Abstract: A method is presented for altering a portion of a substrate. The method includes providing a first device including an outer surface and a second device including a source of vibration energy. The method also includes forming a nip between the source of vibration energy and the outer surface. The method also includes conveying the substrate through the nip and intermittently altering the portion of the substrate in the nip to create a pattern of altered areas forming a shape. The altered areas have a pattern balance that includes one or more of: an average area of the substrate altered in the nip is within a threshold range across the portion of the substrate; and a simple area of integral areas within the altered areas is within a threshold range across the portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for ultrasonically bonding elastic laminates is provided. The method includes attaching a removable shell layer to at least a portion of an exterior surface of a rotating roll, advancing at least a laminate material assembly along a machine direction to dispose the laminate material assembly on the removable shell layer, applying a vacuum pressure to the laminate material assembly, ultrasonically bonding the laminate material assembly, and advancing the elastic laminate including the laminate pattern along the machine direction.

Abstract: An absorbent article having a chassis and an ear joined to the chassis is provided. The ear includes a laminate having a first nonwoven, a second nonwoven, and an elastomeric material sandwiched between the first nonwoven and the second nonwoven. The laminate further includes a plurality of ultrasonic bonds. The elastomeric material has a maximum dimension, Y, in a stretch direction and defines a primary region including an elastic region and one or more unstretched zones. The elastic region has a maximum dimension, X, in the stretch direction, and the one or more unstretched zones has an aggregate lateral width of Wd. A ratio of Wd to Y is 0.3 or less.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions; and a chassis having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet. The article also includes a side panel having an ultrasonically bonded, gathered laminate. The laminate has an elastomeric layer and a substrate and is joined to the chassis at a chassis attachment bond and positioned in one of the first or second waist regions. The ultrasonically bonded, gathered laminate also includes an ear structural feature comprising a surface modification to the substrate and comprising at least one of the following: embossing, apertures, perforations, slits, melted material or coatings, compressed material, secondary bonds that are disposed apart from a chassis attachment bond, plastic deformation, and folds.

Abstract: A method is presented of forming protrusions in a portion of a substrate. The method may include providing a first device comprising an outer surface; providing a second device including a source of vibration energy; forming a nip between the source of vibration energy and the outer surface; conveying the substrate through the nip; forming the protrusions in the portion of the substrate in the nip using the source of vibration energy; and inspecting one or more characteristics of the substrate using a vision system.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to elastic laminates and methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Elastic laminates may include one or more reinforcement layers positioned between unstretched portions of elastic materials and substrates to which the elastic materials are bonded.

Abstract: A system for ultrasonic bonding of elastic includes a rotating roll. The rotating roll has an exterior surface. A removable shell layer is attached to the external surface. The removable shell layer includes one or more patterned segments. The patterned segments include a shell channels formed through the removable shell layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Methods herein may include an anvil adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein first and second spreader mechanisms adjacent the anvil roll are axially and angularly displaced from each other with respect to the axis of rotation. During the assembly process, a substrate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating anvil. The first spreader mechanism stretches a first elastic material in the cross direction, and the second spreader mechanism stretches a second elastic material in the cross direction. The stretched first and second elastic materials advance from the spreader mechanisms and onto the substrate on the anvil roll. The combined and elastic materials may then be ultrasonically bonded together on the anvil to form at least one elastic laminate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure include providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate, each having a width in a cross direction; providing an elastic material; elongating the activated elastic material using a spreader mechanism; and ultrasonically bonding the first substrate together with the second substrate with the elongated activated elastic material positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate using an anvil and an ultrasonic device.

Abstract: A method for assembling elastic laminates includes the steps of stretching an elastic film at a spreader mechanism in the cross direction to a first elongation; advancing the elastic film from the spreader mechanism to an anvil, wherein the anvil comprises an active vacuum zone having a maximum width in the cross direction of Wv. The maximum width is divided into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is disposed in overlapping relationship with the engagement portion and inboard of the engagement portion in the cross direction and the first portion has a width in the cross direction of VZi and wherein the second portion has a width in the cross direction of VZo, and wherein a ratio of VZi is greater than to VZo is greater than 1.

Abstract: A method of altering a portion of a substrate may include providing a first device and a second device with a nip therebetween. The second device may comprise a stationary or rotating source of vibration energy. When conveyed through the nip, the substrate may be exposed to the vibration energy and the portion thereof may be altered. Thermal energy may be applied to the portion of the substrate upstream of the nip to raise a temperature of the portion of the substrate to a temperature below a melting temperature thereof. A substrate spreader may contact the substrate upstream of the nip to mitigate fold over or wrinkles in the substrate. When the first device is a rotating anvil and the second device comprises a rotating source of vibration energy, the surface velocities thereof may be variable and may be the same or different.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions. The article also includes a chassis having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an ear joined to the chassis. The ear includes a laminate formed from a first nonwoven and second nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens. The laminate further includes a plurality of ultrasonic bonds.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions. The article also includes a chassis having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an ear joined to the chassis. The ear includes a laminate formed from a nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens. The laminate further includes a plurality of ultrasonic bonds.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing portions of absorbent articles may include or facilitate conveying a substrate through a nip formed between a first device and a second device, transmitting vibrational energy from the second device toward the first device via the nip to alter the substrate, and cooling the second device by transferring thermal energy from the second device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing portions of absorbent articles may include or facilitate conveying a substrate through a nip formed between a first device and a second device, transmitting vibrational energy from the second device toward the first device via the nip to alter the substrate, and cooling the second device by transferring thermal energy from the second device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure include providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate, each having a width in a cross direction; providing an elastic material; elongating the activated elastic material using a spreader mechanism; and ultrasonically bonding the first substrate together with the second substrate with the elongated activated elastic material positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate using an anvil and an ultrasonic device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Methods herein may include an anvil adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein first and second spreader mechanisms adjacent the anvil roll are axially and angularly displaced from each other with respect to the axis of rotation. During the assembly process, a substrate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating anvil. The first spreader mechanism stretches a first elastic material in the cross direction, and the second spreader mechanism stretches a second elastic material in the cross direction. The stretched first and second elastic materials advance from the spreader mechanisms and onto the substrate on the anvil roll. The combined and elastic materials may then be ultrasonically bonded together on the anvil to form at least one elastic laminate.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions. The article further includes a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an ear. The ear includes a laminate having a first nonwoven and second nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens. The laminate comprises a plurality of ultrasonic bonds. The ear also has a first inelastic region and an elastic region. The ear is joined to the chassis in the first inelastic region, and a fastening system is joined to the ear in the elastic region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure involve providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate, each having a width in a cross direction; providing an activated elastic material; elongating the activated elastic material; and ultrasonically bonding the first substrate together with the second substrate with the elongated activated elastic material positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: The methods herein relate to assembling an elastic laminate with a first elastic material and a second elastic material bonded between first and second substrates. During assembly, an elastic laminate may be formed by positioning the first and second substrates in contact with stretched central regions of the first and second elastic materials. The elastic laminates may include two or more bonding regions that may be defined by the various layers or components of the elastic laminate that are laminated or stacked relative to each other. In some configurations, a first plurality of ultrasonic bonds are applied to the elastic laminate to define a first bond density in the first bonding region, and a second plurality of ultrasonic bonds are applied to the elastic laminate to define a second bond density in the second bonding region, wherein the second bond density is not equal to the first bond density.