Diaper Side Part Contouring via Web Folding and Angled Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of disposable incontinence diapers with contoured side parts is challenging due to difficulties in precise guiding of material webs in high-speed machines, leading to potential tears during use and inefficiencies in material usage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving conveying a material web with alternating 180° rotations of double-use sections, folding it to reduce width, and forming diagonal severing lines that do not reach the web edges, allowing for precise cutting and tension maintenance, enabling high-speed production with minimal material loss and improved contouring of diaper side parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the material web is kept under tension during cutting and separation, then cutting precision is improved, but the material web may break or deform due to its low basis weight and large width
Solution Approach 1:
The material web is folded into a compact arrangement before the cutting and separation operations. This preliminary folding action reduces the web's width and spans, allowing it to withstand the tensile forces during cutting without breaking or deforming, while still enabling precise cutting along the fold lines
2Loss of substance
If rectangular diaper side parts are used, then material usage efficiency is improved with minimal waste, but the side parts are prone to tearing during use due to angular pulls
Solution Approach 1:
The diaper side parts are given a contoured shape with curved edges instead of straight rectangular edges. The contouring follows the natural curvature of the user's body, distributing mechanical stresses more evenly during wear and preventing tearing at the lateral longitudinal edges, while still achieving efficient material usage through optimized contour design
3Productivity
If high-speed production is implemented, then productivity is improved, but precise guiding of the material web becomes increasingly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The material web is pre-folded into a compact arrangement before entering the high-speed production line. This preliminary folding stabilizes the web's path and reduces its lateral movements, making it easier to guide precisely through the cutting and separation operations at high speeds without sacrificing accuracy
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing disposable incontinence diapers (2), comprising a main part (4), which consists of a front region (6) and a rear region (8) and a crotch region (10), which lies between the front region and the rear region in a longitudinal direction (28) and which comes to lie between the legs of a user, wherein the main part (4) has an absorption element (12), and comprising diaper side parts (20, 22), which are joined to both sides of the rear region (8) and/or to both sides of the front region (6). At least on the side facing the crotch region (10), the diaper side parts (20, 22) form leg opening regions (7) that extend or are contoured at an angle to the longitudinal direction (28) of the disposable incontinence diaper (2). The method comprises the following steps: conveying a material web (50, 50a) forming diaper side parts (20, 22) in a machine direction (40), wherein the material web (50, 50a) has a first (51) and a second material web edge (52); performing first cuts through the material web and at angle to the machine direction (40) in order to form doubly useful material web segments (23, 23a) to be separated from the material web, which material web segments are arranged in alternation along the material web (50, 50a) in the machine direction (40) in such a way that material web segments (23, 23a) directly following one another in the machine direction (40) are rotated 180° in the plane in relation to each other, wherein first separation lines (71) of the first cuts do not extend to the first and second material web edges (51, 52) of the material web (50a, 50b), and therefore the material web (50, 50a) initially remains continuous; folding the material web (50, 50a) at least around two folding lines (36) extending in the machine direction (40) in order to form a folded assembly, wherein at least one of the folding lines (36) crosses the first separation lines (71); separating the doubly useful material web segments (23, 23a) from the material web (50, 50a) transversely to or at an angle to the machine direction (40) in such a way that, at least in some regions, the first separation lines (71) can form the leg opening regions of the disposable incontinence diaper extending or contoured at an angle to the longitudinal direction (28) of the disposable incontinence diaper (2).