MXPA01007889A - Processes and apparatus for making disposable absorbent articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A process and apparatus for registering a plurality of discrete components to a continuously moving first layer of material produces a disposable absorbent garment with improved alignment of the components on the first layer of material. The first layer has a plurality of reference marks positioned thereon. Various devices are used to compare distances between the reference marks to distances between corresponding components and synchronize a feed rate of the components to a feed rate of the first layer. After adhering the components to the first layer, the positions of the components relative to the reference marks are once again checked and, if necessary, the setpoint for the feed rate of the components is adjusted.

Description

PROCESS AND APPARATUS TO MAKE DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT ITEMS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to processes for making articles, and particularly to processes for making disposable absorbent articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Disposable absorbent products can be manufactured in a continuous production line by the addition of components to previously supplied components. This is particularly advantageous when one or more components can be supplied in the form of a single continuous cap. For example, in the formation of disposable absorbent articles, such as underpants, absorbent briefs, diapers, incontinence articles, women's care products, the like, a layer is usually supplied at a point in the body. manufacturing line in the form of a continuous roller, absorbent pads, elastic waistbands, elastic leg bands, stretchable side panels, and / or other components can be supplied at different points in the manufacturing line as discrete elements.

Various processes and apparatuses are available to bring the unique product components together so that the components in the composite product are in a desired ratio with respect to each other. In carrying this components properly together, various known apparatus processes are used to record the position of a particular component, and then to adjust the position of subsequent components in order to place them properly.

A problem encountered with these types of process and apparatus is that they do not adequately compensate for the stretching, or other defects that may occur, of a continuously moving layer. During manufacturing processes of that type, a continuously moving layer subjected to various stresses caused by the driven being pulled through the process for handling. This tension causes the continuously moving layer to stretch, or relax resulting in some components that are undesirably placed or once placed, which change the position. Since it is virtually impossible to maintain a constant tension on the continuously moving layer, the degree of stretching varies throughout the process accordingly, even though a previously placed component may initially be, within a range of acceptable position, stretching, For example, the continuously moving cap may result in the component falling outside the acceptable position range in the composite product at the end. Other undesirable occurrences can also result in improper marrying of a component or components.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION In response to the difficulties and problems discussed in the prior art, a new process and apparatus has been discovered-to make a disposable absorbent article, and in particular one that has a married graph.

The present invention will be described herein in the context of hunting and controlling the matching of a continuously moving cap and the discrete components co with respect to the continuously moving layer in the manufacture of disposable absorbent articles or products such as, by way of example, a child's underwear. Examples of other disposable absorbent articles include but are not limited to diapers, women's care products, incontinence products or the like. The terms "hunted", "hunting" and "coincidence" refer to aligning objects with respect to each other, or adjusting the alignment of the objects with respect to each other to achieve an adequate alignment. The term "component" may refer, but be limited to elastic strips or tapes, absorbent pad, containment fins, stretchable or n stretchable layers, adhesive patterns, parts thereof, like; or to a graph, the term "graph" can be referred to, but is not limited to any similar design, pattern.A children's disposable training underpants can have functional and / or related components with multiple appearance registered within the ranges in the machine direction (MD) and / or in the cross machine direction (CD). The term "machine direction" refers to the primary direction of movement of the layers continuously and the movement in the manufacturing process, and the term "transverse direction to the machine" refers to the direction essentially normal to the direction of the machine.

The present invention can provide, for example, a child-friendly training underpants having one or more appearance-related and / functional components married to other components. Examples of components that are related to appearance include but are not limited to matching graphs; the highlight emphasizing leg and waist openings in order to make a product conformation more evident or visible to the user; e highlighting or emphasizing areas of the product to simulate functional components such as elastic leg cuffs, elastic waistbands, simulated "fly openings" for boys, olane for girls; highlighted areas of the product to change the appearance of the product size; moisture indicators of coincidence, temperature indicators, and the like in the product; marrying a back label or a front label on the product; and the married written instructions in a desired place in the product.

Examples of functional components include, but are not limited to, absorbent pads, acquisition emergence layers, side panels, tapes, restraining fins, waist elastics, leg elastics, of breathing capacity, fluid-repellent areas, fluid-wetted areas, adhesives or coatings, encapsulated inks, chemically sensitive materials, environmentally sensitive materials, heat-sensitive materials, moisture-sensitive materials, perfumes, odor control agents, inks, fasteners, fluid storage areas, textured or etched areas, or the like. The training underpants described herein, by way of example, comprise an absorbent pad placed between an outer shell impervious to the liquid and a liquid-permeable forr. The training underpants also includes elastic side panels which are attached to the outer cover in order to provide elasticity thereof. The outer shell impermeable to liquid may comprise layers of material properly bonded together, in which the innermost layer may be a liquid-impermeable layer and the outermost layer can be a non-woven layer having a cloth-like texture. 'The layer impermeable to the innermost liquid has a graphic printed in coincidence on it. Married graphics usually include a visually pleasing pattern or design and is controllably home in a designated area of the product. A house chart includes a graphic placed on the front center of the product. A more detailed description of the construction and design of the underwear described above can be found in US Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued July 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference. .

A distinctive process and apparatus for matching discrete components with a first cap continuously in motion is described here. The first layer of material includes one or more reference marks provided thereon with a uniform repetition length. This uniform repetition length may be, but is not limited to, a length d of repetition of machine product which is the length of a product during the manufacturing process. Hence, the uniform repetition length is a repetition length of machine product for description purposes, but the present invention contemplates other lengths or dimensions that can serve as a uniform repetition length. The distance between two successive reference marks is determined then used to calculate a desired velocity and / placement to add other components to the process.

The term "reference mark" may refer but is not limited to a component or components or parts thereof, such as elastic strips, absorbent pads, adhesive patterns, or the like; a structure such as the corners, edges of it; transport means such as conveyor belts or the like; visual marks magnetic marks; electric marks, electromagnetic marks, optical brighteners sensitive to similar ultraviolet radiation. All of these may be perceived, detected or otherwise identified by an appropriate device.

The reference marks determine the length of the product and the product speed per minute while the tissue speed (feet per minute) remains constant. The reference marks provide placement references which are used for general reference signals with which other product components can be controlled and / or married. Since a component can serve as a reference mark, it can be identified or described as a "component-reference mark".

The first layer may have selectively provided on it reference marks which correspond to a respective plurality of different and separate locations on the layer b components. For the purpose of this embodiment, the first component comprises a plurality of graphs. A first sensor generates a signal and response to each reference mark. The distance between the consecutive reference mark signals is suitably measured in units of, by way of example, a drive mechanism, such as a line-of-line match coder. This measurement is the first repetition length d component or repetition length of machine product.

