Disposable absorbent pant-type articles, and methods for producing disposable absorbent pant-type articles

Abstract

The disposable pant-type article includes front and rear body panel portions, with a crotch region disposed between the front body panel portion and the rear body panel portion, and an absorbent core disposed in an overlapping state with the body panel portions in the front and rear overlap areas. The pant-type article includes a body panel zone having reduced elasticity and is disposed in an overlap area between the absorbent core and the front or body panel. The body panel zone has a tapered shape in the longitudinal direction of the pant-type article, and the extension of the body panel zone in the transverse direction adjacent to the waist opening is smaller than the extension of the body panel zone in the transverse direction adjacent to the absorbent core. A method of producing a disposable pant-type article having at least one body panel zone with reduced elasticity is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an elastic disposable absorbent pant-type article, which includes a front body panel composed of a front body panel material that is elastically stretchable in the transverse direction of the pant-type article, a rear body panel composed of a rear body panel material that is elastically stretchable in the transverse direction of the pant-type article, and a crotch region positioned between the front body panel and the rear body panel. The absorbent core is arranged such that the central part of the absorbent core is in the crotch region, the front end part of the absorbent core overlaps with the front body panel in the front overlap area, and the rear end part of the absorbent core overlaps with the rear body panel in the rear overlap area. The first front panel side edge is joined to the first rear panel side edge at the first side seam, and the second front panel side edge is joined to the second rear panel side edge at the second side seam, thereby forming a waist opening and two leg openings in the disposable pant-type article.

[0002] The present disclosure further relates to a continuous method of producing an elastic disposable pant-type article using at least one continuous elastic web material.

Background Art

[0003] In the technical field of disposable pant-type articles, and particularly disposable pant-type articles intended for use by adult users, the articles should meet high requirements for fit and comfort, and at the same time have an appearance like underwear tailored while equally meeting high requirements for absorbency and leakage prevention. Disposable absorbent articles are intended to be discarded after single use and are not intended to be washed or otherwise restored for repeated use.

[0004] This type of pant-like article is a relatively complex product that includes multiple components that are combined in a high-speed process to form an absorbent article. Such components typically include a nonwoven component, a barrier component, an elastic component, and an absorbent core, which can be provided in the form of an absorbent assembly that includes a barrier layer surrounding the absorbent core together with a liquid-permeable topsheet.

[0005] Elastic web materials (such as elastic nonwoven materials) and elastic polymer films have been used to produce pant-like articles having body-conforming properties similar to those of high-quality fabric underwear. In addition, it is common to enhance the fit and leakage security by placing pre-tensioned elastic elements along all or selected parts of the waist opening and leg openings of the pant-like article.

[0006] In disposable pant-like articles containing an absorbent core, the fit and body-conforming properties imparted by the elastic materials in the article can be adversely affected by the absorbent core. The reason is that the absorbent materials used in disposable articles are non-elastic and tend to increase the stiffness of the article in the area where the absorbent core is located. The reinforced parts of the pant-like article can impair the fit and body-conformability of the article and even cause the article to bulge away from the user's body. On the other hand, the elastic materials can potentially have an adverse effect on the properties of the absorbent core. The reason is that under the influence of the contraction force exerted by the elastic materials in the article, the core can be wrinkled or otherwise deformed in an undesired manner.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0008] Therefore, there is a continuing need for improved elastification of disposable absorbent pant-type articles.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0009] Disposable pant-type articles having good functionality, fit, and comfort can be at least partially provided by the features of claim 1 and can be produced in accordance with claim 26. Variations of the present disclosure are described in the dependent claims.

[0010] Disclosed herein is a disposable pant-type article, the article having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, the article comprising: - a front body panel constituted by an elastic front body panel material, the front body panel material being elastically stretchable in the transverse direction, the front body panel; - a rear body panel constituted by an elastic rear body panel material, the rear body panel material being elastically stretchable in the transverse direction, the rear body panel; - a crotch region positioned between the front body panel and the rear body panel; - an absorbent core, the absorbent core being disposed such that a central part of the absorbent core is positioned within the crotch region and a front end part of the absorbent core overlaps with the front body panel in a front overlap area and a rear end part of the absorbent core overlaps with the rear body panel in a rear overlap area, the absorbent core; - a first front panel side edge joined to a first rear panel side edge at a first side seam; - The second front panel side edge joined to the second rear panel side edge at the second side seam, - A waist opening defined by the front panel waist edge and the rear panel waist edge, - A first leg edge defining a first leg opening, - A second leg edge defining a second leg opening and The disposable pant-type article further includes at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity, and the at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity is disposed in an overlap area between the absorbent core and one of the front body panel and the rear body panel. The at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity extends longitudinally toward the waist opening outside the overlap area, and the disposable pant-type article has a longitudinally tapered shape. The extension of the at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity in the transverse direction adjacent to the waist opening is smaller than the extension of the at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity in the transverse direction adjacent to the absorbent core.

