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US 6,915,829 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for cutting and placing limp pieces of material
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsRobert L. Popp, Joseph D. Coenen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for cutting and placing limp pieces of material on an article component. The apparatus, which is particularly constructed for positioning the relative placement of two cut piece, includes a vacuum conveyor which holds the article component in a regular and secure position prior to and during placement of a cut piece onto the component. A cut piece is formed and transferred to a conveyor on a single, constant speed anvil roll without the need for intervening rolls.
Claims26
Apparatus for cutting and placing fastening components on pairs of side panels located on opposite sides of an assemblage in the manufacture of absorbent garments, the pairs of side panels being spaced apart in a machine direction, the apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum conveyor comprising a continuous belt and rollers mounted for movement of the continuous belt in a circuit, the continuous belt being adapted to support the assemblage on an upper reach thereof, and to locate the side panels on the upper reach as the assemblage is moved by the conveyor belt, and a vacuum plenum located under an upper reach of the conveyor belt for supplying a vacuum pressure adjacent to the upper reach, the conveyor belt being porous for communicating a vacuum pressure through the belt to the side panels;
- an anvil roll including two wheels mounted in generally opposed relation with the conveyor belt to define transfer nips, the wheels being adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, each wheel being adapted to receive an end segment of a respective web of fastening component material thereon;
- a cutter roll mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels, the cutter roll including a knife periodically engageable with the fastening component material end segment on each wheel when the end segment is on the wheel for severing the fastening components from the web of fastening component material;
- the wheels being adapted to retain the fastening components thereon and to carry the fastening components to the upper reach of the conveyor belt for placement of the fastening components onto respective side panels.
1 more element
A method of applying fastening components to an assemblage in the manufacture of disposable pants, the method comprising:
- cutting side panels for the disposable pants from a web of side panel material;
- attaching the cut side panels to the assemblage at spaced apart locations along the length of the assemblage;
- controlling the orientation and configuration of the side panels on a conveyor transporting the assemblage including the attached side panels;
- cutting fastening components from a web of fastening component material on an anvil roll adjacent to the conveyor;
- transporting the cut fastening components on the anvil roll to a transfer point between the anvil roll and conveyor;
- and
- transferring the cut fastening components at the transfer point from the anvil roll to the side panels controlled by the conveyor.
4 more elements
Apparatus for cutting and placing first cut pieces of material onto second pieces of material, the apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum conveyor including a movable support adapted to support said second pieces of material and to hold said second pieces in place on the movable support as the second pieces are moved by said movable support;
- an anvil roll including a wheel mounted in generally opposed relation with the movable support of the vacuum conveyor to define a transfer nip, the wheel being adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, the wheel being adapted to receive an end segment of a web of said first material thereon;
- a cutter roll mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, the cutter roll including a knife periodically engageable with said first material web end segment when the end segment is on the wheel for severing the first cut pieces of material from the web of first material, the wheel being adapted to retain said first cut pieces thereon and to carry said first out pieces to the movable support of the vacuum conveyor for placement of said first cut pieces on said second pieces, the wheel and movable support of the conveyor are adapted to move at about the same rate of linear velocity;
- and
- a feeder for feeding the web of said first material to the wheel at a speed less than the speed of the wheel.
2 more elements
Apparatus for cutting and placing first cut pieces of material onto second pieces of material, the apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum conveyor including a movable support adapted to support said second pieces of material and to hold said second pieces in place on the movable support as the second pieces are moved by said movable support;
- an anvil roll including a wheel mounted in generally opposed relation with the movable support of the vacuum conveyor to define a transfer nip, the wheel being adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, the wheel being adapted to receive an end segment of a web of said first material thereon;
- a cutter roll mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, the cutter roll including a knife periodically engageable with said first material web end segment when the end segment is on the wheel for severing the first cut pieces of material from the web of first material, the wheel being adapted to retain said first cut pieces thereon and to carry said first cut pieces to the movable support of the vacuum conveyor for placement of said first cut pieces on said second pieces;
- and
- an applicator for applying an adhesive to the web of said first material for use in attaching said first cut pieces of material to said second pieces of material.
2 more elements
Apparatus for cutting and placing first cut pieces of material onto second pieces of material, the apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum conveyor including a movable support adapted to support said second pieces of material and to hold said second pieces in place on the movable support as the second pieces are moved by said movable support;
- an anvil roll including a wheel mounted in generally opposed relation with the movable support of the vacuum conveyor to define a transfer nip, the wheel being adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, the wheel being adapted to receive an end segment of a web of said first material thereon;
- a cutter roll mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, the cutter roll including a knife periodically engageable with said first material web end segment when the end segment is on the wheel for severing the first cut pieces of material from the web of first material, the wheel being adapted to retain said first cut pieces thereon and to carry said first cut pieces to the movable support of the vacuum conveyor for placement of said first cut pieces on said second pieces;
- and
- a second wheel mounted in generally opposed relation with the movable support of the vacuum conveyor to define a second transfer nip, the second wheel being adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation and to receive an end segment of a web of a third material thereon for applying third cut pieces of material to fourth pieces of material on the movable support.
2 more elements
A method of cutting and placing first cut pieces of material on second pieces of material in a continuous process, the method comprising
- cutting the second pieces from a web of second material,
- depositing the second pieces on a conveyor,
- restraining the second pieces in position on the conveyor,
- rotating an anvil roll at a first rate,
- feeding a web of first material to the anvil roll at a second rate slower than said first rate whereby the web of material slides on the anvil roll,
- cutting the first cut pieces from the web of first material engaging the anvil roll,
- transporting the first cut pieces on the anvil roll to a transfer point at the conveyor, and
- transferring the first cut pieces to the second pieces on the conveyor at the transfer point.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.