A second component is added to the first layer by means of a machine model that has its own drive mechanism. The second component can be placed in relation to a reference mark or in relation to the first component. A second sensor associated with this second component that is to be married generates a second signal mentioned as a second component signal in response to each second component serving as a reference / component mark. The distance between the second consecutive component signals is also measured in units of the same drive as the first layer, such as the line axis coincident encoder. This measurement is the second component repetition length. i The ratio of a second length d component repetition to a machine product repetition length is a measurement ratio which is used to calculate a speed reference signal for speed control, so that the speed of the second The component drive mechanism may be selectively controlled to adjust the speed and / or placement of a second component, such that the distance between the second consecutive component signals d and in subsequent is a length d of product repetition. This provides a second repeating length of component in a length d repetition of machine product and is called a repeating circuit. The repetition circuit refers to repetitively providing a second component at a rate essentially equal to the rate of the first layer thus doubling a repetition length of machine product between two successive reference d marks by accurately measuring its current separation distance. and calculating a desired speed reference signal d for a component drive.

The second component is also controllably placed with respect to a reference mark of the first layer. This is called the positioning circuit and s carried out by comparing the measured distance between a component signal and its reference mark signal corresponding to the set target point, and after adjusting the position of the second future components to the fixed point. . An "objective set point" refers to a selected value to which the placement is controlled. A "component signal" is generated from a sensor that detects component i or reference marks on the second layer.

A "reference mark signal" is generated from a sensor that detects the reference marks on the first layer.

Thus, a process and apparatus for using a first layer of material, which may include one or more separate and separate components pre-positioned thereon, and providing a simplified device for matching other components, is described herein by way of example. on the first layer, thereby providing * finally individual disposable absorbent articles, a process of the present invention using reference marks consistently placed opposite the first continuous layer to generate reference signals throughout the entire manufacturing process.

An advantage of the process and the apparatus is that it provides a capacity for changing the length of repetition of single machine product during the manufacturing process by providing the capability to automatically change the speed and / or the supply rate of various modules that provide selected components. Therefore, the speed, the coincidence and other desired changes required for a repetition length change of machine product by way of example, manufacturing different sizes or types of products, can be achieved by changing the first layer with another layer having a Different length between the marks d reference, in which the different length corresponds to change in the type or size of product. The present invention automatically perceives these changes and controllably adjusts the repetition circuit and the positioning circuit for other components.

The first layer of material may be, for example, a continuous pre-printed polyethylene film with one or more reference marks per product. The use of the term "layer" may refer, but is not limited, to any type of substrate, such as a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, films, laminated panels, composites, elastomeric materials or the like. A layer may be permeable to liquid and air, permeable to air and impervious to liquids, impermeable to both air and liquid or the like. Reference marks * are preprinted or otherwise arranged so that they were placed in the Same designated area in each finished product. The term "finished" "final", when used with reference to a product, means that the product is manufactured properly for its intended purpose.

The process of the present invention perceives the first reference marks of the layer that are moving a desired constant speed rate and generate a reference signal d for other components and modules of the machine. In particular, accurate real-time information is provided during the reproduction process, and quick adjustments to the process to provide the desired match of subsequent components in the final product. Additionally, the process control variables can be automatically modified response to changes in the length of repetition of the product of the machine according to the preprogrammed instructions.

Initially, a reference brand was described with some examples. In the embodiments described hereinafter, the selected reference mark is an optical brightener which can be configured in any desired shape or size. The reference mark may comprise, for example, a generally rectangular region which has a machine direction dimension of about 19 millimeters and a machine-directional dimension of about 37 millimeters. Optionally, other dimensions can be used. It should be understood that the various sensing and sensing devices described herein must be appropriately compatible with the type of associated reference mark to be detected or perceived. The term "associated" refers to the reference mark already being directly on a component that is represented, ta as a graph or being selectively spaced from it. The optical brightener is provided to be sensitive to ultraviolet radiation. The optical brightener is, for example, capable of absorbing ultraviolet radiation and then fluoresces to emit an aspect of light that can be sensed by an appropriate and compatible sensor or detector. Ultraviolet radiation is generally understood to include electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths varying from about 20-400 nanometers. Suitable optical brighteners include, for example, UVITEX OB manufactured by Ciba-Ceigy, and LEUCOPURE EGM manufactured by Sandoz Chemica Corporation.

Where the reference mark comprises optical brighteners sensitive to ultraviolet light, or a suitable detector sensor is an ultraviolet-activated detector, such as the SICK detector model LUT 3-6 available from SICK OPTIK ELECTRONIK, INC., A business having offices Saint Paul Minnesota.

Other suitable reference marks, as well as sensors, computer devices, motors, and the like, are described in United States Patent No. 5,235,515 issued August 10, 1993 to Ungpiya ul et al .; 5,359,525 issued on October 25, 1994 to Weyenberg; 4,837,715 granted on June 6, 1989 Ungpiyakul, whose contents of each are incorporated by reference.

The process and devices described use various devices, and the representative devices include encoders, signal counters and sensors or detectors. U encoder generates a pulse train which is a selected numer of pulses per revolution of the encoder axis, for a subsequent count and control. A signal counter receives a pulse train generated from an encoder, and counts the pulses for a subsequent question. A sensor or detector perceives an interruption occurrence in a process and generates a signal in response to this.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The aforementioned and other characteristics of the present invention and the way to achieve them will be more evident, and the invention itself will be better understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which similar characteristics in the different figures have been shown. given the same reference number.

Figure 1 illustrates a front view _ ^ of a disposable absorbent article.

Figure 2 illustrates a front view of another disposable absorbent article, which is similar to that of figure 1 but designed for a girl rather than a child.

Fig. 2A representatively shows the article of Fig. 2 in a stretched flat state partially disassembled.

Figure 3 illustrates a continuously moving layer having a plurality of separate separate graphics on it.

Figure 4 illustrates a continuously moving composite layer having a plurality of separate and distinct components thereon.

Figure 5A illustrates partially and schematically the left or up part of an apparatus and process for manufacturing! of a disposable absorbent article including the married components.

Figure 5B schematically illustrates the right or upstream part of the apparatus and the process partially shown in Figure 5A.

Figure 6 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the data flow used in conjunction with the apparatus and the process in Figures 5A and 5B.

Figure 7 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic gearbox shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 graphically illustrates a control d placement used in conjunction with the apparatus and process d Figures 5A and 5B.

Figure 9 illustrates graphically an embodiment of a part of the process shown in Figure 5B for assembling a composite liner / fin structure.

Figure 10 illustrates a cross-sectional representation of the components of the liner / fin composite structure as assembled in Figure 9.

Figure 11 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the control used for the adhesive adhesiv application in Figure 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CURRENTLY AND PREFERRED INCORPORATIONS Referring now to Figure 1, there is illustrated a child's disposable training underpants 1 generally comprising a front panel 12, a rear panel 14, a crotch panel 16 interconnecting the front and back panels 12 and 14, and a pair of elastic side panels 18. Each elastic side panel 18 is formed of two separate elastic parts 19 (FIG. 2A) and is suitably joined together, such as by the ultrasonic joining to form a side seam 20. With the construction of the side seams 20, a waist opening 22 and the leg openings 24 are formed. The side seams 20 can be constructed to be manually tearable. in order to allow the training underwear 10 to be disassembled manually by the caregiver, so that it can be easily removed from the child, for example, after a bowel movement. The elastic side panels 1 and the side seams 20 can be provided in any suitable manner. A specific way to supply the elastic side panels 18 is described in United States of America Patents Nos. 5,224.40 granted on July 6, 1993 and 5,104,116 granted on April 14, 1992 both to Pohjola, which are incorporated herein. by reference. The provision of side seams may be achieved in the manner described in U.S. Patent No. 5,046,272 issued September 10, 1991 Vogt et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference.

