Method and apparatus for producing pant-like absorbent sanitary articles

A method for producing refastenable pant-like absorbent sanitary articles, comprising:

• providing a single continuous elastic band having a longitudinal direction,
• providing a plurality of absorbent bodies having respective main directions and first and second end portions,
• orienting said plurality of absorbent bodies with the respective main directions transverse to the longitudinal direction of said single continuous elastic band,
• attaching the first end portions of said plurality of absorbent bodies to said single continuous elastic band in positions spaced apart from each other along said longitudinal direction, with the main directions of the plurality of absorbent bodies extending transversally to said longitudinal axis,
• cutting said single continuous elastic band to form a plurality of refastenable absorbent sanitary articles in an outspread configuration, each including:
• an absorbent body of the plurality of absorbent bodies having the main direction and the first and second end portions,
• a single elastic waistband attached to the first end portion of the absorbent body and having two elastic lateral bands projecting laterally from the absorbent body,
• folding each absorbent body of said refastenable absorbent sanitary articles in the outspread configuration and overlapping the second end portion to the first end portion, the folding including folding each absorbent body about a first folding line and simultaneously stretching in the longitudinal direction a distal portion of the second end portion of each absorbent body, and
• folding the two elastic lateral bands of each absorbent sanitary article of the plurality of absorbent sanitary articles in the outspread configuration and attaching distal ends of said two elastic lateral bands to respective engagement areas of the second end portion of the absorbent body to form a refastenable absorbent sanitary article closed in a pant-like configuration.