EP2358621A2

EP2358621A2 - A manufacturing method for articles essentially consisting of a hoop or for pre-forms for such articles

Info

Publication number: EP2358621A2
Application number: EP09763904A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christoph Schmitz
Original assignee: Concepts for Success C4S
Current assignee: Concepts for Success C4S
Priority date: 2008-11-18
Filing date: 2009-11-17
Publication date: 2011-08-24
Also published as: WO2010057866A2; WO2010057866A3

Abstract

The present invention is a process for the manufacture of hoops and articles comprising or essentially consisting of such hoops. The method includes a step of flipping, or rotating and buckling, parts or portions of the hoop forming material.

Description

A manufacturing method for articles essentially consisting of a hoop or for pre-forms for such articles

Field of the invention

The present invention is a process for the manufacture of articles comprising or consisting of hoops, which are intended to be worn by a wearer, such as a human wearer, such as a head-band or a belt. In particular, the invention relates to the manufacturing of such articles. The present invention further relates to pre-forms for making such hoops.

Background

Conventional processes of manufacturing belts suitable for clothing, garments, or apparel are typically done by very slow production processes, including sewing which cannot be done on high-speed machines. It is conventional in the garment industry, to make belt loops by folding a long strip of fabric longitudinally, usually the same fabric as used for the rest of the garment. The seam may be closed by stiching with a specialized seaming machine into long continuous webs, or by gluing, or thermobonding or by other conventional means. These webs are then fed into a second specialized machine designed to be cut into relatively short strips of suitable lengths for subsequent sewing of the garment in the form of belt loops. In US 4975140, it is described to cut and seal such strips simultaneously.

US 6681406 (Timberland) relates to the making of garment belts including an extendible insert, which may flex or stretch, while the belt is being worn so that the belt adapts to variations in the wearer's waist size and shape. US 4134154, describes the making of a belt preferably of a polyethylene material, where the cutting edge as well as side walls and holes are fused by the application of heat thereto to avoid the unraveling of the thermoplastic material. The longitudinal closing is performed by sewing. However none of the disclosed processes allows the manufacturing of belts at very high production speeds, in particular, if these belts are composed of several materials or pieces. In the present context, very high production speeds relates to the manufacturing of more than about 500 items per minute. Such mass production is typically based on web materials such as but not limited to the ones described in the above mentioned US4134154, namely synthetic materials, although conventional belt materials such as leather or woven materials may be used. A particular application of a belt or a hoop structure is in articles or garments, which are worn on the wearer, mostly though not exclusively on a human wearer. Therein, hoops may encircle the waist of a wearer, such as conventional belts do. They may also encircle the head, legs or other extremities of a wearer, such as headbands or sock suspender do. Other articles may include both a waist hoop and leg hoops, as pants may do. PCT application PCT/EP2008/003844, published as WO08/141756, - hereinafter referred to as the PCT'3844 application - describes the manufacturing of articles such as pants or pants-like structures, which comprise left and right leg hoops which are folded over along a fold line and which encircle the legs of a wearer during use, and to the manufacturing of such articles. The leg hoops are manufactured by flipping front and rear parts of the hoop material, thereby creating the hoop structure which is essentially with one and the same surface in contact with the skin of the wearer, and a 3D cup shape, to be placed in the crotch area of the wearer when the product is in use. The body conforming 3D or cup shape of the article is further supported if the leg hoop is folded upwardly (i.e. the lateral edges in the cup region are oriented towards the crotch crease of the wearer during use). Whilst this method as described in the PCT'3844 application is very suitable for forming pants or pants-like structures, it does not related to other articles. Henceforth, it is an object of the present invention, to provide an alternative method so as to arrive at alternative articles or pre-forms. Summary

The present invention is a manufacturing method for being carried out on a manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of a pre-form for or an article comprising or essentially consisting of a hoop. The equipment comprising the elements of a closed loop operating means defining a machine direction (closed loop operating means-MD), a machine centre line aligned with that machine direction, and a cross-direction and a surface oriented essentially parallel to a MD/CD plane. The equipment further comprises rotating equipment attached or otherwise operatively associated to the closed loop operating means comprising support plates, each rotatably mounted around a rotating axis which is essentially parallel or perpendicular to the surface of the closed loop operating means. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a first web material for forming the hoop extending along the machine direction of the closed loop operating means;

