Patents by Inventor Heather Mortell

Heather Mortell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070255248
    Abstract: An array of disposable absorbent articles adapted for a user in a particular life stage, the array manufactured by or for the same business entity. The array includes a shell-covered absorbent garment comprising a shell and an absorbent member, and a non-covered absorbent garment. The array is adapted to correspond to different types of discretion due to differences such as opacity, looseness, and/or wearer coverage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Cynthia Hendren, James Schermerhorn, Erica Mullen, Mark Franke, Matthew Fitton, Heather Mortell
  • Publication number: 20050210566
    Abstract: A method of making a boxer-style pant having side seams, a contracted crotch region and hanging legs. A flat web is provided. Portions are removed from the flat web to define leg openings. The flat web is then contracted either elastically or inelastically in selected areas along the flat web between the leg openings. The flat web is cut into separate pieces, folded and side seams are formed. The pant may include an absorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Heather Mortell, Joseph Coenen, Robert Popp
  • Publication number: 20050145150
    Abstract: A distinctive process for making a garment having a waist opening and a pair of hanging legs is disclosed. The process includes providing a first web and a second web and joining the first web and the second web to provide a crotch seam. Portions of the webs may also be removed to provide a crotch gap. The first web is drawn from the second web and at least a portion of the webs are slit to provide a garment chassis. Edges of the garment chassis may be fastened together to provide the garment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Heather Mortell, Joseph Coenen
  • Publication number: 20050133150
    Abstract: A method for bonding a strip, such as a leg elastic or the like, to an opening on a web of material. The method includes providing a web that includes at least one opening and defines at least a first bonding surface adjacent each opening. For each opening the method includes: deforming the web to modify the shape of the opening, providing a strip defining a second bonding surface, bonding together at least portions of the first and second bonding surfaces of the modified opening and relaxing the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: David VanEperen, Joseph Coenen, Jack Couillard, Walter Mattingly, Robert Popp, Heather Mortell
  • Publication number: 20050120465
    Abstract: A boxer-style pant and a method of making a boxer-style pant having side seams, a contracted crotch region, and hanging legs. A web is provided. The web may be a single pant assembly, or a continuous web of multiple pant assemblies connected to one another. The web may be folded against a support structure. In certain embodiments, a multi-lane production system may be used wherein the web is folded against multiple support structures each parallel to a direction in which the web is conveyed, with each lane or machine direction array of pant assemblies folded against just one support structure. The web is cut to define leg openings, and contracted in selected areas along the web between the leg openings. Front and back regions are then joined together to form the side seams. An absorbent structure may be attached to the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventors: Mark Franke, Heather Mortell, Joseph Coenen, Robert Popp
  • Publication number: 20050120466
    Abstract: A boxer-style pant and a method of making a boxer-style pant having side seams and hanging legs. Expandable material is used to provide a conforming fit and to expedite high-speed manufacture. The pant is made from a web and includes a garment shell having a front region, a back region, and a crotch region positioned between the front and back regions. The side seams connect the front region to the back region. The garment shell may be essentially composed of an expandable material that is selectively expanded in certain areas of the garment, and/or an expandable material may be attached to the garment shell in the crotch region and/or in the back region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventors: Joseph Coenen, Robert Popp, Heather Mortell
  • Publication number: 20050102735
    Abstract: A boxer-style pant and methods of making a boxer-style pant having side seams and hanging legs. At least a portion of each of the hanging legs may be non-planar in an uncontracted state prior to formation of the side seams. The methods each involve providing at least one web. In some methods, a crotch panel is bonded to first and second regions of the web between two leg openings, and a distance between bonded regions of upper and lower edges of the crotch panel, measured parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pant, is shorter along a central region of the crotch panel and longer in distal regions of the crotch panel, such that the bonded region results in a bow-tie-shaped crotch panel. In some methods, a crotch region of the web is folded and stabilized along a longitudinal centerline of the web. In some methods, leg extensions are attached to at least a portion of each of two leg openings. Front and back regions may be joined together to form the side seams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: Robert Popp, Joseph Coenen, Heather Mortell, James Pinkney, Lars Nordang, James Schermerhorn
  • Publication number: 20050091731
    Abstract: A boxer-style pant and a method of making a boxer-style pant having side seams, a contracted crotch region, and hanging legs. A web is provided. The web is cut along transversely opposed edges of the web to define leg openings. The leg openings may be formed by cutting slits along the transversely opposed edges of the web. The web is contracted in a selected area between the leg openings. Front and back regions are then joined together to form the side seams. An absorbent structure may be attached to the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Mark Franke, Kathleen Ratliff, Heather Mortell, Robert Popp, Joseph Coenen