# US 2010/0168706 A1 · Method for Manufacturing an Absorbent Article > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168706 A1 - Document ID: US20100168706A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/600,772 - Filed: 2007-06-26 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-26 - Assignees: SCA Hygiene Products AB - Inventors: Dragorad Vasic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168706A1 ## CPC - A61F 13/15772: {Control} - A61F 13/15756: {Applying tabs, strips, tapes, loops; Knotting the ends of pads} - A61F 13/49014: {the elastic means is located at the side panels} - A61F 13/5633: {open type diaper} - Y10T 156/1052: with cutting, punching, tearing or severing - Y10T 156/1056: Perforating lamina - Y10T 156/1057: Subsequent to assembly of laminae - Y10T 156/1062: Prior to assembly - Y10T 156/108: Flash, trim or excess removal - Y10T 156/1084: of continuous or running length bonded web - Y10T 156/1085: One web only - Y10T 156/1087: Continuous longitudinal slitting - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a web (54) of topsheet material, and applying said web of topsheet material to said initial united structure (50), to thereby form a subsequent united structure (56). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of: severing said subsequent united structure (56) in said transverse direction to thereby divide said first and second side panels (38, 40). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2) The method as claimed in claim 1 and 2, comprising the steps of: with respect to each absorbent structure (28), providing a third side panel (96) having a first major surface (100) and a second major surface (102); applying said first major surface (100) of said third side panel (96) to said first lateral margin (18) of said web (12) at a distance from said first side panel (38) such that said first major surface contacts said first stabilizing strip (32), with respect to each absorbent structure (28), providing a fourth side panel (98) having a first major surface (104) and a second major surface (106), and applying said first major surface (104) of said fourth side panel to said second lateral margin (20) of said web (12) at a distance from said second side panel (40) such that said first major surface contacts said second stabilizing strip (34). ### Claim 5 The method as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein said first and second side panels (38, 40) are substantially identical. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4, 5) The method as claimed in claim 5 when dependent on claim 4, wherein said third and fourth side panels (96, 98) are substantially identical. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first and second side panels (38, 40) are different to said third and fourth side panels (96, 98). ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first and second stabilizing strips (32, 34) are made on nonwoven material having a basis weight of from about 30 g/m2 to 70 g/m2, preferably about 50 g/m2. ### Claim 11 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). ### Claim 12 (depends on 4, 11) The method as claimed in claim 11 when dependent on at least claim 4, wherein said first major surface (100) of said third side panel (96) 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 (104) of said fourth side panel (98) 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), in which the step of folding said first and second stabilizing strips (32, 34) causes said first stabilizing strip to also contact said second major surface (102) of said third side panel (96) and said second stabilizing strip to also contact said second major surface (106) of said fourth side panel (98). ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The method as claimed in any one of claim 4 and any claim dependent thereon, comprising the steps of: severing said subsequent united structure (56) in said transverse direction at a location along said web (12) between said first and third (38, 96) and second and fourth (40, 98) side panels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3, 13) The method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 13, wherein said step of severing said subsequent united structure (56) is effected at a location between adjacent absorbent structures (28). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein prior to severing said subsequent united structure (56), material constituting said first and second stabilizing strips (32, 34) extending between adjacent side panels is removed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein removal of said material occurs during formation of leg openings (146) by removal of material from at least one transversely opposed pair of side panels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said formation of leg openings (146) includes removal of topsheet material and backsheet material. ### Claim 18 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). ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The absorbent article as claimed in claim 18, wherein said strip (124) of essentially non-elastic material extends the entire length dimension (116, 118) of said first and second side panels (38, 40). ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The absorbent article as claimed in claim 19, wherein said strip (124) of essentially non-elastic material further extends the entire length dimension (120, 122) of said third and fourth side panels (96, 98). ### Claim 21 (depends on 18, 19, 20) The absorbent article as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein said strip (124) of essentially non-elastic material is affixed to the first major surface (42, 46, 100, 104) of each side panel (38, 40, 96, 98). ### Claim 22 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). ### Claim 23 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). ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The absorbent article as claimed in claim 23, wherein said fastening means is constituted by a fastening tab (132). ### Claim 25 (depends on 20, 23) The absorbent article of claim 23 when dependent on claim 20, wherein said fastening means (126) is constituted by a first seal between the first and third side panels (38, 96) and a second seal between the second and fourth side panels (40, 98) to thereby form a pants-type garment. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) The absorbent article as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein said first and second side panels (38, 40) constitute belt halves to thereby form a belted absorbent article. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) The absorbent article as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 26, wherein said first and second side panels (38, 40) exhibit elastic properties at least in the transverse direction. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The absorbent article as claimed in claim 27, wherein said elastic properties are conferred to said first and second side panels (38, 40) by the provision of a region of elastic material (134). ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The absorbent article as claimed in claim 28, wherein said region of elastic material (134) is constituted by an elastic laminate (136) comprising a first layer (138) of fibrous material and an elastic film layer (140). ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The absorbent article as claimed in claim 29, wherein said elastic laminate (136) further comprises a second layer (142) of fibrous material, with said elastic film layer (140) being located between said first and second layers of fibrous material. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30) The absorbent article as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 30, wherein said third and fourth side panels (96, 98) are of essentially non-elastic material.