Abstract: A method is disclosed for making a fastener landing zone within a selected area on the front waist panel of a diaper. The front waist panel and a rear waist panel are stretchable in a cross-body direction, the rear panel having elongated ears bearing mechanical fasteners on inner, body-facing surfaces thereof which are releasably engageable with mechanical fasteners provided on the landing zones. The landing zones are shaped, sized and oriented on the front waist panel so as to impart a tensile force distribution pattern thereacross, directing tensile stresses away from the leg and waist openings while providing a band of abdominal support across the front waist panel between the landing zones.

Abstract: A disposable diaper comprises an absorbent structure integrated within an outer cover. The outer cover includes front and rear elasticized waist panels, an intermediate crotch panel separating the waist panels from one another, a pair of sides extending between and interconnecting the waist panels, a pair of leg openings delimited along the sides and front and rear pairs of ears delimited at the sides of the front and rear waist panels, respectively. The rear pair of ears define elongated shapes with internal, body-facing surfaces, a proximal portion spaced from a line centered on the longitudinal axis of the diaper, suer end portions spaced distally from the proximal portions and elastomeric medial portions adjustably spacing and separating the user portions from the proximal portions.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) of the type for applying an elastic ribbon (18) onto the surface of a moving web (12) in curved line path relative to the longitudinal centerline (14) of the web (12) includes a nip roll (16) for directly rolling the elastic ribbon (18) into engagement with the moving web (12) and an oscillating roll (20) adjacent to and spaced from the nip roll (16) for oscillatiang the elastic ribbon (18) in a direction transverse the centerline of the web (12) and applying the elastic ribbon (18) to the nip roll (16) in the curved line path. A guide roll (22) guides the elastic ribbon (18) to wrap around the oscillating roll (20) and tension the elastic ribbon sufficiently for tracking and holding the lateral position of the elastic ribbon (18) on the nip roll (16) to be applied to the moving web (12) in the curved line path.

Abstract: A garment (20) for use in absorbing and containing waste comprising a generally rectangular liquid impervious backing (22) having a peripheral edge (24) and a generally rectangular liquid pervious body-side liner (40) having a peripheral edge (42). The liquid impervious backing (22) and liquid pervious liner (40) are joined at their peripheral edges (24,42) to form a container (74). A generally rectangular absorbent layer (58) is between the liner (40) and the backing (22). A generally rectangular pledget (76), which is made of absorbent material, is positioned between the absorbent layer (58) and the backing (22). The pledget (76) has a width and length less than the width and length of the absorbent layer (58).

Abstract: A coated fabric comprises a base ply of a fiber material such as a non-woven fiber material, for example, a polypropylene non-woven material, having a thermoplastic film, for example, an ethylene methyl acrylate film, bonded thereto. The base ply has densified and undensified portions thereof, the densified portions defining densified areas on a coating surface of the base ply, and the thermoplastic film is heat-bonded to the coating surface at least at the densified portions thereof. A method of making the coated fabric comprises contacting the thermoplastic film in heat-softened condition with the coating surface of the base ply, and allowing the film to cool.

Abstract: The invention is generally accomplished by providing a seedbed of meltblown material having incorporated therein seeds. It is preferred that in addition to the incorporation of seeds that there is also incorporated absorbent material such as cellulose fibers and superabsorbent materials such as hydrogels.

Abstract: This invention is generally accomplished by providing continuous self-adhesive strands of elastic to a substrate having retractable supports extending therefrom. The retractable supports in a convex pattern are contracted with the self-adhering elastic and the substrate bearing the elastic and supports is brought into contact with the web to which the elastic is to be transferred. The series of supports around which the elastic contacts are forced to retract as the self-adhering elastic is pressed against the web causing the elastic to transfer to the substrate thereby creating an elastic band on the substrate. In a preferred form the substrate is fed two strips of self-adhering elastic that are applied on each side of a series of a convex pattern of pins and then pressed together around opposing sides of the convex pattern of pins to seal the elastic to itself and sever the elastic, creating a contoured closed loop around the pins.

Abstract: Apparatus for changing the spacing between articles of a moving array of discrete articles includes transfer means mounted for orbiting along a closed orbital path passing through a receiving zone and a discharge zone. The orbital radius of the transfer means is adjustable to provide an orbital radius in the discharge zone which is different from that in the receiving zone. The transfer means are maintained in fixed, equal angular distances between them along the orbital path whereby the orbital path distance between adjacent transfer means is different in the discharge zone from that in the receiving zone thereby resulting in a different spacing between adjacent articles in the discharge zone from that in the receiving zone. Two or more orbital spacer means may be utilized in tandem to provide the change in spacing in stages.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for ultrasonically bonding a web utilizes ultrasonic bonders having respective anvil and sonotrode components which are synchronously orbited with each other and with the rotation of a rotatable drum which carries the web of material to be bonded. One of the anvil and sonotrode components is orbited exteriorly of the drum and the other interiorly of the drum and they are brought into facing alignment through openings in the drum to clamp segments of the material therebetween during passage through a bonding segment of the travel path of the web about the drum. The bonder component orbiting exteriorly of the drum is axially translated away from the anvil along the drum in order to provide clearance for withdrawal of the bonded material from the drum. In this manner, an ultrasonic bonder may clamp the material at a single location for a large segment of its travel along the rotation path of the drum, thereby attaining a bonding time not limited entirely by the travel speed of the web.