(b) separating a piece of the first web material comprising a front and a rear portion along the machine direction and a mid portion there between;

(c) affixing the front and rear portions of the piece of first web material each to a support plate of the rotating equipment;

(d) rotating the support plates around their rotating axes, such that the front and rear portions of the first web material are positioned at an essentially different angle to the machine direction of the closed loop operating means,

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a hoop structure;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the process steps for making a hoop or a pre-form therefore; Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of a loincloth article;

Fig. 4 shows schematically the steps for the manufacturing of a hoop from a single hoop web material;

Fig. 5 shows an alternative process for making a hoop or a pre-form therefore; Fig. 6 shows a particular feature for this process.

Same numerals in figures correspond to the same features.

Detailed description

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing of a pre-form which suitably can be included in the manufacturing of a variety of articles comprising or essentially consisting of a hoop.

Such articles are typically worn by a wearer, such as a human wearer. Thus such articles may be garments or apparel, which may be worn directly on the skin of the wearer, or which may be worn over other articles. Such articles may cover a smaller or larger part of the body of the wearer, and may cover one part such as the waist or a leg only, or may cover several parts, such as legs as well as waist regions. Without any limitation, such articles may be suspender belts, head bands, armbands, tube tops, or other belt or band-like structures comprising hoops. Such articles may also comprise further materials in addition to one or more hoops, such as in caps, loincloth articles or diapers, pants or pants-like structures. Because of the easy manufacturing, such articles may be disposable, such as when being used as disposable underwear, or for operation theatre clothing. A particular application relates to pants or pants- like structures to be worn on the lower torso of a wearer, which comprise leg hoops, i.e. elements encircling the legs of a wearer during use, such as diapers, training pants, adult incontinence articles or other absorbent or non absorbent articles, which exhibit a particular good body-conforming fit. Within the current context, the term "hoop" refers to a circular strip of flexible material in particular in the context of or as a garment or apparel. Referring to Fig. 1, such a hoop 1001 forms a closed circular structure, which may, for example, be worn around the waist of a wearer (not shown). The hoop may have a hoop width dimension 1025 and a hoop thickness 1024. Perpendicularly thereto, the circumferential length (corresponding to the waist circumference of the wearer) may be measured along the length direction 1021 of the hoop. The hoop may have a wearer oriented surface 1050, and an opposite surface 1070. The hoop as shown in Fig. 1 has two connecting lines or regions 1030, here shown in an "overlap" design, which may connect the respective parts of the hoop permanently, such as by adhesive or thermal bonding, or releasably, such as by releasable adhesive tapes, or may be refastenable such as by using mechanical fasteners, such as of the well known hook-and-loop type. These connecting lines 1030 may be arranged so as to be positioned in the side regions of the wearer, such that one part of the hoop may be considered a front part 1012, and the complementing part the rear part 1018. The front and/or rear part may further be unitary, or may be made of separate pieces of material attached to each other to form the front or rear part. The hoop may be of a single layer or may be a composite material. The hoop materials may be a single or any combination as generally suitable for being worn as a garment or apparel, which typically can be described by exhibiting a certain strength, conformability, flexibility, suppleness, skin compatibility etc. In particular, the hoop material may be extensible (i.e. showing at least to a certain extension a relatively low resistance irrespective of retracting forces) or elastic (i.e. exhibiting at least within certain extensions certain retractive forces). During the manufacturing of a hoop, the hoop forming material may be arranged in a hoop pre-form. Within the present context, this refers to the arrangement of the hoop material such that a closed hoop may readily be formed. This is the case, when the ends of a belt forming material are already e.g. in an overlapping arrangement, and just need the connecting step to close the hoop. This may also be the case, when the parts of a hoop forming material are already repositioned and just need a conventional folding step to be in an arrangement allowing the closure of the hoop. A further way of forming a hoop may be to produce a pre-form, which by combination with another material may form the closed hoop. A first exemplary way of making such hoops or pre- forms for a hoop is explained by referring to Fig. 2. Fig. 2A shows the top view of a closed loop operating means 1300, such as described in more detail in the above referenced PCT'3844 application. The closed loop operation means has a centreline 1305 along the machine (or x-) direction 1020, a width (or y-) direction along the cross machine direction 1021, and a manufacturing orientation 1304 along the machine direction (i.e. in the case of the closed loop operating means being a turret or a drum with a drum surface 1301, the drum rotates along a rotating axis parallel to the CD- or y-direction such that the surface moves along direction 1304, i.e. to the right in Fig. 2A). The closed loop operation means further has flipping equipment 1308 comprising support plates 1310, which are connected to the closed loop operation means. The support plates are rotatably mounted around flipping axes 1160, such that they can flip form a first position (as indicated in Fig. 2A with 1310) into a second position (as indicated in Fig. 2A with 1310' and dashed lines). Approximating the surface segment of the operating means by a plane (i.e. neglecting for example the curvature of the turret in this section), the axes 1160 are essentially co-planar to the surface of the operating means or x-,y-plane. The axis is further shown at a 45° angle to the longitudinal direction 1020.

