Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Thomas Earl Williamson

Robert Lee Popp

Walter Andrew Mattingly

Charles Robert Tomsovic

Joseph Daniel Coenen

Michael Donald Sperl

Brian Robert Vogt

Valerie Victoria Finch

Robin Kurt Nason

Kurt Garrett Krupka

David Albert Maxton

Lisa LaRae Bushman

Sherry Ann VanDyke

Timothy A Thorson

Michael William Protheroe

Brian Thomas Anderson

Michael John Wanner

Scott Beck

Valerie V Finch

Sherry A Vandyke

Timothy Alan Thorson

Absorbent articles are disclosed having extended waistbands. More particularly, the absorbent articles include a back waistband and/or a front waistband that encircle a portion of the circumference of the waist opening. The absorbent article includes a front portion attached to a back portion by a pair of stretchable side areas. Each of the side areas are made from at least two panels that are connected together along a vertical attachment area. In accordance with the present disclosure, a waistband is incorporated into the article that extends over the entire front portion or the entire back portion and terminates at opposite ends on opposing side areas. Each end of the waistband, however, terminates prior to the vertical attachment areas leaving a gap in between. The presence of the gap has been found to provide various benefits and advantages including improved stretch properties for donning the article.

Absorbent article having a functional and partially encircling waistband

A process for providing a package of prefastened articles includes manufacturing an article having a chassis with an absorbent assembly located between an outer cover and a body side liner. The chassis also includes a first waist region and a second waist region; a refastenable seam joining a first distal portion of the first waist region to a first distal portion of the second waist region; a first refastenable bond connecting the first distal portion of the first waist region and the first distal portion of the second waist region. The first distal portion of the first waist region is folded and bonded to itself with a releasable bond having a first releasable bond peel strength. The first refastenable bond peel strength is greater than the first releasable bond peel strength. The process also includes rupturing the releasable bond and packaging the article.

Combination of refastenable and releasable bonds

A refastenable, pant-like garment, including a chassis including a first waist region and a second waist region, together defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings. The garment also includes a first refastenable seam joining a first distal portion of the first waist region to a first distal portion of the second waist region. The first refastenable seam includes a first refastenable bond connecting the first distal portion of the first waist region and the first distal portion of the second waist region having a first refastenable bond peel strength.

In a method and apparatus for mechanically fastening an absorbent undergarment during the initial manufacturing thereof, the undergarment is transported in a transport direction and folded longitudinally by a folding device such that first and second end regions of the undergarment are in generally opposed relationship with each other while transporting the partially assembled garment in the transport direction to fastenably engaged first and second fastening portions of the undergarment. A central region of the absorbent undergarment is held by a holding device, separate from the folding device, against bunching between the end regions of the undergarment during longitudinal folding of the undergarment. In another embodiment, the transverse position of the second fastening portion is adjusted relative to the first fastening portion to facilitate fastening engagement therebetween upon folding the absorbent garment longitudinally.

Apparatus for making pre-fastened absorbent undergarments

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.

Method for positioning garment side panels

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Thomas Earl Williamson