Method of making elasticized waistband for use in an absorbent garment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433799-B2
Application number	US-202117794602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Jan 27, 2020
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

Absorbent garments are made by applying a refastenable material to a continuous panel web, folding the panel web, cutting the folded panel web into discrete folded panels, and aligning the folded panels with perforations in a continuous elasticized waist web. Discrete folded patches are coupled to the elastic web via the refastenable material and the perforation cuts are broken to form a continuous waistband. Absorbent cores are coupled between the continuous waistband and a second continuous waistband, which are cut to form the absorbent garments. The manufacturing apparatus includes a perforation cutter that forms perforation cuts in a continuous waist web comprising elastic elements positioned between facing web layers, a panel applicator that cuts a folded panel web into discrete panels and attaches the discrete panels to the waist web about the perforation cut. A breakage system separates the waist web at the perforation cuts and unfolds the discrete panels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a refastenable absorbent garment ( 117 ) comprising:
applying a refastenable material ( 74 ) to a continuous panel web ( 48 );
folding the continuous panel web ( 48 ) to form a folded continuous panel web ( 48 );
cutting the folded continuous panel web ( 48 ) into a plurality of discrete folded panels ( 86 );
aligning the plurality of discrete folded panels ( 86 ) with a series of perforations in a continuous elasticized waist web ( 18 );
coupling the plurality of discrete folded panels ( 86 ) to the continuous elasticized waist web ( 18 ) via the refastenable material ( 74 );
breaking the series of perforation cuts to form a first continuous waistband ( 111 ); thereby unfolding the folded panels ( 86 );
coupling a plurality of absorbent cores ( 114 ) between the first continuous waistband ( 111 ) and a second continuous waistband ( 112 ) by attaching the absorbent cores ( 114 ) to the unfolded panels ( 86 ); and
cutting the first and second continuous waistbands ( 111 , 112 ) to form at least one refastenable absorbent garment ( 117 ).

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying a first portion of the refastenable material ( 74 ) to a first edge of the continuous panel web ( 48 ); and
applying a second portion of the refastenable material ( 74 ) to a second edge of the continuous panel web ( 48 ).

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising breaking the series of perforations by stretching the continuous elasticized waist web ( 18 ).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising temporarily bonding the plurality of discrete folded panels ( 86 ) to the continuous elasticized waist web ( 18 ).

Assignees

• Joa Curt G Inc

Inventors

• Andrews Robert E
• Schwartz Christopher A

Classifications

• A61F13/496

  in the form of pants or briefs · CPC title

• A61F13/49015

  the elastic means being elastic panels · CPC title

• A61F13/49012

  the elastic means being elastic panels · CPC title

• A61F13/15804

  Plant, e.g. involving several steps · CPC title

• A61F13/15764

  Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives · CPC title