Kimberly-clark Corporation

David T Strohbeen

Thomas Michael Ales

Joyce Ann Damico

Dean W Westphal

Paul Theodore Van Gompel

Kent William Abel

John I VanDeurzen

Apparatus and method are provided for inverting a child's training pant or the like. The apparatus generally comprises a pair of mutually facing, diverging conveyor belt assemblies and a pair of suction systems respectively associated with the conveyor belt assemblies. As the conveyor belt assemblies move the training pant therealong, the suction systems act on opposite surfaces of the training pant to draw them apart, thereby opening the training pant. At the end of the conveyor belt assemblies is an inverting assembly for inverting the opened pant.

Apparatus and method for inverting a child's training pant or the like

Apparatus and method are provided for simultaneously folding and pleating a child's training pant or the like. The apparatus generally includes a plunger that is reciprocative through a tube member. The tube member has an interior surface defining an interior space and a pleating surface disposed on the interior surface. Upon the plunger member forcibly urging the training pant through the interior space, it is simultaneously folded by the interior surface and pleated by the pleating surfaces.

Apparatus and method for simultaneously inverting, folding and pleating

A disposable garment (10) having at least one opening (13) elasticized with two or three spaced elastic elements (30) having a cross-sectional shape with an aspect ratio of 0.25 to 1, its shortest axis about 0.8 to 3.2 mm long and a cross-sectional area of about 0.5 to 8 mm.sup.2. In particular, a disposable garment (10) having leg openings (13) elasticized with two or three such spaced elastic elements (30) and a waist opening (12) elasticized with a flat elastic ribbon (70).

Disposable garments with multiple strand elasticized openings

Disposable garments (10) having an elasticized opening including an elastic element (25, 60, 70) joined to a marginal portion of an exterior panel (21, 40, 61, 71) of the garment about the opening along a plurality of spaced bond points (50), and also joined to a marginal portion of an interior panel (20, 62, 72) or folded-over portion of the exterior panel (40a) along the opening, with the outer edges of the elastic element and panel portions joined thereto being substantially coincident. The elastic element is joined to the panel portions in an elongated condition and thereafter allowed to retract to produce micro-buckling (51) of the exterior panel between the bond points.

Elastic form-fitting closure constructions for disposable garments

The invention is generally accomplished by providing a disposable undergarment having a multi-layer web and sealed with small, neat, exterior seams. The exterior seams are sealed along a plurality of narrow lines such that the total seam is less than about 3/16' wide with the bonding area forming about 50% of said total seal area. The seam is preferably formed by means of an ultrasonic anvil.

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Outagamie County, WI, United States of America

David T Strohbeen