Abstract: A method is presented for altering a portion of a substrate. The method includes providing a first device including an outer surface and a second device including a source of vibration energy. The method also includes forming a nip between the source of vibration energy and the outer surface. The method also includes conveying the substrate through the nip and intermittently altering the portion of the substrate in the nip to create a pattern of altered areas forming a shape. The altered areas have a pattern balance that includes one or more of: an average area of the substrate altered in the nip is within a threshold range across the portion of the substrate; and a simple area of integral areas within the altered areas is within a threshold range across the portion of the substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising first and second belts. Longitudinally opposing end regions of the absorbent chassis are connected with the first and second belts, and a portion of the chassis that overlaps an inner wearer facing surface of the first belt may define a chassis overlap region. In turn, the chassis overlap region comprises an adherence region, where adhesive is positioned between the chassis and the inner wearer facing surface of the first belt and permanently bonds the chassis with the first belt. The adherence region may comprise a first adherence zone adjacent an inner edge of the first belt, a second adherence zone adjacent a first end edge of the chassis, and a third adherence zone positioned longitudinally between the first adherence zone and the second adherence zone. The adherence region may define a separable region, which may be in the form of a pocket.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including elastic laminates, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for making absorbent articles having elastic laminates in front and/or back waist regions with frangible pathways.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprise a first belt and a second belt with frangible pathways. An accessibility opening may also be positioned in the first and/or second belt, and a fastener component may be connected with the belt adjacent the accessibility opening. Such frangible pathway configurations provide a feature that allows an elastic belt of a diaper pant to be relatively easily torn along the frangible pathway when removing the diaper pant from a wearer, and the fastener component may provide a feature that helps maintain a used diaper pant in a disposal configuration. An absorbent article may also comprise opening facilitation features, such as opening operational indicia and opening mechanical aids, and combinations thereof. Such opening facilitation features may help a user to successfully determine the location and/or function of the fastener component and frangible pathway and/or successfully complete pant opening operations.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including elastic laminates and to methods and apparatuses for making absorbent articles having elastic laminates in front and/or back waist regions with frangible pathways.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising a first belt and a second belt, comprising one or more frangible pathways. A fastener component may be positioned on the inner wearer facing surface of the first belt and/or second belt, and an accessibility opening in the first belt and/or the second belt may be positioned adjacent the fastener component and the inner edge of the first belt and/or the second belt. Positioning fastener components on the inner wearing facing surface of the first belt and/or the second belt helps to conceal the fastener component from the wearer while wearing the diaper pant. Positioning the accessibility opening adjacent the fastener component may help a caregiver successfully determine the location of and access such hidden disposal fastener components. An absorbent article may also comprise opening facilitation features to help a user to successfully determine the location and/or function of the fastener component.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including a first belt and a second belt, the first belt and/or the second belt comprising one or more frangible pathways. Each of the one or more substrates forming the belt has a material tear strength and the frangible pathway has a pathway tear strength. The material tear strength is greater than the pathway tear strength such that when a user tears along the one or more frangible pathways the tear propagates along the frangible pathway rather than in an unintended tear direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to diaper pants having a first belt and a second belt with one or more frangible pathways. A frangible pathway may extend between inner edge and outer edges of a belt. A grip region comprising an accessibility opening may be positioned between the inner and outer edges of the belt. The frangible pathway may comprise a first tear zone and a second tear zone extending from the accessibility opening to a distal terminus and to a proximal terminus. Such frangible pathway configurations provide a feature that allows a belt of a diaper pant to be relatively easily torn along the frangible pathway. Once torn along the frangible pathway, the diaper pant may be removed from a wearer and rolled up for disposal. A fastener component may be connected with another portion of the diaper pant to help maintain the diaper pant in a disposal configuration.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including a first belt and a second belt, the first belt and/or the second belt comprising one or more frangible pathways. The frangible pathway may comprise a first tear zone and a second tear zone extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the first belt. The diaper pant may be configured such the tear strength of the belt is greater than the tear strength of the frangible pathway so that a first tear line propagating along the first tear zone and a second tear line propagating along the second tear zone are inclined to tear along the frangible pathway rather than in an unintended tear direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including a first belt and a second belt. The first belt and/or the second belt may comprise a first region and a second region, wherein the first region comprises a first number of layers of substrates and the second region comprises a second number of layers of substrates, wherein the first number of layers substrates is greater than second number of layers of substrates. In addition, the first belt and/or the second belt may comprise one or more frangible pathways comprising first lines of weakness positioned in the first region, second lines of weakness positioned in the second region, and at least one transition line of weakness extending partially through the first region and the second region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including elastic laminates, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for making absorbent articles having elastic laminates in front and/or back waist regions with frangible pathways.