Apparatus and method for assembling absorbent garments

• US 20030066609A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands, LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Calvert, Mickey W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,820,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15772 Control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15804 Plant, e.g. involving several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2406/345 Rotary suction grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/10 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1924 Napkins or tissues, e.g. dressings, toweling, serviettes, kitchen paper and compresses
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/14 Associating sheets with webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1712 Indefinite or running length work

Abstract

An apparatus and method for assembling absorbent garments are disclosed. The invention uses an applicator having one or more heads that are adapted to hold parts. The applicator is rotated by a motor, which is controlled by a control device. The control device is operated such that the applicator heads pick up parts at one location at a first speed, and deposit the parts at a second location at a second speed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assembling absorbent garments, the apparatus comprising:

an applicator having one or more heads, each head being adapted to hold absorbent garment parts;

a motor adapted to rotate the applicator;

a control device adapted to control the rotation of the motor;

wherein the control device is operated such that the one or more applicator heads travel at a first speed at a first location to pick up one or more parts moving at approximately the first speed, and the one or more applicator heads travel at a second speed at a second location to deposit the one or more parts onto one or more targets moving at approximately the second speed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the applicator has two heads.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more heads comprises a vacuum gripping device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more heads comprises a mechanical gripping device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more heads comprises a combination of gripping devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor is an AC servo motor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control device at least partially comprises an AC servo drive.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more parts are absorbent core substrates.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more targets are an absorbent core tissue layer or an absorbent core.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more targets comprises an absorbent garment chassis layer

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more parts are absorbent core subassemblies.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more parts are grip tabs.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more targets comprises a supply of spaced apart target objects.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more targets comprises a continuous web of target material.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first speed is less than the second speed.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first speed is equal to about 3% to about 75% of the second speed.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first speed is equal to about 10% to about 50% of the second speed.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first speed is equal to about 20% of the second speed.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first speed is about 20 feet per minute to about 1,000 feet per minute and the second speed is about 50 feet per minute to about 3,000 feet per minute.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first speed is about 40 feet per minute to about 650 feet per minute and the second speed is about 1,000 feet per minute to about 2,000 feet per minute.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first speed is about 65 feet per minute to about 328 feet per minute and the second speed is about 1,686 feet per minute.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more heads further comprises a cutting device adapted to cut the one or more parts from a continuous supply web.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more heads further comprises a bonding device adapted to bond the one or more parts to the one or more targets.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the bonding device comprises a portion of an ultrasonic bonding device.

26. An apparatus for assembling absorbent garments, the apparatus comprising:

an applicator means adapted to hold absorbent garment parts;

a driving means for rotating the applicator means;

a control means adapted to control the driving means;

wherein the control device is operated such that the applicator means travels at a first speed at a first location to pick up one or more parts moving at approximately the first speed, and the applicator means travels at a second speed at a second location to deposit the one or more parts onto one or more targets moving at approximately the second speed.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the applicator means comprises a rotating assembly having one or more applicator heads.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the driving means comprises an AC servo motor.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the control means at least partially comprises an AC servo drive.

30. A method for assembling absorbent garments, the method comprising:

providing an applicator having one or more heads, each head being adapted to hold absorbent garment parts;

rotating the applicator such that the one or more heads travel through a circular path;

controlling the one or more heads such that the one or more heads travels at a first speed at a first location;

picking up, at the first location, one or more parts moving at approximately the first speed;

controlling the one or more heads such that the one or more heads travels at a second speed at a second location; and

depositing, at the second location, the one or more parts onto one or more targets moving at approximately the second speed.