Pant and method for making such a pant

Abstract

A method for positioning side panels during manufacture of a pant includes positioning the side panels on side panel transfer devices. The side panels move perpendicular to a pant transport plane as the pant is transported in the machine direction and the side panels reside on the side panel transfer devices. The side panels can include refastenable fastening components. The method and apparatus can move the fastening components closer together in the cross-machine direction or maintain the fastening components at a constant cross-machine position while the side panels reside on the side panel transfer devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of positioning side panels during manufacturing of a pant, the method comprising:
 positioning a first conveyor and a second conveyor in a machine direction and defining a machine center line extending in the machine direction, the first and second conveyors comprising a generally planar pants-forming portion that defines a pant transport plane;   positioning side panel transfer devices transversely outward from the machine center line, each side panel transfer device defining a linear side panel transport path which intersects the pant transport plane;   transporting the pant along a linear path of the first and second conveyors along the pant transport plane; and   transporting one of the side panels on each of the side panel transfer devices in the machine direction so that each of the side panels intersects the pant transport plane.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing at least a portion of each of the side panels to move toward the machine center line while the side panels are being transported by the respective side panel transfer device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the side panels includes a distal edge, the distal edge of at least one of the side panels being directly supported by the side panel transfer devices. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transporting one of the side panels on each of the side panel transfer devices further comprises elevating an outward portion of the side panels relative to at least one of the first and second conveyors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transporting one of the side panels on each of the side panel transfer devices further comprises elevating an outward portion of the side panels and advancing transversely inward the outward portion of the side panels relative to at least one of the first and second conveyors. 
     
     
         6 . A method of making a prefastened and refastenable pant, the pant having opposite first and second waist regions, the first waist region comprising first side panels and the second waist region comprising second side panels, the first side panels comprising initially inward-facing fastening components, and the second side panels comprising initially outward-facing fastening components, the method comprising:
 positioning a first conveyor and a second conveyor in a machine direction and defining a machine center line extending in the machine direction, the first and second conveyors comprising a generally planar pants-forming portion that defines a pant transport plane;   positioning side panel transfer devices transversely outward from the machine center line, each side panel transfer device defining a linear side panel transport path which intersects the pant transport plane;   transporting the pant in a folded configuration along a linear path of the first and second conveyors along the pant transport plane;   inverting the initially outward-facing fastening components of the second side panels;   transporting one of the first side panels on each of the side panel transfer devices so that the initially inward-facing fastening components are moved toward the inverted initially outward-facing fastening components; and   engaging the initially inward-facing and initially outward-facing fastening components at the location where the linear side panel transport path intersects the pant transport plane.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising allowing at least a portion of the first side panels to move toward the machine center line while the first side panels are being transported by the respective side panel transfer device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the side panels includes a distal edge, the distal edge of at least one of the side panels being directly supported by the side panel transfer device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein inverting the initially outward-facing fastening components comprises folding the second side panels against folding guides. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein inverting the initially outward-facing fastening components occurs after the pant is in the folded configuration with the first and second waist regions in facing relation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein engaging the initially inward-facing and initially outward-facing fastening components comprises directing the initially inward-facing and initially outward-facing fastening components through nips defined by the side panel transfer devices and one of the first and second conveyors. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising transferring the pant from at least one folding conveyor and to at least one of the first and second conveyors. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein inverting the initially outward-facing fastening components comprises moving the initially outward-facing fastening components laterally inward and toward the machine center line. 
     
     
         14 . A prefastened and refastenable pant made using the method set forth in  claim 6 . 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a pant, the pant comprising a pant chassis defining a first waist region, a second waist region, a crotch region which extends between and interconnects the first and second waist regions, first side panels disposed in the first waist region, and second side panels disposed in the second waist region, the method comprising:
 positioning a first conveyor and a second conveyor in a machine direction and defining a machine center line extending in the machine direction, the first and second conveyors comprising a generally planar pants-forming portion that defines a pant transport plane;   positioning side panel transfer devices transversely outward from the machine center line, each side panel transfer device defining a linear side panel transport path which intersects the pant transport plane;   folding the pant chassis about a fold line extending in a lateral direction through the crotch region;   positioning the waist regions and first and second side panels in a facing relation;   transporting the folded pant chassis along a linear path of the first and second conveyors along the pant transport plane;   transporting each of the first side panels on respective ones of the side panel transfer devices; and   refastenably engaging the first and second side panels at the location where the linear side panel transport path intersects the pant transport plane.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising allowing at least a portion of the first side panels to move toward the machine center line while the first side panels are being transported by the respective side panel transfer devices. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the side panels includes a distal edge, the distal edge of at least one of the side panels being directly supported by the side panel transfer device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising maintaining a full width of a chassis of the pant in contact with at least one of the first and second conveyors. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mounting a tucking guide to the side panel transfer devices, the tucking guide configured to maintain position of the pant on at least one of the first and second conveyors. 
     
     
         20 . A pant made using the method set forth in  claim 15 .