CA2185929A1 - Method and apparatus for making an absorbent article with asymmetric leg elastics - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for making an absorbent article with asymmetric leg elasticsInfo
- Publication number
- CA2185929A1 CA2185929A1 CA 2185929 CA2185929A CA2185929A1 CA 2185929 A1 CA2185929 A1 CA 2185929A1 CA 2185929 CA2185929 CA 2185929 CA 2185929 A CA2185929 A CA 2185929A CA 2185929 A1 CA2185929 A1 CA 2185929A1
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- elastic member
- outboard
- web
- substrate web
- inboard
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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- Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
- Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
Abstract
A method and apparatus for making an elasticized article includes a delivering mechanism for supplying a substrate web having a longitudinal direction and a lateral cross-direction. A first connecting mechanism attaches an inboard elastic member to said substrate web, and a second connecting mechanism attaches an outboard elastic member to the substrate web, with the outboard elastic member located laterally outboard of the inboard elastic member. A dividing mechanism separates away a portion of the substrate web and a portion of the outboard elastic member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
Description
A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING ~N ABSORBENT ARTICLE WITH
ASYMMETRIC LEG ELASTICS
-Field of the Invention s The present invention relates to a process for making elasUcized absorbent articles.
More particularly, the present invenbon relates to a process for making absorbent articles having elasticized leg openings.
Backaround of the InvenUon Absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, have included elasticized leg bands to provide elasticized gathers at the leg openings of the article. Each elasticized leg band can include various types of elastic members, sudl as single ~la~lu~ ic sb ip, multiple 15 eld~lUll lctl i-~ strips, or multiple ~Id~lU~ strands or threads arranged in separated, paral~el or non-parallel cûnfigurations. The elasUc members can be assembled into the article with a linear or curvilinear conhguration, and the curved leg elasbc memb~rs can furth~r indude a reflexed curvature. In particular arbcles, the elastic members can be arranged in selected sets or groups having d~ a~ ~u~ ts in which individual elastic 20 members are offset and longitudinally .. _J.. ",esl,i~l from one another.
Various cu".i.," ,al techniques have been employed to produce articles having the elastic members arranged to provide selected elasticized regions, such as elasticized waist or leg openings. Particular techniques have been configured to provide the25 substantially straight, linear elastic members, and other techniques have been configured to provide the curved elastic members.
218592g C~" /~ 1 techniques for making elasticized artides, such as those described above, however, have not been sufficiently ' ' ' ~ for making articles which include a system of as~"""~ positioned elastic members. It has been difficult tos reliably and cu"~ "~ produce the desired size and positioning of the ds~"""~ ,al elastics. As a result, there has been a continued need for improved systems for making the desired elasticized and gathered porUons of selected articles, such as the elasticized leg bands of disposable diapers.
Brief DescrioUon of the Invention The present invenUon cdn provide a disbndbve method which includes the steps of supplyins a substrate web having a longitudinal diredUon and a laterdl cross-direcbon, and attaching an inboard elasbc member to the subsb~dte web. An outboard elasUc member is attached to the subsb~dte web at a locdUon which is laterally outboard of the inboard elasUc member. A porUon of the subsb~dte web and a portion of the outboard elastic member are separated away to thereby provide a set of elasUcs which are an an~ed in a staggered relaUon.
A further aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for making an elasUcized arbde.
The apparatus indudes delivering means for supplying a subsb~dte web having a longitudinal direcUon and a laterdl cross-direcbon. A first connecting means attaches an inboard elasUc member to said substrate web, and a second connecUng means attdches an outboard elastic member to the subsb~dte web, with the outboard elastic member located laterdlly ouUboard of the inboard elasUc member. A dividing meansseparates away a porUon of the substrate web and a portion of the outboard elasUc member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are an~dnged in a staggered 01, _. Ia,u~ relabon.
In a parUcular aspect of the invenUon, the method and apparatus for making an article includes a,, ,__I I~I, ,i~,,, for supplying a substrdte web having a first side region and a second side region. A first inboard elasUc member is attached to the first side region of the subsbrate web, and a second inboard elasUc member is attached to the second side region of the subsb~dte web. A first outboard elasUc member is attached to the first side 3s re~ion of the substrak web, and a second outboard elastic member is attdched to the 218~9~
.~
second side region of the substrate web. Each of the outboard elasbc members is located laterally outboard of its associated inboard elastic member, realJe~,U~ . A
portion of the first side region o~ the subsbrate web and a portion of the first outboard elasUc member are separated away to thereby provide a first set of elastics whidh are s an-anged in a staggered relation. A portion of the second side region and a portion of the second outboard elastic member are separated away to thereby provide a second set of elasUc members which are an-anged in a staggered relation.
In its various aspeds, the process and apparatus of the present invenhon can more effedb'vely produce elasUcized arb'cles on high-speed manufadurin~ lines, and can readily consbucd arb'cles whidh provide a desired confonmity to the different, body lines and shapes which are typically present at the front and back regions of a wearer's body.
The process and apparatus can be readily adapted for use with exisbng manufaduring lines, and can be readily reconfigured to provide elasbc systems whidh indude elastic members an anged with desired offsets and da~ L ies.
Brief DescriDtion of the Drawinas The invenb'on will be more fully understood and further ad~/d, Itaye5 will become 2 0 apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description and accu" ll~dl I,';. 9 drawings in which:
Fig. 1 shows a âchematic le~neSel ' " ~ of the method and apparatus of the invenUon;
2s Fig. 2 I~,leaél ,' ''. _'~ shows a top, plan view of a subsbate web with various Culll~.or,e"~, assembled to the web;
Fig. 3 ,.",, eael . . _Iy shows a top, plan view of a composite subsbrate web having addibonal ~IlllJwlel~ assembled to the web;
Fig. 4 le~l eSel ,L~.t;:~'y shows an altennative tedhnique for providing inboard and outboard elastic members onto the substrate web;
Fig. ~, el~l ea~ ,'y shows a further tedhnique for providing a plurality of inboard and outboard elasbc members employing a sinyle supply roll of carrier web material.
. .~ 21~29 Detailed DescriPtion of the Invention The techniquâ of the present invenUon will be described in the wntext of its 45â in s produdng disposable absorbent artides, such as those whidh can be placed a~ainst or in proximity to the body of the wearer to absorb and contain various exudates disdharged from the body. The arb'des are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use, and are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored for reuse. It should bâ understood, however, that the potential uses of the method and apparatus of the present invention are not limited to disposable absorbent arUcles. vVhile the present description will parUcularly be made in the context of a diaper arUcle, it should be further understood that the present invention is also applicable to other arb'des, such as caps, gowns, ^wvers, adult i, ,w, ," ,~"~,e gamments, sanitary napkins, dhildren's b aining pants and the like.
Vvith reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a method and apparatus 10 for making an elasb'dzed arUde, such as a diaper 12, indudes a delivering means for supplying a subsbate web 14 having a longitudinal machine-direction 26 and a lateral cross-direction 24. A
wnnecting means, such as a "~1 ~d~)i~"~ which includes a flrst elasb'c applicator roll 2 o 126, attadhes and securâs an inboard elasUc member 30 to the subsbrate web 14 at a selected location. A second connecUng means, sudh as a Illal,lldll;_..l which includes a sewnd elasb'c applicator roll 128, attaches and secures an outboard elasbc mâmber 34 to the subsbrate web 14 with the outboard elasUc member 34 positioned laterally outboard of the inboard elasUc member 30. A dividin~ means, sudh as a water cutter system94, separatesawayaporUonofthesubsbateweb 14andaw,,a~,o,,~i,,~, associated portion of the outboard elasUc membâr 34 to thâreby provide a Sât of elastics whidh are an anged in a staggered, G . _. Idp,~ g relation.
The method and apparatus of the invenb'on can be wnfigured to produce a plurality of sets of elastics with eadh set including an inboard elasbc member and an associated outboard âlasb'c membâr arranged in a staggered c .~. Id~J~Jil ,9 relabon. For example, an article such as the shown diaper 12, can include two sets of elastics with one set located at each of a pair of laterally opposed side margin regions of the diaper. The sewnd set of elastics in the sewnd side margin of the arUde has a wonfigurab'on which .
is substanUally a mirror ima~e of the first set of elasb'cs located in the first side mar~in of the diaper.
Accordin~ly, a particular aspect of the invention provides a method and apparatus 10 s for making an elasticized arb'cle, such as the shown diaper 12. The method and apparatus include a delivery Ille-,l ldl lialll, such as a I l le~.l lal lis", which includes supply roll 28, for supplying a substrate web 14 having a first side re~ion 16 and a second side region 18. A first connecUng means, such as a ,.,e~l,d,.i ,... which includes the applicator roll 126, attaches a first inboard elastic member 30 to the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and attaches a second inboard elastic member 32 to the second side region 18 of the substrate web. A second connectin~ means, such as the Ille~,l Idl lialll which includes applicator roll 128, attaches a first outboard elastic member 34 to the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and attaches a second outboard elasb'c member 36 to the second side region 18 of the substrate web. Each of theoutboard elastic members 34 and 36 is located laterally outboard of its associated inboard elastic member 30 and 32, le~,u~ . A dividing means, such as the shown water cutter system 94, separates away a portion of the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and a porUon of the first outboard elasUc member 34 to therebyprovide a first set 23 of elastics which are arranged in a staggered, Ol/~.ldp,Uil I~J relation.
The dividing means also separates away a porUon of the second side region 18 and a portion of the second outboard elasUc member 36 to thereby provide a second set 25 of elastic members which are arranged in another staggered, o ~, Id,u,uil ,9 relaUon.
Intheconstructionandassemblyofthevariouswebsandcu.,,,uo~,e,,lelements employedtofommarUcle12,variousattachingorsecuring",__llal,i",.~,canbe employed. Such attaching Illé~.lldlli~ can, forexample, include adhesive bonding, cohesive bonding, themmal bonding, sonic bonding, sUtching, pinning, stapling, welding bonds, fusing bonds, and the like. An example, of a typical consb uction adhesive is a C~l . . _. I'' ~dl hotmelt, pressure-sensitive adhesive.
At any parUcular, selected location along the method and apparatus, the machine-direction 26 is the generally length-wise direcUon along which a particular web, or composite web, of material is bein~ moved or bdl l:>,UUI led throu~h the process. The cross-direction 24 extends generally alon~ the plane of the web of material, and is perpendicular to the particular madhine-direcb'on e ,L"~ ed by the method or apparatus at the selected location.
The inboard elastic members 30, 32 and the outboard elasbc members 34, 36 are s typically ananged to operably gather and shinr the substrate web 14. In the illustrated allal)9élll-~ theelasbcmembersarearrangedtogabherthesubsbatewebalongits longitudinal, machine-diredion 26. Optionally, the present invention can be configured to provide other elastic members whidh are arranged to gather the substrate web along its lateral, cross-direcUon 24.
Vvith reference to the configuration of the invenbon le,ule~ t.~t;.~!y shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a substrate web 14 is suitably delivered from a suitable source, sudh as the shown supply roll 28 and is moved at a IJledetelll ,i"ed speed along the longitudinal, machine-direction 26 of the method and apparatus. The substrate web can, for example, be a web of the material employed to fomm a seleded portion of the final arb'de, sudh as the topsheet, badksheet or other layer of a diaper artide. In the shown allelll9éllle.~ of bhe invention, the subsbate web ~4 is selected to provide the badksheet or outer cover of the article. Accordingly, the substrate web may be composed of a liquid pemmeable material, but desirably comprises a material which is confi~ured to be 20 substanb'ally i. Il,uel, lled~le to liquids. For example, a typical backsheet can be manufactured from a thin plastic film, or other flexible liquid , IlledL le material.
Such "flexible" materials are compliant and will readily confomm to the general shape and contours of the weare~s body.
In particular ~.. ll,~,~ill._,lt~ of the invention, subsbrate web 14 can be a pol~ ' ,e film having a bhickness of from about 0.012 millimeters (0.5 mil) to about 0.051 millimeters (2.0 mils). In bhe shown e",L Odi",e"l, for example, the subsbate web is a film having a thickness of about 1.25 mil. Altemabve constructions of the substrate web may comprise a woven or non-woven fibrous web layer whidh has been totally or partially constructed orbeated to imparta desired level of liquid i".~,e"" ' "'~ to selected regions of the substrate web that are adjacent or proximate the absorbent body. The substrate web 14 typically provides the outer cover of the arb'de. Optionally, however, the article may comprise a separate outer cover member which is in addition to the substrate web.
21~2g .
