Absorbent article and method for manufacturing absorbent article with frangible pathway

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising an elastic laminate, and to methods and apparatus for manufacturing absorbent articles having an elastic laminate in a front waist region and / or a back waist region with frangible pathways.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for assembling absorbent articles having front and / or rear waist regions that include one or more breakable pathways. Background Art

[0002] Some absorbent articles have components that include elastomeric laminates. Such elastomeric laminates may include an elastic material bonded to one or more nonwovens. The elastic material may include an elastic film and / or an elastic strand. In some laminates, multiple elastic strands are joined to the nonwoven when the multiple strands are in a stretched state, so that when the elastic strands relax, the nonwoven gathers and then forms corrugations and roughness. The resulting elastomeric laminate can be stretched to the extent that the corrugations allow the elastic strands to extend.

[0003] Absorbent articles in the form of diaper pants may also be constructed with an absorbent infrastructure connected to front and rear elastic bands, wherein the opposing end regions of the front and rear bands are connected to each other at the side seams. In some cases, the elasticity of the front and rear bands is removed in the region where the infrastructure is connected to these bands. Therefore, in some converting configurations suitable for assembling such diaper pants, stretched elastic strands are glued between two continuous nonwoven webs to form an elastic laminate. The elastic strand regions can then be intermittently disabled along the length of the elastic laminate by cutting the elastic strands in the region to be connected to the infrastructure (sometimes referred to as raised elastic cuts).

[0004] Some elderly caregivers of incontinent infants or toddlers may prefer closed trouser-type disposable absorbent articles so that they can be applied to and removed from the child when the child is in a standing position. A shortcoming of this product form is that the removal and disposal of feces-containing products may be unsanitary and inconvenient. For example, pulling the product downwards may cause feces to be smeared downward along the user's legs. In other examples, the caregiver may tear the adhesive side with force. Then, the force used can cause energy to be quickly released from the diaper, thereby causing the caregiver to lose control of the product and cause feces to overflow. In contrast, when the child lies on his back, the removal and disposal of the traditional open or adhesive diaper form with fasteners can be easily completed. In this case, the fastener is opened, the diaper is removed from the child, rolled into a roughly cylindrical shape, and then the fastener is fixed around the soiled diaper rolled up, and the leg openings are closed for sanitary disposal.

[0005] To avoid having to remove soiled diaper pants from the wearer by sliding them down the wearer's legs or tearing the bonded side seams, some diaper pants may be constructed with a tear line in the front or back belt. Such a tear line may include perforations that allow a caregiver to more easily separate the belt along the perforated line. Once the belt is separated, the diaper pants may be more easily removed from the wearer without having to slide the diaper pants down the wearer's legs in a manner similar to conventional open taped diaper formats. In addition, pant-type diapers may include some sort of disposal feature, such as a hook or strap, that allows a caregiver to hold the soiled diaper in a rolled-up disposal configuration.

[0006] It would therefore be beneficial to provide an assembly apparatus for diaper pants having a tear line in one or more bands, wherein such apparatus and methods are constructed with manufacturing transformations performed in such a manner or sequence as to avoid positioning disposal features on the bands without interference from elastic components within the bands which could otherwise adversely affect the securement of such disposal features on the diaper pants. Summary of the invention

[0007] In one form, a method for assembling an absorbent article comprises the steps of providing an elastic laminate comprising an inner waist elastic strand and an outer waist elastic strand positioned between and connected to a first substrate and a second substrate, the inner waist elastic strand and the outer waist elastic strand extending in a longitudinal direction, the elastic laminate further comprising a first edge separated in a transverse direction from the second edge, wherein the elastic laminate comprises a first laminate width defined by a distance extending in a transverse direction between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the inner waist elastic strand is intermittently bonded to the first substrate and the second substrate in the longitudinal direction to form an unbonded area wherein the inner waist elastic strand is not bonded to the first substrate and the second substrate; Advancing the elastic laminate in the longitudinal direction; forming a first low-stretch area by cutting at least one first inner waist elastic strand in the unbonded area so that the at least one first inner waist elastic strand retracts in the unbonded area; bonding the fastener component to the second substrate in the first low-stretch area; after bonding the fastener component, forming a second low-stretch area by cutting at least one second inner waist elastic strand in the unbonded area so that the at least one second inner waist elastic strand retracts in the unbonded area; and after bonding the fastener component, forming a first breakable path extending in the transverse direction, the first breakable path including a weak line, wherein the inner waist elastic strand and the outer waist elastic strand intersecting the first breakable path are cut at the weak line.

[0008] In another form, a method for assembling an absorbent article includes the steps of providing an elastic laminate, the elastic laminate including inner and outer waist elastic strands positioned between and connected to a first substrate and a second substrate, the inner and outer waist elastic strands extending in a longitudinal direction, the elastic laminate further including a first edge separated in a transverse direction from the second edge, wherein the elastic laminate includes a first laminate width defined by a distance extending in the transverse direction between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the inner waist elastic strands are longitudinally connected to the first substrate and the second substrate. The substrates are intermittently bonded to form unbonded areas in which the inner waist elastic strands are not bonded to the first substrate and the second substrate; the elastic laminate is advanced in the longitudinal direction; a low stretch area is formed by cutting the inner waist elastic strands in the unbonded area so that the cut inner waist elastic strands retract the unbonded area; after cutting the inner waist elastic strands, a fastener component is bonded to the first substrate in the low stretch area; and after bonding the fastener component, a breakable path extending in the transverse direction is formed, the breakable path including a weak line, wherein the inner waist elastic strands and the outer waist elastic strands intersecting the breakable path are cut at the weak line.

[0009] In yet another form, the absorbent article comprises: a first band, the first band comprising an inner surface facing the wearer and an outer surface facing the garment, the first band further comprising a laterally extending inner edge and a laterally extending outer edge, the outer edge being positioned longitudinally outward of the inner edge; the first band further comprising an inner waist elastic strand and an outer waist elastic strand positioned between and connected to a first substrate and a second substrate; a second band, wherein laterally opposite end portions of the second band are connected to laterally opposite end portions of the first band at a first side seam and a second side seam to form a waist opening; a base structure comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the top sheet and the back sheet, the base structure comprising a longitudinally extending first side edge and a longitudinally extending second side edge, the longitudinally extending second side edge passing through the first end edge and a second end edge longitudinally separated from the first end edge and laterally separated from the first side edge, and wherein longitudinally opposite end regions of the chassis are connected to the first band and the second band, wherein a portion of the chassis overlaps the inner surface of the first band facing the wearer to define a chassis overlap region; a first high stretch region and a second high stretch region, the first high stretch region and the second high stretch region are laterally separated by a low stretch region, wherein the first high stretch region and the second high stretch region are elasticized by inner waist elastic strands, and wherein the low stretch region includes severed inner waist elastic strands in the chassis overlap region; a fastener component, which is bonded to the first substrate in the low stretch region; and a breakable path in the first band, which extends across the overlap region between the inner edge and the outer edge of the first band. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 A perspective view of a diaper pant is shown in a pre-fastened configuration.

[0011] Figure 1A A perspective view of a diaper pant with an adjoining outer cover in a pre-fastened configuration is shown.

[0012] Figure 2A A plan view of a diaper pant is shown with the portion of the diaper facing away from the wearer oriented towards the viewer.

[0013] Figure 2B A plan view of a diaper pant is shown with the wearer-facing portion of the diaper oriented toward the viewer.

[0014] Figure 2C A plan view of a diaper pant is shown with the portion of the diaper facing away from the wearer oriented toward the viewer, illustrating the size and shape features of the first and second belts.

[0015] Figure 2D A plan view of a diaper pant is shown with the portion of the diaper facing away from the wearer oriented toward the viewer, illustrating the size and shape features of the first and second belts.

[0016] Figure 2E A plan view of a diaper pant is shown with the portion of the diaper facing away from the wearer oriented toward the viewer, illustrating the size and shape features of the first and second belts.

[0017] Figure 2F A plan view of a diaper pant with an adjoining outer cover is shown with the portion of the diaper facing away from the wearer oriented toward the viewer.

[0018] Figure 3 Taken along line 3-3 Figure 2A A cross-sectional view of a diaper pant is shown, showing a first elastic belt and a second elastic belt provided with a panel.

[0019] Figure 3A is a cross-sectional detail view of a first belt provided with plies, one ply folded over another.

[0020] Figure 3A1 is a cross-sectional detail view of another example configuration in which a first belt is provided with plies where one ply is folded over another ply.

[0021] Figure 3A2 is a cross-sectional detail view of another example configuration in which a first belt is provided with plies where one ply is folded over another ply.

[0022] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional detail view of a second belt provided with plies, one ply folded over another.

[0023] Figure 3C It was taken along line 3C-3C Figure 2F A cross-sectional view of a diaper pant of FIG. 1 is shown with reference to a first elastic belt and a second elastic belt having a panel and an adjacent outer cover.

[0024] Figure 4A is a perspective view of a diaper pant including a breakaway path in the front belt and adjacent the absorbent chassis.

[0025] Figure 4B yes Figure 4A A perspective view of a diaper pants of , showing that the front belt has been torn along one of the frangible paths.

[0026] Figure 4C yes Figure 4A A perspective view of a diaper pant showing that the front belt has been torn along two breakable paths.

[0027] Figure 5A Shows Figure 4C The diaper pants are rolled up on themselves in the longitudinal direction.

[0028] Figure 5B Shows Figure 5A A diaper pant of the type described herein wherein the fastener components are coupled to the backsheet of the chassis to hold the diaper pant in a disposal configuration.

[0029] Fig. 6A is a perspective view of a diaper pant having a breakaway access.

[0030] Figure 6B yes Fig. 6A Front plan view of diaper pants.

[0031] Fig.6B1 is a front plan view of another configuration of a diaper pant having a frangible passage having distal and proximal ends positioned on a side seam.

[0032] Figure 6C Shows that when the first breakable path is torn Figure 6B Front plan view of diaper pants.

[0033] Fig.6D Shown after the first breakable path has been completely torn Figure 6C Front plan view of diaper pants.

[0034] Fig. 6E Shows that when the second breakable path is torn Fig.6D Front plan view of diaper pants.

[0035] Fig. 6F Shown after the second breakable path has been completely torn Fig. 6E Front plan view of diaper pants.

[0036] Fig. 7A yes Fig. 6A Detailed view of the fastener component configuration.

[0037] Figure 7AA1 It is taken along line 7AA-7AA Fig. 7A A cross-sectional view of a fastener component.

[0038] Figure 7AA2 It is taken along line 7AA-7AA Fig. 7A A cross-sectional view of a fastener component of the present invention, wherein the fastener component is integrally formed from a strap component.

[0039] Fig. 8A is a detailed view of another fastener component configuration.

[0040] Figure 8B is a detailed view of another fastener component configuration.

[0041] Fig. 9 A front plan view of a diaper pant having another configuration of frangible access is shown.

[0042] Fig.10 is a schematic side view of a first converting apparatus suitable for making prefastened pant diapers.

[0043] Fig.11 is a schematic side view of a second converting apparatus suitable for making prefastened pant diapers.

[0044] Fig.12 It was taken along line 12-12 Fig.10 and Fig.11 View of a continuous length of elastic laminate being advanced to a first cutting station.

[0045] Fig.13 It was taken along line 13-13 Fig.10 View of the elastic laminate advancing from the first cutting station.

[0046] Fig.13A It is taken along route 13A-13A Fig.11 View of the elastic laminate advancing from the first cutting station.

[0047] Fig.14 It was taken along line 14-14 Fig.10 View of an elastic laminate being advanced from a fastener handling station.

[0048] Fig.14A It was taken along route 14A-14A Fig.11View of an elastic laminate being advanced from a fastener handling station. Fig.15 It was taken along line 15-15 Fig.10 View of the elastic laminate advancing from the second cutting station.

[0049] Fig.15A It was taken along route 15A-15A Fig.11 View of the elastic laminate advancing from the second cutting station.

[0050] Fig.16 It was taken along line 16-16 Fig.10 View of an elastomeric laminate advancing from a cutting station.

[0051] Fig.16A It was taken along route 16A-16A Fig.11 View of an elastic laminate advancing from a cutting station.

[0052] Fig.17 It was taken along line 17-17 Fig.10 View of a first elastic laminate and a second elastic laminate being advanced from a diverter.

[0053] Fig.17A It was taken along route 17A-17A Fig.11 View of a first elastic laminate and a second elastic laminate being advanced from a diverter.

[0054] Fig.18 and Fig.19 A schematic diagram of an assembly transformation that may be used to assemble a diaper pant 100P from a first elastic laminate and a second elastic laminate is shown.

[0055] Fig. 20 is a detailed view of an elastic laminate with retracted end portions of severed elastic strands positioned beneath fastener components.

[0056] Fig.21 is a view of an elastic laminate having a staggered raised cut arrangement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] definition

[0058] The following term explanations may help understand the present disclosure:

[0059] "Absorbent article" refers to a device that absorbs and contains body exudates, and more specifically, refers to a device that fits against or adjacent to the wearer's body to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body. Exemplary absorbent articles include diapers, training pants, pull-on diapers (i.e., diapers with preformed waist and leg openings such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,487), refastenable diapers or pant diapers, incontinence briefs and undergarments, diaper holders and liners, feminine hygiene undergarments such as panty liners, absorbent inserts, catamenial pads, and the like.

[0060] "Body-facing" and "garment-facing" refer to the relative position of an element or the relative position of surfaces of an element or a group of elements, respectively. "Body-facing" means that an element or surface is closer to the wearer than some other element or surface during wear. "Garment-facing" means that an element or surface is farther from the wearer than some other element or surface during wear (i.e., the element or surface is near the wearer's clothing, which may be worn over a disposable absorbent article).

[0061] The terms "elastic," "elastomeric," or "elastomeric" refer to materials that exhibit elastic properties, including any material that can be stretched or elongated to an elongation of more than 10% of its original length when a force is applied to its relaxed original length, and will substantially recover to about its original length when the applied force is released. Elastomeric materials may include elastomeric films, scrims, nonwovens, ribbons, strands, and other sheet-like structures.

[0062] As used herein, the term "joined" includes configurations in which an element is directly secured to another element by attaching it directly to the other element, as well as configurations in which an element is indirectly secured to another element by attaching it to an intermediate member which is in turn attached to the other element.

[0063] As used herein, the term "distal" is used to describe a location located away from the center of the body or away from a point of attachment, and the term "proximal" is used to describe a location located closer to the center of the body or a point of attachment.

[0064] The term "substrate" is used herein to describe a material that is primarily two-dimensional (i.e., in the XY plane) and whose thickness (in the Z direction) is relatively small (i.e., 1 / 10 or less) compared to its length (in the X direction) and width (in the Y direction). Non-limiting examples of substrates include fiber webs, one or more layers of fiber materials, nonwovens, films, and foils such as polymer films or metal foils. These materials may be used alone or may include two or more layers laminated together. Thus, a fiber web is a substrate.

[0065] The term "nonwoven" herein refers to a material made of continuous (long) filaments (fibers) and / or discontinuous (short) filaments (fibers) by processes such as spunbonding, meltblowing, carding, etc. Nonwovens do not have a woven or knitted filament pattern.

[0066] The term "machine direction" (MD) is used herein to refer to the direction of material flow during a process. In addition, the relative placement and movement of materials can be described as flowing through a process in the machine direction from upstream in the process to downstream in the process.

[0067] The term "cross direction" (CD) is used herein to refer to a direction generally perpendicular to the machine direction.

[0068] "Pre-strain" refers to the strain applied to an elastic or elastomeric material before combining it with an elastomeric laminate or another element of an absorbent article. Pre-strain is determined by the following formula: Pre-strain = ((elastic relaxed length of elastic component) / relaxed length of elastic component)*100.

[0069] "Dtex" is a measurement used in the textile industry for measuring yarn or filaments. 1 dtex = 1 gram / 10,000 meters. In other words, if 10,000 linear meters of a yarn or filament weighs 500 grams, the yarn or filament will have 500 dtex.

