Claims
- 1. A process for making a reinforced absorbent member, said process comprising:
collecting fibrous material on a forming surface to at least partially form said absorbent member; entangling fibrous material with a reinforcing web; overlaying the reinforcing web on at least a portion of the partially formed absorbent member; and collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member whereby at least a portion of the fibrous material forming the absorbent member becomes entangled with at least one of the reinforcing web and the fibrous material entangled with the reinforcing web to secure the reinforcing web within said absorbent member.
- 2. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of entangling fibrous material with the reinforcing web is performed prior to overlaying the web on said partially formed absorbent member.
- 3. A process as set forth in claim 2 further comprising the step of conveying the reinforcing web from a source of reinforcing web toward the forming surface to overlay the partially formed absorbent member, the step of entangling fibrous material with the reinforcing web comprising exposing inner and outer surfaces of the web to a flow of fibrous material as the web is conveyed from the source toward said forming surface such that fibrous material becomes entangled with the reinforcing web before the web is laid over the partially formed absorbent member.
- 4. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein the reinforcing web traverses a distance in the range of about 1 cm to about 100 cm along which the inner and outer surfaces of said web are exposed to the flow of fibrous material.
- 5. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein the reinforcing web traverses a distance in the range of about 1 cm to about 50 cm along which the inner and outer surfaces of said web are exposed to the flow of fibrous material.
- 6. A process as set forth in claim 5 wherein the reinforcing web traverses a distance in the range of about 1 cm to about 20 cm along which the inner and outer surfaces of said web are exposed to the flow of fibrous material.
- 7. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of collecting fibrous material on a forming surface comprises fluidizing fibrous material within a forming chamber and moving the forming surface within the forming chamber along a path to expose the forming surface to the fluent fibrous material whereby the fibrous material collects on the forming surface, the step of conveying the reinforcing web toward the forming surface comprising conveying the reinforcing web from a source of reinforcing web disposed exteriorly of the forming chamber inward through an opening in the forming chamber and toward the forming surface, said forming chamber opening being located generally downstream of a forming chamber entrance where the forming surface enters the forming chamber.
- 8. A process as set forth in claim 7 wherein fluent fibrous material is driven by fluid pressure within the forming chamber to collect on the forming surface, the step of conveying the reinforcing web toward the forming surface comprising exposing the reinforcing web to the fluid pressure within the forming chamber whereby the reinforcing web is urged by said fluid pressure toward the forming surface for incorporation into the absorbent member.
- 9. A process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the forming surface is foraminous, the fluid pressure within the forming chamber being a vacuum adapted to draw fibrous material in the forming chamber toward the forming surface for collection on the surface to form the absorbent member, said vacuum also drawing the reinforcing web from said source of reinforcing web exteriorly of the forming chamber through said forming chamber opening toward the forming surface.
- 10. A process as set forth in claim 7 further comprising the step of shielding a portion of the reinforcing web within the forming chamber to inhibit entanglement of fibrous material within the forming chamber with said shielded portion of the web prior to exposing the reinforcing web to the flow of fibrous material.
- 11. A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of forming the absorbent member to have a generally non-uniform thickness along at least a portion of the length of the absorbent member.
- 12. A process as set forth in claim 11 wherein the forming step at least partially comprises scarfing the absorbent member following the step of collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to secure the reinforcing web within said absorbent member.
- 13. A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising subjecting the absorbent member to a scarfing operation to remove fibrous material from the absorbent member, said scarfing operation being performed after the step of collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to secure the reinforcing web within said absorbent member.
- 14. A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising compressing the absorbent member to promote further entanglement of the fibrous material with the reinforcing web, said compressing step being performed after the step of collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to secure the reinforcing web within said absorbent member.
- 15. A process as set forth in claim 14 wherein said compressing step comprises passing the absorbent member through a nip defined by opposed debulking rollers.
- 16. A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising collecting superabsorbent material on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member.
- 17. A process for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a reinforcing web, the reinforcing web being at least semi-permeable to said fibrous material, said process comprising:
fluidizing a fibrous material within a forming chamber; moving a forming surface within the forming chamber along a path generally from an entrance to an exit of the forming chamber, the forming surface being exposed to said fluent fibrous material substantially along said path; collecting fibrous material on the moving forming surface to partially form said absorbent member; conveying the reinforcing web from a source of reinforcing web disposed exterior of the forming chamber into the interior of the forming chamber via an opening therein whereby inner and outer surfaces of the web are exposed to the fluent fibrous material within the forming chamber, overlaying the reinforcing web within the forming chamber over said partially formed absorbent member, the web traversing a distance within the interior of the forming chamber from the forming chamber opening to the partially formed absorbent member in the range of about 1 cm to about 10 cm; and collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to further form said absorbent member and to generally secure the reinforcing web within said absorbent member.
