Methods and apparatuses for making elastomeric laminates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12059328-B2
Application number	US-202318298437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2023
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. Aspects of the methods for assembling elastomeric laminates may utilize elastic strands supplied from beams that may be joined with first and second substrates, and may be configured to carry out various types of operations, such as bonding and splicing operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making absorbent articles, the method comprising steps of:
providing first elastic strands wound onto beams, wherein each beam comprises a mandrel core, and wherein the first elastic strands comprise a first decitex;
rotating the mandrel cores to unwind the first elastic strands from the mandrel cores;
advancing the first elastic strands from the rotating mandrel cores;
stretching the first elastic strands; and
providing second elastic strands, wherein the second elastic strands comprise a second decitex, and wherein the second decitex is greater than the first decitex;
unwinding the second elastic strands from an overend unwinding device;
stretching the second elastic strands;
bonding the stretched first and second elastic strands between a first substrate and a second substrate to form an elastomeric laminate comprising different stretch characteristics in different regions in the elastomeric laminate, wherein the first elastic strands are bonded with a first bond applicator configured to apply adhesive or mechanical bonds and wherein the second elastic strands are bonded with a second bond applicator configured to apply adhesive bonds; and
cutting the first elastic strands to create deactivated regions in the elastomeric laminate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate comprise nonwovens.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of converting the elastomeric laminate into an elastic belt for a diaper.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of converting the elastomeric laminate into an elastic leg cuff for a diaper.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elastic strands comprise a spin finish.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising a step of removing a portion of the spin finish.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of applying adhesive to at least one of the first elastic strands, the first substrate, and the second substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of advancing the first substrate, the second substrate, and the first elastic strands between an ultrasonic horn and an anvil.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of bonding absorbent chassis with the deactivated regions.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate comprises a first nonwoven and the second substrate comprises a second nonwoven, and wherein the first decitex is less than about 100.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein further comprising a step of spacing the first elastic strands apart from each other by about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elastic strands comprise about 200 to about 1000 elastic strands.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Schneider Uwe
• Eckstein Joseph Allen
• Tameishi Kazuaki

Classifications

• A61F2013/51322

  being elastomeric or stretchable · CPC title

• A61F13/49061

  the diaper having one or two waist members forming the diaper waist region and an independent absorbent structure attached to the one or two waist members forming the crotch region · CPC title

• B32B37/22

  involving the assembly of both discrete and continuous layers · CPC title

• A61F13/5622

  specially adapted for diapers or the like · CPC title

• D04H3/12

  with filaments or yarns secured together by chemical or thermo-activatable bonding agents, e.g. adhesives, applied or incorporated in liquid or solid form · CPC title