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: An absorbent web is provided with spaced apertures which have been formed by slitting, tensioning, and setting fusible material which forms a part of the web. The web preferably includes absorbent material which is capable of increased absorbency when compared to conventional cellulosic fibers.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes for receiving sheets from a sheet stacker, separating them into bundles, and removing the bundles from the discharge area of the sheet stacking apparatus. The apparatus includes a frame, a rotatable receiving means mounted on the frame, means for separating the bundles of sheets being received, and means for rotating the rotatable receiving means. The receiving means may include a plurality of sheet receiving chambers, each chamber having an elevator which may be lowered in the respective chamber. The apparatus also has means for raising each elevator. The separating means accumulates the sheets being received from the sheet stacker while the receiving means is being rotated.

Abstract: The invention is generally accomplished by providing an elongated, curved, better-fitting absorbent pad for absorption of bodily excretions comprising a liquid-impermeable backing member, an absorbent inner member and a liquid-permeable body-side member. The absorbent member is shaped generally in a manner that provides a narrower middle portion of absorbent material. The middle portion also in the preferred embodiment is somewhat thicker than the absorbent portions at the ends of the pad. The pad is provided with upstanding side portions in the middle of each long edge in the area where the absorbent is narrower. The pad further is curved so as to generally conform to the pudendum.

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: The invention is generally accomplished by providing a panty-like garment containing an integral menstrual pad. The absorbent pad portion extends from the crotch region up in both the back and the front to a point higher than normal menstrual pads. The pad extends at least up to the area where the crack between the gluteus maximus ends. Further there is an impervious member that is outside of the absorbent pad and greater in area than the absorbent pad.

Abstract: A drum separator includes a cylindrical screen drum which is mounted for rotation within a sealed housing such that a small portion of the perimeter of the screen drum is exposed. Air, fibers, and fines are introduced onto a first part of the exposed portion of the screen drum and fines and air pass through the screen drum into the interior of the housing and then to a fines collector. Fibers which are too large to pass through the screen drum are carried by the rotation of the screen drum to a pick-up head which applies a low pressure to the exterior of the screen drum to remove the fibers. The pick-up head is pivotably mounted to the housing, and air cylinders lift the pick-up head away from the screen drum in the event of an impact. The pick-up head includes a pick-up bar and a plurality of fins which are shaped to optimize removal of fibers from the exterior of the screen drum.

Abstract: An improved wettable creping adhesive comprises an aqueous admixture of polyvinyl alcohol and a water-soluble thermoplastic polyamide resin comprising the reaction product of a polyalkylene polyamine, a saturated aliphatic dibasic carboxylic acid, and a poly(oxyethylene) diamine.

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: A compact tube applicator is provided in which a nesting telescoping inner tube has slits on its leading edge to receive the tampon pledget and a ring positioned around the trailing end, the trailing end being narrower in diameter than the leading end when the inner tube is pulled backward, the tampon is expelled through the leading ends of the two tubes by the inwardly compressive forces provided by the ring.

Abstract: The invention is generally accomplished by providing an absorbent pouch for the male genitalia that has a generally triangular opening wherein one side of the triangle is adapted to be worn flat against the upper genital region and the other two portions of the triangular opening extend into the crotch and meet behind the scrotum. The pouch extending downward from the triangular opening has sufficient capacity to comfortably contain the male genitalia, and the opening at the top is sufficient to allow air circulation. The allowance for air circulation decreases skin problems. The method for forming the device consists of folding a retangular sheet of composite material on a first fold line that is offset from the middle of the sheet. Next, the points forming the outer ends of the first fold line are folded toward each other so that they are adjacent. The newly formed edges are then folded inwardly toward each other a predetermined distance so as to form the generally triangular opening.

Abstract: The pad of the invention is composed of impervious backing sheet and a pervious body-side liner with an absorbent material there between. The pad is elasticized along its edges from points at substantially one end extending along the longer edges of the rectangular pad for at least two-thirds of the length of the pad. In a preferred form of the invention the pad has as its absorbent material a coform structure of air-formed meltblown polymers combined with air-formed cellulose fibers that have been formed onto a pervious spunbonded material that serves as the pervious body-side liner. In the preferred form the backing sheet is formed of an extrusion-coated spunbonded material that has the spunbonded material on the outer surface with the backing sheet folded over to overlap on the body side of the garment with the fabric toward the body. The folded portion forms the pad's baffles.

Abstract: Ink-bearing secondary fiber feedstocks are mechanically fiberized in a substantially dry state to produce substantially discrete fibers and ink-bearing fines, and the fibers are separated from the fines in a substantially dry state.

Abstract: A hot or cold compress a layer of substituted urea/urethane hydrogel material bonded to a porous substrate. The hydrogel material is made up of a high molecular weight polyol, a toluene diisocyanate prepolymer and water. Generally, the water and polyol each comprises between about 40 to 50% by weight of the hydrogel, with the diisocyanate prepolymer making up the remaining 12-16% by weight. The hot or cold compresses of the present invention are formed by preparing the hydrogel material and then placing a porous substrate in contact with the hydrogel prior to the time that gel formation is complete. In this manner, the hydrogel becomes integrally bonded to the porous substrate. Other materials such as terrycloth can be bonded to the porous substrate prior to bonding the substrate to the hydrogel. Articles useful in therapy can then be formed by attaching the edges of the cloth/porous substrate to form the desired object.

Abstract: An abrasive polypropylene meltblown web having a very light basis weight and thick fibers is made by depositing the fibers onto a substrate while in a semi-molten state.

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.

Abstract: An assembly for providing support to a component, such as an ultrasonic component, including converters, boosters and horns which are subjected to continuous and repeated impacts and stresses. Such devices generally have integral nodal flanges for support purposes. In this assembly, shock-absorbing means are placed on each side of the nodal flange. A grip ring assembly is then bolted or otherwise removably fastened, together over the shock-absorbing means and nodal flange, compressing the shock-absorbing means. The component is prevented from rotating with respect to the grip ring assembly by pegs which are driven through holes provided in the grip ring assembly and into slots formed lengthwise in the nodal flange. Hence the flange itself, via the shock-absorbing means, absorbs all of the lengthwise force applied to the component by the grip ring assembly, and the pegs are required to absorb none of it.

Abstract: A disposable underpant (10, 10') comprising a front panel (11) and rear panel (12) joined together along side seams (13) to provide a three-dimensional garment having a pair of elasticized leg openings (14) and an elasticized waist opening (15), and including a bodyside liner (16), outer cover (17) and absorbent batt (18) therebetween, in which the outer cover (17) has an inner layer (30) of plastic material and an outer layer (31) of nonwoven fibrous material.