METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ZONED PLACEMENT OF SUPERABSORBENT MATERIAL

• Main Authors: HAHN, JOHN TIMOTHY, MLINAR, JOSEPH ANDREW, SALLEE, LORRY FRANCIS, HEATH, MARK GORDON, OLSEN, THOMAS GEORGE, KILLIAN, THOMAS MICHAEL
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.02.2005
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for forming a composite web having selected discrete pocket regions which are distributed on a carrier layer and contain high-absorbency material. The invention includes a pattern chamber having opposed side walls, an entrance end wall and an exit end wall. A particulate supplying mechanism provides particles of high-absorbency material into the pattern chamber, and a web supplying mechanism provides a gas permeable carrier layer. A foraminous forming mechanism moves the carrier layer through the pattern chamber, and the forming mechanism includes a pattern of openings which are formed therethrough and are arranged to provide for a selected pattern of the discrete pocket regions. A vacuum supplying mechanism provides a selected level of relatively low gas pressure at an underside region of the forming mechanism to produce a selected gas-flow through the carrier layer and the foraminous forming mechanism to form the pocket regions. A covering mechanism provides a layer of liquid-permeable covering material to sandwich said pocket regions of high-absorbency material between said carrier layer and said covering layer.