Mark Mason Hargett, Liberty Township, OH; Paul Anthony Kawka, Guilford, IN; Raymond Scott Hamilton, Lebanon, OH; Bradley Edward Walsh, Cincinnati, OH; Terry Howard Thomas, Deerfield Township, OH; Jon Kevin McLaughlin, West Chester, OH; and David Carlton Ordway, Oxford, OH. Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.
Filed: 6/28/13
Issued: 10/27/15

A method for applying discrete lengths of a first substrate to a second substrate, the method comprising the steps of: rotating a drum about an axis of rotation, the drum having an outer circumferential surface, wherein the outer circumferential surface has a contour; advancing a first substrate in a first direction; stretching the first substrate along the first direction; advancing the stretched first substrate onto the outer circumferential surface of the drum; cutting the stretched first substrate into discrete lengths of substrate while advancing on the outer circumferential surface of the drum, wherein each discrete length includes a first end region, a second end region, and a central region separating the first and second end regions; advancing a second substrate in a second direction, wherein the second direction crosses the first direction; advancing the second substrate over a roller, the roller having an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the roller has a curved shape, and wherein the curved shape of the outer surface of the roller corresponds with at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the drum; deforming a portion of the second substrate along the first direction to define a curve extending along the first direction, wherein the curve corresponds with at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the drum; repeatedly displacing the deformed portion of the second substrate into contact with the discrete lengths of substrate on the outer circumferential surface of the drum; and bonding the discrete lengths of substrate to the second substrate.