Method and system for fabricating an elastic nonwoven material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433620-B2
Application number	US-202117308650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2021
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A method and system for fabricating an article using a first bonding module having a first bonding module face and a second bonding module having a second bonding module face include supplying a first non-woven fabric to at least one of the first bonding module face and the second bonding module face, and supplying a plurality of elastic strands to a surface of the first non-woven fabric. The method and system further include entrapping a first elastic strand between a first pair of adjacent bonds in a first row in the first non-woven fabric, entrapping a second elastic strand between a second pair of adjacent bonds in the first row, and creating a third pair of adjacent bonds in the first row free of elastic bands therebetween. The third pair of adjacent bonds is located between the first pair of adjacent bonds and the second pair of adjacent bonds.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating an article using a first bonding module having a first bonding module face and a second bonding module having a second bonding module face, at least one of the first bonding module face and the second bonding module face having a width, a circumferential axis, and a plurality of ridges extending across the circumferential axis, the plurality of ridges defining a plurality of interspaced lands and notches, the method comprising:
supplying a first non-woven fabric to at least one of the first bonding module face and the second bonding module face;
supplying a plurality of elastic strands to a surface of the first non-woven fabric, the plurality of elastic strand oriented parallel the circumferential axis and including at least a first elastic strand and a second elastic strand;
compressing the first bonding module and the second bonding module together with the first non-woven fabric and the plurality of elastic strands therebetween; and
creating a first plurality of adjacent bonds in a first row in the first non-woven fabric, each bond corresponding to a notch of the plurality of notches, wherein creating a first plurality of adjacent bonds further comprises:
entrapping the first elastic strand between a first pair of adjacent bonds in the first row;
entrapping the second elastic strand between a second pair of adjacent bonds in the first row, the second pair of adjacent bonds different from the first pair of adjacent bonds; and
creating a third pair of adjacent bonds in the first row free of elastic bands therebetween, wherein the third pair of adjacent bonds is located between the first pair of adjacent bonds and the second pair of adjacent bonds.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising supplying a second non-woven fabric, wherein supplying at least two elastic strands to a surface of the first non-woven fabric further comprises supplying the plurality of elastic strands to a surface of the second non-woven fabric such that the at least two elastic strands are located between the first non-woven fabric and the second non-woven fabric.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein creating a plurality of adjacent bonds further comprises creating a plurality of bonds in the second non-woven fabric, bonding the first non-woven fabric to the second non-woven fabric.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
creating a second plurality of adjacent bonds in a second row in the first and second non-woven fabrics, each bond corresponding to a notch of the plurality of notches, wherein creating a second plurality of adjacent bonds further comprises:
entrapping the first elastic strand between a fourth pair of adjacent bonds in the second row; and
entrapping the second elastic strand between a fifth pair of adjacent bonds in the second row, the fifth pair of adjacent bonds different from the fourth pair of adjacent bonds.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first row and the second row are parallel to each other.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising creating a third plurality of adjacent bonds in a third row in the first and second non-woven fabric, each bond corresponding to a notch of the plurality of notches, wherein creating a third plurality of adjacent bonds further comprises creating a sixth pair of adjacent bonds in the third row, each bond of the sixth pair of adjacent bonds located on either side of the first elastic strand.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating a first plurality of adjacent bonds in a first row in the first non-woven fabric comprises creating a first plurality of adjacent bonds in a first row in the first non-woven fabric using an intermittent entrapment bonding apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing at least one of the first bonding module and the second bonding module to ultrasonically vibrate.

9. A system for fabricating an article, the system comprising:
a bonding apparatus including a first bonding module having a first bonding module face and a second bonding module having a second bonding module face, at least one of the first bonding module face and the second bonding module face having a width, a circumferential axis, and a plurality of ridges extending across the circumferential axis, the plurality of ridges defining a plurality of interspaced lands and notches; and
a supply station including at least one supply roll and a plurality of supply spools, the supply station configured to:
supply a first non-woven fabric from the at least one supply roll to at least one of the first bonding module face and the second bonding module face; and
supply a plurality of elastic strands the plurality of supply spools to a surface of the first non-woven fabric, the plurality of elastic strands oriented parallel the circumferential axis and including at least a first elastic strand and a second elastic strand;

wherein the bonding apparatus is configured to:
compress the first bonding module and the second bonding module together with the first non-woven fabric and the plurality of elastic strands therebetween;
create a first pair of adjacent bonds in a first row in the first non-woven fabric, each bond corresponding to a notch of the plurality of notches, wherein the first elastic strand is entrapped between the first pair of adjacent bonds in the first row;
create a second pair of adjacent bonds in the first row, wherein the second elastic strand is entrapped between the second pair of adjacent bonds in the first row, the second pair of adjacent bonds different from the first pair of adjacent bonds; and
create a third pair of adjacent bonds in the first row free of elastic bands therebetween, wherein the third pair of adjacent bonds is located between the first pair of adjacent bonds and the second pair of adjacent bonds.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the supply station is configured to supply a second non-woven fabric, and supply the plurality of elastic strands to a surface of the second non-woven fabric such that at least two elastic strands are located between the first non-woven fabric and the second non-woven fabric.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the bonding apparatus is configured to create a plurality of bonds in the second non-woven fabric, bonding the first non-woven fabric to the second non-woven fabric.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the bonding apparatus is configured to create a second plurality of adjacent bonds in a second row in the first and second non-woven fabrics, each bond corresponding to a notch of the plurality of notches, wherein the first elastic strand is entrapped between a fourth pair of adjacent bonds in the second row, and the second elastic strand is entrapped between a fifth pair of adjacent bonds in the second row, the fifth pair of adjacent bonds different from the fourth pair of adjacent bonds.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the bonding apparatus is configured such that the first row and the second row are parallel to each other.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the bonding apparatus is configured to create a third plurality of adjacent bonds in a third row in the first and second non-woven fabric, each bond corresponding to a notch of the plurality of notches, the third plurality of adjacent bonds includes a sixth pair of adjacent bonds in the third row, each bond of the sixth pair of adjacent bonds located on either side of the first elastic strand.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the bonding apparatus is configured as an intermittent-nip apparatus.

Assignees

• Dukane Ias Llc

Inventors

• Ehlert Thomas David
• Mcnichols Patrick Sean
• Sorensen Daniel James
• Morin Casey John
• Begrow Brandon Leo
• Snyder Michael A
• Bett Thomas Arthur

Classifications

• B29C66/81465

  one placed behind the other in a single row in the feed direction · CPC title

• B29C65/08 Primary

  using ultrasonic vibrations {(non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645)} · CPC title

• B29C66/81435

  comprising several parallel ridges, e.g. for crimping (comprising a single ridge B29C66/81427) · CPC title

• B29C66/433

  Casing-in, i.e. enclosing an element between two sheets by an outlined seam (for bookbinding B42C11/06; for packaging B65B; by laminating B32B37/00; enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements B29C66/53261) · CPC title

• B29C66/8246

  Servomechanisms, e.g. servomotors · CPC title