[0070] The term "taped diaper" (also known as an "open diaper") refers to a disposable absorbent article that has an initial front waist region and an initial rear waist region that are not fastened, not prefastened, or not connected to each other when packaged before being put on the wearer. The taped diaper can be folded about a lateral centerline with the interior of one waist region contacting the interior of the opposite waist region in a surface-to-surface manner without fastening or joining the waist regions together. and 6,861,571; and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2013 / 0072887A1, 2013 / 0211356A1, and 2013 / 0306226A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0071] The term "pants" (also referred to as "training pants," "pre-closed diapers," "diaper pants," "pant diapers," and "pull-on diapers") refers herein to disposable absorbent articles designed for infants or adult wearers having a continuous peripheral waist opening and continuous peripheral leg openings. Pants can be constructed with a continuous or closed waist opening and at least one continuous closed leg opening before the wearer puts on the article. Pants can be preformed or prefastened using a variety of techniques, including but not limited to joining the parts of the article together using any refastenable closure member and / or permanent closure member (e.g., sewing, heat bonding, pressure welding, adhesives, cohesive bonding, mechanical fasteners, etc.). Pants can be preformed anywhere along the circumference of the article in the waist region (e.g., side fastened or seamed, front waist fastened or seamed, rear waist fastened or seamed). Exemplary diaper pants of various configurations are disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,940,464, 5,092,861, 5,246,433, 5,569,234, 5,897,545, 5,957,908, 6,120,487, 6,120,489, 7,569,039 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2003 / 0233082A1, 2005 / 0107764A1, 2012 / 0061016A1, 2012 / 0061015A1, 2013 / 0255861A1, 2013 / 0255862A1, 2013 / 0255863A1, 2013 / 0255864A1 and 2013 / 0255865A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] "Closed" means that the opposing waist regions are permanently or refastenably joined when encapsulated to form a continuous waist opening and leg openings.

[0073] "Open" means that the opposing waist regions are not initially joined to form a continuous waist opening and leg openings before or during application of the article to the wearer, but rather include a closure device (such as a fastening system) to join the waist regions to form a waist opening and leg openings.

[0074] The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including elastic laminates, and more specifically, to absorbent articles having elastic laminates in front waist regions and / or back waist regions with breakable passages. In some configurations, the absorbent article may include: a first belt and a second belt, each belt including a first end region and a second end region laterally separated from the first end region by a central region. The first end region of the first belt is connected to the first end region of the second belt, and the second end region of the first belt is connected to the second end region of the second belt to form a waist opening. The absorbent article may also include a base structure, the base structure including a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the top sheet and the back sheet. The base structure may also include a first end region and a second end region longitudinally separated from the first end region by a crotch region. The first end region of the base structure may be connected to the central region of the first belt, and the second end region of the base structure may be connected to the central region of the second belt. The first belt may also include an inner edge extending laterally and an outer edge extending laterally, the outer edge being positioned longitudinally outside the inner edge.

[0075] As discussed in more detail below, the first band and / or the second band may include one or more breakable pathways. For example, the breakable pathway in the first band and / or the second band may extend between the proximal end on the inner edge of the first band and the distal end on the outer edge of the first band. A gripping area including an accessible opening may be positioned between the outer edge and the inner edge of the first band and / or the second band. Then, the breakable pathway may include a first tearing region extending from the accessible opening to the distal end, and a second tearing region may extend from the accessible opening to the proximal end. Such breakable pathway configurations provide features that when removing the diaper pants from the wearer, the feature allows the elastic band of the diaper pants to tear relatively easily along the breakable pathway, thereby avoiding the need to remove the diaper pants by sliding the diaper pants on the legs of the wearer. The breakable pathway may also be constructed and / or positioned to provide access to and / or work with other features (such as disposal features), which may be constructed as fastener components. Various apparatuses and methods are described below in various operational sequences to help provide placement of such fastener components on diaper pants without interference from other features, such as belt elastics.

[0076] Figures 1 to 2B An example of an absorbent article 100 in the form of a diaper pant 100P is shown that may include components constructed according to the configurations disclosed herein. Specifically, Figure 1 A perspective view of a diaper pant 100P is shown in a pre-fastened configuration. Figure 2A shows a plan view of a diaper pant 100P in which the portion of the diaper facing away from the wearer is oriented toward the viewer, and Figure 2BA plan view of a diaper pant 100P is shown with the wearer-facing portion of the diaper oriented toward the viewer. The diaper pant 100P includes a chassis 102 and an annular elastic belt 104. As described in more detail below, a first elastic belt 106 and a second elastic belt 108 are bonded together to form the annular elastic belt 104.

[0077] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 2B , the diaper pants 100P and the chassis 102 each include a first waist region 116, a second waist region 118, and a crotch region 119 disposed between the first waist region and the second waist region. It can also be described that the chassis 102 includes a first end region 116a, a second end region 118a, and a crotch region 119 disposed between the first end region 116a and the second end region 118a. The first waist region 116 can be configured as a front waist region, and the second waist region 118 can be configured as a rear waist region. The diaper 100P may also include a laterally extending front waist edge 121 in the front waist region 116 and a longitudinally opposite and laterally extending rear waist edge 122 in the rear waist region 118. To provide a frame of reference for this discussion, Figure 2A and Figure 2B A diaper 100P and chassis 102 are shown having a longitudinal axis 124 and a lateral axis 126. In some embodiments, the longitudinal axis 124 may extend through the front waist edge 121 and through the back waist edge 122. And the lateral axis 126 may extend through a first longitudinal or right side edge 128 and a second longitudinal or left side edge 130 of the chassis 102. As previously mentioned, the longitudinal axis 124 extends vertically through the front waist edge 121 and the back waist edge 122, and the lateral axis 126 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 124. When the diaper pant 100P is worn, the longitudinal direction may extend from the wearer's front waist through the crotch to the wearer's back waist. To provide an additional frame of reference for this discussion, a diaper pant 100P is shown. Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Fig.18 Diaper 100P of B, wherein: first elastic belt 106 includes longitudinal centerline 124a and lateral centerline 126a; second elastic belt 108 includes longitudinal centerline 124b and lateral centerline 126b; and chassis 102 includes longitudinal centerline 124c and lateral centerline 126c. Longitudinal centerlines 124a, 124b, 124c are perpendicular to lateral centerlines 126a, 126b, 126c.

[0078] like Figures 1 to 2BAs shown, the diaper pant 100P may include a body-facing inner surface 132 and a garment-facing outer surface 134. The chassis 102 may include a backsheet 136 and a topsheet 138. The chassis 102 may also include an absorbent assembly 140 having an absorbent core 142 disposed between a portion of the topsheet 138 and the backsheet 136. As described in more detail below, the diaper 100P may also include other structures, such as leg elastics and / or leg cuffs to enhance the fit around the wearer's legs.

[0079] like Figure 2A As shown, the perimeter of the chassis 102 can be defined by a first longitudinal side edge 128, a second longitudinal side edge 130, a first laterally extending end edge 144 disposed in the first waist region 116, and a second laterally extending end edge 146 disposed in the second waist region 118. Both side edges 128 and 130 extend longitudinally between the first end edge 144 and the second end edge 146. Figure 2A As shown, the end edges 144 and 146 extending laterally can be located at the longitudinal inner side of the laterally extending front waist edge 121 in the front waist region 116 and the laterally extending back waist edge 122 in the back waist region 118. In some configurations, the end edges 144 and 146 extending laterally can be adjacent to the laterally extending front waist edge 121 in the front waist region 116 and the laterally extending back waist edge 122 in the back waist region 118, or can be located at the longitudinal outer side of the front waist edge and the back waist edge. When the diaper pants 100P is worn on the lower body of the wearer, the front waist edge 121 and the back waist edge 122 can surround a part of the waist of the wearer. At the same time, the side edges 128 and 130 can surround at least a part of the legs of the wearer. And the crotch region 119 can generally be positioned between the legs of the wearer, wherein the absorbent core 142 extends from the front waist region 116 through the crotch region 119 to the back waist region 118.

[0080] As previously mentioned, diaper pants 100P may include backsheet 136. Backsheet 136 may also define the outer surface 134 of the garment facing the base structure 102. Backsheet 136 may also include woven or nonwoven materials, polymer films such as thermoplastic films of polyethylene or polypropylene, and / or include multiple layers or composite materials of film and nonwoven materials. Backsheet may also include elastomeric films. Example backsheet 136 may be a polyethylene film with a thickness of about 0.012mm (0.5 mil) to about 0.051mm (2.0 mil). In addition, backsheet 136 may also allow steam to escape from the absorbent core (that is, backsheet is breathable), while still preventing effluent from penetrating backsheet 136.

[0081] As also described above, the diaper pants 100P may include a top sheet 138. The top sheet 138 may also define all or part of the inner surface 132 of the base structure 102 facing the wearer. In addition, the top sheet 138 may be liquid permeable, thereby allowing liquids (e.g., menstrual fluid, urine and / or loose stools) to penetrate its thickness. The top sheet 138 may be made of various materials, such as woven materials and nonwoven materials; open or hydraulically formed thermoplastic films; open nonwovens, porous foams; reticulated foams; reticulated thermoplastic films; and thermoplastic scrims. Woven materials and nonwoven materials may include natural fibers such as wood fibers or cotton fibers; synthetic fibers such as polyester fibers, polypropylene fibers or polyethylene fibers; or combinations thereof. If the top sheet 138 includes fibers, the fibers may be processed by spunbonding, carding, wet-laid, meltblown, spunlace or other methods known in the art. The top sheet 138 may be selected from high-loft nonwoven top sheets, open-cell film top sheets and open-cell nonwoven top sheets. Exemplary apertured films may include those described in US Pat. Nos. 5,628,097, 5,916,661, 6,545,197, and 6,107,539, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0082] As described above, the diaper pant 100P may also include an absorbent assembly 140 joined to the chassis 102. Figure 2A As shown, the absorbent assembly 140 may have a front edge 148 extending laterally in the front waist region 116, and may have a rear edge 150 extending longitudinally oppositely and laterally in the rear waist region 118. The absorbent assembly may have a right edge 152 extending longitudinally, and may have a left edge 154 extending laterally oppositely and longitudinally, and these two absorbent assembly side edges 152 and 154 may extend longitudinally between the front edge 148 and the rear edge 150. The absorbent assembly 140 may additionally include one or more absorbent cores 142 or absorbent core layers. The absorbent core 142 may be at least partially arranged between the top sheet 138 and the back sheet 136, and may be formed in various sizes and shapes compatible with diapers. Exemplary absorbent structures used as absorbent cores of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patents 4,610,678, 4,673,402, 4,888,231 and 4,834,735, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0083] Some absorbent core embodiments may include a fluid storage core that includes a reduced amount of cellulose air felt material. For example, such a core may include less than about 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5% or even 1% cellulose air felt material. Such a core may primarily include an absorbent gelling material having a content of at least about 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or even about 100%, wherein the remainder of the core includes microfiber glue (if applicable). Such cores, microfiber glues and absorbent gelling materials are described in U.S. Patents 5,599,335, 5,562,646, 5,669,894 and 6,790,798 and U.S. Patent Publications 2004 / 0158212A1 and 2004 / 0097895A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0084] As previously mentioned, the diaper 100P may also include elasticized leg cuffs 156. It should be understood that the leg cuffs 156 may be and are sometimes referred to as leg circumferences, side wings, barrier cuffs, elastic cuffs, or gasket cuffs. The elasticized leg cuffs 156 may be constructed in various ways to help reduce leakage of body exudates in the leg regions. Exemplary leg cuffs 156 may include those described in U.S. Patents 3,860,003, 4,909,803, 4,695,278, 4,795,454, 4,704,115, 4,909,803, and U.S. Patent Publication 2009 / 0312730A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0085] As described above, the diaper pants can be manufactured with the loop elastic band 104 and provided to the consumer in a configuration where the front waist region 116 and the back waist region 118 are connected to each other as packaged before being applied to the wearer. Thus, the diaper pants can have a continuous peripheral waist opening 110 and continuous peripheral leg openings 112, such as Figure 1 The looped elastic band may be formed by joining a first elastic band to a second elastic band with permanent side seams or with an openable and reclosable fastening system disposed at or adjacent laterally opposite sides of the band.

[0086] As previously mentioned, the looped elastic band 104 may be defined by a first elastic band 106 connected to a second elastic band 108. Figure 2A and Figure 2BAs shown, the first elastic band 106 extends between the first longitudinal side edge 111a and the second longitudinal side edge 111b and defines opposite first and second end regions 106a, 106b and a central region 106c. And the second elastic band 108 extends between the first longitudinal side edge 113a and the second longitudinal side edge 113b and defines opposite first and second end regions 108a, 108b and a central region 108c. As measured in an extended state, the distance between the first longitudinal side edge 111a and the second longitudinal side edge 111b defines the pitch PL of the first elastic band 106, and the distance between the first longitudinal side edge 113a and the second longitudinal side edge 113b defines the pitch PL of the second elastic band 108. The central region 106c of the first elastic band is connected to the first waist region 116 or the first end region 116a of the chassis 102, and the central region 108c of the second elastic band 108 is connected to the second waist region 118 or the second end region 118a of the chassis 102. As shown Figure 1 As shown, the first end region 106a of the first elastic belt 106 is connected to the first end region 108a of the second elastic belt 108 at the first side seam 178, and the second end region 106b of the first elastic belt 106 is connected to the second end region 108b of the second elastic belt 108 at the second side seam 180 to define the annular elastic belt 104 and the waist opening 110 and the leg openings 112. It should be understood that the first belt 106 and the second belt 108 can be permanently or refastenably connected to each other at the first side seam 178 and the second side seam 180. The side seams 178, 180 can include permanent bonds, such as heat, pressure or adhesive bonds, or can be releasable bonds, such as mechanical or cohesive fasteners.

[0087] like Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the first elastic band 106 also defines an outer side extending edge 107a and an inner side extending edge 107b, and the second elastic band 108 defines an outer side extending edge 109a and an inner side extending edge 109b. The outer edge 107a of the first band 106 is located longitudinally outward of the inner edge 107b, and the outer edge 109a of the second band 108 is located longitudinally outward of the inner edge 109b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Figure 1As shown, the peripheral edge 112a of one leg opening may be defined by portions of the inboard extending edge 107b of the first elastic belt 106, portions of the inboard extending edge 109b of the second elastic belt 108, and portions of the first longitudinal or right side edge 128 of the chassis 102. And the peripheral edge 112b of the other leg opening may be defined by portions of the inboard extending edge 107b, portions of the inboard extending edge 109b, and portions of the second longitudinal or left side edge 130 of the chassis 102. The outboard laterally extending edges 107a, 109a may also define a front waist edge 121 and a laterally extending back waist edge 122 of the diaper pant 100P.

[0088] It should be understood that the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 can define different sizes and shapes. In some configurations, the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 can define a curved profile. For example, the inner lateral edges 107b, 109b of the first elastic band and / or the second elastic band 106, 108 can include non-linear portions or curved portions in the first and second end regions relative to each other. Such curved profiles can help define a desired shape for the leg opening 112, for example, a relatively rounded leg opening. In addition to having a curved profile, the elastic bands 106, 108 can also include elastic strands 168 extending along a non-linear path or a curved path, which can correspond to the curved profiles of the inner lateral edges 107b, 109b.

[0089] Figure 2C A configuration is shown in which both the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 define a generally rectangular shape. Figure 2C As shown, the outer side extending edge 107a of the first elastic band 106 may have a lateral width W1D, and the inner side extending edge 107b may have a lateral width W1P, wherein W1D and W1P are equal or substantially equal. In addition, the outer side extending edge 109a of the second elastic band 108 may have a lateral width W2D, and the inner side extending edge 109b may have a lateral width W2P, wherein W2D and W2P are equal or substantially equal.

[0090] In some configurations, at least one of the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 can include lateral edges having different lengths. Figure 2D The first elastic band 106 defines a generally rectangular shape (such as reference Figure 2C The outer side extending edge 109a and the inner side extending edge 109b of the second elastic band 108 have different lengths. Figure 2DAs shown, the outer laterally extending edge 109a of the second elastic band 108 may have a lateral width W2D, and the inner laterally extending edge 109b may have a lateral width W2P, wherein W2D is greater than W2P.

[0091] In some configurations, the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 can each include lateral edges having different lengths. Figure 2E 1 shows a configuration in which the outer side extending edge 107a and the inner side extending edge 107b of the first elastic band 106 have different lengths, and in which the outer side extending edge 109a and the inner side extending edge 109b of the second elastic band 108 have different lengths. Figure 2E As shown, the outer laterally extending edge 107a of the first elastic band 107 may have a lateral width W1D, and the inner laterally extending edge 107b may have a lateral width W1P, wherein W1D is greater than W1P, and wherein the outer laterally extending edge 109a of the second elastic band 108 may have a lateral width W2D, and the inner laterally extending edge 109b may have a lateral width W2P, wherein W2D is greater than W2P.

