Abstract: A pant-like absorbent garment adapted to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body has asymmetrical pressure around the leg openings with respect to the wearer's anterior and posterior sides. Elastic members are bonded about the leg openings with either higher tension on the posterior side and lower tension on the anterior side or higher tension on the anterior side and lower tension on the posterior side, depending on the intended wearer's level of activity. The resulting garments have optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.

Abstract: A prefastened absorbent garment is manufactured with its longitudinal axis in the machine direction. A web of garment chassis material extending in the machine direction is overlaid with a side panel web. The side panel web is attached at opposite width borders of the chassis web and has one or more complementary fasteners opposing each other in the longitudinal axis direction of the garment chassis web. The garment can be folded to place the complementary fasteners in releasable engagement and individuated from the combined chassis and side panel webs.

Abstract: A method of applying leg elastics to absorbent garments involves optimizing the spacing between multiple elastic members. The elastic members are bonded to a substrate with variable spacing along the length of the leg opening. More particularly, narrower spacing is provided in the crotch area, thereby providing higher gasketing pressure, while wider spacing is provided in areas outside the crotch area for lower gasketing pressure and greater comfort. Alternatively, narrower spacing can be applied to the back portion of the leg, with medium spacing in the crotch area and wider spacing in the front portion or the leg, or conversely, wider spacing in the back portion with medium spacing in the crotch area and narrower spacing in the front portion, depending on the wearer's needs. The resulting garments have optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.

Abstract: A method of applying leg elastics to absorbent garments involves varying the number and position of feed nips and idler rolls and optimizing the tension between multiple elastic members. The elastic members are bonded to a substrate with variable tension. More particularly, higher tension is provided in the areas of the garment where greater gasketing pressure is required, while lower tension is provided in areas where greater comfort is desired and high gasketing pressure is not needed. Furthermore, each elastic member may vary in degrees of tension from the other elastic members. The resulting garments have optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.

Abstract: A pant-like absorbent garment having curved leg cuffs has a gasket-like fit. A chassis of the absorbent garment defines first and second leg openings with curved cut-outs in the chassis. A bonded portion is located between a first portion and a second portion of each of two elastic strands. The bonded portions are bonded to the first and second leg openings about a periphery of the curved cut-outs, thereby forming finished seams. Second portions of the elastic strands can form rolled edges. The resulting absorbent garment has a comfortable, gasket-like fit and an aesthetically pleasing, finished look about the leg openings.

Abstract: A pant-like absorbent refastenable garment adapted to easy application and removal has hook and loop fasteners on the front and back side panels and in particular embodiments frangible bonds connecting the front and back side panels. The frangible bonds connecting the front and back side panels can be easily broken by the user prior to use and the hook and loop fasteners can be engaged prior to, or during, donning. The hook and loop fasteners do not need to be prefastened at the time of manufacture.

Abstract: A method of applying leg elastics to absorbent garments involves optimizing the spacing between multiple elastic members. The elastic members are bonded to a substrate with variable spacing along the length of the leg opening. More particularly, narrower spacing is provided in the crotch area, thereby providing higher gasketing pressure, while wider spacing is provided in areas outside the crotch area for lower gasketing pressure and greater comfort. Alternatively, narrower spacing can be applied to the back portion of the leg, with medium spacing in the crotch area and wider spacing in the front portion or the leg, or conversely, wider spacing in the back portion with medium spacing in the crotch area and narrower spacing in the front portion, depending on the wearer's needs. The resulting garments have optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.

Abstract: Efficient high speed methods for making garments with fastening components include positioning first fastening components on one surface of a product assemblage on opposite sides of a machine center line at selected first cross machine direction locations. In particular embodiments, second fastening components are positioned on another surface of the product assemblage on opposite sides of the machine center line at selected second cross machine direction locations. The product assemblage can be processed through bonding devices disposed at selected cross machine direction locations to bond the fastening components to opposite surfaces of the product assemblage. In other embodiments, the product assemblage can be processed through bonding devices subsequent to positioning the first fastening components.

Abstract: A method of applying leg elastics to absorbent garments involves varying the number and position of feed nips and idler rolls and optimizing the tension between multiple elastic members. The elastic members are bonded to a substrate with variable tension. More particularly, higher tension is provided in the areas of the garment where greater gasketing pressure is required, while lower tension is provided in areas where greater comfort is desired and high gasketing pressure is not needed. Furthermore, each elastic member may vary in degrees of tension from the other elastic members. The resulting garments have optimized comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings.

Abstract: A method for positioning side panels during manufacture of a pant includes positioning the side panels within fluid flow devices. The side panels can move parallel or perpendicular to a pant transport plane as the pant is transported in the machine direction and the side panels reside within the fluid flow devices. The side panels can include refastenable fastening components. The method and apparatus can move the fastening components closer together in the cross-machine direction while the side panels reside within the fluid flow devices.