The flipping equipment 1308 comprises four rotatably mounted support plates 1310, each one positioned forwardly and rearwardly left and right (relative to the manufacturing direction 1304). As shown, each support plate 1310 is essentially rectangularly shaped. The rotating axis 1160 may be positioned at the corner of the support plates, which is both longitunally and laterally most inwardly positioned. When the support plates are rotated by 180°, they change their position from a first position 1310, which is essentially "inwardly" (i.e. towards the centre line 1305) to a second position 1310', which is essentially longitudinally oriented along the outer periphery of the rotating equipment. On each the right and the left perimeter of the rotating equipment, a centre piece holddown plate 1165 is positioned between the front and the rear support plates, essentially stationary affixed to the closed loop operating means. In order to manufacture a hoop as shown in Fig. 1 , two strips of web material are provided, which are selected by their properties to be suitable for the intended application. Typically, the hoop materials may be single- or multi layer, bendable, supple, if appropriate soft to wearer's skin, optionally elasticated. Optionally, the hoop materials may comprise absorbent materials, and may expand when being wetted by body exudates such as urine or sweat, thereby capturing these and, such as when the hoop is used as sealing element, also tightening this seal e.g. towards the body. Being a web material, the z-directional extension is typically much smaller than the MD- and/or CD extension. The supply may be done by any conventional processes, such as by providing a first and a second roll of web materials having the appropriate width and cutting strips having the appropriate length, or by providing one roll of web material, separating it along a longitudinal line and along cross-directional lines into a first and second strip. Each one piece of the strip of web material 1210 for forming the hoop is fed to the closed loop operating means, and positioned on and temporarily affixed to the surface 1300 of the closed loop operating means, such that a mid portion 1215 of the web material overlays the centre piece holddown plates 1165, and the front 1212 and rear 1218 portions extend foward and rearward, respectively (see Fig. 2B). The material has a first surface 1370 which is now oriented towards the surface of the closed loop operating means, and an opposite second surface, which is upwardly oriented in Fig. 2C. The support plates, which are in their first position 1310 when the material is fed to the flipping equipment 1308, are then flipped into their second position (as indicated by 1310' so as to overlay the second surface 1350 of the front and rear portions of the hoop material. A fixation means is activated, such as a controllable vacuum suction, and the front and rear portions are temporarily affixed to the support plates. Upon flipping the support plates back into their first position 1310 whilst the front and rear portions remain affixed thereto, also these are flipped over and are oriented towards the centre line 1305, now forming together with the mid portion an U-shaped form, open towards the centre line. The CD-oriented parts of the Us on the left and the right side may overlap or not, as indicated in Fig. 2D and E, respectively. The CD-oriented (i.e. the flipped) parts of the U can now be seen with their first surface 1370 facing upwardly, whilst the middle part of the U (i.e. the stationary one) still has the second surface 1350 facing upwardly.

The overlapping parts of the hoop material may now be directly connected to each other, thereby forming a hoop, and may be withdrawn from the flipping equipment.

