Method for Manufacturing an Absorbent Article
AssigneeSCA Hygiene Products AB
InventorDragorad Vasic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing absorbent articles in which first and second stabilizing strips confer stability during the manufacturing process by controlling the position of side panels with respect to absorbent structures. In the thus manufactured articles, material of the stabilizing strips remain on the side panels to provide a region of material having consistent properties.
Claims31
A method for manufacturing absorbent articles, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a web (12) of backsheet material, said web extending in a longitudinal direction about a longitudinal axis (L) dividing the web into a first lateral half (14) and a second lateral half (16), said first lateral half comprising a first lateral margin (18) and said second lateral half comprising a second lateral margin (20);
- sequentially applying absorbent structures (28) to said web (12) of backsheet material such that adjacent absorbent structures are spaced apart in said longitudinal direction;
- providing a first stabilizing strip (32) of predetermined width substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis (L), said first stabilizing strip being spaced from said first lateral margin (18) in a transverse direction away from said longitudinal axis;
- providing a second stabilizing strip (34) of predetermined width substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis (L), said second stabilizing strip being spaced from said second lateral margin (20) in a transverse direction away from said longitudinal axis;
- with respect to each absorbent structure (28), providing a first side panel (38) having a first major surface (42) and a second major surface (44);
- applying said first major surface (42) of said first side panel (38) to said first lateral margin (18) of said web (12) such that said first major surface contacts said first stabilizing strip (32);
- with respect to each absorbent structure (28), providing a second side panel (40) having a first major surface (46) and a second major surface (48), and
- applying said first major surface (46) of said second side panel to said second lateral margin (20) of said web (12) such that said first major surface contacts said second stabilizing strip (34),
- to thereby form an initial united structure (50).
The method as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein said first and second side panels (38, 40) are substantially identical.
The method as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein said first and second side panels (38, 40) are made from a material (134) displaying elastic properties in at least the transverse direction.
The method as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein said first and second stabilizing strips (32, 34) are substantially inextensible and non-elastic at least in their length direction.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein
- said first major surface (42) of said first side panel (38) is applied to said first lateral margin (18) of said web (12) such that said first major surface contacts only a portion of the width of said first stabilizing strip (32);
- said first major surface (46) of said second side panel (40) to said second lateral margin (20) of said web (12) such that said first major surface contacts only a portion of the width of said second stabilizing strip (34), the method further comprising the step of folding said first and second stabilizing strips (32, 34) such that said first stabilizing strip (32) also contacts said second major surface (44) of said first side panel and said second stabilizing strip (34) also contacts said second major surface (48) of said second side panel (40).
An absorbent article (60) intended to be worn around the waist of a user, said article comprising:
- a chassis (62) comprising a topsheet (64), a backsheet (66) and an absorbent structure (28) therebetween, said chassis (62) extending in a longitudinal direction about a longitudinal axis (L) dividing the chassis into a first lateral half (68) and a second lateral half (70), said first lateral half comprising a first lateral margin (72) and said second lateral half comprising a second lateral margin (74), said chassis further extending in a transverse direction about a transverse axis (T) dividing the chassis into a first end (76) and a second end (78),
- said chassis being delimited by
- a periphery (80) comprising a first end edge (82) at said first end (76) and a second end edge (84) at said second end (78), said first and second end edges extending substantially parallel to said transverse axis (T), said periphery (80) further comprising a first lateral edge (86) of said first lateral margin (72) and a second lateral edge (88) of said second lateral margin (74),
- said first and second lateral margins (72, 74) having a first end region (90) extending from said first end edge (82), a second end region (92) extending from said second end edge (84) and a central region (94) extending between said first and second end regions,
- said article further comprising a first side panel (38) extending from said first lateral edge (86) in said first end region (90), a second side panel (40) extending from said second lateral edge (88) in said first end region (90), a third side panel (96) extending from said first lateral edge (86) in said second end region (92) and a fourth side panel (98) extending from said second lateral edge (88) in said second end region (92), each panel having a first major surface 42, 46, 100, 104) and a second major surface (44, 48, 102, 106) and a longitudinally extending peripheral margin (108, 110, 112, 114) having a length dimension (116, 118, 120, 122),
- wherein a strip (124) of essentially non-elastic material extends the entire length dimension along said longitudinally extending peripheral margin of at least one transversely opposed pair of said side panels (38, 40;
- 96, 98).
The absorbent article as claimed in 21, wherein said strip (124) of essentially non-elastic material is affixed to both the first major surface (42, 46, 100, 104) and the second major surface (44, 48, 102, 106) of each side panel (38, 40, 96, 98).
The absorbent article as claimed in 21 or 22, wherein a fastening means (126) is attached to the strip (124) of essentially non-elastic material on the first and second side panels (38, 40).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.