Abstract: A method of manufacturing an undergarment includes moving a web of body panel material in a machine direction and cutting the web of body panel material along the machine direction to form front and rear body panel webs each having a maximum rise and a minimum rise respectively. The method further includes shifting at least one of the rear and front body panel webs in the machine direction and thereby aligning the maximum rises of the rear and front body panel webs. The method further includes centering a crotch member with the maximum rises of the rear and front body panel webs and connecting the crotch member to a garment side surface of the front and rear body panel webs. The crotch member includes a base panel having opposite side edges and at least a pair of folds extending from the side edges of the base panel.

Abstract: A disposable undergarment includes a front body panel having a pair of opposite first side edges, a first waist edge and a first crotch edge spaced from said first waist edge. A rear body panel has a pair of opposite second side edges, a second waist edge and a second crotch edge spaced from said second waist edge. The crotch edges of each of the front and rear body panel webs includes at least one peak and at least one valley. Each of the front and rear body panels have a minimum rise defined between the valley of each of the respective front and rear body panels and the first and second waist edges respectively. The valleys defining the minimum rises form at least in part leg opening portions of the front and rear body panels. The crotch edges of the front and rear body panels are spaced apart and form a gap therebetween in a non-overlapping relationship. A crotch member bridges the gap and has opposite end portions connected to the front and rear body panels respectively.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an undergarment includes moving a web of body panel material in a machine direction and cutting the web of body panel material along the machine direction to form front and rear body panel webs each having a maximum rise and a minimum rise respectively. The method further includes shifting at least one of the rear and front body panel webs in the machine direction and thereby aligning the maximum rises of the rear and front body panel webs. The method further includes centering a crotch member with the maximum rises of the rear and front body panel webs and connecting the crotch member to a garment side surface of the front and rear body panel webs. The crotch member includes a base panel having opposite side edges and at least a pair of folds extending from the side edges of the base panel.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent garment includes a front body panel having a first waist edge and a first crotch edge defining a first lobe having a first profile in plan view that extends outwardly relative to the first waist edge. The first lobe has a first maximum rise along a first direction at substantially a centerline of the front body panel. A rear body panel has a second waist edge and a second crotch edge defining a second lobe having a second profile in plan view that extends outwardly relative to the second waist edge. The second lobe has a second maximum rise along the first direction at substantially a centerline of the rear body panel. The first lobe of the front body panel is aligned with the second lobe of said rear body panel. A crotch member is aligned with and overlaps the first and second lobes of the front and rear body panels respectively.

Abstract: An absorbent garment includes an extensible backsheet having opposite side regions, a liquid permeable topsheet having opposite side portions, and a retention portion having opposite side edges and an inner surface defining an area. The retention portion is disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet with the inner surface facing the topsheet and with the opposite side portions of the backsheet and the topsheet extending beyond the side edges of the retention portion. The opposite side portions of the topsheet are attached to the opposite side portions of the backsheet on opposite sides of the retention portion. Less than 30% of the area of the inner surface of the retention portion is attached to the topsheet. A method for absorbing bodily exudates with an absorbent garment is also provided.

Abstract: An absorbent garment includes a chassis having first and second layers and an elastic core sandwiched therebetween. The chassis defines front and rear body panels each having elastic regions exhibiting a substantially permanent deformation of at least about 10% when elongated 80% for a period of 30 minutes at 37° C. and 60% relative humidity and then allowed to relax under a zero applied force. An absorbent composite is coupled to the chassis.

Abstract: A disposable undergarment includes a front body panel having a pair of opposite first side edges, a first waist edge and a first crotch edge spaced from said first waist edge. A rear body panel has a pair of opposite second side edges, a second waist edge and a second crotch edge spaced from said second waist edge. The crotch edges of each of the front and rear body panel webs includes at least one peak and at least one valley. Each of the front and rear body panels have a minimum rise defined between the valley of each of the respective front and rear body panels and the first and second waist edges respectively. The valleys defining the minimum rises form at least in part leg opening portions of the front and rear body panels. The crotch edges of the front and rear body panels are spaced apart and form a gap therebetween in a non-overlapping relationship. A crotch member bridges the gap and has opposite end portions connected to the front and rear body panels respectively.

Abstract: An undergarment includes a body panel and an crotch member. The crotch member includes first and second terminal edges and laterally opposed side edges. The crotch member has a longitudinally extending length defined between the first and second terminal edges. The crotch member is connected to the body panel at an attachment location, which is longitudinally spaced along the length of the crotch member from the first terminal edge thereof. The crotch member includes an unattached end portion that extends between the attachment location and the first terminal edge and that is unattached to the body panel. Methods of using and manufacturing the undergarment are also provided.

Abstract: A method of assembling an expandable absorbent garment includes providing an absorbent composite having a length, opposite ends and opposite side regions. The absorbent composite includes a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between the backsheet and topsheet. The backsheet includes at least one fold formed along at least one of the opposite side regions, wherein the absorbent composite is laterally expandable at least at the opposite ends thereof. The at least one fold of the backsheet is unfoldable along at least the opposite ends of the absorbent composite.

