US5494622A — Apparatus and method for the zoned placement of s…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

An apparatus for forming a composite web having a selected plurality of discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said apparatus comprising: a pattern chamber; particulate supplying means for providing particles of high-absorbency material into said pattern chamber; web supplying means for providing a gas permeable carrier layer; foraminous forming means for moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber, said forming means including a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions; vacuum supplying means for providing a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected gas-flow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means to form said pocket regions; covering means for providing a layer of liquid-permeable covering material to sandwich said pocket regions of high-absorbency material between said carrier layer and said covering layer.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 159 words

An apparatus for forming a composite web having a selected plurality of discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said apparatus comprising: a pattern chamber; particulate supplying means for providing particles of high-absorbency material into said pattern chamber; web supplying means for providing a gas permeable carrier layer; foraminous forming means for moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber, said forming means including a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions; vacuum supplying means for providing a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected gas-flow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means to form said pocket regions; covering means for providing a layer of liquid-permeable covering material to sandwich said pocket regions of high-absorbency material between said carrier layer and said covering layer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a holding means for maintaining said discrete pocket regions of high-absorbency material on said carrier layer after said forming means has moved said carrier layer out of said pattern chamber.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising sweeping means for substantially clearing said high-absorbency material from intermediate sections of said carrier layer which are located between said selected pocket regions on said carrier layer.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 3, further comprising fiber delivering means for providing a selected quantity of fibrous matrix material into said pattern chamber; and wherein said apparatus is constructed to provide at least about 80% of said discrete pocket regions with a high-absorbency material content of at least about 85 wt %.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 4, further comprising an attaching means for securing said covering layer to said carrier layer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said attaching means includes a perimeter attaching means for securing said covering layer to said carrier layer with a substantially water-sensitive securement.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said attaching means includes a pattern attaching means for securing said covering layer to said carrier layer with a substantially water-insensitive securement.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising sweeping means for pneumatically clearing said intermediate sections of said carrier layer.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising disposing means for placing at least one body of distribution material adjacent to said composite web.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 85 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said disposing means comprises: a second forming chamber for producing at least one web of fibrous distribution material; a second fiber delivering means for supplying discrete separated fibers .of distribution material into said second forming chamber; foraminous transporting means for moving said at least one web of distribution material out from said second forming chamber; conveying means for moving said at least one web of distribution material into a selected adjacent position relative to said composite web.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 171 words

An apparatus for forming a composite web having selected discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said apparatus comprising: a pattern chamber having opposed side walls, an entrance end wall and an exit end wall; particulate supplying means for providing particles of high-absorbency material into said pattern chamber; web supplying means for providing a gas permeable carrier layer; foraminous forming means for moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber, said forming means including a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions; vacuum supplying means for providing a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected gas-flow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means which directs said high-absorbency material to said pocket regions; and regulating means for controlling a tension applied to said carrier layer to control a porosity of said carrier layer within said pattern chamber.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 171 words

An apparatus for forming a composite web having selected discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said apparatus comprising: a pattern chamber having opposed side walls, an entrance end wall and an exit end wall; particulate supplying means for providing particles of high-absorbency material into said pattern chamber; web supplying means for providing a gas permeable carrier layer; foraminous forming means for moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber, said forming means including a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions; vacuum supplying means for providing a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected gas-flow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means which directs said high-absorbency material to said pocket regions; and regulating means for controlling a tension applied to said carrier layer to control a porosity of said carrier layer within said pattern chamber.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 145 words

A method for forming a composite web having a selected plurality of discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing particles of high-absorbency material into a pattern chamber; (b) providing a gas permeable carrier layer; (c) moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber with a foraminous forming means having a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions; (d) supplying a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected airflow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means to form said pocket regions; (e) providing a layer of covering material which sandwiches said regions of high-absorbency material between said carrier layer and said covering layer.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 145 words

A method for forming a composite web having a selected plurality of discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing particles of high-absorbency material into a pattern chamber; (b) providing a gas permeable carrier layer; (c) moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber with a foraminous forming means having a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions; (d) supplying a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected airflow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means to form said pocket regions; (e) providing a layer of covering material which sandwiches said regions of high-absorbency material between said carrier layer and said covering layer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of (f) holding said discrete pocket regions of high-absorbency material on said carrier layer after said forming means has moved said carrier layer out of said pattern chamber.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of(g) substantially clearing said high-absorbency material from intermediate sections of said carrier layer which are located between said selected pocket regions.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the steps of: (h) delivering a selected quantity of fibrous matrix material into said pattern chamber; and (i) providing at least about 80% of said discrete pocket regions with a high-absorbency material content of at least about 85 wt %.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of (j) securing said covering layer to said carrier layer.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said securing step (j) includes the step of securing said covering layer to said carrier layer with a substantially water-sensitive securement.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said securing step (j) includes the step of securing said covering layer to said carrier layer with a substantially water-insensitive securement.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said clearing step (g) pneumatically clears said intermediate sections of the carrier layer.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of (k) placing at least one body of substantially hydrophilic distribution material adjacent to said composite web.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 77 words

A method as recited in claim 20, wherein said placing step (k) comprises the steps of: providing a second forming chamber for producing at least one web of fibrous distribution material; supplying discrete separated fibers of distribution material into said second forming chamber; moving said at least one web of distribution material out from said second forming chamber; conveying said at least one web of distribution material into a selected adjacent position relative to said composite web.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 149 words

A method for forming a composite web having selected discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing particles of high-absorbency material into a pattern chamber; (b) providing a gas permeable carrier layer; (c) moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber with a foraminous forming means having a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions of high-absorbency material; (d) supplying a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected airflow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means which directs said high-absorbency material to said pocket regions; and (e) regulating a tension applied to said carrier layer to control a porosity of said carrier layer within said pattern chamber.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 149 words

A method for forming a composite web having selected discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing particles of high-absorbency material into a pattern chamber; (b) providing a gas permeable carrier layer; (c) moving said carrier layer through said pattern chamber with a foraminous forming means having a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of said discrete pocket regions of high-absorbency material; (d) supplying a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of said forming means to produce a selected airflow through said carrier layer and said foraminous forming means which directs said high-absorbency material to said pocket regions; and (e) regulating a tension applied to said carrier layer to control a porosity of said carrier layer within said pattern chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-02-26	1999-08-28	2000-02-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-02-26	2003-08-28	2004-02-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-02-26	2007-08-28	2008-02-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method for the zoned placement of superabsorbent material

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