Patent ID: 7731815

Claim:
An apparatus for laying an elastic member on a continuous web moving in a machine direction, the apparatus comprising: a diverter having a groove and an axis of rotation, the groove having a pitch corresponding to an axial length of the groove as it wraps once around an outer surface of the diverter, the groove being configured for receiving the elastic member and for directing the elastic member out of an exit point of the groove, the diverter being configured for oscillating rotation, wherein rotation of the diverter moves the exit point in a cross machine direction; a combining roll having an axis of rotation, the combining roll being configured for receiving the elastic member from the diverter and combining the elastic member with the continuous web; wherein the axis of rotation of the diverter is positioned at a generally nonparallel angle relative to the axis of rotation of the combining roll such that an elastic member travels from the exit point of the groove of the diverter to the combining roll on a path that is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the combining roll; and wherein the apparatus is configured to vary an elastic profile of the elastic member on the continuous web by oscillating a rotation of the diverter.