System for aperturing and coaperturing webs and web assemblies
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsChristine M. Cowell, Richard W. Kubalek, Andrew M. Lake, Jeffrey D. Lindsay, Susan J. Moder, Shelley R. Rasmussen, Laura J. Walker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved aperturing of a web can be obtained by providing pins with an extended tapered section that is substantially convex in shape. When the tapered section is longer than the penetration depth of the pins into the receiving recesses of a female roll, frictional forces in the nip between layers are reduced. Pins with extended tapered sections can be used in devices for producing apertured composite web assemblies comprising sections of absorbent matter attached to a nonwoven web or other carrier layer.
Claims26
An aperturing device for aperturing a web having at least one cellulosic absorbent layer, comprising a pin roll having a surface with a plurality of tapered pins rising therefrom, an opposing female roll having a perimeter and comprising a plurality of receiving recesses adapted to receive the pins of the pin roll, wherein the pin roll and female roll are spaced apart and cooperatively associated to define a nip therebetween having a mid nip region with a mid-nip gap of finite gap width between the surface of the pin roll and the perimeter of the female roll, wherein the pins of the pin roll extend into the receiving recesses of the female roll in the aperturing nip, and the pins have a height above the surface of the pin roll and comprise a tapered section that has a length greater than the length of the section of the pin that extends into the receiving recess in the mid-nip region.
An aperturing device comprising a pin roll having a support surface with rigid pins extending therefrom, an opposing female roll having an outer surface and comprising receiving recesses adapted to receive the pins of the pin roll, the outer surface of the female roll being spaced apart from the support surface of the pin roll by a fixed gap distance to define an aperturing nip therebetween with a mid-nip region, wherein pins from the pin roll extend a penetration depth into the receiving recesses in the mid-nip region, wherein the pins are provided with a curved convex taper over a length at least as great as the penetration depth.
An aperturing device comprising a pin roll having a support surface with rigid pins extending therefrom, an opposing female roll having an outer surface and comprising receiving recesses adapted to receive the pins of the pin roll, the outer surface of the female roll being spaced apart from the support surface of the pin roll by a fixed gap distance to define an aperturing nip therebetween with a mid-nip region, wherein pins from the pin roll extend a penetration depth into the receiving recesses in the mid-nip region, and wherein at least a portion of the support surface of the pin roll is covered with a deformable restraint layer.
An aperturing device for aperturing a web having at least one cellulosic absorbent layer, comprising a pin plate having a surface with a plurality of tapered pins rising therefrom, an opposing female plate having a surface and comprising a plurality of receiving recesses adapted to receive the pins of the pin plate, wherein at least one of the pin plate and female plate can be reciprocally moved to repeatedly bring the plates together to cause pins to enter the receiving recesses, wherein the pins have a height above the surface of the pin plate and comprise a tapered section that has a length greater than the maximum length of the section of the pin that extends into the receiving recess of the female plate.
A method of coaperturing a carrier layer and a hydrophilic absorbent layer, comprising:
- a) joining the carrier layer and absorbent layer to form a composite web assembly;
- b) providing an aperturing nip between a pin roll having a support surface and comprising rigid pins extending from the support surface and a female roll having an outer surface and comprising receiving recesses adapted to receive pins from the pin roll in the aperturing nip, the pins having a substantially convex tapered section at least as long as the maximum distance that the pins penetrate into the receiving recesses of the female roll in the aperturing nip;
- and
- c) passing the composite web assembly through the aperturing nip, wherein pins from the pin roll extend into the receiving recesses of the female roll and thereby form apertures in the composite web assembly.
A system for aperturing at least one layer of material comprising,
- a pin having a first and second end portions and a length extending between the end portions and an independent cooperating receiving recess;
- where the pin further comprises,
- a base on the first end of the pin,
- a tip on the second end of the pin,
- and a tapered portion that extends for some portion of the length of the pin, between the tip and the base, and
- where the independent cooperating receiving recess further comprises an opening, an empty recess and walls that extend from the opening and define the size and shape of the empty recess and is cooperatively shaped relative to the pin so that the pin can be extended through the opening into the empty recess while maintaining a gap between the pin and the walls;
- the pin and independent cooperating receiving recess being designed and positioned relative to each other to interact with each other when at least one layer of material between them such that the tip of the pin minimally deflects the material,
- then the tip and a portion of the tapered portion of the pin pass through the material into the cooperating receiving recess,
- then the material is compressed between the receiving recess and the tapered portion of the pin,
- and then the pin is removed from the material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.