Method And Apparatus For Making Prefastened And Refastenable Pant With Desired Waist And Hip Fit

Abstract

A process for making a prefastened and refastenable pant includes providing a plurality of discrete articles having side panels and waist regions including an activatable retractive material. The side panels can be folded parallel to a longitudinal centerline to overlap at least portions of first and second fastening components. The fastening components are then engaged to form a prefastened and refastenable pant. The retractive material can be activated subsequent to engagement of the fastening components, or subsequent to obtaining position control of the side panels, to provide the pant with a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio of about 95 percent or less. The prefastened and refastenable pant and apparatus for its manufacture are also disclosed.

1 . A prefastened and refastenable pant, comprising:
 a chassis including a composite structure, the chassis defining a first waist region having opposed elastomeric side panels attached to the composite structure, an opposite second waist region, a crotch region disposed between and interconnecting the waist regions, and a longitudinal centerline, the waist regions together defining a waistband and a hip section;   at least one first fastening component disposed in the first waist region;   at least one second fastening component disposed in the second waist region and adapted to refastenably engage the first fastening component; and   a retractive material disposed in at least the waistband, the retractive material being adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy;
 wherein the pant is folded through the crotch region and folded through the opposed side panels so that portions of the waist regions overlap, the first and second fastening components are engaged with one another to maintain the pant in a prefastened condition, and the pant has a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio of about 95 percent or less which results from activation of the retractive material after the fastening components are engaged to one another. 
   
     
     
         2 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the pant has a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio of about 90 percent or less. 
     
     
         3 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the pant has a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio of about 75 to about 90 percent. 
     
     
         4 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the pant has a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio measured at 2000 grams of about 100 percent. 
     
     
         5 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material comprises a nonelastomeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material is disposed in the side panels. 
     
     
         8 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein each elastomeric side panel is capable of being elongated by at least 100 percent of its relaxed length and can recover at least 50 percent of its elongation upon release of an applied force. 
     
     
         9 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein each elastomeric side panel is capable of being elongated by at least 300 percent of its relaxed length and can recover at least 50 percent of its elongation upon release of an applied force. 
     
     
         10 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         11 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 10 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         12 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 10 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from infrared radiation. 
     
     
         13 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 10 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from microwave radiation. 
     
     
         14 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 10 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from gamma radiation. 
     
     
         15 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from heating. 
     
     
         16 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 15 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from heated air. 
     
     
         17 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from compaction of the retractive material. 
     
     
         18 . The prefastened and refastenable pant of  claim 1 , wherein the retractive material is adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy from compression of the retractive material. 
     
     
         19 . A prefastened and refastenable pant, comprising:
 a chassis including a composite structure, the chassis defining a first waist region having opposed elastomeric side panels attached to the composite structure, an opposite second waist region, a crotch region disposed between and interconnecting the waist regions, and a longitudinal centerline, the waist regions together defining a waistband and a hip section, wherein each elastomeric side panel is capable of being elongated by at least 100 percent of its relaxed length and can recover at least 50 percent of its elongation upon release of an applied force;   at least one first fastening component disposed in the first waist region;   at least one second fastening component disposed in the second waist region and adapted to refastenably engage the first fastening component; and   a retractive material disposed in at least the waistband, the retractive material being adapted to be activated by retracting upon the application of energy;
 wherein the pant is folded through the crotch region and folded through the opposed side panels so that portions of the waist regions overlap, the first and second fastening components are engaged with one another to maintain the pant in a prefastened condition, and the pant has a waistband-to-hip circumference ratio of about 95 percent or less.