[0092] Reference FIG. 2C to FIG. 2E , the first elastic band 106 may define a longitudinal length LT1 extending between the outer laterally extending edge 107a and the inner laterally extending edge 107b, and the second elastic band 108 may define a longitudinal length LT2 extending between the outer laterally extending edge 109a and the inner laterally extending edge 109b. In some configurations, LT1 may be equal to LT2. In some configurations, LT1 may be less than or greater than LT2. FIG. 2C to FIG. 2E In some configurations, W1D may be equal to W1P, or W1D may be different from W1P. In some configurations, W2D may be equal to W2P, or W2D may be different from W2P. In some configurations, W1D and / or W1P may be equal to or different from W2D and / or W2P.

[0093] Reference Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figure 3, the first elastic belt 106 and the second elastic belt 108 may also each include a first substrate 162 and a second substrate 164. The first substrate 162 may be oriented to define at least a portion of the garment-facing surface 115a of the first elastic belt 106 and the garment-facing surface 117a of the second elastic belt 108, and the second substrate 164 may be oriented to define at least a portion of the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first elastic belt 106 and the wearer-facing surface 117b of the second elastic belt 108. The first substrate 162 may extend a maximum length L1 from the proximal edge 162b to the distal edge 162a, and the second substrate 164 may extend a maximum length L2 from the proximal edge 164b to the distal edge 164a. It should be understood that the distal edge 162a and / or the proximal edge 162b of the first substrate 162 may be straight and / or curved and / or may be parallel or non-parallel to each other. It should also be understood that the distal edge 164a and / or proximal edge 164b of the second substrate 164 may be straight and / or curved and / or may be parallel or non-parallel to each other. Therefore, the maximum length L1 refers to the longest distance extending longitudinally between the distal edge 162a and the proximal edge 162b of the first substrate 162, and the maximum length L2 refers to the longest distance extending longitudinally between the distal edge 164a and the proximal edge 164b of the second substrate 164. In some configurations, L1 may be equal to, less than or greater than L2. In some configurations, L1 may be equal to or less than LT1, and L2 may be equal to or less than LT2. In some configurations, the distal edge 162a of the first substrate 162 may define at least a portion of the front waist edge 121 and / or at least a portion of the back waist edge 122, and / or the distal edge 164a of the second substrate 164 may define at least a portion of the front waist edge 121 and / or at least a portion of the back waist edge 122. Thus, in some configurations, the distal edge 162a of the first substrate 162 and / or the distal edge 164a of the second substrate 164 can define at least a portion of the waist opening 110 .

[0094] It should also be understood that the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164 can extend continuously from the first belt 106 to the second belt 108. For example, the first substrate 162 can be configured to define an adjacent outer cover 162' that extends continuously from the first waist edge 121 to the second waist edge 122, such as Figure 1A , Figure 2F and Figure 3C It should also be understood that Figure 1A , Figure 2F and Figure 3C As shown, a diaper pant 100P with an adjoining outer cover may also be constructed to include various aspects of the frangible pathways and fastener components discussed herein.

[0095] It should be understood that the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 may define various lateral widths that may or may not be equal. Figure 2B As shown, the first substrate 162 may extend laterally between the first longitudinal edge 162e and the second longitudinal edge 162f to define a first lateral width W1, and the second substrate 164 may extend laterally between the first longitudinal edge 164e and the second longitudinal edge 164f to define a second lateral width W2.

[0096] In some configurations, the proximal edge 162b of the first substrate 162 and / or the proximal edge 164b of the second substrate 164 can extend laterally across the backsheet 136. Figures 2A to 3 As shown, the first substrate 162 includes a garment-facing surface 162c and an opposite wearer-facing surface 162d, and the second substrate 164 includes a garment-facing surface 164c and an opposite wearer-facing surface 164d.

[0097] In some configurations, the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 may include at least a folded portion of the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164. For example, Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 may include a folded portion 162g of the first substrate 162, which extends longitudinally between the fold line 162h and the lateral edge 162i in the first substrate 162. Therefore, the folded portion 162g of the first substrate 162 can be connected to the wearer-facing surface 164d of the second substrate 164. In some configurations, the folded portion 162g of the first substrate 162 can also be connected to and / or overlap the base structure 102. In some configurations, the folded portion 162g of the first substrate 162 can also be connected to the wearer-facing surface 162d of the second substrate 162. In some configurations, a portion of the folded portion 162g of the first substrate 162 may not be bonded to the base structure 102 and / or the second substrate 164, thereby forming a pocket with an opening oriented toward the lateral centerline 162c of the base structure 102. In another example, the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 may include a folded portion of the second substrate 164 that extends longitudinally between a fold line in the second substrate 164 and a lateral edge. Thus, the folded portion of the second substrate 164 may be connected to the garment-facing surface 162c of the first substrate 162. Thus, in some configurations, the fold line of the first substrate 162 and / or the fold line of the second substrate 164 may define at least a portion of the waist opening 110. It should be understood that various waist configurations may be used. For example, as Figure 3A1 As shown, the folded portion 162g can be sandwiched between the second substrate 164 and the backsheet 136. Figure 3A2In another example shown, the second substrate 164 can be sandwiched between the folded portion 162g and the bottom sheet 136. Figure 3A1 and Figure 3A2 The configuration of the first strap 106 is shown, but it should be understood that such a configuration may be applied to the second strap 108 .

[0098] It should be understood that the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 may contain the same material and / or may have the same structure. In some embodiments, the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band may contain different materials and / or may have different structures. It should also be understood that the components of the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 (such as the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164) may be constructed of various materials. For example, the first band and / or the second band may include a first substrate 162 and / or a second substrate 164 that may be made of a material such as a plastic film; an open-cell plastic film; a woven or nonwoven web of the following fibers: a natural material (e.g., wood fiber or cotton fiber), a synthetic fiber (e.g., polyolefin, polyamide, polyester, polyethylene, or polypropylene fiber), or a combination of natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers; or a coated woven or nonwoven web. In some configurations, the first band and / or the second band may include a first substrate 162 and / or a second substrate 164 of a nonwoven web containing synthetic fibers, and may include a stretchable nonwoven. In some configurations, the first elastic belt and the second elastic belt may include an inner hydrophobic non-stretchable nonwoven material and an outer hydrophobic non-stretchable nonwoven material. It should be understood that the belt can be constructed in various ways, such as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022 / 0142828A1 and Chinese Patent Application No. CN2021 / 077843, both of which are incorporated by reference.

[0099] The elastic material 167 may be positioned between the wearer-facing surface 162d of the first substrate 162 and the garment-facing surface 164c of the second substrate 164. It should be understood that the elastic material 167 may include one or more elastic elements, such as strands, ribbons, elastic films or sheets extending along the length of the elastic band. Figure 2A and Figure 3 As shown, the elastic material 167 may include a plurality of elastic strands 168. In some configurations, the elastic material 167 may be an elastic film used to form a zero strain elastic laminate that includes an elastic film bonded to one or more nonwoven layers and subsequently subjected to a mechanical deformation or activation sufficient to weaken the nonwoven layers and enable the laminate to elastically stretch and recover.

[0100] It should also be understood that the first substrate 162, the second substrate 164, and / or the elastic material 167 of the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 can be bonded together and / or to other components (such as the chassis 102) using adhesives and / or mechanical bonds. It should be understood that adhesive bonding and mechanical bonding can be used alone or in combination with each other.

[0101] In some configurations, when the first substrate 162, the second substrate 164 and / or the elastic material 167 are combined to form the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108, an adhesive can be applied to at least one of them. In some configurations, when the first substrate 162, the second substrate 164 and / or the elastic material 167 are combined to form the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108, a mechanical bonding device can apply a mechanical bonding piece to at least one of them. Such mechanical bonding pieces can be applied using heat, pressure and / or ultrasonic devices. In some configurations, a mechanical bonding device can apply a bonding piece that bonds the first substrate 162, the second substrate 164 and / or the elastic material 167 together, and / or can be used to capture or fix the contraction elastic strands of discrete lengths in the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108.

[0102] It should also be understood that the first substrate 162, the second substrate 164 and / or the elastic material 167 can be bonded together using various methods and equipment to produce various elastomeric laminates, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2018 / 0168878A1, 2018 / 0168877A1, 2018 / 0168880A1, 2018 / 0170027A1, 2018 / 0169964A1, 2018 / 0168879A1, 2018 / 0170026A1, 2018 / 0168889A1, 201 8 / 0168874A1, 2018 / 0168875A1, 2018 / 0168890A1, 2018 / 0168887A1, 2018 / 0168892A1, 2018 / 0168876A1, 2018 / 0168891A1, 2019 / 0070042A1, 2019 / 0070041A1, 2021 / 0282797A1 and 2021 / 0275362A1 and combinations thereof, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0103] It should be understood that the components of the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 can be assembled in various ways and in various combinations to produce various desired characteristics, which can vary along the lateral width and / or longitudinal length of the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108. Such characteristics can include, for example, dtex value, bonding pattern, hole arrangement, elastic positioning, average dtex value, average pre-strain value, roughness frequency, roughness wavelength, height value and / or contact area. It should be understood that different characteristics can be imparted to various components (such as, for example, the first substrate 162, the second substrate 164 and the elastic material 167) before and / or during the assembly stage of the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108.

[0104] It should be understood that the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 may include various configurations of band elastic material 167 arranged relative to each other and relative to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164. As discussed above, the elastic material 167 may include configurations of one or more elastic elements (such as strands, ribbons, films, or sheets) positioned in various arrangements. In some configurations, the elastic material 167 may include various elastic components, elastic features and arrangements, and methods for assembly, such as 2018 / 0168889A1, 2018 / 0168874A1, 2018 / 0168875A1, 2018 / 0168890A1, 2018 / 0168887A1, 2018 / 0168892A1, 2018 / 0168876A1, 2018 / 0168891A1, 2019 / 0298586A1, 2019 / 0070042A1, 2018 / 0168878A1, 2018 / 0168877A1, 2018 / 0168880A1, 2018 / 0170027A1, 2018 / 0169964A1, 2018 / 0168879A1, 2018 / 0170026A1, 2019 / 0070041A1, 2021 / 0282797A1 and 2021 / 0275362A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. It should also be understood that the elastic material 167 herein can be configured to have the same or different colors in various different positions on the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108.

[0105] In some configurations, the elastic material 167 can be constructed as elastic strands 168 arranged at constant intervals in the longitudinal direction. In other embodiments, the elastic strands 168 can be arranged at different intervals in the longitudinal direction. In some configurations, the decitex value of the elastic strands 168 can be constant or variable in the longitudinal direction. In some configurations, the elastic material 167 in a stretched state can be inserted and joined between the uncontracted substrate layers. When the elastic material 167 relaxes, the elastic material 167 returns to the unstretched state and contracts the substrate layer. The elastic material 167 can provide a desired contraction force change in the area of ​​the annular elastic band. It should be understood that the base structure 102 and the elastic bands 106, 108 can be constructed in a manner different from that shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the elastic material 167 material can be continuously or intermittently joined to the substrate along the interface between the elastic material 167 material and the substrate. In some configurations, the elastic strands 168 may be in the form of extruded elastic strands, which may also be bonded to the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164 in a pre-corrugated configuration, such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,681,302, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0106] As mentioned above, for example, Figure 2A and Figure 3As discussed, the elastic material 167 discussed herein can be in the form of elastic strands 168. In some configurations, the elastic strands 168 can be parallel to each other and / or to the lateral axis 126. It should be understood that the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 can be configured to include various amounts of elastic strands 168. In some configurations, the elastic strands 168 can be grouped in pairs. In some configurations, the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 can include about 10 to about 1500 elastic strands 168. It should also be understood that the elastic strands 168 herein can have various decitex values, strand spacing values, and pre-strain values, and such elastic strands 168 can be used with other elastic strands to produce the first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 including elastic strands 168 having various combinations of decitex values, strand spacing values, and pre-strain values. For example, in some configurations, the average decitex of one or more elastic strands 168 may be greater than 500. In some configurations, the average decitex of one or more elastic strands 168 may be about 10 to about 1500, specifically listing all 1 decitex increments within the above ranges and all ranges formed therein or thereby. In some configurations, the plurality of elastic strands 168 may have an average strand spacing of less than or equal to 4 mm. In some configurations, the plurality of elastic strands 168 may have an average strand spacing of about 0.25 mm to about 4 mm, specifically listing all 0.01 mm increments within the above ranges and all ranges formed therein or thereby. In some configurations, the plurality of elastic strands 168 may have an average strand spacing greater than 4 mm. In some configurations, the average prestrain of each of the plurality of elastic strands may be about 50% to about 400%, specifically listing all 1% increments within the above ranges and all ranges formed therein or thereby. In some configurations, the elastic strands 168 include an average strand spacing of about 0.25 mm to about 4 mm and an average decitex of about 10 to about 500. In some configurations, the elastic strands 168 can have an average pre-strain of about 75% to about 300%.

[0107] In some configurations, the first plurality of elastic strands may have a first average prestrain of about 75% to about 300%, and the second plurality of elastic strands may have a second average prestrain greater than the first average prestrain. In some configurations, the first plurality of elastic strands have an average strand spacing of about 0.25 mm to about 4 mm and an average decitex of about 10 to about 500; and the second plurality of elastic strands may have an average strand spacing greater than about 4 mm and an average decitex greater than about 450.

[0108] In some configurations, such as Figure 2AAs shown, the elastic strands 168 may be referred to herein as outer waist elastic components 170 and inner waist elastic components 172. Elastic strands 168, such as the outer waist elastic components 170, may extend laterally continuously between the opposing first and second end regions 106a, 106b of the first elastic belt 106 and between the opposing first and second end regions 108a, 108b of the second elastic belt 108. Some elastic strands 168, such as the inner waist elastic components 172, may be configured to be discontinuous in certain areas, such as, for example, where the first and second elastic belts 106, 108 overlap portions of the chassis 102, such as the absorbent assembly 140.

[0109] like Figure 2A As shown, the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 may be configured to have a low stretch area 701 and a high stretch area 703. The first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 may include a first high stretch area 703a and a second high stretch area 703b separated laterally by the low stretch area 701. Portions of the chassis 102 (such as the backsheet 136 and the absorbent assembly 140) may be connected to the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 in the low stretch area 701 in the first waist region 116 and / or the second waist region 118. The high stretch area 703 is elasticized by an elastic material 167 such as elastic strands 168, 172; and the low stretch area 701 may include a cut line that separates the elastic material 167 (such as elastic strands 168, 172). In some configurations, the elastic material 167 may be cut in an unbonded area where the elastic material is not bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164. Therefore, the elastic material 167 is retracted in and from the unbonded area and forms a low stretch area 701. In some configurations, the elastic material 167 can be cut into several discrete pieces. Then, the low stretch area 701 defines an area of ​​the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 that has relatively less elasticity than the high stretch area 703. The discrete elastic material 167 that has been cut and elastically contracted does not add any significant amount of elasticity to the low stretch area 701. Therefore, after applying a force, the high stretch area 703 will stretch more than the low stretch area 701. As provided above, the term "elastic", "elastomer" or "elastomeric" refers to a material that exhibits elastic properties, which includes any material that can stretch or stretch to an elongated length exceeding 10% of its initial length when a force is applied to its relaxed initial length, and will substantially recover to about its initial length when the applied force is released. In some configurations, the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 can be configured to have elastic, high-stretch regions 703 and can be configured to have inelastic or “non-elastic” low-stretch regions 701 .

[0110] As discussed above, reference Figures 1 to 3C The described diaper pants 100P may include one or more breakable paths in the first belt 106 and / or the second belt 108. For example, FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C An example diaper pant 100P is shown having a first belt 106 including a frangible path 700. The frangible path 700 can be configured to allow the first elastic belt 106 to tear relatively easily along the frangible path 700, such as when removing the diaper pant 100P from a wearer. Figure 4B Shown from Figure 4A 100P, showing the first tape 106 after having been torn along the breakable path 700 through both the outer longitudinally outwardly extending edge 107a and the inwardly extending edge 107b of the first tape 106. Thus, Figure 4B The first elastic band 106 is shown separated by opposing tear lines 705. It should be understood that the first elastic band 106 can be separated along Figure 4B The two breakable paths 700 in the embodiment are torn. For example, Figure 4C Show Figure 4A Diaper pants of FIG. 700, showing that the front belt has been torn along two breakable paths 700. Figure 4C As shown, after the opposing first and second end regions 106a, 106b are separated from the central region 106c by tearing the elastic band 106 along the breakable pathway 700, the central region 106c of the first elastic band 106 may remain bonded to the chassis 102.

