Apparatus and process for forming a laid fibrous web with enhanced basis weight capability

• US 6,330,735 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Hahn, John Timothy, Berken, Bradley John, St. Louis, Raymond Gerard, Venturino, Michael Barth, Datta, Paul Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Welch, Gary L.
• Application Number:
  US09/785,959
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 191/48, 192/96, 193/01, 193/02, 193/04, 193/07, 193/08, 298/952, 298/953, 198/397.03, 209/284, 209/288, 209/296, 209/297, 209/405, 209/406, 209/397, 209/399, 209/684, 209/686, 264/112, 264/121, 403/292, 403/294, 403/401, 425/80.1, 425/81.1
• US Class Current: 19/296
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15626 Making fibrous pads without outer layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15658 Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/553 Laterally inserted section

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming an airlaid fibrous web on a moving surface can include a contoured foraminous member (62) having a first side portion (66), a laterally opposed second side portion (68), and a depth contour. A longitudinally extending, first side-masking member (52) can be located superjacent the first side portion (66) of the foraminous member (62), and can have a first inboard side wall surface (70). At least a second, separately provided, longitudinally extending, side-masking member (53) can be located superjacent the second side portion (68) of the foraminous member (62), and can have a second inboard side wall surface (72). Either or both of the first and second side-masking members (52, 54) are at least laterally movable relative to the foraminous member (62). A releasable attachment system (74) can selectively hold at least the first side-masking member (52) at a substantially fixed position relative to the foraminous member (62).

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming an airlaid fibrous web on a moving surface, said apparatus having a longitudinal direction, a lateral cross-direction and a depth-wise z-direction, and said apparatus comprising:

a contoured foraminous member having a first side portion, a laterally opposed second side portion, and a depth contour formed into a thickness of said foraminous member, said depth contour having a lower-basis-weight section, and a higher-basis-weight section which is contiguous with said low-basis-weight section;

a longitudinally extending, first side-masking member which is located superjacent said first side portion of the foraminous member, has a first inboard side wall surface, and is at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member;

at least a second, separately provided, longitudinally extending, side-masking member which is located superjacent said second side portion of the foraminous member, has a second inboard side wall surface, and is at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member; and

a first releasable attachment system for selectively holding at least said first side-masking member at a substantially fixed position relative to said foraminous member during a moving of said foraminous member along said longitudinal direction, wherein

said first side-masking member has a bottom surface profile along said longitudinal direction;

said bottom surface profile provides a depth-wise contour with varying, non-constant dimensions along a z-directional thickness direction; and

said bottom surface profile of said first side-masking member substantially matches a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including a second releasable attachment system for selectively holding said second side-masking member at a substantially fixed position relative to said foraminous member during the moving of said foraminous member along said longitudinal direction.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said moving surface is provided by a peripheral surface region of a rotatable forming drum.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said contoured foraminous member has a contour pattern which is substantially free of compound curvatures.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one end-masking member which is interposed between said first and second side-masking members.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said first inboard side wall surface has a wall angle of not more than a maximum of about 90 degrees.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said first inboard side wall surface has a wall angle of not less than a minimum of about 75 degrees.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said second inboard side wall surface has a wall angle of not more than a maximum of about 90 degrees.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said second inboard side wall surface has a wall angle of not less than a minimum of about 75 degrees.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said foraminous member extends laterally beyond said first and second, inboard side wall surfaces.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said second side-masking member has a bottom surface profile along said longitudinal direction;

said bottom surface profile of said second side-masking member provides a depth-wise contour with varying, non-constant dimensions along said z-directional thickness direction; and

said bottom surface profile of said second side-masking member substantially matches a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first side-cover member which is operatively attached to said apparatus and is positioned along a first, laterally outboard edge region of said foraminous member.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising a second side-cover member which is operatively attached to said apparatus and is positioned along a second, laterally outboard edge region of said foraminous member.

14. An apparatus for forming an airlaid fibrous web on a moving surface, said apparatus having a longitudinal direction, a lateral cross-direction and a depth-wise z-direction, and said apparatus comprising:

a contoured foraminous member section having a leading-edge portion, a trailing-edge portion, a first side portion, a laterally opposed second side portion, a lower-basis-weight section, and a higher-basis-weight section which is contiguous with said low-basis-weight section;

a longitudinally extending, first side-masking member section which is located superjacent said first;

side portion of the foraminous member, has a first inboard side wall surface with a first contoured edge portion, and is at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member;

at least a second, separately provided, contoured, longitudinally extending, side-masking member section which is located superjacent said second side portion of the foraminous member section, has a second inboard side wall surface with a second, contoured edge portion, and is at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member section; and

a first releasable attachment system for selectively holding at least said first side-masking member section at a substantially fixed position relative to said foraminous member section during a moving of said foraminous member section along said longitudinal direction;

wherein

said first side-masking member has a bottom surface profile along said longitudinal direction;

said bottom surface profile provides a depth-wise contour with varying, non-constant dimensions along a z-directional thickness direction; and

said bottom surface profile of said first side-masking member substantially matches a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member.