The substrate web 14 may opb'onally include a micro-porous, "L " '' Idbl~" material which pemmits vapors to escdpe from the absorbent structure while sbll preventing liquid exudates from passing through the substrate web. For example, the breathable substrate web may be composed of a microporous polymer film or a nonwoven fabrics which has been coated or otherwise treated to impart a desired level of liquid ut~ . An example of a suitable microporous film is a PMP-1 material, which is available from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., a company having of fices in Tokyo, Japan; or an XKO-8044 polyolefin film available from 3M Company of ~ '' " l~dpuli~, Minnesota. The subsbate web can also be embossed or otherwise be provided with amatte finish to exhibit a more ~,tl, " 'l~ pleasing à~ dldl ,ce.
The subsbrate web 14 includes a plurality of appointed article length segments 15 (Fig. 2) which are serially connected and distributed along the longitudinal machine-direcb'on 26 of the substrdte web. Each of the article segments 15 is typically appointed to b~ sepanated away to fomm an individual article, such a diaper 12.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the present invenbon can be configured to provide a patch 44a of landing zone material onto a selected inward-side or outward-side surface of the subsbrate web 14. In the shown al~"y~l ,t, the landing zone patch is positioned on the outward-side surface of the substrate web, and is composed of a material which is compab'ble with the fastening system employed with the final article 12. The fastening system may, for example, comprise an adhesive, cohesive, an illltle~yayill~ ,llalli-,dl fastening Ill~_llàlli:,lll orthe like. As a,u~lu,uli ', the landing zone material is operdbly compabble with the selected adhesive or cohesive, or is composed of a ~ r . " ,y cu" ,,u~ "l of the ",t -,l ,d"i-,dl fastener. For example, the landing zone material may be the hook or loop co~pûnel ,l of a hook-and-loop fastening system.
In the l~,ul~:ael 1' " /u~' shown al 1 ~l Iy_.lle:l 1l, a web of the landing zone material 44 is delivered from a suitdble source, such as the shown supply roll 46, and is lldll~,UUll~:d to an operable cutting Illeullallian~ 45. The cutting ...__llalli,lll separdtes the landing zone web 44 into a plurality of discreet patches 44a (Fig. 2) which are then operably attached to pl~dele:ll";,~ed, sequential locabons along the substrate web 14. Suitable techniques for cutb'ng and placing the landing zone patches 44a on to the subsbate web 14 are described in U.S.P. 4,795,510 entitled PROCESS FOR APPLYING REINFORCING
~ 21~5~29 MATERIAL TO A DIAPER COVER MATERIAL, and issued January 3, 1989 to M.
Witbrodk et al.; and in U.S.P. 5,235,515 entitl~d METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
CONTROLLING THE CUTTING AND PLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS ON A MOVING
SUBSTRATE, AND ARTICLE MADE THEREWITH, and issued August 10, 1993 to T. Ungpiyakul et al. (Attomey docket No. 10,159). The enUre disdosures of these documents are hereby i". u, r ~ by reference in a manner whidh is consistent herewith.
The substrate web 14 is L, dl la,uul l~d to a suitable " le:-,l Idl lial 1 l for operably locating and attadhing elasUc memberâ to i"t~""i~t~ , spaced apart locations along the machine-direr~Uon of the web. In bhe âhown configurations, bhe spacing technique includes a ",e~,l Idl lialll for i"L~" "i~t~"t'~ fomming a selected plurality of laterally extendin~ tucks 42 (Fi3s. 4 and 5) in the substrate web, and then removing bhe tucks after bhe elasbcs have been applied to bhe subsbrate web. Suitable techniques for a~ " "i. ,~ sbretdhedelasUc members to bhe laterally opposed side regions of a moving subsb-ate web described in U.S.P. 4,227,952 entiUed METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING
DIAPERS WITH ELASTIC BANDS issued October 14, 198û to R. Sabee; and U.S.P.
4,498,944 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AN ELASTICIZED
GARMENT BY TUCKING A PORTION OF THE DIAPER WEB DURING BONDING OF
ELASTIC TO THE UN-TUCKED PORTIONS OF THE WEB issued February 12, 1985 to C. Krause et al., the enb're disdosures of v~hich are hereby il~wl~Jul~t~,l by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith. Other suitable manufaduring tedhniques for ' " ,~ stretched elasUc members to a moving substrate web are described in U.S.P. 4,081,301 enbbed METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY
ATTACHING DISCREET, STRETCHED ELASTIC STRANDS TO PREDETERMINED
ISOLATED PORTIONS OF DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT PRODUCTS issued Mardh 28, 1978 to K Buell; and U.S.P. 4,711,683 entibed METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
MAKING ELASTIC DIAPERS issued December 8, 1987 to J. Merkatoris.
The various elasUc members are secured to bhe subsb ate web 14 in an elasUcally <,ul l~l d-,tiLJI~ condibon so bhat in a nommal under strain configuration, bhe elastic members effectively conbract against bhe substrate web. The elastic members can be secured in bhe elasUcally .,u, Ib d~,tiL)lt~ condition in various ways. For example, bhe elasb'c members may be stretched and bhe sbetched elasUcs secured to bhe substrate web 14 while bhe subsbrak web is in an Ul ICOI 1~l a~,k~ condition. Al~ matively, bhe . ~
substrate web may be contracted, For example, by pleating, and the elasb'c members secured and connected to bhe subsbate web while bhe elastic members are in theirunrelaxed or unsb etched condition . SUII other " ,e~,l ,c,, lial I ID, such as heat-shrink elastic material, may be attached to an u"w, It~a-,ted subsb ate web and then acUvated to s ~ather the appointed regions of the substrate web.
In the configuration illustrated in Fig. 1, the elastic members are ananged to extend essentially along the complete len~th o~ an appointed crotch region of a diaper arUcle.
AltemaUvely, the elasb'c members may extend the enbre length of the arUde, or any other length suitable for providing the ell, al Iyé" ~ of elasUcally cu, Ib c--,tible lines desired for the parUcular arUde design.
The various elasUc members may have any of a multitude of configurations. For example, the width of the individual elasUc members may be varied from 0.25 millimeters (0.01 inches) to 25 millimeters (1.0 inches) or more. Each elasUc member may comprise a single strand or sbn'p of elasUc material, or may comprise a plurality of parallel or non-parallel sbands of elastic material. The elastic members may be applied in a rectilinear or curvilinear c~, ,<., Iy_..lel 1l. vVhere mulUple sbands are employed, the individual sbrands may be consb ucted to provide substantially equal elasbc forces, or may be consbucted to provide different elasb'c forces. For example, the individual strands may be of different diameter or other size, or may be configured with different amounts of elongation to thereby provide a gradient or other variaUon of elasb'ctensions. Where the sbands are non-parallel, two or more of the sbands may intersect or other~vise i"' _u, " lel,l within the elasUc member. The elasbc members may be affixed to the subsbate web 14 in any of several cu"~ al ways which are known inthe art. For example, the elastic members may be ~ ~" CIDUI li~ y bonded, heat and pressure sealed using a variety of bonding pattems, or adhesively bonded to the subsbrate web with sprayed or swirled pattems of hobmelt or other type of adhesive.
In the illustrated configuraUon of the invention, for example, the elasbc members may comprise a carrier sheet to which are attached a ~rouped set of elasbcs composed of a plurality of individual elastic strands. The elasUc sbands may intersect or be i"' ~,u, " le~,le~, or be entirely separated from one another. The carrier sheet may, for example, comprise a 0.002 cm thick film of u "_.,IL ~ssed p(,ly", u~,;: le material. The elastic strands can, for example, be composed of LYCRA~) elastomer available from 21~D~9 ~ .
DuPont, a business havin~ offfices in v'vilmington, Delaware. Each elasb'c sb-and is typically within bhe range of about 620-1050 decitex (dtx~, and preferably, is about 940 dtx in an erl~Lodi",_. ,l of the invenb'on wherein three sbrands are employed for each elasticized legband. In addition, the elastic members may be generally sb~aight or s optionally curved. For example, the curved elasb'cs can be inwardly bowed toward the longitudinal centerline of the diaper. In particulara"d"~ .,L, the curvature of the elasb'cs may not be configured or positioned sy" ' i~::~ relative to the lateralcenterline of the diaper. The curved elasb'cs may have an inwardly bowed and outwardly bowed, reflex-type of curvature, and the length-wise center of the elasUcs may be offset by a selected distance toward either bhe front or rear waistband of bhe diaper to provide desired fit and a,u,~
The configuraUon of the invenUon le~ y shown in Fi~. 1 provides a system of leg elasUc members which are each composed of multiple strands of el.~t~,",_,:_ ' material attached to a thin, flexible carrier sheet. To fomm the inboard elasUc members 30 and 32 (Fi~. 2), a first inboard elasUc web 31 is operably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 112, and a second inboard elasUc web 33 isoperably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 114. Each of the elasticwebs 31 and 33 is composed of multiple sbands of ela~,l,e,i~ material, such a Lycra~, and the individual sbands are ananged in a substanUally parallel,spaced-apart and separate relation to each other.
A pair of inboard can ier sheet ribbons 38 are operably delivered from suitable sources, such as the shown supply rolls 120. The can ier ribbons are operably attached to the inboard elasUc webs 31 and 33, and the resultant c~ aites are attached to the subsbah web 14. In b'le shown ~" ell ,_ ,~, the inboard composite webs are substanUally sbaight and are located atthe laterally opposed side regions 16 and 18 of b'le substrate web 14. v'vith respect of each arUcle segment 15 of the substrate web, appointed porb'ons of the assembled composite webs provide a pair of laterally opposed inboard elasUc members 30 and 32 having a substanUally straight and linear configuraUon.
To fomm the outboard elastic members 34 and 36 (Fi~.2), a first outboard elasUc web 35 is operably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 116, and a second outboard elastic web 37 is operably delivered from a suitable source, such as 21~929 .~
bhe shown supp~y roll 118. Each of the elasbcwebs 35 and 37 can be composed of multiple strands of ~la~h~ , material, such a Lycra~, and the individual strands can be arranged in a substanUally parallel, spaced-apart and separate relaUon to each other.
s Outboard carrier sheet ribbons 40 are operably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply rolls 122, and are operably mated and attached to the Cu~ ~ tlDUU~ ~di~ 1~ outboard elastic webs 35 and 37. The resultant outboard composite webs are operably delivered for d~L~I..I Illlel ,l onto the laterally opposed side regions 16 and 18 0f bhe subsbrate web 14. In the ~e:U~t~D~ shown cc "q~. . ' , of bhe invention, each outboard elastic web 35 and 37 is in a laterally offset and spaced-away posiUon which is laterally outboard of its cu, ~D~JU~ ~di~ ~ and associated inboard elasUc web 31 and 33"~a,ueuti~
In the shown ~ L~ the outboard elastic webs at each appointed artide se~ment 15 of the subsbrate web 14 are selectively curved to indude sections thereof whidh laterally diver~e from its associated inboard ~lasUc web. A suitable tedhnique for forming a stretched, curved elasbc to a subsb ate is described in U.S.P. 5,275,876 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CURVED ELASTIC TO A
MOVING WEB issued January 4, 1994 to J. Ro~ ' et al. The enUre disclosure of which is hereby incu, ,uu,. ' by reference in a manner whidh is consistent herewith.
Vvhile not being required for the technique of the present invenbon, various obher ~ UI ~ IUU~e~ ~tD may also be assembled onto the substrate web 14. For example, waist elasUc members, absorbent pads, a liquid permeable topsheet layer, sections of surge ~"c",c~_."_.,lmaterial,andfastening",~ ",iD",aforsecuringthearbdeonawearer may be i,,~,u,~ . I onto the substrate web 14 by employing various cu,,._., ,al tedmiques arranged in an operable sequence, as desired.
Forexample, bhe shown configurabon of the invenbon includes a IllOdl~llliDIII for locaUng and attadhing patches of elastic material onto the subsbate web 14 to fomm the waist elasbc members at the front and rear waist band secUons of the diaper. Suitable materials for fomming the waist elasbc members are described in U.S.P. 4,861,652enbtled DIAPER ARTICLE WITH ELASTICIZED WAIST PANEL, and issued August 29, g2~
.
1989 to M. Lippert et al., the enbre disclosure of which is i""~, ~ . ' ' herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
Inbhe~"a"u~ llIshowninFig 1,thewaistelasbcweb48isoperablydeliveredfrom s a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 50, and is moved to a adhesive applicator system 52 which places an assembly adhesiv~ onto bhe waist elasbc web 48.
