each of said diapers cut from said web, the waistband portions of said diapers being non-elasticized to provide improved wearer comfort and fit as well as to facilitate securement thereof about the wearer's waist, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) feeding a pair of elastic ribbons to an assembly station in a stretched condition;
(b) applying adhesive intermittently on said stretched elastic ribbons at predetermined intervals along the length of said ribbons while said stretched elastic ribbons are being fed to said assembly station;
(c) feeding first and second webs of substantially inelastic material to said assembly station;
(d) feeding absorbent pad elements having opposed waistband portions intermediate said first and said second webs;
(e) adhering said stretched elastic ribbons to at least one of said webs at discrete locations intermediate the opposed waistband portions of said absorbent pad elements at said assembly station in those discrete areas of the ribbons that have adhesive applied thereto;
(f) applying bands to adhesive to at least one of said webs while said webs are being fed to said assembly station, said bands being registered such that they will ultimately lie outside the area occupied by said stretched elastic ribbons;
(g) adhering said second web, said absorbent pad elements and said first web in superposed relation at said assembly station in the areas of said bands of adhesive;
(h) maintaining said elastic ribbons in a stretched condition at least until said adhesive on said ribbons sets up;
(i) cutting said webs transversely into discrete disposable diapers along a line severing said elastic ribbons in a portion of their length which is not adhered to either of said webs;
and
(j) allowing the severed, unadhered ends of said elastic ribbons to relax and contract to their unstretched length, whereby said unadhered ends do not impart an elasticized character to the waistband portions of said disposable diapers nor do they interfere with the functioning of the elasticized legband portions of said diapers to which said discrete lengths of elastic ribbon are adhered.

8 more elements

(a) feeding an elastic ribbon to an assembly station in a uniformly stretched condition by feeding said ribbon in an unstretched state into a first lowpressure nip formed between a first metering roll and a second metering roll, passing said ribbon partially about the periphery of said second metering roll directly to a third metering roll, passing said ribbon partially about the periphery of said third metering roll, and thereafter feeding said ribbon from said third metering roll to said assembly station by operating said metering rolls at a uniform peripheral velocity less than that of the incoming webs at said assembly station;
(b) applying adhesive intermittently on said stretched elastic ribbon at predetermined intervals along the length of said ribbon while said stretched elastic ribbon is being fed to said assembly station;
(c) feeding first and second webs of substantially inelastic material to said assembly station;
(d) adhering the stretched elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of at least one of said webs at said assembly station in those discrete areas of the ribbon that have adhesive applied thereto;
(e) applying bands of adhesive to at least one of said webs while said webs are being fed to said assembly station, said bands being registered such that they will ultimately lie outside the area occupied by said stretched elastic ribbon;
(f) adhering said second web to said first web at said assembly station in the areas of said bands of adhesive;
(g) maintaining said elastic ribbon in a stretched condition at least until said adhesive on said ribbon sets up;
(h) cutting said webs into discrete articles transversely along a line severing said elastic ribbon in a portion of its length which is not adhered to either of said webs;
and
(i) allowing the severed, unadhered ends of said elastic ribbon to relax and contract to their unstretched length, whereby said unadhered ends do not impart an elasticized character to the articles cut from said webs nor do they interfere with the functioning of the elasticized portions of said articles to which said elastic ribbon is adhered.

7 more elements

(a) feeding an elastic ribbon to an assembly station in a uniformly stretched condition by feeding said ribbon in an unstretched state into a first lowpressure nip formed between a first metering roll and a second metering roll, passing said ribbon partially about said second metering roll directly into a second low-pressure nip formed between said second metering roll and a third metering roll, and thereafter feeding said ribbon from said second nip to said assembly station by operating said metering rolls at a uniform peripheral velocity less than that of the incoming webs at said assembly station;
(b) applying adhesive intermittently on said stretched elastic ribbon at predetermined intervals along the length of said ribbon while said stretched elastic ribbon is being fed to said assembly station;
(c) feeding first and second webs of substantially inelastic material to said assembly station;
(d) adhering the stretched elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of at least one of said webs at said assembly station in those discrete areas of the ribbon that have adhesive applied thereto;
(e) applying bands of adhesive to at least one of said webs while said webs are being fed to said assembly station, said bands being registered such that they will ultimately lie outside the area occupied by said stretched elastic ribbon;
(f) adhering said second web to said first web at said assembly station in the areas of said bands of adhesive;
(g) maintaining said elastic ribbon in a stretched condition at least until said adhesive on said ribbon sets up;
(h) cutting said webs into discrete articles transversely along a line severing said elastic ribbon in a portion of its length which is not adhered to either of said webs;
and
(i) allowing the severed, unadhered ends of said elastic ribbon to relax and contract to their unstretched length, whereby said unadhered ends do not impart an elasticized character to the articles cut from said webs nor do they interfere with the functioning of the elasticized portions of said articles to which said elastic ribbon is adhered.

7 more elements

An apparatus for continuously attaching discrete lengths of elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of a moving, substantially inelastic web to impart an elasticized character thereto while preserving the substantially inelastic character of said web in areas where said ribbon is unattached to said web, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for feeding an elastic ribbon to an assembly station in a stretched condition;
(b) means for applying adhesive intermittently to discrete lengths of said elastic ribbon at predetermined intervals along the length of said ribbon while said stretched elastic ribbon is being fed to said assembly station;
(c) means for feeding a web of substantially inelastic material to said assembly station;
(d) means for adhering said discrete lengths of stretched elastic ribbon to predetermined, isolated portions of said web at said assembly station in the discrete areas of said stretched elastic ribbon having adhesive applied thereto;
(e) means for maintaining said elastic ribbon in a stretched condition at least until said adhesive sets up;
(f) means for cutting said elastic ribbon transversely in an area which is not adhered to said web, thereby forming severed, unadhered ends of elastic at both ends of each discrete length of stretched elastic ribbon adhered to said web.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for continuously attaching discrete, stretched elastic strands to predetermined isolated portions of disposable abosrbent products

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for continuously attaching discrete, stretched elastic strands to predetermined isolated portions of disposable abosrbent products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27