Indirect printing of agm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017367907-A1
Application number	US-201715699227-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2017
Priority date	Jul 28, 2004
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of applying absorbent gelling material (AGM) granules by indirect printing onto an carrier layer for use in an absorbent article, particularly diaper for babies or adults, training pants, pull-up diapers (diaper pants), sanitary napkins, panty liners or the like. These articles typically comprise the carrier layer with the AGM particles together with further layers, making up the complete article.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for indirectly applying absorbent gelling material granules onto a carrier layer, said method comprises the following steps:
providing a fluidized bed comprising absorbent gelling material granules in floating state; rotating a print roll having a plurality of recesses through the fluidized bed, such that the absorbent gelling material granules are taken up by the recesses; depositing said absorbent gelling material granules on a carrier layer at a meeting position of said printing roll and said carrier layer without contact of said printing roll and said carrier layer.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier layer comprises a non-woven carrier layer.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using scraping means for striping absorbent gelling material granules in excess of the amount required to fill the volume of said recesses from the print roll.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier layer is supported by a rotating drum.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier layer is supported on a moving belt.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein a glue is applied onto said carrier layer upstream said meeting position before said absorbent gelling material granules are deposited onto said carrier layer from said printing roll in said meeting position.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein a glue is applied onto said absorbent gelling material granules deposited onto said non-woven carrier layer downstream said meeting position.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein a cover layer is applied onto said absorbent gelling material granules downstream said meeting position.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said cover layer comprises a glue.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an airborne particle cycling system to transport particles from a region near the meeting position along conducts to a return conduct end facing the fluidized bed.

11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a means for expelling the absorbent gelling material granules onto the carrier layer at the meeting position.

12 . The apparatus for indirectly applying absorbent gelling material granules onto a carrier layer, comprising:
a fluidized bed for maintaining absorbent gelling material granules in floating state; a rotating print roll having a plurality of recesses positioned to at least partially overlap with the fluidized bed; and a support means for supporting a carrier layer; the support means being positioned adjacent to the rotating print roll at a meeting location.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the support means comprises a moving belt.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the support means comprises a rotating support roll.

15 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an airborne particle cycling system having a plurality of conducts for cycling absorbent gelling material granules from the meeting location into the fluidized bed.

16 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an expelling means for expelling the absorbent gelling material granules onto the carrier layer.

17 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a vacuum in a surface of the print roll for retaining absorbent gelling material granules in the recesses.

18 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a scraping means for striping absorbent gelling material granules in excess of the amount required to fill the volume of said recesses from the print roll, wherein the scraping means is positioned downstream of the fluidized bed.

19 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a glue head positioned upstream of the meeting position.

20 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a second glue head positioned downstream of the meeting position.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Blessing Horst
• Jackels Hans Adolf
• Link Siegfried
• Maier Volker
• Woschnik Thomas Ludwig
• Scaife Martin Geoffrey

Classifications

• B05C1/0808

  Details thereof, e.g. surface characteristics · CPC title

• A61F13/15634

  Making fibrous pads between sheets or webs · CPC title

• B32B37/00

  Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding · CPC title

• B05C1/0817

  characterised by means for removing partially liquid or other fluent material from the roller, e.g. scrapers (coating roller co-operating with dosing rollers B05C1/0834) · CPC title

• B05C1/0804

  the material being applied without contact with the roller · CPC title