Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a pre-fastened adjustable pant-like disposable absorbent undergarment including a fully or partially severed front body panel is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a moving web and passes through a fastener attachment station to define a leading portion of the moving web and a trailing portion of the moving web at a location under the fastener assembly. The moving web is then passed through a laser cutting station to cut to web, such that the leading portion and trailing portion remains bridged together by the fastener assembly without damaging the fastener assembly.

Abstract: A refastenable absorbent garment comprises a body panel comprising a non-woven material, and preferably a non-woven spunbond material having a pattern of discrete bonded areas. The body panel has a non-elasticized area. A hook-type fastener member comprises a high-density array of hooks with a hook density of at least about 60 hooks per square centimeter. At least a portion of the array of hooks is engaged with the non-woven material at the non-elasticized area of the body panel. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, between about 5% and 25% of the non-woven spunbond material comprises the bonded area. In another preferred embodiment, the non-woven spunbond material has a basis weight of between about 0.3 osy and about 2.0 osy. A method for making the absorbent garment, and for securing the absorbent garment to a user, also are provided.

Abstract: A method of tucking a pair of side panels into a body portion of a pant-like garment in which the fold locations can be controlled. The garment is positioned between an upper vacuum conveyor and a lower vacuum conveyor. Opposing vacuum zones from the upper and lower conveyors hold a front region of the garment away from a back region of the garment. While the garment is in the opened, or pulled apart, position, the side panels are pushed between the front and back regions toward one another.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembly of extensible composite webs and web sausages, and personal care articles manufactured from such webs. The invention comprises fabricating a resiliently extensible web by bringing together and securing to each other as discrete elements, intervening web substrate elements between resiliently stretchable elastic elements. Securement between elastic elements and web substrate elements is defined by alternating zones of securement and non-securement along a length of the web substrate. The invention comprises deactivating elastic elements in the non-securement zones thereby to retract elastic strands in the non-securement zones without retracting the corresponding web or webs in such non-securement zones, and correspondingly, to distinguish the securement zones as relatively more resiliently stretchable and the non-securement zones as relatively less resiliently stretchable.

Abstract: A method of tucking a pair of side panels into a body portion of a pant-like garment in which the fold locations can be controlled. The garment is positioned between an upper vacuum conveyor and a lower vacuum conveyor. Opposing vacuum zones from the upper and lower conveyors hold a front region of the garment away from a back region of the garment. While the garment is in the opened, or pulled apart, position, the side panels are pushed between the front and back regions toward one another.

Abstract: A method of tucking a pair of refastenable side seams into a body portion of a pant-like garment in which the fold locations can be controlled and the likelihood of creases occurring in the fastening components is reduced or eliminated. The garment is positioned either on one vacuum conveyor or between an upper vacuum conveyor and a lower vacuum conveyor. Vacuum zones from the conveyors hold the garment in place. While the garment is held by the vacuum zones, the refastenable side seams are pushed between the front and back regions toward one another with the fastening components being placed in a flat configuration.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembly of extensible composite webs and web sausages, and personal care articles manufactured from such webs. The invention comprises fabricating a resiliently extensible web by bringing together and securing to each other as discrete elements, intervening web substrate elements between resiliently stretchable elastic elements. Securement between elastic elements and web substrate elements is defined by alternating zones of securement and non-securement along a length of the web substrate. The invention comprises deactivating elastic elements in the non-securement zones thereby to retract elastic strands in the non-securement zones without retracting the corresponding web or webs in such non-securement zones, and correspondingly, to distinguish the securement zones as relatively more resiliently stretchable and the non-securement zones as relatively less resiliently stretchable.

Abstract: A method of tucking a pair of side panels into a body portion of a pant-like garment in which the fold locations can be controlled. The garment is positioned between an upper vacuum conveyor and a lower vacuum conveyor. Opposing vacuum zones from the upper and lower conveyors hold a front region of the garment away from a back region of the garment. While the garment is in the opened, or pulled apart, position, the side panels are pushed between the front and back regions toward one another.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembly of extensible composite webs and web sausages, and personal care articles manufactured from such webs. The invention comprises fabricating a resiliently extensible web by bringing together and securing to each other as discrete elements, intervening web substrate elements between resiliently stretchable elastic elements. Securement between elastic elements and web substrate elements is defined by alternating zones of securement and non-securement along a length of the web substrate. The invention comprises deactivating elastic elements in the non-securement zones thereby to retract elastic strands in the non-securement zones without retracting the corresponding web or webs in such non-securement zones, and correspondingly, to distinguish the securement zones as relatively more resiliently stretchable and the non-securement zones as relatively less resiliently stretchable.