The training underpants 10 furthermore comprise a front waist elastic 26 suitably attached to the front panel 12, a rear waist elastic 28 suitably joined to the back panel 14, the leg elastics 3 suitably attached to the '. crotch panel 16, and an absorbent pad 32 (Figure 4) placed between an outer liquid impermeable cover or lower sheet 54 (Figure 1) a liquid-permeable upper sheet or liner 36 (Figure 1). The basic construction of the underpants is well known in the art, and a particular construction is that described in the United States of America patent. 4,940,464 granted on July 10, 1990 to Van Gompel and others, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference. This patent granted to Van Gompel and others also describes various materials from which the underpants can be made, and a method for constructing the underpants.

As illustrated in Figure 1, a component ta as illustrated in Figure 1, a component such as a graph 38 is selectively placed and married on the front panel 12, and in this illustration comprises an arc iris, sun design, clouds, wagons, and a "fly opening" simulate 23 typically of a child's underwear. The married graph 38 may be of any type of desired artistic characteristic pattern, written instructions, or the like is desired for it to be placed in the article in the selected location. Naturally, the married graph 38 comprises a simulated fly opening 23 which would be totally unacceptable from an aesthetic and functional point of view if it were placed in the crotch panel 16 or in the rear panel 14.

Referring to Figure 2, this illustrated other training briefs 40, which can be typically worn by young girls. In this design, a married figure 42 includes simulated waistlines 29, simulated leg steps 31, a rainbow, a sun, clouds, a wanderer and a ball. Again, any suitable design can be used for a training underpants intended for use by young girls as to be aesthetically and / functionally pleasing to these and the caregiver.

The graph 38 in figure 1 or graph 42 of figure 2 can be selectively placed or married as desired, depending on the size and shape of the graph and d apart from the product on which the graph will be placed. Figure 1, the graph 38 is selectively placed or married within a designated area 39 which, as seen in Figure 1, is joined or defined by a front waistband 116 the panel seams 21 and the panel line Crotch 17 The panel seams 21 are the seams in which the respective elastic side panels 18 are suitably attached to the front panel 12 and the back panel 14. Again a more specific description of the construction and manufacture of a brief design of learning 10 is contained in the patent of the United States of America mentioned above 4,940,964 granted to Van Gompel and others. The crotch panel line 17 is, for the purposes of explanation given herein, simply the line or boundary formed at the bottom of the crotch panel 16 as illustrated in Figure 1. Therefore, as described, the area designated 39 has four defined boundaries comprising the front waist edge 116, the panel seams 21, the crotch panel line 17, and those portions of the leg openings 24 that extend between the respective panel seam 21 and the panel line crotch 17. It is necessary that the designated area 39 be completely defined or joined by a closed line or closed limit. For example, in Figure 1, the designated area 39 can be defined by only the front waist edge 116 and the seams of the panel. 21, which sufficiently define a designated area 39 in which a graph 38 can be selectively placed or married In this case, the graphic 38 can be married or selectively placed at a selected distance from the edge of the front waist 116 and centered between the panel seams 21.

Another example of the flexibility in the choice of a designated area 39 is illustrated in Figure 2A, which illustrates the training underpants 40 in Figure 2 in a flat, stretched and partially disassembled state. This can be accomplished by taking the finished training pants 40 of FIG. 2 and manually tearing the seams 20 and then placing the underwear 40 flat and stretching it sufficiently to remove any creases or cavities caused by any built-in elastic members. In Figure 2A, the designated area 39 is defined or limited by the front waist edge 116, the panel seams 21, the rear waist edge 118, and a pair of leg aperture edges 25 extending within the respective panel seams 21. Thus, in Figure 2A, the designated area 3 is generally rectangular in shape, and the graphic 42 is selectively hunted or placed within and through the surface area of the designated area. Graph 42 comprises various component designs, such as simulated leg ovals 31 and simulated waistlines 29. As seen in the figure 2A, the leg opening edges 25 are linear or straight lines. However, in Figure 2, the simulated leg waves 31 provide a perceived curvature or shape for the training pants 40, which is a desirable feature that can be provided here. A very narrow tolerance is provided in a unique and advantageous manner in the coincidence or position of a component, such as graphs 38 and 42, within any selected area or point, such as the area designated 39. Co reference to FIG. , it is evident that the simulated bracket opening 23 of the graphic 38 requires being married or placed inside the front panel 12. It would be undesirable to have underwear 10 made by a method and / or apparatus that could not coritrulate the proper match ol simulated fly opening position 23, since otherwise the simulated fly 23 opening will appear on the rear panel 14 or on the leg panel 16. The present invention provides a highly controlled position or match of all components such as, by way of example, of the graphs 38, 42, of the front waist elastic 26, of the rear waist elastic 28, of the leg elastics 30, the absorbent pad 32 (FIG. 4) or the like, within a desired designated area or position, such as the designated area 39 The tolerances of about plus or minus 25 millimeters less, and more particularly the tolerances of between about plus or minus 3 millimeters or less are achievable in the coincidence of the components.

Referring now to Figures 5A and 5B therein schematically shows an apparatus and a process of the present invention for assembling parts of a plurality of training underpants. A delivery device 44 continuously supplies an absorbent wrapped in continuous tissue 46 to a separation device 48 that separates the absorbent wrapped in the tissue.

"I with continuous tissue 46 in a plurality of separate and separate absorbent pads 32. The delivery device 44 can include any conventional mechanism for supplying the absorbent 46. Generally a conventional delivery device 44 will include a hammer mill to form fibers and, if desired, to provide a primer for mixing the absorbent material with the fluff fibers after depositing the fluff and the superabsorbent material on a forming drum 47 having a desired absorbent shape. The forming drum 47 then deposits the formed absorbent on a continuously moving tissue layer 4 provided by the delivery device 45, which is then delivered to a conventional wrapping sheet bender assembly 51 for folding the tissue around the absorbent. The delivery device 45 can be any suitable mechanism, such as a pair of spindles, a festoon assembly, or dancer roller to provide a tissue layer 43 at a desired speed and tension.

A conveyor 50 may be any conventional conveyor well known in the art, which carries the absorbent 46 to the separating device 48. The absorbent wrapped with tissue 46 may be dehaped by passing it through a pair of pressure point rollers at a detonator conjunct 49.

