Adhesive printing process for disposable absorbent articles

• US 6,531,027 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Plumley, Julian Ashton, Lender, Horst Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): YAO, SAMCHUAN CUA
• Application Number:
  US09/762,089
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 156/291, 156/578, 156/547-549, 118/211, 118/212, 118/667, 427/208--20, 427/398.2, 427/428
• US Class Current: 156/291
• 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 13/515 characterised by the interconnection of the topsheet and the backsheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/539 characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 1/0813 characterised by means for supplying liquid or other fluent material to the roller
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 1/165 using a roller or other rotating member which contacts the work along a generating line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1724 At spaced areas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1727 Plural indefinite length or running length workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1798 with liquid adhesive or adhesive activator applying means

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for making disposable absorbent articles comprising adhering two components materials to each other using an improved roll printing process to provide an adhesive to one of the two components, the adhesive has an application temperature which is greater than a print roll temperature.

Claims

1. A process for joining the components of a disposable absorbent article, to one another, said article comprising at least a first component and a second component, said first component having a first surface and said second component having a second surface;

said process comprising the steps of;

a) providing said first component in a machine direction,

b) providing a slot coater;

c) providing a printing roll with an adhesive from said slot coater, wherein said printing roll has gravures, and wherein said gravures are filled with less than 90% of said adhesive;

d) contacting said first surface of said first component with said printing roll and transferring at least a portion of said adhesive from.said roll to said first surface;

e) providing said second component and contacting said first surface of said first component with said second surface of said second component, wherein said adhesive has an application temperature T_a and said roll has a roll temperature T_r, wherein T_a is greater than T_r.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive application temperature T_a is at least 5°

C. greater than the temperature of the printing roll T_r.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive application temperature T_a is at least 10°

C. greater than the temperature of the printing roll T_r.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive application temperature T_a is at least 110°

C.

5. A process according to claim 4, wherein said adhesive application temperature T_a is at least 125°

C.

6. A process according to claims 1, wherein said printing roll has a temperature T_r of less than 130°

C.

7. A process according to claim 6, wherein said printing roll has a temperature T_r of less than 120°

C.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein said printing roll comprises a rotating transport roll for transporting said adhesive, said roll rotating such that it has a receiving portion of its rotation path and a delivery portion of its rotation path and wherein said roll receives said adhesive in said receiving portion of its rotation path, and said roll transports said adhesive from said receiving portion of its rotation path by rotation to said delivering portion of its rotation path where said roll delivers said adhesive to said first surface.

9. A process according to claim 8, wherein at least 75% of said adhesive present on said delivery portion of said rotation path of said rotating transport roll is delivered to said first surface.

10. A process according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.