[0011] The at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity as disclosed herein is a zone in the body panel, and it is treated such that the body panel material in the treated body panel zone is less elastic than the untreated parts of the body panel material. The zone having a reduced elasticity is also referred to herein as a "heat-treated zone" or a "treated zone".

[0012] The at least one body panel zone having a reduced elasticity as disclosed herein can be a front body panel zone having a reduced elasticity.

[0013] The disposable pant-type article can further include a rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity, and the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity is disposed within an overlap area between the absorbent core and the rear body panel. The rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity can have a tapered shape in the longitudinal direction of the disposable pant-type article, and the extent of the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction adjacent to the waist opening is less than the extent of the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction adjacent to the absorbent core.

[0014] At least one body panel zone having reduced elasticity can have any tapered shape, such as a triangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a drop shape, or a funnel shape. Moreover, the body panel zone having reduced elasticity can have a mushroom shape or a club shape. The contour of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity is preferably continuous without stepped or sharp changes to promote a smooth transition between the body panel zone having reduced elasticity and the body panel material outside the body panel zone having reduced elasticity.

[0015] At least one body panel zone having reduced elasticity as disclosed herein can have a continuously tapered shape in a portion of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity that is disposed between the end edge of the absorbent core and the waist edge of the body panel in which the body panel zone having reduced elasticity is disposed. Alternatively, at least one body panel zone having reduced elasticity can have a continuously tapered shape in a portion of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity that is disposed between the end edge of the absorbent assembly (if present) and the waist edge of the body panel in which the body panel zone having reduced elasticity is disposed.

[0016] By forming a zone of reduced elasticity having a narrower part at the waist portion of the article and a wider part at the absorbent core of the article, the article will have a stronger elasticity (i.e., a greater contracting force) at the waist portion. Moreover, the increasing elasticity in the front body panel and / or the rear body panel of the panty-type absorbent article will cause the side seams to be inclined inwards when the panty-type article is in a non-tensioned state. The side seams shaped in such a way will fit better to the shape of the user's buttocks.

[0017] At least one body panel zone having reduced elasticity can terminate at an elastic waistband, the elastic waistband being disposed at the waist opening and providing a waist elastic body to the article, or the body panel zone having reduced elasticity can continue under the elastic waistband, the elastic waistband being applied so that it overlaps the front and rear body panels. When producing a panty-type article as disclosed herein, the elastic waistband is preferably applied after treating the material of the front body panel and / or the rear body panel to form at least one body panel zone having reduced elasticity. The waistband can be applied so that it completely or partially overlaps the body panel zone having reduced elasticity at the waist opening and provides an elastic waistband that completely surrounds a fully functional waist to the article.

[0018] A portion of the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity that extends outside the front overlap zone is located between the front end of the absorbent assembly and the front waist edge of the front body panel. It can have a tapered shape having a taper angle α defined between an inclined line of a portion of the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity and a line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pant-type absorbent article. The inclined line is drawn from the point where the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects a line parallel to the transverse direction of the pant-type absorbent article and passing through the front end point of the absorbent assembly to the point where the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects the front waist edge of the front body panel.

[0019] In a disposable pant-type article as disclosed herein that includes an absorbent core that is not part of the absorbent assembly, the inclined line is drawn from the point where the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects a line parallel to the transverse direction of the pant-type absorbent article and passing through the front end point of the absorbent core to the point where the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects the front waist edge of the front body panel.

[0020] The taper angle α of the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity is in the range of 3° to 35°, and preferably can be in the range of 7° to 25°.