The absorbent may include any desired mixture or combination of absorbent materials, such as lint and superabsorbent materials. Suitable superabsorbent materials are available from various commercial vendors such as Dow Chemical Company, Hoechst-Celanes Corporation and Allied Colloids Inc. A superabsorbent material is capable of absorbing at least about 15 times its weight in water, and desirably more than about 25 times its weight in water.

The delivery device 52 provides a continuously moving first layer of the material 80 on which any desired component can be placed or placed as the separate and distinct absorbent pads 3 formed by the separating device 48. The delivery device 52 can be any mechanism of standard unwinding which generally comprises, for example, a pair of spindles, a set of festoon, a dancer roller to provide the first layer 80 at a speed and tension used. An example of a standard unwinding is an MB 820 model, available from Martin Automatic Corporation of Rockford, Illinois.

The first continuously moving layer of material 80 can be any suitable desired material so that the particular products or components are assembled In this description of a training underpants 10 or 4 (FIGS. 1 and 2) the first continuously moving layer 80 is a liquid impervious material that will subsequently be formed or subsequently made the lower sheet or outer cover impervious to the liquid 54. A suitable liquid impermeable film is a 0.75 mil polyethylene film commercially available from Huntsman Packaging, with offices in Kent, Washington.

The continuous tissue wrapped absorbent 46 is cut into the separate and distinct absorbent pads 3 by the separating device 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the separating device 48 comprises a knife roller 5 and an anvil roller 58 which are operatively associated with a with another. The knife roller 56 may have any desired number of sheets thereon, and in this example have two diametrically opposed sheets 60 thereon to form the absorbent cushions 32. A pad transfer conveyor 62 or any other suitable device may be used to bring the absorbent pads 32 to a hunting roller 64, whence the distinct and separate absorbent pads 32 formed by the separating device 48 are placed on the first continuous moving layer 80.

The separating device 48 (figure 5A) and driven by a motor 66 (figure 6). The blade roller 5 and the anvil roller 58, the conveyor assemblies 50, the de-clutter assembly 49, the wrapper sheet bender assembly 51, the pad transfer conveyor 6 and the debris drum 47 are desirably all coupled operatively, electrically and / or mechanically, motor 66. Motor 66 is controlled through a matching control system 124 (FIG. 6) and a module driving control system 126 (FIG. 6) to match the pads. absorbers 32 with respect to the first layer 80.

A typical module drive system includes a module drive control system 126 (FIG. 6) for controlling the motor 66, and may be any system such as those described in the United States patents incorporated herein by reference. It is important that a module drive system for any of the various modules i (Figure 6) be one that is capable of carrying out types of speed variations which will be described in greater detail hereafter. A variation of speed e to increase a present rotation speed at a faster rotation speed, or to decrease a present rotational speed at a slower rotation speed. The other velocity variation is a momentary velocity variation comprising an incremental advancing phase movement, which is a momentary component module velocity increase to provide a measured decrease in the component repetition length, or a movement of incremental delay, which is a momentary speed decrease of the component module to provide a measured increase in the repetition length of the component.

The term "momentary speed increase" refers to increasing a first speed to a second higher speed for a selected period of time, and then leaving speed to return to the first speed in order to advance the composition of the component by an amount The term "decrease speed momentarily" refers to decreasing a first speed at a lower second speed for a selected period of time, and then allowing speed to return to the first speed in order to delay the position of the component by a measured amount.

The present invention can be used to match one or more components with a reference mark on the first layer so that the components are located at the desired position in an individual product. In this particular description, a component such as the absorbent pad 32 is placed and in coincidence with a reference mark 74 (Figures 63, 5A and 5B) on the first layer 80 The relative location of the absorbent pad 32 on the first layer 80 is measured in encoder counts, from a primary line shaft matching encoder 132 (Figur 6) between a reference mark 74 (Fig. 5A) as detected by a sensor 110 and its corresponding absorbent pad 3 as detected by a sensor 108. This measurement was used to controllably record an absorbent pad 32 as corresponding reference mark 74, thereby placing the absorbent pad 32 in the desired position in a training underpants. The reference marks 74 n need to be visible to the human eye on the product, but must be able to be perceived or detected electrically or similar mechanically. It should be noted that the d reference marks 74 in Figures 5A and 5B are shown as raised objects in relation to the first layer 80 only for purposes of explanation. With reference to Figure 3 s illustrates a part of a continuously moving layer 80 having a plurality of graphs 38 and of reference marks 7 preprinted or pre-positioned thereon. Associated with -cad graph 38 is a waistband, printed 76. Each reference mark 74 may also be used to properly place an absorbent pad 32 (Figure 4) with an associated graph 38. The reference marks 74 are placed outside or apart from each other. graphics 38, but they can be printed directly on the graphics 38 as to be within the design of the graphics. In addition, the reference marks 74 can be eliminated and a portion of the graphic 78 can be used as a reference mark to selectively place an absorbent pad or other component. For purposes of explanation and fabrication, however, the reference marks 74 are provided by a selected distance apart from the respective graphs 38. Referring now to FIG. 5A, or suitable adhesive is applied to a surface of the first cap 80 by an adhesive applicator 98 for laminating the absorbent pad 32 to the first layer 80. The adhesive applicator 98 as well as the adhesive applied thereto can be any type of applicator suitable for the desired pattern of adhesive, appropriate and compatible with the materials that go to be united. A first sensing device, such as a sensor 106, is suitably and desirably positioned between the separating device 4 and the hunting roller 64 for sensing or sensing each absorbent pad 32 and for generalizing a signal in response thereto. Or suitable sensor 106 is a Banner RSBF scanner block, a RPBT wire bas, an optical fiber pair and IR: 2.53 available from Banner Engineering Corporation of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The second and third sensing devices, such as the photo eye 108 and the sensor 110 are placed downstream of the matching roller 64. The term "downstream" refers to a position in the manufacturing process of the training pant. more erca of the ending of the final product relative to another position. The photo eye 108 may be of a gentle type as described above in relation to sensor 106. E sensor 110 is desirably a SICK Lut 3-detector model available from SICK OPTICK ELECTRONIK, INC. who has a business office in San Paul Minnesota. The sensor 110 is designed to detect or sense a reference mark 74 and generate a signal in response to this. In this particular description, both sensors 106 and 108 optically sense or perceive a product component such as an absorbent pad 32 and generate a respective signal in response thereto. If desired, the photo eyes 106 and 108 can perceive other components, such as the waist elastics, the leg elastics, the fastening tapes used in the diapers and the like.

With reference to FIGS. 5B and 9, a containment fin material layer 103 is supplied from a fin material supply device 105 and moved to the laminating roller 107. The fin material supply device 105 can be any standard unwinding mechanism comprising generally a pair of spindles a festoon assembly and a dancer roller to provide the flat layer 103 at a desired speed and tension. An example of a standard unwinder is an MD 820 model available from Martin Automatic, Corporation of Rockford Illinois.