Another exemplary way of making such hoops or pre-forms for a hoop is explained by referring to Fig. 5. Referring to Fig. 5 A to 5D the forming of a hoop is explained. Fig. 5 A shows the top view of a closed loop operating means 1300, such as described hereinabove. The closed loop operating means has a centreline 1305 along the machine (or x-) direction 1020, a width (or y-) direction along the cross machine direction 1021, and a manufacturing orientation 1304 along the machine direction (i.e. in the case of the closed loop operating means being a turret or a drum with a drum surface 1301, the drum rotates along a rotating axis parallel to the CD- or y- direction such that the surface moves along direction 1304, i.e. to the right in Fig. 5A). The closed loop operating means further has rotating equipment 5308 comprising support plates 5310, which are connected to the closed loop operating means via essentially z-directionally (i.e. perpendicularly to the upper x-,y-surface of the closed loop operating means) positioned rotating axes 5320. The rotating equipment 5308 comprises four rotatably mounted support plates 5310, each one positioned forwardly and rearwardly left and right (relative to the manufacturing direction 1304). As shown, each support plate 5310 is essentially shaped like an elongated trapeze, with a rectangular first section 5312, and a triangular second section 5313. This triangle is delimited by MD- and CD- lines as well as tapering line 5160, here shown at a 45° orientation. The rotating axis 5320 is positioned at the connecting line of the first and second sections, either inwardly of the trapeze (for outward rotation of the first section of the support plates), or outwardly of the trapeze (for inward rotation of the first section of the support plates as in Fig. 5A to 5D). The support plates may be turned, for example by 90°, such that the first sections either rotate towards the centreline 1305 (hereinafter referred to as "turned inwardly") or away from centreline 1305 (hereinafter referred to as "turned outwardly") such that the second (triangular) sections rotate outwardly (when the first sections turn inwardly), or vice versa. The upper surface of the support plate (i.e. oriented away from the closed loop operating means surface) is adapted to receive web materials. In order to manufacture a hoop as shown in Fig. 1 , two strips of web material may be provided, which are selected by their properties to be suitable for the intended application. Typically, the hoop materials may be single- or multi-layer, bendable, supple, if appropriate soft to wearer's skin, optionally elasticated Optionally, the hoop materials may comprise absorbent materials, and may expand when being wetted by body exudates such as urine or sweat, thereby capturing these and, such as when the hoop is used as sealing element, also tightening this seal e.g. towards the body. Being a web material, the z-directional extension is typically much smaller than the MD- and/or CD extension. The supply may be done by any conventional process, such as by providing a first and a second roll of web materials having the appropriate width and cutting strips having the appropriate length, or by providing one roll of web material, separating it into a first and second strip along a longitudinal line and along cross-directional lines. As shown in Fig. 5B, each one piece of the strip of web material 1210 for forming the hoop is fed to the closed loop operating means, and positioned on and temporarily affixed to support plates on one side of the closed loop operating means, such that the leading portion of the strip 1212 is on a front support plate, and the rear portion 1218 is on the a rear support plate, whilst the mid portion 1215 is essentially unsupported there between. The web material is affixed with its first, downwardly oriented surface to the support plate, whilst the second, upwardly facing surface 1370 can be seen in Fig. 5B. The size and dimensions of the support plate may be essentially the same as the respective portion of the web material, or it may be slightly shorter such that the front or rear end of material 1210 extends beyond the edge of the support plate, or slightly longer (as shown in Fig. 5B).

