Presentation and bonding of garment side panels
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJason Gene Csida, Lloyd Carl Hietpas, Michael Lee Lohoff, Charles Robert Tomsovic, Brian Robert Vogt
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Abstract
A panel of a material is transported in operative proximity to an air knife having a nozzle and a curved Coanda surface, such that the panel is folded over the curved Coanda surface as the material is transported in a machine direction. The panel can be folded to a variety of angles and can comprise a refastenable fastening component. Air knives are employed in various methods for folding garment side panels and forming prefastened garments, such as refastenable pants.
Claims13
A method of folding a material, comprising:
- transporting a material comprising a panel in a machine direction;
- transporting the panel in operative proximity to an air knife, the air knife comprising a nozzle and a curved Coanda surface;
- and
- expelling air from the nozzle such that the panel is folded over the curved Coanda surface as the material is transported in the machine direction.
An apparatus for folding a pair of garment side panels. comprising:
- a transport system defining a machine direction and a machine center line;
- and
- a pair of air knives located on opposite sides of the machine center line at fixed locations in the machine direction, each air knife comprising a nozzle and a curved Coanda surface, each air knife aligned generally parallel to the machine center line such that a nozzle flow direction is generally perpendicular to the machine direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.