Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
-- 1 --
The invention relates to a tampon for female
hygiene, consisting of a section of specific length of a
nonwoven ribbon which is composed of randomly laid natural
and/or synthetic fibers and which has a width corresponding
approximately to the length of the tampon, and of a strip
section fixed to one end of the nonwoven ribbon section, of
a liquid-permeable, at least partially thermoplastic materialg
the nonwoven ribbon section being wound essentially upon
itself to give a tampon blank which is provided with a with-
drawal cord and upon the circumference of which the strip
section is rolled and which is pressed essentially radially
to give the final form of the tampon.
Tampons oF the abovementioned type and machines
for producing them are known, for example, from German Patent
Specifications 915,382, 1,491,162, 1,491,200, 1,938,942 and
2,135,495. Tampons of this type have proved outstanding in
practice, because they have not only a high suction capacity,
but also excellent expandability when the tampon is wetted
with liquid, giving the user reliable menstruation protection.
Along with these properties, the tampon also has the technical
advantage that it can be manufactured in mass production, that
is to say, in larye quantities with a high uniform quality.
Swiss Patent SpeciFication 635,508 makes known a
tampon for female hygiene, which consists of a rolled-up and
pressed nonwoven ribbon section and which is to be provided in
a special way with a withdrawal cord. Since, depending
on specific physiological preconditions, it is
,`~' .'s
~r~
a~
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not possible compLetely to prevent fibres from being de-
tached during the use of such tampons, when the tampon is
introduced into, but especialLy removed from the body
cavity, this tampon is surrounded with a ~rapp;ng con-
sisting, for example, of nonwoven material. When thistampon is produced, a section of the wrapping material,
~hich is made substantially wider than the non~oven rib-
bon section, is fastened to one end of the non~oven rib-
~ bon section consisting of absorbent material. After the
non~oven ribbon section has been rolled up, together nith
the section forming the ~rapping, the wrapping edges
project respectively beyond the two ends of the tampon
blank, so that these cylindrical urapping ends have to be
inserted in the central gap bet~een the layers of absor-
bent materia( of the tampon blank before the latter ispressed to give the final form of the tampon. This ooer-
ation of urapping the tampon loosely ~ith the exception
of the fastening of the wrapping section ~o one end of
the nonwoven ribbon section results in the danger ~hat a
gap ~ill form between the wrapping and the tampon ma-
terial, so that the instant absorption of any liquid,
desired uhen the tampon is used, is impeded because the
capillary action of the fibrous tampon material, essential
for absorption, cannot continue effectively through the
urapping material up to the outside of the ~rapping ma-
terial. This impairs the suct;on capacity and consequent-
ly the rapid expansion of the tampon, even though these
play a decisive part in the protective action of the
tampon. Furthermore, production problems arise ~hen the
-- 3
ends of the wrapping materiaL, ~hich project in the man-
ner o~ a sleeve beyond the en~s of the tampon mater;al
of the tampon blank, are inserted into the end faces of
the tamPOn blank, s;nce this is an operation uhich is at
least relatively difficult to carry out and uh;ch uiLl ne-
cessariLy be detrimental to the production speed and con-
sequently increase the production costs of the kno~n
tampon.
~.S. Patent Specification 3,523,535 makes kno~n
a tampGn for medical or surgical purposes. This tampon
is produced ~hen an air-placed layer of wood-puLp fibres,
six to eight mm thick, is applied to the top side of a
continuous liquid-permeable sheet of thermoplastic non-
uoven material. The sheet consisting of the tuo layers
is then draun through a form tool, in ~hich the longi-
tudinaL edges of the sheet consisting of the t~o layers
are laid over one another at the top to form a cylinder
and are joined to one another under the effect of heat
and pressure. The Longitudina~ly extending cylindrical
material is subsequentLy cut to the desired tampon length~
Tampons of this type are unsuitabLe for femaLe hygiene,
and consequent~y it has not been possibLe to use them
successfuLLy in practice for this purpose. The reasons
for this are, among other things, that this knoun tampon
cannot expand. This is because the slight radial com-
pression of the ~ood-puLp fibres takes place in the draw-
ing die, before the ends of the nonuoven material, ~hich
overlap in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical
strand, are ueLded to one another. The uood-puLp fibres
3~24~)4~
-
are largeLy inelastic and do not give the tampon the
necessary stabiLity or bend;ng strength which is required
to allQw the tampon to be introduced easily into the body
cavity. When wetted w~th liquid, the wood-puLp fibres
disintegrate, so that the tampon is not dimensionally
stable.
The o~ject on which the invention is based is to
improve further a tampon of the knoun type mentioned in
the introduction, by protecting it against fibre fluff
becoming detached and giving it a surface strueture ~hich
allo~s the tampon to be introduced gently and smoothly
into the body cavity, ~ithout the absorbency, suction
capacity and the important expansibility of the tampon
being impaired. At the same time, despite this improve-
ment, it ~ill also be possible to manufacture the tamponeconomically in mass production, whilst ensuring high
quality~
The invention achieves this object due to the
fact that the liquid-permeable, thermoplastic strip section
is bonded by heat-sealing to the outsicle of the non~oven
ribbon section over a length ~hich approximately corres-
psnds to the length of the circumference of the tampon
blank, and the outer end of the strip section~ which pro-
jects beyond the end of the non~oven ribbon section~ is
Z5 ~elded to the outside of part of the strip section
sealed to the non~oven ribbon section. Advantageously,
the strip section i5 made narro~er than the ~idth of the
non~oven ribbon section, so that the non-~oven ribbon
material present e~clusively at the introduction
end can be shap`ed into a constriction and can be
~241~
5 --
available for the immediate absorption o~ liquid. The
non~ven materiaL o~ the strip section is adYantageousLy
composed of a bi co~ponent fibreO the sheathin~ of which
has a ~o~er melt~ng po~nt than the fibre c~re, so that,
even at a high manufacturing speed necessary for mass
production, on the one ha~d sea~ing of the strip section
to the non~oven ribbon section is achieved reLiably,
but on the other hand the structure of ~he non~oven strip
section is maintained.
