Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for depositing moisture-absorbent and thermoplastic material in a substrate

US5143680A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
36References
78Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 17, 1990
Grant dateSep 1, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 17, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F13/535
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a non-woven pad of fibrous material is provided in which highly moisture-absorbent particles and fibers of thermoplastic material are intermixed with the fibrous material throughout one or more predetermined portions of the thickness of the non-woven pad while maintaining other portions of the thickness of the pad substantially free of highly moisture-absorbent particles and/or thermoplastic fiber material. The non-woven pad is formed on one side of a conveyor moving through a forming chamber which has a duct connected to a source of vacuum operable to draw fibrous material injected into the chamber onto the conveyor. One dispenser discharges the highly moisture-absorbent material at a predetermined location relative to the fibrous material being drawn onto the conveyor, and at least one other dispenser discharges the thermoplastic fiber material into the chamber at a location to intermix the thermoplastic fiber material with the fibrous material and highly moisture-absorbent material being drawn onto the conveyor at the predetermined location, and/or to intermix the thermoplastic fiber materials with the fibrous material in areas of the thickness…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.