Another delivery device 109 desirably provides continuous and spaced elastic members 113 in a pre-stretched and selected condition. A suitable delivery device 109 for providing the prestretched elastic members 113 is a T6M-8 unwinder model available from Accragec Engineering, Inc. of Neenah, Wisconsin. This particular unwinding device controllably adjusts the speed of the elastic members 113 so as to provide them with a selected tension or elongation, which will ultimately provide the desired elasticity to a composite fin-liner structure 55 (Figures 4 and 5B). The elastic members 11 are driven on the surface by the supply device 109, in the sense that a motor-driven roller in the unwinder provides the elastic members 113 at a desired speed. By controllably adjusting the speed of the elastic members 113, the elongation of the elastic members 113 can be controlled, and therefore controlling the tension of the elastic members 113. An adhesive application 115 selectively applies the adhesive intermittently in the correct position. and at the desired length relative to the signal generated by a sensor 110 to join the elastic members 113 to the fin layer 103 at the desired location. The adhesive applicator 115, as well as the adhesive applied thereto, can be of any type suitable for the desired adhesive pattern, and which are appropriate and compatible for the materials to be bonded. After that it is. detected the reference mark 74 the matching control system 124 waits for a predetermined numer of encoder accounts from the line axis matching encoder 132 and turns on the adhesive applicator 115. The adhesive applicator 115 remains at a predetermined number of encoder accounts, so this is turned off by the matching control system 124, all according to the preprogrammed instructions.

A second adhesive applicator 114 continuously applied an adhesive pattern to the fin layer 103 to maintain a fold formed by the bender 119 on both side edges of the fin layer 103 to cover the fin elastics 103 ran was itrated in FIG. figure 9. If you want. A single adhesive applicator can be used to apply both intermittent and continuous adhesive patterns, rather than using multiple applicators. The intermittent adhesive pattern 215 from the applicator 115 and a pattern of continuous adhesive 214 from the applicator 114 are shown in Figure 10.

The containment fin material 103 proceeds through the cutter 121 (FIGS. 5B and 9) and the spacer guides in the transverse direction 123. The cut fin composite layer produces two fin compounds 57. The spacing guides in the transverse direction 123 invests in the position of the two fin composites 57 to change the location of the elastic 113 from an exterior position to an interior position. The fin composite 57 is attached to the upper sheet layer 82 with an adhesive in the pressure point assembly 125. The layer 82, which will subsequently be made of the liner or top sheet 36 (Figure 1), moves from the delivery device. of liner 127 to the adhesive applicators 190 and 191, which apply the adhesive continuously and intermittently to the clamping layer 82 to the fin composite layer. Continuous adhesive beads 290 from the applicator 190 hold the side edges of the layer 82 to the fin composite 5 in the desired location as illustrated in Figure 10. Do intermittent adhesive patterns 291 of the application 191 attach the ends of the composite from flap to layer 82 to maintain the directed location in the desired cross machine for both purposes of product manufacture and operation.

The adhesive pattern is placed at the desired location and at the desired length with reference to a signal generated by the sensor 110. The above-mentioned steps form the composite shell-fin structure 55 (Figure 5B).

The adhesive is applied to the composite liner-fin 55 by the adhesive applicator 97 (Figure 5B). The layer 55 is then superimposed on the continuously moving layer 80 and together the layers 80 and 55 pass through the product fastener 100 comprising a roller 102 which is driven by the tissue speed line shaft 12 (FIG. 6). ) and a rubber coated roll 104. The fastener 100 compresses the layers 80 and 55 together and makes the adhesive applied to one joint, thereby forming a continuously moving composite 93 (Figures 4 and 5B).

The adhesive applicators described herein may be of any type suitable for the corresponding application, as is commonly known and used in the art. For example, suitable applicators are available from Nordso Corporation, Norcross, Georgia.

With reference to Figure 4, there is illustrated a continuously moving composite layer 93 comprising the layers 80 and 55 having the absorbent pads 32 therebetween. Each printed waistband 76 can be cut along a respective cut line 120 so as to form individual products. In figure 4, once the cutting line 120 has been separated, a front waist edge 116 and a rear edge 118 for each assembled product are formed.

One of the important features of the present invention, shown in Figures 3 and 4 is the positioning of each product component in relation to the reference mark 74. Other brands or product components can be maintained in a phase relationship. constant respect of the reference mark 74 using its corresponding reference marks, which will result in these components d products being placed in their desired position in each product. For example, the absorbent pad 32 (FIG. 4) may be placed at the desired location in the product and the elastic members 113 (FIG. 9) may be fastened at the desired location in the product by controlling these attributes in a ratio of constant phase with respect to the reference mark 7 during the process. As previously indicated, even though this description of the matching components makes reference to the reference marks 74, a component component can serve as a reference for other components.

Referring to Figure 6, there is schematically illustrated a control system of the present invention comprising a matching control system which receives several signals generated, processes them according to preprogrammed instructions, and generates output signals to the system. module driver control 126. The module driver control system 126 receives the signals from the matching control system 124, and in response to this operatively adjusts the drive motor 66. A line shaft of fabric speed 12 directly drives several mechanisms or drives indirectly through a system of gears and other coupling devices, both electrical and mechanical, other mechanisms modules. The line shaft 128 is driven at a constant speed selected by any suitable means well known in the art. Therefore, these mechanisms driven by the line shaft 128 can be driven at a corresponding constant speed, which may or may not be the same speed as that of the line shaft 128. A tissue speed gear encoder 130 and a line shaft coincidence encoder 132 are operatively coupled to line axis 128. Examples of such encoders include a H25D-SS-2500-ABZC-8830-LED-SM18 (which can be used with encoder 130), available from BEI Motor System, Carlsbad Company, California, and a 63-P-MEF-1000-T-0-00 (which may be an encoder 132) available from Dynapar Corporation, of Gurnee, Illinois. ' The match control system 12 comprises the pre-programmed software instructions and / or hardware and can be represented, with reference to Figure 6, as comprising an input acquisition system d information 134, a gear ratio control 136, or block of relative position 138, an automatic fixed point generator 140, a difference block 142 and a positioning control 144. Additionally, the matching control system 124 may also comprise the components shown in Figure 11, / including a reloadable counter d software 234, a comparator 236 and a calibrator 238 which are adapted to control the adhesive solenoid matching function, as further described hereinafter. The matching control system 124 includes a computer, which may comprise, for example, a VME-based microprocessor such as a SYS68K / CPU-40B / 4-0 available from Forcé Computers, Inc. of Campbell California.

As illustrated in Figures 6 and 11, the input acquisition system 134 receives the following signals generated: (i) a signal of; an engine encoder 146 operatively coupled to an impeller motor 66, (ii) a signal from the sensor 108 (FIG. 5A), (iii) a primary marker signal from a line shaft coincidence encoder 132, (iv) a signal pulse train from a line matching coder 132, (v) a sensor signal 110, (vi) a sensor signal 106, (vii) a pulse train signal from a velocity gear coder woven 130, and (viii) a machine-human interconnection 160 the input acquisition system 134 receives and counts the pulses generated by the motor encoder 146 ', of the tissue speed gear encoder 130, and. of the coincidence encoder of the line axis 132, and receives the signals from the sensors 106, 108 110. Among the signals generated by the sensor 110, the input acquisition system 134 accumulates the counts from a motor encoder 146, the encoder of fabric speed gear 130, and the line matching coder 132, and the input acquisition system 134 made the preprogrammed instructions that are specific to the respective received signals, and stores the results of the instructions i.

