# US 9,517,169 B2 · Ultrasonic bonding method for absorbent article, ultrasonic bonding device for absorbent article, and absorbent article

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- Number: US 9,517,169 B2
- Document ID: US9517169B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/407,550
- Filed: 2013-06-13
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2012-07-04
- Assignees: Zuiko Corporation
- Applicants: Masaki Nakakado
- Inventors: Masaki Nakakado
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517169B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/535: inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad, e.g. core absorbent layers being of different sizes ({A61F13/5323,} A61F13/537 take precedence)
- A61F 13/15203: {Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency (chemical aspects A61L15/00)}
- A61F 13/15634: {Making fibrous pads between sheets or webs}
- A61F 13/15707: {Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping}
- A61F 13/5323: {having absorbent material located in discrete regions, e.g. pockets}
- A61F 13/539: characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers
- B29C 65/086: {using a rotary anvil}
- B29C 65/7847: {using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined (vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005)}
- B29C 65/7894: {of continuously moving sheets or webs}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/21: {said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding}
- B29C 66/232: {said joint lines being multiple and parallel, i.e. the joint being formed by several parallel joint lines}
- B29C 66/234: {said joint lines being in the form of tessellations}
- B29C 66/433: {Casing-in, i.e. enclosing an element between two sheets by an outlined seam (for bookbinding B42C11/06; for packaging B65B; by laminating B32B37/00; enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements B29C66/53261)}
- B29C 66/436: {Joining sheets for making articles comprising cushioning or padding materials, the weld being performed through the cushioning material, e.g. car seats (joining through openings B29C66/304)}
- B29C 66/7294: {Non woven mats, e.g. felt}
- B29C 66/7373: {Joining soiled or oxidised materials}
- B29C 66/81433: {being toothed, i.e. comprising several teeth or pins (comprising a single tooth B29C66/81429), or being patterned}
- B29C 66/83411: {Roller, cylinder or drum types (B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362)}
- B29C 66/83415: {the contact angle between said rollers, cylinders or drums and said parts to be joined being a non-zero angle (B29C66/83433 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/83511: {jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders or drums}
- B29C 66/92451: {using joining tools having different pressure zones or using several joining tools with different pressures}
- A61F 2013/1539: {being expandable}
- A61F 2013/15869: {with ultrasonic energy}
- A61F 2013/53051: {being only in particular parts or specially arranged}
- A61F 2013/53445: {from several sheets}
- A61F 2013/53991: {by ultrasonic method}
- B29C 65/76: Making non-permanent or releasable joints
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29C 66/83433: {the contact angle between said rollers, cylinders or drums and said bands or belts being a non-zero angle}
- B29C 66/849: {Packaging machines}
- B29L 2031/4878: {Diapers, napkins}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

An absorbent article having a plurality of granular particles placed between two liquid-permeable non-woven fabric sheets, the article including: a high-strength bonded portion formed in a loop-shaped pattern on the article such that the two non-woven fabric sheets are not separated even if the granular particles swell to thereby apply a separating force to a bonded position between the two non-woven fabric sheets; and a low-strength bonded portion formed in an inner area surrounded by the high-strength bonded portion such that the two non-woven fabric sheets are separated from each other at a bonded position when the granular particles swell to thereby apply a separating force to the bonded position between the two non-woven fabric sheets.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ultrasonic bonding device for use with an absorbent article having a plurality of granular particles, capable of absorbing a body fluid to swell, between two liquid-permeable non-woven fabric sheets facing each other, the device comprising:
an anvil roll for carrying the two non-woven fabric sheets while the two non-woven fabric sheets are laid on each other;
a plurality of protruding portions formed on the anvil roll so as to protrude outward in a radial direction of the anvil roll;
a placement device for preventing the granular particles from being placed on the non-woven fabric sheets over the protruding portions; and
a horn for ultrasonically vibrating so that the two non-woven fabric sheets are bonded together between the horn and the plurality of protruding portions, thereby forming bonded portions, the protruding portions comprising:
at least one first protruding portion, which is away from the horn by a first distance when the first protruding portion comes closest to the horn, for forming at least one high-strength bonded portion such that the non-woven fabric sheets are unseparated from each other at the bonded portion by a peeling force urging the non-woven fabric sheets to peel off each other; and
at least one second protruding portion, of which a second distance to the horn when the second protruding portion comes closest to the horn is greater than the first distance, for forming at least one low-strength bonded portion such that the non-woven fabric sheets are separatable from each other at the bonded portion by the peeling force urging the non-woven fabric sheets to peel off each other,
wherein a difference between the first distance and the second distance is 3 μm to 60 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic bonding device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first protruding portion is placed on the anvil roll so that the high-strength bonded portion is formed in a loop-shaped pattern on the article; and
the second protruding portion is placed on the anvil roll so that the low-strength bonded portion is formed in an inner area surrounded by the high-strength bonded portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The ultrasonic bonding device according to claim 2, wherein the first protruding portion includes a first protruding portion placed on the anvil roll for forming another high-strength bonded portion different from the high-strength bonded portion formed in the loop-shaped pattern.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The ultrasonic bonding device according to claim 3, wherein:
the first protruding portion and/or the second protruding portion are provided so that the low-strength bonded portion and/or the high-strength bonded portions define a plurality of placement areas partitioned from one another in a predetermined pattern; and
the placement device places a plurality of granular particles separately in the placement areas.