Method and apparatus for manufacturing absorbent sanitary products and an absorbent sanitary product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016331600-A1
Application number	US-201615077325-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2016
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of: forming a first and a second continuous elastic band, which are movable parallel to each other in a machine direction, fixing a plurality of absorbent panels between said first and second continuous elastic bands, arranged in a direction transverse to the machine direction, and spaced apart in said machine direction, wherein each of said elastic bands is formed by means of a method comprising the steps of: continuously feeding a plurality of tensioned elastic threads ( 30 ) in said machine direction, continuously feeding a pair of non-elastic webs arranged on opposite sides of said plurality of elastic threads, welding said pair of non-elastic webs to each other by means of a welding pattern comprising anchoring welds and/or containing and guiding welds.

First claim

1 . A method for manufacturing absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of:
forming a first and a second continuous elastic band, which are movable parallel to each other in a machine direction; fixing a plurality of absorbent panels between said first and second continuous elastic bands, arranged in a direction transverse to the machine direction and spaced apart in said machine direction; wherein each of said continuous elastic bands is formed of a method comprising the steps of: continuously feeding a plurality of tensioned elastic threads in said machine direction, continuously feeding a pair of non-elastic webs arranged on opposite sides of said plurality of elastic threads, welding said pair of non-elastic webs to each other of a welding pattern comprising anchoring welds and/or containing and guiding welds, wherein the anchoring welds comprise pairs of welds arranged on opposite sides of a respective elastic thread having proximal surfaces facing the elastic thread, spaced apart by a distance less than the diameter of the non-tensioned elastic thread and wherein the containing and guiding welds comprise pairs of welds arranged on opposite sides of a respective elastic thread having respective proximal surfaces facing the respective elastic thread spaced apart by a distance equal to or greater than the diameter of the non-tensioned elastic thread.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , comprising the step of applying elastic elements for the legs to said absorbent panels of a welding pattern, which comprises anchoring welds alternating with containing and guiding welds.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
overlapping said elastic bands on each other; welding said elastic bands to each other in a transverse direction, at intermediate positions between said absorbent panels; and transversally cutting said elastic bands.

4 . Apparatus for manufacturing absorbent sanitary products, comprising:
a first and a second elastic band forming unit, configured to form respective continuous elastic bands, which are movable parallel to each other in a machine direction; an absorbent panel-forming unit configured to form a plurality of absorbent panels arranged in a direction transverse to the machine direction; a fastening unit configured to fix said plurality of absorbent panels, spaced apart in said machine direction, between said first and second continuous elastic band; wherein each of said first and second elastic band forming units comprises: a feeding device configured to continuously feed a plurality of tensioned elastic threads in said machine direction and to continuously feed a pair of non-elastic webs arranged on opposite sides of said plurality of elastic threads; and a welding assembly for welding said pair of non-elastic webs to each other, of a welding pattern comprising anchoring welds and/or containing and guiding welds, wherein the anchoring welds comprise pairs of welds arranged on opposite sides of a respective elastic thread having proximal surfaces facing the elastic thread, spaced apart by a distance less than the diameter of the non-tensioned elastic thread and wherein the containing and guiding welds comprise pairs of welds arranged on opposite sides of a respective elastic thread having respective proximal surfaces facing the respective elastic thread, spaced apart by a distance equal to or greater than the diameter of the non-tensioned elastic thread.

5 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , comprising an application assembly for applying elastic elements for the legs to said absorbent panels, comprising a second welding assembly configured to form a welding pattern around said elastic elements for the legs, which comprises anchoring welds alternating with containing and guiding welds.

6 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , comprising:
a folding device for overlapping said elastic bands on each other; and a welding and cutting unit for welding said continuous elastic bands to each other in a transverse direction at intermediate positions between said absorbent panels, and transversely cutting said elastic bands.

7 . An absorbent sanitary product comprising:
a first and a second elastic waist-band; an absorbent panel having opposite ends fixed to the first and to the second elastic waist-band, respectively wherein each of said elastic bands comprises: a plurality of elastic threads, a pair of non-elastic webs arranged on opposite sides of said plurality of elastic threads, wherein said non-elastic webs are welded together by a welding pattern comprising anchoring welds and containing and guiding welds, wherein the anchoring welds comprise pairs of welds arranged on opposite sides of a respective elastic thread, having proximal surfaces facing the elastic thread, spaced apart by a distance less than the diameter of the non-tensioned elastic thread, and wherein the containing and guiding welds comprise pairs of welds arranged on opposite sides of a respective elastic thread, having respective proximal surfaces facing the respective elastic thread, spaced apart by a distance equal to or greater than the diameter of the non-tensioned elastic thread.

8 . An absorbent sanitary product according to claim 7 , wherein said absorbent panel comprises elastic elements for the legs fixed to non-elastic webs of said absorbent panel of a welding pattern comprising anchoring welds alternating with containing and guiding welds.

9 . An absorbent sanitary product according to claim 7 , wherein said elastic bands have respective ends welded together.

Assignees

• Fameccanica Data Spa

Inventors

• Polidori Domenico
• Gualtieri Diego
• Sablone Gabriele

Classifications

• 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

• B29L2031/4878

  Diapers, napkins · CPC title

• B29C66/81433

  being toothed, i.e. comprising several teeth or pins (comprising a single tooth B29C66/81429), or being patterned · CPC title

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/8432

  Machines for making separate joints at the same time mounted in parallel or in series · CPC title