Patents by Inventor David Edward Schuette

David Edward Schuette has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11925538
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes a bonding unit configured to bond a first web layer to a second web layer via a bond pattern that includes at least one bond line having at least one pair of adjacent bonds. The bonding unit secures an elastic thread within a passage defined by the at least one pair of adjacent bonds. The passage has a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the elastic thread in a non-tensioned state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Patent number: 11903801
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes an anvil with weld pattern comprising at least one anchoring region and at least one deactivating region. The anchoring region includes anchoring welds that form anchoring bonds that fuse facing web layers and anchor elastic thread(s) in position relative to the facing web layers. The deactivating region includes a break bar constructed to sever the thread(s). A method of manufacturing the elastic composite structure includes positioning a tensioned elastic thread between web layers, fusing the web layers to form an anchored zone that includes anchoring bonds that fuse the web layers and anchor the tensioned elastic thread therebetween, and cutting the thread to form a deactivated zone between adjacent portions of the anchored zone that is free of tensioned threads. The method further includes fusing the web layers within the deactivated zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Patent number: 11701268
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes an anvil with weld pattern comprising at least one anchoring region and at least one deactivating region. The anchoring region includes anchoring welds that form anchoring bonds that fuse facing web layers and anchor elastic thread(s) in position relative to the facing web layers. The deactivating region includes a break bar constructed to sever the thread(s). A method of manufacturing the elastic composite structure includes positioning a tensioned elastic thread between web layers, fusing the web layers to form an anchored zone that includes anchoring bonds that fuse the web layers and anchor the tensioned elastic thread therebetween, and cutting the thread to form a deactivated zone between adjacent portions of the anchored zone that is free of tensioned threads. The method further includes fusing the web layers within the deactivated zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: CURT G. JOA, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Publication number: 20230181379
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes an anvil with weld pattern comprising at least one anchoring region and at least one deactivating region. The anchoring region includes anchoring welds that form anchoring bonds that fuse facing web layers and anchor elastic thread(s) in position relative to the facing web layers. The deactivating region includes a break bar constructed to sever the thread(s). A method of manufacturing the elastic composite structure includes positioning a tensioned elastic thread between web layers, fusing the web layers to form an anchored zone that includes anchoring bonds that fuse the web layers and anchor the tensioned elastic thread therebetween, and cutting the thread to form a deactivated zone between adjacent portions of the anchored zone that is free of tensioned threads. The method further includes fusing the web layers within the deactivated zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Patent number: 11192310
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the speed of both a continuous web and a bonding apparatus is provided in order to effectuate stronger bonds in the web. The bonding system includes a velocity changing device for increasing and decreasing a velocity of the web in a machine direction, an anvil and a corresponding ultrasonic horn that interact to form ultrasonic bonds on the web, and an anvil actuator configured to control a movement of the anvil. A control system is also included in the bonding system for controlling operation of the anvil actuator the velocity changing device, with the control system programmed to decrease a moving velocity of the web from a feed velocity to a bonding velocity as the web passes between the anvil and the ultrasonic horn and control movement of the anvil to synchronize the movement of the anvil with the moving velocity of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Publication number: 20210008809
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the speed of both a continuous web and a bonding apparatus is provided in order to effectuate stronger bonds in the web. The bonding system includes a velocity changing device for increasing and decreasing a velocity of the web in a machine direction, an anvil and a corresponding ultrasonic horn that interact to form ultrasonic bonds on the web, and an anvil actuator configured to control a movement of the anvil. A control system is also included in the bonding system for controlling operation of the anvil actuator the velocity changing device, with the control system programmed to decrease a moving velocity of the web from a feed velocity to a bonding velocity as the web passes between the anvil and the ultrasonic horn and control movement of the anvil to synchronize the movement of the anvil with the moving velocity of the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Publication number: 20200214901
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes a bonding unit configured to bond a first web layer to a second web layer via a bond pattern that includes at least one bond line having at least one pair of adjacent bonds. The bonding unit secures an elastic thread within a passage defined by the at least one pair of adjacent bonds. The passage has a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the elastic thread in a non-tensioned state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Publication number: 20200206040
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes at least one structure that guides web layers in a machine direction, an elastic thread combiner that combines a plurality of elastic threads to form a combined elastic thread assembly, and a bonding unit. The bonding unit bonds the web layers together via a bond pattern that includes bond lines that each have at least one pair of adjacent bonds, which anchor the combined elastic thread assembly within a passage defined by a pair of adjacent bonds in each of the plurality of bond lines. The passage is narrower than the combined elastic thread assembly in a non-tensioned state and wider than one of the plurality of elastic threads in a non-tensioned state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Patent number: 10561539
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a disposable undergarment, with the lateral edges of the undergarment bonded by means of an ultrasonic horn. When a blank is formed for an individual undergarment, the lateral edges of opposing edges of the blank will form the seam. When the edges are sealed together, a seam is formed. The individual undergarments may be later separated along the seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Schuette, Joram L. McClurg, Jon Allen Pelland, Jeffrey W. Fritz, Daniel A. Peterson
  • Patent number: 10537479
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a disposable undergarment, with the lateral edges of the undergarment bonded by means of an ultrasonic horn. When a blank is formed for an individual undergarment, the lateral edges of opposing edges of the blank will form the seam. When the edges are sealed together, a seam is formed. The individual undergarments may be later separated along the seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Schuette, Joram L. McClurg, Jon Allen Pelland, Jeffrey W. Fritz, Daniel A. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20190231606
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes an anvil with weld pattern comprising at least one anchoring region and at least one deactivating region. The anchoring region includes anchoring welds that form anchoring bonds that fuse facing web layers and anchor elastic thread(s) in position relative to the facing web layers. The deactivating region includes a break bar constructed to sever the thread(s). A method of manufacturing the elastic composite structure includes positioning a tensioned elastic thread between web layers, fusing the web layers to form an anchored zone that includes anchoring bonds that fuse the web layers and anchor the tensioned elastic thread therebetween, and cutting the thread to form a deactivated zone between adjacent portions of the anchored zone that is free of tensioned threads. The method further includes fusing the web layers within the deactivated zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Earl Andrews, David Edward Schuette, Jeffrey Wayne Fritz, Justin Marshall Lafferty
  • Publication number: 20190060132
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a disposable undergarment, with the lateral edges of the undergarment bonded by means of an ultrasonic horn. When a blank is formed for an individual undergarment, the lateral edges of opposing edges of the blank will form the seam. When the edges are sealed together, a seam is formed. The individual undergarments may be later separated along the seams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Schuette, Joram L. McClurg, Jon Allen Pelland, Jeffrey W. Fritz, Daniel A. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20180071152
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a disposable undergarment, with the lateral edges of the undergarment bonded by means of an ultrasonic horn. When a blank is formed for an individual undergarment, the lateral edges of opposing edges of the blank will form the seam. When the edges are sealed together, a seam is formed. The individual undergarments may be later separated along the seams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Schuette, Joram L. McClurg, Jon Allen Pelland, Jeff W. Fritz, Daniel A. Peterson