[0111] As discussed in more detail below, the breakable pathway 700 includes a plurality of lines of weakness 704 that are configured such that all of the elastic strands 168 in the first elastic belt 106 are severed at least once in the breakable pathway 700. Severing the elastic strands 168 in the breakable pathway 700 helps to make it relatively easy to tear the first elastic belt 106 along the breakable pathway 700. For example, when the elastic strands 168 are severed, the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the first elastic belt 106 need only be torn without also tearing the uncut elastic strands 168. It should be understood that the diaper pant 100P may include various amounts of breakable pathways 700 that may: be positioned in various locations; define various shapes; and extend various lengths. For example, the first elastic band 106 may have a first band length defined by the longitudinal distance between the proximal edge 107b and the distal edge 107a, and the breakable passage 700 may extend a total length from the outermost edge of the line of weakness 704 closest to the proximal edge 107b of the first band 106 to the outermost edge of the line of weakness 704 closest to the distal edge 107a of the first band 106. In some configurations, the breakable passage 700 may extend a total length greater than, equal to, or less than the first band length. In some configurations, the line of weakness 704 may extend a certain length from the first end to the second end, and the sum of all lengths of the line of weakness 704 in the breakable passage 700 may be greater than the total breakable passage length.

[0112] In some configurations, the diaper pant 100P can be constructed such that one or both of the first elastic belt 106 and the second elastic belt 108 include one or more breakable paths 700. The breakable paths 700 can be positioned in various locations on the first elastic belt 106 and the second elastic belt 108. For example, FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C As shown, the breakable pathway 700 may extend to overlap the chassis 102. In some configurations, the breakable pathway 700 may extend in a straight line and / or may be curved and / or have a curved portion. In some configurations, the breakable pathway 700 may extend longitudinally the entire length of the first band 106 and / or the second band 108 or less than the entire length thereof. In some configurations, the breakable pathway 700 may be partially or completely positioned laterally between the first side seam 178 and the second side seam 180 and the chassis 102.

[0113] In some configurations, the frangible passage 700 can be constructed and / or positioned to provide access to and / or function with other features, such as a disposal feature. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C The diaper pant 100P shown in includes a fastener component 707 positioned on the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first elastic band 106. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 may be positioned between the first elastic band 106 and the chassis 102. The fastener component 707 may be constructed to be refastenably connected to other portions of the diaper pant 100P (such as, for example, the first elastic band 106, the second elastic band 108, or the garment-facing surface of the chassis 102). Therefore, once the first elastic band 106 is torn along the breakable path 700, the diaper pant 100P can be removed from the wearer and rolled up or folded for disposal, and the fastener component 707 can be connected to another portion of the diaper pant 100P to help keep the diaper pant 100P in a disposal configuration. For example, Figure 4C The diaper pant 100P is shown after tearing the first elastic band 106 along two frangible paths. Figure 5A Show Figure 4C A diaper pant 100P in which the chassis 102 is rolled up on itself in the longitudinal direction. And Figure 5B Shows Figure 5AThe diaper pants 100P of the present invention is provided in which the fastener components 707 are refastenably connected to the backsheet 136 of the chassis 102 to maintain the diaper pants 100P in a disposal configuration. In some configurations, when the elastic band is torn along the breakable path 700, the tearing process can be initiated by tearing from the outer edge 107a or the inner edge 107b of the elastic band 106. As discussed in more detail below, in some configurations, the first elastic band 106 can also include an opening, such as a slit positioned adjacent to or near the fastener components 707 and the weakened area 700 to help facilitate the initiation of longitudinal tearing of the breakable path 700 in the area of ​​the elastic band 106 between the outer edge 107a and the inner edge 107b.

[0114] It should also be understood that the fastener component 707 can be constructed in various ways (such as hooks, loops and / or adhesives). For example, the fastener component 707 may include a hook element or adhesive that is suitable for being refastened and connected to another surface of the diaper pants 100P. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 may include a loop element that is suitable for being refastened and connected to the hook surface on the diaper pants 100P. In some configurations, the loop element may be configured as a separate patch of a loop connected to the belt, and in some configurations, the loop element may be formed by the belt material itself. The fastener component 707 may be a separate element connected to the elastic band 106 in various ways (such as mechanical bonding, adhesive bonding or both). In some configurations, the fastener component 707 may be formed integrally by the material of the elastic bands 106, 108. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 may be printed and / or include materials of various different colors so that the fastener component 707 can be visible from the outside of the diaper pants 100P.

[0115] As previously mentioned, fastener component 707 may include hook material, which may be engaged with substrate (such as nonwoven) in a refastenable manner on the outer surface of diaper pants 100P. For example, fastener component 707 may include a substrate with hook, wherein the substrate is bonded to elastic bands 106, 108, such as the second substrate 164 which may be in the form of nonwoven. It should be understood that the substrate may be bonded to elastic bands 106, 108 in various ways (such as, for example, using mechanical bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding and / or adhesive bonding or a combination thereof). In some configurations, the hook may be integrally formed by the second substrate 164, which may be in the form of nonwoven. Fastener component 707 may include a material or a combination of two or more materials arranged in at least partially overlapping configurations. In some configurations, fastener component 707 may include other fastener types as known in the art.

[0116] It should be understood that the fastener component 707 may include any of a variety of shapes, including a rectangular or other polygonal shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a shape with an external convex or concave surface, or a combination thereof, or one or more lines or geometric shapes forming an array. It should be understood that the fastener component 707 may include various sizes. For example, in some configurations, the fastener component 707 may have a lateral width between about 5 mm and about 100 mm, specifically listing all 0.1 mm increments within the above range and all ranges formed therein or thereby. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 may have a longitudinal length between about 10 mm and about 100 mm, specifically listing all 0.1 mm increments within the above range and all ranges formed therein or thereby. The fastener component 707 may be aligned parallel to the lateral centerline 126a, 126b of the elastic band 106, 108, or may be oriented at an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal centerline 126a, 126 of the elastic band 106, 108. The fastener component 707 may include an array of two or more spaced apart fastening elements. The fastener component 707 may have a color visible through any layer of the elastic band 106, 108 on which the fastener component 707 is positioned. The elastic band 106, 108 and / or the base structure 102 may include printing or other markings that highlight the location, function and / or use of the fastener component 707 to the caregiver. The bonding piece or bonding pattern that attaches the fastener component 707 to the elastic band 106, 108 may be visually or tactilely different from the surrounding band material to provide a signal or mechanical gripping advantage to the caregiver.

[0117] It should also be understood that the breakable pathway 700 may include a line of weakness 704 that is: constructed in various ways; positioned in various positions and orientations relative to each other; defined by various shapes; and extends various lengths. For example, in some configurations, the line of weakness 704 includes discrete cut lines that penetrate some or all layers of the elastic band 106. In some configurations, the line of weakness 704 includes discrete bonds, wherein the materials of the first substrate and the second substrate are fused together. In some configurations, the line of weakness 704 may be linear, curvilinear, or have a regular or irregular geometry, and may include one or more of perforations, bonds, orifices, or mechanically thinned regions of materials such as nonwovens, or combinations thereof. It should also be understood that the line of weakness 704 may be formed to have different lengths and spacings to achieve different separation forces.

[0118] As discussed above, an absorbent article 100, such as a diaper pant 100P, can be configured with a breakable path 700 that includes a line of weakness 704 arranged in various ways to help improve a caregiver's ability to remove a soiled diaper pant 100P from a wearer without having to remove the soiled diaper pant from the wearer by sliding the soiled diaper pant down the wearer's legs. As discussed above, the breakable path 700 can be configured to allow the first elastic band 106 and / or the second elastic band 108 to tear relatively easily along the breakable path 700, such as when removing the diaper pant 100P from the wearer. In addition, the breakable path 700 can also be configured to provide access to a fastener component 707, which can be used to help keep the soiled product in a disposal configuration. A discussion of exemplary implementations of the frangible passage 700 on the diaper pant 100P is provided below in the context of the above description of various details of the absorbent article 100, fastener components 707, frangible passages 700, and lines of weakness 704. It should be understood that the discussion herein of the frangible passage 700 in the first elastic belt 106 may also apply to the frangible passage 700 in the second elastic belt 108.

[0119] It should be understood that the breakable pathway 700 can be positioned in a variety of locations and / or orientations relative to other components of the absorbent article 100 and / or can be configured to function in a variety of ways to help facilitate removal of the diaper pants from the wearer. Fig. 6A and Figure 6B The diaper pant 100P shown in FIG. 1 may include one or more breakable pathways 700 extending between a distal end 808 on the outer edge 107a of the first belt 106 and a distal end 810 on the inner edge 107b of the first belt 106. Fig. 6A and Figure 6B As shown, the diaper pant 100P includes a first breakable passage 700a and a second breakable passage 700b in the first belt 106. The first breakable passage 700a may extend between a first distal end 808a on the outer edge 107a of the first belt 106 and a first proximal end 810a on the inner edge 107b of the first belt 106. And the second breakable passage 700b may extend between a second distal end 808b on the outer edge 107a of the first belt 106 and a second proximal end 810b on the inner edge 107b of the first belt 106. It should be understood that the first breakable passage 700a and the second breakable passage 700b may include a line of weakness 704 as described above.

[0120] It should be understood that the first distal end 808a and the second distal end 808b can be located in various lateral positions on the outer edge 107a of the first band 106. For example, in some configurations, the first distal end 808a and / or the second distal end 808b can be positioned in the central region 106c of the first band 106. In some configurations, the first distal end 808a and / or the second distal end 808b can be positioned laterally between the first longitudinal edge 128 and the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, the first distal end 808a and / or the second distal end 808b can be positioned in the first end region 106a and / or the second end region 106b of the first band 106. In some configurations, the first distal end 808a and / or the second distal end 808b can be positioned laterally outboard of the first longitudinal edge 128 and the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, the first distal end 808a and / or the second distal end 808b can be laterally positioned between the first longitudinal edge 128 of the chassis 102 and the first side seam 178, and / or can be laterally positioned between the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102 and the second side seam 180. In some configurations, the first distal end 808a can be laterally aligned with the first longitudinal edge 128 of the chassis 102 or the first longitudinal side edge 111a of the first belt 106. In some configurations, the first distal end 808a can be laterally positioned between the first longitudinal edge 128 of the chassis 102 and the first longitudinal side edge 111a of the first belt 106. In some configurations, the second distal end 808b can be laterally aligned with the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102 or the second longitudinal side edge 111b of the first belt 106. In some configurations, the second distal end 808b can be positioned laterally between the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102 and the second longitudinal side edge 111b of the first band 106 .

[0121] It should also be understood that the first proximal end 810a and the second proximal end 810b can be located in various lateral positions on the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. For example, in some configurations, the first proximal end 810a and / or the second proximal end 810b can be positioned in the central region 106c of the first band 106. In some configurations, the first proximal end 810a and / or the second distal end 810b can be positioned laterally between the first longitudinal edge 128 and the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, the first proximal end 810a and / or the second proximal end 810b can be positioned in the first end region 106a and / or the second end region 106b of the first band 106. In some configurations, the first proximal end 810a and / or the second proximal end 810b can be positioned laterally outboard of the first longitudinal edge 128 and the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, the first proximal end 810a and / or the second proximal end 810b can be laterally positioned between the first longitudinal edge 128 of the chassis 102 and the first side seam 178, and / or can be laterally positioned between the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102 and the second side seam 180. In some configurations, the first proximal end 810a can be laterally aligned with the first longitudinal edge 128 of the chassis 102 or the first longitudinal side edge 111a of the first belt 106. In some configurations, the first proximal end 810a can be laterally positioned between the first longitudinal edge 128 of the chassis 102 and the first longitudinal side edge 111a of the first belt 106. In some configurations, the second proximal end 810b can be laterally aligned with the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102 or the second longitudinal side edge 111b of the first belt 106. In some configurations, the second proximal end 810b can be positioned laterally between the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102 and the second longitudinal side edge 111b of the first band 106 .

[0122] It should be understood that the first distal end 808a and the second distal end 808b can be located in various longitudinal positions between the outer edge 107a and the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. And the first proximal end 810a and the second proximal end 810b can be located in various longitudinal positions between the outer edge 107a and the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. For example, in some configurations, such as Fig.6B1 As shown, the first distal end 808a and / or the first proximal end 810a can be located on the first side seam 178 at a position longitudinally inward of the outer edge 107a of the first belt 106 and longitudinally outward of the inner edge 107b. Fig.6B1As shown, the second distal end 808b and / or the second proximal end 810b may be located on the second side seam 180 at a position longitudinally inward of the outer edge 107a and longitudinally outward of the inner edge 107b of the first tape 106. Therefore, completing the tearing process of the first tape 106 may also require tearing a portion of the first side seam 178 and / or the second side seam 180.

[0123] Continue to refer Figure 6B , the first tape 106 may further include a gripping area 801 that provides a location where a user may grip a portion of the first tape 106 and begin the process of tearing the first tape along the frangible pathway 700. The gripping area 801 may include an accessible opening 802 in the first tape 106, and may further include a fastener component 707 positioned adjacent to the accessible opening 802. The accessible opening 802 may include a slit and / or opening in the first tape 106, and may penetrate some or all layers of the first tape 106. It should be understood that such a slit or opening may be curved and / or straight. The accessible opening 802 may also be considered part of the frangible pathway 700.

[0124] like Figure 6B As shown, the diaper pant 100P can include a first gripping area 801a having a first accessible opening 802a and a second gripping area 801b having a second accessible opening 802b in the first belt 106. The first accessible opening 802a and the second accessible opening 802b can be positioned between the outer edge 107a and the inner edge 107b of the first belt 106. The first accessible opening 802a and the second accessible opening 802b can also be positioned in the central area 106c of the first belt 106 and can be positioned between the first longitudinal edge 128, the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102, and the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102. In addition, the first fastener component 707a can be positioned adjacent to the first accessible opening 802a, and the second fastener component 707a can be positioned adjacent to the second accessible opening 802a. The first breakable passage 700a may include a first tear region 813a extending from the first accessible opening 802a to the first distal end 808a and a second tear region 813b extending from the first accessible opening 802a to the first proximal end 810a. The second breakable passage 700b may include a first tear region 813a extending from the second accessible opening 802b to the second distal end 808b and a second tear region 813b extending from the second accessible opening 802b to the second proximal end 810b.

[0125] It should be understood that the breakable pathway 700 may include one or more functional areas. In turn, the breakable pathway may include a transition area that operably connects such areas to help promote tearing from one area to another along the breakable pathway 700. The lines of weakness in the transition area may have a specific length and / or angle relative to the lateral centerline and have a row spacing to help provide a desired extension of material failure when, for example, removing the product from the wearer. It should be understood that the length, angle, and spacing in the transition area may be different from those in adjacent lines of weakness.

[0126] For example, Figure 6B As shown, the first tear region 813a of the first breakable passage 700a may include a first initial tear region 815a extending from the first accessible opening 802a to the first transition region 817a. In addition, the first tear region 813a of the first breakable passage 700a may include a secondary tear region 819a extending from the first transition region 817a to the first distal end 808a. The first tear region 813a of the first breakable passage 700a may also include a second initial tear region 815b extending from the first accessible opening 802a to the second transition region 817b. In addition, the first tear region 813a of the first breakable passage 700a may include a second secondary tear region 819b extending from the second transition region 817b to the first proximal end 810a. The first transition region 817a may operably connect the first initial tear region 815a with the first secondary tear region 819a to help promote tearing along the first breakable passage 700a from the first initial tear region 815a to the first secondary tear region 819a. Continue to refer to Figure 6B , the first tear region 813a of the second breakable passage 700b may include a first initial tear region 815a extending from the second accessible opening 802b to the first transition region 817a. In addition, the first tear region 813a of the second breakable passage 700b may include a secondary tear region 819a extending from the first transition region 817a to the second distal end 808b. The first tear region 813a of the second breakable passage 700b may also include a second initial tear region 815b extending from the second accessible opening 802b to the second transition region 817b. In addition, the first tear region 813a of the second breakable passage 700b may include a second secondary tear region 819b extending from the second transition region 817b to the second proximal end 810b. The second transition region 817b may operably connect the second initial tear region 815b with the second secondary tear region 819b to help promote tearing along the second breakable passage 700b from the second initial tear region 815b to the second secondary tear region 819b.

