Elastic composite for a disposable absorbent garment, and a system and process for making the elastic composite and a garment having the elastic composite
First Claim
1. A method of making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, said method comprising the steps of:
- moving a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane;
conveying a first web of material in a web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane;
moving the elastic element about said plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to said web moving direction;
wherein said conveying step includes folding the first web along two fold lines and inwardly toward an inward surface of the first web to leave a partial section of the first web providing an exposed outward surface, such that the applying step applies the elastic element across the exposed outward surface of the first web; and
cutting the applied elastic strands proximate each fold line; and
unfolding the first web such that a resulting unfolded first web has applied thereon, a centrally located arrangement of a plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands on the partial section and a non-elasticized side region on each side of the arrangement of a plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment. An elastic element applicator is provided that is configured to move a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane. A first web of material is conveyed in a first web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane. Then, the applicator is operated to move the elastic element about the plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to the web moving direction and such that the first web draws the continuous elastic strand from the elastic element applicator as the first web is conveyed away from the plane. The elastic element applicator may be in the form of a spin cylinder or bracket that is operated to spin the elastic element about the moving first web, thereby applying the elastic element on the first web.
83 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, said method comprising the steps of:
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moving a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane; conveying a first web of material in a web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane; moving the elastic element about said plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to said web moving direction; wherein said conveying step includes folding the first web along two fold lines and inwardly toward an inward surface of the first web to leave a partial section of the first web providing an exposed outward surface, such that the applying step applies the elastic element across the exposed outward surface of the first web; and cutting the applied elastic strands proximate each fold line; and unfolding the first web such that a resulting unfolded first web has applied thereon, a centrally located arrangement of a plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands on the partial section and a non-elasticized side region on each side of the arrangement of a plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, said method comprising the steps of:
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conveying a first web of material;
folding each of the side edges of the first web along a side fold line and inwardly toward an inward surface of the first web to create a pair of folded flaps adjacent the inward surface and an exposed outward surface having a width defined between the fold lines;applying a plurality of spaced apart elastic strands across the width of the exposed outward surface; cutting the applied elastic strands proximate each of the fold lines of the first web, such that the lengths of the elastic strands are generally equal to the width of the outward surface; and unfolding the folded flaps of the first web such that the resulting first web has applied thereon, a plurality of centrally located elastic strands and non-elasticized side regions defined generally outward of the fold lines. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, said method comprising the steps of:
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conveying a first sheet of material, including folding the first sheet inwardly along each of two side fold lines to create a pair of folded flaps and an exposed outward surface having a width defined between the fold lines; spinning a section of a continuous strand of elastic element about the first sheet, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the exposed outward surface along a direction generally transverse to a web moving direction of the first sheet; cutting the applied elastic strands proximate each of the fold lines of the first sheet; and unfolding the folded flaps of the first sheet such that the resulting first sheet has applied thereon, a plurality of centrally located elastic strands and non-elasticized side regions defined generally outward of the elastic strands. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A system for making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, said system comprising:
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a source of a first web of material; a web conveyor assembly including a first web moving platform for moving said first web thereon, said platform being adapted for reciprocal motion such that the first web is initially moved in a first direction then moved in a second direction opposite of the first direction motion; a folding assembly operatively positioned between said source of said first web and said web conveyor assembly, said folding assembly being adapted to folding side edges of said first web to create folded flaps prior to the first web being directed to the conveyor assembly; and a spinning head assembly for applying a continuous elastic strand about said web conveyor assembly and a first web being moved thereon, said spinning head assembly being positioned such a first web being conveyed on said platform is moved into the path of elastic strand being spun by the spinning head assembly. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification