Inventors:
David James VanEperen - Appleton WI
Adam Lewis Daniels - Menasha WI
Kevin Lester Fiedler - Appleton WI
Gene Mark Gregory - Neenah WI
Steven Michael Parsons - Neenah WI
James Bennington Stopher - Neenah WI
Assignee:
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. - Neenah WI
International Classification:
B31B 4900
US Classification:
493380, 156163, 156229, 156494
Abstract:
The present invention provides a process and apparatus for applying a web component ( ) to a moving substrate ( ). The process aspect includes a delivering of the web component ( ) to a rotatable applicator wheel ( ). The applicator wheel has an entry surface-region ( ), an exit surface-region ( ), a transport surface-region ( ), and an applicator wheel diameter ( ). The web component ( ) is contacted onto the entry surface-region ( ) of the applicator wheel ( ), and the applicator wheel is rotated to move the web component along a substantially circumferential, applicator path along the transport surface-region ( ) of the applicator wheel. The applicator wheel ( ) is oscillated about a pivot axis ( ) which is spaced from the moving substrate ( ) by a pivot distance ( ), and the web component ( ) is operatively applied from the exit surface-region ( ) of the applicator wheel ( ) onto the moving substrate ( ) to provide a desired curved web configuration. In a particular aspect, the applicator wheel diameter ( ) can be at least a selected percentage of the pivot distance ( ).