Process for making absorbent articles with single-piece panels
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsDavid Arthur Kuen, John Irvin VanDeurzen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and apparatus for making pant-like disposable absorbent garments with single-piece elastic side panels, and garments so made, are provided. The single-piece side panels eliminate the additional cost associated with multi-part side panels, and improve aesthetic appearance of the garments by eliminating side seams. The process and apparatus accomplish the steps of providing a garment chassis having unfinished lateral edges, folding the chassis so that a front portion overlaps a back portion, and folding and bonding the single-piece side panels so that opposing of the side panels are joined to the lateral edges on the garment chassis.
Claims39
A process for manufacturing a pant-like absorbent garment having single-piece side panels, comprising the steps of:
- providing a garment chassis having a front portion, a back portion, a central region between the front and back portions, and first and second lateral edges on each of the front and back portions;
- folding the garment chassis in the central region so that the front and back portions are positioned adjacent to each other, the first lateral edge of the front portion is proximate to the first lateral edge of the back portion, and the second lateral edge of the front portion is proximate to the second lateral edge of the back portion;
- positioning a first side panel adjacent the first lateral edges of the front and back portions;
- positioning a second side panel adjacent the second lateral edges of the front and back portions;
- and
- folding the first and second side panels so that opposing edges of the first side panel overlap the first lateral edges of the front and back portions, and opposing edges of the second side panel overlap the second lateral edges of the front and back portions.
A disposable absorbent garment, comprising:
- a chassis including at least a liquid-permeable bodyside liner, an absorbent layer, and a substantially liquid-impermeable outer cover;
- a first seamless single-piece side panel joining a first edge of a front portion of the chassis to a first edge of a back portion of the chassis;
- and
- a second seamless, single-piece side panel joining a second edge of the front portion of the chassis to a second edge of the back portion of the chassis.
An apparatus for manufacturing a pant-like absorbent garment having single-piece side panels, comprising:
- a conveyor movable in a direction of travel;
- a first rotary panel applicator on a first side of the conveyor movable in a counter-clockwise direction;
- and
- a second rotary panel applicator on a second side of the conveyor movable in a clockwise direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.