The waist elastic web is delivered to a cutting . . .~_l lal lial l l 54 which separates the waist elastic web 48 into discrete patches 48a for d~lal~hl l ll~ to the substrate web 14. The web 48 of elasbc material is elasUcally c.",t~d~,til.le alonrO~ its longitudinal machine-direction. Accordingly, the patches 48a of waist elasbc material are delivered onto a rotating tum roll 56 to reorient the elastic cc "'. ' ' "~ of bhe waist elastic material along the cross-direction 24 of the substrate web 14. A suitable rotabng tum roll is described in U.S. Patent4,608,115 enbtled REVOLVING TRANSFER ROLL, and issued August 26, 1986 to Schroth et al., the enbre disclosure of which is inc~ vldt~d herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
A series of absorbent pads can also be assembled onto bhe substrate web 14. In the illustrated ~."L ~ , a sheet of wood pulp material 60 is delivered into a ,,l ')dl fiberizing Ill~.hdllialll, such as llall ll " 62. The llall lll"' ~ ~O.. ' the wood pulp sheet into a multiplicity of individual fibers which are air laid onto a web of fomming bssue 66 can ied on the surface of a fomming drum 64. The fomming tissue 66 is delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roil 68, and is operably placed onto the moving outer surface of the rotabng fomming dnum 64 employing c~, ~ dl .. . ' lal liallla. The fomming drum 64 delivers the airlaid fibrous web and fomming bssue for placement onto a moving web of cover bssue 70 which isoperably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 72.
Exsmples of suitable techniques for fomming the airlaid fibrous web are described in U.S.P. 4,~66,647 entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING A LAID
FIBROUS WEB, and issued May 19, 1987 to K. Enloe et al.; and in U.S.P. 4,761,258entitled CONTROLLED FORMATION OF LIGHT AND HEAW FLUFF ZONES, and issued August 2, 1988 to K. Enloe. The entire disclosures of these documents arei"co",~ herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
~1 ~5929 The composite absorbent pad web 58 is delivered to a suitable shaping ~ ,l Idl li~l ll, such as a water cutter 74, to produce the desired side contours of the individual absorbent pads. The absorbent pad web 58 is operably divided into individual absorbent pads 58a and assembled onto a moving topsheet web 76.
s The topsheet web is typically composed of a fibrous liquid pemmeable material and is delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 78. The topsheet web 76 presents a body-facing surface which is compliant, soft-feeling, and non-irritating to bhe wearer's shn. Further, the topsheet web can be less hydrophilic than the absorbent pad material, and is sufficiently porous to be liquid permeable, permitting liquid to penetrate throush its thickness. A suitable topsheet may be manufactured from a wide selecbon of web materials, such as porous foams, rebculated foams, apertured plasUc films, natural fibers (for example, wood or cotton fibers), synthebc fibers (for example, polyester or pol~,,,u,u,' ne fibers), or a c~."Lil " , of natural and synthetic fibers. The topsheet web material is typically employed to help isolate the wearer's shn from liquids held in bhe absorbent pads. Various woven and nonwoven fabrics can be used for the topsheet web 76. For example, the topsheet web may be composed of a meltblown orspunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. The topsheet may also be a bonded-carded-web composed of natural and/or synthebc fibers.
For the purposes of the present description, the term "nonwoven web" means a web of material which is formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knittlng process. The term "fabrics" is used to refer to all of the woven, kni~ted and nonwoven fibrous webs.
The topsheet web fabrics may be composed of a substanbally I ,J~lu,ul~l,i., and substanbally nu" ' ' material, and the hJd~ u,ul~obic material may optionally bebreated with a surfactant or other~vise processed to impart a desired level of wettability and I Illlu~Jl "' '~y. In a partlcular ~ o~i" ,-:"l of the invention, the topsheet web 76 Cdn be a nonwoven, spunbond pùly,~, u,uJ~ e fabric composed of about 2.8-3.2 denier fibers fomled into a web having a basis weight of about 22 gsm and density of about û.û6 gm/cc. The fabric can be surface breated with a selected amount of surfactant, such as about 0.28% Triton X-102 surfactant. The surfactant can be applied by any co" /~. " ,al means, such as spraying, prinbng, bnush coabng or the like.
21~29 .~, The surfactant material, such as a conventional wetting agent, can be applied to a medial section of the topsheet layer 76 to provide a greater wettability of the medial section, as compared to a remainder of the topsheet layer 76. In particular configurations, the cross-direcUonal width of the medial sect~on cdn be substanUally s equal to or less than bhe cross-directional width of a surge Illdl Id~ l IL porbon 80a, whidh is constructed from a web of surge Illdlla9~ material 80. The surfactant-treated medial sectlon can be d,~ JA;III ' ~y centered with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the diaper, and can extend along substanUally the entire length of the topsheet layer. Altemabvely, the surfactant breated medial section can be consb ucted to extend along only a p,~d~t~"";,~ed portion of the topsheet length.
In desired d"a"~e,n~"t~, the web of surge ",d"ag~",~"~ material 80 is delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 82, and individual surge ",d"dge",è"l por~ions 80a are cut from the web 80 and assembled onto the topsheet web 76. In the shown dl Idl lS~ l 11, for example, an applicator 84 provides an adhesive for securing the surge I l ldl ,aJ~" ,_. ,l porbons 80â onto the topsheet web. The resultant, composite topsheetweb is delivered foralla~,l""c",l in an dlld~y_..l~lllwhidh ~dll~ S the series of absorbent pads between the topsheet web 76 and the substrate web 14 toprovide an assembled substrate web 14a. In the shown configuraUon, the surge 20 Illdl ,a~e:" le:l ,I material is interposed between the topsheet web 76 and the absorbent pads. OpUonally, the topsheetweb can be interposed between the surge Illdlld~t:lllt:ll material and the absorbent pads.
Various woven and nonwoven fabrics can be used to constnuct the surge ",d"a~_..,.,"l web 80. For example, the surge ",d"ag~",~ web material may be a layer composed of a meltblown or spunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. The surge ",d"àg~",e",L layer may also be a bonded-cdrded-web or an airlaid web composed of natural and synthetic fibers. The bonded-carded-web may, for example, be a powder-bonded-carded web, an infrared bonded carded web, or a through-air-bonded-carded web. The infrared and 3 o through-air bonded cdrded webs can optionally indude a mixture of different fibers, and the fiber lengths within a selected fabric web may be within bhe range of about 1.0-3.0 inch (about 2.54-7.62 cm). The surge " ,a"a~_.. ,~ "l web may be composed of a substanbally I .,dIU~JI ,uL,i., material, and the I IJIIU~I ,uI,i-, material may opUonally be treated with a surfactdnt or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of wettdbility ând l l~dl u~ . In particular configurations of the invention, the surge material can 218~929 includeL,iw,~,,uu"~ fibers. Fûrexample,po'~,,u,u,~'~.,d/polyethylenel,iw",,uù,~a"l fibers may be employed to Form the L,iw,,,~,u, ,t:"L Fiber portion of any of the described fabrics. In addition, the ~iwom~ul~t:l ,L fibers may be flat crimped or helically crimped.
s The shown wonfiguraUon of bhe surge, llal ,age" ,L material is operably conneded to the topsheet web with a wn~, " ,al pattem of adhesive, such as a swirl adhesive patLem. In addition, the surge " ~D~la~ material can be operably wnneded with a w,~ dl pattem of adhesive to the bodyside surface of bhe cover b'ssue 70 employed to consbud Uhe absorbent pads. Typically The amount of adhesive add-on should be suffficient to provide the desired levels of bonding, but should be low enough to avoid eA~ ; /ul~ restricting the movement of liquid from the topsheet layer, through the surge i"cl~aye:l".:"L portion and through the wrapsheet layer.
In the various w, .9~ . '' la of the invention, the surge " Idl la~t~.ll_. ,t material may eAtend over the complete length of the absorbent pad, or may eAtend over only a part of the absorbent pad length. vVhere the surge Illal, " ,L material extends only parb'ally along the length of bhe absorbent pad, the surge n.a"ay~ , .L material may be selecb'vely positioned anywhere along absorbent pad stnudure. For example, the surge Illdl~dyt:m~:l IL material may fundb'on more efliciently when it is offset toward bhe front waistband of the gamment and Lldllavera~ly centered within a front sedUon of theabsorbent structure. Thus, the sur~qa md, la9~:11._. ,~ material can be à,u,u,oAi., ' '~
centered about the longitudinal center line o~ absorbent sb ucture, and posib'oned primarily in a central region of a front sedion of the absorbent strudure.
In other aspects of the invenUon, the end edges of the surge ",al Idy~",e"L material can be spaced longitudinally inboard from the end edges of the individual absorbent pads.
InparUcularw,,1~ s,thecu.,ea~o,,di,,g,relaUvelyadjacentfrontendedgeof surge I ,ay_. . ,.:"t porb'on 45 can be spaced a 1~ L~:. " ,i"~ discrete distance from a front waistband end edge of its associated absorbent pad.
Additional details regarding the surge materials and suitable techniques for d~t~" "i"i, .g the above-described ~dlall.~,t~.a are setforth in U.S. PatentApplicaUon Serial No.
2û8,98~ of C. Ellis and D. Bishop, enbtled, FIBROUS NONWOVEN WEB SURGE
L AYER FOR PERSONAL CARE ABSORBENT ARTICLES AND THE LIKE, and filed March 4, 1994 (Attomey docket No. 11,256); and U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
. 2185929 206,069 of C. Ellis and R. Everett, enUtled, IMPROVED SURGE MANAGEMENT
FIBROUS NONWOVEN WEB FOR PERSONAL CARE ABSORBENT ARTICLES AND
THE LIKE, and filed March 4, 1994 (Attomey docket No. 11,387); the disclosures of which are hereby i, ,w, ,uu. ' ' by reference in a manner that is consistent herewith.
With reference to Fig. 2, eadh artide segment 15 of the assembled substrate web 14a is operably construded to include appointed portions of the inboard elasbc webs 31 and 33, and each arb'de segment also includes appointed portions of the outboard elasbc webs 35 and 37. With respect to eadh artide segment, a portion ûf elastic web 31 is an~nged to provide the hrst inboard elastic member 3û, a portion of elasbc web 33 is arranged to provide bhe second inboard elastic member 32, a portion ûf elasUc web 35 is arranged to provide the first outboard elasbc member 34, and a portion of the elastic web 37 is arranged to provide the second outboard elastic member 36.
The appointed portiûns of one ûr more of the elastic webs can extend along substantially the enb're length of their associated article segments 15, or any selected portion thereof, as desired. In the illustrated configurations, for example, the elasbc web portions are each configured to extend along an i"t, "".~ " longitudinally medial portion of each arb'de segment 15.
In the various altemabve configurations of the invenUon, the inboard elastic members 3û and 32, the outboard elasUc members 34 and 36, or ccllll,i~ thereof can be consb ucted to have a curved w"19 ~ . The shown al 1~l 19~sl 1,~., ll, for example, is configured to provide inboard elastic members 3û and 32 which have a substanb'ally straight, linear cc, l1g I " " and to provide outboard elastic members 34 and 3~ which have the curved cu~ q~ ~ . " ,. The ,t ~ s.:"' '' . _'y shown, curved outboard elastic memb~rs are inwardly bowed with respect to the lateral cross-direcb'on 24, and are concave with respect to the laterally outward direction at their longitudinally medial regions. The shown outboard elastic members also have a substantially, conb'nuously curved co,l11, . " ,.
With respect to eadh article segment 15 of the subsbrate web 14, the first set 23 of elasbc members are arranged to shirr and gather the first side region 16 of the substrate web, and the second set 25 of elastic members are arran~ed to shirr and gather the second side region 18 of the substrate web.
218~929 .~
Suitable fastening " It ~,l lal li~" ~s, such as fastening tapes can then be secured to appointed regions of the assembled substrate web 14a in a co,,.~.~t,ul~al manner.
s Altematively, the fastening system may i,~co,~,u, ' a stretchable side panel secured to the lateral side regions of each article segment 15 of the substrate web 14. An example of a suitable technique for producing the fastening system is described in U.S.
Patent Application Serial No. 415, 383 filed April 3, 1995 by D. Fries and entitled AN
ASSEMBLY PROCESS FOR A LAMINATED TAPE, the entire disclosure of which is i~ Iwl ~JUI lL~d herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
In the al lal l~ell le~ ,~ shown in Fig. 1, a pair of fastener, adhesive tape webs 86 are delivered from supply rolls 88, and a pair of release tape webs 9û are delivered from supply rolls 92. For each side of the diaper, a fastener tape web and a release tape web are assembled together and separated into individual fastener tape ~sse" ~ Jf which are attached to appointed, spaced-apart side regions of the assembled substrate web at each article segment 15 in a w,,._..' Idl manner. Accordingly, a pair of fastener tapes are available at each lateral side edge of the diaper 12 at a selected waist band porbon of the diaper.
The assembled substrate web 14a is delivered to a suitable shaping ."~ l", such as water cutter 94 which provides a desired contoured shape to each of the terminal side edges of the assembled substrate web. Accordingly, the web cutter 94 provides a desired, contour to the temminal side edges 20 and 22 of the remaining substrate web 14, and the contour can be configured to have an irregular or regular pattem, asdesired. In the shown configuration, the contour has a substantially regularly repeating pattem which provides a selected contour shape that is regularly repeated for each arbcle segment 15 of the assembled substrate web. The shown contours along the first and second side regions of the substrate web are substantially mirror-images of each other. In addition, the contour shape can be d~ ll "~._t, i-,al with respect to the longitudinal dimension 2~ of the article segment 15. Particular aspects of the invention can be configured to have the deepest, most inboard portion of the cut contour located toward the end of the article segment that is appointed to be the front waistband portion of the article 12 (Fig. 3).