[0021] A part of the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity that extends outside the rear overlap zone can have a tapered shape with a taper angle α, and the taper angle α is positioned between the rear end of the absorbent assembly and the rear waist edge of the rear body panel. It is defined between an inclined line of a part of the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity and a line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pant-type absorbent article. The inclined line is drawn from the point where the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects a line parallel to the transverse direction of the pant-type absorbent article and passing through the rear end point of the absorbent assembly to the point where the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects the rear waist edge of the rear body panel.

[0022] In a disposable pant-type article as disclosed herein that includes an absorbent core that is not part of the absorbent assembly, the inclined line is drawn from the point where the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects a line parallel to the transverse direction of the pant-type absorbent article and passing through the rear end point of the absorbent core to the point where the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects the rear waist edge of the rear body panel.

[0023] The taper angle α of the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity is in the range of 3° to 35°, and preferably can be in the range of 7° to 25°.

[0024] The elastically stretchable front body panel and / or the elastically stretchable rear body panel can include an elastic laminate or can be composed of an elastic laminate, and the elastic laminate includes at least a first layer of a nonwoven material and an elastic layer. As used herein, the term "elastic layer" refers to a layer of a coherent, essentially elastic web material (such as an elastic nonwoven material or an elastic film).

[0025] The first layer of the nonwoven material can be an elastic nonwoven material, but generally, it can be suitable that the first layer of the nonwoven material is a non-elastic layer.

[0026] The elastic laminate can include a second layer of nonwoven material, and the elastic layer is an intermediate elastic layer disposed between the first and second layers of the nonwoven material. The laminate can include one or more additional layers in addition to the first and second layers of the nonwoven material and the elastic layer. The elastic laminate can be a three-layer laminate comprising an outer non-elastic nonwoven layer and an intermediate elastic film or nonwoven layer sandwiched therebetween.

[0027] Regarding the first layer of the nonwoven material, the second layer of the nonwoven material may preferably be a non-elastic layer.

[0028] The elastic layer in the elastic laminates disclosed herein can include a layer of elastic film or can be composed of it, or can include a layer of elastic nonwoven material or can be composed of it.

[0029] Also, laminates including both an elastic film layer and an elastic nonwoven layer can be used in disposable pant-type articles as disclosed herein.

[0030] In a pant-type article as disclosed herein, at least two layers of an elastic laminate for use in a pant-type article can be joined together by a plurality of discrete junctions. The junctions are preferably arranged in a regular joining pattern, and the joining pattern can be seen on the outer surface of the elastic body panel, which includes that it can be seen on the outer surface of the elastic body panel in a body panel zone having reduced elasticity. The outer surface of the body panel is the surface of the body panel that forms part of the outer surface of the pant-type article and faces away from the body of the wearer of the pant-type article. Also, the outer surface of the pant-type article can also be referred to as the surface facing the clothing of the pant-type article. Thus, the joining pattern on the body panel can be seen from the outside of the pant-type article.

[0031] In a three-layer laminate, for example, in a laminate of a first and a second outer nonwoven web and an intermediate elastic layer (such as an elastic film layer or an elastic nonwoven layer, etc.), all three layers can be joined together in the same joining step. In such a case, the joining pattern will be visible on both the outer clothing-facing surface of the body panel produced from the three-layer laminate and the opposing inner body-facing surface of the body panel.

[0032] The joining pattern can be a pattern of discrete joining elements (such as a pattern of evenly distributed discrete joining elements, etc.). Each discrete joining element can have a surface area on the order of from 0.1 mm 2 to 3.0 mm 2 . The surface area of the individual joining areas may preferably be in the lower part of that range (such as from 0.1 mm 2 to 1.5 mm 2 , or from 0.1 mm 2 to 1.0 mm 2 , etc.).

[0033] The total bonding area is in the range of 4% to 13%, and preferably can be in the range of 5% to 10%.

[0034] The bonding elements can have any useful shape or combination of shapes, including rounded shapes (such as circular and oval shapes), polygonal shapes (such as triangular, square / rectangular, and diamond shapes), as well as rod-shaped bonding elements, graphic bonding elements, etc.

[0035] The bonding pattern can be formed by ultrasonic bonding or thermal bonding (also referred to herein as thermobonding), and the bonding elements are formed by locally heating the layers being bonded together, causing the thermoplastic material in the laminated layers to soften and / or melt and then solidify in the bond.