According to a further broad aspect of the present
inventon there is provided a tampon for female hygiene and
consisting of a section of specific length of a nonwovén
ribbon which is composed of randomly laid fibers and has a
width approximately corresponding to the length of the tampon,
and of a strip section fixed to one end of the nonwoven
ribbon section of a liquid-permeable, at least partially
thermoplastic material. The nonwoven ribbon section is wound
essentially upon itself to give a tampon blank which is
provided with a withdrawal cord and upon the circumference
of which the strip section is rolled and which is pressed
essentially radially to give the final form of the tampon.
The liquid-permeable thermoplastic strip section is bonded
by heat-sealing to the outside of the nonwoven ribbon section
for a length which approximately corresponds to the length
of the circumference of the tampon blank. An outer end of
the strip section which projects beyond the end of the non-
woven ribbon section is welded to the outside of a part of
the strip section sealed to the nonwoven ribbon section.
~z~
- 5a -
The tampon according to the invention can advantage-
ously be produced by means of a process in which a length
section of a iquid-permeabLe, thermoplastic non~oven strip
of materia~ is welded to the outside of the rear end of
a nonuoven ribbon section of specific Length, the uidth
of the nonuoven ribbon section approximateLy corresponding
to the ength of the tampon~ whereupon the nonwoven rib-
bon section is provided ~ith a ~ithdrawal cord and rolled
up on itself to form a tampon blank, so that the strip
section extends over the circumference of the tampon
blank which is subsequently pressed to give the final
form of the tampon. ~o produce the tampon according to
the invention, such a process is developed so as to ensure
that the thermoplastic strip section is sealed to the
non~oven ribbon section over a length approxi~ately cor-
responding to the circumferential length of the tampon
blank and, after the nonuove-n ribbon section has been
rolled up to give the tampon blank, the unsealed end pro-
jecting beyond the nonwoven ribbon section is welded to
~he striP section uith the application of heat and
8~L
-- 6
pressure.
An apparatus for producing the tampon according
- to the invention consists appropriately of the follouing
devices arranged in series in the direction of processing:
A stock roLl for a continuous nonwoven ribbon of natural
and~or synthetic fibres;
a ~eakening station for the nonuoven ribbon;
a transport device for the nonuoven ribbon;
a nonuoven ribbon-severing device for the continuous
severing of nonuoven ribbon sections;
a withdrauaL cord-attaching and -knotting device;
a ~inding station for rolling up the nonuoven ribbon sec-
tion to form a tampon blank;
transport and severing tongs ùhich can be moved to and
fro approximateLy in the transport plane of the nonwoven
ribbon and ~hich are intended for severing one nonwoven
ribbon section each time; and
~ device for transferring the tampon blank to a press,
in ~hich the tampon blank can be pressed substantially
ZO radially to give the final form of the tampon, and a
device for forming the introduction end of the tampon.
For producing the tampon according to the invention, an
apparatus of this type is characterised in that a stock
rolL for a continuous strip of nonwoven liquid-permeable
thermoplastic material is provided, this stock roll being
folloued by a cutting station for largely severing the
continuous strip into sections of specific length, after
uhich a separation and transfer device for the strip sec-
tions is arranged, uhich is folloued by a sealing station
4~
-- 7 -
for sealing ~he thermoplastir strip section onto the out-
side of the non~oven ribbon, do~nstream of which a device
- for continuo~sly transporting the nonuoven ribbon ~ith
the strip section sealed to it to a non~oven ribbon-
severing device is provided, and in that the windin~
station is associated with a heatable uelding and smooth-
ing device for pressing the end, extending freely and un-
sealed beyond the rear end of the non~oven ribbon section,
of the strip section against the strip section sealed
onto the nonwoven ribbon section.
Because the liquid-permeable thermoplastic ma-
terial is fastened to the non~oven ribbon, no gap can
form between the nonuoven ribbon section and the strip
section. At the same time, the expandability and the
suction capacity of the pressed tampon are fully preserved.
The thermoplastic material on the circumference of the
tampon opposes substantially less resistance to the in-
troduction of the tampon into the body cavity so that the
user finds introduction more comfortable and easier,
~hilst at the same time there is no possibility that
fibres ~ill become detached when the tampon is introduced
and removed. The firm bond betueen the thermoplastic
strip section and the non~oven ribbon section guarantees
perfect~ smooth contouring of the outside of the tampon,
and this also contributes to increased comfort uhen the
tampon is introduced~ At the same time it has been shown
surprisingly that, even at very high production speeds,
;t is possible to seal the thermoplastic strip section to
the nonuoven ribbon perfectly, the structure of the strip
~24~D~
-- 8
section being ma;ntained. ConsequentLy, as ~as not to be
expected ;mmediately, the nonwoven strip section also re-
ma;ns adher;ng firmly to ~he nonwoven ribbon section uhen
the latter is rolled up to form the rolled blank, even
though centr;fugal forces act on it and especially on its
free unsealed end. As a result of the firm sealing bond
between the strip section and the nonwoven ribbon~ the
thermoplastic material preserves its smooth surface, uhen
the expanded tampon f;lled uith absorbed body fluid is
removed from the body cavity again by means of the with-
draual cord. The louer friction relative to the wall of
the body cavity, achieved by means of the strip section,
contributes to ensuring that the fibre structure of the
expanded tampon preserves its form corresponding approxi-
mately to the tampon blank.
The invention is described in more detail below
with reference to the diagrammatic drawing of an exemplary
embodiment. In the drauing:
Figures 1 to 6 shou process steps for producing
the tampon according to the
invention and
Figure 7 shows, in a diagrammatic vieu~ an
apparatus for producing the tampon
according to the invention, and
Figure 8 shous a modified embodiment of the
apparatus in Figure 7, and
Figure 9 shows a plan vieu of transport and
severing tongs in the gripping
position.
