Apparatuses and methods for seaming substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643390-B2
Application number	US-201514641898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 22, 2012
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A method of joining substrate portions includes positioning the substrate portions such that the substrate portions overlap at an overlap area. The substrate portions each have a melting temperature and an outer surface. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrate portions. A jet of the heated fluid is directed from a fluid orifice onto the substrate portions at the overlap area. The heated fluid penetrates at least one of the outer surfaces of the substrate portions. The substrate portions are at least partially melted using the heated fluid. The substrate portions are compressed using a pressure applying surface adjacent the fluid orifice to join the substrate portions together at the overlap area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a seam, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an anvil block;
providing a forming block adjacent the anvil block, the forming block comprising a face, a pressure applying member extending outwardly from the face toward the anvil block, and a fluid outlet extending through a portion of the forming block and spaced laterally from the pressure applying member;
advancing a first substrate in a machine direction between the forming block and the anvil block with a separation distance between the fluid outlet and the first substrate;
advancing a second substrate in the machine direction wherein the first substrate is between the second substrate and the forming block;
controlling the separation distance between the first substrate and the fluid outlet;
heating a fluid to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrates;
directing a jet of the heated fluid through the fluid outlet and onto an overlap area of the first and second substrates;
partially melting the overlap area;
moving at least one of the forming block and the anvil block in a machine direction and a vertical direction; and
compressing the overlap area between the pressure applying member and the anvil block,
wherein the fluid outlet extends in a direction perpendicular to the machine direction.

2. A method for forming a seam, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an anvil block;
providing a forming block adjacent the anvil block, the forming block comprising a face, a pressure applying member extending outwardly from the face toward the anvil block, and a fluid outlet extending through the pressure applying member;
advancing a first substrate in a machine direction between the forming block and the anvil block with a separation distance between the fluid outlet and the first substrate;
advancing a second substrate in the machine direction wherein the first substrate is between the second substrate and the forming block;
controlling the separation distance between the first substrate and the fluid outlet;
heating a fluid to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrates;
directing a jet of the heated fluid through the fluid outlet and onto an overlap area of the first and second substrates;
partially melting the overlap area;
moving the forming block in the machine direction toward the overlap area; and
thereafter compressing the overlap area between the pressure applying member and the anvil block.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the jet of heated fluid is at a temperature ranging from a lower melting point of the first and second substrates minus 30° C. to the lower melting point of the first and second substrates plus 100° C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the jet of heated fluid is directed at the first and second substrates at a pressure in the range of about 0.1×10 5 Newtons per square meter to about 1×10 6 Newtons per square meter.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fluid is ambient air.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Schneider Uwe
• Blessing Horst
• Jackels Hans Adolf

Classifications

• B29C66/83221

  cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis · CPC title

• A61F13/15739 Primary

  Sealing, e.g. involving cutting · CPC title

• B29C66/93411

  the parts to be joined having different speeds · CPC title

• A61F13/4963 Primary

  characterized by the seam · CPC title

• B29C66/8226

  Cam mechanisms; Wedges; Eccentric mechanisms · CPC title