Methods and Apparatus for Applying Adhesives in Patterns to an Advancing Substrate

• US 20110274834A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Grolmes, Joseph Leslie, Brown, Darrell Ian
• Granted Patent: US 8,186,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15699 Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/1591 via adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 1/165 using a roller or other rotating member which contacts the work along a generating line
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1034 specially designed for conducting intermittent application of small quantities, e.g. drops, of coating material B05C5/0225, B05C11/1026 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/025 only at particular part of the work at particular part of separate articles B05C5/0212
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/0254 Coating heads with slot-shaped outlet B05C5/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/0258 flow controlled, e.g. by a valve B05C5/0262, B05C5/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/10 to obtain an adhesive surface
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 19/48 Diolefins, e.g. butadiene; Aromatic vinyl monomers, e.g. styrene; Polymerisable unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof, e.g. acrylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 23/46 Pouring or allowing the fluid to flow in a continuous stream on to the surface, the entire stream being carried away by the paper D21H23/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/15 Roller structure

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses herein may provide for the application of viscous fluids, such as adhesives, in pre-determined patterns to an advancing substrate. The fluid application apparatus may include a slot die applicator and a substrate carrier. The substrate carrier may include one or more pattern elements and may be adapted to advance the substrate past the slot die applicator as the slot die applicator discharges adhesive onto the substrate. In operation, the substrate is disposed on the substrate carrier; the substrate carrier advances the substrate past the slot opening of the slot die applicator. In turn, the substrate is intermittently compressed between the slot die applicator and the pattern surface of the pattern element. As the substrate is intermittently compressed, adhesive discharged from the slot die applicator is applied onto the substrate in an area having a shape substantially the same as a shape defined by the pattern surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying adhesive in a pattern to an advancing substrate, the substrate having an unconstrained caliper, Hs, and having a first surface disposed opposite of a second surface, the apparatus comprising:

a slot die applicator including a slot opening, a first lip, and a second lip, the slot opening located between the first lip and the second lip;

a substrate carrier adapted to advance the substrate past the slot die applicator, wherein when the first surface of the substrate is disposed on the substrate carrier, the substrate carrier is adapted to advance the second surface of the substrate past the slot opening of the slot die applicator, the substrate carrier comprising;

a base surface; and

a pattern element, wherein the pattern element includes a pattern surface, and wherein the pattern element protrudes outward from the base surface to define a distance, Hp, between the pattern surface and the base surface;

wherein as the substrate carrier advances the second surface of the substrate past the slot opening, the pattern element is advanced such that the pattern surface repeatedly advances past the first lip, the slot opening, and the second lip of the slot die applicator;

wherein the substrate carrier is positioned adjacent the slot die applicator to define a minimum distance, Hg, between the pattern surface of the pattern element and the first lip and the second lip that is less than the unconstrained caliper, Hs, of the substrate; and

wherein a sum of the distance, Hp, and distance, Hg, is greater than the unconstrained caliper, Hs, of the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate carrier comprises a roller.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the roller comprises a center axis of rotation, and wherein the pattern element protrudes radially outward from the center of axis of rotation from the base surface to define a distance, Hp, between the pattern surface and the base surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate carrier comprises an endless belt.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base surface comprises a continuous surface and wherein the substrate carrier further comprises a plurality of discrete pattern elements separated from each other by the continuous surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each pattern element includes a pattern surface and wherein each pattern element protrudes outward from the continuous surface such that each pattern surface is separated from the continuous surface by the distance, Hp.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pattern surface of each pattern element defines shapes that are substantially identical to each other.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pattern surface comprises a continuous surface and the base surface comprises a plurality of discrete base surfaces separated from each other by the pattern element.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pattern element protrudes outward from each of the base surfaces such that each base surface is separated from the continuous surface by the distance, Hp.

10. An apparatus for applying adhesive in a pattern to an advancing substrate, the substrate having an unconstrained caliper, Hs, and having a first surface disposed opposite of a second surface, the apparatus comprising:

a slot die applicator including a slot opening, a first lip, and a second lip, the slot opening located between the first lip and the second lip;

a substrate carrier adapted to advance the substrate past the slot die applicator, wherein when the first surface of the substrate is disposed on the substrate carrier, the substrate carrier is adapted to advance the second surface of the substrate past the slot opening of the slot die applicator, the substrate carrier comprising;

a pattern element, wherein the pattern surface comprises a continuous pattern surface; and

a plurality of holes separated from each other by the pattern element; and

wherein as the substrate carrier advances the second surface of the substrate past the slot opening, the pattern element is advanced such that the pattern surface repeatedly advances past the first lip, the slot opening, and the second lip of the slot die applicator;

wherein the substrate carrier is positioned adjacent the slot die applicator to define a minimum distance, Hg, between the pattern surface of the pattern element and the first lip and the second lip that is less than the unconstrained caliper, Hs, of the substrate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate carrier comprises a roller.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate carrier comprises an endless belt.

13. A method for applying adhesive discharged from a slot die applicator to a substrate in a pattern, the slot die applicator including a slot opening, a first lip, and a second lip, the slot opening located between the first lip and the second lip;

and the substrate having a first surface disposed opposite of a second surface and an unconstrained caliber, Hs, the method comprising the steps of;

continuously advancing the substrate in a machine direction;

engaging the substrate with a substrate carrier, the substrate carrier comprising;

a pattern element, wherein the pattern element includes a pattern surface;

positioning the substrate carrier adjacent the slot die applicator to define a minimum distance, Hg, between the pattern surface of the pattern element and the first lip and the second lip that is less than the unconstrained caliper, Hs, of the substrate;

advancing the second surface of the substrate past the slot die applicator while the first surface of the substrate is disposed on the substrate carrier;

intermittently compressing the substrate between the slot die applicator and the pattern surface of the pattern element by advancing the pattern element such that the pattern surface of the pattern element advances past the first lip, the slot opening, and the second lip of the slot die applicator while the first surface of the substrate is disposed on the substrate carrier; and

discharging adhesive from the slot opening of the slot die applicator onto the second surface of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate carrier comprises a roller.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate carrier comprises an endless belt.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate carrier further comprises a base surface, wherein the pattern element protrudes from the base surface to define a distance, Hp, between the pattern surface and the base surface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate carrier is positioned adjacent the slot die applicator to define a minimum distance, Hg, between the pattern surface of the pattern element and the first lip and the second lip that is less than the unconstrained caliper, Hs, of the substrate;

and wherein a sum of the distance, Hp, and distance, Hg, is greater than the unconstrained caliper, Hs, of the substrate.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the pattern surface comprises a continuous pattern surface;

and wherein the substrate carrier further comprises a plurality of holes separated from each other by the pattern element.