US5072687A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Absorbent product for personal use
Assignee: STOCKING CAROL M
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Filing: 1990-08-13
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Granted: 1991-12-17
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Expires: 2010-08-13
Abstract
Abstract Several embodiments of apparatus for producing disposable absorbent personal articles are disclosed. According to one embodiment, apparatus is disclosed for depositing superabsorbent polymer powder on a portion of a fluff mat in a given concentration greater than zero and a second, different concentration of superabsorbent polymer powder on another portion of a fluff layer, so that there is a heavier concentration of super absorbent polymer in a target area than in areas adjacent the target area. Such apparatus has a dosing cylinder with a discontinuous outer cylindrical surface which has a pattern of first dosing depressions adjacent to a pattern of second dosing depressions. The dosing cylinder is rotated through a polymer powder hopper and powder received in the first and second depressions is sequentially discharged from the hopper and deposited on a fluff substrate in alternating areas of high powder concentration and low powder concentration. Discreet sections of the fluff containing superabsorbent are cut and incorporated in personal absorbent articles and apparatus for marking such articles is disclosed so that the mark gives an indication as to whether or not the apparatus is operating synchronously or not.
Inventors
- 👤 Winalee G. Mitchell
- 👤 James Mitchell
- 👤 Michael Plotka
- 👤 Gary Van Streader
- 👤 Thomas Krassow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:22
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/53; A61F13/534; A61F13/535; A61F13/536; A61F13/51; A61F13/514; A61F13/15577; A61F2013/15821; A61F2013/15861; A61F2013/1591; A61F2013/15918; A61F13/45; A61F2013/4512; A61F2013/4587; A61F13/49; A61F13/49007; A61F13/49009; A61F13/4902; A61F2013/49031; A61F2013/49068; A61F2013/49076; A61F2013/530007; A61F2013/530481; A61F2013/530489; A61F2013/530496; A61F2013/53051; A61F2013/53445; A61F13/539; A61F2013/53908; A61F13/56; A61F13/58; A61F2013/588; A61F13/84; A61F2013/8488; A61F2013/8491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
321 words
Apparatus for depositing particulate material on a moving substrate, in at least two different concentrations in discreet portions of said substrate, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a horizontal conveyor for supporting the substrate and conveying the substrate at a substantially constant rate of speed, a material hopper for holding the particulate material, said hopper being positioned above said conveyor, means defining a discharge opening in the lower end of said hopper, dosing means positioned in the hopper discharge opening, said dosing means comprising an outer, discontinuous, cylindrical surface and opposed end plates which, together, abut said means defining said discharge opening, thereby preventing the passage of particulate material between said means defining the discharge opening, on the one hand, and the cylindrical surface and the end plates on the other hand, drive means for rotating said cylindrical surface of said dosing means about a horizontal axis at a substantially constant rate of rotation, said horizontal axis being positioned relative to said discharge opening so that, at any given angle of rotation of the cylindrical surface, a portion of the cylindrical surface is inside said material hopper and the remaining portion of the cylindrical surface is not inside said material hopper, means defining a first set of dosing depressions in a first portion of said outer cylindrical surface, said first set of dosing depressions having a given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area and means defining a second set of dosing depressions in a second portion of said cylindrical surface, said second set of dosing depressions having a volume per unit of cylindrical surface area which is less than the given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area and greater than zero, so that, when the cylindrical surface is rotated at a constant rate, particulate material is withdrawn from the hopper and deposited on different portions of the substrate in at least two different concentrations every time the cylindrical surface revolves.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
321 words
Apparatus for depositing particulate material on a moving substrate, in at least two different concentrations in discreet portions of said substrate, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a horizontal conveyor for supporting the substrate and conveying the substrate at a substantially constant rate of speed, a material hopper for holding the particulate material, said hopper being positioned above said conveyor, means defining a discharge opening in the lower end of said hopper, dosing means positioned in the hopper discharge opening, said dosing means comprising an outer, discontinuous, cylindrical surface and opposed end plates which, together, abut said means defining said discharge opening, thereby preventing the passage of particulate material between said means defining the discharge opening, on the one hand, and the cylindrical surface and the end plates on the other hand, drive means for rotating said cylindrical surface of said dosing means about a horizontal axis at a substantially constant rate of rotation, said horizontal axis being positioned relative to said discharge opening so that, at any given angle of rotation of the cylindrical surface, a portion of the cylindrical surface is inside said material hopper and the remaining portion of the cylindrical surface is not inside said material hopper, means defining a first set of dosing depressions in a first portion of said outer cylindrical surface, said first set of dosing depressions having a given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area and means defining a second set of dosing depressions in a second portion of said cylindrical surface, said second set of dosing depressions having a volume per unit of cylindrical surface area which is less than the given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area and greater than zero, so that, when the cylindrical surface is rotated at a constant rate, particulate material is withdrawn from the hopper and deposited on different portions of the substrate in at least two different concentrations every time the cylindrical surface revolves.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which additionally includes indexing means for making a visually perceptible mark on the substrate or an article incorporating wherein said mark provides a readily discernable indication of the location of the discreet portions of said substrate having the two different concentrations of particulate material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which additionally includes picker means for producing a plurality of depressions extending a substantial distance into the substrate for receiving a relatively small percentage of the particulate material deposited thereon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second portions of said outer cylindrical surface, together, constitute substantially all of said cylindrical surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
