Apparatuses and Methods for Making Absorbent Articles

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling absorbent articles, and more particularly, diapers, each including a chassis connected with front and back elastic belts. Opposing end regions of the chassis are connected with regions of the elastic belts where the elasticity of the elastic belts has been removed or deactivated. As discussed in more detail below, an elastic laminate is formed by intermittently bonding elastic strands between a first continuous substrate layer and a second continuous substrate layer. The elastic strands are then intermittently deactivated by severing the strands in the non-bonded regions to form deactivated regions of the elastic laminate. A plurality of chassis may then be bonded with the elastic laminate, wherein the first or second end regions of each chassis may be bonded with deactivated regions of the continuous elastic laminate.

1 . A method for assembling disposable pant diapers, each pant diaper comprising a chassis having a first end region and an opposing second end region separated from each other by a central region, and having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the chassis comprising: a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the method comprising the steps of:
 advancing a first continuous substrate layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface in a machine direction, and defining a width in a cross direction;   advancing a second continuous substrate layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface in a machine direction, and defining a width in a cross direction;   advancing elastic strands in the machine direction in a stretched state;   intermittently bonding the elastic strands in the stretched state between the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer to form an elastic laminate, the elastic laminate including bonded regions and non-bonded regions intermittently spaced along the machine direction, wherein the elastic strands are bonded to the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the bonded regions, and wherein the elastic strands are not bonded to the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the non-bonded regions;   cutting the elastic laminate along the machine direction to form a first continuous elastic laminate and a second continuous elastic laminate, each of the first continuous elastic laminate and the second continuous elastic laminate including bonded regions and non-bonded regions;   separating the first continuous elastic laminate and the second elastic laminate in the cross direction;   severing elastic strands in the non-bonded regions of the first continuous elastic laminate and the second elastic laminate; and   bonding the first end regions of each chassis with non-bonded regions of first continuous elastic laminate, and bonding the second end regions of each chassis with non-bonded regions of the second. continuous elastic laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands further comprises applying pressure to the first substrate layer, the second substrate layer, and the elastic strands with a distal edge of a blade, and further comprising the step of creating a bond between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer with the distal edge of the blade, 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands further comprises cutting the elastic strands and the first continuous substrate layer in the non--bonded regions without cutting the second continuous substrate layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands further comprises cutting the elastic strands in the non-bonded regions without cutting either the first continuous substrate layer or the second continuous substrate layer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands further comprises cutting the elastic strands and both the first continuous substrate layer and the second continuous substrate layer in the non-bonded regions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 advancing a third continuous substrate in the machine direction;   cutting the third continuous substrate into discrete chassis, wherein each chassis advances such that the longitudinal axis is parallel with the machine direction; and   turning each chassis such that the lateral axis is parallel with the machine direction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:
 folding each chassis along the lateral axis to position the first continuous elastic laminate into a facing relationship with the second continuous elastic laminate;   bonding the first continuous elastic laminate with the second continuous elastic laminate at discrete bond regions; and   cutting the first and second continuous elastic laminates to form pant diaper side seams.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first end region is a front waist region. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second end region is a back waist region, 
     
     
         10 . A method for assembling disposable pant diapers, each pant diaper comprising a chassis haying a first end region and an opposing second end region separated from each other by a central region, and having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the chassis comprising: a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. the method comprising the steps of:
 advancing a first continuous substrate layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface in a machine direction, and defining a width in a cross direction;   advancing a second continuous substrate layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface in a machine direction, and defining a width in a cross direction;   advancing elastic strands in the machine direction in a stretched state;   intermittently bonding the elastic strands in the stretched state between the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer to form a continuous elastic laminate, the continuous elastic laminate including bonded regions and non-bonded regions intermittently spaced along the machine direction, wherein the elastic strands are bonded to the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the bonded regions, and wherein the elastic strands are not bonded to the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the non-bonded regions;   positioning a distal edge of a blade in contact with the continuous elastic laminate with a length of the distal edge of the blade extending across all the elastic strands in the non-bonded region;   simultaneously severing all elastic strands in the non-bonded regions of the continuous elastic laminate by applying pressure to the first substrate layer, the second substrate layer, and the elastic strands with the distal edge of the blade;   bonding the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer together with the distal edge of the blade; and   positioning the first end region of each chassis with non-bonded regions of continuous elastic laminate,   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands further comprises cutting the elastic strands and the first continuous substrate layer in the non-bonded regions without cutting the second continuous substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands further comprises cutting the elastic strands in the non-bonded regions without cutting either the first continuous substrate layer or the second continuous substrate layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of severing the elastic strands farther comprises cutting the elastic strands and both the first continuous substrate layer and. the second continuous substrate layer in the non-bonded regions. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 advancing a third continuous substrate in the machine direction;   cutting the third continuous substrate into discrete chassis, wherein each chassis advances such that the longitudinal axis is parallel with the machine direction; and   turning each chassis such that the lateral axis is parallel with the machine direction.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first end region is a front waist region. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 continuously applying adhesive to at least one of the elastics, the first surface of the first substrate layer, and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the bonded regions; and   applying adhesive in strips extending in the machine direction to the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the non-bonded regions, wherein the strips are positioned between elastics in the non-bonded regions.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 continuously applying adhesive to at least one of the elastics, the first surface of the first substrate layer, and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the bonded regions; and   applying adhesive in strips extending in the machine direction to the first surface of the first substrate layer and the first surface of the second substrate layer in the non-bonded regions, wherein the strips are positioned between elastics in the non-bonded regions.