Methods and systems for making disposable absorbent article having graphics
AssigneeParagon Trade Brands, Inc.
InventorMickey Calvert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An absorbent article including one or more graphics disposed thereon and a method and system for making the same are provided according to the present invention. A picture is taken of the graphic. Based on the picture, a centroid position of the graphic is determined. The centroid position is compared with a target position. Based on the variation of the centroid position with the target position, the processing is adjusted so as to apply the graphic as desired.
Claims20
A method for disposing at least one graphic on an absorbent article product layer comprising:
- providing a continuously moving graphic layer, the graphic layer having at least one graphic printed thereon;
- providing a continuously moving product layer of product;
- inputting an input image of a graphic, which is on the graphic layer, before the graphic is disposed on the product layer;
- determining a calculated centroid position of the graphic based on the input image;
- comparing the calculated centroid position of the graphic with a target centroid position;
- controlling the disposing of the graphic on the product layer based on the comparing;
- and
- disposing the at least one graphic on the product layer.
A graphic application system for disposing at least one graphic on a product layer of an absorbent article, the graphic application system comprising:
- a graphic disposing portion that inputs a continuously moving graphic layer having at least one graphic disposed thereon and a continuously moving product layer, the graphic disposing portion disposing the at least one graphic on the product layer at a disposing location;
- and
- a processing portion that controls operations of the graphic disposing portion, the processing portion inputting an image of a graphic as the graphic approaches the disposing location, the processing portion calculating a calculated centroid position of the graphic, and the processing portion comparing the calculated centroid position of the graphic with a target centroid position;
- wherein the processing portion controls the graphic disposing portion to adjust disposing the at least one graphic on the product layer at a disposing location based on the results obtained by comparing the calculated centroid position of the graphic with a target centroid position.
A method for disposing at least one graphic on an absorbent article product layer comprising:
- providing a continuously moving graphic layer, the graphic layer having at least one graphic printed thereon;
- providing a continuously moving product layer of product;
- inputting an input image of a graphic, which is on the graphic layer, before the graphic is disposed on the product layer, the input image being a digital image;
- determining a calculated centroid position of the graphic based on the input image;
- comparing the calculated centroid position of the graphic with a target centroid position;
- controlling the disposing of the graphic on the product layer based on the comparing;
- inputting an input image of the product layer, at a point on the product layer, before the graphic is disposed on the product layer;
- and
- disposing the at least one graphic on the product layer;
- wherein comparing the calculated centroid position of the graphic with a target centroid position results in a difference between the centroid position and the target position;
- and
- controlling the disposing of the graphic on the product layer based on the comparing includes varying the frequency at which each graphic in the graphic layer is disposed on the product layer.
A system for disposing at least one graphic on an absorbent article product layer comprising:
- means for providing a continuously moving graphic layer, the graphic layer having at least one graphic printed thereon;
- means for providing a continuously moving product layer of product;
- means for inputting an input image of a graphic, which is on the graphic layer, before the graphic is disposed on the product layer;
- means for determining a calculated centroid position of the graphic based on the input image;
- means for comparing the calculated centroid position of the graphic with a target centroid position;
- and
- means for controlling the disposing of the at least one graphic on the product layer based on the comparing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.