` ~ 218~929 Web cutter 94 and its ~, .~ l associated ",c_l,~, li!-llla operably remove selected porbons of the assembled substrate web 14a at each artide segment 15 of the subsbrate web 14. In parbcular, the web cutters 94 are configured to separate away a portion of bhe first side region 16 of the subsbrate web 14 and a selected end porUon of s bhe first oubboard elasUc member 34 to thereby provide a first set 23 of elasUc members which are arranged in a desired, staggered o~ ,u,ui,)g relation. In the le,~ 73e.l .~
shown c~" ~-"~",~"~, the cut pattem is configured to cut away a substantial porbon of a selected, longitudinal end porbon of bhe outboard elasUc member. As a result, the major secUon of the remaining oubboard elastic is longitudinally biased toward one end of its assodated article segment 15. The remaining oubboard elasUc is desirably biased toward the end of the article segment which is appointed to be at the rear waistband section of the finished article 12. During the separabng operation, bhe web cutter 94 may also separate away portions of othem,u"".unl:"ta, such as a portion of the topsheet web 76 at each arbcle segment 15 of the substrate web.
Similarly, another porUon of the water cutter system 94 can separate away a porUon of the second side region 18 of the assembled substrate web at each article segment 15 of the subsb ate web 14. In parUcular, the water cutter 94 can separate away a porbon of bhe second side region 18 of the subsbrate web 14 and a selected end porbon of the second outboard elasbc member 36 to thereby provide a second set 25 of elasUc members which are anranged in a desired, staggered c.~ g relaUon.
Other cutting ",e~,l Idllia~\~S, such as slitters, die cutters, air knives, lasers, obher focused energy beams, and bhe like may be employed to separate away the selected portions of bhe subsbrate 14 and the selected portions of the outboard elastic members 34 and 36.
With respect to each set 23 and 25 of elastics (Figs. 2 and 3), the first set 23 is arranged to gather and shirr the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and the second set 25 is arranged to gather and shinr the second side region 18 of the subsbrate web. In addibon, each outboard elastic member 34, 36 has at least a porbon thereof which is in a laterally offset, spaced-away posiUon relaUve to its assodated inboard elasUc member 30, 32"~a~e~L~ly. The shown Cl"~"9~"~t:"~ has the longitudinal endporUon of the outboard elastic laterally spaced from its associated inboard elastic.
Alternatively, a substanUal entirety of the outboard elasUc may be laterally spaced from its associated inboard elasbc. - 18 -~ `~ 218~2~
In addibon, the longitudinally stasgered relation between each outboard elastic member and its associated inboard elasUc member can be configured with each outboard elastic member overlapping only a portion of its ~Sn~ tad~ w~ ".li"g inboard elastic s member. In the shown configuraUon the staggered relation is configured with the inboard elasb'c member 30 32 overlapping a substantial enbrety of the outboard elastic member 34 36. Altennab'vely the staggered relation can be configured with the inboard elastic member 30, 32 biased toward one end of its associakd article segment to thereby overlap only a porb'on of the outboard elastic member 34, 36.
As, t~ t~ Iy shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of w, Itdil ""~"I flaps 97 may be connected to the topsheet web 76. In the illustrated configurab'on a w, Itdil ",le71 ,I flap web 96 is delivered from supply roll 98 and two sets of w, ll~il ", lel ,I flap elasb'cs 100 are assembled and attached onto the w, ~tail~l "~ l flap web 96. Each of the two lateral side regionsofthew,,l~i,,,,,~,,lflapweb96arefoldedoverinwardlyontopofthe Wlltdilllll~lll flap elastics 100 and operably secured in place. The folded W~t~flap web is then slit longitudinally along its medial secb'on between the two sets of w,,l~i,,,,,tz,,lflap elasbcs 100with a suitabl~ separating n,e~ ,,is,,,, such as slitter 102.
The cutting operaUon provides a pairof cu,,~;.,,,ns,,lflap ~Selll'~" 101 which are then assembled and attached to the topsheet web 76.
Suitable configurabons of the co"t~i"",e nl flaps 97 are described in U.S.P. 4 704 116 entitled DIAPERS WITH ELASTICIZED SIDE POCKETS issued November 3 1987 to K. Enloe; and U.S. Patent ApplicaUon Serial No. 208 816 of K. Everett et al. filed March 4 1994 and entitled ABSORBENT ARTICLE HAVING AN IMPROVED SURGE
MANAGEMENT (Attorney docket No. 11,375). The entire disclosures of these documents are hereby inw"u~ d by reference in a manner that is consistent herewith.
The assembled subsbate web can then be delivered to a w,~ /~. ," ,al folding ".~ "i~", which folds the assembled subsbate web inwardly along a longitudinal fold line. The folded web can then be delivered to a cubting n ,~_l ,c" ,i~m 106 which separates the assembled substrate web into a series of separate, individual arb'cles 12.
TheindividualarUclescanbhenbedeliveredtoaw~J~.I'' ,alfolder"~l,a"i"n108 which folds the individual articles along selected lateral fold lines. The folded diapers - 19 -~
21~929 can subsequently be delivered to a conventional stacker " ,__l lal lialll 110 whidh a~yl I O _ the individual articles into stacks containing a selected number of articles.
The stadked arb'cles can then be delivered for packasing in a cu, ~ I-,. ~" ~al manner.
s With reference to Fig. 4, an altemative technique can be employed to produce a set of inboard and outboard elastic members. In particular, the altennabve co"9~ ~ _" , can be substituted for the elasUc applicab'ng system which includes applicator rolls 12~ and 128, and their assodated ~,uùnel ~tS. The system of cu""uU,)e"tJ lc,u, ~
shown in Fig. 4 is con9gured for providing a set of inboard and outboard elasbc members along one side region 18 of the substrate web 14 with a single applicator roll 140. It should be readily app-c ' ' that a similar mirror-ima~qe a"a"~_..,ts"l of CC",,uu,~c,lts can also be employed to provide a second, ~Ill~Jlcll~ ~Ital~f setof inboard and outboard elasbc members along bhe opposite side region 10 of the subsb ate web.
The mirror-image system may employ a variation of the applicator roll 140 whidh is extended to operably reach to the second side region 16 of thc substrate web, or may employ another separate applicator roll which may or may not be inde~,." ,u~ driven.
The ,c,u, cacl 1~ shown technique includes a ",~ al liall, for delivering a carrier sheet web 124 from a suitable source, sudh as bhe shown supply roll 39. A separab'ng means, such as provided by the illustrated rotary slitter 130 and anvil roll 132, operably divides the carrier sheet web into an inboard carrier sheet 38 and an outboard carrier sheet 40. A suitable system of ~uide rollers 134 dired the inboard and outboard canier sheets to a separating means, sudh as provided by the shown separator bars 13~. The separating means posiUons the cam'er sheets with a seleded c~oss-directional spadng U Icl . L ' I, and the parb'cular spadng is a,u,~, u,u, i ' 'y configured to provide the desired spadng between the inboard and outboard elastic members in bhe ~9nal, assembled ar~ide 12. The inboard elastic web 33 and the outboard elasb'c web 37 are delivered from suitable supply rolls, and in bhe shown alla"y_..,c"l, each of the elasbc webs is composed of a ~, ~Jctcl ",;ned plurality of individual elasbc sbrands.
The carrier sheets 38 and 40 are directed by guide roller 1 5û onto the outer peripheral surface a rotatable applicator roll 14û, which is operably driven with a co,..~
" ,a11 lal lial 1 l, such as an electric motor or the like, to substantially matdh the peripheral surface speed oF the applicator roll to the movement speed of the substrate web 14. A
suitable system of guide rollers 138 direct the elasb'c webs 33 and 37 onto their ..
appointed can ier sheets 38 and 40"~ , and an d~ ll means, sudh as provided by a system of adhesive applicators 144, secures the elastic webs onto the associated caniersheets. In the shown allal~g_..lcll~, forexample, the d~Ia~l""~:"~can be provided by a sprayed or swirled pattem of hotmelt adhesive, and the adhesive can s also serve to attach the resultant inboard elasb'c composite 146 and the outboard elasbc composite 148 onto the substrate web 14.
In the shown configuration, the inboard elastic composite 146 is can ied on the outer surface of the applicator roll 140 for placement and pressin~ onto the substrate web along a substantially straight line. The outboard elasUc composite 148 is directed to an oscillator roll 142 which moves laterally in a periodic pattem and can ies the outboard elasbc composite to impart a w" ~:a~uùl Idil ~9, oscillating movement to the outboard elasUc composite. For example, the roll 142 may be can ied on a swingin~ arm to produce the desired periodic bad~-and-forth movement. The oscillaUng composite is directed back to the surface of the applicator roll, and the applicator roll places and presses the outboard elastic composite onto the subsb ate web in a desired p~, iudi~::J
undulating, curvilinear pattem.
With reference to Fig. S, a fulther ... "~ '' , of the technique can indude a separab'ng means whidh is arranged to divide the carrier web 124 into four individual carrier sheets to provide a pair of outboard canier sheets 40 and a pair of inboard cam'er sheets 38. One inboard can ier sheet and one outboard can ier sheet are suitably directed for assembly with the inboard elastic web 33 and the outboard elasb'c web 37, Itla~ !y, and for placement along one side region 18 of the subsbrate web 14. In addition, the second inboard carrier sheet and the second outboard can ier sheet are suitably directed for assembly with the inboard elasb'c web 31 and the outboard elasUc web 35, ~ _t;.~`~, and for placement along the lakrally opposite side region 16 of the subsb ate web.
Having described the invention in rather full detail, it will be readily apparent that various chan,qes and ",~ "~ " la can be made without deparUng from the spirit of the invention. All of sudh dhanges and r"- "~ '' ~s that are w, ,' " ' ' ' as being within the scope of t~e invention as de~ned by ~- subj~ined d ims.
ASYMMETRIC LEG ELASTICS
-Field of the Invention s The present invention relates to a process for making elasUcized absorbent articles.
More particularly, the present invenbon relates to a process for making absorbent articles having elasticized leg openings.
Backaround of the InvenUon Absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, have included elasticized leg bands to provide elasticized gathers at the leg openings of the article. Each elasticized leg band can include various types of elastic members, sudl as single ~la~lu~ ic sb ip, multiple 15 eld~lUll lctl i-~ strips, or multiple ~Id~lU~ strands or threads arranged in separated, paral~el or non-parallel cûnfigurations. The elasUc members can be assembled into the article with a linear or curvilinear conhguration, and the curved leg elasbc memb~rs can furth~r indude a reflexed curvature. In particular arbcles, the elastic members can be arranged in selected sets or groups having d~ a~ ~u~ ts in which individual elastic 20 members are offset and longitudinally .. _J.. ",esl,i~l from one another.
Various cu".i.," ,al techniques have been employed to produce articles having the elastic members arranged to provide selected elasticized regions, such as elasticized waist or leg openings. Particular techniques have been configured to provide the25 substantially straight, linear elastic members, and other techniques have been configured to provide the curved elastic members.
218592g C~" /~ 1 techniques for making elasticized artides, such as those described above, however, have not been sufficiently ' ' ' ~ for making articles which include a system of as~"""~ positioned elastic members. It has been difficult tos reliably and cu"~ "~ produce the desired size and positioning of the ds~"""~ ,al elastics. As a result, there has been a continued need for improved systems for making the desired elasticized and gathered porUons of selected articles, such as the elasticized leg bands of disposable diapers.
Brief DescrioUon of the Invention The present invenUon cdn provide a disbndbve method which includes the steps of supplyins a substrate web having a longitudinal diredUon and a laterdl cross-direcbon, and attaching an inboard elasbc member to the subsb~dte web. An outboard elasUc member is attached to the subsb~dte web at a locdUon which is laterally outboard of the inboard elasUc member. A porUon of the subsb~dte web and a portion of the outboard elastic member are separated away to thereby provide a set of elasUcs which are an an~ed in a staggered relaUon.
A further aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for making an elasUcized arbde.
The apparatus indudes delivering means for supplying a subsb~dte web having a longitudinal direcUon and a laterdl cross-direcbon. A first connecting means attaches an inboard elasUc member to said substrate web, and a second connecUng means attdches an outboard elastic member to the subsb~dte web, with the outboard elastic member located laterdlly ouUboard of the inboard elasUc member. A dividing meansseparates away a porUon of the substrate web and a portion of the outboard elasUc member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are an~dnged in a staggered 01, _. Ia,u~ relabon.