Once the two strips of hoop web material 1210 are affixed to the support plates, the rotating mechanism is operated. In Fig 2C, it can be seen, that after the rotation step, the first portions of the support plates have been rotated inwardly towards the centreline of the closed loop operating means. As the front 1212 and the rear 1218 portions of the hoop material remain affixed to the support plates, these will also turn inwardly, with their first upwardly oriented surfaces 1370 remaining upwardly oriented. The unsupported mid portion 1215 will inevitably buckle upward or downward and fold over itself, such that now the second surface 1350 in this mid portion is oriented upwardly, and the first surface is facing downwards. In order to avoid collision of a left with a right support plate, they may be operated with a certain offset in timing, or they are slightly offset in their z-directional positioning, or the one or both of the rotating plates may be slightly shorter than material 1210 affixed to them. Through this, an overlap between the front left and right and rear left and right portions of material 1210 is achieved. Upon connecting the overlap portions such as by permanent or releasable forming of a bond e.g. in a bond region 1030, a hoop structure as can be seen in Fig. 1 is formed. This buckling and turning of the centre portion 1215 is a geometric effect, and within wide ranges independent of the material properties. Thus, this buckling and folding can be achieved with relatively rigid materials, such as writing paper, or relatively supple materials, such as non- woven materials or paper tissues. Accordingly, also elastic materials or material composites may be used. In particular, materials typically applied in the manufacture of garments or absorbent articles, such as the backsheets, topsheets, elastic nonwovens, but also absorbent web materials, and the like, perform well in such an operation.

Optionally, the buckling and turning of the centre portion may be supported or directed (e.g. towards "upward" or "downward") by mechanical means. One suitable embodiment is shown in

Fig. 6A-C, showing schematically a perspective view of a support plate 5310, which is segmented in to a first section 5312 and an second section 5313, connected by a hinge means

5311. The second section 5313 is connected to one end of a curved lever 5316, whilst the other end of the lever is affixed to a lever support 5317, on a joint base plate 5314 for the lever support and the rotation axis 5320. The rotation axis 5320 is connected to the first section 5312 of the support plate next to the hinge means. As shown in Fig 6B, upon rotation of the support plate around the axis, the curved lever will lift the tip of the second section of the support plate upwardly, thusly supporting the buckling and turning of the centre portion of the leg hoop material. After a 90° turn, the tip of the lever will be in a lowered position again and the second section 5313 will be at level with the first section 5312.

Optionally, the method may further comprise the step of providing a further material, such as a cut piece of a web material, which may fit into the opening of the hoop 1001. When the hoop is adapted for a head-band, the additional piece may cover the head of the wearer, and the article may be a cap. An additional material may also bridge the space to close the hoop of a pre-form according to Fig. 2E. Upon connecting this piece to the hoop or the hoop pre-form, a cap shaped article may be formed, wherein the hoop may encircle the head of a wearer like a headband, whilst the additional cut piece may cover the head of the wearer.

In Fig. 3 a loincloth article is shown, which can suitably be manufactured by employing the present invention. It comprises a waist hoop 1220 and in addition thereto a centre piece 1010 which is adapted to be positioned with its crotch section 1015 in the crotch region of a wearer, and connected with its front 1012 and rear 1018 portions to the waist hoop. The centre piece may be a simple web material such as cotton weave or a nonwoven web of synthetic or natural material, and thus the articles may be simple disposable underpants. The centre piece may also be an absorbent member, optionally releasably connected to the waist hoop, and thus the article be a simple fully or partly disposable article such as a diaper, such as being well known in the art (see e.g. WO 08/093271). A further embodiment of the present invention relates to the manufacturing of a hoop out of a single web material using the "flipping" process as described in the above in the context of Fig. 2. As can be seen in Fig 4, the equipment has essentially only the left or right parts as shown in Fig. 2A, i.e. a front and a rear support plate 1310, and a holddown plate 1165. The rotating axes of the support plates as shown in Fig. 4A are essentially parallel at an flipping angle of about 45°. In contrast to the above describe process, the support plates are in their first position 1310 oppositely oriented, i.e. one towards and the other one away from the centre line of the closed loop operating means. (If the closed loop operating means is designed such that its centre line is positioned between the support plates in their CD orientation, both support plates will be oriented away there from.) A first web material is provided as described in the above (see Fig. 4B), and the support plates are flipped such that thereafter (ref to Fig. 4C) each one is now in a second position 1310' overlaying a front 1212 or a rear 1218 portion of the first web material, whilst the mid portion 1215 overlays the holddown plate 1165. The front and rear portions are affixed to the support plates and these are flipped back into their first position 1310. In the next step, a further fixation tool (not shown) is positioned over the front and rear portions of said web material and the web portions are affixed thereto. Upon releasing the fixation to the support plates, the fixation tools may be repositioned along a translatory trajectory essentially parallel to the flipping axes. Once the front and rear portions are in registered positioning, they may be connected to each other, optionally to a further material.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method for being carried out on a manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of a pre-form for or of an article essentially consisting of one hoop, said equipment comprising the elements of a closed loop operating means defining a machine direction (closed loop operating means-MD,a machine centre line aligned with that machine direction, and a cross-direction and a surface oriented essentially parallel to a MD/CD plane; rotating equipment attached or otherwise operatively associated to said closed loop operating means comprising support plates, each rotatably mounted around a rotating axis which is essentially parallel or perpendicular to said surface of said closed loop operating means; said method comprising the steps of