[0127] As discussed in more detail below, the accessible opening 802 can help provide a caregiver or wearer with access to and / or grasping the fastener component 707 in the gripping area 801 with a finger or thumb. The caregiver or user can then pull the gripping area 801 to begin tearing the first tape 106 over the breakable passage 700. In some configurations, the tear line can extend laterally outward from the central region 106c of the first tape 106 toward the distal end 808 and the proximal end 810 along the first tear region 813a and the second tear region 813b simultaneously. As discussed in more detail below, the diaper pant 100P can also be configured such that the tear line extending along the first tear region 813a and the tear line extending along the second tear region 813b can reach the distal end 808 and the proximal end 810, respectively, at or about the same time. It should also be understood that some diaper pants 100P herein can be constructed to include a breakable path 700 extending through or around a fastener component 707 without an accessible opening. The user can then pinch and / or pull the tape with the breakable path 700 located at or near the fastener component 707 to initiate the tearing process along the breakable path 700.

[0128] like Figure 6B As shown, the frangible passage 700 can be configured to extend laterally inward from the distal end 808 and / or the proximal end 810. Subsequently, portions of the frangible passage 700 can extend to define an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the outer edge 107a and / or the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. Thus, the frangible passage can define an angle greater than the angle described above with reference to FIG. 2C to FIG. 2E The total length of the longitudinal length LT1 of the first tape 106 and / or the longitudinal length LT2 of the second tape 108 in question.

[0129] As discussed above, the first elastic band 106 and / or the second band 108 can tear relatively easily along the breakable path 700, such as when the diaper pant 100P is removed from the wearer. 6A to 6F As discussed, the breakable passage 700 can be configured to allow a caregiver or wearer to start and / or completely tear the first belt 106 and / or the second belt 108 with one hand when removing the diaper pants 100P from the wearer. In addition, the first belt 106 can be separable along the first breakable passage 700a and the second breakable passage 700b to define a first belt area 831, a second belt area 832, and a third belt area 833 positioned laterally between the first belt area 831 and the second belt area 832.

[0130] See now Fig. 6A and Figure 6B, when removing the diaper pant 100P from the wearer, the user can grasp the first belt 106 in the grasping area 801 by inserting one or more fingers and / or thumbs through the accessible opening 802 to grasp the first belt 106 and a portion of the fastener component 707. For example, referring to Figure 6B and Figure 6C , the caregiver can insert a finger or thumb through the first accessible opening 802a and grasp the first strap 106 and the first fastener component 707a with the first hand. The caregiver's opposite second hand can be used to help stabilize the wearer. For example, the caregiver's opposite second hand can apply a holding or stabilizing force to the wearer at the center area 106c of the first strap 106. The user's first hand can then apply a pulling force Fp outwardly away from the wearer on the first gripping area 801a of the first strap 106 to initiate tearing of the first strap 106 along the first breakable path 700a, such as Figure 6C shown.

[0131] Continue to refer Figure 6C , a pulling force Fp (generally represented by an arrow) can be applied to the first gripping area 801a in a direction generally toward the first end region 106a of the first tape 106 and / or outwardly away from the first tape 106 and the wearer. When the force Fp is applied, the first tear line 705a and the second tear line 705b can simultaneously extend along the first tear region 813a and the second tear region 813b, respectively. The first tear line 705a can extend from the first accessible opening 802a along the first tear region 813a of the first breakable passage 700a partially through and adjacent to the first fastener component 707a in the longitudinal and lateral directions, and then extend in a direction D1 that is generally laterally and longitudinally outwardly from the central region 106c of the first tape 106 and toward the first distal end 808a in the first end region 106a of the first tape 106. At the same time, the second tear line 705b can partially pass from the first accessible opening 802a in the longitudinal and lateral directions and extend in the direction D2 along the second tear area 813b of the first breakable passage 700a adjacent to the first fastener component 707a, which direction D2 is generally laterally outward and longitudinally inward from the central area 106c of the first band 106 and toward the first proximal end 810a in the first end area 106a of the first band 106.

[0132] In some configurations, the first tear line 705a can extend from the first accessible opening 802a along the first initial tear region 815a of the first breakable passage 700a to the first transition region 817a. From the first transition region 817a, the first tear line 705a can then extend along the first secondary tear region 819a to the first distal end 808a. In addition, the second tear line 705b can extend from the first accessible opening 802a along the second initial tear region 815b of the first breakable passage 700a to the second transition region 817b. From the second transition region 817b, the second tear line 705b can then extend along the second secondary tear region 819b to the first proximal end 810a. As discussed in more detail below, the first breakable passage 700a can be configured so that the first tear line 705a and the second tear line 705b can reach the first distal end 808a and the first proximal end 810a, respectively, at or about the same time.

[0133] like Fig.6D As shown, the first tape 106 can be separated along the first breakable path 700a to define the first tape region 831. For example, once the first tear line 705a extends through the first distal end 808a and the second tear line 705b extends through the first proximal end 810a, the first tape region 831 can be formed. Fig.6D As shown, the first edge 831a of the first tape region 831 is formed by tearing the first breakable passage 700a. In addition, the first edge 833a of the third tape region 833, discussed in more detail below, is also formed by tearing the first breakable passage 700a. The first tape region 831 can extend from the first edge 831a of the first tear line 705a and the second tear line 705b to the first longitudinal side edge 111a of the first side seam 178 or the first tape 106. In addition, the first tape region 831 can include the first fastener component 707a. As discussed below, the first tape region 831 can include all or a portion of the first fastener component 707a.

[0134] Where the first tape region 831 is defined by tearing the first tape 106 along the first breakable pathway 700a, the user may define the second tape region 832 by tearing the first tape 106 along the second breakable pathway 700b. Fig.6D and Fig. 6E, the caregiver can insert a finger or thumb through the second accessible opening 802b and grasp the first strap 106 and the second fastener component 707b with the first hand. The caregiver's opposite second hand can be used to help stabilize the wearer. For example, the caregiver's opposite second hand can apply a holding or stabilizing force to the wearer at the center area 106c of the first strap 106. The user's first hand can then apply a pulling force Fp outwardly away from the wearer on the second gripping area 801b of the first strap 106 to initiate tearing of the first strap 106 along the second breakable path 700b, such as Fig. 6E shown.

[0135] Continue to refer Fig. 6E , a pulling force Fp (generally indicated by an arrow) may be applied to the second gripping region 801b in a direction generally toward the second end region 106b of the first tape 106 and / or outwardly away from the first tape 106. When the pulling force Fp is applied, the first tear line 705a and the second tear line 705b may extend simultaneously along the first tear region 813a and the second tear region 813b, respectively. The first tear line 705a may extend from the second accessible opening 802b along the first tear region 813a of the second breakable passage 700b partially through and adjacent to the second fastener component 707b in the longitudinal and lateral directions, and then extend in a direction D1 that is generally laterally and longitudinally outwardly from the central region 106c of the first tape 106 and toward the second distal end 808b in the second end region 106b of the first tape 106. At the same time, the second tear line 705b can partially pass from the second accessible opening 802b in the longitudinal and lateral directions and extend in a direction D2 along the second tear area 813b of the second breakable passage 700b adjacent to the second fastener component 707b, which direction D2 is generally laterally outward and longitudinally inward from the central area 106c of the first band 106 and toward the second proximal end 810b in the second end area 106b of the first band 106.

[0136] In some configurations, the first tear line 705a may extend from the second accessible opening 802b along the first initial tear region 815a of the second breakable passage 700b to the first transition region 817a. From the first transition region 817a, the first tear line 705a may then extend along the first secondary tear region 819a to the second distal end 808b. In addition, the second tear line 705b may extend from the second accessible opening 802b along the second initial tear region 815b of the second breakable passage 700b to the second transition region 817b. From the second transition region 817b, the second tear line 705b may then extend along the second secondary tear region 819b to the second proximal end 810b. As discussed in more detail below, the second breakable passage 700b may be configured such that the first tear line 705a and the second tear line 705b may reach the second distal end 808b and the second proximal end 810b, respectively, at or about the same time.

[0137] like Fig. 6F As shown, the first tape 106 can be separated along the second breakable path 700b to define a second tape region 832 and a third tape region 833. For example, once the first tear line 705a extends through the second distal end 808b and the second tear line 705b extends through the second proximal end 810b, the second tape region 832 can be formed, thereby forming the second tape region 832. Fig. 6F As shown, the first edge 832a of the second belt region 832 is formed by tearing the second breakable passage 700b. In addition, the second edge 833b of the third belt region 833 is also formed by tearing the second breakable passage 700b. The second belt region 832 can extend from the first edge 832a of the first tear line 705a and the second tear line 705b to the second longitudinal side edge 111b of the second belt 106. In addition, the second belt region 832 can include a second fastener component 707b. The third belt region 833 can extend laterally between the first edge 833a and the second edge 833b and can remain connected to the chassis 102.

[0138] Although the above reference 6A to 6FThe tearing process is described as tearing the first tape 106 along the first breakable pathway 700a before tearing the first tape along the second breakable pathway 700b, but it should be understood that tearing the first tape 106 along the breakable pathway 700 may occur in a variety of different orders and in different ways. For example, before tearing the first tape 106 along the first breakable pathway 700a to define the first tape region 831, the first tape 106 may be torn along the second breakable pathway 700b to define the second tape region 832. In another example, the first tape 106 may be torn along the first breakable pathway 700a and the second breakable pathway 700b simultaneously to define the first tape region 831, the second tape region 832, and the third tape region 833.

[0139] Once the first tape 106 is torn along the breakable path 700 to define the first tape region 831, the second tape region 832, and the third tape region 833, the diaper pant 100P can be removed from the wearer in a manner similar to conventional taped diapers. After removal from the wearer, the diaper pant 100P can be placed in a disposal configuration by rolling and / or folding the chassis 102 onto itself in the longitudinal direction, such as described above with reference to Figure 5A and Figure 5B The first belt region 831 and the second belt region 832 can be used to further wrap the diaper pant 100P onto itself. And the fastener components 707 on the first belt region 831 and the second belt region 832 can be connected to another portion of the diaper pant 100P to help maintain the diaper pant 100P in the disposal configuration.

[0140] With reference to the various aspects of the figures described above, it should be understood that the gripping area 801 and the accessible opening 802 can be located in various positions in the first end region 106a, the second end region 106b, and / or the central region 106c of the first band 106. The gripping area 801 and the accessible opening 802 can be positioned between the first longitudinal side edge 111a, the second longitudinal side edge 111b, the outer edge 107a, and the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. For example, the first accessible opening 802a and / or the second accessible opening 802b can be positioned completely laterally between the first longitudinal edge 128 and the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, the first accessible opening 802a can be positioned laterally between the first longitudinal side edge 128 of the chassis 102 and the first longitudinal side edge 111a of the first band 106 and / or the first side seam 178. In some configurations, the second accessible opening 802b can be positioned laterally between the second longitudinal side edge 130 of the chassis 102 and the second longitudinal side edge 111b of the first band 106 and / or the second side seam 180. In some configurations, the first accessible opening 802a and / or the second accessible opening 802b can be positioned longitudinally between the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102 and the inner edge 107b of the first band 106, and / or can be positioned longitudinally between the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102 and the outer edge 107a of the first band 106. In some configurations, the first accessible opening 802a can extend across the first longitudinal edge 128 and / or the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102, and / or the second accessible opening 802b can extend across the second longitudinal edge 130 and / or the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102.

[0141] It should be understood that the accessible opening 802 can be located in a variety of positions relative to the fastener component 707. For example, in some configurations, the accessible opening 802 can be positioned longitudinally between the fastener component 707 and the outer edge 107a of the first strap 106. In some configurations, the accessible opening 802 can be positioned longitudinally between the fastener component 707 and the inner edge 107b of the first strap 106. In some configurations, the accessible opening 802 can be positioned laterally inboard of the fastener component 707. It should also be understood that more than one accessible opening 802 can be positioned adjacent to the fastener component 707. As discussed in more detail below, the accessible opening 802 is also configured to extend partially or completely through the fastener component 707, and can divide the fastener component 707 into two or more portions.

[0142] As described above, the accessible opening 802 may include a slit and / or an opening in the first band 106, and may be curved and / or straight. It should be understood that the accessible opening 802 may also be oriented in various ways. For example, the accessible opening 802 may be oriented approximately vertically relative to the outer edge 107a and / or the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. In some configurations, the accessible opening 802 may be oriented approximately parallel to the outer edge 107a and / or the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. In some configurations, the accessible opening 802 may include a slit extending along a line in the lateral direction to define an angle of approximately 0 degrees to approximately 45 degrees relative to the outer edge 107a and / or the inner edge 107b of the first band 106, specifically listing all 1 degree increments within the above ranges and all ranges formed therein or thereby. In some configurations, the accessible opening 802 can define a length dimension within the range of about 5 mm to about 50 mm, specifically reciting all 0.1 mm increments within the above ranges and all ranges formed therein or therefrom.

[0143] As discussed above, the diaper pant 100P may include one or more fastener components 707 that are adapted to be refastenably connected to at least one other component of the diaper pant 100P in a disposal configuration. It should be understood that the fastener components 707 may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and may be located in a variety of positions relative to other components of the diaper pant 100P. Fig. 8A As shown, for example, the fastener component 707 may include a lateral centerline 126d oriented substantially parallel to the lateral centerline 126a of the first elastic band 106 and / or the lateral centerline 126b of the second elastic band 108 and / or the lateral centerline 126c of the chassis 102. The fastener component 707 may include a longitudinal centerline 124d oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline 124a of the first elastic band 108 and / or the longitudinal centerline 124b of the second elastic band 106 and / or the longitudinal centerline 124c of the chassis 102.

[0144] like Figure 7AA1 As shown, in some configurations, the fastener component 707 can be positioned on and connected to the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 in the area where the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 overlap the chassis 102. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 can be sandwiched between the second substrate 164 of the first elastic belt 106 or the second elastic belt 108 and the backsheet 136 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, such as Figure 7AA1As shown, the fastener component 707 includes a hook 715 protruding from a base 717, and the hook 715 extends from the first belt 106 toward the backsheet 136. The fastener component 707 can be constructed as a separate discrete element, which can be connected to the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first belt 106 in a variety of ways. For example, Figure 7AA1 As shown, adhesive 716 can connect the base 717 of fastener component 707 to the wearer-facing surface 115b of first band 106. It should be understood that in addition to or in place of adhesive, fastener component 707 can be connected to first band 106 by mechanical bonding. It should be understood that base 717 can be constructed in various ways. For example, base 717 may include a thermoplastic film. In some configurations, base 717 may include a laminate having various layers bonded together, such as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021 / 0045931A1. For example, base 717 may include a thermoplastic film layer bonded to a nonwoven layer. It should be understood that such layers can be bonded together in various ways (such as using adhesives, mechanical bonding and / or extrusion bonding). In some configurations, fastener component 707 may be integrally formed from the material of first band 106, such as, for example Figure 7AA2 As shown, or may be integrally formed from the material and attached to the first strap.

[0145] For example Figure 6B As shown in , a portion of the chassis 102 may overlap the wearer-facing inner surface 115b of the first belt 106 to define a chassis overlap zone 850. Thus, the chassis overlap zone 850 may extend laterally between the first longitudinal edge 128 and the second longitudinal edge 130 of the chassis 102, and longitudinally between the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102 and the inner edge 107b of the first belt 106. To help prevent the fastener component 707 from contacting the wearer's skin when the diaper pants 100P are worn, the fastener component 707 may be positioned on and connected to the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first elastic belt 106 and / or the wearer-facing surface 117b of the second elastic belt 108 in the chassis overlap zone 850 where the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108 overlap the chassis 102. For example, the fastener component 707 may be sandwiched between the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first belt 106 and the chassis 102. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 can be sandwiched between the second substrate 164 of the first elastic band 106 or the second elastic band 108 and the backsheet 136 of the chassis 102. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 can be positioned laterally between the first longitudinal side edge 128 and the second longitudinal side edge 130 of the chassis 102. The fastener component 707 can also be positioned longitudinally between the first lateral edge 144 of the chassis 102 and the inner edge 107b of the first band 106. Fig. 7AAs shown, the fastener component 707 can be positioned adjacent to the frangible passage 700. An accessible opening 802, which can be considered a portion of the frangible passage 700, can be positioned adjacent to the fastener component 707. Thus, the frangible passage 700 can partially surround the fastener component 707. In some configurations, such as Figure 8B As shown, the breakable passage 700 can extend through the fastener component 700, effectively dividing the fastener component 707 into a first fastener portion 707' and a second fastener portion 707". As discussed above, when the breakable passage is torn, the first fastener portion 707' is separated from the second fastener portion 707". When the tearing operation is completed, the first tape region 831 and the second tape region 832 will include the first fastener portion 707', and the third tape region 833 will include the second fastener portion 707" that was separated from the corresponding first fastener portion 707' during the tearing of the breakable passage 700.