In a parUcular aspect of the invenUon, the method and apparatus for making an article includes a,, ,__I I~I, ,i~,,, for supplying a substrdte web having a first side region and a second side region. A first inboard elasUc member is attached to the first side region of the subsbrate web, and a second inboard elasUc member is attached to the second side region of the subsb~dte web. A first outboard elasUc member is attached to the first side 3s re~ion of the substrak web, and a second outboard elastic member is attdched to the 218~9~
.~
second side region of the substrate web. Each of the outboard elasbc members is located laterally outboard of its associated inboard elastic member, realJe~,U~ . A
portion of the first side region o~ the subsbrate web and a portion of the first outboard elasUc member are separated away to thereby provide a first set of elastics whidh are s an-anged in a staggered relation. A portion of the second side region and a portion of the second outboard elastic member are separated away to thereby provide a second set of elasUc members which are an-anged in a staggered relation.
In its various aspeds, the process and apparatus of the present invenhon can more effedb'vely produce elasUcized arb'cles on high-speed manufadurin~ lines, and can readily consbucd arb'cles whidh provide a desired confonmity to the different, body lines and shapes which are typically present at the front and back regions of a wearer's body.
The process and apparatus can be readily adapted for use with exisbng manufaduring lines, and can be readily reconfigured to provide elasbc systems whidh indude elastic members an anged with desired offsets and da~ L ies.
Brief DescriDtion of the Drawinas The invenb'on will be more fully understood and further ad~/d, Itaye5 will become 2 0 apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description and accu" ll~dl I,';. 9 drawings in which:
Fig. 1 shows a âchematic le~neSel ' " ~ of the method and apparatus of the invenUon;
2s Fig. 2 I~,leaél ,' ''. _'~ shows a top, plan view of a subsbate web with various Culll~.or,e"~, assembled to the web;
Fig. 3 ,.",, eael . . _Iy shows a top, plan view of a composite subsbrate web having addibonal ~IlllJwlel~ assembled to the web;
Fig. 4 le~l eSel ,L~.t;:~'y shows an altennative tedhnique for providing inboard and outboard elastic members onto the substrate web;
Fig. ~, el~l ea~ ,'y shows a further tedhnique for providing a plurality of inboard and outboard elasbc members employing a sinyle supply roll of carrier web material.
. .~ 21~29 Detailed DescriPtion of the Invention The techniquâ of the present invenUon will be described in the wntext of its 45â in s produdng disposable absorbent artides, such as those whidh can be placed a~ainst or in proximity to the body of the wearer to absorb and contain various exudates disdharged from the body. The arb'des are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use, and are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored for reuse. It should bâ understood, however, that the potential uses of the method and apparatus of the present invention are not limited to disposable absorbent arUcles. vVhile the present description will parUcularly be made in the context of a diaper arUcle, it should be further understood that the present invention is also applicable to other arb'des, such as caps, gowns, ^wvers, adult i, ,w, ," ,~"~,e gamments, sanitary napkins, dhildren's b aining pants and the like.
Vvith reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a method and apparatus 10 for making an elasb'dzed arUde, such as a diaper 12, indudes a delivering means for supplying a subsbate web 14 having a longitudinal machine-direction 26 and a lateral cross-direction 24. A
wnnecting means, such as a "~1 ~d~)i~"~ which includes a flrst elasb'c applicator roll 2 o 126, attadhes and securâs an inboard elasUc member 30 to the subsbrate web 14 at a selected location. A second connecUng means, sudh as a Illal,lldll;_..l which includes a sewnd elasb'c applicator roll 128, attaches and secures an outboard elasbc mâmber 34 to the subsbrate web 14 with the outboard elasUc member 34 positioned laterally outboard of the inboard elasUc member 30. A dividin~ means, sudh as a water cutter system94, separatesawayaporUonofthesubsbateweb 14andaw,,a~,o,,~i,,~, associated portion of the outboard elasUc membâr 34 to thâreby provide a Sât of elastics whidh are an anged in a staggered, G . _. Idp,~ g relation.
The method and apparatus of the invenb'on can be wnfigured to produce a plurality of sets of elastics with eadh set including an inboard elasbc member and an associated outboard âlasb'c membâr arranged in a staggered c .~. Id~J~Jil ,9 relabon. For example, an article such as the shown diaper 12, can include two sets of elastics with one set located at each of a pair of laterally opposed side margin regions of the diaper. The sewnd set of elastics in the sewnd side margin of the arUde has a wonfigurab'on which .
is substanUally a mirror ima~e of the first set of elasb'cs located in the first side mar~in of the diaper.
Accordin~ly, a particular aspect of the invention provides a method and apparatus 10 s for making an elasticized arb'cle, such as the shown diaper 12. The method and apparatus include a delivery Ille-,l ldl lialll, such as a I l le~.l lal lis", which includes supply roll 28, for supplying a substrate web 14 having a first side re~ion 16 and a second side region 18. A first connecUng means, such as a ,.,e~l,d,.i ,... which includes the applicator roll 126, attaches a first inboard elastic member 30 to the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and attaches a second inboard elastic member 32 to the second side region 18 of the substrate web. A second connectin~ means, such as the Ille~,l Idl lialll which includes applicator roll 128, attaches a first outboard elastic member 34 to the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and attaches a second outboard elasb'c member 36 to the second side region 18 of the substrate web. Each of theoutboard elastic members 34 and 36 is located laterally outboard of its associated inboard elastic member 30 and 32, le~,u~ . A dividing means, such as the shown water cutter system 94, separates away a portion of the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and a porUon of the first outboard elasUc member 34 to therebyprovide a first set 23 of elastics which are arranged in a staggered, Ol/~.ldp,Uil I~J relation.
The dividing means also separates away a porUon of the second side region 18 and a portion of the second outboard elasUc member 36 to thereby provide a second set 25 of elastic members which are arranged in another staggered, o ~, Id,u,uil ,9 relaUon.
Intheconstructionandassemblyofthevariouswebsandcu.,,,uo~,e,,lelements employedtofommarUcle12,variousattachingorsecuring",__llal,i",.~,canbe employed. Such attaching Illé~.lldlli~ can, forexample, include adhesive bonding, cohesive bonding, themmal bonding, sonic bonding, sUtching, pinning, stapling, welding bonds, fusing bonds, and the like. An example, of a typical consb uction adhesive is a C~l . . _. I'' ~dl hotmelt, pressure-sensitive adhesive.
At any parUcular, selected location along the method and apparatus, the machine-direction 26 is the generally length-wise direcUon along which a particular web, or composite web, of material is bein~ moved or bdl l:>,UUI led throu~h the process. The cross-direction 24 extends generally alon~ the plane of the web of material, and is perpendicular to the particular madhine-direcb'on e ,L"~ ed by the method or apparatus at the selected location.
The inboard elastic members 30, 32 and the outboard elasbc members 34, 36 are s typically ananged to operably gather and shinr the substrate web 14. In the illustrated allal)9élll-~ theelasbcmembersarearrangedtogabherthesubsbatewebalongits longitudinal, machine-diredion 26. Optionally, the present invention can be configured to provide other elastic members whidh are arranged to gather the substrate web along its lateral, cross-direcUon 24.
Vvith reference to the configuration of the invenbon le,ule~ t.~t;.~!y shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a substrate web 14 is suitably delivered from a suitable source, sudh as the shown supply roll 28 and is moved at a IJledetelll ,i"ed speed along the longitudinal, machine-direction 26 of the method and apparatus. The substrate web can, for example, be a web of the material employed to fomm a seleded portion of the final arb'de, sudh as the topsheet, badksheet or other layer of a diaper artide. In the shown allelll9éllle.~ of bhe invention, the subsbate web ~4 is selected to provide the badksheet or outer cover of the article. Accordingly, the substrate web may be composed of a liquid pemmeable material, but desirably comprises a material which is confi~ured to be 20 substanb'ally i. Il,uel, lled~le to liquids. For example, a typical backsheet can be manufactured from a thin plastic film, or other flexible liquid , IlledL le material.
Such "flexible" materials are compliant and will readily confomm to the general shape and contours of the weare~s body.
In particular ~.. ll,~,~ill._,lt~ of the invention, subsbrate web 14 can be a pol~ ' ,e film having a bhickness of from about 0.012 millimeters (0.5 mil) to about 0.051 millimeters (2.0 mils). In bhe shown e",L Odi",e"l, for example, the subsbate web is a film having a thickness of about 1.25 mil. Altemabve constructions of the substrate web may comprise a woven or non-woven fibrous web layer whidh has been totally or partially constructed orbeated to imparta desired level of liquid i".~,e"" ' "'~ to selected regions of the substrate web that are adjacent or proximate the absorbent body. The substrate web 14 typically provides the outer cover of the arb'de. Optionally, however, the article may comprise a separate outer cover member which is in addition to the substrate web.
21~2g .
The substrate web 14 may opb'onally include a micro-porous, "L " '' Idbl~" material which pemmits vapors to escdpe from the absorbent structure while sbll preventing liquid exudates from passing through the substrate web. For example, the breathable substrate web may be composed of a microporous polymer film or a nonwoven fabrics which has been coated or otherwise treated to impart a desired level of liquid ut~ . An example of a suitable microporous film is a PMP-1 material, which is available from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., a company having of fices in Tokyo, Japan; or an XKO-8044 polyolefin film available from 3M Company of ~ '' " l~dpuli~, Minnesota. The subsbate web can also be embossed or otherwise be provided with amatte finish to exhibit a more ~,tl, " 'l~ pleasing à~ dldl ,ce.
The subsbrate web 14 includes a plurality of appointed article length segments 15 (Fig. 2) which are serially connected and distributed along the longitudinal machine-direcb'on 26 of the substrdte web. Each of the article segments 15 is typically appointed to b~ sepanated away to fomm an individual article, such a diaper 12.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the present invenbon can be configured to provide a patch 44a of landing zone material onto a selected inward-side or outward-side surface of the subsbrate web 14. In the shown al~"y~l ,t, the landing zone patch is positioned on the outward-side surface of the substrate web, and is composed of a material which is compab'ble with the fastening system employed with the final article 12. The fastening system may, for example, comprise an adhesive, cohesive, an illltle~yayill~ ,llalli-,dl fastening Ill~_llàlli:,lll orthe like. As a,u~lu,uli ', the landing zone material is operdbly compabble with the selected adhesive or cohesive, or is composed of a ~ r . " ,y cu" ,,u~ "l of the ",t -,l ,d"i-,dl fastener. For example, the landing zone material may be the hook or loop co~pûnel ,l of a hook-and-loop fastening system.
In the l~,ul~:ael 1' " /u~' shown al 1 ~l Iy_.lle:l 1l, a web of the landing zone material 44 is delivered from a suitdble source, such as the shown supply roll 46, and is lldll~,UUll~:d to an operable cutting Illeullallian~ 45. The cutting ...__llalli,lll separdtes the landing zone web 44 into a plurality of discreet patches 44a (Fig. 2) which are then operably attached to pl~dele:ll";,~ed, sequential locabons along the substrate web 14. Suitable techniques for cutb'ng and placing the landing zone patches 44a on to the subsbate web 14 are described in U.S.P. 4,795,510 entitled PROCESS FOR APPLYING REINFORCING
~ 21~5~29 MATERIAL TO A DIAPER COVER MATERIAL, and issued January 3, 1989 to M.
Witbrodk et al.; and in U.S.P. 5,235,515 entitl~d METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
CONTROLLING THE CUTTING AND PLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS ON A MOVING
SUBSTRATE, AND ARTICLE MADE THEREWITH, and issued August 10, 1993 to T. Ungpiyakul et al. (Attomey docket No. 10,159). The enUre disdosures of these documents are hereby i". u, r ~ by reference in a manner whidh is consistent herewith.
The substrate web 14 is L, dl la,uul l~d to a suitable " le:-,l Idl lial 1 l for operably locating and attadhing elasUc memberâ to i"t~""i~t~ , spaced apart locations along the machine-direr~Uon of the web. In bhe âhown configurations, bhe spacing technique includes a ",e~,l Idl lialll for i"L~" "i~t~"t'~ fomming a selected plurality of laterally extendin~ tucks 42 (Fi3s. 4 and 5) in the substrate web, and then removing bhe tucks after bhe elasbcs have been applied to bhe subsbrate web. Suitable techniques for a~ " "i. ,~ sbretdhedelasUc members to bhe laterally opposed side regions of a moving subsb-ate web described in U.S.P. 4,227,952 entiUed METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING
DIAPERS WITH ELASTIC BANDS issued October 14, 198û to R. Sabee; and U.S.P.