The input acquisition system 134 carries out the following functions for gear ratio control 136. The input acquisition system 134 counts the pulses received from the match coder of line 132, for example, and receives the signals generated by the sensor 106. the sensor 110. The input acquisition system 134 then measures the pulses counted from the line axis coincident encoder 132, representing a distance between two successive reference marks 74 as perceived by the sensor 110 and carrying out a average run of those accounts measured. This is', the average run signal of the machine reference signal. The term "running average" refers to averaging the same number of data; For example, for each newly received data entry, the oldest data is removed from the average calculation. The input acquisition system 134 also measures the counted pulses of the line axis matching encoder 132 which represents a distance between each two successive absorbent pads 32 as sensed by the sensor 106, performs a running average of counts between the signals from the 106 sensor. This is the average current of the absorbent pad signal.

The average current of the machine reference signal and the average current of the absorbent pad signal are used to derive the gear ratio for the gear ratio control 136. This averaging "smoothes the measurements due to the variability of the apparatus, process and the raw materials.The number of measurements to average is controllable, and is fixed or determined by e providing an appropriate instruction, through a manual entry, in any suitable manner well known in the art, such as through the machine-human interconnection 160. E conjunction with carrying out a running average of the measured counts, the input acquisition system 134 carried out a filtering function which is pre-programmed to filter the signal anomalies. Examples of such signal anomalies include a dirt sensor, missing or extra reference marks, a wavy movement of the layers, measurement of the beads outside of a preprogrammed range for averaging purposes, known inaccurate data due to registration. of control events or similar.

For the relative position block 138, the input acquisition system 134 counts the pulses received from the line axis matching encoder 132, receives the signals generated by the sensor 106 and the sensor 110. The relative position block 138 counts the pulses between receiving a signal from the sensor 110 and receiving a sensor signal 106, and leading to coffee > or an average run of these accounts. This running average is called the relative position of absorbent pad. The relative position block 13 then generates and transmits a relative position value to the difference block 142.

After the absorbent pads 13 are placed on the layer 80, the placement is verified using the sensors 108 and 110. By this current inspection of the absorbent pad 132 in relation to the corresponding reference mark 74 is determined. If the current position is not the desired position, the fixed point of the positioning control is automatically corrected. This automatic correction was carried out by the automatic fixed-point generator 140. In order to carry out this function, the input acquisition system 134 counts the pulses received from the encoder d of line axis 132, and receives the signals generated by the sensor 108 and sensor 110. The input acquisition system 134 counts the pulses between receiving a sensor signal 110 and receiving a signal from sensor 108, and transmitting the count value to the automatic fixed-point generator 140 which calculates a running average and a standard deviation of these account values. This running average is called the automatic fixed-point position of the absorbent pad, and this calculation results in the current position value. With this calculated running average, the automatic fixed point generator 140 determines the fixed point for the positioning control 144 according to the preprogrammed instructions.

The automatic fixed-point generator 140 then compares the standard deviation of the account values with the present limit, which has been manually entered through a human machine interference (HMI) 160. If the standard deviation is outside the preset limit , the automatic fixed point generator 140 will ignore the data and will not determine a new fixed point. In this case, the standard deviation data are considered very variable to make an exact fij set point. If the standard deviation is within the preset limit, the automatic fixed-point generator 14 will determine the difference between the current position value and the manually entered target value, which is the desired current position value. If the new difference calculated and determined, by an automatic fixed-point generator 140, it will be within a range. prewritten, no additional action or calculation will be made. However, if the difference is within the prescribed range, the automatic fixed-point generator 14 will determine a new fixed control point. This new fixed control point is derived by adding to the current fixed point the difference between the target value and the real position value.

The various calculations and functions carried out by the input acquisition system 134 are used by other parts of the matching control system 124 in order to generate commands for the drive control system d module 126 (FIG. 6). The drive control system d module 126 generally comprises a logic / control processor 150, an electronic gearbox 152, and a motor controller 154. The module drive control system 12 may comprise, for example, a system Reliance distributed control system by Reliance Electric Company, including a Reliance Electric Automax processor and associated hardware. In a particular embodiment, the electronic gearbox 152 (FIG. 6-7) comprises * a dual shaft card which is part of the distributed control system unit Reliance and which is used to control the position of the motor 66.

Within the matching control system 124, the gear ratio control 136 asks the input acquisition system 134 for every 20 products, for example, for 20 machine product repetition runs, for the pillow signal run averaging. absorbent, as previously defined. The number of product lengths that determine a question from the gear ratio control 136 e is adjustable and can be changed manually by the operator.

In the embodiment described, the average d stream of absorbent pad signal is the value d of module repetition. The module repetition value is used by the gear ratio control 136 to carry out a gear ratio calculation according to the preprogrammed instructions, thereby determining a gear ratio value d. This new gear ratio value is then transmitted to the logic / control processor 150 of the module drive control system 126. The gear ratio value is calculated by dividing the module repetition value, obtained from the sensor 106. , by the average machine reference signal run, obtained from the sensor 110. The advantage of this is the ability to controllably regulate the repetition of the absorbent pads 3 without a comparison to a target value, and the ability to compensate quickly due to the processing irregularities the material changes that can alter the desired repetition of the absorbent pads 32 when the marks d reference 74 vary.

Once each repeat section of machine product, the difference block 142 (FIG. 6) determines the difference between the current fixed point of an automatic fixed-point generator 140 and the associated relative position value, relative position block 134. , which is the error d placement. Difference block 142 transmits this error d placement in axis co-dial encoder accounts 132, to positioning control 144. Placement control 144 compares the positioning error with a tolerance band 170 (FIG. 8) which defines an acceptable deviation from the relative position value around the current fixed point The tolerance band 170 remains constant around the fixed point, but the fixed point can vary as calculated by the automatic fixed-point generator 140. As a result, au when the position control of the absorbent pad is achieved by the drive motor 66, the fixed point for this control position is derived exactly from the signals generated by the sensor 106 and the sensor 110.

With reference to Figure 8, there is illustrated a derived fixed point 168 - having a prescribed tolerance band 160. For purposes of explanation, the control point 168 has a value of one thousand counts, and the tolerance band 170 represents a deviation of plus or minus 1 accounts. Each of the data points 172, 174, 176, 178, 18 and 182 represents a relative position value of the product as calculated by the relative position block 138. The waveform 156 represents the signals generated by the sensor 110, and the waveform 158 represents the signals generated by the sensor 106. If a setting error value remains within the tolerance band 170, an order of placement will not be generated. However, if the placement error value is outside the tolerance band 170, as illustrated by the data point 176, then the placement control 14 will generate a placement order. The positioning command is directly proportional to the size of the difference represented by the value of the difference block 142 and calls for an advance or delay measured at the position of the absorbent pad 32 The generated positioning order is then transmitted to the logic / control processor 150 of the impulse control system i of module 126.

