Method for manufacturing a pants-type disposable absorbent hygience article

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a pant-type disposable absorbent hygiene article ( 2 ), comprising a waist edge ( 20 ), sealed all around the periphery thereof, forming a waist opening and with leg openings ( 8 ), wherein longitudinal side edge sections ( 16 ), 18 ) of a front piece ( 6 ) and a back piece ( 4 ) are joined together by the manufacturer to form the waist edge ( 20 ), sealed all around the periphery thereof and the leg openings ( 8 ), and having an absorbent body ( 22 ) and elasticizing means ( 38 ) at least in the region of the leg openings ( 8 ). The aim of the invention is to improve the wearing comfort. This aim is achieved, in that, before the longitudinal side edge sections ( 16, 18 ) are joined together by the manufacturer, the hygiene article, when laid flat, is provided with a first elasticised periphery section ( 44 ), followed by a second non-elasticized periphery section ( 46 ), followed by a third elasticized periphery section ( 48 ) and followed by a fourth non-elasticized periphery section ( 49 ), extending from a longitudinal side edge ( 12, 14 ) of the front piece ( 6 ) or back piece ( 4 ) of the article, towards a crotch center line ( 42 ), along a periphery ( 40 ) of a corresponding leg opening ( 8 ).

1 . A method for manufacturing a pants-shaped disposable absorbent hygiene article having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and a chassis comprising front and rear right edges and front and rear left edges attached to each other, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) preparing and transporting flat chassis-forming sheet materials in a transport direction parallel to the transverse direction of the article such that the front and rear right edges lead and the front and rear left edges trail;   b) preparing the chassis in a flat form, the chassis having a front part, a rear part spaced apart from the front part in a longitudinal direction of the article and a crotch part disposed between and contiguous with the front part and the rear part, the crotch part defining a center crotch line extending in the transverse direction of the article, the rear part having a rear right edge and a rear left edge spaced apart from the rear right edge in the transverse direction of the article, the front part having a front right edge and a front left edge spaced apart from the front right edge in the transverse direction;   c) applying a continuous first thread-shaped elastic means to the flat chassis-forming sheet materials, the first elastic means extending from an end of the rear right edge to a first curve location disposed at a separation from but proximate to the center crotch line, the first elastic means curving at the first curve location to proceed in the transverse direction, substantially parallel to the center crotch line, the first elastic means curving away from the center crotch line at a second curve location to travel to an end of the rear left edge;   d) applying a continuous second thread-shaped elastic means to the flat chassis-forming sheet materials, the second elastic means extending from an end of the front right edge to a third curve location at a separation from but proximate to the center crotch line, the second elastic means curving at the third curve location to proceed in the transverse direction, substantially parallel to the center crotch line, the second elastic means curving away from the center crotch line at a fourth curve location to travel up to an end of the front left edge;   e) removing, following step c), an elasticity of a first right and a second left portion of the first elastic means by cutting or through application of heat, pressure and/or laser, the first right portion of the first elastic means disposed proximate the crotch center line between the first curve location and the end of the rear right edge, the second left portion of the first elastic means disposed proximate the crotch center line between the second curve location and the end of the rear left edge;   f) removing, following step d), an elasticity of a third right and a fourth left portion of the second elastic means by cutting or through application of heat, pressure and/or laser, the third right portion of the second elastic means disposed proximate the crotch center line between the third curve location and the end of the front right edge, the fourth left portion of the second elastic means disposed proximate the crotch center line between the fourth curve location and the end of the front left edge;   g) disposing an absorbent body onto the chassis-forming sheet materials;   h) removing material from the chassis-forming sheet materials to define leg openings in the crotch part, the crotch part thereby having a crotch right edge defining a first leg opening for a user, the crotch right edge extending in the longitudinal and transverse directions in a curved, inwardly tapered manner away from the end of the rear right edge outside of, proximate, and substantially parallel to a travel of the first elastic means upstream of the first curve location, the crotch right edge continuing past the first curve location, the center crotch line, and the third curve location to curve outwardly in transverse and longitudinal travel outside of, proximate and substantially parallel to a travel of the second elastic means downstream of the third curve location and terminating at the end of the front right edge, the crotch part having a crotch left edge defining a second leg opening for the user, the crotch left edge extending in the longitudinal and transverse directions in a curved, inwardly tapered manner away from the end of the rear left edge outside of, proximate, and substantially parallel to a travel of the first elastic means upstream of the second curve location, the crotch left edge continuing past the second curve location, the center crotch line, and the fourth curve location to curve outwardly in transverse and longitudinal travel outside of, proximate and substantially parallel to a travel of the second elastic means downstream of the fourth curve location and terminate at the end of the front left edge, wherein the crotch part thereby exhibits a narrowed, tapered transverse width at the center crotch line; and   i) attaching the rear right edge to the front right edge and the rear left edge to the front left edge of the chassis thereby forming the pants-shaped disposable absorbent hygiene article.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step g) precedes step i). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of steps e) and f) comprises application of a plurality of cuts to at least one of the first, second, third and fourth portions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third and fourth portions have macroscopic ventilation openings in chassis-forming materials thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent body comprises a functional unit with an absorbent structure and a liquid-impermeable back sheet which is connected to the chassis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis consists essentially of a non-woven material or a non-woven laminate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic means extends between the end of the rear right edge to a beginning of the first portion through a length of 3 to 15 cm, 4 to 15 cm, 5 to 15 cm, or 5 to 13 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion extends through a length of 1 to 10 cm, 2 to 8 cm, or 3 to 8 cm. 
     
     
         9 . A pants-shaped disposable absorbent hygiene article produced by the method of  claim 1 .