Abstract:
A pant-like absorbent garment adapted to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body has asymmetrical pressure around the leg openings with respect to the wearer's anterior and posterior sides. Elastic members are bonded about the leg openings with either higher tension on the posterior side and lower tension on the interior side or higher tension on the anterior side and lower tension on the posterior side, depending on the intended wearer's level of activity. The resulting garments have optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.
Abstract:
A pant-like, disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis, a pair of opposed side panels, at least one line of weakness and at least one fastener. The absorbent chassis defines a pair of laterally opposed side edges and a pair of longitudinally opposed waist edges. The side panels extend between the side edges of the absorbent chassis to define a waist opening and a pair of leg openings in the pant-like disposable absorbent article. Each of the opposed side panels defines a first side margin which is permanently attached to the side edge of the absorbent chassis in one waist region of the absorbent article to provide a front permanent joint. The opposed side panels further define a second side margin opposite the first side margin which is permanently attached to the side edge of the absorbent chassis in the other waist region of the absorbent article to provide a back permanent joint. The fastener and the line of weakness are located in one of the side panels, with the line of weakness separating the fastener from one of the permanent joints. The fastener is configured to be released and used to refastenably engage the at least one side panel to the opposite waist region of the absorbent article after the line of weakness is broken.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for bonding and aperturing one or more fibrous webs including bonding at least one fibrous web in a bonding nip created by a rotatable bonding roll and a rotatable anvil roll and aperturing the at least one fibrous web in an aperturing nip created by a rotatable aperture roll and an anvil roll. The bonding roll has a plurality of protuberances extending from the peripheral bonding surface that define a bonding pattern and result in highly bonded regions within the fibrous web. The aperture roll has a plurality of projections extending from the peripheral aperture surface that define an aperturing pattern. The aperturing pattern substantially aligns with the bonding pattern thereby creating apertures within the highly bonded regions.
Abstract:
A pant-like, refastenable, disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis, a pair of opposed side panels, a pair of releasable joints and a pair of proportional fasteners. The absorbent chassis defines a pair of laterally opposed side edges and a pair of longitudinally opposed waist edges. The side panels extend between and connect the side edges of the absorbent chassis to define a waist opening and a pair of leg openings in the pant-like disposable absorbent article. Each of the opposed side panels defines a first side margin which is permanently attached to the side edge of the absorbent chassis in one waist region of the absorbent article to provide a permanent joint. Each of the opposed side panels further defines a second side margin opposite the first side margin which is releasably attached to the side edges of the absorbent chassis in the other waist region of the absorbent article to provide the releasable joints. The proportional fasteners are located adjacent the releasable joints and are configured to be smaller in the longitudinal direction than the releasable joints.
Abstract:
A pant-like absorbent garment adapted to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body has variable spacing and curvature among the elastic members bonded around the leg opening such that the spacing and/or curvature is asymmetrical with respect to the wearer's anterior and posterior sides. The spacing and curvature profiles of the elastic members are designed to accommodate various pressure demands around a wearer's legs during different activities. The resulting garment has optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.
Abstract:
The invention relates to prefastened absorbent articles (20) including one or more of several improvement features. The articles can be made to be prefastened by having a singular fastening mechanism that includes an oversized fastener (60). The articles of the invention can include a multiple property fastener (60) that has at least one engagement zone (65) and at least one non-abrasive zone (67).
Abstract:
A process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional garment. The process is carried out by loading an insert onto an expandable/retractable process loop fixture. A waist elastic member can be bonded to a waist area of the insert. A garment shell can be applied over the insert and the waist elastic member. A waist area of the garment shell can be attached to the waist elastic member and to the waist area of the insert.
Abstract:
An absorbent garment, such as a diaper, folded in a manner that prevents leg elastics from remaining folded inward in a crotch region during product application. Each of two transversely opposed distal edges in a back waist region and each of two transversely opposed distal edges in a front waist region are folded onto a surface of the garment along respective longitudinal fold lines. The garment is also folded along at least one transverse fold line. A distance between the longitudinal fold lines in the back waist region may be greater than a distance between transversely opposed leg elastics in a crotch region of the garment. A distance between the longitudinal fold lines in the back waist region may be less than a combined distance between each of the transversely opposed distal edges of the back waist region and the respective longitudinal fold line.
Abstract:
A pant-like absorbent garment having curved leg cuffs has a gasket-like fit. A chassis of the absorbent garment defines first and second leg openings with curved cut-outs in the chassis. A bonded portion is located between a first portion and a second portion of each of two elastic strands. The bonded portions are bonded to the first and second leg openings about a periphery of the curved cut-outs, thereby forming finished seams. Second portions of the elastic strands can form rolled edges. The resulting absorbent garment has a comfortable, gasket-like fit and an aesthetically pleasing, finished look about the leg openings.
Abstract:
A method of applying curved leg elastics to absorbent garments involves stretching and wrapping a pair of elastic ribbons about a first curved surface of a pair of pucks. A portion of each of the elastic ribbons is simultaneously folded onto a second surface of each of the pucks. The pucks are attached to a rotating device that rotates the pucks into alignment with a substrate. As the pucks are rotated toward the substrate, the pucks are also oscillated individually toward the substrate. Once the second surfaces of the pucks are aligned, parallel to the substrate, the substrate is bonded to the second surface portion of each of the elastic ribbons in their stretched positions on the pucks, thereby forming finished seams. The resulting absorbent garments have gasket-like leg openings with improved comfort and aesthetic appeal.