US 5,643,396 A · Apparatus for fabricating garments

Abstract

This invention pertains to apparatus for use in constructing a garment including a stretched elastic. Specifically, the invention contemplates incorporating stretched elastic into a continuous web, including one or more segments which exert retractive forces in directions counterproductive to the function of either the web, the garment, or both, and nullifying that portion of the stretched elastic which would be counterproductive. The elastics may be cut at appropriate loci. The stretch may be intermittently reduced or eliminated on one or more selected ones of the elastics as the elastics are incorporated into the web. A special coating may be used on the processing rolls to maintain the width dimension of the web at loci disposed after incorporation of elastic stretched across the transverse dimension of the web. Transverse bonds may be formed on the web using a rotary carrying drum, and energy application devices which rotate with the drum, to increase bond forming time.

Claims61

Dependent claims

A processing system for use in constructing a garment, as one of a series of consecutive workpieces in a continuous web, each workpiece having front and back body portions, separated by a crotch portion therebetween, the workpiece being disposed in a transverse orientation in the web, with the front and back body portions on opposing sides of the web, said processing system comprising:

(a) apparatus for stretching at least one elastic;
(b) apparatus for incorporating the at least one stretched elastic into the continuous web in stretched condition;
(c) apparatus for relieving stretch in the at least one elastic at the crotch portion of each respective workpiece in the web, while maintaining the stretch in at least one of the at least one elastic at a second portion of each respective workpiece;
(d) apparatus for folding the web such that the front and back body portions of the respective workpieces are in face-to-face relationship with each other;
(e) apparatus for forming side seam bonds, thereby joining the front body portion to the back body portion, in the web, after the folding of the web:
and
(f) apparatus for severing the respective workpiece from the web after the forming of the side seam bonds, thereby to provide the garment.

4 more elements

A processing system for use in constructing a garment including elastic, as one of a series of consecutive workpieces in a continuous web, each respective workpiece having front and back body portions, separated by a crotch portion, said processing system comprising:

(a) apparatus for stretching first and second leg elastics;
(b) apparatus for incorporating the first and second stretched leg elastics into the continuous web in stretched condition;
and
(c) apparatus for stretching third leg elastic, orienting the third leg elastic in a direction transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the web, and, while maintaining the stretched third leg elastic in the transverse orientation, incorporating the stretched third leg elastic along opposing edges of the crotch portion such that opposing portions of the third leg elastic are disposed on opposing sides of the crotch portion adjacent respective ones of the first and second leg elastics, to thereby provide effective continuity of stretching capacity at the respective leg openings between the third leg elastic and respective ones of the first and second leg elastics.

1 more element

A processing system for use in constructing a garment including elastic therein, as one of a series of consecutive workpieces in a continuous web having a width dimension, said processing system comprising:

(a) apparatus for stretching elastic;
(b) apparatus for incorporating the elastic into the continuous web in stretched condition on a first rotary transport device having a first outer working surface effective to inhibit shrinkage of the web in the width dimension on said first rotary transport device without use of suction;
and
(c) apparatus for relieving stretch in the elastic at a first portion of each respective workpiece in the web, while maintaining stretch in the elastic at a second portion of each respective workpiece.

1 more element

A processing system for use in constructing a garment including elastic therein, as one of a series of consecutive workpieces in a continuous web, said processing system comprising:

(a) apparatus for stretching a continuous elastic;
(b) apparatus for incorporating the stretched continuous elastic into the continuous web;
and
(c) apparatus for relieving stretch in the elastic at a first portion of each respective workpiece in the web, said apparatus for relieving stretch comprising a dancer roll controlling tension in the elastic as the elastic is being incorporated into the continuous web, said apparatus for relieving stretch including apparatus for applying a first active force to the dancer roll in a first direction and a second active force in a second opposite direction, in cycles, each cycle corresponding to the advance of one of the workpieces in the continuous web into said processing system, each cycle thus causing movement of said dancer roll, including (i) corresponding relieving of tension in the continuous elastic as the elastic is incorporated into the web at the first portion of the corresponding workpiece, and (ii) imposing of tension as the elastic is incorporated into the web at a second portion of the workpiece.

1 more element

A processing system for use in constructing a garment, as one of a series of consecutive workpieces in a continuous web, the workpieces having front and back body portions, and a crotch portion therebetween, said processing system comprising:

(a) apparatus for stretching at least one elastic;
(b) apparatus for incorporating the at least one stretched elastic into the continuous web in stretched condition;
and
(c) apparatus for relieving stretch in the at least one elastic at the crotch portion of each respective workpiece in the web, while maintaining the stretch in the at least one elastic at front and back body portions of each respective workpiece, said apparatus for relieving stretch comprising an ultrasonic energy application device for applying ultrasonic energy to the outer surface of the workpiece at at least one selected locus at the crotch portion, sufficient to effect severing of the at least one stretched elastic without corresponding severing of the continuous web.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for fabricating garments

Life of this patent

Apparatus for fabricating garments

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims61