Patent ID: 11957550
Assignee: GDM S.P.A.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus for forming an absorbent pad for an absorbent sanitary article, the absorbent pad comprising a first layer, a second layer and an absorbent material interposed between the first layer and the second layer and arranged according to an absorbent material spreading pattern including a channel free of absorbent material where the first layer and the second layer are joined directly to each other, the apparatus comprising:
a forming drum,
a first feed system for feeding a first web, configured to form the first layer, to the forming drum,
a second feed system for feeding a second web, configured to form the second layer, to the forming drum,
a spreader for spreading the absorbent material directly on the first web disposed on the forming drum, the forming drum comprising a suction system to create on the first web disposed on the forming drum a spread of absorbent material according to the absorbent material spreading pattern, the forming drum comprising an insert in the suction system to inhibit suction at the channel so that the absorbent material is not retained at the channel,
the first web, the second web and the absorbent material together forming a composite web,
a welding system for welding the first and second webs and comprising a first welding element and a second welding element acting in conjunction with each other,
an adhesive dispenser located upstream of the spreader of the absorbent material in a feed direction of the first web to apply on the first web a layer of adhesive in a gluing pattern having at least a first zone with adhesive and at least a second zone which is free of the adhesive at the channel,
wherein the first welding element includes a contact surface operatively engaging the second welding element and shaped according to a first welding pattern comprising a first welding zone at the channel, and
a removal system configured for removing the absorbent material and located downstream of the absorbent material spreader in the feed direction of the first web to remove any absorbent material that is present on the first web at the channel,
wherein the removal system comprises a blowing system comprising a centrifugal impeller having an axis of rotation parallel to an axis of rotation of the forming drum.