BABY AND ADULT DIAPERS AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME

DESCRIPTION

Technical Field

The invention is related to the main carrier used on the adhesive side connection straps formed during the baby and adult diaper production and the method of forming the same. The invention is especially related to the main carrier made of nonwoven material reinforced by a semi-rigid polymer film and the method of obtaining the same. The Related Art

Today the hectic life style, women's being more productive and taking roles in the working life, and hygienic applications in all fields cause developing baby diaper production techniques and supporting them with new techniques and systems aiming at speed for the needs of each day.

The present main carriers used on adhesive side straps used on hygienic baby and adult diapers are manufactured with various alternative methods. The straps might be bare nonwoven fabric, coated nonwoven fabric, which is the fabric made by coating a fine layer of various polymers that are in liquid form on nonwoven fabric, or bare thermoplastic film.

The main carrier for which coated or bare nonwoven is used faces various hardships and quality problems and losses.

The primary problem is the rough surface of the nonwoven material. These straps cannot be made smooth enough even with the fine thermoplastic layer material covered on them. Due to the natural roughness of the nonwoven material, the adherence strength of the applied adhesive to the opposite surface is lower Ahan the adherence strength of the adhesive applied on smooth surfaces like thermoplastic films to the opposite surface.

Another problem is that since the breaking strength of the coated or bare nonwoven materials is not sufficient, it cannot meet the required need in creating the strength and flexibility properties desired for baby and adult diapers.

Another reason to cause loss in quality is that the bare nonwoven materials are adversely affected by the adhesive applied on them, since they are permeable and absorbing. The nonwoven fabric causes problems in the present technique and using more adhesive, since it absorbs the adhesive. Some of the adhesive applied on the nonwoven surface is retained among nonwoven fibers and does not stay on the surface and is located in the structure. This causes only some of the adhesive applied on the surface to function effectively. A way to overcome this problem is increasing the amount of the adhesive used, which is not applicable, since adhesive might cause allergies especially on baby skin. Another way to solve this problem as specified above is using thermoplastic coated nonwoven, which brings additional cost, since it means an extra process.

Apart from these, another problem is that the rough and fibrous (mohair) structure of the nonwoven material causes breakdowns in the conveying rollers, which function by the support of the vacuum technique in the diaper machines, by the suction power of the vacuum. Besides the mohair texture of the nonwoven film is damaged, since the pieces breaking away from this mohair texture make the suction filters of the machine clog, they cause additional production loss during cleaning.

Whereas the bare films are not soft, fabric and natural as preferred by users in terms of appearance, texture and feel. Therefore, from time to time they are considered to be low- quality, and sometimes not preferred by consumers.

Due to these problems, the need to create a side connection strap with a main carrier that both give the user a feel of soft fabric and aUhe same time a durable and flexible strap.

Short Description of the Invention

The invention is made being inspired by the present situations and aims to solve the above- mentioned problems.

The invention is based on developing a manufacturing method that is different from the present application with a novelty created in the production of side connection straps used in the production of baby and adult diapers and in a way to remove the disadvantages of the present application and thus, obtaining a new product.

The new product manufactured by preparing side connection straps with a thermoplastic film having better semi-rigid property, reinforced with respect to the present application and the implemented production method are different from the present application.

The used thermoplastics are combined with a nonwoven material. One side of the product obtained as a result of this combining process is thermoplastic film, while the other side is nonwoven. Since this type of combining process will be realized on only one side of the nonwoven material, the other side will retain its fabric feel, softness and naturalness. The side that consumers will use in the finished product is this surface.

The surface of the manufactured product with the thermoplastic film is at the same time the surface where adhesive will be applied. Applying adhesive on this smooth and impermeable surface enables reducing the amount of adhesive used on baby or adult diapers and decreasing the allergenic affect with the protective layer. Another advantage, the risk that nonwoven material absorbs the adhesive and retains it inside, is completely eliminated in the new production technique.

While using the product in the machines producing baby and adult diapers, the rollers on which vacuum is applied come into contact with not the nonwoven, but the thermoplastic film surface of the product. Since it is impossible for pieces to break away from said plastic side, the necessity of filter cleaning because of the applied vacuum technique and the corresponding production and time losses are avoided.

During the assembly of the product in the machines producing a variety of products that can be used for baby and adult diapers, and similar purposes, the thermoplastic film adds resistance which enables the product to be affected less by the stress formed on the side strap material in the pulling rollers of the machine compared to the present nonwoven film. The main carrier film that is the subject of the invention can be manufactured as adhesive, easily opened and closed (with and without a velcro) in different side strap designs according to different needs of use in baby and adult diapers.

The structural and characteristic features of the invention and all its advantages will be understood more clearly with the figures given below and the detailed description written by referring to these figures and therefore, the evaluation should be done by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

Figures to Help Understanding the Invention

Figure - 1 is the side view of the main carrier that is the subject of the invention showing its layers.

Figure - 2 is the perspective view of an alternative of the side connection strap with the main carrier that is the subject of the invention.

Figure - 3 is the side view of said side connection strap.

The drawings do not have to be scaled and unnecessary details might be disregarded in order to understand the present invention. Moreover, the elements that are at least substantially identical or having at least substantially same functions are shown with the same number. Description of the Piece References

10. Side connection strap 20. Main carrier

11. Strap element 21. Nonwoven fabric layer

12. Pad attachment flange 22. Adhesive layer

13. Hooked surface 23. Semi-rigid polymer layer

14. Strap attachment surface 24. Adhesive interlayer

15. Interfilm 25. Non-adhesive coating

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, the preferred structures of the main carrier of the side connection strap for baby and adult diapers reinforced with semi-rigid plastic film, which is the subject of the invention are explained only for the purposes of understanding the subject better and without any restriction.

The invention is related to the main carrier (20) of the connection strap used for forming side connection straps (10) found on hygienic diapers, especially baby and adult diapers and enabling the diaper to be fixed on the user, and comprised of at least one nonwoven fabric layer (21 ), at least one adhesive layer (22) where elements (1 1) of said connection strap (10) (hooked adhesive surface, attachment surface etc.) are fixed and at least one non-adhesive coating (25) on the other side of the fabric layer (21).

The non-adhesive coating (25) is used to prevent the strap (10) from sticking due to the main carrier (20) while it is rolled. The non-adhesive coating (25) is made of silicone, cold seal adhesive and alike materials as thin as to retain the fabric feel.

The novelty of the invention is that said nonwoven fabric layer (21 ) is comprised of at least one semi-rigid polymer layer (23) fixed on at least one side of said fabric layer and the adhesive layer (22) is fixed on it (Figure-1). Thus, a durable connection strap giving a soft fabric feel is obtained.

The method used to obtain the invention is composed of the following process steps:

- on at least one side of the nonwoven fabric layer (21), at least one semi- polymer layer (23) is fixed, and _. ,·: _. .

- on the polymer layer (23), adhesive is applied to form the adhesive layer (22).

The polymer layer (23) fixing can be carried out by preferably lamination method as well as other different combining techniques. If the lamination method is used, between the polymer layer (23) and the fabric layer (21) an adhesive interlayer (24) is formed. The adhesive to form this layer (24) can be applied on any of the polymer and fabric layers (23, 21 ).

The semi-rigid polymer layer (23) is preferably made of at least one of the thermoplastic and their derivatives - polymer materials. This polymer layer (23) is preferably 5 to 500 micron thick.

The invention can be used in different areas depending on the variety of the elements fixed on the main carrier (20). With adhesive or non-adhesive special layers, the side connection strap (10) used on baby and adult diapers is formed.

As seen in the side connection strap (10) embodied in the Figure-2 and 3, on the adhesive layer (22) of the formed main carrier (20), a pad attachment flange (12) to enable fixing the strap (10) on the diaper, a hooked surface (13) (American strap, velcro etc.), an attachment surface (14) added to handle the connection strap (10) without it sticks to the hand, and an interfilm (15) can be located. However, the variety of these elements (11 ) does not cover the novel subject of the invention and are not considered to be a part of the invention.

The protection scope of this application is specified in the "claims" and is not limited to the production method and material details shown for exemplification purposes above. A technical expert can obviously reveal the innovation related to the invention using similar structures and a similar technology and/ or use it in other areas for similar purposes. Therefore, it should be noted that the product and the production method applied by referring to the product, material, production method and the intended purpose will be devoid of any novelty.