[0146] exist Fig. 6A and Fig. 7A In the illustrated configuration, both the frangible passage 700 and the accessible opening 802 may extend through the fastener component, effectively dividing the fastener component 707 into a first fastener portion 707 ′ and a second fastener portion 707 ″. Fig. 7A The accessible opening 802 shown may include a slit oriented generally in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the accessible opening 802 extends through the fastener component 707 and may be completely positioned within the periphery of the fastener component. It should be understood that the slit may be straight and / or curved in addition. In some configurations, the longitudinally extending accessible opening 802 may define a length dimension in the range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm, specifically listing all 0.1 mm increments within the above range and all ranges formed therefrom or thereby. In addition, in some configurations, the longitudinally extending accessible opening 802 may also be bent to extend laterally in the range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm, specifically listing all 0.1 mm increments within the above range and all ranges formed therefrom or thereby.

[0147] exist Fig. 9In another configuration shown, the diaper pant 100P may include a fastener component 707 joined to the wearer-facing surface 115b of the first belt 106 at a position overlapping the longitudinal centerline 124c of the chassis 102. The longitudinal centerline 124d of the fastener component 707 may coincide with or be adjacent to the longitudinal centerline 124c of the chassis 102. The frangible passage 700 may separate the fastener component 707 into a first fastener component 707a and a second fastener component 707b having substantially similar sizes and geometries. The accessible opening 802 may be disposed at or near the longitudinally inner lateral edges of the fastener component 707. Longitudinally outboard of the lateral edges of the fastener component 707, the frangible passage 700 may extend in the longitudinal and lateral directions to the waist edge 121 and the inner edge 107b of the first belt 106. A caregiver or wearer may access and grasp fastener component 707 through accessible opening 802 and subsequently separate frangible passage 700 into first fastener component 707a and second fastener component 707b.

[0148] It should be understood that various apparatuses and methods according to the present disclosure may be used to assemble various components of a prefastened diaper pant 100P such as described herein. For example, Figures 10 to 18 A schematic diagram of various aspects of a converting apparatus 300 suitable for manufacturing a diaper pant 100P having an easy-to-break passage 700 is shown. Figures 1 to 9 The various components of the pant diaper 100 shown are used to describe the method of operation of the converting apparatus 300. Although the following method is described above and Figures 1 to 9 100P, it should be understood that various embodiments of diaper pants can be manufactured according to the methods disclosed herein to also include breakable pathways 700, lines of weakness 704, accessible openings 802, and / or fastener components 707, such as, for example, absorbent articles disclosed in the following patents: U.S. Patent No. 7,569,039, U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2012 / 0061016A1 and 2012 / 0061015A1, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. When assembled such as Figures 1 to 9 The diaper pants 100P shown below Figures 10 to 18 The longitudinal direction MD of the elastic belts 106 , 108 discussed in the accompanying drawings may be parallel to the lateral centerlines 126a , 126b of the elastic belts 106 , 108 .

[0149] As described in more detail below, Figures 10 to 19The converting equipment 300 shown in the figure is operable to provide and advance the elastic laminate 200 and form a breakable passage 700 in the elastic laminate 200 and cut the elastic strands extending through the breakable passage. The elastic laminate 200 can also be cut and separated into strips along the longitudinal direction MD, such as, for example, the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b. In other diaper pants assembly operations, the continuous length of the basic structure component can be advanced and cut into discrete basic structures 102. The discrete basic structures 102 can be spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction MD, and the relative waist regions of the spaced-apart basic structures 102 can be connected to the advanced first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b. The basic structure 102 can be folded so that the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b are in a facing relationship, and the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b are bonded together. The first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b may then be cut in the cross-machine direction CD through the bonded areas to produce discrete pant diapers 100P, such as, for example Figures 1 to 9 Thus, the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b can be converted into the first belt 106 and the second belt 108 of the diaper pants 100P described above.

[0150] like Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the apparatus 300 may include various apparatuses and utilize various methods to produce an elastic laminate 200 according to the present disclosure that may be used to construct diaper components, such as elastic bands 106, 108. For example, Fig.10 and Fig.11 The illustrated apparatus 300 may include a laminate converting apparatus 301 suitable for providing and / or manufacturing laminates such as Fig.12 The elastic laminate 200 shown. It should be understood that the methods and apparatus herein can be adapted to operate with various types of absorbent article assembly processes, such as, for example, those disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2013 / 0255861A1, 2013 / 0255862A1, 2013 / 0255863A1, 2013 / 0255864A1, and 2013 / 0255865A1 and PCT Publication No. WO2023 / 088179A1, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 63 / 357,043, 63 / 432,400, 63 / 432,401, 63 / 432,402, 63 / 432,403, 63 / 432,404, 63 / 432,406, 63 / 432,410, and 63 / 432,413, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0151] As discussed in more detail below, the elastic laminate 200 can be used as a continuous length of elastomeric ribbon material that can be converted into a plurality of elastomeric ribbons, such as those described above with reference to Figures 1 to 9 The first elastic band 106 and the second elastic band 108 discussed. For example, Fig.12 As shown, the elastic laminate 200 may include an elastic material 167, which may correspond to a belt elastic material 167 interposed between a first substrate 162 (also referred to as an outer layer 162) and a second substrate 164 (also referred to as an inner layer 164). Fig.12 164. The apparatus 301 can stretch the elastic material 167 and bond the stretched elastic material 167 to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 to produce the elastomeric laminate 200. Although the elastic material 167 is shown and referred to herein as elastic strands 168, it should be understood that in some configurations, the elastic material 167 may include one or more continuous lengths of elastic strands, ribbons, and / or films. Thus, a plurality of stretched elastic strands 168 may be positioned and bonded between the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164. Fig.12 As shown, the elastic strands 168 can be arranged to correspond to the outer waist elastics 170 and inner waist elastics 172 discussed above with reference to the first elastic belt 106 and the second elastic belt 108 .

[0152] It should be understood that in some configurations, the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 herein can be defined by two discrete substrates, or can be defined by a folded portion of a single substrate. It should also be understood that the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 can include various forms of edge configurations that can correspond to waist edge configurations, such as, for example, the above reference Figures 3 to 3C Those disclosed in and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 432,410 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022 / 0362068A1, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0153] It should be understood that different components can be used to construct the elastomeric laminate 200 according to the method and apparatus of this article. As previously mentioned, the elastomeric laminate 200 can be converted into the first belt 106 and the second belt 108 discussed above, and therefore, it should be understood that the components of the elastic laminate 200 can be assembled in various ways and various combinations to produce various features described above with reference to the first elastic belt 106 and / or the second elastic belt 108. Such features can include, for example, substrate material, decitex value, bonding pattern, hole arrangement, elastic positioning, average decitex value, average pre-strain value, roughness frequency, roughness wavelength, height value and / or contact area. In some examples, the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164 can include nonwovens and / or films. In addition, the elastic strand 168 can be constructed in various ways and can have various decitex values, such as described above. In some configurations, the elastic strands 168 may be configured to have a dtex value ranging from about 10 dtex to about 1000 dtex, specifically listing all 1 dtex increments within the above range and all ranges formed therefrom or thereby. It should also be understood that the elastomeric laminates 200 assembled herein may include various amounts of elastic strands 168 spaced apart from each other at various distances, and may include various dtex values. For example, the elastomeric laminates 200 herein may have various elastic densities, where the elastic density may be defined as the dtex per elastomeric laminate width. For example, some elastomeric laminates 200 may have an elastic density of about 30 dtex / mm to about 150 dtex / mm, specifically listing all 1 dtex / mm increments within the above range and all ranges formed therefrom or thereby. In another example, the elastomeric laminates 200 herein may have various numbers of elastic strands arranged per meter of elastomeric laminate lateral width in the cross-machine direction CD. For example, some elastomeric laminates 200 may have from about 500 elastic strands per meter of elastomeric laminate width to about 2000 elastic strands per meter of elastomeric laminate width, specifically reciting all 1 elastic strand / meter increments therein and all ranges derived therefrom.

[0154] It should be understood that the absorbent articles herein can be assembled in various ways using various types of equipment configured to perform various transformations in various assembly sequences. For example, as discussed in more detail below, Figures 10 to 19 Schematic diagrams showing various arrangements of assembly variations that may be used to assemble a diaper pant 100P with the belt and breakaway configurations described herein.

[0155] See now Fig.10 In the first device 300a, the elastic laminate 200 is advanced in the machine direction MD. Fig.12As shown, the elastic laminate 200 may include an outer waist elastic component 170 and an inner waist elastic component 172 in the form of elastic strands 168, which are positioned between and connected to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164. The inner waist elastic strands 170 and the outer waist elastic strands 172 extend in the longitudinal direction, and the elastic laminate 200 also includes a first edge 200-1 separated from a second edge 200-2 in the cross direction CD, wherein the elastic laminate 200 includes a width defined by a distance extending between the first edge 200-1 and the second edge 200-2 in the cross direction CD.

[0156] like Fig.12 As shown, the outer waist elastic strands 170 can be continuously bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 along the longitudinal direction MD. In addition, the inner waist elastic strands 172 can be intermittently bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 along the longitudinal direction MD to form unbonded areas 400 where the inner waist elastic strands 172 are not bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164. The unbonded areas 400 can be intermittently spaced apart in the longitudinal direction between the bonded areas 402 where the inner waist elastic strands 172 are bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164. The perimeter shape of the unbonded areas 400 is generally composed of Fig.12 The dashed line boundary 401 shown in FIG. Fig.12 The dashed boundary 401 is shown as an irregular shape so that the inner waist elastic strands 172 may have different lengths that are not bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 in the unbonded area 400, but it should be understood that the unbonded area 400 may be configured with a dashed boundary 401 that may define other shapes of the unbonded area 400, such as, for example, square, rectangular, circular, and oval. Therefore, in some configurations, the inner waist elastic strands 172 may have equal lengths that are not bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 in the unbonded area 400. The inner waist elastic strands 172 may be continuously bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 in the bonded areas 402 extending between the unbonded areas 400 in the machine direction MD.

[0157] refer to Fig.10 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 , the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced to a first cutting station 302-1, wherein one or more first inner waist strands 172-1 are severed in the unbonded area 400, which can be referred to as a first raised elastic cutting operation. Fig.13 As shown, the cut first inner waist elastic strand 172-1 is retracted in the longitudinal direction MD in the unbonded area 400 to form a first low stretch zone 701-1. For example, the cut first inner waist elastic strand 172-1 can be retracted in the opposite direction and toward the bonded area 402 from the first cut line 404-1 in the unbonded area 400, as shown in FIG. Fig.13 As shown by the direction arrows in FIG. 1 , the first low stretch regions 701 - 1 may be intermittently spaced apart from each other by the high stretch regions 703 along the longitudinal direction MD.

[0158] like Fig.13 As shown, the first inner waist strand 172-1 can be cut once at the first cutting station 302-1, such as Fig.13 4-1. However, it should be understood that the first cutting station 302-1 can be configured to cut the first inner waist strand 172-1 more than once at multiple first cut lines 404-1. It should also be understood that one or both of the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the elastic laminate 200 can be cut at the first cut line 404-1. And in some configurations, neither the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the elastic laminate 200 are cut at the first cut line 404-1. It should also be understood that the first cutting station 302 can be adapted to cut various amounts of the first inner waist elastic strand 172-1.

[0159] It should be understood that the first cutting station 302-1 can be configured in various ways. For example, the first cutting station 302-1 may include various arrangements of a knife roll 304 having a blade and an anvil roll 306, such as disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO2023 / 088179A1, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,440,043, 10,759,153 and 10,807,263, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020 / 0180182A1, and U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63 / 357,043 and 63 / 432,413, which are incorporated herein by reference. Therefore, the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced between the knife roll 304 and the anvil roll 306 to cut the first inner waist strand 172-1 at the first cutting station 302-1. In contrast to or in addition to a blade, it should be understood that the first cutting station 302-1 can be configured to perform cutting operations in various other ways, such as using a laser or ultrasonic waves, for example as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2016 / 0354254A1, 2016 / 0128874A1, 2017 / 0266941A1, 2017 / 0266057A1 and 2017 / 0266056A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0160] like Fig.10 , Fig.13 and Fig.14As shown, the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced from the first cutting station 302-1 to the fastener handling station 308, which positions a fastener component 707 (such as a hook), for example, on the elastic laminate 200 in the first low-stretch area 701-1. The fastener handling station 308 can be configured to bond the fastener component 707 to the elastic laminate 200 in the first low-stretch area 701-1. For example, Fig.14 As shown, two fastener components 707 may be bonded to the second substrate 164 in each first low stretch zone 701-1. The process may be configured so that the severed first inner waist elastic strands 172-1 have time to retract in the machine direction MD from the area of ​​the unbonded area 400 where the fastener components 707 are bonded to the elastic laminate 200. Thus, the fastener components 707 may be bonded to the elastic laminate 200 so that the elastic strands 168 are not positioned directly below the fastener components 707. In turn, the fastener components 707 may be positioned on the elastic laminate 200 so as not to overlap with any elastic strands 168. It should be understood that if the fastener components 707 are positioned on the elastic laminate 200 so as to overlap with the stretched elastic strands 168, the contraction of such elastic strands 168 in the diaper pants 100P may cause the fastener components 707 to buckle and / or wrinkle.

[0161] It should be understood that although the severed elastic strands 168 may be retracted within the unbonded areas 400, in some configurations, some portions of the severed and retracted elastic strands 168 may reside beneath the fastener components 707, such as Fig. 20 It should also be understood that such portions of the cut and retracted elastic strands 168 may not be bonded to the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 and the fastener components 707, or may be otherwise bonded in a non-stretched state, and therefore, such portions of the cut and retracted elastic strands 168 may not contribute to the contraction force in the low stretch area 701.

[0162] It should be understood that the fastener component 707 can be constructed in various ways, as described above. For example, in some configurations, the fastener component 707 can be configured as a separate discrete element connected to the elastic laminate 200 at the fastener disposal station 308. In some configurations, the fastener disposal station 308 may include one or more cutting and sliding processes and equipment to apply the fastener component 707 of discrete length to the advancing elastic laminate 200. In some configurations, the fastener component 707 can be formed by the material of the elastic laminate 200 at the fastener disposal station 308. Therefore, the fastener disposal station 308 can be configured to bond the fastener component 707 to the elastic laminate 200 in various ways, and the fastener component may include a discrete hook patch of a hook or loop, such as using an adhesive, mechanical bonding and / or extrusion bonding. In some configurations, such as when the fastener component 707 may include an adhesive and / or adhesive, the fastener disposal station 308 may be configured to apply such adhesive and / or adhesive to the elastic laminate 200. In some configurations, the fastener handling station 308 may also be configured to modify the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164 to form the fastener component 707 directly from the material of the first substrate 162 and / or the second substrate 164 .

[0163] See now Fig.10 , Fig.14 and Fig.15 , the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced from the fastener handling station 308 to the second cutting station 302-2. The second cutting station 302-2 can be operated to cut one or more second inner waist strands 172-2 in the unbonded area 400, which can be referred to as a second raised elastic cutting operation. Fig.15 As shown, the cut second inner waist elastic strand 172-2 is retracted in the longitudinal direction MD in the unbonded area 400 to form a second low stretch area 701-2. For example, the cut second inner waist elastic strand 172-2 can be retracted from the second cut line 404-2 in the unbonded area 400 toward the bonded area 402 in the opposite direction, such as Fig.15 As shown by the directional arrows shown. Then, the second low stretch regions 701-2 may be intermittently spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction MD by the high stretch regions 703. Therefore, Fig.15 The elastic laminate 200 shown in FIG. 2 includes low stretch areas 701, each of which includes a combination of a first low stretch area 701-1 and a second low stretch area 701-2.

[0164] like Fig.15 As shown, in the second raised elastic cutting operation, the second inner waist strand 172-2 may be cut more than once at the second cutting station 302-2, such as Fig.15 As shown in the second cutting line 404-2 in FIG. Fig.154, it should be understood that the second cutting station 302-2 can be configured to cut the second inner waist strand 172-2 only once at a single second cut line 404-2 in the second raised elastic cutting operation. It should also be understood that one or both of the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the elastic laminate can be cut at the second cut line 404-2. And in some configurations, neither the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the elastic laminate are cut at the second cut line 404-2.