Figure 8 illustrates an example of how placement control 144 (Figure 6) compares each data point with a current fixed control point in order to generate a placement error. The placement error for each data point is compared to a tolerance band 170 to determine if a placement command should be generated. In the example, the point 176 is the data point only where the positioning error goes outside the tolerance band 170, which causes an order d placement to be generated, thus causing the next data point to fall within the tolerance band 170. For ease of understanding, Figure 8 uses unique data points rather than running averages.

The control / logic processor at 50 (FIGURE and 7) seeks and receives new values for the control system of matching control 124. Specifically, the processor 15 investigates and receives gear ratios values of the gear ratio control 136 , and the positioning values of the positioning control / 144 For each updated gear ratio value, the processor 150 transmits an order according to preprogrammed instructions to the electronic gearbox 152 to modify the value used in a block d proportion of gear 208 (figure 7). For each value of the updated placement received from the positioning control 140, the processor 150 transmits a positioning command according to preprogrammed instructions for the electronic gearbox 152 to modify the value used in an incremental movement block 213 (FIG. 7).

Referring to Figure 7, the electronic gearbox 152 is schematically illustrated as comprising a gear-linkage block 208, a difference block 210, a speed controller 212, and an incremental movement block 213. The gear ratio 208 receives a gear ratio value from the logic / control processing 150 (FIG. 6) and receives a pulse train from the fabric speed gear encoder 130. E gear ratio block 208 scales the train of pulse from the gear encoder 130 and applies the value d gear ratio to 'this in order to generate a signal d reference for the block, difference 210. The block d difference 210 receives the reference signal of the block d proportion of gear 208 and also receives a feedback signal d from the motor encoder 146 which communicates the current speed of the motor 66. The block d difference 210 determines the d If the difference between the signals and generates a command signal for the speed controller 212, the cua generates a speed reference signal to the motor controller 254. Therefore, the electronic gearbox 15 precisely links the speed of the driving motor 66 with The average current of machine reference signal through d an electronically changeable gear ratio. It effectively synchronizes the delivery rate of the absorbent pads 32, governed by the speed of the motorcycle 66 to the delivery rate of the reference marks 74 on the layer 80.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the electronic gear box 152 also receives an adjustment value from the logic / control processor 150. The value d is received by the movement block increases. 213, which is part of the electronic gearbox 152 i The incremental movement block 213, performs a "one time" movement to appropriately adjust the reference signal d by a measured amount of the motor encoded counting counts. drive 146, thereby calculating an exact time decrease increase in the delivery rate of the absorbent pad 32 that is being supplied by the driving motor 66. This can be done by relating the number of encoder accounts and the motor encoder 14 to a current supply rate of the absorbent pads 32 supplied by the separation device 48 (FIG. 5A) In response to the positioning command, a signal of incremental motion is generated and temporarily aggregated to the d-block 210, which increases or decreases the reference signal received from the gear ratio block 208 thereby resulting in a momentary change in the speed command signal sent to the speed controller 212 The motor controller 154 receives the speed command signal from the electronic gearbox 152 (FIG. 6) and varies the speed of the motor 66.

The desired match of the absorbent pads 32 with a machine reference signal sensed by the sensor 110 can be achieved as described above. By selectively controlling the distance between the successive absorbent pads 32 (Figure 5A), the absorbent pad 32 can be registered. Desirably with an associated machine reference signal perceived by the sensor 110. Controlling the spacing and positioning of the absorbent pads 32 in relation to the reference marks 74 accommodates or corrects for variations in other types of anomalies that may be present in the the materials, devices or processes.

A control system for the adhesive applications for constructing and applying the linear fin 55 composite structure (FIGS. 5B, 9) is illustrated schematically in FIG. 11. In the matching control system 124, the reclosable software cutter 234 counts the pulsations d coder of shaft line coincidence 132 and returns to zero when it reaches the average of signal run d machine reference. The adhesive applicator 115 is turned on and off to selectable user accounts of the software relocatable counter 234. The adhesive applicator 11 remains on for as long as the elastic is to be held. These accounts from the match coder 13 are directly related to the distance between the reference marks 74. For example, the gear on the machine can be arranged so that the running average of the machine reference signal of 2000 counts corresponds to 50 millimeters between the reference marks 74, giving four counts per millimeter for an easy operator input of the component placement settings. The running average of the machine reference signal, as described above, is determined by the input acquisition system 134 representing a signal between each two successive reference marks 74 as detected by the sensor 110.

The acquisition system 134 relies on the pulse train from the line axis matching encoder 132 and the machine reference signal run average the resurfactable counter 234 to provide a position indication within each product upon passage of the adhesive applicator 115. The selectable points' by the operator are received from the interconnection of the device. machine-human 160 ys convert from millimeters to equivalent accounts for line coder coincident counts in the calibration 238. The value of the reclosable counter 234 is compared according to preprogrammed instructions in a comparator 236 to the operator's selectable fixed points. The comparator 23 generates a signal which determines when the adhesive applicator must be turned on and off. The signal of the compared 236 is sent to a discrete output board 240 which controls the adhesive solenoid 157 which in turn operates to the adhesive applicator 115 ..

In a particular embodiment, for example, the flap elastic fastening adhesive is desirably placed between 100 and 400 millimeters from the start of the product, as measured from the location of the mark d reference 74. The operator inserts the fixed points selectable from 100 millimeters representing the starting point of the adhesive application and - 300 millimeters representing the duration of the adhesive application. The gauge 23 converts these fixed points into 400 1200 coder counts using the above mentioned example where the machine gears to four counts per millimeter of layer 80 on the machine. Calibrator 238 sends the converted fixed points to comparator 236 where it is stored and used until a new fixed point is entered. Where, for example, the average run of the machine reference signal is 2030, the relocated count 2134 counts from 0 to 2030 for each product.

When the reclosable counter reaches 400 counts, the compared equals this value with the fixed point in the beads and sends an i signal to the discrete output board 240 which at its energizes the solenoid of adhesive 157, starting again with the flow of adhesive from the adhesive applicator 115. The adhesive solenoid 157 remains energized until the reclosable counter reaches 1200 counts, after which the comparator equals this value with the fixed point in counts and turns off the signal. When the reclosable counter 234 reaches 203 counts, it is reset to zero.

The input acquisition system 134 similarly controls the adhesive applicator 191 (FIG. 5B, 9) to join the ends of the fin composite 57 to the layer 82 to provide the desired directional machine bond for both manufacturing and performance purposes. product.

Normally, the machine determines the length of repetition of the product. In order to change from one product length to another, a different set of specific length class pieces is required. In this invention the reference material determines the repetition / length of the product. To achieve this, the invention provides a process for adjusting the speed of the module driving motors, so that the positioning of the product components can be properly married using the machine reference signal perceived by the sensor 110. Subsequently, this control method can also be used to control the placement of other intermittent processes, including whether limiting the application of adhesive, printing, arcing, contouring, cutting or similar, and in the process, achieve by both the relative placement of the product components.

