Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Rodney Steele Gardinier

Kent Allan Franklin

Jesse Paul Sorenson

David Michael Lehner

David James Van Eperen

David Michael Clemens

Steven L Schnasse

Steven James Langolf

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.

Method of tucking side panels with side panel fold location control

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.

Method of tucking refastenable side seams

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Appleton, WI, United States of America

Rodney Steele Gardinier