4,498,944 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AN ELASTICIZED
GARMENT BY TUCKING A PORTION OF THE DIAPER WEB DURING BONDING OF
ELASTIC TO THE UN-TUCKED PORTIONS OF THE WEB issued February 12, 1985 to C. Krause et al., the enb're disdosures of v~hich are hereby il~wl~Jul~t~,l by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith. Other suitable manufaduring tedhniques for ' " ,~ stretched elasUc members to a moving substrate web are described in U.S.P. 4,081,301 enbbed METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY
ATTACHING DISCREET, STRETCHED ELASTIC STRANDS TO PREDETERMINED
ISOLATED PORTIONS OF DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT PRODUCTS issued Mardh 28, 1978 to K Buell; and U.S.P. 4,711,683 entibed METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
MAKING ELASTIC DIAPERS issued December 8, 1987 to J. Merkatoris.
The various elasUc members are secured to bhe subsb ate web 14 in an elasUcally <,ul l~l d-,tiLJI~ condibon so bhat in a nommal under strain configuration, bhe elastic members effectively conbract against bhe substrate web. The elastic members can be secured in bhe elasUcally .,u, Ib d~,tiL)lt~ condition in various ways. For example, bhe elasb'c members may be stretched and bhe sbetched elasUcs secured to bhe substrate web 14 while bhe subsbrak web is in an Ul ICOI 1~l a~,k~ condition. Al~ matively, bhe . ~
substrate web may be contracted, For example, by pleating, and the elasb'c members secured and connected to bhe subsbate web while bhe elastic members are in theirunrelaxed or unsb etched condition . SUII other " ,e~,l ,c,, lial I ID, such as heat-shrink elastic material, may be attached to an u"w, It~a-,ted subsb ate web and then acUvated to s ~ather the appointed regions of the substrate web.
In the configuration illustrated in Fig. 1, the elastic members are ananged to extend essentially along the complete len~th o~ an appointed crotch region of a diaper arUcle.
AltemaUvely, the elasb'c members may extend the enbre length of the arUde, or any other length suitable for providing the ell, al Iyé" ~ of elasUcally cu, Ib c--,tible lines desired for the parUcular arUde design.
The various elasUc members may have any of a multitude of configurations. For example, the width of the individual elasUc members may be varied from 0.25 millimeters (0.01 inches) to 25 millimeters (1.0 inches) or more. Each elasUc member may comprise a single strand or sbn'p of elasUc material, or may comprise a plurality of parallel or non-parallel sbands of elastic material. The elastic members may be applied in a rectilinear or curvilinear c~, ,<., Iy_..lel 1l. vVhere mulUple sbands are employed, the individual sbrands may be consb ucted to provide substantially equal elasbc forces, or may be consbucted to provide different elasb'c forces. For example, the individual strands may be of different diameter or other size, or may be configured with different amounts of elongation to thereby provide a gradient or other variaUon of elasb'ctensions. Where the sbands are non-parallel, two or more of the sbands may intersect or other~vise i"' _u, " lel,l within the elasUc member. The elasbc members may be affixed to the subsbate web 14 in any of several cu"~ al ways which are known inthe art. For example, the elastic members may be ~ ~" CIDUI li~ y bonded, heat and pressure sealed using a variety of bonding pattems, or adhesively bonded to the subsbrate web with sprayed or swirled pattems of hobmelt or other type of adhesive.
In the illustrated configuraUon of the invention, for example, the elasbc members may comprise a carrier sheet to which are attached a ~rouped set of elasbcs composed of a plurality of individual elastic strands. The elasUc sbands may intersect or be i"' ~,u, " le~,le~, or be entirely separated from one another. The carrier sheet may, for example, comprise a 0.002 cm thick film of u "_.,IL ~ssed p(,ly", u~,;: le material. The elastic strands can, for example, be composed of LYCRA~) elastomer available from 21~D~9 ~ .
DuPont, a business havin~ offfices in v'vilmington, Delaware. Each elasb'c sb-and is typically within bhe range of about 620-1050 decitex (dtx~, and preferably, is about 940 dtx in an erl~Lodi",_. ,l of the invenb'on wherein three sbrands are employed for each elasticized legband. In addition, the elastic members may be generally sb~aight or s optionally curved. For example, the curved elasb'cs can be inwardly bowed toward the longitudinal centerline of the diaper. In particulara"d"~ .,L, the curvature of the elasb'cs may not be configured or positioned sy" ' i~::~ relative to the lateralcenterline of the diaper. The curved elasb'cs may have an inwardly bowed and outwardly bowed, reflex-type of curvature, and the length-wise center of the elasUcs may be offset by a selected distance toward either bhe front or rear waistband of bhe diaper to provide desired fit and a,u,~
The configuraUon of the invenUon le~ y shown in Fi~. 1 provides a system of leg elasUc members which are each composed of multiple strands of el.~t~,",_,:_ ' material attached to a thin, flexible carrier sheet. To fomm the inboard elasUc members 30 and 32 (Fi~. 2), a first inboard elasUc web 31 is operably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 112, and a second inboard elasUc web 33 isoperably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 114. Each of the elasticwebs 31 and 33 is composed of multiple sbands of ela~,l,e,i~ material, such a Lycra~, and the individual sbands are ananged in a substanUally parallel,spaced-apart and separate relation to each other.
A pair of inboard can ier sheet ribbons 38 are operably delivered from suitable sources, such as the shown supply rolls 120. The can ier ribbons are operably attached to the inboard elasUc webs 31 and 33, and the resultant c~ aites are attached to the subsbah web 14. In b'le shown ~" ell ,_ ,~, the inboard composite webs are substanUally sbaight and are located atthe laterally opposed side regions 16 and 18 of b'le substrate web 14. v'vith respect of each arUcle segment 15 of the substrate web, appointed porb'ons of the assembled composite webs provide a pair of laterally opposed inboard elasUc members 30 and 32 having a substanUally straight and linear configuraUon.
To fomm the outboard elastic members 34 and 36 (Fi~.2), a first outboard elasUc web 35 is operably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 116, and a second outboard elastic web 37 is operably delivered from a suitable source, such as 21~929 .~
bhe shown supp~y roll 118. Each of the elasbcwebs 35 and 37 can be composed of multiple strands of ~la~h~ , material, such a Lycra~, and the individual strands can be arranged in a substanUally parallel, spaced-apart and separate relaUon to each other.
s Outboard carrier sheet ribbons 40 are operably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply rolls 122, and are operably mated and attached to the Cu~ ~ tlDUU~ ~di~ 1~ outboard elastic webs 35 and 37. The resultant outboard composite webs are operably delivered for d~L~I..I Illlel ,l onto the laterally opposed side regions 16 and 18 0f bhe subsbrate web 14. In the ~e:U~t~D~ shown cc "q~. . ' , of bhe invention, each outboard elastic web 35 and 37 is in a laterally offset and spaced-away posiUon which is laterally outboard of its cu, ~D~JU~ ~di~ ~ and associated inboard elasUc web 31 and 33"~a,ueuti~
In the shown ~ L~ the outboard elastic webs at each appointed artide se~ment 15 of the subsbrate web 14 are selectively curved to indude sections thereof whidh laterally diver~e from its associated inboard ~lasUc web. A suitable tedhnique for forming a stretched, curved elasbc to a subsb ate is described in U.S.P. 5,275,876 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CURVED ELASTIC TO A
MOVING WEB issued January 4, 1994 to J. Ro~ ' et al. The enUre disclosure of which is hereby incu, ,uu,. ' by reference in a manner whidh is consistent herewith.
Vvhile not being required for the technique of the present invenbon, various obher ~ UI ~ IUU~e~ ~tD may also be assembled onto the substrate web 14. For example, waist elasUc members, absorbent pads, a liquid permeable topsheet layer, sections of surge ~"c",c~_."_.,lmaterial,andfastening",~ ",iD",aforsecuringthearbdeonawearer may be i,,~,u,~ . I onto the substrate web 14 by employing various cu,,._., ,al tedmiques arranged in an operable sequence, as desired.
Forexample, bhe shown configurabon of the invenbon includes a IllOdl~llliDIII for locaUng and attadhing patches of elastic material onto the subsbate web 14 to fomm the waist elasbc members at the front and rear waist band secUons of the diaper. Suitable materials for fomming the waist elasbc members are described in U.S.P. 4,861,652enbtled DIAPER ARTICLE WITH ELASTICIZED WAIST PANEL, and issued August 29, g2~
.
1989 to M. Lippert et al., the enbre disclosure of which is i""~, ~ . ' ' herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
Inbhe~"a"u~ llIshowninFig 1,thewaistelasbcweb48isoperablydeliveredfrom s a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 50, and is moved to a adhesive applicator system 52 which places an assembly adhesiv~ onto bhe waist elasbc web 48.
The waist elastic web is delivered to a cutting . . .~_l lal lial l l 54 which separates the waist elastic web 48 into discrete patches 48a for d~lal~hl l ll~ to the substrate web 14. The web 48 of elasbc material is elasUcally c.",t~d~,til.le alonrO~ its longitudinal machine-direction. Accordingly, the patches 48a of waist elasbc material are delivered onto a rotating tum roll 56 to reorient the elastic cc "'. ' ' "~ of bhe waist elastic material along the cross-direction 24 of the substrate web 14. A suitable rotabng tum roll is described in U.S. Patent4,608,115 enbtled REVOLVING TRANSFER ROLL, and issued August 26, 1986 to Schroth et al., the enbre disclosure of which is inc~ vldt~d herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
A series of absorbent pads can also be assembled onto bhe substrate web 14. In the illustrated ~."L ~ , a sheet of wood pulp material 60 is delivered into a ,,l ')dl fiberizing Ill~.hdllialll, such as llall ll " 62. The llall lll"' ~ ~O.. ' the wood pulp sheet into a multiplicity of individual fibers which are air laid onto a web of fomming bssue 66 can ied on the surface of a fomming drum 64. The fomming tissue 66 is delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roil 68, and is operably placed onto the moving outer surface of the rotabng fomming dnum 64 employing c~, ~ dl .. . ' lal liallla. The fomming drum 64 delivers the airlaid fibrous web and fomming bssue for placement onto a moving web of cover bssue 70 which isoperably delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 72.
Exsmples of suitable techniques for fomming the airlaid fibrous web are described in U.S.P. 4,~66,647 entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING A LAID
FIBROUS WEB, and issued May 19, 1987 to K. Enloe et al.; and in U.S.P. 4,761,258entitled CONTROLLED FORMATION OF LIGHT AND HEAW FLUFF ZONES, and issued August 2, 1988 to K. Enloe. The entire disclosures of these documents arei"co",~ herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
~1 ~5929 The composite absorbent pad web 58 is delivered to a suitable shaping ~ ,l Idl li~l ll, such as a water cutter 74, to produce the desired side contours of the individual absorbent pads. The absorbent pad web 58 is operably divided into individual absorbent pads 58a and assembled onto a moving topsheet web 76.
s The topsheet web is typically composed of a fibrous liquid pemmeable material and is delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 78. The topsheet web 76 presents a body-facing surface which is compliant, soft-feeling, and non-irritating to bhe wearer's shn. Further, the topsheet web can be less hydrophilic than the absorbent pad material, and is sufficiently porous to be liquid permeable, permitting liquid to penetrate throush its thickness. A suitable topsheet may be manufactured from a wide selecbon of web materials, such as porous foams, rebculated foams, apertured plasUc films, natural fibers (for example, wood or cotton fibers), synthebc fibers (for example, polyester or pol~,,,u,u,' ne fibers), or a c~."Lil " , of natural and synthetic fibers. The topsheet web material is typically employed to help isolate the wearer's shn from liquids held in bhe absorbent pads. Various woven and nonwoven fabrics can be used for the topsheet web 76. For example, the topsheet web may be composed of a meltblown orspunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. The topsheet may also be a bonded-carded-web composed of natural and/or synthebc fibers.
For the purposes of the present description, the term "nonwoven web" means a web of material which is formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knittlng process. The term "fabrics" is used to refer to all of the woven, kni~ted and nonwoven fibrous webs.
The topsheet web fabrics may be composed of a substanbally I ,J~lu,ul~l,i., and substanbally nu" ' ' material, and the hJd~ u,ul~obic material may optionally bebreated with a surfactant or other~vise processed to impart a desired level of wettability and I Illlu~Jl "' '~y. In a partlcular ~ o~i" ,-:"l of the invention, the topsheet web 76 Cdn be a nonwoven, spunbond pùly,~, u,uJ~ e fabric composed of about 2.8-3.2 denier fibers fomled into a web having a basis weight of about 22 gsm and density of about û.û6 gm/cc. The fabric can be surface breated with a selected amount of surfactant, such as about 0.28% Triton X-102 surfactant. The surfactant can be applied by any co" /~. " ,al means, such as spraying, prinbng, bnush coabng or the like.
