Method of producing an absorbent garment, and an absorbent garment produced according to the method

Abstract

A method for continuously producing absorbent garments includes forming a continuous multi-component production web; and cutting individual garments from the production web. The production web is formed by: a) feeding a first elastic web in a travelling direction; b) stretching the first elastic web by 35-250% in the travelling direction; c) intermittently laying down absorbent cores in an intermediate zone extending in a travelling direction of the production web; d) feeding a continuous web of liquid permeable material in the travelling direction and covering the absorbent cores with the continuous web of liquid permeable material; and e) bonding the first elastic web to the continuous web of liquid permeable material in a first lateral zone on a side of the intermediate zone of the production web. In addition, an absorbent garment has a continuous liquid permeable layer.

1 . A method for continuously producing absorbent garments comprising (i) forming a continuous multi-component production web, the production web having an intermediate zone extending in a travelling direction and a first lateral zone and a second lateral zone on each side of the intermediate zone, each lateral zone including an edge zone extending along an edge of the production web; and (ii) cutting individual garments from the production web, 
       wherein 
       the (i) comprises:
 a) intermittently laying down absorbent cores in the intermediate zone of the production web; 
 b) feeding a continuous web of liquid permeable material in the travelling direction and covering the absorbent cores with the continuous web of liquid permeable material, the continuous web of liquid permeable material having a width at least corresponding to the width of the production web between the edge zones and having a first side facing the absorbent cores and a second side facing away from the absorbent cores; 
 c) feeding a first elastic web in the travelling direction; 
 d) stretching the first elastic web by 35-250% in the travelling direction; 
 e) bonding the first elastic web to the continuous web of liquid permeable material in the first lateral zone of the production web, the first elastic web being bonded to the first or second side of the continuous web of liquid permeable material before or after application of the continuous web of liquid permeable material to the absorbent cores. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the (i) further comprises:
 f) feeding a second elastic web in the travelling direction;   g) stretching the second elastic web by 35-250% in the travelling direction; and   h) bonding the second elastic web to the continuous web of liquid permeable material in the second lateral zone of the production web.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and second elastic webs are bonded to the continuous web of liquid permeable material with a gap between the first and second elastic webs in the intermediate zone of the production web. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the continuous web of liquid permeable material is a nonwoven web. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs comprises an elastic film. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs comprises an elastic nonwoven material. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs is a laminate of an elastic film and a nonwoven layer and is bonded to the continuous web of liquid permeable material with the elastic film facing the continuous web of liquid permeable material. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs comprises a stretch-activated elastic laminate. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs comprises a stretch-bonded elastic laminate. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cores are at least partially covered with a liquid impermeable material on a surface of the cores facing away from the continuous web of liquid permeable material. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the cores are applied and bonded to the liquid impermeable material before joining the cores with the continuous web of liquid permeable material. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the cores are turned and/or rotated after being bonded to the liquid impermeable material and are brought into a facing relationship with the continuous web of liquid permeable material and are applied to the continuous web of liquid permeable material with the longitudinal direction of the cores aligned with the cross-machine direction of the production web. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a leg elastic member is attached to the production web. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the production web is provided with an elastic waist band along at least one edge of the production web. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the elastic waist band comprises a portion of the continuous web of liquid permeable material. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the elastic waist band is joined to the production web as a separate component. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs is adhesively bonded to the continuous web of liquid permeable material. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second elastic webs is thermally or ultrasonically bonded to the continuous web of liquid permeable material. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the (i) further comprises treating the continuous web of liquid permeable material to provide a continuous web of liquid permeable material with areas of different hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the continuous web of liquid permeable material comprises a hydrophobic polymeric material and the continuous web of liquid permeable material is subjected to a hydrophilicity treatment in a selected portion or portions of the continuous web of liquid permeable material coinciding with the absorbent cores in the production web. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the (i) further comprises one or more of the following production steps:
 a) applying raised barriers;   b) cutting the production web to form leg openings;   c) folding the production web;   d) applying fastening elements to the production web;   e) forming side joins in the folded web, and   f) separating individual pant-type absorbent garments from the production web by cutting at the side joins.   
     
     
         22 . An absorbent garment comprising a chassis structure comprising a front panel having a front end edge and first and second side edges, a back panel having a back end edge and first and second side edges, a crotch panel being arranged between the front and back panels, elasticated front and back waist panels being arranged along the front and back end edges of the front and back panels, and a core component being integrated with the chassis structure and forming an integral part of the absorbent garment, the chassis structure including a liquid permeable material having a garment facing side and a user facing side and forming a liquid permeable surface layer in the garment,
 wherein the liquid permeable material extends continuously between the front end edge and the back end edge and at least one of the front panel and the back panel comprises an elastic web that has been bonded to the liquid permeable material with the elastic web stretched by 35-250% in at least one direction.   
     
     
         23 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 22 , wherein the liquid permeable material forms part of one or both of the elasticated front and back waist panels. 
     
     
         24 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 22 , wherein an elastic web has been bonded to each of the front panel and the back panel the garment having a gap between the elastic webs in the crotch panel. 
     
     
         25 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 22 , wherein the first and second side edges of the front panel are joined by edge joins to the corresponding first and second side edges of the back panel. 
     
     
         26 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 22 , wherein the elastic waist panels comprise elastic elements that are attached to the liquid-permeable material. 
     
     
         27 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 26 , wherein the elastic elements are attached to the outer garment-facing side of the liquid-permeable material. 
     
     
         28 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 26 , wherein the elastic elements are attached to the user-facing side of the liquid-permeable material. 
     
     
         29 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 26 , wherein the liquid-permeable material is folded over to cover the elastic elements and is secured in the folded over configuration. 
     
     
         30 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 22 , wherein the elastic waist panels comprise a portion of the at least one elastic web. 
     
     
         31 . The absorbent garment according to  claim 22 , wherein the liquid permeable material is treated to render it more hydrophilic or less hydrophobic in an area of the liquid permeable material that covers the absorbent core than in an area of the liquid permeable material that is located outside of the absorbent core.