Apparatus for producing elastomeric nonwoven laminates
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsUwe Schneider, Randall Allen Myers, Christoph Johann Schmitz, Martin Geoffrey Scaife
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for producing an elastomeric nonwoven laminate including a plurality of elastomeric strands joined to a nonwoven web in a controlled distribution is provided. The apparatus includes an extruder for extruding a plurality of elastomeric strands onto a cooled surface of a rotating drum, which transports the strands in parallel alignment to a nip formed between two rollers rotating about parallel axis. The drum transfers the plurality of strands to the nip in a controlled distribution where it is bonded with the nonwoven. The apparatus also includes elements which automate the apparatus for creating the elastomeric nonwoven laminate.
Claims19
An apparatus for producing a nonwoven elastomeric laminate composed of a plurality of elastomeric strands and a nonwoven layer, the apparatus comprising:
- a drum having a cooled surface rotating about an axis and having a surface speed V1, the drum having an upper half and a lower half;
- an extruder extruding a plurality of molten streams of polymer onto the cooled surface of the upper half of the drum to form a plurality of elastomeric strands;
- a transferring device positioned proximate to the cooled surface of the drum, the transferring device having a surface speed V2 which is greater than the surface speed V1 of the drum, whereby the drum transfers the plurality of elastomeric strands to the transferring device wherein the span of unsupported strands between the cooled surface of the drum and the transferring device is between about 10 mm and about 200 mm to provide a controlled distribution of elastomeric strands entering the transferring device;
- a first nonwoven source supplying a first nonwoven having a first bonding surface to the transferring device;
- and
- an adhesive source for applying adhesive in advance of the transferring device, wherein the plurality of elastomeric strands are joined to the first bonding surface of the first nonwoven such that a nonwoven elastomeric laminate is formed.
An apparatus for producing a nonwoven elastomeric laminate composed of a plurality of elastomeric strands and a plurality of nonwoven layers, the apparatus comprising:
- a drum having a cooled surface rotating about an axis and having a surface speed V1, the drum having an upper half and a lower half;
- an extruder extruding molten streams of polymer onto the cooled surface of the upper half of the drum to form a plurality of elastomeric strands;
- first and second rollers forming a first nip therebetween wherein the first roller is positioned proximate to the cooled surface of the drum, the first and second rollers each having a surface speed V2 wherein the surface speed V2 is greater than the surface speed V1, wherein the drum transfers the plurality of elastomeric strands to the first roller wherein the span of unsupported strands between the cooled surface of the drum and the first roller is minimized to provide a controlled distribution of elastomeric stands entering the first nip;
- a first nonwoven source supplying a first nonwoven having a first bonding surface to the second roller;
- a first adhesive source for applying adhesive to the first bonding surface in advance of the first nip, and joining the plurality of elastomeric strands to the first bonding surface of the first nonwoven such that an elastomeric laminate is formed;
- a third roller and a fourth roller forming a second nip therebetween wherein the third and fourth rollers each have a surface speed V3 where V3 is less than the surface speed V2 of the first and second rollers;
- a second nonwoven source supplying a second nonwoven having a second bonding surface to the third roller;
- a first plurality of rollers disposed between the second nonwoven source and the third roller, the plurality of rollers directing the second bonding surface to make contact with the first roller such that the second bonding surface removes strands from the first roller that inadvertently fail to transfer to the elastomeric laminate, wherein any strands which contact the second bonding surface are expelled therefrom to an elastomeric laminate downstream of the first nip;
- and
- a second adhesive source for applying adhesive to the second bonding surface in advance of the second nip, wherein the second nonwoven is joined to the elastomeric laminate at the second nip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.