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising a first belt and a second belt, which may include a frangible pathway comprising lines of weakness. The belts may also comprise elastic strands positioned between and connected with a first substrate and a second substrate. The elastic strands may be severed at the lines of weakness, and the cut elastic strands may be continuously bonded between the first substrate and the second substrate. The arrangements of the frangible pathways relative to belt elastic positions herein may be configured to help ensure the belts may be relatively easily torn along the frangible pathways without the need to also tear uncut elastic strands.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles having a first belt and a second belt with one or more frangible pathways. A frangible pathway may extend between a proximal terminus on an inner edge of a belt and a distal terminus on an outer edge of the belt. A grip region comprising an accessibility opening may be positioned between the inner and outer edges of the belt. The frangible pathway may comprise a first tear zone and a second tear zone extending from the accessibility opening to the distal terminus and to the proximal terminus. Such frangible pathway configurations provide a feature that allows a belt of a diaper pant to be relatively easily torn along the frangible pathway when removing the diaper pant from a wearer. The frangible pathway may be configured to allow a caregiver to initiate and/or completely tear the first belt with one hand.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including a first belt and a second belt, the first belt and/or the second belt comprising one or more frangible pathways. The frangible pathway may comprise a first tear zone extending from an accessibility opening to a distal terminus, and a second tear zone extending from the accessibility opening to a proximal terminus. The diaper pant may also be configured such that a first tear line propagating along the first tear zone and a second tear line propagating along the second tear zone may reach the distal terminus and the proximal terminus, respectively, at the same time or about the same time.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to absorbent articles with waist panels forming a pocket and bonding arrangements defining reinforced zones. A waist panel may be connected with an absorbent chassis. The waist panel may be bonded with components in first and second zones of mechanical bonds in first and second lateral end regions. The waist panel may also be bonded with components in first and second zones of adhesive in the first and second lateral end regions. The first and second zones of adhesive may be adjacent the inboard lateral edge and may overlap the first and second mechanical bond zones. In addition, a third zone of adhesive adjacent the outboard lateral edge of the waist panel may bond the waist panel with the chassis. The mechanical bond zones may also overlap with the third zone of adhesive.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to disposable absorbent articles and arrays of disposable absorbent articles which are designed to fit a range of wearers having different physiological, psychological and cognitive needs which can be impacted by product form and level of engagement required during application as well as by the final appearance fit and function of the article.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for stretching, transferring, and bonding elastic parts under tension to an advancing carrier substrate during the assembly of absorbent articles. A continuous carrier substrate may be advanced in a machine direction at a first speed, and a discrete elastic part may be cut from a continuous elastic substrate having a direction of stretch in a cross direction. The speed of the discrete elastic part is changed from a second speed to the first speed, and the central region of the discrete elastic part is stretched in the cross direction. The discrete elastic part is bonded with the continuous carrier substrate such that the stretched central region extends in the cross direction between the first and second longitudinal edges of the continuous carrier substrate. The discrete elastic part may also be bonded with the carrier substrate with adhesive and/or mechanical bonds.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles having a waist gasketing element, with the gasketing element having an adhesive zone and one or more adhesive-free zones. At least a portion of the waist gasketing element is adhesively attached to a chassis of the absorbent article. Additionally, a portion of the waist gasketing element is mechanically attached to a portion of the absorbent article.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core and at least one longitudinally-extending channel that is substantially free of absorbent material. The article further includes a stretchable back waistband extending transversally adjacent the back edge of the article and a pair of stretchable back ears. The back ears each include a fastening tab that can be releasably engaged with a landing zone on the garment-facing side of the article.

Abstract: An absorbent article, such as a diaper or a training pant, having a wearer-facing side and a garment-facing side and a longitudinal axis, includes an absorbent core with at least two longitudinally extending curved channels and an air-through bonded carded nonwoven layer as topsheet or acquisition layer under the topsheet.