~2~
Figure 6 illustrates a tampon 10 for female hy-
giene~ ~hich consists of a section 11, evident in Figure 3,
of specific length of a calendered nonwoven ribbon 30
(Fig~res 1, 2, 7 and 8) composed of randomly laid natural
and/or synthetic fibres and having a width approximately
corresponding to the length of the tampon 10. This non-
~oven ribbon section 11 is essentially rolled up on it-
self about an axis lying transversely to its longitudinal
direction outside the longitudinal centre of the nonwoven
ribbon sect on 11, to form a tampon b~ank 12 and a~ ~he
same time it is provided with a withdrawal cord 13. The
tampon blank 12 is pressed essentially radially to the
~inding axis to give the final form of the tampon 10. As
a resùlt of the pressure applied, the tampon is provided
uith press notches arranged distributed over equal circum-
ferential angles. The introduction end 10a of the tampon10 is design~d as a constriction tOb resembling a
round dome.
According to the invention, a strip section 15
consisting of liquid-permeable, thermoplastic material is
sealed to the part of the non~oven ribbon section 11
forning the circumferential surface of the tampon 10,
~ith the application of heat and pressure, although this
strip section is made longer than the Gircumference of
the tampon blank 12.
Figures 2 to 4 show that the thermoplastic strip
section 15 is bonded firmly to the nonwoven ribbon 30 by
means of weld seams 79 parallel to and at a distance from
one another, which form an acute angle ~ith the longitu-
D8~
-- 10 --
dinal direction of the nonwoven ribbon. The distances
between the individual weld seams 79 are such that, bet-
ween the ~eLd seams, the liquid-permeable material C!f the
strip section 15 rests ciosely on the nonuoven ribbon
material. This guarantees that liquid coming uo against
the strip section 15 on the circumferential surface of
the tamPon is immecliately absorbed into the interior of
the tampon by ~eans of the capillary action of the fibre
materiaL of the nonwoven ribbon section 11 located under-
neath.
The outer end 15a of the strip section 15 ex-
tends beyond the outer end 11a of the non~oven ribbon
section 11 and is uelded to the outside of part
of the strip section 15 sealed to the nonwoven ribbon
sec~ion 11 with the application of heat and
pressure.
It is evident that the thermoplastic liquid-
permeable strip section 15 is narro~er than the ~idth of
the nonwoven ribbon section 11, but is flush ~ith the
ZD longitudinal edge 11b of the non-woven ribbon section 11
forming the ~ithdrawal end 10c of the tampon 10. The
longitudinal edge 11c of the non-~oven ribbon section 11
forming the introduction end 10a of the tampon 10
projects beyond the associated edge 15c of the liquid-
permeablet thermop~astic strip section 15 over a ~idthap~roximately corresponding to the height of the dome-
like constriction 10b of the tampon 10 at the intro-
duction end 10a. The liquid-permeable strip is com-
posed ae least predominantly of thermoplastic non~oven
~2~8~
fibre material preferably produced from a bi-conponen~
fibre, the components of uhich consist, for example, of
a poiyester core and a high-pressure polyethyLene sheath-
;ng. It is particularly appropriate if the high-pressure
polyethylene has a ~ower melting po;nt than the polyester.
Since the free outer end 15a of the thermoplastic strip
section 15 is we~ded to the outside of that length sec-
t;on of the strip section 15 wh;ch is sealed to the non-
woven ribbon section 11, the strip section 15 forms, in
the circumferent;al direction of the tampon blank 12, a
urapping which ;s joined firmly to this and the outside
diameter of which corresponds to that of the tampon blank
12. Since the ~rapping is welded firmly to the fibre
material of the non~oven ribbon 30, a high capillary
action of the fibre material through the ~rapping is
ensured so that, after being pre~sed in a press provided
with jaus arranged in the form of a star, such as that
described, for example, in German Patent Specification
1,41, 161, the tampon 10 has a suction capacity and absor-
bency which are equal to those of a corresponding tampon~ithout a ~rapping, but is protected against fibres be-
coming detached and against them loosing their spiral
form.
The process for producing the above-described
Z5 tampon consists of the follo~ing steps uhich are described
belo~ uith reference to Figures 1 to 6:
Accord;ng Figure 1, a calendered nonwoven ribbon
3û, consisting of random~y Laid natural and/or synthetic
fibres and having a width corresponding to the length of
- 12 -
the tampon 10, is supplied continuously and is weakened,
for example as a resul~ of perforation~ by means of so-
called ~eak points 31, between sect;ons 11 of a leng~h
necessary for producing the tampon 10, transversely to
its longitudinal direction. Th;s weakening is also
achieved as a resuLt of a stretching of the nonwoven rib-
bon 30, so that a thinning of the non~oven ribbon 30 or a
reduction in its cross-section, but not severing of the
nonwoven ribbon 30, occurs in the stretch zone or at the
~eak-point 31. The nonwoven r;bbon is ~oved further con-
tinuousLy in the direction of the arrow x. Approximatelyat the same time, a continuously supplied strip 32 of
thermopLastic~ liquid-permeable nonuoven material is
severed, each time, into a strip section 15, the length
of uhich exceeds the circumference of the tampon blank
12 shown in F;gure 5. The liquid-permeable, thermoplastic
strip section 15 is then sealed to the outside of a re-
gion of the non~oven ribbon 30 at the rear in the direc-
tion of movement x of the nonwoven ribbon 30 and located
in front of a weak point 31~ ~ith the appLication of
heat and pressure along parallel weld seams 79 extending
obliqueLy reLative to the longitudinal direction of the
nonwoven ribbon 30. The arrangement of the strip section
15 on the top side of the non~oven ribbon 30 is such that
the outer end 15a (Figure 3), at the rear in the direc-
tion of movement x of the nonuoven ribbon 30, of ~hestrip section 15 extends freely, that is to say unsealed,
beyond the ueak point 31 of the nonwoven ribbon 30~ The
nonwoven ribbon 30 is then severed at the weak point 31,
~24~
- ~3 -
so that the nonwoven ribbon section 11 is obtained.