[0036] The elastically stretchable front body panel and the elastically stretchable rear body panel of a pant-type article as disclosed herein can include or can be composed of a stretch-bonded laminated elastic web material. The stretch-bonded laminate is formed by bonding the layers of the laminate together while holding the layers of the elastic material in a stretched state, at least in the machine direction of the elastic material layer and optionally also in the cross-machine direction. In a pant-type article as disclosed herein, the elastic laminate is disposed in the article with the machine direction corresponding to the transverse direction of the pant-type article and the cross-machine direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the pant-type article.

[0037] The layers of the combined laminate can have the same spread, i.e., they can completely overlap each other. Alternatively, the elastic material layer can have a smaller extent in the cross-machine direction of the laminate than the nonwoven layer or layers, i.e., the elastic material layer can have a smaller extent in the longitudinal direction of the panty-shaped article.

[0038] The bonding elements are distributed over the entire area of the body panel (i.e., also in the zones with reduced elasticity) in a regular bonding pattern. In other words, the bonding pattern is the same as that of the other parts of the body panel in the body panel zones with reduced elasticity. Moreover, the surface structure of the elastic laminate has not been modified or has not been significantly modified by the heat treatment that the elastic laminate has undergone when generating the zones with reduced elasticity. Thereby, the visual appearance of the body panel material is the same or substantially the same over the entire surface of the body panel. This has the effect of masking or hiding the presence of the absorbent core positioned inside the body panel in the body panel zones with reduced elasticity, thereby enhancing the similarity of the disposable panty-shaped article to ordinary underwear.

[0039] The nonwoven material layer or web in the elastic laminate as disclosed herein can be a spunbond nonwoven, an airlaid nonwoven, a wetlaid nonwoven, a carded nonwoven, an electrospun nonwoven, or a meltblown nonwoven. Also, composite webs such as spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) and similar materials can be used. The nonwoven material can be bonded by any suitable technique (such as needling, hydroentangling, ultrasonic welding, or thermobonding, etc.).

[0040] The fibers of the nonwoven material used in this specification can be man-made fibers or a mixture of man-made fibers and natural fibers. Man-made fibers include single-component fibers, bicomponent fibers, and multicomponent fibers of polymers (such as polyolefins, polyesters, polyacrylates, etc.), as well as regenerated fibers (such as viscose fibers and modal fibers). Natural fibers are, for example, cellulose fibers (such as pulp fibers, cotton fibers, linen, hemp, etc.).

[0041] In a laminate where the layers are joined by ultrasonic bonding or thermal bonding, the nonwoven material used to form the laminate should contain an amount of thermoplastic material sufficient to allow the formation of bonding elements. Examples of thermoplastic polymers suitable for use in the fibers of nonwoven webs as disclosed herein are polyethylene, polypropylene, and other polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers, as well as polyesters. The fibers can be single-component fibers, bicomponent fibers, or multicomponent fibers. The thermally bondable nonwoven web preferably contains at least 50% thermoplastic fibers, more preferably at least 80% thermoplastic material.

[0042] As an alternative to being constituted by an elastic laminate, at least a part of the elastically stretchable front body panel and / or the elastically stretchable rear body panel can be constituted by a single layer of elastic nonwoven material.

[0043] The elasticity of the body panel material in the front body panel zone having a reduced elasticity, and / or the elasticity of the body panel material in the rear body panel zone having a reduced elasticity, can be from 0% to 70% of the elasticity of the body panel material outside the body panel zone having a reduced elasticity, for example, it can be from 30% to 70% of the elasticity of the body panel material outside the body panel zone having a reduced elasticity, for example, it can be from 40% to 70% of the elasticity of the body panel material outside the body panel zone having a reduced elasticity, preferably, it can be from 30% to 60% of the elasticity of the body panel material outside the body panel zone having a reduced elasticity.

[0044] The body panel material may be heat treated to eliminate the elasticity in the body panel zone having a reduced elasticity. Alternatively, the material in the body panel zone having a reduced elasticity can retain some elasticity (but at a lower level than the untreated parts of the elastic body panel material).

[0045] The elastically stretchable front body panel can be formed from a continuous front body panel web extending transversely across the width of the pant-like article between a first front panel side edge and a second front panel side edge, and / or the elastically stretchable rear body panel can be formed from a continuous rear body panel web extending transversely across the width of the pant-like article between a first rear panel side edge and a second rear panel side edge.