[0165] Continue to refer Fig.15 , the second cutting station 302-2 may also be configured to form an accessible opening 802 and / or a frangible passage 700 extending in the cross direction CD between the distal end 808 and the proximal end 810. The frangible passage 700 may be configured as the above-described frangible passage 700 and may therefore include a line of weakness 704 as described above. Fig.15 As shown, the second cutting station 302-2 may be adapted to form a plurality of breakable pathways 700 and accessible openings 802 intermittently spaced apart along the longitudinal direction MD. The second cutting station 302-2 may be operable to position the accessible openings 802 and / or the lines of weakness 704 outside, near, and / or through the fastener component 707. Thus, when forming the breakable pathways 700 and / or accessible openings 802, the second cutting station 302-2 may or may not be operable to cut through both the elastic laminate 200 and the fastener component 707. The inner waist elastic strands 172 and the outer waist elastic strands 170 that intersect the breakable pathways 700 may also be severed at the lines of weakness 704. As shown in FIG. Fig.15 As shown, the distal end 808 may be positioned at or near the first edge 200-1 of the elastic laminate 200, and the proximal end 810 may be spaced apart from the distal end 808 in the cross-machine direction CD and may be positioned in the central area of ​​the elastic laminate 200 between the first edge 200-1 and the second edge 200-2.

[0166] It should be understood that elastic strands that are stretched or under significant tension can be cut relatively easier and / or consistently than elastic strands that are shrinking and / or in a relaxed state. As described above, the first inner waist elastic component 172-1 can be cut at the first cutting station 302-1, and the second cutting station 302-2 can be configured to form an accessible opening 802. Therefore, the device 300 herein can be configured so that the first inner waist elastic component 172-1 cut at the first cutting station 302-1 is retracted from the position where the accessible opening 802 will be formed at the second cutting station 302-2. Such retraction from the position where the accessible opening 802 will be formed can help avoid the situation where the second cutting station 302-2 must also cut the slack portion of the cut first inner waist elastic strand 172-1 or shrink the cut first inner waist elastic strand 172-1.

[0167] It should also be understood that the second cutting station 302-2 can be constructed in various ways. For example, the second cutting station 302-2 may include various arrangements of a knife roll with a blade and an anvil roll, such as disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO2023 / 088179A1, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,440,043, 10,759,153 and 10,807,263, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020 / 0180182A1, and U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63 / 357,043 and 63 / 432,413, which are incorporated herein by reference. Therefore, the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced between the knife roll 304 and the anvil roll 306 to form a breakable passage 700, a weak line 704 and / or an accessible opening 802 and cut the second inner waist strand 172-2 in the second ridge cutting operation. In some configurations, the second cutting station 302-2 may include a knife roll and anvil roll with blades suitable for forming the breakable passage 700, the line of weakness 704 and / or the accessible opening 802, and a separate knife roll and anvil roll with blades suitable for severing the second inner waist strand 172-2 in the second ridge cutting operation. In contrast to or in addition to the blade, it should be understood that the second cutting station can be configured to perform the cutting operation in various other ways, such as using a laser or ultrasonic waves, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2016 / 0354254A1, 2016 / 0128874A1, 2017 / 0266941A1, 2017 / 0266057A1, and 2017 / 0266056A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0168] See now Fig.10 , Fig.15 and Fig.16, the elastic laminate 200 may be advanced from the second cutting station 302-2 to a cutting station 310, which may be configured to cut the elastic laminate 200 along the machine direction MD to define separate strips of the elastic laminate 200. For example, Fig.10 As shown, the cutting station 310 may include a cutting device 312, which may include a knife and anvil, which cuts and separates the elastomeric laminate 200 into strips, such as the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b, along the longitudinal direction MD. It should be understood that the cutting station 310 can be adapted to cut the elastomeric laminate 200 in various ways, such as, for example, by a shear cutting operation or an extrusion cutting operation. In an extrusion cutting operation, the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 can be bonded together during the cutting operation. It should be understood that the cutting station 310 can be configured to perform cutting and / or slicing operations in various ways, such as using lasers or ultrasonic waves, for example as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2016 / 0354254A1, 2016 / 0128874A1, 2017 / 0266941A1, 2017 / 0266057A1 and 2017 / 0266056A1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0169] Continue to refer Fig.10 and Fig.16 , the cutting station 310 may be configured to cut the elastic laminate 200 in the machine direction MD along a cut line 406 extending through the second low stretch zone 701-2. Thus, the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate may each include a low stretch zone 701. The cut line 406 may also be positioned to extend adjacent to the proximal end 810 of the breakable passage 700. As previously mentioned, the first elastic laminate 200a may be converted into the first elastic belt 106, and the second elastic laminate 200b may be converted into the above-mentioned second elastic belt 108. Thus, the first elastic laminate 200a may include an outer edge 200-1 and an inner edge 107b, and the second elastic laminate 200b may include an outer edge 200-2 and an inner edge 109b. It should be understood that the outer edge 200-1 of the first elastic laminate 200a may correspond to the outer edge 107a of the first belt 106, or may be subjected to subsequent operations such as waist edge folding to define the outer edge 107a of the first belt 106. It will also be appreciated that the outer edge 200 - 2 of the second elastic laminate 200 b may correspond to the outer edge 109 a of the second belt 108 , or may be subjected to a subsequent operation such as waist edge folding to define the outer edge 109 a of the second belt 108 .

[0170] like Fig.10 and Fig.17As shown, the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b can be advanced from the cutting station 310 through a diverter 314, which separates the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b from each other in the cross direction CD. In some configurations, the diverter can separate the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b along the cross direction CD to define a gap between the inner edge 107b of the first elastic laminate 200a and the inner edge 109b of the second elastic laminate 200b.

[0171] It should be understood that the diverter 314 can be configured in various ways. For example, in some embodiments, the diverter 314 can include a turning rod at an angle of 45 degrees or some other angle relative to the longitudinal direction MD. In some embodiments, the diverter can include a crowned roller. In some embodiments, the diverter 314 can include a pivot or tracking station, such as, for example, the FIFE-500 web guide system manufactured by Maxcess-FIFE Corporation, which can adjust the position of the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b along the transverse direction CD. Other suitable pivots or tracking stations are available from Erhardt & Leimer, Inc. The diverter can also include instruments and web edge control structures that allow precise active control of the substrate position.

[0172] As previously mentioned, the first elastic laminate 200a may correspond to the first elastic belt 106, and the second elastic laminate 200b may correspond to the second elastic belt 108 described above. Fig.18 and Fig.19 Discussed in more detail, when assembling diaper pants 100P, the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b can be separated from each other in the transverse CD. Then, the opposite end regions of the base structure 102 can be connected to the low stretch region 701 in the first elastic laminate 200a and / or the low stretch region 701 in the second elastic laminate 200b. During the subsequent assembly operation, the base structure 102 can be folded so that the first elastic laminate 200a is positioned in a facing relationship with the second elastic laminate 200b. The overlapping elastic laminates 200a, 200b can be bonded together, and then discrete diaper pants 100P can be formed in the following manner: the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b are separated into the first belt 106 and the second belt 108 by cutting through the bonding area of ​​the first belt laminate 200a and the second belt laminate 200b in the transverse CD. Therefore, the bonding area can be divided into a first side seam 178 and a second side seam 180 that define the first side seam 178 and the second side seam 180 respectively.

[0173] like Fig.18As shown, the first elastic belt laminate 200a and the second elastic belt laminate 200b are separated from each other in the cross direction CD, and the adhesive 408 can be intermittently applied to the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b. Fig.18 As shown, adhesive 408 can be applied in a pattern to define adhesion zone 410. It should be understood that adhesive 408 can be applied in various ways and define various shapes, such as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 432,401, which is incorporated herein by reference. A base structure 102 can be provided, which includes a body-facing surface 132 and a clothing-facing surface 134, and an absorbent core 140 positioned between the body-facing surface 132 and the clothing-facing surface 134, as discussed above. The base structure 102 may also include a first end zone 116a and a second end zone 118a, which are separated from the first end zone 116a by a crotch zone 119 in the horizontal CD. Then, the opposite end zones 116a, 118a of the base structure 102 can be permanently bonded (represented by dotted arrow "A") with adhesive 408 in the overlapping area 850 on the first elastic laminate 200a and / or the second elastic laminate 200b. In addition, the first end region 116a of the chassis 102 can be bonded to the first elastic laminate 200a overlapping the low stretch area 701, and the second end region 118a of the chassis 102 can be bonded to the second elastic laminate 200b overlapping the low stretch area 701. The first end region 116a of the chassis 102 can also be positioned between the first breakable pathway 700 and the second breakable pathway 700. Therefore, the first end region 116a of the chassis 102 can overlap portions of the first breakable pathway 700 and the second breakable pathway 700. In addition, the fastener component 707 can be positioned between the chassis 102 and the first elastic laminate 200a.

[0174] exist Fig.18 and Fig.19 During the subsequent assembly operation shown, the chassis 102 can be folded in the crotch region 119 (indicated by the dashed arrow "B") so as to position the first elastic laminate 200a in a facing relationship with the second elastic laminate 200b, as shown. Fig.19 As shown. The bonding element 410 may be applied to the overlapping tape laminates 200a, 200b. Subsequently, the discrete diaper pants 100P may be formed by separating the first laminate 200a and the second laminate 200b into the first tape 106 and the second tape 108 by cutting through the first laminate 200a and the second laminate 200b adjacent to the bonding element 410 in the cross-machine direction CD (indicated by the dashed arrow "C"). Thus, the bonding element 410 may be divided to define the first side seam 178 and the second side seam 180, respectively.

[0175] As previously mentioned, the apparatus 300 herein may be configured to perform various transformations in various assembly sequences. Fig.11 A schematic side view of a second device 300b is shown, which is configured to provide and advance the elastic laminate 200 and form a breakable path 700 in the elastic laminate 200 and cut and separate the elastic laminate 300 into a first elastic laminate 200a and a second elastic laminate 200b along the machine direction MD, as described above with reference to Fig.10 However, Fig.11 The device 300 shown in FIG. 3 may include the device 300 shown in FIG. Fig.10 A modified arrangement of the assembly stations in question. In particular, Fig.11 The device 300 in the above reference may be configured to Fig.10 The first raised elastic cutting operation and the second raised elastic cutting operation are combined into a single raised elastic cutting operation performed at the first cutting station 302 - 1 .

[0176] like Fig.11 , Fig.12 and Fig.13A As shown, the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced to a first cutting station 302-1, wherein one or more first inner waist strands 172-1 and one or more second inner waist strands 172-2 are severed in the unbonded area 400, which can be referred to as a raised elastic cutting operation. Fig.13A As shown, the severed first inner waist elastic strands 172 - 1 and the second inner waist elastic strands 172 - 1 are retracted from the unbonded area 400 in the machine direction MD to form a low stretch area 701 .

[0177] like Fig.13A As shown, in the raised elastic cutting operation, the first inner waist strand 172-1 and the second inner waist strand 172-2 may be cut more than once at the first cutting station 302-1, such as Fig.13A As shown by the cutting line 404 in FIG. Fig.13A 4, it should be understood that the first cutting station 302-1 can be configured to sever the first inner waist strand 172-1 and the second inner waist strand 172-2 only once at a single cut line 404 in the raised elastic cutting operation. It should also be understood that one or both of the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the elastic laminate can be severed at the cut line 404. And in some configurations, neither the first substrate 162 and the second substrate 164 of the elastic laminate are severed at the cut line 404.

[0178] like Fig.11 , Fig.13A and Fig.14AAs shown, the elastic laminate 200 is advanced from the first cutting station 302-1 to the fastener handling station 308, which positions fastener components 707 (such as hooks), for example, on the elastic laminate 200 in the low stretch area 701. Fig.11 , Fig.14A and Fig.15A As shown, the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced from the fastener handling station 308 to the second cutting station 302-2. The second cutting station 302-2 can be configured to form an accessible opening 802 and / or a breakable passage 700 extending in the cross-machine direction CD between the distal end 808 and the proximal end 810, as described above. Fig.11 , Fig.15A and Fig.16A As shown, the elastic laminate 200 can be advanced from the second cutting station 302-2 to the cutting station 310, which can be configured to cut the elastic laminate 200 along the machine direction MD to define a first elastic laminate 200a and a second elastic laminate 200b, as discussed above. Fig.11 and Fig.17A As shown, the diverter 314 can separate the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b from each other in the cross direction CD.

[0179] It should be understood that Fig.10 and Fig.11 The apparatus 300 can be modified to position the cutting station 310 at other locations in the assembly process. For example, the cutting station 310 can be positioned downstream of the fastener handling station 308 and upstream of the second cutting station 302-2. In another example, the cutting station 310 can be positioned downstream of the first cutting station 302-1 and upstream of the fastener handling station 308. In yet another example, the cutting station 310 can be positioned upstream of the first cutting station 302-1.

[0180] It should also be understood that the laminate converting apparatus 301 can be configured to assemble and provide the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b, thereby eliminating the need for the cutting station 310 in the above-mentioned apparatus 300. In yet another example, the laminate converting apparatus 301 can be configured to assemble and provide the first elastic laminate 200a and the second elastic laminate 200b connected to each other by one or more substrates extending in the cross-machine direction CD, such as when assembling the above-mentioned reference Figure 1A , Figure 2F and Figure 3 This can eliminate the need for the cutting station 310 in the apparatus 300 described above when the diaper pants 100P is described.

[0181] It should also be understood that the above reference Fig.10 and Fig.11The first cutting station 302-1 and / or the second cutting station 302-2 can be configured to perform a ridge cutting operation on the elastic laminate 200 to define separate low-stretch regions 701 in the cross-machine direction CD that are staggered or offset from each other in the longitudinal direction MD. Fig.21 As shown, the elastic laminate 200 may include a first zone 203a and a second zone 203b, wherein the first zone 203a and the second zone 203b are separated from each other along the transverse CD. Subsequently, the first cutting station 302-1 and / or the second cutting station 302-2 may be configured to cut the inner waist elastic strand 172 to form a first zone low stretch area 701a in the first zone 203a of the elastic laminate 200 and a second zone low stretch area 701b in the second zone 203b of the elastic laminate 200. The first zone low stretch area 701a may be separated from each other along the longitudinal MD by the first zone high stretch area 703a, and the second zone low stretch area 701b may be separated from each other along the longitudinal MD by the second zone high stretch area 703b. In addition, the first zone low stretch area 701a may be offset or staggered relative to the second zone low stretch area 701b along the longitudinal MD.

[0182] Average score

[0183] The average decitex method is used to calculate the average decitex of elastic fibers present in the entire article or in a sample of interest extracted from the article on a length-weighted basis. The decitex value is the mass grams of fibers present in 10,000 meters of the material in a relaxed state. The decitex value of elastic fibers or elastic laminates containing elastic fibers is usually reported by the manufacturer as part of the specifications of the elastic fibers or elastic laminates including elastic fibers. If available, the average decitex will be calculated according to these specifications. Alternatively, if these specified values ​​are unknown, the decitex value of a single elastic fiber is measured as follows: the cross-sectional area of ​​the fiber in a relaxed state is determined by a suitable microscopy technique (such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM)), the composition of the fiber is determined by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and then the literature value of the density of the composition is used to calculate the mass grams of fibers present in 10,000 meters of fiber. The decitex value provided by the manufacturer or experimentally measured for individual elastic fibers removed from the entire article or from a sample extracted from the article is used in the expression below, where the length-weighted average of the decitex values ​​between the elastic fibers present is determined.

[0184] The length of the elastic fibers present in the article or a sample extracted from the article, if known, is calculated from the overall dimensions of the article or sample having these and the elastic fiber pre-strain ratio associated with the components of the article or sample, respectively. Alternatively, the dimensions and / or elastic fiber pre-strain ratio are unknown, the absorbent article or a sample extracted from the absorbent article is disassembled, and all elastic fibers are removed. Such disassembly can be performed, for example, using mild heating to soften the adhesive, using a low temperature spray (e.g., Quick-Freeze, Miller-Stephenson Company, Danbury, CT), or using an appropriate solvent that will remove the adhesive but will not swell, alter, or destroy the elastic fibers. The length of each elastic fiber in its relaxed state is measured and recorded in millimeters (mm), accurate to the nearest mm.

[0185] Calculate the average decimal point

[0186] The relaxed length L present in an absorbent article or a sample extracted from an absorbent article i and fiber dtex i Individual elastic fibers f (obtained from manufacturer's specifications or measured experimentally) i For each of the absorbent articles or samples taken from the absorbent articles, the average cup decote of the absorbent article is defined as:

[0187]

[0188] Where n is the total number of elastic fibers present in the absorbent article or a sample extracted from the absorbent article. Report the average decitex to the nearest whole decitex value (grams / 10000 m).