21~29 .~, The surfactant material, such as a conventional wetting agent, can be applied to a medial section of the topsheet layer 76 to provide a greater wettability of the medial section, as compared to a remainder of the topsheet layer 76. In particular configurations, the cross-direcUonal width of the medial sect~on cdn be substanUally s equal to or less than bhe cross-directional width of a surge Illdl Id~ l IL porbon 80a, whidh is constructed from a web of surge Illdlla9~ material 80. The surfactant-treated medial sectlon can be d,~ JA;III ' ~y centered with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the diaper, and can extend along substanUally the entire length of the topsheet layer. Altemabvely, the surfactant breated medial section can be consb ucted to extend along only a p,~d~t~"";,~ed portion of the topsheet length.
In desired d"a"~e,n~"t~, the web of surge ",d"ag~",~"~ material 80 is delivered from a suitable source, such as the shown supply roll 82, and individual surge ",d"dge",è"l por~ions 80a are cut from the web 80 and assembled onto the topsheet web 76. In the shown dl Idl lS~ l 11, for example, an applicator 84 provides an adhesive for securing the surge I l ldl ,aJ~" ,_. ,l porbons 80â onto the topsheet web. The resultant, composite topsheetweb is delivered foralla~,l""c",l in an dlld~y_..l~lllwhidh ~dll~ S the series of absorbent pads between the topsheet web 76 and the substrate web 14 toprovide an assembled substrate web 14a. In the shown configuraUon, the surge 20 Illdl ,a~e:" le:l ,I material is interposed between the topsheet web 76 and the absorbent pads. OpUonally, the topsheetweb can be interposed between the surge Illdlld~t:lllt:ll material and the absorbent pads.
Various woven and nonwoven fabrics can be used to constnuct the surge ",d"a~_..,.,"l web 80. For example, the surge ",d"ag~",~ web material may be a layer composed of a meltblown or spunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. The surge ",d"àg~",e",L layer may also be a bonded-cdrded-web or an airlaid web composed of natural and synthetic fibers. The bonded-carded-web may, for example, be a powder-bonded-carded web, an infrared bonded carded web, or a through-air-bonded-carded web. The infrared and 3 o through-air bonded cdrded webs can optionally indude a mixture of different fibers, and the fiber lengths within a selected fabric web may be within bhe range of about 1.0-3.0 inch (about 2.54-7.62 cm). The surge " ,a"a~_.. ,~ "l web may be composed of a substanbally I .,dIU~JI ,uL,i., material, and the I IJIIU~I ,uI,i-, material may opUonally be treated with a surfactdnt or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of wettdbility ând l l~dl u~ . In particular configurations of the invention, the surge material can 218~929 includeL,iw,~,,uu"~ fibers. Fûrexample,po'~,,u,u,~'~.,d/polyethylenel,iw",,uù,~a"l fibers may be employed to Form the L,iw,,,~,u, ,t:"L Fiber portion of any of the described fabrics. In addition, the ~iwom~ul~t:l ,L fibers may be flat crimped or helically crimped.
s The shown wonfiguraUon of bhe surge, llal ,age" ,L material is operably conneded to the topsheet web with a wn~, " ,al pattem of adhesive, such as a swirl adhesive patLem. In addition, the surge " ~D~la~ material can be operably wnneded with a w,~ dl pattem of adhesive to the bodyside surface of bhe cover b'ssue 70 employed to consbud Uhe absorbent pads. Typically The amount of adhesive add-on should be suffficient to provide the desired levels of bonding, but should be low enough to avoid eA~ ; /ul~ restricting the movement of liquid from the topsheet layer, through the surge i"cl~aye:l".:"L portion and through the wrapsheet layer.
In the various w, .9~ . '' la of the invention, the surge " Idl la~t~.ll_. ,t material may eAtend over the complete length of the absorbent pad, or may eAtend over only a part of the absorbent pad length. vVhere the surge Illal, " ,L material extends only parb'ally along the length of bhe absorbent pad, the surge n.a"ay~ , .L material may be selecb'vely positioned anywhere along absorbent pad stnudure. For example, the surge Illdl~dyt:m~:l IL material may fundb'on more efliciently when it is offset toward bhe front waistband of the gamment and Lldllavera~ly centered within a front sedUon of theabsorbent structure. Thus, the sur~qa md, la9~:11._. ,~ material can be à,u,u,oAi., ' '~
centered about the longitudinal center line o~ absorbent sb ucture, and posib'oned primarily in a central region of a front sedion of the absorbent strudure.
In other aspects of the invenUon, the end edges of the surge ",al Idy~",e"L material can be spaced longitudinally inboard from the end edges of the individual absorbent pads.
InparUcularw,,1~ s,thecu.,ea~o,,di,,g,relaUvelyadjacentfrontendedgeof surge I ,ay_. . ,.:"t porb'on 45 can be spaced a 1~ L~:. " ,i"~ discrete distance from a front waistband end edge of its associated absorbent pad.
Additional details regarding the surge materials and suitable techniques for d~t~" "i"i, .g the above-described ~dlall.~,t~.a are setforth in U.S. PatentApplicaUon Serial No.
2û8,98~ of C. Ellis and D. Bishop, enbtled, FIBROUS NONWOVEN WEB SURGE
L AYER FOR PERSONAL CARE ABSORBENT ARTICLES AND THE LIKE, and filed March 4, 1994 (Attomey docket No. 11,256); and U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
. 2185929 206,069 of C. Ellis and R. Everett, enUtled, IMPROVED SURGE MANAGEMENT
FIBROUS NONWOVEN WEB FOR PERSONAL CARE ABSORBENT ARTICLES AND
THE LIKE, and filed March 4, 1994 (Attomey docket No. 11,387); the disclosures of which are hereby i, ,w, ,uu. ' ' by reference in a manner that is consistent herewith.
With reference to Fig. 2, eadh artide segment 15 of the assembled substrate web 14a is operably construded to include appointed portions of the inboard elasbc webs 31 and 33, and each arb'de segment also includes appointed portions of the outboard elasbc webs 35 and 37. With respect to eadh artide segment, a portion ûf elastic web 31 is an~nged to provide the hrst inboard elastic member 3û, a portion of elasbc web 33 is arranged to provide bhe second inboard elastic member 32, a portion ûf elasUc web 35 is arranged to provide the first outboard elasbc member 34, and a portion of the elastic web 37 is arranged to provide the second outboard elastic member 36.
The appointed portiûns of one ûr more of the elastic webs can extend along substantially the enb're length of their associated article segments 15, or any selected portion thereof, as desired. In the illustrated configurations, for example, the elasbc web portions are each configured to extend along an i"t, "".~ " longitudinally medial portion of each arb'de segment 15.
In the various altemabve configurations of the invenUon, the inboard elastic members 3û and 32, the outboard elasUc members 34 and 36, or ccllll,i~ thereof can be consb ucted to have a curved w"19 ~ . The shown al 1~l 19~sl 1,~., ll, for example, is configured to provide inboard elastic members 3û and 32 which have a substanb'ally straight, linear cc, l1g I " " and to provide outboard elastic members 34 and 3~ which have the curved cu~ q~ ~ . " ,. The ,t ~ s.:"' '' . _'y shown, curved outboard elastic memb~rs are inwardly bowed with respect to the lateral cross-direcb'on 24, and are concave with respect to the laterally outward direction at their longitudinally medial regions. The shown outboard elastic members also have a substantially, conb'nuously curved co,l11, . " ,.
With respect to eadh article segment 15 of the subsbrate web 14, the first set 23 of elasbc members are arranged to shirr and gather the first side region 16 of the substrate web, and the second set 25 of elastic members are arran~ed to shirr and gather the second side region 18 of the substrate web.
218~929 .~
Suitable fastening " It ~,l lal li~" ~s, such as fastening tapes can then be secured to appointed regions of the assembled substrate web 14a in a co,,.~.~t,ul~al manner.
s Altematively, the fastening system may i,~co,~,u, ' a stretchable side panel secured to the lateral side regions of each article segment 15 of the substrate web 14. An example of a suitable technique for producing the fastening system is described in U.S.
Patent Application Serial No. 415, 383 filed April 3, 1995 by D. Fries and entitled AN
ASSEMBLY PROCESS FOR A LAMINATED TAPE, the entire disclosure of which is i~ Iwl ~JUI lL~d herein by reference in a manner which is consistent herewith.
In the al lal l~ell le~ ,~ shown in Fig. 1, a pair of fastener, adhesive tape webs 86 are delivered from supply rolls 88, and a pair of release tape webs 9û are delivered from supply rolls 92. For each side of the diaper, a fastener tape web and a release tape web are assembled together and separated into individual fastener tape ~sse" ~ Jf which are attached to appointed, spaced-apart side regions of the assembled substrate web at each article segment 15 in a w,,._..' Idl manner. Accordingly, a pair of fastener tapes are available at each lateral side edge of the diaper 12 at a selected waist band porbon of the diaper.
The assembled substrate web 14a is delivered to a suitable shaping ."~ l", such as water cutter 94 which provides a desired contoured shape to each of the terminal side edges of the assembled substrate web. Accordingly, the web cutter 94 provides a desired, contour to the temminal side edges 20 and 22 of the remaining substrate web 14, and the contour can be configured to have an irregular or regular pattem, asdesired. In the shown configuration, the contour has a substantially regularly repeating pattem which provides a selected contour shape that is regularly repeated for each arbcle segment 15 of the assembled substrate web. The shown contours along the first and second side regions of the substrate web are substantially mirror-images of each other. In addition, the contour shape can be d~ ll "~._t, i-,al with respect to the longitudinal dimension 2~ of the article segment 15. Particular aspects of the invention can be configured to have the deepest, most inboard portion of the cut contour located toward the end of the article segment that is appointed to be the front waistband portion of the article 12 (Fig. 3).
` ~ 218~929 Web cutter 94 and its ~, .~ l associated ",c_l,~, li!-llla operably remove selected porbons of the assembled substrate web 14a at each artide segment 15 of the subsbrate web 14. In parbcular, the web cutters 94 are configured to separate away a portion of bhe first side region 16 of the subsbrate web 14 and a selected end porUon of s bhe first oubboard elasUc member 34 to thereby provide a first set 23 of elasUc members which are arranged in a desired, staggered o~ ,u,ui,)g relation. In the le,~ 73e.l .~
shown c~" ~-"~",~"~, the cut pattem is configured to cut away a substantial porbon of a selected, longitudinal end porbon of bhe outboard elasUc member. As a result, the major secUon of the remaining oubboard elastic is longitudinally biased toward one end of its assodated article segment 15. The remaining oubboard elasUc is desirably biased toward the end of the article segment which is appointed to be at the rear waistband section of the finished article 12. During the separabng operation, bhe web cutter 94 may also separate away portions of othem,u"".unl:"ta, such as a portion of the topsheet web 76 at each arbcle segment 15 of the substrate web.
Similarly, another porUon of the water cutter system 94 can separate away a porUon of the second side region 18 of the assembled substrate web at each article segment 15 of the subsb ate web 14. In parUcular, the water cutter 94 can separate away a porbon of bhe second side region 18 of the subsbrate web 14 and a selected end porbon of the second outboard elasbc member 36 to thereby provide a second set 25 of elasUc members which are anranged in a desired, staggered c.~ g relaUon.
Other cutting ",e~,l Idllia~\~S, such as slitters, die cutters, air knives, lasers, obher focused energy beams, and bhe like may be employed to separate away the selected portions of bhe subsbrate 14 and the selected portions of the outboard elastic members 34 and 36.
With respect to each set 23 and 25 of elastics (Figs. 2 and 3), the first set 23 is arranged to gather and shirr the first side region 16 of the substrate web 14, and the second set 25 is arranged to gather and shinr the second side region 18 of the subsbrate web. In addibon, each outboard elastic member 34, 36 has at least a porbon thereof which is in a laterally offset, spaced-away posiUon relaUve to its assodated inboard elasUc member 30, 32"~a~e~L~ly. The shown Cl"~"9~"~t:"~ has the longitudinal endporUon of the outboard elastic laterally spaced from its associated inboard elastic.
Alternatively, a substanUal entirety of the outboard elasUc may be laterally spaced from its associated inboard elasbc. - 18 -~ `~ 218~2~
In addibon, the longitudinally stasgered relation between each outboard elastic member and its associated inboard elasUc member can be configured with each outboard elastic member overlapping only a portion of its ~Sn~ tad~ w~ ".li"g inboard elastic s member. In the shown configuraUon the staggered relation is configured with the inboard elasb'c member 30 32 overlapping a substantial enbrety of the outboard elastic member 34 36. Altennab'vely the staggered relation can be configured with the inboard elastic member 30, 32 biased toward one end of its associakd article segment to thereby overlap only a porb'on of the outboard elastic member 34, 36.
As, t~ t~ Iy shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of w, Itdil ""~"I flaps 97 may be connected to the topsheet web 76. In the illustrated configurab'on a w, Itdil ",le71 ,I flap web 96 is delivered from supply roll 98 and two sets of w, ll~il ", lel ,I flap elasb'cs 100 are assembled and attached onto the w, ~tail~l "~ l flap web 96. Each of the two lateral side regionsofthew,,l~i,,,,,~,,lflapweb96arefoldedoverinwardlyontopofthe Wlltdilllll~lll flap elastics 100 and operably secured in place. The folded W~t~flap web is then slit longitudinally along its medial secb'on between the two sets of w,,l~i,,,,,tz,,lflap elasbcs 100with a suitabl~ separating n,e~ ,,is,,,, such as slitter 102.