- 18. A process as set forth in claim 17 further comprising collecting superabsorbent material on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member
- 19. Apparatus for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a reinforcing web, said reinforcing web having inner and outer surfaces, said apparatus comprising:
a forming chamber adapted to receive a fluent fibrous material therein; a forming surface moveable within the forming chamber and adapted to collect fibrous material thereon to form the absorbent member; a source of reinforcing web disposed generally exteriorly of the forming chamber; and a delivery tube having an inlet end open to the exterior of the forming chamber, a discharge end open to the interior of the forming chamber, and a central passage extending between the inlet end and the discharge end, at least a portion of the delivery tube adjacent the discharge end thereof extending within the interior of the forming chamber, said delivery tube being arranged for receiving the reinforcing web from the source of reinforcing web into the central passage of said tube at the inlet end thereof and guiding the web to the discharge end thereof for conveyance within the forming chamber toward the forming surface.
- 20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 further comprising a vacuum source for applying a vacuum within the forming chamber to draw fibrous material to the forming surface for collection thereon, the vacuum being sufficient to draw the reinforcing web through the central passage of the delivery tube to the discharge end thereof and toward the forming surface.
- 21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the delivery tube further comprises a panel extending longitudinally within at least a portion of the central passage of said tube and terminating at the discharge end of said tube, said panel being arranged such that the reinforcing web moves over at least a portion of the panel in contact therewith as the web passes through the central passage of the tube to the discharge end thereof.
- 22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the delivery tube is substantially diamond-shaped in cross-section.
- 23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the forming chamber is further adapted to receive superabsorbent material therein, the forming surface being further adapted to collect superabsorbent material thereon.
- 24. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the delivery tube has a cross-sectional width in the range of about 0.1% to about 35% greater than the width of the reinforcing web.
- 25. Apparatus for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a porous reinforcing web having inner and outer surfaces, said apparatus comprising:
a forming chamber adapted to contain a fluent fibrous material; and a forming surface moveable within the forming chamber along an arcuate path generally from an entrance of the forming chamber to an exit thereof, said forming surface being adapted to collect fibrous material thereon to form the absorbent member; and a source of reinforcing web disposed generally exterior of the forming chamber; said forming chamber having an opening through which the reinforcing web is received into the forming chamber for subsequent conveyance within the forming chamber toward the forming surface, said opening being disposed downstream of the forming chamber entrance generally in the direction of movement of the forming surface along said path.
- 26. Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein the forming chamber opening through which the reinforcing web is received into the forming chamber has a cross-sectional width in the range of about 0.1% to about 35% greater than the width of the reinforcing web.
- 27. Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein the forming chamber is further adapted to receive superabsorbent material therein, the forming surface being further adapted to collect superabsorbent material thereon.
- 28. A process for making a reinforced fibrous absorbent member, said process comprising:
entangling fibrous material with a reinforcing web having interconnected filaments which together define a plurality of openings in the web; laying the reinforcing web over an absorbent member forming surface; and collecting fibrous material on the forming surface to form said absorbent member and to entangle the fibrous material forming the absorbent member with at least one of the reinforcing web and the fibrous material entangled with said reinforcing web to secure the reinforcing web to said absorbent member.
- 29. A process as set forth in claim 28 wherein the step of collecting fibrous material on the forming surface comprises collecting fibrous material on the forming surface to partially form the absorbent member prior to laying the reinforcing web over the forming surface, and collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface after laying the reinforcing web thereover to further form the absorbent member and to secure the reinforcing web within the absorbent member, the step of laying the reinforcing web over the forming surface comprising at least partially overlaying said web on the partially formed absorbent member.
- 30. A process for making a reinforced fibrous absorbent member, said process comprising:
conveying a reinforcing web lengthwise from a source of said web toward a forming surface on which the absorbent member is formed; controlling the transverse position of the reinforcing web as it is conveyed lengthwise from said source toward said forming surface; entangling fibrous material with the reinforcing web as the web is conveyed toward the forming surface; laying the reinforcing web over the forming surface; and collecting fibrous material on the forming surface to form said absorbent member and to generally secure the reinforcing web to said absorbent member.
