Method and apparatus for assembling refastenable absorbent garments

Abstract

A method for fabricating a refastenable absorbent garment comprises moving a continuous absorbent garment subassembly in a machine direction, wherein the continuous absorbent garment subassembly comprises a continuous front body panel web, a continuous rear body panel web and a plurality of discrete crotch portions spaced along the machine direction and connecting the continuous front and rear body panel webs. The crotch portions are folded in a cross direction with one of the continuous front and rear body panel webs folded over the other of the continuous front and rear body panel webs in the cross direction. The method further comprises successively cutting the continuous front and rear body panels of the continuous absorbent garment subassembly in the cross direction and thereby forming a plurality of discrete absorbent garment subassemblies, each of which comprises a front body panel and a rear body panel, wherein the front and rear body panels are connected with the crotch portion. Each of the front and rear body panels have opposite side edges, wherein the side edges form the leading and trailing edges of the discrete absorbent garment subassemblies in the machine direction. The method further includes successively rotating each of the discrete absorbent garment subassemblies such that the side edges are spaced apart in the cross direction. The method further comprises attaching a fastener member to at least one of the front and rear body panels on each of the discrete absorbent garment subassemblies. An apparatus for fabricating a refastenable absorbent garment includes a product rotator, at least one vacuum conveyor positioned downstream of the product rotator and a fastener applicator positioned downstream of the at least one vacuum conveyor.