The cutting operaUon provides a pairof cu,,~;.,,,ns,,lflap ~Selll'~" 101 which are then assembled and attached to the topsheet web 76.
Suitable configurabons of the co"t~i"",e nl flaps 97 are described in U.S.P. 4 704 116 entitled DIAPERS WITH ELASTICIZED SIDE POCKETS issued November 3 1987 to K. Enloe; and U.S. Patent ApplicaUon Serial No. 208 816 of K. Everett et al. filed March 4 1994 and entitled ABSORBENT ARTICLE HAVING AN IMPROVED SURGE
MANAGEMENT (Attorney docket No. 11,375). The entire disclosures of these documents are hereby inw"u~ d by reference in a manner that is consistent herewith.
The assembled subsbate web can then be delivered to a w,~ /~. ," ,al folding ".~ "i~", which folds the assembled subsbate web inwardly along a longitudinal fold line. The folded web can then be delivered to a cubting n ,~_l ,c" ,i~m 106 which separates the assembled substrate web into a series of separate, individual arb'cles 12.
TheindividualarUclescanbhenbedeliveredtoaw~J~.I'' ,alfolder"~l,a"i"n108 which folds the individual articles along selected lateral fold lines. The folded diapers - 19 -~
21~929 can subsequently be delivered to a conventional stacker " ,__l lal lialll 110 whidh a~yl I O _ the individual articles into stacks containing a selected number of articles.
The stadked arb'cles can then be delivered for packasing in a cu, ~ I-,. ~" ~al manner.
s With reference to Fig. 4, an altemative technique can be employed to produce a set of inboard and outboard elastic members. In particular, the altennabve co"9~ ~ _" , can be substituted for the elasUc applicab'ng system which includes applicator rolls 12~ and 128, and their assodated ~,uùnel ~tS. The system of cu""uU,)e"tJ lc,u, ~
shown in Fig. 4 is con9gured for providing a set of inboard and outboard elasbc members along one side region 18 of the substrate web 14 with a single applicator roll 140. It should be readily app-c ' ' that a similar mirror-ima~qe a"a"~_..,ts"l of CC",,uu,~c,lts can also be employed to provide a second, ~Ill~Jlcll~ ~Ital~f setof inboard and outboard elasbc members along bhe opposite side region 10 of the subsb ate web.
The mirror-image system may employ a variation of the applicator roll 140 whidh is extended to operably reach to the second side region 16 of thc substrate web, or may employ another separate applicator roll which may or may not be inde~,." ,u~ driven.
The ,c,u, cacl 1~ shown technique includes a ",~ al liall, for delivering a carrier sheet web 124 from a suitable source, sudh as bhe shown supply roll 39. A separab'ng means, such as provided by the illustrated rotary slitter 130 and anvil roll 132, operably divides the carrier sheet web into an inboard carrier sheet 38 and an outboard carrier sheet 40. A suitable system of ~uide rollers 134 dired the inboard and outboard canier sheets to a separating means, sudh as provided by the shown separator bars 13~. The separating means posiUons the cam'er sheets with a seleded c~oss-directional spadng U Icl . L ' I, and the parb'cular spadng is a,u,~, u,u, i ' 'y configured to provide the desired spadng between the inboard and outboard elastic members in bhe ~9nal, assembled ar~ide 12. The inboard elastic web 33 and the outboard elasb'c web 37 are delivered from suitable supply rolls, and in bhe shown alla"y_..,c"l, each of the elasbc webs is composed of a ~, ~Jctcl ",;ned plurality of individual elasbc sbrands.
The carrier sheets 38 and 40 are directed by guide roller 1 5û onto the outer peripheral surface a rotatable applicator roll 14û, which is operably driven with a co,..~
" ,a11 lal lial 1 l, such as an electric motor or the like, to substantially matdh the peripheral surface speed oF the applicator roll to the movement speed of the substrate web 14. A
suitable system of guide rollers 138 direct the elasb'c webs 33 and 37 onto their ..
appointed can ier sheets 38 and 40"~ , and an d~ ll means, sudh as provided by a system of adhesive applicators 144, secures the elastic webs onto the associated caniersheets. In the shown allal~g_..lcll~, forexample, the d~Ia~l""~:"~can be provided by a sprayed or swirled pattem of hotmelt adhesive, and the adhesive can s also serve to attach the resultant inboard elasb'c composite 146 and the outboard elasbc composite 148 onto the substrate web 14.
In the shown configuration, the inboard elastic composite 146 is can ied on the outer surface of the applicator roll 140 for placement and pressin~ onto the substrate web along a substantially straight line. The outboard elasUc composite 148 is directed to an oscillator roll 142 which moves laterally in a periodic pattem and can ies the outboard elasbc composite to impart a w" ~:a~uùl Idil ~9, oscillating movement to the outboard elasUc composite. For example, the roll 142 may be can ied on a swingin~ arm to produce the desired periodic bad~-and-forth movement. The oscillaUng composite is directed back to the surface of the applicator roll, and the applicator roll places and presses the outboard elastic composite onto the subsb ate web in a desired p~, iudi~::J
undulating, curvilinear pattem.
With reference to Fig. S, a fulther ... "~ '' , of the technique can indude a separab'ng means whidh is arranged to divide the carrier web 124 into four individual carrier sheets to provide a pair of outboard canier sheets 40 and a pair of inboard cam'er sheets 38. One inboard can ier sheet and one outboard can ier sheet are suitably directed for assembly with the inboard elastic web 33 and the outboard elasb'c web 37, Itla~ !y, and for placement along one side region 18 of the subsbrate web 14. In addition, the second inboard carrier sheet and the second outboard can ier sheet are suitably directed for assembly with the inboard elasb'c web 31 and the outboard elasUc web 35, ~ _t;.~`~, and for placement along the lakrally opposite side region 16 of the subsb ate web.
Having described the invention in rather full detail, it will be readily apparent that various chan,qes and ",~ "~ " la can be made without deparUng from the spirit of the invention. All of sudh dhanges and r"- "~ '' ~s that are w, ,' " ' ' ' as being within the scope of t~e invention as de~ned by ~- subj~ined d ims.
Claims (22)
1. A method for making an elasticized article, comprising the steps of:
(a) supplying a substrate web having a longitudinal direction and a lateral cross-direction;
(b) attaching an inboard elastic member to said substrate web;
(c) attaching an outboard elastic member to said substrate web, said outboard elastic member located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic member;
(d) separating away a portion of said substrate web and a portion of said outboard elastic member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
(a) supplying a substrate web having a longitudinal direction and a lateral cross-direction;
(b) attaching an inboard elastic member to said substrate web;
(c) attaching an outboard elastic member to said substrate web, said outboard elastic member located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic member;
(d) separating away a portion of said substrate web and a portion of said outboard elastic member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
2. A method for making an elasticized article, comprising the steps of:
(a) supplying a substrate web having first and second side regions thereof;
(b) attaching a first inboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second inboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web;
(c) attaching a first outboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second outboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web, each of said outboard elastic members located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic members;
(d) separating away a portion of said first side region of said substrate web and a portion of said first outboard elastic member to thereby provide a first set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation;
(e) separating away a portion of said second side region of said substrate web and a portion of said second outboard elastic member to thereby provide a second set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
(a) supplying a substrate web having first and second side regions thereof;
(b) attaching a first inboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second inboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web;
(c) attaching a first outboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second outboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web, each of said outboard elastic members located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic members;
(d) separating away a portion of said first side region of said substrate web and a portion of said first outboard elastic member to thereby provide a first set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation;
(e) separating away a portion of said second side region of said substrate web and a portion of said second outboard elastic member to thereby provide a second set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said inboard and outboard elastic members are arranged to gather said substrate web.
4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said outboard elastic member has a curved configuration.
5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said outboard elastic member has a substantially continuously curved configuration.
6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said staggered relation is configured with said outboard elastic member overlapping only a portion of said inboard elastic member.
7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said staggered relation is configured with said inboard elastic member overlapping a substantial entirety of said outboard elastic member.
8. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said first set of elastic members are arranged to gather said first side region of said substrate web, and said second set of elastic members are arranged to gather said second side region of said substrate web.
9. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said outboard elastic members has a curved configuration.
10. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said outboard elastic members has a substantially continuously curved configuration.
11. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said separating step (d) providesa first reduced outboard elastic member which overlaps only a portion of said first inboard elastic member; and said separating step (e) provides a second reduced outboard elastic member which overlaps only a portion of said second inboard elastic member.
12, A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said separating step (d) provides a first reduced outboard elastic member, a substantial entirely of which is overlapped by said first inboard elastic member; and wherein said separating step (e) provides a second reduced outboard elastic member, a substantial entirety of which is overlapped by said second inboard elastic member.
13. An apparatus for making an elasticized article, comprising:
(a) delivering means for supplying a substrate web having a longitudinal direction and a lateral cross-direction;
(b) first connecting means for attaching an inboard elastic member to said substrate web;
(c) second connecting means for attaching an outboard elastic member to said substrate web, said outboard elastic member located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic member;
(d) dividing means for separating away a portion of said substrate web and a portion of said outboard elastic member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
(a) delivering means for supplying a substrate web having a longitudinal direction and a lateral cross-direction;
(b) first connecting means for attaching an inboard elastic member to said substrate web;
(c) second connecting means for attaching an outboard elastic member to said substrate web, said outboard elastic member located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic member;
(d) dividing means for separating away a portion of said substrate web and a portion of said outboard elastic member to thereby provide a set of elastics which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
14. An apparatus for making an elasticized article, comprising:
(a) supplying means for providing a substrate web having first and second side regions thereof;
(b) first connecting means for attaching a first inboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second inboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web;
(c) second connecting means for attaching a first outboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second outboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web, each of said outboard elastic members located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic members;
(d) first dividing means for separating away a portion of said first side region of said substrate web and a portion of said first outboard elastic member to thereby provide a first set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered c ~ . Irelation;
(e) second dividing means for separating away a portion of said second side region of said substrate web and a portion of said second outboard elastic member to thereby provide a second set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
(a) supplying means for providing a substrate web having first and second side regions thereof;
(b) first connecting means for attaching a first inboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second inboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web;
(c) second connecting means for attaching a first outboard elastic member to said first side region of said substrate web, and a second outboard elastic member to said second side region of said substrate web, each of said outboard elastic members located laterally outboard of said inboard elastic members;
(d) first dividing means for separating away a portion of said first side region of said substrate web and a portion of said first outboard elastic member to thereby provide a first set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered c ~ . Irelation;
(e) second dividing means for separating away a portion of said second side region of said substrate web and a portion of said second outboard elastic member to thereby provide a second set of elastic members which are arranged in a staggered overlapping relation.
15. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising means for providing said outboard elastic member with a curved configuration.
16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said outboard elastic member are provided with a substantially continuously curved configuration.
17, An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said staggered relation is configured with said outboard elastic member overlapping only a portion of said inboard elastic member.
18. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said staggered relation is configured with said inboard elastic member overlapping a substantial entirety of said outboard elastic member.
19. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said outboard elastic members has a curved configuration.
20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein each of said outboard elastic members has a substantially continuously curved configuration.
21. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said first separating means provides a first reduced outboard elastic member which overlaps only a portion of said first inboard elastic member; and said second separating means provides a secondreduced outboard elastic member which overlaps only a portion of said second inboard elastic member.
22. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said separating step (d) provides a first reduced outboard elastic member, a substantial entirely of which is overlapped by said first inboard elastic member; and wherein said separating step (e) provides a second reduced outboard elastic member, a substantial entirety of which is overlapped by said second inboard elastic member.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US421195P | 1995-09-22 | 1995-09-22 | |
| US60/004,211 | 1995-09-22 | ||
| US08/554,110 | 1995-11-06 | ||
| US08/554,110 US5743994A (en) | 1995-11-06 | 1995-11-06 | Apparatus for making an absorbent article with asymmetric leg elastics |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2185929A1 true CA2185929A1 (en) | 1997-03-23 |
Family
ID=26672752
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2185929 Abandoned CA2185929A1 (en) | 1995-09-22 | 1996-09-18 | Method and apparatus for making an absorbent article with asymmetric leg elastics |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2185929A1 (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9603715A (en) |
-
1996
- 1996-08-28 MX MX9603715A patent/MX9603715A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-09-18 CA CA 2185929 patent/CA2185929A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| MX9603715A (en) | 1997-03-29 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Dead |
Effective date: 20020918 |