Apertured Elastic Laminate Assembly Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing absorbent articles lies in aligning apertures in elastic laminates during assembly, which can lead to misalignment and reduced breathability due to the complexity of advancing nonwovens between separate operations, and aperturing processes that detract from the softness of the laminate.
Innovation Solution
A method involving forming apertures in substrates before assembly, where elastic material is stretched and positioned between them, and bonding in specific regions to create unbonded areas for aperture placement, allowing precise alignment and minimizing protrusions for enhanced breathability and softness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If nonwovens are advanced between separate assembly operations and aperturing processes, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but alignment precision of apertures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the aperturing operation with the laminate assembly operation into a single integrated process. The aperturing device is positioned to aperture the first and second substrates simultaneously as they are being assembled with the elastic material, eliminating the need to advance the nonwovens between separate operations and ensuring precise aperture alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrates are apertured before the bonding operation occurs in the laminate assembly process. By forming apertures in the substrates prior to bonding, the patent ensures that apertures are positioned in unbonded regions and will not be blocked by bond lines, maintaining both manufacturing flexibility and alignment precision.
2Reliability
If aperturing processes are applied to assembled laminate, then breathability is improved, but surface softness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrates are apertured before assembly into the laminate structure. By performing the aperturing operation on the individual substrates prior to bonding, the patent avoids creating protrusions on the outer surfaces of the finished laminate, thereby maintaining surface softness while still achieving the desired breathability through the apertures.
3Manufacturing precision
If apertures are formed in substrates before assembly, then aperture positioning precision is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the aperturing device with the laminate assembly line, positioning it to aperture substrates simultaneously as they are being assembled. This integration ensures precise aperture positioning through the combined operations while avoiding the need for separate, complex aperturing steps that would increase overall process complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures precise positioning of apertures, maintaining breathability and softness of the elastic laminate, reducing the risk of apertures being blocked and improving the overall performance of absorbent articles.
Implementation Method 1
advancing elastic material onto the second surface of the first substrate; stretching elastic strands in a machine direction
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to methods for making apertured elastic laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. The methods and apparatuses may be close coupled such that materials may advance directly between aperturing and bonding operations. Such close coupling of devices may help to more precisely control the positions of the apertures in substrates relative to positions of apertures opposing substrates and/or bonds in the assembled laminate. The methods and apparatuses herein may also provide the ability to orient protrusions or protuberances in the substrates created by the aperturing process so as to extend inward and away from both outer surfaces of the assembled laminate. In turn, the assembly processes may be conducted so as to help mitigate reductions in softness that might otherwise result from the aperturing process in the assembled laminate.