US4425173A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for producing an elasticized garment
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
•
Filing: 1982-07-19
•
Granted: 1984-01-10
•
Expires: 2002-07-19
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for elasticizing the leg areas of a conformable garment is disclosed in which a continuous length of web material is continuously fed onto a moving support surface. As the web is fed onto the support surface, oscillating means moves the web in alternating directions in the direction of movement of and opposite to the direction of movement of the web as a whole to form spaced apart relatively flat folds in the web. Continuous, moving elastic ribbon is applied and adhered to the web in a tensioned condition across the folds, the folds are at least partially opened and the elastic is severed opposite the partially opened folds to provide discrete elastic strips attached at desired locations to the web.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard H. Frick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/15577; A61F13/15585; A61F13/15593; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1002; Y10T156/1007; Y10T156/1015; Y10T156/1016; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/1084; Y10T156/1085; Y10T156/1089; Y10T156/1092; Y10T156/1097; Y10T156/1098; Y10T156/12; Y10T156/1317; Y10T156/1343; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1712; Y10T156/1722; Y10T156/1727; Y10T156/1732; Y10T156/1739
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
In an apparatus for applying continuously moving elastic ribbon to a continuously moving web, the combination comprising: means for supplying the web to a moving support surface; means for transverse folding the web against itself at spaced intervals; means for moving the elastic ribbon into engagement with the folded web across the folds; means for adhering the elastic ribbon to the unfolded portions of the web; means for at least partially opening the folds in the web; and means for severing the elastic ribbon across the open folds.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
In an apparatus for applying continuously moving elastic ribbon to a continuously moving web, the combination comprising: means for supplying the web to a moving support surface; means for transverse folding the web against itself at spaced intervals; means for moving the elastic ribbon into engagement with the folded web across the folds; means for adhering the elastic ribbon to the unfolded portions of the web; means for at least partially opening the folds in the web; and means for severing the elastic ribbon across the open folds.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein the means for folding the web comprises oscillating means engaging and moving a portion of the web alternately in directions with and opposite to the direction of movement of the web as a whole.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination according to claim 2 wherein the oscillating means moves said portion of the web in the direction of the movement of the web as a whole at a higher rate than that of said movement as a whole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination according to claims 2 or 3 wherein the oscillating means comprises a pair of feed rolls for moving the web.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination according to claim 2 wherein the oscillating means controls the rate of movement of the web as a whole in the direction of its length.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the means for opening the folds in the web comprises drive means for accelerating the rate of movement of the web after the elastic ribbon is adhered to the web.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of applying elastic ribbon strips to a continuous moving web comprising the steps of: supplying the web to a moving support surface; folding the web transversely against itself at spaced intervals to a thickness equal to the total thickness of the fold layers; continuously moving a continuous elastic ribbon into engagement with the web across the folds; moving the folded portions of the web apart to create openings between the folds; and severing the elastic ribbon across the openings to form a series of spaced apart disconnected elastic ribbon strips.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of applying elastic ribbon strips to a continuous moving web comprising the steps of: supplying the web to a moving support surface; folding the web transversely against itself at spaced intervals to a thickness equal to the total thickness of the fold layers; continuously moving a continuous elastic ribbon into engagement with the web across the folds; moving the folded portions of the web apart to create openings between the folds; and severing the elastic ribbon across the openings to form a series of spaced apart disconnected elastic ribbon strips.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the step of folding the web is accomplished by oscillating the portions of the web to be folded with and against the direction of the movement of the web as a whole.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
37 words
The method according to claims 7 or 8 further comprising the step of gripping the web at the edge of the fold in the direction of movement of the web subsequent to the making of the fold.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
48 words
The method according to claims 7 or 8 wherein the step of folding the web includes moving the portion of the web to be folded in the direction of movement of the web as a whole at a higher rate than that of said movement as a whole.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of gripping the web at the edge of the fold in the direction of movement of the web subsequent to the making of the fold.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1606900A
Cited
US2179842A
Cited
US2632495A
Cited
US2874408A
Cited
US3157551A
Cited
GB927711A
Cited
US3086685A
Cited
US3912573A
Cited
US3791266A
Cited
US3804688A
Cited
US4227952A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-01-09 | 1987-07-11 | 1988-01-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-01-09 | 1991-07-11 | 1992-01-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-01-09 | 1995-07-11 | 1996-01-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |