Precision Web-Shaping System for Customized Absorbent Articles
Legal Citation
Summary of the Inventive Concept
A next-generation web-shaping system that integrates advanced puck geometry, web management, and quality control to produce customized absorbent articles with unprecedented precision and flexibility.
Background and Problem Solved
The original patent for shaping and applying segments to a moving web with side shifting pucks has limitations in terms of precision, adaptability, and quality control. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing a modular, adaptive, and integrated system that enables the production of complex, customized absorbent articles.
Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept
The precision web-shaping system consists of a web management module, a puck assembly module with adaptive puck geometry, and an integrated quality control module. The web management module dynamically adjusts web tension and speed to ensure optimal web conditions. The puck assembly module features interchangeable puck modules with distinct geometries and functionalities, allowing for adaptability to diverse article designs. The integrated quality control module includes a vision system for inspecting web quality and detecting defects, and a corrective action module for adjusting web tension, puck position, or adhesive application in response to detected defects.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The new claims introduce a paradigm shift in web-shaping technology by integrating advanced puck geometry, web management, and quality control in a modular and adaptive system. This integration enables the production of customized absorbent articles with unprecedented precision and flexibility, making the original inventive concept obsolete.
Alternative Embodiments and Variations
Alternative embodiments of the precision web-shaping system could include the use of machine learning algorithms for predictive quality control, the integration of 3D printing capabilities for creating complex article features, or the development of specialized puck modules for specific article designs.
Potential Commercial Applications and Market
The precision web-shaping system has significant commercial potential in the production of customized absorbent articles, such as diapers, sanitary napkins, and incontinence products. The system's ability to produce complex, customized articles with high precision and flexibility makes it an attractive solution for manufacturers seeking to differentiate their products and meet evolving consumer demands.
CPC Classifications
| Section | Class | Group |
|---|---|---|
| A | A61 | A61F13/15699 |
| A | A61 | A61F13/15707 |
| A | A61 | A61F13/15756 |
| A | A61 | A61F13/15764 |
Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)
Field of Art
Web processing and manufacturing of absorbent articles, specifically focusing on precision placement and shaping of discrete parts on a moving substrate, with expertise in mechanical engineering, material handling, and manufacturing automation
Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile
A mechanical engineer with 5-7 years of experience in converting technologies, familiar with web handling systems, puck transfer mechanisms, and absorbent product manufacturing, possessing skills in mechanical design, process optimization, and industrial automation
Obviousness Rationale
A PHOSITA would recognize that the PTD's disclosed variations represent predictable extensions of the source patent's core web-shaping technology by introducing modular design principles, integrated quality control, and adaptive manufacturing strategies that are natural evolutionary steps in web processing systems. The proposed innovations leverage known techniques in machine vision, control systems, and modular manufacturing to enhance the fundamental puck transfer and web management concepts disclosed in the original patent. These variations would be considered obvious improvements that a skilled practitioner would readily conceive when seeking to optimize web-shaping processes.
Obvious Combinations & Variations
Original Patent Information
| Patent Number | US 11,857,398 |
|---|---|
| Title | Apparatus for and method of shaping and applying a segment to a moving web with side shifting pucks |
| Assignee(s) | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. |