Apparatus for folding a nonbonded nonwoven web
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorsMartin A. Allen, Patrick L. Crane
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for folding a nonwoven web without mechanical contact against a folding surface. A first portion of the nonwoven web is secured to a collector by vacuum and a positive pressure differential is applied to a second portion of the moving nonwoven web. An unbalanced lifting force applied by the positive pressure differential causes the first portion to fold along a longitudinal fold line extending in a machine direction and to assume an overlapping relationship with the second portion. The vacuum assists in the folding process and maintains the overlapping relationship until the nonbonded nonwoven web is consolidated. One or more elastic strands or bands may be captured in the space defined between the overlapped first and second portions.
Claims11
An apparatus for folding a nonwoven web moving on a collector in a machine direction, the nonwoven web having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, comprising:
- a first vacuum device configured to apply a first vacuum effective to attract the first portion and the second portion of the nonwoven web to the collector;
- and
- a second vacuum device downstream in the machine direction from said first vacuum device, said second vacuum device including at least one air inlet opening positioned to underlie the collector, said second vacuum device configured to apply a second vacuum through said at least one air inlet opening of the second vacuum device to the first portion effective to attract the first portion to the collector, and said second vacuum aspirating air through the second portion effective to move the second portion relative to the first portion along a fold line extending in the machine direction and thereby establish an overlapping relationship with the first portion.
An apparatus for forming a nonwoven web having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, comprising:
- a melt-spinning device configured to discharge a stream of filaments;
- a collector moving in a machine direction and configured to collect the stream of filaments discharged by said melt-spinning device to form a nonwoven web;
- a first vacuum device configured to apply a first vacuum effective to attract the first portion and the second portion of the nonwoven web to said collector;
- and
- a second vacuum device downstream in the machine direction from said first vacuum device, said second vacuum device including at least one air inlet opening positioned to underlie said collector, said second vacuum configured to apply a second vacuum through said at least one air inlet opening of the second vacuum device to the first portion effective to attract the first portion to said collector, and said second vacuum aspirating air through the second portion effective to move the second portion relative to the first portion along a fold line extending in the machine direction and thereby establish an overlapping relationship with the first portion.
An apparatus for forming a nonwoven web having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, comprising:
- a melt-spinning device configured to discharge a stream of filaments;
- a collector moving in a machine direction and configured to collect the stream of filaments discharged by said melt-spinning device to form a nonwoven web;
- a vacuum device including at least one air inlet opening positioned to underlie said collector, said vacuum device configured to apply a vacuum to the first portion of the nonwoven web through said at least one air inlet opening effective to attract the first portion to said collector;
- and
- a positive pressure device including at least one air outlet opening positioned to underlie said collector proximate to said at least one air inlet opening, said positive pressure device configured to apply a forced air flow through said at least one air outlet opening to the second portion of the nonwoven web effective to move the second portion relative to the first portion along a fold line extending in the machine direction and thereby establish an overlapping relationship with the first portion.
An apparatus for forming a nonwoven web having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, comprising:
- a melt-spinning device configured to discharge a stream of filaments;
- a collector moving in a machine direction and configured to collect the stream of filaments discharged by said melt-spinning device to form the nonwoven web;
- a transfer zone downstream in the machine direction from said melt-spinning device in which vacuum is applied through said collector to the first portion and the second portion of the nonwoven web;
- an initial folding zone downstream in the machine direction from said transfer zone in which vacuum is applied through said collector to the first portion;
- and
- a folding zone downstream in the machine direction from said initial folding zone in which vacuum is applied through said collector to the first portion, the and air is aspirated by the vacuum through the second portion causing the second portion to move relative to a fold line, the vacuum applied through said collector to the first portion subsequently attracting the second portion to the first portion to establish an overlapping relationship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.