After that the non~oven ribbon section 11 is
essent;alLy rolled up on itself, to give a tampon blank
12 shoun in Figure 5, about an axis extending transversely
to ;ts longitudinal direction and represented in Figure 3
by a ~inding mandrel 33, this taking place according to
Figure 4. The non~oven ribbon section 11 is rolled up in
such a ~ay that one end 11a of the outer ~ayer of the
rolled-up nonwoven ribbon section 11 overlaps the other
end 11d (See Figures 3 and 5) of the layer of rolled-up
nonuoven ribbon section 11 located underneath in the cir-
cumferential direction of the tampon blank 12~ As as re-
sult, a more uniform material distribution and consequent-
ly an essentially cylindrical form of the tampon blank
1Z is achieved on the outer circumference of the latter.
As is evident from Figure 5, the length of the
thermoolastic, liquid permeable strip section 15 is such
that the latter completely surrounds the circumference
of the tampon blank 1Z over the intended uidth, the free
or unsealed end 15a initially still projecting on the
outside. The ~inding operation is no~ concluded when
this free, unsealed end 15a of the strip section 15 is
sealed, ~ith the application of heat and pressure, to the
part, ad~acent to the outer end of the non~oven ribbon
section 11 in the circumferential direction of the tampon
blank 12, of the thermoplastic strip section 15 sea~ed to
the nonuoven ribbon section 11. Since the high-pressure
polyethylene surfaces of the me~ted fibres come to rest
on one another during this time~ the sealing pressure
~2~8(~
- 14 -
does not need to be as high as in the previous sealing
of the str1p section 15 to the nonuoven ribbon 30 to
arhieve a good seaL.
According to Figure 3, before the uinding opera-
tion, the w;thdrawal cord 13 is placed round the nonwovensection 11 transversely to the Longitudinal direction of
the latter and, if appropriate, is subsequently knotted
at its free ends. The finished tampon blank 12 is then
delivered to a press which, according to German Patent
Specif;cat;on 1,4~1,161, consists of press jaws arrang-
ed in the form of a star and in uhich the tampon blank
12 is pressed essentiaLly radially to g;ve the final form
of the tampon 10 shown ;n Figure o. The ;ntroduction e-nd
10a of the tampon is then shaped in the form of a dome-
15 Lik2 constriction 10b, to make it easier to introduceth~tampon into the body cavity~ For the present process
it is not important where and how the uithdrawal cord 13
is applied in detail.
It goes without saying that the length of the
strip section 15 depends on the final diameter of the
tampon blank 12. The length of the freely projecting un-
sealed end 15a of the strip section 15 also depends on
this and is usua~ly between 10 and 50 mm.
It is evident from Figures 2 to o that the out-
side of the nonwoven ribbon 30 is covered with the liquid-
permeable, thermoplastic strip section 15 over a uidth
uh;ch extends from the Longitudina~ edge 11b of the non-
uoven ribbon 30, forming the uithdrawal end 10c of the
tampon 10, onLy into the vicinity of the ~ongitudinal
08~
- 15 -
edge 11c of the nonwoven ribbon section 11, forming the
;ntroduc~ion end 102 of the tampon 10 The longitudinal
edge 11c of the nonuoven ribbon 30 not covered by the
thermoplastic str1p sect;on 15 is made so ~ide that,
after the tampon b~ank 12 has been pressed to give the
finaL form of the tampon 10, the strip section 15 can be
shaped to form the dome-like constriction 10b of the
introduction end 10a of the tampon 10. This guarantees
at the same time that the introduction end 10a free of
the strip section 15 is subjected directly to the body
fluid to be absorbed and consequently the tampon expands
~;thout delay and can thereby exercise its full absor-
bency and perform its complete protective function for
the user. Because of its low coefficient of~ friction, the
thermoplastic, nonuoven materia~ ensures the comfort of
easy, gentle ;ntroduction of the tampon into the body cavit
and protection against fibres becoming detached ~hen the
tampon is introduced into or removed from the body cavity
Furthermore, because of the s~iding capacity, substantiaLly
ZO greater in comparison uith the nonwoven material of the
strip section 15 on the circumference of the tampon, any
tendency for the tampon to lose its spiral form ~hen
removed from the body cavity after use is essentially
counteracted.
Figure 7 shows an apparatus for producing the tam-
pon according to the invention, using the process described
above. The left~hand part of the dra~ing shows a non~oven
ribbon 3Q which is supplied continuously to a ~eakening
station 51 in the direction of movement x from a stock
- 16 -
roll 50. The ~eaken;ng station 51, preceded by a suppor-
ting roller 52, consists, in the direct;on of movement of
- the non~oven ribbon 30, of a pair of perforating and
clamping ro~lers 53 and a pair of stretching rollers 5~.
S Since the perforating and clamping rollers 53 retain the
nonwoven ribbon in front of the stretching rollers 54 at
the moment of stretching, and since the stretching rollers
54 cause by means of their stretching jaws 54a an acceLe-
ration in the direction of transport x of the non~oven
ribbon grasped by them, the non~oven ribbon 30 is thinned
or reduced in cross-section in the zone betueen the perfo-
rating and clamping rollers 53 and the stretching rollers
54, so that the ueak point 31 is obtained. The weakening
station 51 is followed, on the top side of the path of
movement of the nonuoven ribbon, by a transport roller 55
and, on the underside, by an endless carrying belt 56
uhich is guided round a front driving and tensioning rol-
ler 56a, located directly under the transport roller 55,
and a further deflecting roller 56b.
A sealing station 60 consists of a pressure roller
57 which is located under the path of movement of the non-
~oven ribbon 30 and the axle 58 of which is mounted at
both ends in a guide 59 movable up and down and is suppor-
ted at each end on a compression spring 61. The sprinn-
loaded pressure roller 57 is movable by means of the guide
59 in the direction of a sealing roller 62 intermittently,
for example by means of a control cam not shown~ The
sealing roller 62 can be heated in a suitable uay, for
example by means of electrical resistance heating, and can
~ 17 -
be driven in an anti-clockwise direction. Furthermore,
a larger and a smaller deflecting roller 63 and 64 are
assigned to the sealing roller 62. The smaller defLecting
roller 64 is arranged at a higher level behind the dPflec-
tlng roller 63 of larger d;ameter, in the direction ofmovement x of the nonwouen ribbon 30. An endless sealing
tape 65 is laid round the sealing roller 6Z and the two
deflecting rollers 60 and 64 and is made of a material
which is heat-resistant relative to the temperature of the
sealing roller 6Z, but is capable of transmitting the heat
of the sealing roller 62 to the outside of the endless
sealing tape 65. The preferred materials used for the
sealing tape 65 are silicone rubber or strip steel which
guarantee good heat transmission from the sealing roller
62 to the thermoplastic strip section 15 and a long life~
The surface of the sea~ing tape 65 can be profiled accord-
ing to a desired sealing pattern, so that the welding
points between the nonwoven ribbon 30 and the strip section
15 are provided at a distance from one another (~eld
seams 79 in Figure 3).
It is evident that there is in front of the seal-
ing station 60, above the non~oven ribbon 30 and the
~eakening station 51, a stock roll 66 for the continuous
strip 32 of non~oven, li~uid-permeable and thermoplastic
fibre material, uhich is supp~ied to a cutting station 70
via a sprung deflec~ing roller 67~
The cutting station 70 consists of a pair of trans-
port ro~lers 68 arranged above and belo~ the strip 32 and
driven in opposite directions and of a pair of cutting
rollers 69, 69a ~hich are arranged after them and ~hich
~24~
~ 18 -
are likewise driven in opposite direct;ons and of ~h;ch
the blade roller 69 is provided on a substant1al part of
- a c;rcumferential line u;th cutt1ng edges for largely
severing the strip 15~ The circumferential speed of the
transport rollers 68 and cutting rollers 69, 69a approxi-
mately corresponds to half the transport speed of the non-
woven ribbon 30, so that the strip 3Z can be drawn off
continuousLy from the stock roll 66, in the direction of
the arro~ y~ at the speed corresponding to the length of
1~ the strip section 15 of nonwoven material to be applied.
The cutting rollers 69 cut through the strip 32
;n the transverse d;rect;on substant;ally, but not
completeLy, so that the leading strip section 15 formed
as a resuLt of cutting is still joined to the follo~ing
strip by means of some sm,all so-called webs.
The cutting station 70 is folloued by a vacuum
roller 71, the constructive design of which is sho~n in
more detail ;n Figure 8 and which is described in more de-
tail below in connection with the description of the modi-
fied embodiment shown in this Figure. An accelerationroller 72 of sma~ler diameter is assigned to the vacuum
roller 71 on the top side and serves to press the nonuoven
material against the vacuum roller 71. The circumferen-
tial speed of the vacuum roller 71 and of the acceleration
roller 72 corresponds to the transport speed of the non-
uoven ribbon 30. The vacuum roller 71 is provided with
holes on its circumferential surface, the hollow interior
of the vacuum roller being connected to a vacuum source
~hich can be connected and disconnected (not sho~n).
~z~o~
- 19 -
Consequently~ the strip section 15 coming from the cutting
stat;on 70 can be sucked against the circumference of the
vacuum rol~er 7~ and, in the stre~ched position, carried
in a clock~ise direction into the nip formed by the vacuum
roller 71 with the acceleration roller 72. As soon as the
front end of the strip section 15 passes into the nip be-
tween the acceLeration roller 72 and the vacuum ro~ler 71,
the strip section 15 is accelerated to double the speed,
in particuLar the speed of the non~oven ribbon, and is
consequently torn off completely from the following non-
woven strip 32 in the region of the cut made in the cutting
station 70.
The vacuum ro~ler 7~ no~ carries the strip section
15 attached to its circumference by suction to the nip
which the vacuum roller 71 forms uith the end~ess sealing
tape 65 on the sealing roller 62. Since the vacuum roller
71 tou~hes the endless seaLing tape 65 obliquely above and
in front of the sealing roller 62, and at this point the
vacuum is shut off in the direction of rotation of the
ZO vacuum roLler 71, as described in more detail belou, the
thermop~astic strip section 15 is taken up at the earliest
possible moment by the sealing roller 62 and the heated
endless sealing tape 65 as a result of adhesion and is
heated. Consequently, ~hen carried along further through
the nip between the sealing roller 62 and the vacuum rol-
ler 71, the strip section 15 is preheated by the endless
sealing tape 65 ~hen it strikes the surface of the non-
uoven ribbon 30, so that the melt fibres of the strip sec-
tion 15 melt in the region of the nip betueen the pressure
~2~
- 20 -
roller 57 and the sealing roLler 62~ and, because of the
correct pressure and te~perature setting, an intinate bond
with the fibres on the surface of the nonuoven ribbon is
produced.
In the region of the upper sealing tape 65, there
is again, underneath the path of movement of the non~oven
ribbon 30, an endless conveyor belt 73 guided round a de-
flecting roller 74 which is at the front in the direction
of movement x of the nonwoYen ribbon and ~hich is arranged
behind the pressure roller 57 and at a short distance
underneath the non~oven ribbon 30. The conveyor belt 73
presses the nonwoven ribbon, together ~ith the strip
section 15 of non~oven material sealed to it, against the
larger defLecting rolLer 63 of the sealing tape o5, since
a deflecting roller 75 of the lower endless conveyor belt
7~ is pressed ;nto the nip betueen the ~arger deflecting
roller 63 and the smaller deflecting rolLer 64 of the
s~aling tape 65 located behind it, but at a higher level.
The conveyor belt 73 is guided downwards approximately
transversely to the nonwoven ribbon 30 round a further de-
flecting or tensioning rolLer 76. The endless tape and
belt 65 and 73 are driven sontinuously in a clockwise or
anti-clockuise direction, so that the nonwoven ribbon,
~ith the thermoplastic strip section 15 sealed to it, is
constantly transPorted further. As a result of the de-
flection described, it is guaranteed that the nonwoven
ribbon section 11, uith the strip section sealed to it,
uill be detached perfectly from the sealing tape 65 I~
appropriate, the deflecting rollers 63, 64 can be cooled.
FicJure 2 shows the nonwoven ribbon 30 a~ter the
strip section 15 has been sealed to the particular rear
end 11a of a nonuoven ribbon section 11. It is e~ident
that the rear end 15a o~ the strip section 15 extends be-
yond the weak point 31 of the nonwoven ribbon 30 up to thefollowing nonwoven ribbon section 11, but is not sealed
to the nonuoven ribbon 30. To guarantee this, the yuide 59
uith the spring-loaded pressure roller 57 is designed so
as to be movable up and do~n in the direction of and coun-
ter to the sealing roller 62 and can be controlled sothat, in the operating state illustrated in Figure 7,
the pressure roller 57 is moved away downwards ou~ of
contact with the nonwoven ribbon 3û. As a result,
the nonwoven ribbon 30 sags between the conveyor belts 56
and 73 and is supported on the conveyor belt 73, the de-
flecting roller 74 of ~h;ch is lower in relation to the
path of movement of the nonwoven ribbon 30~ uhen the lat-
ter is pressed against the sealing roller 62 by means of
the pressure roller 57. In the end region of the endless
ZO sealing tape 65, its temperature is so low that there is
no possibility of softenin3 or melting of the melt fibres
of the tree, unsealed end 15a of the strip section 15, and
this end continues to rest unsealed on the nonwoven rib-
bon 30.
Z5 The endless tape 65 and endless belt 73 are fol-
loued by a compensating or relief region 77 for the non-
uoven ribbon 30 ~ith the strip sections 15 uelded to it
at length intervals~ and in this region the nonuoYen rib-
bon sags betueen the tuo above~entioned endless conveyor
- 22 -
belts and a guide rolLer 78. This compensating region
separates the preced;ng continuous uorking process from
the follouing intermittent process.
The guide roLler 78 is followed by a part of a
nonwoven ribbon-severing device 80 consisting of a pair
of clamping jaws 81 uhich are respectiveLy attached so as
to be pivotable to and fro to the top side and underside
of the path of movement of the nonwoven riobon 30. The
clamping jaws 81 respectively clamp the nonwoven ribbon 3û~
behind the rear, unsealed end 15a of the strip section 15,
intermittently to the nonwoven ribbon section 11 located
in front of it, in order, as described below, to make it
possible to sever the nonuoven ribbon section 11 from the
nonwoven ribbon 30.
The clamping jaws 81 are followed by a withdrawal
cord-attaching and -knotting device Y0 which can be de-
signed according to German Patent Specification 1,491,160
and which is therefore not shown in any more detail. It
is sufficient to point out that the withdrawal cord 13 is
Z0 la;d round the nonwoven ribbon section 11 by means of this
device, and its free ends are knotted together when sever-
ing and transport tongs 110 have draun foruard the non-
woven ribbon section 11, as described below. The with-
draual cord 13 hangs down (not shown) from the longitudi-
nal edge 11b of the nonuoven ribbon section 11 forming thewithdrawal end 10c of the tampon 10. The nonwoven ribbon
section 11 is guided through an orifice 83 in the device
90.
There is subsequently provided a winding station 10n
- 23 -
~hich serves for producing the tampon blank 12 and uhich
is foLlowed by the severing and transport tongs 110 ~hich,
~hen the winding mandrel 33 is retracted, are movable to
and fro through the orifice 83 in the device 90 at the
height of the path o~ movement of the nonwoven ribbon 30
in and counter to the direction of movement of the latter,
and which are described in German Patent Specifica~ion
915,382. These severing and transport tongs 110 grasp the
front free end 11d of the nonwoven ribbon 30 and~ with the
latter being severed at the weak point 31, pulL it behind
the cla~ping jaws 81 clamping the nonuoven ribbon 30, into
the effective range of the withdra~aL cord-attaching and
-knotting device 90 and the winding station 100, in ~hich
the nonuoven ribbon section 11 formed is maintained in the
stretched position. At this moment, the fork-shaped wind-
~ ing 0andreL 33 is moved forwards axia~ly, from its posi-
tion retracted out of the path of movement of the non
uoven ribbon 30, with its fork prongs above and beLow the
nonwoven ribbon section 11, so that the non~oven ribbon
2Q section 11 is Located in the fork gap and the winding man-
drel stiLl projects slightLy beyond the width ot the non-
~oven ribbon section 11. The winding mandrel 33 engages
over the non~oven ribbon section 11 in a cross-sectional
region ~ocated behind the longitudinaL centre of the non-
Z5 woven ribbon section 11 in the direction of movement x,so that the rear end 11a of the non~oven ribbon section
11 (Figure 3) overlaPs the front end 11d of the Latter
~hen rolled up in the circumferentiaL direction of the
ta0pon blank 12.
~Z~80~
- 24 -
Spreading jaws 101, preferably heatable by means
of electrical resistance heating, are arranged parallel to
the wind;ng axis on diametrically opposi~e sides of the
~inding mandrel 33 and can be pressed radially relative
to the ~inding axis against the tampon blank 12 by means
of a control device not sho~n. The spreading jaws 101 are
heated to a temperature sufficient to melt together the
superimposed melt fibres of the freely projecting, unsealed
end 15a of the strip section 1S and thereby provide a
closed wrapping, soLid in the circumferential direction and
consisting of non~oven material. Thus, the temperature
and pressing force of the spreading jaws 101 can be made
lo~er than the temperature and pressing forces of the
sealing roller 62.
The further transport of the tampon blank 12 to
~ a tampon press can be carried out by means of a device
such as that described in German Patent Specification
1,938,942. The press can be designed according to German
Patent Specification 1,491,161. The dome-like constric-
2Q tion 106 at the introduction end 10a of the tampon 1û
is Droduced, after pressing, by means of a heated torming
die such as that described in ~erman Patent Specification
1,491,200.
Figure ~ shows a diagrammatic representation of
a modified embodiment of the apparatus for producing the
tampon in Figure 6, parts unchanged in respect of the em-
bodiment in Figure 7 bearing the same reference symbols.
A pressure roller 200 is located immediately after
the ueakening station 51. In contrast to the embodiment
~z~
-- 25 --
in F1gure 7, there is nn provision for the sealing tape 65
in Figure 8. Here, only a sealing roller 201, clescribed
in more detai~ belo~, is provided for sea~ing purposes.
Located at the height of the sealing roller 201
and underneath the path of movernent of the nonwoven rib-
bon 30 is a belt conveyor 202 consisting of a plurality
of front dr;ve pulleys 203 and rear deflecting pulleys 204
~hich each carry an endless guide belt 205.
The guide belts 205 are supported on the upper
side by a supporting roller 206, opposite which is located,
on the top side of the path of movement of the nonwoven
ribbon 30, a pressure roller 2U7 of substant;ally larger
diameterO The supporting roller 20O and the pressure rol-
ler 207 come up against one another uith a clamping effect,
so that the nonwoven ribbon 30 is retained ~hen the non-
woven ribbon section 11 located behind in the direction
of movement is drawn out of the transport system by means
of the transport and severing tongs 110 located behind the
belt cor~veyor 202. The upper side of the guide belts 205
has assigned to it a deflecting roller 208, from which
the upper side of the guide belt Z05 is deflected obliquely
do~n~ards to~ards the def~ecting pulleys 204.
Located above the path of rnovement of the r,on-
woven ribbon 30 is a guide device 2û9 which likewise con-
sists of several deflecting pulleys 210, 211 which are
offset axial~y and at a dis~ance relative to one another
and on ~hich endless belts 712 are again arranged so as
to be axially offset, these being arranged respectively
above the guide belts Z05 of the lower belt conveyor 202
o~ l
26
The front deflecting pulleys 210 of the guide device 209
are located close behind the pressure rol~er 207, ~hilst
the rear deflecting pulleys 211 are arranged above the
rear deflect;ng pulleys 204 of the belt conveyor 202. The
lower side of the endless belt 212 of the guide device Z09
has assigned to it, in the vicinity of the defLecting
pulleys 211, a defLecting rol~er 227, from lthich the louer
side is directed obliquely upwards to the deflecting pul-
leys 211. Consequently, thè upper side of the guide belts
2û5 and the lo~er side of the endless belts 21Z form be-
hind the deflecting rolLers 2û8 and 227, in the direction
of movement of the non-roven ribbon 30, an opening slit Z28,
into ~hich the severing and transport tongs 110 can move,
through the orifice 83 in the withdraual cord-attaching
and -knotting device 90, to grasp the particular front end
of the nonwoven ribbon 30 intermittently.
The rear deflecting pulleys 211 and 204 of the
upper guide device 2û9 or of the ~o~er beLt conveyor 2û2
are each provided, over 180, with guide segments Z13
2û and 214 ~hich project radially out~ards and run in synchro-
nism ~ith one another and ~Ihich carry or guide the non-
~oven ribbon 30 uhen the transport and severing tongs 11D
move, counter to the direction of transport x of the non~
non~oven ribbon 30, in the direction of the s~it 2Z8 be-
t~een the deflecting pulleys 211 and 204, in order to
grasp the front end of the nonuoven ribbon 30 and dra~l the
latter, at a speed higher than the transport speed of the
non~oven ribbon, into the effective range of the ~lith-
dra~al cord-attaching and -knotting device 90 and the
3~
-- 27 --
winding station 100. Since the pressure roller 207 uith
the supporting roller 206 is located at a distance greater
than the length of a nonwoven ribbon section 11 from the
slit 228 for the transport and severing tongs 110 to grasp
S the front end of the nonwoven ribbon 30, each ~eak poin~
31 of the nonwoven ribbon 30 is located behind the pres-
sure roLler 2D7 and the supporting roller 206, so that the
transport and severing tongs 110 pu~l a~ay the section of
the non~o~en ribbon 30 extending up to the ~eak point 31
behind the pressure roller 207 and tear it off at the weak
point 31. After this separation of the nonwoven ribbon
section 11~ the latter is guided by means of the transport
tongs 110 into the region of the withdraual cord-attaching
and -knotting device 90 and the winding station 100.
t5 Whilst the ~ithdraual cord 13 can be attached and knotted
in the ~ay described in conjunction ~ith Fiyure 7, the
~inding station lD0 is like~ise equipped ~ith a winding
mandre~ 33 which is movab~e axially to and fro and ~hich
can be driven in the direction of rotation. Ho~ever, in
the ~inding station 100 according to Figure 8, the spread-
ing ja~s Z15, 216 for sealing the free projecting end
15a of the strip section 15 to the part of the strip
section 15 fastened to the tampon b~ank 12 are of
different design~
The lower and upper spreadir7g jaws 215, 216 are
associated at a radial d;stanre from the winding mandrel
33~ and preferab~y only the ~ouer spreading ja~ 215 can
be heated, this extending in the third quadrant of a
circle over an angle of approximately 190 to 280 A
~z~
- 28 -
heatable sealing element 218 is arranged so that it can
move to and fro reLative to the winding mandrel 33 through
a perforat;on 217 in the ~ouer spreading ja~ 215 and is
intended for sea(ing the hitherto unsealed rear end 15a
of the strip section 15 to part of the strip section 15
fastened to the circumference of the tampon blank 1Z.
Since the end face 218a of the sealing element 218 is nar-
row, it is possible to weld the outer edge of the free end
15a of the strip section 15 only along a circumferential
line to the material of the same strip section 15 fastened
to the circumference of the tampon blank 12.
Figure 9 shows a plan view of the severing and
transport tongs 110, the bit of which cons;sts of three
pairs of prongs 110a uhich, in the gripping position shown,
engage into interspaces corresponding to the prongs and
located between the guide segments 213 and 214 of the
guide device 209 and the belt conveyor 20Z respectively.
The lower side of the endless belts 212 and the upper side
of the guide beLts 205 are arranged at a distance from one
cO another, through which the nonwoven ribbon 30 is not com-
pressed, but mere~y carried along without any subs~antial
press function, so that it is immediateley guaranteed that
the nonwoven ribbon section 11 will be drawn out between
the abovementioned sides by means of the severing and
transport tongs 110 and that the following nonwoven rib-
bon 30 will be torn off at the weak point 31 of the
latter.
In the embodiment according to Figure 8~ the same
devices as in Figure 7 are provided for supplying, cutting
~4~
- 29 --
to length and transferrlng the thermoplastic strip section
15 to the vacuum rolLer 71. In Figure 8, only the design
of the vacuum roL~er 71 is evident in greater detaiL, in
as much as there is located ;n the interior of the vacuun
roLler 71 a slide Z1 which is fixed and ~hich is provided
oYer its circumference of approximateLy 18û with lateral
suction orifices 220 which aLLo~ a suction effect via
smaLLer suction orifices 221 connected to them and located
in the circumferentiaL ~alL of the vacuum rol(er 71.
Figure 8 shows in an enLarged representation the
speciaL design of the seaLing rolLer Z01 which makes it
possibLer without an endLess seaLing tape, to carry out
seaLing onLy over a part circumference of the sealing
roller 201 by means of heatable seaLing elements 223~ Z24
~hich are arranged diametricaLLy opposite one another on
a basic body 222 and ~hich are profiled according to the
- ueLding or seaLing pattern~ The circumferentiaL Length
of the sealing eLernen~s 2Z3 and 224 corresponds in each
case exactLy to the Length of a strip section 15 which is
to be seaLed to the nonwoven ribbon section 11. I~o un-
heated insuLating eLements Z25, Z26 are fastened to the
basic body 2Z2 and are offset 90 reLative to the sealing
eLements 223, 224 Located diametrically opposite one
another~ The c;rçumferentiaL arcs of the insuLating ele-
ments 225, 226 have the same radius as the outer surfaces
of the seaLing eLements Z23, 2Z4, so that a circumferential
surface composed of circuLar sectors of the same radius
is obtained The arrangement of the insulating elements
225, 226 ensures that the free or unseaLed end 15a of the
- 30
thermoplastic strip sections 15, ~hich pro~ects beyond the
sealing elements 223 or Z24 counter to the direction ol
rotation of the sea~ing roL~er 201, ~ilL al~ays come to
rest on one of the insulating elements 225, 226 and will
consequent~y not be sealed against the nonwoven ribbon 30.
To guarantee that the strip sections 15 composed
of thermoplastic nonuoven material come to rest exactly
on the respective sea~ing elements 2Z3 and ZZ4, the cut-
t;ng rollers 69 are rotated approximately at half the cir-
cumferential speed of the vacuum rol~er 71, as alreadymentioned further above. The cutting rollers 69 cut
through the strip 3Z substantial~y, but not completely, so
that on both sides of this cut the unuoven strip of mater-
ial 3Z continues to remain joined by means of uebs of
material (not shoun) in a similar ~ay to a perforation. The
follo~ing acceleration roller 72 is driven at a rotational
speed corresponding to the circumferential speed of the
vacuum roller 71 and consequently to the transport speed of
the nonuoven ribbon 30. When the front end of the nonwoven
strip of materia~ 32 comes into the effective range of the
acceleration rolier 7Z, the section 15 of the strip of
materia~ 32 located in front of the cut is torn off and
accelerated to the speed of the nonuoven ribbon, so that
the individuaL strip sections 15 are guided, at the correct
distance from one another~ up to the end of one of the tuo
seal;ng elements 2Z3, 224 uhich is at the front in the
direction of rotation.
The strip of material 32 located behind the tear-
off point is always smoothed and stretched in the direction
~;~4~
- 31 -
of transport as a result of the suction effect of the
vacuum roLler 71. Because of the extremely lou mass of
the severed strlp sect;on 15, the latter is acceLerated
abruptly to the speed of the nonwoYen ribbon, so that the
strip section 15 can aluays be positioned exactLy on the
vacuum roLler 71.
As is evident from Figure ~, a slit 219a of the
sLide ~19 of the vacuum rolLer 71 ends shortly before the
nip which the vacuum rol~er 71 forms with the sealing rol~
Ler Z01. In the region of the nip bet~een the vacuum rol-
ler 71 and sealing roLler Z01, the thermopLastic strip
section 15 is heated to such an extent that it becomes
ductile and tacky and consequentLy adheres to the sealing
roller 201 and is carried along free of sLip by the lat-
~5 ter, but it is~guaranteed that the strip section 15 ~illbe received and carried aiong reLiabLy by the nonwoven
ribbon section 11 after sealing.
It is therefore eYident from the above description
that the apparatus according to the Figure 8 aLlows con~
Zû tinuous transport of the nonwoven ribbon 30 up to the
withdrauaL cord-attaching and -knotting device 90 or the
winding station 1ûO, and, of the devices transporting the
nonwoven ribbon 30, only the severing and transport tongs
100 execute a to-and-fro movement, whilst aL~ the other
devices constantLy rotate in one direction~ It is also
evident that, by means of the devices described, not only
is a high production speed achieved such as is necessary
for ~ass production, but also economical mass production
of a substantialLy improved tampon for femaLe hygiene can
Q~ .
- 3Z -
be obtained as a result, uhilst ensuring a quality uhich
rem~;ns h;gh.
This is a division of Canadian patent application
Serial No. 471,153 filed December 28, 1984 and entitled
"TAMPON FOR FEMALE HYGIENE, AND A PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF".