351 words
Apparatus for depositing particulate material on a moving substrate, in at least two different concentrations in discreet portions of said substrate, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a horizontal conveyor for supporting the substrate and conveying the substrate at a substantially constant rate of speed, a material hopper for holding the particulate material, said hopper being positioned above said conveyor, means defining a discharge opening in the lower end of said hopper, dosing means positioned in the hopper discharge opening, said dosing means comprising an outer, discontinuous, cylindrical surface and opposed end plates which, together, abut said means defining said discharge opening, thereby preventing the passage of particulate material between said means defining the discharge opening, on the one hand, and the cylindrical surface and the end plates on the other hand, drive means for rotating said cylindrical surface of said dosing means about a horizontal axis at a substantially constant rate of rotation, said horizontal axis being positioned relative to said discharge opening so that, at any given angle of rotation of the cylindrical surface, a portion of the cylindrical surface is inside said material hopper and the remaining portion of the cylindrical surface is not inside said material hopper, means defining a first set of dosing depressions in a first portion of said outer cylindrical surface, said first set of dosing depressions having a given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area, means defining a second set of dosing depressions in a second portion of said cylindrical surface, said second set of dosing depressions having a volume per unit of cylindrical surface area which is less than the given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area and greater than zero and doctor blade means supported on said hopper adjacent to said cylindrical surface but spaced, slightly apart therefrom so that, if the cylindrical surface was smooth, particulate material could pass out of the material hopper between the doctor blade means and the cylinder surface, wherein, when the cylindrical surface is rotated at a constant rate, particulate material is withdrawn from the hopper and deposited on different portions of the substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
351 words
Apparatus for depositing particulate material on a moving substrate, in at least two different concentrations in discreet portions of said substrate, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a horizontal conveyor for supporting the substrate and conveying the substrate at a substantially constant rate of speed, a material hopper for holding the particulate material, said hopper being positioned above said conveyor, means defining a discharge opening in the lower end of said hopper, dosing means positioned in the hopper discharge opening, said dosing means comprising an outer, discontinuous, cylindrical surface and opposed end plates which, together, abut said means defining said discharge opening, thereby preventing the passage of particulate material between said means defining the discharge opening, on the one hand, and the cylindrical surface and the end plates on the other hand, drive means for rotating said cylindrical surface of said dosing means about a horizontal axis at a substantially constant rate of rotation, said horizontal axis being positioned relative to said discharge opening so that, at any given angle of rotation of the cylindrical surface, a portion of the cylindrical surface is inside said material hopper and the remaining portion of the cylindrical surface is not inside said material hopper, means defining a first set of dosing depressions in a first portion of said outer cylindrical surface, said first set of dosing depressions having a given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area, means defining a second set of dosing depressions in a second portion of said cylindrical surface, said second set of dosing depressions having a volume per unit of cylindrical surface area which is less than the given volume per unit of cylindrical surface area and greater than zero and doctor blade means supported on said hopper adjacent to said cylindrical surface but spaced, slightly apart therefrom so that, if the cylindrical surface was smooth, particulate material could pass out of the material hopper between the doctor blade means and the cylinder surface, wherein, when the cylindrical surface is rotated at a constant rate, particulate material is withdrawn from the hopper and deposited on different portions of the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 which additionally includes indexing means for making a visually perceptible mark on the substrate or an article incorporating wherein said mark provides a readily discernable indication of the location of the discreet portions of said substrate having the two different concentrations of particulate material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 which additionally includes picker means for producing a plurality of depressions extending a substantial distance into the substrate for receiving a relatively small percentage of the particulate material deposited thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 5 wherein said first and second portions of said outer cylindrical surface, together, constitute substantially all of said cylindrical surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-12-16 | 1995-06-17 | 1995-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-12-16 | 1999-06-17 | 1999-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-12-16 | 2003-06-17 | 2003-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |