Apparatus And Method For Transferring Particulate Material
First Claim
1. An apparatus for making a structure that comprises particulate material supported or enclosed by a substrate material, including:
- a) a particulate material feeder for feeding particulate material to;
b) a first moving endless surface with a direction of movement (MD) and with a plurality of reservoirs, said surface being adjacent said feeder, said first moving endless surface and reservoirs thereof being for receiving said particulate material from said first particulate material feeder and for transferring it directly or indirectly to;
c) a second moving endless surface, being said substrate material or being a moving endless surface carrying said substrate material, for receiving said particulate material directly or indirectly from said first moving endless surface; and
d) a three-dimensional plate, for applying pressure on part of said particulate material and for guiding said particulate material into said reservoirs, said plate being positioned adjacent said feeder and adjacent said first moving endless surface, said plate having a first plate face adjacent said first moving endless surface, said plate face having at least;
i) a first surface area substantially parallel to said first moving endless surface, said first area being for applying pressure on said part of said particulate material present between said first surface area and said first moving endless surface;
ii) a second surface area neighboring said first surface area, positioned downstream from the first surface area (in MD), said second surface area being non-parallel to said first moving endless surface and leading from said first surface area towards said first moving endless surface, said first surface area and said second surface area being connected to one another, typically under an angle, said second surface area having an average angle with said first moving endless surface from about 10°
to about 80°
.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for transferring, at high speed and in a very effective and accurate manner, particulate material from a feeder into reservoirs of a moving endless surface, e.g. a drum, by use of a pressure means, e.g. a specific three-dimensional plate, for applying pressure onto said particulate material present between said plate and said moving endless surface, and then transferring the particulate material with said moving endless surface with reservoirs to a substrate; the apparatus and method being particularly useful for the production of absorbent structures for absorbent articles.
115 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An apparatus for making a structure that comprises particulate material supported or enclosed by a substrate material, including:
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a) a particulate material feeder for feeding particulate material to; b) a first moving endless surface with a direction of movement (MD) and with a plurality of reservoirs, said surface being adjacent said feeder, said first moving endless surface and reservoirs thereof being for receiving said particulate material from said first particulate material feeder and for transferring it directly or indirectly to; c) a second moving endless surface, being said substrate material or being a moving endless surface carrying said substrate material, for receiving said particulate material directly or indirectly from said first moving endless surface; and d) a three-dimensional plate, for applying pressure on part of said particulate material and for guiding said particulate material into said reservoirs, said plate being positioned adjacent said feeder and adjacent said first moving endless surface, said plate having a first plate face adjacent said first moving endless surface, said plate face having at least; i) a first surface area substantially parallel to said first moving endless surface, said first area being for applying pressure on said part of said particulate material present between said first surface area and said first moving endless surface; ii) a second surface area neighboring said first surface area, positioned downstream from the first surface area (in MD), said second surface area being non-parallel to said first moving endless surface and leading from said first surface area towards said first moving endless surface, said first surface area and said second surface area being connected to one another, typically under an angle, said second surface area having an average angle with said first moving endless surface from about 10°
to about 80°
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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20. A method for making a structure that comprises particulate material supported or enclosed by a substrate material, including the steps of:
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a) feeding a first particulate material with a feeder to a first moving endless surface with a plurality of reservoirs, adjacent said feeder; b) allowing flow of said particulate material, or part thereof, into a volume space present between said first moving endless surface and a three-dimensional plate, adjacent said feeder and adjacent and opposing said first moving endless surface; and
contacting a part of said particulate material with said three dimensional plate, said plate having a first plate face adjacent said first moving endless surface, and said plate face having;i) a first surface area substantially parallel to said first moving endless surface; and
;ii) a second surface area neighboring said first surface area, being downstream (in MD) from said first surface area, said second surface area being non-parallel to said first moving endless surface and leading from said first surface area towards said first moving endless surface, said first surface area and said second surface area are connected to one another, typically under an angle, and said second surface area having an average angle with said first moving endless surface from about 10°
to about 80°
.c) applying a pressure with said plate onto at least a portion of said particulate material present between said first plate face and said first moving endless surface, guiding said material into said reservoirs; d) transferring said particulate material in said reservoirs of said first moving endless surface directly or indirectly to a second moving endless surface, being, or carrying, said substrate material; and e) depositing said particulate material onto said substrate material. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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32. An apparatus for making a structure that comprises particulate material supported or enclosed by a substrate material, including:
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a) a particulate material feeder, said feeder being for feeding particulate material to; b) a first moving endless surface with a direction of movement (MD) (as defined herein) and with a plurality of reservoirs, said surface being adjacent said feeder, said first moving endless surface and reservoirs thereof being for receiving said particulate material from said first particulate material feeder and for transferring it directly or indirectly to; c) a second moving endless surface, being said substrate material or being a moving endless surface carrying said substrate material, for receiving said particulate material directly or indirectly from said first moving endless surface; d) a first pressure means being positioned adjacent said first moving endless surface, for applying pressure on at least part of said particulate material and on part of said first moving endless surface, said pressure being in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said moving endless surface (MD) (per surface area where said pressure is applied); and e) a second pressure means adjacent said first moving endless surface and adjacent said first pressure means, for applying pressure on at least part of said particulate material, said pressure (in an area) being in a direction non-perpendicular to the direction of movement of said first moving endless surface (MD) in said area. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification