Patent ID: 8679282
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: A61F,B65H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A machine for manufacturing absorbent articles which include an elongated central body and at least one pair of tab closure elements, the machine including a transport line along which the absorbent articles advance in a predetermined feed direction, and a feed unit by which pairs of the tab closure elements are associated with each of the absorbent articles, wherein the feed unit comprises: a cutter device by which successive transverse cuts are made in a continuous strip of material to produce a succession of single tab closure elements; a separation roller, operating downstream of the cutter device and placed to receive the succession of single tab closure elements, by which each element is distanced from a next element in sequence, the separation roller comprising a plurality of slides traversable along respective directions parallel to a rotational axis of the separation roller, wherein, during rotation of the separation roller, the slides are movable between: an alignment roller, operating downstream of the separation roller and rotating tangentially to the transport line, the alignment roller being configured to take up the staggered tab closure elements released from the slides of the separation roller, order the taken up staggered tab closure elements into a succession of pairs advancing two abreast, and then place each successive pair of tab closure elements on a respective absorbent article advancing along the transport line.