ONTEX GROUP NV

The current invention concerns a method and apparatus for stretching and repitching an elastic member for attachment to a moving substrate, the elastic member being stretchable in at least a longitudinal direction and said elastic member in an essential non-stretched condition comprising an initial length along said longitudinal direction, the method comprising the steps of: (1) providing the elastic member in essentially non-stretched condition to a set of repitching members with an initial supply pitch, said set of repitching members comprising at least a first repitching member and a second repitching member, and optionally one or more repitching members arranged between said first and said second repitching member; (2) receiving said elastic members arranged in non-stretched condition between said set of repitching members, whereby the distance between the first and the second repitching member corresponds to the initial length of the elastic member; (3) moving at least said first and said second repitching members following trajectories diverging from each other, thereby stretching said elastic members arranged between the repitching members to an application length which is longer than the initial length and which corresponds to the length of said elastic member in elastically stretched condition, whereby said repitching members are moved with selectively variable velocity when transferring said elastic members to selectively vary the application pitch of said elastic member in stretched condition on said substrate, the variation of the speed of said repitching members determining the application pitch of said elastic member in stretched condition on said substrate, characterized in that during step (3), said set of elastic members are rotated around a common rotation axis while the elastic member is being stretched from the initial length to the application length. Additionally, the invention concerns a method and apparatus for stretching and repitching an elastic member for attachment to a moving substrate whereby the elastic members are held by repitching members, which are rotated at an essentially constant rotational speed around rotation axes in trajectories, said trajectories being defined by having a different radial distance from the rotation axis to the repitching member rotating around said rotation axis at the application position where the elastic member is attached to the substrate, than at the initial position where the elastic member is received by the repitching members, thereby changing the pitch of the elastic members.

A substrate ( 10 ) suitable for incorporation into an absorbent article ( 100 ) for monitoring and detecting the presence of wetness therein and/or risk of exudate leakage therefrom, is provided. Said substrate ( 10 ) comprises a conductive pattern ( 101 ) disposed on a first surface ( 20 ) capable of being arranged proximal to a body facing side of the absorbent article ( 100 ), wherein said conductive pattern ( 101 ) can be brought in electrical communication with a clip-on data processing module ( 103 ). Said conductive pattern ( 101 ) comprises: a plurality of connection tracks ( 1′,2′,3′,4′,5′ ); and a plurality of sensing tracks ( 9 ) connected to said connection tracks ( 1′,2′,3′,4′,5′ ), wherein the conductive pattern ( 101 ) is configured in a manner that addressing multiple combinations of said plurality of connection tracks ( 1′,2′,3′,4′,5′ ) with corresponding terminals ( 1,2,3,4,5 ) of the clip-on data processing module ( 103 ) result in multiple electrical circuit configurations for measuring resistance, impedance and/or capacitance therethrough.

The current invention concerns an apparatus ( 100 ) for shaping the introductory end ( 172 ) of a tampon ( 162 ), comprising: a carrying pipe ( 106 ) for holding the tampon ( 162 ); a support wheel ( 104 ) that carries a plurality of carrying pipes ( 106 ), the support wheel ( 104 ) comprising conveying means to transport each carrying pipe ( 106 ); and a head-shaping station ( 108 ) for shaping the introductory end ( 172 ) of the tampon ( 162 ); According to the invention, the head-shaping station ( 108 ) comprises an ultrasonic device ( 110 ). The invention also concerns a method for shaping the introductory end ( 172 ) of a tampon ( 162 ) using such apparatus ( 100 ).

The present invention relates to acquisition layers for use in absorbent articles, preferably of the disposable personal hygiene type. It discloses absorbent articles ( 7 ) comprising a liquid permeable topsheet ( 8 ), a liquid impermeable backsheet ( 9 ), an absorbent core ( 1 ) between the topsheet ( 8 ) and the backsheet ( 9 ) and an acquisition layer ( 2 ) between the topsheet ( 8 ) and the absorbent core ( 1 ), said acquisition layer ( 2 ) having a width (w) and a length (l) along an acquisition plane and a thickness (t) extending perpendicular thereto. The absorbent core ( 1 ) comprises at least one absorbent material selected from the group consisting of fibrous absorbent materials and highly absorbent polymers. The acquisition layer ( 2 ) comprises a polymeric foam having an open cell and interconnected porous structure comprising an anisotropic cell structure having an axis of anisotropy ( 4 ) extending substantially parallel to a longest length of a plurality of substantially neighbouring cells ( 6 ), which is substantially perpendicular to the acquisition plane.

A substrate suitable for incorporation into an absorbent article for automatic detection of wetness events therein, the substrate comprising a first surface capable of being arranged proximal to a body facing side of the absorbent article and a second surface opposite said first surface and capable of being arranged proximal to a garment facing side of said absorbent article, said substrate comprising a plurality of sensor tracks disposed on said first surface and said sensor tracks comprising: at least one central track extending parallel to a length of the substrate and parallel to a longitudinal axis crossing a first end and a second end of the substrate; at least two side tracks extending parallel to the central track and oppositely arranged such that the central track extends therebetween; and wetness sensing tracks extending outboard of said two side tracks, wherein said central track, said side tracks, and said wetness sensing tracks are in electrical communication via one or more shortening elements positioned proximal to said second end and distal from said first end, and wherein the substrate is connectable to a clip-on data processing module at a position proximal to said first end and distal from said shortening elements such to form a closed electrical circuit, typically for measuring resistance and/or capacitance therethrough. In an embodiment said substrate consists of a liquid impermeable backsheet, preferably a breathable liquid impermeable backsheet.

