Disposable undergarment and related manufacturing equipment and processes

Abstract

This invention pertains to a three dimensional disposable panty, subassemblies of the panty, and an apparatus and methods for making the panty and subassemblies. The panty is designed to hold a primary absorbent sanitary pad. The panty may have elasticized leg and waist openings and be stretchable about the hip and stomach regions of a user. the panty provides backup protection to control egress of fluids that leak or seep around or through the primary sanitary pad. The panty includes a secondary absorbent positioned in the crotch area and extending into the body of the disposable panty, front and back, and preferably over the leg elastics to trap, inside the panty, leakage from the primary absorbent, and to prevent strike through onto e.g. outer clothing and bed linen. The apparatus and methods facilitate assembling leg elastics and crotch elastics into the panty subassemblies while assembling a series of panty subassemblies in a continuous web structure at a constant, or relatively constant, continuous and efficient speed.

1 . A method for attaching elastic to a crotch area of an undergarment, the method comprising the steps of: 
 cutting an elastic thread into a plurality of elastic sections;    providing a secondary absorbent for receipt of at least one of the elastic sections, the secondary absorbent defining an inner side and an opposing outer side;    attaching the elastic sections to the inner side of the secondary absorbent as the elastic sections and the secondary absorbent move in a machine direction;    maneuvering the secondary absorbent with the elastic sections attached thereto to a non-machine direction; and    attaching the secondary absorbent to a garment web moving in the machine direction, the elastic sections of the inner side disposed against an inner crotch portion of the garment web, the opposing outer side visible in the crotch portion.    
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein each elastic section is from about one inch to about three inches in length.  
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sections are attached to the inner side of the secondary absorbent by an adhesive.  
     
     
         4 . A disposable garment assembly, comprising: 
 a disposable garment defining a length and a width and including an outer cover having a front body portion and a back body portion, the front body portion and the back body portion being connected by a crotch portion, the outer cover, when laid out flat, having a length and a width, the front body portion and the back body portion being connected together to form a waist opening, a first leg opening and a second leg opening, the first and second leg openings having respective first and second front and back leg edge portions and corresponding first and second side leg edge portions connecting the front and back leg edge portions, the outer cover comprising a first layer, and a second layer having a front portion and a back portion, the second layer front portion disposed adjacent the front body portion of the outer cover, the second layer back portion disposed adjacent the back body portion of the outer cover;    a first absorbent defining a length and a width, each respectively less than the length and the width of the disposable garment, the first absorbent further including a liquid impermeable outer sheet and a liquid permeable inner sheet, the liquid impermeable outer sheet having a front portion and a back portion, and a center portion therebetween, each of the liquid impermeable outer sheet front and back portions of the first absorbent disposed adjacent one of the respective second layer front and back body portions of the outer cover, the first absorbent having a first absorbent capacity;    a second absorbent including a first side and a second side and having a second absorbent capacity, the second absorbent attached in the crotch portion and covering the width of the first absorbent, the second absorbent underlying the first absorbent on the liquid impermeable outer sheet of the first absorbent, the first side of the second absorbent disposed facing the liquid impermeable outer sheet, the first absorbent capacity of the first absorbent being greater than the second absorbent capacity of the second absorbent; and    a plurality of crotch elastics extendably affixed between the outer cover and the second side of the second absorbent proximate the crotch portion, the second absorbent affixed to the outer cover.    
     
     
         5 . The disposable garment assembly as in  claim 4;  wherein the second absorbent capacity of the second absorbent is about one-half the absorbent capacity of the first absorbent.  
     
     
         6 . The disposable garment assembly as in  claim 4 , wherein the second absorbent capacity of the second absorbent is about 3 grams to about 6 grams.  
     
     
         7 . The disposable garment assembly as in  claim 4 , wherein the second absorbent capacity of the second absorbent is about 4 grams to about 6 grams.  
     
     
         8 . The disposable garment assembly as in  claim 4 , wherein the second absorbent is a stain shield.  
     
     
         9 . A disposable garment having a length and a width, and comprising: 
 an outer cover having front and back body portions connected by a crotch portion, the outer cover, when laid out flat, having a length between first and second ends and a width between first and second sides, the front and back body portions being connected together to form a waist opening and first and second leg opening, the outer cover comprising a first layer;    a second layer having front and back body portions overlying respective front and back body portions of the outer cover; and    a stain shield incorporated into the disposable garment, the stain shield having a length and a width and a garment facing side, the garment facing side having a front portion, a back portion and a center portion therebetween, the garment facing side of the center portion having a plurality of extensible crotch elastic pieces attached thereto proximate the crotch portion, the extensible crotch elastic pieces being disposed between the garment facing side and the outer cover of the crotch portion, the stain shield affixed to the outer cover, each of the garment facing side front and back portions of the stain shield disposed adjacent one of the respective second layer front and back portions, at least a portion of the stain shield having an overall total absorbent capacity of about 3 grams to about 6 grams.    
     
     
         10 . The disposable garment as in  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the absorbent has an overall total absorbent capacity of about 4 grams to about 6 grams.