Abstract: A coated fabric comprises a base ply of a fiber material such as a non-woven fiber material, for example, a polypropylene non-woven material, having a thermoplastic film, for example, an ethylene methyl acrylate film, bonded thereto. The base ply has densified and undensified portions thereof, the densified portions defining densified areas on a coating surface of the base ply, and the thermoplastic film is heat-bonded to the coating surface at least at the densified portions thereof. A method of making the coated fabric comprises contacting the thermoplastic film in heat-softened condition with the coating surface of the base ply, and allowing the film to cool.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for inverting a child's training pant or the like. The apparatus generally comprises a pair of mutually facing, diverging conveyor belt assemblies and a pair of suction systems respectively associated with the conveyor belt assemblies. As the conveyor belt assemblies move the training pant therealong, the suction systems act on opposite surfaces of the training pant to draw them apart, thereby opening the training pant. At the end of the conveyor belt assemblies is an inverting assembly for inverting the opened pant.

Abstract: Apparatus for changing the spacing between articles of a moving array of discrete articles includes transfer means mounted for orbiting along a closed orbital path passing through a receiving zone and a discharge zone. The orbital radius of the transfer means is adjustable to provide an orbital radius in the discharge zone which is different from that in the receiving zone. The transfer means are maintained in fixed, equal angular distances between them along the orbital path whereby the orbital path distance between adjacent transfer means is different in the discharge zone from that in the receiving zone thereby resulting in a different spacing between adjacent articles in the discharge zone from that in the receiving zone. Two or more orbital spacer means may be utilized in tandem to provide the change in spacing in stages.

Abstract: The cloth-like, liquid impervious composite material is made by applying a nonwoven layer of loose, unadhered fibers to a liquid impervious film, and then point-bonding the nonwoven layer to the liquid impervious film to form discrete points of adhesion between the fibers and film. Because the fibers in the nonwoven layer are loose and unadhered when applied to the film, the resulting composite material has improved loft and softness. Also, when the composite material is elasticized by an elastic material, it gathers into a more pleasing appearance.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for splicing a new web to a running web including cutting the old web between two rollers, the first roller having a cutting means, a rotating means, an actuating means and the second roller being a backing cylinder. The first roller is brought in contact with the old web, and the backing roller then rotates through the cutting action to permit splicing to occur while maintaining a continuous supply of web material.

Abstract: Apparatus for ultrasonically bonding a web of bondable material, comprising web transport means for moving the web along a web travel path, a plurality of ultrasonic bonding means disposed along the travel path, means for selectively energizing the ultrasonic bonding means, and carrier means for selectively moving the ultrasonic bonding means into intermittent bonding contact with the web during movement of the web along the travel path, such that the web is multiply untrasonically bonded during travel along said travel path by at least one of: (i) successive bonding contacts with a bonding site on the web by different ones of the plurality of ultrasonic bonding means, and (ii) simultaneous bonding contacts with a plurality of different web bonding sites by different ones of the ultrasonic bonding means. Also disclosed is a corresponding method of ultrasonically bonding a web of bondable material.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for extruding and cooling self-adhering elastomeric materials to obtain substantial uniform consistency. This is accomplished by bisurfacially exposing the material to cooling while supporting the material as a foraminous means.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for simultaneously folding and pleating a child's training pant or the like. The apparatus generally includes a plunger that is reciprocative through a tube member. The tube member has an interior surface defining an interior space and a pleating surface disposed on the interior surface. Upon the plunger member forcibly urging the training pant through the interior space, it is simultaneously folded by the interior surface and pleated by the pleating surfaces.

Abstract: A composite with an adjustable, conformable opening therein, comprising a base web of less extensible, lower elastic recovery material, joined to a second web, of more extensible, higher elastic recovery material, wherein the base web has a first opening therein, and the second web has a second opening therein generally concentric with the first opening and of smaller size than the first opening, so that the second opening is circumferentially peripherally bounded by an annular-shaped segment of the second web, and the annular-shaped segment of the second web in turn is circumferentially peripherally bounded by the base web. The composite is advantageously employed to form garments and similar articles wherein the opening serves as a conformable, adjustable body part opening, such as in gloves, shirts, socks, shoe covers, slippers, disposable diapers, training pants, etc.

Abstract: Apparatus for folding, bonding and severing a longitudinally extending web, comprising a rotatable disc having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart, radially extending protrusions at its periphery, means for rotating the disc, means for feeding the longitudinally extending web onto the disc during rotation thereof, so that outer extremities of the protrusions contact the web at its medial region to cause folding of the web so that its sides overlap one another between the protrusions, means for bonding the folded web at its overlapping sides between adjacent protrusions during rotation of the disc, and means for severing the folded web at its overlapping sides between adjacent protrusions during rotation of the disc. Also disclosed is a corresponding method wherein the longitudinally extending web is folded, bonded and severed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying discrete strips of material to both longitudinally opposite segments of a longitudinally extending web, comprising: longitudinally moving the web along a travel path including a helically looped portion having a center axis and passing opposite longitudinal edges of the web in lapping proximity to one another in a lapping zone of the looped portion; applying at least one continuous strip of material to the web by transversely oscillating the strip across the opposite longitudinal edges in the lapping zone of the travel path; and severing the applied strip between the edges in the lapping zone. The method and apparatus of the present invention have utility in forming elastic gathers on fibrous web materials, such as may subsequently be processed for end-use applications such as disposable diapers, panty-type garments and the like.