Registration process and apparatus for continuously moving elasticized layers having multiple components

A process for controllably registering a plurality of reference marks of a continuously moving first layer with a plurality of corresponding reference marks of a continuously moving elastic laminate, comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuously moving first layer including a plurality of reference marks being spaced apart a selected length,
• providing a continuously moving elastic laminate including a plurality of corresponding reference marks being spaced apart a length less than the selected length,
• sensing each of the reference marks of the continuously moving elastic laminate and generating a reference mark signal in response thereto,
• measuring the distance between two successive reference mark signals and generating a repeat corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions,
• elongating the continuously moving elastic laminate to adjust the length in response to a generated repeat corrective control signal,
• superimposing the continuously moving first layer and elastic laminate together,
• sensing a reference mark of the continuously moving elastic laminate and its corresponding reference mark of the continuously moving first layer and generating a placement corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions, and
• adjusting the speed of the continuously moving elastic laminate in response to a generated placement corrective control signal to controllably register a reference mark of the continuously moving elastic laminate with its corresponding reference mark on the continuously moving first layer,
• wherein the step of providing a continuously moving elastic laminate includes:
• providing a continuously moving second layer having the plurality of components spaced apart a length greater than the selected length,
• gathering the continuously moving second layer to decrease the length between the components to a length less than the selected length, and
• joining a continuously moving elastic layer to the gathered second layer.

A process for controllably registering a plurality of components of a continuously moving first layer with a plurality of components on a continuously moving second layer, comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuously moving first layer including a plurality of components,
• providing a continuously moving second layer including a plurality of components being represented with a respective plurality of reference marks,
• gathering the continuously moving second layer,
• elasticizing the continuously moving gathered second layer,
• sensing each of the reference marks and generating a reference mark signal in response thereto,
• measuring the distance between two successive reference mark signals and generating a repeat corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions,
• elongating the continuously moving elasticized second layer in response to a generated repeat corrective control signal to adjust the distance between two successive reference marks,
• superimposing the continuously moving first layer and the continuously moving elasticized second layer together,
• sensing a reference mark of the continuously moving elasticized second layer and its corresponding component of the continuously moving first layer, and generating a placement corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions, and
• registering a reference mark on the continuously moving elasticized second layer with its corresponding component on the continuously moving first layer.

An apparatus for controllably registering a plurality of components of a continuously moving first layer with a plurality of components on a continuously moving elastic laminate, comprising:

• means for providing a continuously moving first layer including a plurality of components being spaced apart a selected length,
• means for providing a continuously moving elastic laminate including a plurality of components being represented with a respective plurality of reference marks and being spaced apart a length less than the selected length,
• means for sensing each of the reference marks and means for generating a reference mark signal in response thereto,
• means for measuring the distance between two successive reference mark signals and means for generating a repeat corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions,
• means for elongating the continuously moving elastic laminate to adjust the distance between two successive reference marks in response to a generated repeat corrective control signal,
• means for superimposing the continuously moving first layer and the continuously moving elastic laminate together,
• means for sensing a reference mark of the continuously moving elastic laminate and its corresponding component of the continuously moving first layer, and means for generating a placement corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions, and
• means for adjusting the speed of the continuously moving elastic laminate in response to a generated placement corrective control signal to controllably register a reference mark on the continuously moving elastic laminate with its corresponding component on the continuously moving first layer,
• wherein the means for providing a continuously moving elastic laminate includes:
• means for providing a continuously moving second layer having the plurality of components spaced apart a length greater than the selected length,
• means for gathering the continuously moving second layer to decrease the length between the components to a length less than the selected length, and
• means for joining a continuously moving elastic layer to the gathered second layer.

An apparatus for controllably registering a plurality of reference marks of a continuously moving first layer with a plurality of corresponding reference marks of a continuously moving elastic laminate, comprising:

• means for providing a continuously moving first layer including a plurality of reference marks being spaced apart a selected distance,
• means for providing a continuously moving elastic laminate including a plurality of corresponding reference marks being spaced apart a length less than the selected length,
• means for sensing each of the reference marks of the continuously moving elastic laminate and means for generating a reference mark signal in response thereto,
• means for measuring the distance between two successive reference mark signals and means for generating a repeat corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions,
• means for elongating the continuously moving elastic laminate to adjust the length in response to a generated repeat corrective control signal,
• means for superimposing the continuously moving first layer and elastic laminate together,
• means for sensing a reference mark of the continuously moving elastic laminate and its corresponding reference mark of the continuously moving first layer and means for generating a placement corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions, and
• means for adjusting the speed of the continuously moving elastic laminate in response to a generated placement corrective control signal to controllably register a reference mark of the continuously moving elastic laminate with its corresponding reference mark on the continuously moving first layer,
• wherein the means for providing a continuously moving elastic laminate includes:
• means for providing a continuously moving second layer having the plurality of components spaced apart a length greater than the selected length,
• means for gathering the continuously moving second layer to decrease the length between the components to a length less than the selected length, and
• means for joining a continuously moving elastic layer to the gathered second layer.

An apparatus for controllably registering a plurality of components of a continuously moving first layer with a plurality of components on a continuously moving second layer, comprising:

• means for providing a continuously moving first layer including a plurality of components,
• means for providing a continuously moving second layer including a plurality of components being represented with a respective plurality of reference marks,
• means for gathering the continuously moving second layer,
• means for elasticizing the continuously moving gathered second layer,
• means for sensing each of the reference marks and means for generating a reference mark signal in response thereto,
• means for measuring the distance between two successive reference mark signals and means for generating a repeat corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions,
• means for gathering the continuously moving elasticized second layer in response to a generated repeat corrective control signal to adjust the distance between two successive reference marks,
• means for superimposing the continuously moving first layer and the continuously moving elasticized second layer together,
• means for sensing a means for reference mark of the continuously moving elasticized second layer and its corresponding component of the continuously moving first layer, and means for generating a placement corrective control signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions, and
• means for registering a reference mark on the continuously moving elasticized second layer with its corresponding component on the continuously moving first layer.