Elastomeric Laminate Rethreading Guide Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the manufacturing of absorbent articles, elastic strands can break under tension, leading to loose ends that become entangled in upstream machinery, necessitating process stops for rethreading.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that automatically rethread elastic materials by continuously advancing substrates and elastic materials from upstream to downstream metering devices, guiding the loose end of the broken elastic material to reestablish its stretched condition without halting the production process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastic strands are advanced through the manufacturing process under tension, then the elastic material can be properly stretched and bonded to substrates, but the elastic strands may break and become entangled in upstream machinery
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the elastic strand feed and the bonding zone. This guide member redirects the loose end of broken elastic strands away from upstream machinery components, preventing entanglement while allowing continuous production to proceed without interruption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of strand breakage into a beneficial outcome by using the redirected loose end to automatically rethread through the guide member, transforming what would be a process-interrupting event into a self-correcting situation that maintains continuous operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If elastic strands are stretched to create corrugations in the nonwoven, then the elastomeric laminate achieves stretchability, but the tension causes strands to break during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member acts as a mediator that separates the function of stretching (achieved through controlled tension in the bonding zone) from the harmful effect of excessive tension causing breakage and entanglement upstream, allowing the laminate to maintain stretchability while preventing strand failure
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
Enables continuous production of elastomeric laminates by automatically reincorporating broken elastic material into the manufacturing process, preventing entanglements and maintaining production flow.
Implementation Method 1
stretching an elastic material in the machine direction by advancing the elastic material through the first nip to the third roller
Implementation Method 2
rotating a first roller about a first axis of rotation, the first roller having an outer circumferential surface having a surface speed V1; rotating a second roller about a second axis of rotation, the second roller having an outer circumferential surface having a surface speed V1, wherein the first roller and the second roller rotate in opposite directions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~3B
Figure 2B
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to methods for manufacturing absorbent articles, and in particular, to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. And the methods and apparatuses according to the present disclosure may be configured to automatically rethread elastic materials that may break during the assembly process.