- 31. A process as set forth in claim 30 wherein the step of collecting fibrous material on the forming surface comprises collecting fibrous material on the forming surface to partially form the absorbent member prior to laying the reinforcing web over the forming surface, and collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface after laying the reinforcing web thereover to further form the absorbent member and to secure the reinforcing web within the absorbent member, the step of laying the reinforcing web over the forming surface comprising at least partially overlaying said web on the partially formed absorbent member.
- 32. A process as set forth in claim 30 wherein the step of controlling the transverse position of the reinforcing web comprises:
conveying the web lengthwise past an inspection device; operating the inspection device to determine the transverse position of the web; comparing the determined transverse position of the web of a target transverse position of said web; and moving the web transversely in response to the comparison of the determined transverse position of said web to the target transverse position of said web.
- 33. A process as set forth in claim 32 wherein the reinforcing web includes a longitudinally oriented filament, the inspection system having a scanning width, the web being conveyed lengthwise past the inspection device such that the longitudinally oriented filament is positioned transversely within the scanning width of the inspection device, the inspection device being operated to determine the transverse position of the longitudinally oriented filament within the scanning width of said device, the moving step comprising moving the web transversely in response to the difference between the determined transverse position of said filament and the target transverse position of said filament.
- 34. A process as set forth in claim 33 wherein the reinforcing web comprises at least two longitudinally oriented filaments in transversely spaced relationship with each other, the scanning width of the inspection device being substantially less than the transverse spacing between the at least two longitudinally oriented filaments of the reinforcing web so that only one longitudinally extending filament is positioned transversely within said scanning width.
- 35. Apparatus for making a reinforced absorbent member comprised of a fibrous material and a reinforcing web, said apparatus comprising:
a forming chamber adapted to receive a fluent fibrous material into an interior volume of said chamber; a forming surface moveable within the forming chamber and adapted to collect fibrous material thereon to form the absorbent member; a source of reinforcing web disposed generally exterior of the forming chamber, said forming chamber having an opening through which the reinforcing web is conveyed lengthwise from the source of reinforcing web into the interior volume of the forming chamber for subsequent incorporation into the absorbent member, said forming chamber opening being spaced from the forming surface such that inner and outer surfaces of the reinforcing web are exposed to the fluent fibrous material in the forming chamber as the web moves from the forming chamber opening toward the forming surface; and an inspection device intermediate the source of reinforcing web and the forming chamber and operable to determine the transverse position of the reinforcing web as the web is conveyed lengthwise therebetween.
- 36. Apparatus as set forth in claim 35 further comprising a guide assembly intermediate the source of reinforcing web and the forming chamber and adapted for contact with the reinforcing web as the web is conveyed lengthwise therebetween, the guide assembly being further adapted to move the reinforcing web transversely relative to the lengthwise conveyance thereof.
- 37. A process for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a reinforcing web, said process comprising:
collecting fibrous material on a forming surface to at least partially form said absorbent member; overlaying said reinforcing web on at least a portion of said partially formed absorbent member; collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member whereby the reinforcing web is disposed generally within the absorbent member; and subjecting the absorbent member to a scarfing operation to remove fibrous material from the absorbent member, said scarfing operation being performed after the step of collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface.
- 38. A process as set forth in claim 37 wherein the absorbent member has a non-uniform thickness along at least a portion of its length following the scarfing operation
- 39. A process as set forth in claim 37 further comprising compressing the absorbent member, said compressing step being performed after the step of collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface.
- 40. A process as set forth in claim 39 wherein said compressing step is performed after the scarfing operation.
- 41. A process for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a reinforcing web, said process comprising:
collecting fibrous material on a forming surface to at least partially form said absorbent member; overlaying said reinforcing web on at least a portion of said partially formed absorbent member; collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member whereby the reinforcing web is disposed generally within the absorbent member; and forming the absorbent member to have a thickness which is generally non-uniform along at least a portion of the length of the absorbent member.
- 42. A process as set forth in claim 41 wherein the position of the reinforcing web relative to the thickness of the absorbent member is non-uniform along at least a portion of the length of the absorbent member.
- 43. A process for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a reinforcing web, said process comprising:
collecting fibrous material on a forming surface to at least partially form said absorbent member; overlaying said reinforcing web on at least a portion of said partially formed absorbent member so that the position of the reinforcing web relative to the thickness of the absorbent member is generally non-uniform along at least a portion of the length of the absorbent member; collecting additional fibrous material on the forming surface to further form the absorbent member whereby the reinforcing web is disposed generally within the absorbent member.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from provisional application Ser. No. 60/350,079, filed Jan. 15, 2002, entitled “Scrim Reinforced Absorbent.”
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60350079 |
Jan 2002 |
US |