Abstract: A machine and method for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for disposable sanitary products involves manufacturing the elastic composite structure with an elasticized leg and leg cuff region in a manner that minimizes or eliminates the use of consumable adhesives. The elastic composite structure includes pairs of leg bonds and cuff bonds that are formed without adhesive and anchor respective leg and cuff elastic threads in position relative to facing web layers. The leg bonds and cuff bonds are formed using one or more anvils that include discrete raised projections.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a wrapped absorbent structure feeds a continuous web layer onto a depression of a core-forming drum, with absorbent material deposited onto the continuous web layer and into the depression and another continuous web layer being applied over the continuous web layer and the absorbent material to enclose the absorbent material therebetween. A pleating system forms one or more folds in one or both of the continuous web layers, with each fold being a continuous fold running in the machine direction so as to form a pleated web layer having portions overlapped in a cross-machine direction. An attachment means forms substantially temporary bonds in the overlapped portions of the pleated web layer that have a bond strength great enough to maintain the continuous fold in the wrapped absorbent core during forming of the wrapped absorbent structure and when the absorbent material is in a substantially dry state.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming and applying a pleated core wrap includes a feeding mechanism configured to feed a continuous web of material in a machine direction and a pleating unit configured to form one or more continuous folds in the continuous web of material, so as to form a continuous pleated web of material with a portion of the web of material overlapped in a cross-machine direction. A core-forming drum receives the continuous pleated web of material, the core-forming drum including at least one depression provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof, the depression having a floor having one or more inserts protruding radially outward therefrom. A vacuum system provided a vacuum to the depression that is communicated through the floor to suction the continuous pleated web of material down into the depression, with regions of the continuous pleated web of material separating upon being suctioned down into the depression.

Abstract: A cutting and transfer apparatus includes a cutting system to cut an incoming web of material into discrete articles and a transfer mechanism operable to transfer and rotate the discrete articles from a web receiving location to an article placement location. The transfer mechanism includes a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis and a puck wheel mounted to the drive shaft to rotate therewith. The puck wheel includes a plurality of carriage units that rotate about the transfer axis to travel along a transfer path, with each carriage unit including a puck that carries a discrete article thereon and reorients the article as the puck travels between the web receiving location and the article placement location. A plurality of servo motors is operably connected to the carriage units via connecting arms to alter positioning of the respective carriage units along at least a portion of the transfer path.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a transfer mechanism that transfers discrete articles to a receiving member. The transfer mechanism includes a plurality of transfer pucks that carry discrete articles thereon. Each of the transfer pucks includes a puck body with an article carrying surface having vacuum holes formed therein to retain the discrete article thereon via a vacuum. The article carrying surface includes a central region and at least one side region adjacent the central region, the side region aligned lengthwise along the puck body. Each of the transfer pucks also includes one or more resilient puck inserts positioned about a portion of a perimeter of the transfer puck, with each puck insert engaged with the puck body in a respective side region. The puck inserts are sized to protrude above the article carrying surface and are depressible inward toward the article carrying surface upon an application of force thereto.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying discrete stretched film portions to a carrier web includes conveying a continuous elastic film in a machine direction, operating a cutting unit to cut the continuous elastic film into a series of discrete first film portions and discrete second film portions, selectively adjusting a feed rate of the continuous elastic film upstream of the cutting unit, transferring a first film portion and a second film portion from a vacuum drum to a first pair of arms and a second pair of arms of, respectively, of a stretch unit, stretching the first and second film portions in a cross-machine direction by separating the first and second pairs of arms in the cross-machine direction as the stretch unit rotates from a pickup position to a transfer position, and transferring the stretched first and second film portions from the stretch unit to the carrier web.

Abstract: An apparatus for executing a method of manufacturing multi-piece closed-back isolation garments (10) includes machinery for creating discrete torso web pieces (12) from a continuous torso web, combining the discrete torso pieces with a continuous shoulder web (14) having neck openings (444) therein, and cutting the combined torso and shoulder web structure to form the isolation garments. The isolation garments may be used as protection from potentially hazardous or unclean materials in a variety of different environments.

Abstract: An apparatus for executing a method of manufacturing multi-piece closed-back isolation garments (410) includes machinery for creating discrete torso web pieces (412) from a continuous torso web, combining the discrete torso pieces with a continuous shoulder web (414) having neck openings (444) therein, and cutting the combined torso and shoulder web structure to form the isolation garments. The isolation garments may be used as protection from potentially hazardous or unclean materials in a variety of different environments.

Abstract: An apparatus for executing a method of manufacturing multi-piece open-back isolation garments (10) includes machinery for creating discrete torso web pieces (12) from a continuous torso web, combining the discrete torso pieces with a continuous shoulder web (14), and cutting the combined torso and shoulder web structure to form the isolation garments. The isolation garments may be used as protection from potentially hazardous or unclean materials in a variety of different environments.

Abstract: An apparatus for executing a method of manufacturing multi-piece open-back isolation garments (10) includes machinery for creating discrete torso web pieces (12) from a continuous torso web (14), combining the discrete torso pieces with a continuous shoulder web having neck openings (37) therein, and cutting the combined torso and shoulder web structure to form the isolation garments. The isolation garments may be used as protection from potentially hazardous or unclean materials in a variety of different environments.

Abstract: A medical gown (100) and method of donning are disclosed herein. The medical gown may comprise a top portion (110), a bottom portion (112), a first tie (134), a second tie (136), and a cover patch (120). The top portion may include arms (140) and a neck opening (152). The bottom portion may include a front bottom side (128), a first rear flap (130), a second rear flap (132), and the first tie integrally formed with the first rear flap. The first and second rear flaps may extend from opposite edges of the front bottom side. The cover patch may be configured to at least partially couple the top portion and the bottom portion together. The second tie may be coupled between the cover patch and the bottom portion. The medical gown may provide easy donning and doffing as well as be optimally configured for manufacturing using automation.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure is provided. The apparatus includes an anvil having a face with a first edge and a second edge separated in a cross-machine direction and a first contact surface extending out from the face, the first contact surface including a first notch. The first notch has an interior configured to receive a portion of an elastic thread and a portion of a web layer therein, and the first notch includes a first facing surface and a second facing surface defining at least a portion of the interior. Each of the first facing surface and the second facing surface are in a non-perpendicular orientation relative to the first contact surface and angled toward the first edge of the face.

Abstract: An apparatus for splicing comprises a first web support surface configured to support a traveling web thereon and a second web support surface configured to support a replacement web thereon. The first traveling web travels in a machine direction. The splicing assembly also comprises a first web sensor and a web joiner. A controller is configured to determine, via the first web sensor, a position of a trailing end of the traveling web and to, in response to determining the position of the trailing end, cause a leading end of the replacement web to be positioned adjacently to the trailing end. The computer is also configured to control the web joiner to create a joint coupling the trailing end to the leading end.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying elastics to a running web including a crank and arm, the arm arranged to reciprocate from side to side during use and having a laydown carriage carried on the arm, the laydown carriage including at least one eyelet arranged to support an elastic strand, the assembly further including a shoe guide.

Abstract: A machine and method for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for disposable sanitary products involves manufacturing the elastic composite structure with an elasticized leg and leg cuff region in a manner that minimizes or eliminates the use of consumable adhesives. The elastic composite structure includes pairs of leg bonds and cuff bonds that are formed without adhesive and anchor respective leg and cuff elastic threads in position relative to facing web layers. The leg bonds and cuff bonds are formed using one or more anvils that include discrete raised projections.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of providing a disposable product with zero waste ear formation and attaching the ears to a running chassis web.

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.