(a) providing a first web material for forming said hoop extending along the machine direction of said closed loop operating means;

(b) separating a piece of said first web material comprising a front and a rear portion along the machine direction and a mid portion there between;

(c) affixing the front and rear portions of said piece of first web material each to a support plate of said rotating equipment, (d) rotating said support plates around their rotating axes, such that the front and rear portions of said pieces of said first web material are positioned at an essentially different angle to the machine direction of said closed loop operating means.

2. A manufacturing method according to claim 1, further comprising the step (e) folding said pre-form or said article.

3. A manufacturing method for being carried out on a manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of an article comprising or essentially consisting of a hoop, said equipment comprising the equipment elements according to claim 1 and further a fixation tool attached or otherwise operatively associated to said closed loop operating means to allow a translatory movement at a predetermined speed relative to said closed loop operating means, and adapted to receive and temporarily hold web materials., said method comprising the steps (a) to (dβ) of claim 1 , wherein said step (d) is executed such that said front portion and said rear portion of said first web material are in an essentially opposed position, said method further comprising the step of (f) temporarily affixing said front and/or rear portion of said first web material to said fixation tool;

(g) moving said fixation tool essentially along a line angled at the flipping angle to said centre line such that said front and rear portions are in a registered position to allow; (h) connecting said front and rear portion to each other, thereby forming a hoop.

4. A manufacturing method for being carried out on a manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of a pre-form of or an article comprising or essentially consisting of a hoop, said equipment comprising the elements of claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of (a) to (d) of claim 1 , further applying steps (a) to (d) to a first and to a second web material, wherein each front and rear portion of said first and second web material is affixed each to one support plate, and wherein step (d) is executed such that said support plates are rotated towards said machine centre line such that said front portions of said pieces of first and second web materials and the rear portions of said pieces of said first and second web materials are in a registered position for being connected to each other or to a further material;

5. A manufacturing method for being carried out on a manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of an article essentially consisting of a hoop for being worn on the body of a wearer, preferably a human wearer, preferably on the waist, head, or extremities, said equipment comprising the equipment elements according to claim 1 , said methods comprising the steps according to claim 3 and further comprising the step of (i) connecting permanently or releasably said front portion of said pieces of said first web material to the front portions of said second web material and the rear portions of pieces of said first web material to said rear portions of said second web material to form a closed hoop.

6. A manufacturing method for being carried out on a manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of an article comprising a hoop for being worn on the body of a wearer, preferably a human wearer, preferably on the head or waist, wherein said article has preferably a loincloth or a cap structure, said equipment comprising the equipment elements according to claim 1 , and said method comprising the steps of manufacturing a pre-form according to claim 3, further comprising the steps (j) providing a piece of a centre web material, optionally by separating said pieces from a continuous web material, extending along the machine direction of said closed loop operating means, and comprising a front, and a rear portion, (k) positioning said piece of centre web material relative to said first and second web materials such that upon executing said rotating step (d) the front and rear portions of said first and second web materials are oriented towards said machine center line of said closed loop operating means such that they overlay the front and rear portions of said centre piece, respectively, (1) connecting said front and rear portions of said first and second web material permanently or releasably to each other or to said front and rear portions of said centre piece.

7. A method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of adding elastication and/or elastification means to the regions forming the hoops and / side panel regions.

8. A method according to any of the preceding claims for the manufacture of disposable articles.

9. An article obtainable by a manufacturing method according to any of the preceding claims.

10. An article according to claim 7, said article being a disposable and /or an absorbent article, optionally comprising an expandable hoop comprising liquid absorbent material.