Abstract: Efficient high speed methods for making garments with fastening components include positioning first fastening components on one surface of a product assemblage on opposite sides of a machine center line at selected first cross machine direction locations. In particular embodiments, second fastening components are positioned on another surface of the product assemblage on opposite sides of the machine center line at selected second cross machine direction locations. The product assemblage can be processed through bonding devices disposed at selected cross machine direction locations to bond the fastening components to opposite surfaces of the product assemblage. In other embodiments, the product assemblage can be processed through bonding devices subsequent to positioning the first fastening components.

Abstract: A method of applying curved leg elastics to absorbent garments involves stretching and wrapping an elastic ribbon about a curved side of a puck. A portion of the elastic ribbon is simultaneously folded onto a top surface of the puck. The puck is attached to a rotating device that rotates the puck into alignment with a substrate. The substrate is then bonded to the portion of the elastic ribbon in its stretched position on the puck, thereby forming a finished seam. The resulting absorbent garments have gasket-like leg openings with improved comfort and aesthetic appeal.

Abstract: A method of applying curved leg elastics to absorbent garments involves stretching and wrapping a pair of elastic ribbons about a first curved surface of a pair of pucks. A portion of each of the elastic ribbons is simultaneously folded onto a second surface of each of the pucks. The pucks are attached to a rotating device that rotates the pucks into alignment with a substrate. As the pucks are rotated toward the substrate, the pucks are also oscillated individually toward the substrate. Once the second surfaces of the pucks are aligned parallel to the substrate, the substrate is bonded to the second surface portion of each of the elastic ribbons in their stretched positions on the pucks, thereby forming finished seams. The resulting absorbent garments have gasket-like leg openings with improved comfort and aesthetic appeal.

Abstract: A method of folding pants is suitable for use with discrete articles including mechanical fastening components and suitable for the manufacture of prefastened and refastenable pants. The discrete articles define leading and trailing halves with opposed side panels. The leading side panels can be maintained separate from the trailing side panels during folding and until the discrete articles are downstream of a folding nip.

Abstract: A pant-like absorbent garment adapted to easy application and removal has refastenable side seams. The refastenable side seams extend from a waist opening to each of two leg openings between a front panel and a back panel. Each of the refastenable side seams includes a fastening component and a mating fastening component, each of which comprises either a hook material or a loop material. A portion of the mating fastening component can be die-cut in a sinusoidal or other nesting shape. The resulting refastenable seams can be lap seams, dual fastened lap seams, standing butt seams, or dual fastened standing butt seams.

Abstract: A method of producing refastenable side seams in an absorbent garment results in an absorbent garment that is adapted to easy application and removal. The refastenable side seams can be produced in either a cross direction, wherein the width of the product is the machine direction, or a machine direction wherein the length of the product is the machine direction. Each of the refastenable side seams includes a lap side seam, which puts the seams under shear strain, as opposed to peel forces. The resulting garment can be opened and closed on either a left side or a right side of the garment.

Abstract: A process for making a prefastened and refastenable pant includes providing a plurality of discrete articles having side panels and waist regions including an activatable retractive material. The side panels can be folded parallel to a longitudinal centerline to overlap at least portions of first and second fastening components. The fastening components are then engaged to form a prefastened and refastenable pant. The retractive material can be activated subsequent to engagement of the fastening components, or subsequent to obtaining position control of the side panels, to provide the pant with a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio of about 95 percent or less. The prefastened and refastenable pant and apparatus for its manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A panel positioning system can be used to position side panels during manufacture of a pant. As a pant is transported in a machine direction, the panel positioning system moves a pant side panel in a direction generally perpendicular to the machine direction. The panel positioning system can comprise a drive mechanism, a positioning mechanism operatively connected to the drive mechanism, and a head connected to the positioning mechanism. The drive mechanism and the positioning mechanism can cause the head to move in an orbital profile and contact the side panel. The orbital profile can lie in a plane generally perpendicular to a pant transport plane or in a plane oblique to a pant transport plane.

Abstract: A method of producing refastenable side seams in an absorbent garment results in an absorbent garment that is adapted to easy application and removal. The refastenable side seams can be produced in either a cross direction or a machine direction. Each of the refastenable side seams is a dual side seam that includes a standing butt seam formed between a front lap seam and a back lap seam. The resulting garment can be opened and closed on either a front side of the garment or a back side of the garment.

Abstract: A prefastened absorbent garment is manufactured with its longitudinal axis in the cross machine direction. A web of garment chassis material extending in the machine direction is overlaid within the garment chassis borders. The side panel webs are attached to the chassis web and have hook and loop fasteners thereon. The garment can be individuated from the combined chassis and side panel webs.