15. A method for forming an airlaid fibrous web on a moving surface, said method having a longitudinal direction, a lateral cross-direction and a depth-wise z-direction, said method comprising:

a longitudinal moving of a contoured foraminous member having a first side portion, a laterally opposed second side portion, and a depth contour formed into a thickness of said foraminous member;

a locating of a longitudinally extending, first side-masking member at a position which is superjacent said first side portion of the foraminous member, said first side-masking member having a first inboard side wall surface, and said first side-masking member being at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member;

a locating of at least a second, separately provided, longitudinally extending, side-masking member at a position which is superjacent said second side portion of the foraminous member, said second side-masking member having a second inboard side wall surface, and said second side-masking member being at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member and relative to said first side-masking member;

a selective holding of said first and second side-masking members with a releasable attachment system at substantially fixed positions relative to said foraminous member during said longitudinal moving of said foraminous member;

a providing of said first side-masking member with a bottom surface profile along said longitudinal direction;

a providing of said bottom surface profile with a depth-wise contour having varying, non-constant dimensions along a z-directional thickness direction; and

substantially matching said bottom surface profile of said first side-masking member to a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising

a configuring of said foraminous member to include at least one contoured foraminous member section having a leading-edge portion, a trailing-edge portion, a first side portion, a laterally opposed second side portion, a low-basis-weight section, and a high-basis-weight section which is contiguous with said low-basis-weight section;

a configuring of said first side-masking member to include a contoured, longitudinally extending, first side-masking member section located at a position which is superjacent said first side portion of the foraminous member section, said first side-masking member section having a first inboard side wall surface, and said first side-masking member section being at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member section;

a configuring of said second side-masking member to include at least a second, separately provided, contoured, longitudinally extending, side-masking member section located at a position which is superjacent said second side portion of the foraminous member section, said second side-masking member section having a second inboard side wall surface, and said second side-masking member section being at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member section and relative to said first side-masking member section;

a configuring of said releasable attachment system to provide a selective holding of said first and second masking members sections at substantially fixed positions relative to said foraminous member section during said longitudinal moving of said foraminous member section;

a providing of said first side-masking member section with a bottom surface profile, along said longitudinal direction;

a providing of said bottom surface profile of the first side-masking member section with a depth-wise contour having varying, non-constant dimensions along the z-directional thickness direction;

substantially matching said bottom surface profile of the first side-masking member section with a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member section in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member section;

a providing of said second side-masking member section with a bottom surface profile, along said longitudinal direction;

a providing of said bottom surface profile of the second side-masking member section with a depth-wise contour having varying, non-constant dimensions along the z-directional thickness direction; and

substantially matching said bottom surface profile of the second side-masking member section with a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member section, along said longitudinal direction, in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member section.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising an interposing of at least one, separately provided, end-masking member between said first and second side-masking members.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising an extending of said foraminous member to extend laterally beyond said first and second side wall surfaces.

19. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein a first side-cover member has been operatively attached along a first, laterally outboard edge region of said foraminous member.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, further including an operative attaching of a second side-cover member along a second, laterally outboard edge region of said foraminous member.

21. An apparatus for forming an airlaid fibrous web on a moving surface, said apparatus having a longitudinal direction, a lateral cross-direction and a depth-wise z-direction, and said apparatus comprising:

a contoured foraminous member having a first side portion, a laterally opposed second side portion, and a depth contour formed into a thickness of said foraminous member, said depth contour having a lower-basis-weight section, and a higher-basis-weight section which is contiguous with said low-basis-weight section;

a longitudinally extending, first side-masking member which

is located superjacent said first side portion of the foraminous member,

has a first inboard side wall surface,

is at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member, and

has a bottom surface profile along said longitudinal direction,

said bottom surface profile having a depth-wise contour with varying, non-constant dimensions along a z-directional thickness direction, and

said bottom surface profile substantially matching a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member;

at least a second, separately provided, longitudinally extending, side-masking member which

is located superjacent said second side portion of the foraminous member,

has a second inboard side wall surface,

is at least laterally movable relative to said foraminous member, and

has a bottom surface profile, along said longitudinal direction,

said bottom surface profile of the second side-masking member having a depth-wise contour with varying, non-constant dimensions along a z-directional thickness direction, and

said bottom surface profile of the second side-masking member substantially matching a correspondingly adjacent surface profile of said foraminous member in said low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight sections of the foraminous member; and

a first releasable attachment system for selectively holding at least said first side-masking member at a substantially fixed position relative to said foraminous member during a moving of said foraminous member along said longitudinal direction;

wherein

said first and second side-masking members respectively provide first and second non-foraminous side walls located within said high-basis-weight pocket region of said foraminous member.