Method for applying adhesive tape tabs to a disposable diaper

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR PROVIDING ADHESIVE TAPE TABS ON A DISPOSABLE DIAPER FROM A ROLL OF A LAMINAR ASSEMBLY OF A SUBSTRATE MATERIAL AND A RELEASE SHEET MATERIAL HELD TOGETHER BY A LAER OF A TACKY, PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE WHICH COMPRISES: UNWINDING SAID ROLL AND PAYING OUT SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY THEREFROM, SEPARATING AN EDGE PORTION OF SAID RELEASE SHEET FROM SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY AT AN UNWOUND PORTION THEREOF, FOLDING BACK SAID SEPARATED PORTION OF SAID RELEASE SHEET INTO OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO AN UNSEPARATED PORTION THEREOF TO THEREBY EXPOSE A PORTION OF SAID ADHESIVE LAYER AS AN ADHESIVE COATING ON SAID SUBSTRATE BY DIRECTING SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY ALONG A CONCAVE SUPPORT SURFACE, PROVIDING A FOLDING PLATE CORRESPONDING IN CURVATURE TO SAID SUPPORT SURFACE AND HAVING A WIDTH GENERALLY CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OF SAID UNSEPARATED PORTION OF THE RELEASE SHEET, POSITIONING SAID PLATE IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH SAID SUPPORT SURFACE AT ONE SIDE THEREOF ABOVE THE PATH OF SAID UNSEPARATED PORTION OF THE RELEASE SHEET, AND DIRECTING SAID SEPARATED PORTION OF THE RELEASE SHEET ABOUT THE INNER EDGE OF SAID PLATE, SEVERING END SEGMENTS OF SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY, SPACING SAID SEVERED END SEGMENTS FROM EACH OTHER BY DISTANCES CORRESPONDING TO DIAPER LENGTHS, AND PRESSING SAID SEVERED END SEGMENTS AGAINST A MOVING WEB OF WATER-IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL AT A MARGINAL SIDE PORTION THEREOF TO ADHERE SAID END SEGMENTS TO SAID WEB BY SAID ADHESIVE COATING ON SAID SUBSTRATE.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR PROVIDING ADHESIVE TAPE TABS ON A DISPOSABLE DIAPER FROM A ROLL OF A LAMINAR ASSEMBLY OF A SUBSTRATE MATERIAL AND A RELEASE SHEET MATERIAL HELD TOGETHER BY A LAER OF A TACKY, PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE WHICH COMPRISES: UNWINDING SAID ROLL AND PAYING OUT SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY THEREFROM, SEPARATING AN EDGE PORTION OF SAID RELEASE SHEET FROM SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY AT AN UNWOUND PORTION THEREOF, FOLDING BACK SAID SEPARATED PORTION OF SAID RELEASE SHEET INTO OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO AN UNSEPARATED PORTION THEREOF TO THEREBY EXPOSE A PORTION OF SAID ADHESIVE LAYER AS AN ADHESIVE COATING ON SAID SUBSTRATE BY DIRECTING SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY ALONG A CONCAVE SUPPORT SURFACE, PROVIDING A FOLDING PLATE CORRESPONDING IN CURVATURE TO SAID SUPPORT SURFACE AND HAVING A WIDTH GENERALLY CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OF SAID UNSEPARATED PORTION OF THE RELEASE SHEET, POSITIONING SAID PLATE IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH SAID SUPPORT SURFACE AT ONE SIDE THEREOF ABOVE THE PATH OF SAID UNSEPARATED PORTION OF THE RELEASE SHEET, AND DIRECTING SAID SEPARATED PORTION OF THE RELEASE SHEET ABOUT THE INNER EDGE OF SAID PLATE, SEVERING END SEGMENTS OF SAID LAMINAR ASSEMBLY, SPACING SAID SEVERED END SEGMENTS FROM EACH OTHER BY DISTANCES CORRESPONDING TO DIAPER LENGTHS, AND PRESSING SAID SEVERED END SEGMENTS AGAINST A MOVING WEB OF WATER-IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL AT A MARGINAL SIDE PORTION THEREOF TO ADHERE SAID END SEGMENTS TO SAID WEB BY SAID ADHESIVE COATING ON SAID SUBSTRATE.