[0189] If the dtex value of any individual fiber is not known from the specification, it is determined experimentally as described below, and the resulting fiber dtex value(s) are used in the above formula to determine the average dtex.

[0190] Experimental determination of the decitex value of fibers

[0191] For each of the elastic fibers removed from the absorbent article or the sample taken from the absorbent article according to the above procedure, each elastic fiber L in its relaxed state k The length of each elastic fiber was measured and recorded in millimeters (mm) to the nearest mm. Each elastic fiber was analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy to determine its composition and its density ρ kDetermine according to available literature value.Finally, analyze each fiber by SEM.Use sharp blade to vertically cut fiber in three roughly equal positions along its length, to produce the clean cross section for SEM analysis.The three fiber segments exposed with these cross sections are mounted on the SEM sample holder in a relaxed state, sputter-coated with gold, introduced into SEM for analysis, and imaged with a resolution sufficient to clearly illustrate the fiber cross section.The fiber cross section is oriented to be as perpendicular as possible to the detector, to minimize any tilt deformation in the measured cross section.The fiber cross section can vary in shape, and some fibers can be composed of multiple individual filaments.In any case, determine the area of ​​each of the three fiber cross sections (for example, using the diameter of circular fiber, the major axis and minor axis of elliptical fiber and the image analysis of more complex shapes), and record in micrometer square (μm 2 ) as the unit of the three regions of elastic fiber a k Average value, accurate to 0.1μm 2 The measured decitex of the kth elastic fiber is d k Calculated by the following formula:

[0192] d k =10 000m×a k ×ρ k ×10 -6

[0193] where d k In grams (per 10,000 m of calculated length), a k In μm 2 is a unit, and ρ k In grams per cubic centimeter (g / cm 3 ) is the unit. For any elastic fiber analyzed, the experimentally determined L k and d k The value is then used in the above expression for average dtex.

[0194] Average strand spacing

[0195] Using a ruler calibrated to a certified NIST ruler and accurate to 0.5 mm, measure the distance between the two distal strands within a segment to the nearest 0.5 mm and then divide by the number of strands in the segment - 1

[0196] Average strand spacing = d / (n-1), where n>1

[0197] Report, accurate to 0.1mm.

[0198] Average prestrain

[0199] The average pre-strain of the specimen is measured using a load cell on a constant rate of extension tensile tester (a suitable instrument is MTS Insight using Testworks 4.0 software, available from MTS Systems Corp., Eden Prairie, MN), with the force measured within 1% to 90% of the limit of the load cell. The article is conditioned at 23°C ± 2°C and 50% ± 2% relative humidity for 2 hours prior to analysis and subsequently tested under the same environmental conditions.

[0200] Program the tensile tester to perform elongation at break after the initial gauge length adjustment. First raise the grips at a rate of 10 mm / min until a force of 0.05 N is achieved. Set the current gauge length to the adjusted gauge length. Raise the grips at a rate of 100 mm / min until the sample breaks (a 20% drop in force after the maximum peak force). Return the grips to their original position. Obtain force and extension data at a rate of 100 Hz throughout the experiment.

[0201] The nominal gauge length is set to 40 mm using a calibrated caliper block and the grips are zeroed. The sample is inserted into the upper grip so that the middle of the test strip is positioned 20 mm below the grip. The sample can be folded perpendicular to the pull axis and placed in the grip to achieve this position. After the grips are closed, excess material can be trimmed. The sample is inserted into the lower grip and the lower grip is closed. Again, the strip can be folded and then trimmed after the grips are closed. Zero the load cell. The sample should have minimal slack but less than 0.05 N of force on the load cell. Start the test procedure.

[0202] According to the data, force (N) is constructed to extension (mm). Average prestrain is calculated according to the bend in the curve corresponding to the extension that the nonwoven in the elastic component is engaged. Two lines are drawn, corresponding to the area of ​​the curve before bending (mainly elastic component) and the area after bending (mainly nonwoven). Read the extension where these two lines intersect, and calculate % prestrain according to the measured length of extension and correction. Record as % prestrain 0.1%. Calculate the arithmetic mean and average prestrain of three repeated samples of each elastomer laminate, accurate to 0.1%.

[0203] combination

[0204] A1. A method for assembling an absorbent article, the method comprising the steps of: providing an elastic laminate, the elastic laminate comprising inner and outer waist elastic strands positioned between and connected to a first substrate and a second substrate, the inner and outer waist elastic strands extending in a longitudinal direction, the elastic laminate further comprising a first edge separated from the second edge in a transverse direction, wherein the elastic laminate comprises a first laminate width defined by a distance extending in the transverse direction between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the inner waist elastic strands are intermittently bonded to the first and second substrates in the longitudinal direction to form unbonded areas where the inner waist elastic strands are not bonded to the first and second substrates; Advancing the elastic laminate in the longitudinal direction; forming a first low-stretch area by cutting at least one first inner waist elastic strand in the unbonded area so that the at least one first inner waist elastic strand retracts in the unbonded area; bonding the fastener component to the first substrate in the first low-stretch area; after bonding the fastener component, forming a second low-stretch area by cutting at least one second inner waist elastic strand in the unbonded area so that the at least one second inner waist elastic strand retracts in the unbonded area; and after bonding the fastener component, forming a first breakable path extending in the transverse direction, the first breakable path including a weak line, wherein the inner waist elastic strand and the outer waist elastic strand intersecting the first breakable path are cut at the weak line.

[0205] A2. The method according to paragraph A1, further comprising the step of cutting the elastic laminate in a longitudinal direction to form a first elastic laminate and a second elastic laminate.

[0206] A3. The method of paragraph A2, wherein the cutting step is performed after the step of bonding the fastener components.

[0207] A4. The method of any of paragraphs A1 to A3, wherein the step of forming a first low stretch zone further comprises severing at least one first inner waist elastic strand only once.

[0208] A5. The method of any of paragraphs A1 to A4, wherein the step of forming a second low stretch zone further comprises severing at least one second inner waist elastic strand more than once.

[0209] A6. The method of any of paragraphs A1 to A5, wherein the outer waist elastic strands intersecting the first breakable pathway are severed at a line of weakness outside the first low stretch zone and the second low stretch zone.

[0210] A7. The method of any of paragraphs A1 to A6, further comprising the step of advancing the elastic laminate between a knife roll and an anvil roll, wherein the knife roll forms both the second low stretch zone and the first breakable pathway.

[0211] A8. The method of any of paragraphs A1 to A7, further comprising the step of forming a second breakable pathway in the elastic laminate that is separated from the first breakable pathway in a machine direction.

[0212] A9. According to the method described in paragraph A8, the method also includes the following steps: providing a base structure, which includes a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface and an absorbent core positioned between the body-facing surface and the garment-facing surface, the base structure also including a first end region and a second end region separated from the first end region in the transverse direction by a crotch region; and bonding the first end region of the base structure to a first elastic laminate overlapping with the first low-stretch region and the second low-stretch region, wherein the first end region of the base structure is positioned between the first breakable path and the second breakable path.

[0213] A10. The method of paragraph A9, wherein the first end region of the base structure overlaps portions of the first and second frangible vias.

[0214] B1. A method for assembling an absorbent article, the method comprising the steps of: providing an elastic laminate, the elastic laminate comprising an inner waist elastic strand and an outer waist elastic strand positioned between and connected to a first substrate and a second substrate, the inner waist elastic strand and the outer waist elastic strand extending in a longitudinal direction, the elastic laminate further comprising a first edge separated from the second edge in a transverse direction, wherein the elastic laminate comprises a first laminate width defined by a distance extending in a transverse direction between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the inner waist elastic strand is longitudinally connected to the first substrate and the second substrate Intermittently bonding to form an unbonded area in which the inner waist elastic strands are not bonded to the first substrate and the second substrate; advancing the elastic laminate in the longitudinal direction; forming a low stretch area by cutting the inner waist elastic strands in the unbonded area so that the cut inner waist elastic strands retract in the unbonded area; after the cut inner waist elastic strands retract, bonding the fastener component to the first substrate in the low stretch area; after bonding the fastener component, forming a breakable path extending in the transverse direction, the first breakable path including a weak line, wherein the inner waist elastic strands and the outer waist elastic strands intersecting the breakable path are cut at the weak line.

[0215] B2. The method according to paragraph B1, further comprising the step of cutting the elastic laminate in a longitudinal direction to form a first elastic laminate and a second elastic laminate.

[0216] B3. The method of paragraph B2, wherein the cutting step is performed after the step of bonding the fastener components.

[0217] B4. The method of any of paragraphs B1 to B3, wherein the step of forming the low stretch zone further comprises severing the inner waist elastic strand only once.

[0218] B5. The method of any of paragraphs B1 to B4, wherein the outer waist elastic strands intersecting the breakable pathways are severed at a line of weakness outside the low stretch zone.

[0219] C1. An absorbent article, comprising: a first belt, the first belt comprising an inner surface facing the wearer and an outer surface facing the garment, the first belt further comprising a laterally extending inner edge and a laterally extending outer edge, the outer edge being positioned longitudinally outside the inner edge; the first belt further comprising an inner waist elastic strand and an outer waist elastic strand positioned between and connected to a first substrate and a second substrate; a second belt, wherein laterally opposite end portions of the second belt are connected to laterally opposite end portions of the first belt at a first side seam and a second side seam to form a waist opening; a base structure, the base structure comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the top sheet and the back sheet, the base structure comprising a longitudinally extending first side edge and a longitudinally extending second side edge, the longitudinally extending second side edge being connected by the first end edge and A second end edge longitudinally separated from the first end edge is laterally separated from the first side edge, and wherein longitudinally opposite end regions of the chassis are connected to the first band and the second band, wherein a portion of the chassis overlaps the inner surface of the first band facing the wearer to define a chassis overlap region; a first high stretch area and a second high stretch area, the first high stretch area and the second high stretch area are laterally separated by a low stretch area, wherein the first high stretch area and the second high stretch area are elasticized by inner waist elastic strands, and wherein the low stretch area includes severed inner waist elastic strands in the chassis overlap region; a fastener component, which is bonded to the first substrate in the low stretch region; and a breakable path in the first band, which extends across the overlap region between the inner edge and the outer edge of the first band.

[0220] C2. An absorbent article according to paragraph C1, wherein the frangible pathway extends between a proximal end on the inner edge and a distal end on the outer edge of the first belt.

[0221] C3. The absorbent article of paragraph C2, wherein the distal end and the proximal end are positioned laterally between the first side edge of the chassis and the first side seam.

[0222] C4. An absorbent article according to any of paragraphs C1 to C3, wherein the low stretch area includes a first zone and a second zone, wherein at least one first inner waist elastic strand is cut once in the first zone, and wherein at least one second inner waist elastic strand is cut more than once.

[0223] C5. An absorbent article according to any of paragraphs C1 to C4, wherein the breakable pathway comprises a line of weakness, wherein the inner waist elastic strands and the outer waist elastic strands intersecting the breakable pathway are severed at the line of weakness.

[0224] C6. The absorbent article of any of paragraphs C1 to C5, wherein the fastener component does not overlap any inner waist elastic strands.

[0225] Biobased content of components

[0226] The components of the absorbent articles described herein may be at least partially composed of bio-based content, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 2007 / 0219521A1. For example, the superabsorbent polymer component may be bio-based via its derivation from bio-based acrylic acid. Bio-based acrylic acid and its production method are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0219521 and U.S. Patents 8,703,450, 9,630,901 and 9,822,197. Other components such as nonwovens and film components may contain bio-based polyolefin materials. Bio-based polyolefins are further discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2011 / 0139657, 2011 / 0139658, 2011 / 0152812 and 2016 / 0206774 and U.S. Patent No. 9,169,366. Exemplary bio-based polyolefins for use in the present disclosure include those that may be referred to as SHA7260. TM 、SHE150 TM or SGM9450F TM The polymers obtained (all available from Braskem SA).

[0227] The absorbent article component may include a biobased content value of, for example, from about 10% to about 100%, from about 25% to about 100%, from about 40% to about 100%, from about 50% to about 100%, from about 75% to about 100%, or from about 90% to about 100%, as measured using ASTM D6866-10 Method B.

[0228] Recycling-friendly and bio-based absorbent products

[0229] The components of the absorbent articles described herein can be recycled for other purposes, whether or not they are (at least partially) formed by recyclable materials. Examples of recyclable absorbent article materials are nonwovens, films, fluff pulp, and superabsorbent polymers. The recycling process can sterilize the absorbent articles using an autoclave, and then the absorbent articles can be shredded and separated into different by-product streams. Example by-product streams may include plastics, superabsorbent polymers, and cellulose fibers, such as pulp. These by-product streams can be used to produce fertilizers, manufacture plastic products, paper products, viscose, building materials, pets, or absorbent pads on hospital beds and / or other uses. More details about absorbent articles that are helpful for recycling, designs of recycling-friendly diapers, and designs of recycling-friendly and bio-based component diapers are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0192723 published on June 27, 2019.

[0230] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​cited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to represent the stated value and a functionally equivalent range around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0231] Unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited, each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or the benefit of, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art to any of the present invention disclosed or claimed herein, or an admission that it, by itself or in combination with any one or more of the references, proposes, suggests, or discloses any such invention. In addition, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this invention conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this invention shall govern.

[0232] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that all such changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention be covered in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for assembling an absorbent article, the method comprising the steps of: An elastic laminate (200) is provided, the elastic laminate (200) comprising an inner waist elastic strand (172) and an outer waist elastic strand (170) positioned between and connected to a first substrate (162) and a second substrate (164), the inner waist elastic strand (172) and the outer waist elastic strand (170) extending in the longitudinal direction MD, the elastic laminate (200) further comprising a first edge (200-1) separated from a second edge (200-2) in the transverse direction CD, wherein the inner waist elastic strand (172) and the outer waist elastic strand (170) extend in the longitudinal direction MD, and the elastic laminate (200) further comprises ... The elastic laminate (200) comprises a first laminate width defined by a distance extending in the cross direction CD between the first edge (200-1) and the second edge (200-2), and wherein the inner waist elastic strand (172) is intermittently bonded to the first substrate (162) and the second substrate (164) along the longitudinal direction MD to form an unbonded area (400) wherein the inner waist elastic strand (172) is not bonded to the first substrate (162) and the second substrate (164); advancing the elastic laminate (200) in the machine direction MD; forming a first low-stretch region (701-1) by cutting at least one first inner waist elastic strand (172-1) in the unbonded region (400) so that the at least one first inner waist elastic strand (172-1) retracts in the unbonded region; bonding a fastener component (707) to the second substrate in the first low-stretch region; After bonding the fastener component (707), forming a second low stretch area (701-2) by severing at least one second inner waist elastic strand (172-2) in the unbonded area (400) so that the at least one second inner waist elastic strand (172-2) retracts in the unbonded area (400); as well as After bonding the fastener component (707), a first breakable path (700) extending in the transverse CD is formed, wherein the first breakable path (700) includes a weakness line (704), wherein the inner waist elastic strand (172) and the outer waist elastic strand (170) intersecting the first breakable path (700) are cut at the weakness line (704).

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of cutting the elastic laminate (200) along the machine direction MD to form a first elastic laminate (200a) and a second elastic laminate (200b).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said cutting step is performed after said step of bonding said fastener components (707).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of forming the first low stretch zone (701-1) further comprises severing the at least one first inner waist elastic strand (172-1) only once.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of forming the second low stretch zone (701-2) further comprises severing the at least one second inner waist elastic strand (172-2) more than once.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the outer waist elastic strand (170) intersecting the first breakable pathway (700) is severed at the weak line (704) outside the first low stretch area (701-1) and the second low stretch area (701-2).

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of advancing the elastic laminate (200) between a knife roller (304) and an anvil roller (306), wherein the knife roller (304) forms both the second low-stretch region (701-2) and the first breakable path (700).

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of forming in the elastic laminate (200) a second breakable pathway (700) separated from the first breakable pathway (700) in the machine direction MD.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: Providing a chassis (102) comprising a body-facing surface (132) and a garment-facing surface (134) and an absorbent core (140) positioned between the body-facing surface (132) and the garment-facing surface (134), the chassis (102) further comprising a first end region (116a) and a second end region (118a) separated from the first end region (116a) in the cross-machine direction (CD) by a crotch region (119); and The first end region (116a) of the base structure (102) is bonded to the elastic laminate (200) overlapping the first low stretch region (701-1) and the second low stretch region (701-2), wherein the first end region (116a) of the base structure (102) is positioned between the first breakable path (700) and the second breakable path (700).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first end region (116a) of the base structure (102) overlaps portions of the first frangible via (700) and the second frangible via (700).

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