Abstract: A dispensing assembly includes a dispenser having a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel that define an internal chamber configured to receive a plurality of articles. The dispenser includes a dispensing opening. At least a portion of the dispensing opening is formed in the front panel, and may extend a width of the panel, e.g., from the first side panel to the second side panel. The dispensing assembly further includes a shelf contained within the internal chamber and configured to facilitate the removal of an individual article from within the internal chamber in an efficient manner. The dispensing assembly further includes an insert configured to maintain the stack of articles in a predetermined arrangement within the internal chamber. The insert comprises at least one retaining flap configured to be coupled with the top panel of the dispenser.

Abstract: An automated method is provided for forming pleats in a textile product in a production line. The method includes conveying a web of the textile product on a conveyor in the production line. The web is folded using a folding board at a folding station in the production line. The method includes removing heat from the folding board. The automated method can allow for high speed folding of the textile product without damaging the textile product from heat caused by friction between the web of textile product and the folding board.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying. The body is conveyed through a plurality of conveyor sections oriented at angles such that the conveying direction of the body changes at a junction from one conveyor section to an adjacent conveyor section. At the junctions between conveyor sections, an impinging force is directed against the body that causes the body to flip, thereby causing the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with a clamping device of an automated robotic arm. The robotic arm is driven in the conveying direction while rotating the clamping device and body relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to wrap around the body. The robotic arm then deposits the facemask with wrapped ties onto the conveyor.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying. The body is conveyed through a plurality of conveyor sections oriented at angles such that the conveying direction of the body changes at a junction from one conveyor section to an adjacent conveyor section. At the junctions between conveyor sections, an impinging force is directed against the body that causes body to flip, thereby causing the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the facemask body is subsequently clamped to prevent rotation of the body. The leading and trailing pairs of ties are grasped with a rotation device at each side of the conveyor that rotates around the body to wrap the leading and trailing pairs of ties to wrap around the body.

Abstract: A facemask and automated system for producing facemasks is disclosed. The facemask has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The facemask includes a mask body having a generally rectangular shape, a pair of lateral edges extending in the lateral direction, and a pair of longitudinal edges extending in the longitudinal direction. At least one tie is attached to the mask body such that the tie extends away from the mask body in a direction that forms an angle with the longitudinal direction. The angle ranges from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with a clamping device of an automated robotic arm. The robotic arm is driven in the conveying direction while rotating the clamping device and body relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to wrap around the body. The robotic arm then deposits the facemask with wrapped ties onto the conveyor.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the facemask body is subsequently clamped to prevent rotation of the body. The leading and trailing pairs of ties are grasped with a rotation device at each side of the conveyor that rotates around the body to wrap the leading and trailing pairs of ties to wrap around the body.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying and wraps under the body. Subsequently, an impinging force is directed onto the body that is sufficient to cause the body to flip backwards at least once as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying direction, thereby causing the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with an automated clamping device in geared engagement with a rail. The body is rotated relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body by inducing relative linear movement between the clamping device and the rail.

Abstract: An automated system and method for the manufacture of facemasks from a web of a textile product in a production line is provided. The web is conveyed in the production line along a machine direction. A first tie is attached at a tie attaching station to the web of the textile product, such that the first tie extends from the web in a cross-machine direction perpendicular to the machine direction. The web and first tie are cut at a cutting station in the cross-machine direction across a width of the web in the cross-machine direction to form a facemask separate from the web.

Abstract: An automated method is provided for forming pleats in a textile product in a production line. The method includes conveying a web of the textile product on a conveyor in the production line. The web is folded using a folding board at a folding station in the production line. The method includes removing heat from the folding board. The automated method can allow for high speed folding of the textile product without damaging the textile product from heat caused by friction between the web of textile product and the folding board.

Abstract: A splash resistant multi-layered structure is provided. The structure includes a specific arrangement of layers of material and a plurality of three-dimensional spacers that helps prevent penetration through the structure by a fluid that contacts an outer surface of the structure due to a state of forced separation that exists between two adjacent layers of the structure due to the presence of the plurality of three-dimensional spacers positioned between the layers. The plurality of three-dimensional spacers can be positioned on one of the adjacent layers of the structure such that a distance at least as large as the maximum height of the plurality of three-dimensional spacers separates the two layers from each other and can be present on a layer of material in a continuous or discontinuous pattern or can be present on a layer of material in a random fashion.

Abstract: An automated system and method for the manufacture of facemasks from a web of a textile product in a production line is provided. The web is conveyed in the production line along a machine direction. A first tie is attached at a tie attaching station to the web of the textile product, such that the first tie extends from the web in a cross-machine direction perpendicular to the machine direction. The web and first tie are cut at a cutting station in the cross-machine direction across a width of the web in the cross-machine direction to form a facemask separate from the web.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying and wraps under the body. Subsequently, an impinging force is directed onto the body that is sufficient to cause the body to flip backwards at least once as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying direction, thereby causing the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with an automated clamping device in geared engagement with a rail. The body is rotated relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body by inducing relative linear movement between the clamping device and the rail.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying and wraps under the body. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with an automated clamping device and rotated relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying and wraps under the body. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with an automated clamping device and rotated relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.