Claim 8

A method of providing adhesive tape tabs on a disposable diaper from a roll of a laminar assembly of a substrate material and a release sheet material held together by a layer of a tacky, pressure-sensitive adhesive, said roll having a width corresponding to the length of said tape tabs, which comprises: unwinding said roll and paying out said laminar assembly therefrom, moving said laminar assembly past an inserted finger at one side thereof to separate an edge portion of said release sheet from said laminar assembly at an unwound portion thereof; directing said laminar assembly along an upwardly inclined concave support surface; providing a folding plate corresponding in curvature to said support surface and having a width generally corresponding to the width of the unseparated edge portion of said release sheet; positioning said plate in juxtaposition with said support surface at the side thereof above the path of said unseparated portion of said release sheet; directing said separated portion of the releAse sheet about the inner edge of said plate to cause said separate portion to be folded back into overlying relationship with said unseparated portion and to thereby expose a portion of said adhesive layer as an adhesive coating on said substrate; positioning the leading end of said laminar assembly on a continuously rotating vacuum pickup roller disposed adjacent the path of a moving water-impervious web; providing a cutter means adjacent said vacuum pickup roller; advancing the leading end portion of said laminar assembly on said vacuum pickup roller past said cutter in timed relationship to the movement of said water-impervious web to provide end portions corresponding to the width of said tape tabs; said vacuum pickup roller rotating relative to the advancement of said end portions of said laminar assembly thereby to produce slippage therebetween; synchronizing said cutter means with the movement of said water-impervious web and severing said end portion from said laminar assembly to provide segments; carrying said segments on said vacuum pickup roller to engagement with a marginal side portion of said water-impervious web; and holding said segments on said vacuum pickup roller until the adherence of said tape tab to said web overcomes the suction of said vacuum pickup roller.

Claim 9

A method of providing adhesive tape tabs on a disposable diaper from a roll of a laminar assembly of a substrate material and a release sheet material held together by a layer of a tacky, pressure-sensitive adhesive, said roll having a width corresponding to the length of said tape tabs, which comprises: unwinding said roll and paying out said laminar assembly therefrom, moving said laminar assembly past an inserted finger at one side thereof to separate an edge portion of said release sheet from said laminar assembly at an unwound portion thereof; directing said laminar assembly along an upwardly inclined concave support surface; providing a folding plate corresponding in curvature to said support surface and having a width generally corresponding to the width of the unseparated edge portion of said release sheet; positioning said plate in juxtaposition with said support surface at the side thereof above the path of said unseparated portion of said release sheet; directing said separated portion of the releAse sheet about the inner edge of said plate to cause said separate portion to be folded back into overlying relationship with said unseparated portion and to thereby expose a portion of said adhesive layer as an adhesive coating on said substrate; positioning the leading end of said laminar assembly on a continuously rotating vacuum pickup roller disposed adjacent the path of a moving water-impervious web; providing a cutter means adjacent said vacuum pickup roller; advancing the leading end portion of said laminar assembly on said vacuum pickup roller past said cutter in timed relationship to the movement of said water-impervious web to provide end portions corresponding to the width of said tape tabs; said vacuum pickup roller rotating relative to the advancement of said end portions of said laminar assembly thereby to produce slippage therebetween; synchronizing said cutter means with the movement of said water-impervious web and severing said end portion from said laminar assembly to provide segments; carrying said segments on said vacuum pickup roller to engagement with a marginal side portion of said water-impervious web; and holding said segments on said vacuum pickup roller until the adherence of said tape tab to said web overcomes the suction of said vacuum pickup roller.