This invention therefore allows a rapid change of class ability to change the layer 80 and have the placement of all the subsequent components following the position of the coincidence marks 74 contained therein.

It will be appreciated that the details of the above embodiments, given for purposes of illustration, should not be considered as limiting the scope of this invention. Although only a few embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications to exemplary embodiments are possible without departing materially from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Therefore, all modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention which is defined in the following claims and in all equivalents thereof. It is further recognized that many incorporations can be granted which do not achieve all the advantages of some incorporations, particularly of the preferred embodiments but that the absence of a particular advantage should not be considered as necessarily signifying that such incorporation is beyond the scope of the present invention. invention.

Claims (24)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A process for hunting a plurality of discrete components with a continuous first layer and movement, comprising the steps of: providing a continuous first layer and movement including a plurality of reference marks selectively positioned thereon; perceive a distance between two successive reference marks and generate a signal in response to the perceived distance; providing a plurality of discrete components that move continuously; perceive a distance between the two successive components and generate a signal in response to the perceived distance; / synchronize a supply rate of the components to a supply rate of the reference marks on the first layer; Align the components by a fixed distance from the corresponding reference marks on the first layer; and i superimposes ^: the discrete components on the first layer continuously moving.

2. The process as claimed in clause 1 further characterized because it comprises the steps of: perceiving the position of the adhered components in relation to the corresponding reference marks correcting a fixed point of control of placement for subsequent components to superimpose the discrete components on the first layer continuously in motion.

3. The process as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the distance established between the components and the corresponding reference marks on the first layer is 0 millimeters.

4. The process as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the first layer is preprinted with at least one reference mark per product.

5. The process as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that it comprises the steps d superimposing a second layer continuously moving on the first layer continuously moving and the discrete components; Y Compress the layers together.

6 The process as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that it comprises the steps of applying a first adhesive intermittently to a second layer by detecting a reference mark and, in response, activating an adhesive applicator at a set time for a fixed duration; superimpose the second layer on the first cap continuously in motion; Y compress the second layer and the first cap continuously in motion;

7. The process as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that it further comprises the step d relocating the first layer continuously in motion with the second layer continuously moving including a plurality of reference marks selectively placed thereon, wherein the marks of reference on the second cap are placed at a distance different from the distance between the successive reference marks on the first layer.

8. A process for hunting a plurality of discrete components with a continuous first layer and movement, comprising the steps of: providing a continuous first layer and movement including a plurality of reference marks selectively positioned thereon; perceive each of the reference marks generate a reference mark mark in response to the same; measure a distance between two successive reference d-mark signals; bringing a plurality of discrete components toward the first layer continuously in motion; perceive each of the components and generate a component signal in response to it; measure a distance between two successive components; generate a corrective control signal; adjust a supply rate of the discrete components in response to the corrective control signal; Y superimpose the discrete components on the first layer continuously. moving.

9. The process as claimed in clause 8 further characterized in that it comprises the steps d determining the current position of the adhered components in relation to the corresponding reference marks, and corrected a fixed point of placement control for the components subsequent to the superimposition of the discrete components on the first layer continuously in motion.

The process as claimed in clause 8 characterized in that it also comprises the step d filtering the signal anomalies.

11. The process as claimed in clause 8 further characterized in that it comprises the step d calculating a standard deviation of distances between the real position of the adhered components in relation to the corresponding reference marks d and to a pre-established object position.

12. The process as claimed in clause 11 further characterized in that it comprises step d comparing the standard deviation with a pre-established deviation limit.

13. The process as claimed in clause 12 further characterized in that it comprises step d determining a new fixed point of control of placement of the components.

14. The process as claimed in clause 8 characterized to emás because it comprises the steps of: superimposes a second layer continuously and movement on the first layer continuously moving the discrete components; Y Compress the layers together.

15. The process as claimed in clause 8 further characterized in that it comprises the steps of: applying a first adhesive intermittently to a second layer by detecting a reference mark and, in response, activating an adhesive applicator for a predetermined time by a established duration; superimpose the second layer on the first cap continuously in motion; Y Compress the second layer and the first cap continuously in motion.

16. The process as claimed in clause 8 characterized in that it comprises the step of returning to place the first layer continuously in motion with a second layer continuously in motion that includes a plurality of reference marks selectively placed on it, wherein the marks of reference on the second cap are spaced apart by a distance other than the distance between successive reference marks on the first layer.

17. An apparatus for hunting a plurality of discrete components with a continuously moving first layer comprising: a device for providing a continuously moving first cap including a plurality of reference marks effectively positioned thereon; a conveyor for carrying a plurality of discrete components towards the first layer continuously and motion; a sensor for sensing each of the reference marks, and the device for generating a reference mark signal in response to them; a device for measuring the distance between two successive reference mark signals; a sensor to perceive each of the components and a device to generate a component signal in response to the same; i a device for measuring the distance between the two components of successive signals; a device for generating a corrective control signal; a device for adjusting a supply rate of the discrete components in response to the corrective control signal; and i a device for superimposing the discrete components on the first layer continuously in motion.

18. The process as claimed in clause 17 further characterized in that it comprises a device for determining the current position of the components adhered in relation to the corresponding reference marks and their device for correcting a fixed point of control of positioning of the components in response to a determination that the current position of the superimposed components is not a desired position in relation to the corresponding reference marks.

19. The apparatus as claimed in clause 17, characterized in that it comprises a device for filtering signal anomalies. .twenty.

The apparatus as claimed in clause 17 further characterized in that it comprises a device for calculating a standard deviation of distances between the current position of the adhered components in relation to the corresponding reference marks and a pre-established object position. i

21. The apparatus as claimed in clause 20 further characterized in that it comprises a device for comparing the standard deviation with a pre-set deviation limit.

22. The apparatus as claimed in clause 21 further characterized in that it comprises a device for determining a new fixed point of placement control of the components.

23. The apparatus as claimed in clause 17 further characterized in that it comprises a device for superimposing a second layer continuously in motion on the first layer continuously in motion and the discrete components.

24. The apparatus as claimed in clause 17 further characterized in that it comprises one applied to intermittently apply adhesive to a second layer; i a sensor that detects a reference mark and, in response, activates an adhesive applicator for a set time for an established duration; a device for superimposing the second cap on the first layer continuously in motion; and a device for compressing the second layer and the first layer continuously in motion. A process and apparatus for hunting a plurality of discrete components i with a first layer of continuously moving material produces a disposable absorbent garment with improved alignment of the components on the first layer of material. The first layer has a plurality of reference marks placed thereon. Several devices are used to compare the distances between the reference marks with the distances between the corresponding components and to synchronize a supply rate of the components at a first layer supply rate. After adhering the components to the first layer, the positions of the components in relation to the reference marks are again checked and if necessary the fixed point for the supply rate of the components is adjusted