Abstract: An absorbent garment includes a body panel comprising a liquid permeable, non-woven material. The non-woven material is elastically gathered and is elongatable between a non-elongated condition and an elongated condition in response to an application of a tensile force. Preferably, the body panel is elongatable at least 75% between the non-elongated condition and the elongated condition upon the application of the tensile force. A fastener includes an adhesive that releasably engages the elastically gathered non-woven material. The fastener is releasably disengageable from the body panel in response to an application of a disengaging shear force. Preferably, the disengaging shear force is greater than the tensile force. Methods for manufacturing and using the absorbent garment are also provided.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article is disclosed having stretchable front and back regions each having a first scalloped end, a second end, a first side edge, a second side edge, an interior surface and an exterior surface. An absorbent assembly is secured to the interior surfaces of the front and back regions. A waist band is secured to the exterior surfaces of the front and back regions and each of a pair of leg bands is secured to the interior surface of one of the front and back regions. The absorbent article further includes a pair of seams joining the front and back regions together along the first and second side edges to form an absorbent article having a waist opening with a scalloped edge and a pair of leg openings.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disposable undergarment includes elongating a body panel material in a first direction to an elongated condition, attaching a crotch member to the body panel material while the body panel material is in the elongated condition, and retracting the body panel material in the first direction from the elongated condition to a relaxed condition.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disposable undergarment includes moving a web of body panel material in a longitudinal machine direction, cutting the web of body panel material along the longitudinal machine direction and thereby forming a rear body panel web and a front body panel web, each having a respective inner edge including peaks and valleys. Each of the front and rear body panel webs has a minimum rise forming at least in part leg opening portions of the front and rear body panel webs. The method further includes separating the front and rear body panel webs in a lateral cross direction, and bridging the gap between the crotch portions of the front and rear body panel webs with a crotch member, but with the crotch member not covering the valleys defining the minimum rises of each of the front and rear body panel webs. A disposable undergarment is also provided.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article is disclosed having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. The absorbent article has first, second and third pairs of leg elastics secured between an outer cover and an inner liner. The first, second and third leg elastics are arranged around each of the pair of leg openings with each of the third pair of leg elastics being positioned intermediate one of each of the first and second pairs of leg elastics. Each of the third pair of leg elastics is also separated from one of the first pair of leg elastics by a first gap and from one of the second pair of leg elastics by a second gap.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article is disclosed having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. The absorbent article has first, second and third pairs of leg elastics secured between an outer cover and an inner liner. The first, second and third leg elastics are arranged around each of the pair of leg openings with each of the third pair of leg elastics being positioned intermediate one of each of the first and second pairs of leg elastics. Each of the third pair of leg elastics is also separated from one of the first pair of leg elastics by a first gap and from one of the second pair of leg elastics by a second gap.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disposable undergarment includes elongating a body panel material in a first direction to an elongated condition, attaching a crotch member to the body panel material while the body panel material is in the elongated condition, and retracting the body panel material in the first direction from the elongated condition to a relaxed condition. A disposable undergarment, and a method for using the garment, are also provided.

Abstract: An undergarment includes a body panel and an crotch member. The crotch member includes first and second terminal edges and laterally opposed side edges. The crotch member has a longitudinally extending length defined between the first and second terminal edges. The crotch member is connected to the body panel at an attachment location, which is longitudinally spaced along the length of the crotch member from the first terminal edge thereof. The crotch member includes an unattached end portion that extends between the attachment location and the first terminal edge and that is unattached to the body panel. Methods of using and manufacturing the undergarment are also provided.

Abstract: An absorbent garment includes an extensible backsheet having opposite side regions, a liquid permeable topsheet having opposite side portions, and a retention portion having opposite side edges and an inner surface defining an area. The retention portion is disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet with the inner surface facing the topsheet and with the opposite side portions of the backsheet and the topsheet extending beyond the side edges of the retention portion. The opposite side portions of the topsheet are attached to the opposite side portions of the backsheet on opposite sides of the retention portion. Less than 30% of the area of the inner surface of the retention portion is attached to the topsheet. A method for absorbing bodily exudates with an absorbent garment is also provided.

Abstract: An absorbent garment comprising a longitudinally extending and laterally expandable absorbent composite having opposite ends and opposite side regions. The absorbent composite comprises a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. In one preferred embodiment, the backsheet and retention portion each comprise at least one fold formed along at least one of the opposite side regions, with the folds being interfolded. A pair of front body panels are attached to the opposite side regions of the absorbent composite adjacent one of the opposite ends of said absorbent composite and a pair of rear body panels are attached to the opposite side regions adjacent the other of the opposite ends of the absorbent composite. In a preferred embodiment, the front and rear body panels are joined to form a pair of side body panels. A method for using the absorbent garment also is provided, together with a method for assembling the absorbent garment.