A method for processing sensor signals representing a wetness event in an absorbent article, the method comprising the steps of: providing an absorbent article comprising a sensor adapted to detect wetness events therein and a first clip-on data processing module in electrical communication with said sensor; providing a database comprising a plurality of information factors, wherein said information factors comprise individualized thresholds for a plurality of absorbent article conditions, each said individualized thresholds being allocated with a corresponding warning condition; receiving from the sensor and/or clip-on data processing module sensor signals representing a plurality of real-time indicators comprising wearing time; wetness events in an absorbent article; interval time between wetness events and/or duration of said wetness event within said absorbent article; processing the sensor signals to determine an absorbent article condition; wherein processing the sensor signals includes combining the information factors with the real-time indicators and, from the sensor signals representative of each individual wetness event: (i) assigning a position of said wetness event within an x, y coordinates of the absorbent article; (ii) grouping wetness event indicators, such as amount of exudate within said wetness event, according to a common position according to step (i); (iii) normalizing the values of the real-time indicators, from the sensor signals; (iv) allocating weightings to the normalised values to generate weighted values for that wetness event; and wherein the weighted values and the grouped wetness event indicators are combined to generate a combined event indicator that is compared with the information factors and when the combined event indicator is equal to one or more of the information factors a signal is generated by the clip-on data processing module according to the one or more corresponding warning conditions.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core sandwiched between a liquid permeable topsheet and a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an acquisition distribution layer positioned between said topsheet and said absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core comprises absorbent material selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, superabsorbent polymers and combinations thereof, said absorbent core comprising at least one interconnected channel free of said absorbent material, wherein said channel has a length extending along a longitudinal axis and the absorbent core has a length extending along said longitudinal axis and wherein the length of said channel is from 10% to 95% of the length of said absorbent core wherein the acquisition distribution layer comprises a spunbond and/or carded nonwoven layer comprising synthetic fibers, wherein said synthetic fibers are comprised at a level of greater than 80% wt by weight of said acquisition distribution layer, and wherein said acquisition distribution layer has a basis weight of from 10 to 50 g/m2.

The present invention relates to absorbent cores for use in absorbent articles, preferably of the disposable personal hygiene type. It discloses absorbent cores comprising a foam layer incorporating a nonwoven fabric and having a top surface and a bottom surface, said foam layer top surface comprising one or more indented compressed portions and one or more raised non-compressed portions. The foam layer has openings extending through the foam and the nonwoven fabric. The absorbent core further comprises, joined to the bottom surface of the foam layer, a nonwoven comprising superabsorbent polymers. Absorbent cores of the present invention provide a fast acquisition of body exudates and a good liquid retention capacity. This is further achieved in a simple and cost-effective way without complex and considerable foam formulation and processing requirements.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core sandwiched between a liquid permeable topsheet and a liquid impermeable back-sheet, and an acquisition distribution system positioned between said topsheet and said absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core comprises absorbent material selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, superabsorbent polymers and combinations thereof, wherein said absorbent material is contained within at least one core wrap substrate enclosing said absorbent material, and wherein a top layer of said core wrap is adhered to a bottom layer of said core wrap to form one or more channels substantially free of said absorbent material, wherein said channels have a length extending along a longitudinal axis and the absorbent core has a length extending along said longitudinal axis and wherein the length of said channels is from 10 % to 95 % of the length of said absorbent core and wherein said channels each follow a substantially continuous path such as from a first end of a channel to a second end of the same channel wherein the acquisition distribution system is multi-layered and comprises at least one spunbond layer and at least one meltblown layer, and wherein said acquisition distribution system is positioned between said absorbent core and said topsheet such that said spunbond and/or meltblown layers are in direct contact with said absorbent core and said topsheet.

A method for making an absorbent article comprising an absorbent core comprising one or more channels, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a first endless moving surface comprising a plurality of molds, each mold comprising a non-porous insert therein, typically said insert having the inverse shape of said channel(s), wherein the molds are in fluid communication with an under-pressure source except for said insert; ii. feeding a first nonwoven web to said first endless moving surface and over one or more said molds; iii. depositing an absorbent material, comprising cellulose fibers and/or superabsorbent polymer particles, over at least a portion of said nonwoven web; iv. removing said absorbent material from areas of the nonwoven web corresponding to said insert; v. applying a second nonwoven web directly or indirectly over the absorbent material, or folding said first nonwoven web, such to sandwich said absorbent material between upper and lower layers of said nonwoven web(s); vi. joining said upper and lower layers together at least in the areas of the nonwoven web(s) corresponding to the insert to form an absorbent core having one or more channels substantially free of absorbent material; vii. optionally joining an acquisition distribution layer to said absorbent core, typically a skin facing surface of said upper layer; viii. optionally laminating said absorbent core and acquisition distribution layer between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impervious backsheet; wherein step vi. comprises the step of selectively applying a first pressure onto the absorbent core, preferably only, in a central portion thereof and a second pressure, preferably only, along peripheral longitudinal side edges thereof miming opposite and parallel to each other and being outboard of said central portion, said central portion corresponding at least to a region of the core comprising said channel(s), and wherein said first and second pressures are successively applied along a machine direction (MD).