Unit and method for forming absorbent pads of absorbent articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10384376-B2
Application number	US-201515312281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 23, 2014
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

A unit for making absorbent pads of absorbent articles including a drum for forming the absorbent pads and a hood for feeding a first and a second absorbent material to at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the hood has a chamber for mixing the first and the second absorbent materials and an opening for dispensing the first and the second absorbent materials facing at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the unit includes at least a first and a second duct for feeding the second absorbent material into the hood and means for distributing the second absorbent material both of the first feed duct and of the second feed duct; the first and the second ducts are connected to the same distribution means.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A unit for making absorbent pads of absorbent articles, each absorbent pad comprising a first absorbent material including a natural fiber material, and a second absorbent material different from the first absorbent material, the second absorbent material including a superabsorbent polymer material; the unit comprising:
a forming drum including a peripheral surface,
a hood for feeding the first and the second absorbent materials to at least part of the peripheral surface of the forming drum;
the hood including a mixing chamber for mixing the first and the second absorbent materials and an opening for dispensing the first and the second absorbent materials, the opening facing at least part of the peripheral surface of the forming drum;
a first feed duct and a second feed duct for feeding the second absorbent material into the hood;
a distribution mechanism for distributing the second absorbent material in common with the first feed duct and the second feed duct; the first and the second feed ducts being connected to the distribution mechanism; the distribution mechanism including a body and a diverter supported by the body, the diverter being alternately connectable between a flow connection with the first feed duct and a flow connection with the second feed duct.

2. The unit according to claim 1 , and further comprising a single plant for feeding the second absorbent material; the plant comprising at least one infeed duct of the second absorbent material in communication with the distribution mechanism.

3. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the distribution mechanism feeds the first and the second feed ducts intermittently.

4. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first feed duct leads into the mixing chamber of the hood and the second feed duct leads to a position adjacent the dispensing opening of the hood.

5. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the peripheral surface includes a plurality of recesses for forming the absorbent pads arranged according to a predetermined spacing; the distribution mechanism feeding the second absorbent material into the second feed duct as a function of the spacing of the forming recesses.

6. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the diverter is rotatable about an axis of rotation; the diverter rotating about the axis of rotation to pass from a first feed position in the flow connection with the first feed duct to a second feed position in the flow connection with the second feed duct, and vice versa.

7. The unit according to claim 6 , wherein the diverter rotates continuously about the axis of rotation and in a single predetermined direction of rotation to pass from the first feed position to the second feed position and from the second feed position to the first feed position.

8. The unit according to claim 6 , wherein the diverter oscillates about the axis of rotation to pass from the first feed position to the second feed position, and vice versa.

9. The unit according to claim 6 , and further comprising a source of pressurized air connected to the distribution mechanism; the source of pressurized air source being alternately in fluid communication with the first and the second feed ducts as a function of the first and the second feed positions.

10. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first feed duct comprises an accumulator chamber for accumulating the second absorbent material located downstream of the diverter; the accumulator chamber continuously feeding the mixing chamber of the hood.

11. The unit according to claim 10 , and further comprising a source of pressurized air connected to the accumulator chamber or to the stretch of the first feed duct downstream of the accumulator chamber.

12. A method for making absorbent pads of absorbent articles, each absorbent pad comprising a first absorbent material including a natural fiber material, and a second absorbent material different from the first absorbent material, the second absorbent material including a superabsorbent polymer material; the method comprising:
feeding the first and the second absorbent materials to a hood;
mixing the first and the second absorbent materials in the hood;
wherein the feeding step comprises feeding the second absorbent material using both a first feed duct and a second feed duct leading into the hood;
distributing the second absorbent material into the first and the second feed ducts from a same feed source;
wherein the distributing the second absorbent material is performed in an alternating manner between the first and the second feed ducts, and vice versa.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the feeding the second absorbent material is performed in a continuous manner.

Assignees

• Gdm Spa

Inventors

• Piantoni Matteo
• Soli Valerio

Classifications

• B29L2031/4878

  Diapers, napkins · CPC title

• A61F13/15626 Primary

  Making fibrous pads without outer layers · CPC title

• A61F13/15658 Primary

  Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof · CPC title

• B29K2995/0068

  Permeability to liquids; Adsorption · CPC title

• B29C41/36 Primary

  Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate · CPC title