Abstract: A refastenable absorbent garment comprises a body panel comprising a non-woven material, and preferably a non-woven spunbond material having a pattern of discrete bonded areas. The body panel has a non-elasticized area. A hook-type fastener member comprises a high-density array of hooks with a hook density of at least about 60 hooks per square centimeter. At least a portion of the array of hooks is engaged with the non-woven material at the non-elasticized area of the body panel. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, between about 5% and 25% of the non-woven spunbond material comprises the bonded area. In another preferred embodiment, the non-woven spunbond material has a basis weight of between about 0.3 osy and about 2.0 osy. A method for making the absorbent garment, and for securing the absorbent garment to a user, also are provided.

Abstract: A method of tucking a pair of refastenable side seams into a body portion of a pant-like garment in which the fold locations can be controlled and the likelihood of creases occurring in the fastening components is reduced or eliminated. The garment is positioned either on one vacuum conveyor or between an upper vacuum conveyor and a lower vacuum conveyor. Vacuum zones from the conveyors hold the garment in place. While the garment is held by the vacuum zones, the refastenable side seams are pushed between the front and back regions toward one another with the fastening components being placed in a flat configuration.

Abstract: A method of tucking a pair of side panels into a body portion of a pant-like garment in which the fold locations can be controlled. The garment is positioned between an upper vacuum conveyor and a lower vacuum conveyor. Opposing vacuum zones from the upper and lower conveyors hold a front region of the garment away from a back region of the garment. While the garment is in the opened, or pulled apart, position, the side panels are pushed between the front and back regions toward one another.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembly of extensible composite webs and web sausages, and personal care articles manufactured from such webs. The invention comprises fabricating a resiliently extensible web by bringing together and securing to each other as discrete elements, intervening web substrate elements between resiliently stretchable elastic elements. Securement between elastic elements and web substrate elements is defined by alternating zones of securement and non-securement along a length of the web substrate. The invention comprises deactivating elastic elements in the non-securement zones thereby to retract elastic strands in the non-securement zones without retracting the corresponding web or webs in such non-securement zones, and correspondingly, to distinguish the securement zones as relatively more resiliently stretchable and the non-securement zones as relatively less resiliently stretchable.

Abstract: A quantitative method of evaluating swimwear for underwater leakage using a mechanical test mannequin, a water tank, a fluorescent bowel movement simulant, and a fluorescence meter. More particularly, a swimwear garment is applied to the mannequin, the fluorescent bowel movement simulant is inserted into the swimwear garment, the mannequin and the swimwear garment are submersed into water within the water tank, and a motion mechanism attached to the mannequin moves the mannequin up and down, thereby simulating typical water play movements. The fluorescence meter can be used to quantitatively determine the amount of leakage of the fluorescent bowel movement simulant from the swimwear garment.

Abstract: A quantitative method of evaluating swimwear for underwater leakage using a mechanical test mannequin, a water tank, a fluorescent bowel movement simulant, and a fluorescence meter. More particularly, a swimwear garment is applied to the mannequin, the fluorescent bowel movement simulant is inserted into the swimwear garment, the mannequin and the swimwear garment are submersed into water within the water tank, and a motion mechanism attached to the mannequin moves the mannequin up and down, thereby simulating typical water play movements. The fluorescence meter can be used to quantitatively determine the amount of leakage of the fluorescent bowel movement simulant from the swimwear garment.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a universal packaging bag that has a window through which a component on a product can be visually perceived. The method provides for the bag to be used on differently designed bagging machines, such a right-handed bagging machine or a left-handed bagging machine.

Abstract: A universal flexible packaging bag is provided that contains a stack of products, such as a plurality of disposable absorbent training pants, in which each product has a component, such as a graphic on a front panel of a training pant, that is to be visually perceived through a window in the bag. The bag is uniquely designed to accommodate differently designed bagging machines, such as a right-handed bagging machine and a left-handed bagging machine, so that a stack of products can be positioned in the bag such that the component is visible through the window.

Abstract: A flexible polymer packaging bag is provided with an easy-open end seal feature for easily tearing through a fused seal. The bag has a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, in which the walls form an interior space. A stack of articles are contained in the interior space. A seal is in one of the walls and includes at least one seal area and at least one weakened zone. A frangible line for opening the bag is in the one wall and intersects the seal at the weakened zone, so that the frangible line can be easily tom where it intersects the seal.

Abstract: A universal flexible packaging bag is provided that contains a stack of products, such as a plurality of disposable absorbent training pants, in which each product has a component, such as a graphic on a front panel of a training pant, that is to be visually perceived through a window in the bag. The bag is uniquely designed to accommodate differently designed bagging machines, such as a right-handed bagging machine and a left-handed bagging machine, so that a stack of products can be positioned in the bag such that the component is visible through the window.