[0046] The crotch region of a disposable pant-type article as disclosed herein can include a non-elastic crotch web material (e.g., a non-elastic nonwoven web, etc.). A less elastic or non-elastic crotch region can alternatively be produced by treating a portion of the elastic web material (e.g., by heat treatment, etc.) to create a crotch zone having reduced elasticity within the elastic web material in the crotch region.

[0047] A pant-type article as disclosed herein can be of a type having a two-piece chassis with a crotch panel, the crotch panel being connected to the front body panel along the front body panel crotch edge and the crotch panel being connected to the rear body panel along the rear body panel crotch edge. Alternatively, the pant-type article can have a one-piece chassis including a non-elastic outer or inner cover web extending the full distance between the front body panel waist edge and the rear body panel waist edge, the cover web constituting the non-elastic layer of each of the front body panel and the rear body panel and constituting the crotch web material in the crotch region of the pant-type article.

[0048] In a disposable pant-type article as disclosed herein, the absorbent core can form part of an absorbent assembly, the absorbent assembly including the absorbent core, a liquid-permeable topsheet, and a liquid-impermeable backsheet, the absorbent core being sandwiched between the liquid-permeable topsheet and the liquid-impermeable backsheet.

[0049] Disposable pant-type articles as disclosed herein can include an elastic waist feature. The elastic waist feature can form a continuous waistband that surrounds the waist opening of the disposable pant-type article, or can be applied only to selected portions of the waist opening (e.g., only along the central portion of the waist edges of the front and rear body panels, or only along the waist edge of the rear body panel, etc.).

[0050] The elastic waist feature can completely overlap with the front body panel and / or the rear body panel and can share a waist edge with the corresponding front body panel and / or rear body panel.

[0051] The elastic waist feature can completely overlap with the front body panel and / or the rear body panel, or can be applied to the waist edge of the front body panel and / or the rear body panel and can project beyond the waist edge of the corresponding front body panel and / or rear body panel.

[0052] Elastic waist features can include one or more elastic elements. The waist feature can include multiple elastic strands or elastic bands. Alternatively, the elastic waist feature can include, or be composed of, a band of elastic material (such as an elastic non-woven fabric, an elastic foam, or an elastic film, etc.). The elastic waist feature can be attached to the front body panel and / or the rear body panel as a prefabricated component (such as a waistband component including two layers of carrier web with multiple elastic strands or bands attached between the layers of the carrier web). An elastic waist feature including multiple elastic elements (such as strands or bands, etc.) can alternatively be formed directly on the elastic body panel material by applying the elastic elements along the waist edge of the body panel to the body panel and then covering the elastic elements with a cover web (such as a non-woven cover web, etc.).

[0053] The elastic waist feature provides a waist elastomer provided by an elastic material in the front body panel and the rear body panel in addition to the elastomer to the article. The elastic waist feature can be a component of a disposable pant-type article produced separately from the body panel material of the front body panel and the rear body panel, or can be incorporated into the front body panel material and / or the rear body panel material by being applied between the layers of the front body panel material and / or the rear body panel material. The elastic waist feature is preferably applied after a body panel zone or multiple body panel zones with reduced elasticity are formed in the body panel material to avoid reducing the elasticity in the elastic waist feature.

[0054] Also disclosed herein is a method of producing a disposable pant-type article (such as the disposable pant-type article disclosed herein, etc.), the method comprising - Continuously feeding a tensioned elastic web material in the machine direction, the elastic web material having a first side edge and a second side edge; - Generating zones of reduced elasticity in the elastic web material by subjecting portions of the elastic web material to heat treatment, the zones of reduced elasticity being spaced apart in the machine direction; - Forming at least a first body panel web as part of a composite web of interconnected precursor articles from the elastic web material, the composite web of precursor articles having a first waist edge and a second waist edge, the tensioned first body panel web including at least a portion of each of the spaced-apart zones of reduced elasticity, each portion of the spaced-apart zones of reduced elasticity forming a body panel zone of reduced elasticity in the first body panel web, each body panel zone of reduced elasticity having a tapered shape in the cross-machine direction of the tensioned first body panel web; - Placing the tensioned first body panel web alongside a tensioned elastic second body panel web in the composite web of interconnected precursor articles, there being a distance between the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web in the cross-machine direction, the body panel zones of reduced elasticity in the first body panel web being arranged such that each body panel zone of reduced elasticity tapers towards the first waist edge of the composite web of precursor articles; - Intermittently applying an absorbent assembly to a tensioned first body panel web and a tensioned second body panel web, wherein the absorbent assemblies are applied at intervals in the machine direction, and a first end part of each absorbent assembly overlaps a zone of reduced elasticity in the tensioned first body panel web, and a second end part of the absorbent assembly is attached in an overlapping state to a portion of the tensioned second body panel web; - Folding the composite web of the precursor article along a folding line extending in the machine direction and aligning a first waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article with a second waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article; - Forming first and second side seams in each precursor article, the side seams joining the tensioned first body panel web to the tensioned second body panel web and being formed in the cross-machine direction along a dividing line between the precursor articles; - Cutting individual pant-like articles from the composite web of the precursor article and a method comprising:

[0055] In the heat treatment step, the heat supplied to the elastic web material is preferably controlled to avoid raising the temperature of the thermoplastic material in the elastic web material above its melting point. Thereby, the fibrous structure of the nonwoven web, which contains or consists of thermoplastic fibers and forms part of the elastic web material, can be maintained or at least substantially maintained in the elastic web material. The heat supply can be controlled by controlling the heat exposure time and / or the temperature of the heat supply means (e.g., heating rollers, etc.).

[0056] In the heat treatment step, the elasticity of the elastic web material can be reduced or completely eliminated. The difference in appearance of the panty-type article between the untreated zone and the treated zone may be less noticeable than if the heat-treated zone were completely inelastic, so it may be advantageous to retain some elasticity in the areas with reduced elasticity. Moreover, the heat treatment does not or substantially does not affect the surface structure (e.g., fibrous structure and bonding pattern, etc.) of the outer surface of the heat-treated elastic body panel material. Thereby, the material in the heat-treated zone is preferably not distinguishable or at least not easily distinguishable by the naked eye from the untreated material, which makes the presence of the heat-treated zone less noticeable. The outer cover of the absorbent article having a different appearance, where the cover overlaps the absorbent core, can indicate the presence of the absorbent core. Thus, the uniform appearance of the outer core is very beneficial in that it can mask the contour of the absorbent core and make the presence of the absorbent core not easily visible. A particular benefit of using the bonding pattern of a plurality of discrete bonding elements when bonding together layers of an elastic laminate web material as disclosed herein is that the bonding pattern contributes to the masking effect by obscuring the transition between the untreated material and the treated zones with reduced elasticity.

[0057] Accordingly, an article as disclosed herein is more underwear-like than prior articles having a completely inelastic zone within the area of the absorbent core. Additionally, by heat-treating the elastic material in the area of overlap with the absorbent core, the elastic effect from the elastic material on the core is reduced so that unwanted shrinkage and deformation of the core can be avoided. At the same time, the remaining elasticity in the heat-treated less elastic zone serves to hold the absorbent core in contact with the body of the wearer of the panty-type absorbent article, thereby contributing to reducing the bulkiness of the article and enhancing the underwear-like feel. By forming a zone of reduced elasticity having a narrower part at the waist portion of the article and a wider part at the crotch portion of the article, the article provides a stronger elasticity at the waist portion. As described herein, the higher elasticity (SIS) in the front panel and / or rear panel of the panty-type absorbent article causes the side seams to take an inwardly inclined configuration, which closely conforms to the user's body across the buttocks. Absorbent articles as disclosed herein have been found to be particularly well-suited for female users because they are adapted to the female anatomical structure.

[0058] The elastic web material can be an elastic laminate web material. The elastic laminate web material can be formed by bonding at least a first layer of nonwoven material to an elastic layer, and the bonding is effected by a plurality of discrete bond portions arranged in a bonding pattern.

[0059] A method as disclosed herein - feeding a continuous inelastic crotch web in the machine direction; - Attaching an inelastic crotch web to the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web, thereby bridging the distance between the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web, wherein the inelastic continuous crotch web is attached to the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web after arranging the tensioned first body panel web alongside the tensioned elastic second body panel web and before applying an absorbent assembly to the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web; - Forming leg cuts in the composite web of interconnected precursor articles, each leg cut having a closed-loop configuration and forming a first leg edge of a leading precursor article and a second leg edge of a trailing precursor article; which may further include.

[0060] A method of producing a disposable pant-type article (e.g., such as the disposable pant-type article disclosed herein) comprises: - Continuously feeding a tensioned elastic web material in a machine direction, the elastic web material having a first side edge and a second side edge; - Subjecting portions of the elastic web material to heat treatment to create zones of reduced elasticity in the elastic web material, the zones of reduced elasticity being spaced apart in the machine direction; - Forming at least a first body panel web as part of a composite web of interconnected precursor articles from an elastic web material, wherein the composite web of precursor articles has a first waist edge and a second waist edge, and the tensioned first body panel web includes at least a portion of each of spaced zones of reduced elasticity, and each portion of each of the spaced zones of reduced elasticity forms a body panel zone of reduced elasticity within the first body panel web, and each body panel zone of reduced elasticity has a tapered shape in the cross-machine direction of the tensioned first body panel web. - Placing the tensioned first body panel web alongside a tensioned elastic second body panel web in the composite web of interconnected precursor articles, wherein there is a distance between the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web in the cross-machine direction, and the body panel zones of reduced elasticity in the first body panel web are arranged such that each body panel zone of reduced elasticity is tapered towards the first waist edge of the composite web of precursor articles. - Feeding a non-elastic continuous crotch web in the machine direction. - Attaching the crotch web to the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web, thereby bridging the distance between a front panel crotch edge and a rear panel crotch edge, wherein the non-elastic continuous crotch web is attached to the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web after placing the tensioned first body panel web alongside the tensioned elastic second body panel web and before applying an absorbent assembly to the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web. - Intermittently applying an absorbent assembly to a tensioned first body panel web, a crotch web, and a tensioned second body panel web, wherein the absorbent assemblies are applied at intervals in the machine direction, with a first end part of each absorbent assembly overlapping a zone of reduced elasticity in the tensioned first body panel web and a second end part of the absorbent assembly overlapping a portion of the tensioned second body panel web, the portion of the tensioned second body panel web optionally being a zone of reduced elasticity in the tensioned second body panel web; - Forming leg cuts in a composite web of interconnected precursor articles, each leg cut having a closed-loop configuration and forming a first leg edge of a leading precursor article and a second leg edge of a trailing precursor article; - Folding the composite web of precursor articles along a fold line extending in the machine direction and aligning a first waist edge of the composite web of precursor articles with a second waist edge of the composite web of precursor articles; - Forming first and second side seams in each precursor article, the side seams joining the tensioned first body panel web to the tensioned second body panel web and being formed in the cross-machine direction along a dividing line between the precursor articles; - Cutting individual pant-like articles from the composite web of precursor articles may be included.

[0061] A method for producing an absorbent pant-like article as disclosed herein, the method including applying a crotch web between a tensioned first body panel web and a tensioned second body panel web, the method - Providing a pair of crotch elastic members, the pair of crotch elastic members being composed of a first crotch elastic member and a second crotch elastic member; - Stretching each crotch elastic member in the longitudinal direction of the crotch elastic member and aligning the longitudinal direction of the crotch elastic member with the cross-machine direction; - Attaching each stretched crotch elastic member to the crotch web while maintaining the crotch elastic member in the stretched state and aligned with the cross-machine direction, wherein the first crotch elastic member is spaced apart from the second crotch elastic member by a crotch interval in the machine direction, and the pair of crotch elastic members of the leading precursor article is spaced apart from the pair of crotch elastic members of the trailing precursor article by an article interval in the machine direction, the article interval depending on the pitch length of the precursor articles in the composite web of interconnected precursor articles; may further include.

[0062] As used herein, the pitch length is the length of each precursor article in the machine direction during the production of a pant-like article as disclosed herein, which corresponds to the width direction of the final pant-like article. The pitch length can be maintained the same throughout the production process until individual pant-like articles are cut from the composite web of interconnected precursor articles.

[0063] The method as disclosed herein is - Forming cuts in the heat - treated elastic web material along dividing lines extending in the machine direction to divide the heat - treated elastic web material into two parts, thereby forming a tensioned first body panel web and a tensioned second body panel web, wherein the tensioned first body panel web has a first side edge constituted by the first side edge of the elastic web material and a second side edge formed by the cut in the elastic web material, and the tensioned second body panel web has a first side edge constituted by the second side edge of the elastic web material and a second side edge formed by the cut in the elastic web material, step can further include.

[0064] In a method as disclosed herein, including the step of dividing the heat - treated elastic web material into two parts, the step of arranging the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web side - by - side at a distance from each other in the cross - machine direction can include shifting the positions of the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web in the cross - machine direction, whereby the second side edge of the tensioned first body panel web forms the first waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article, and the second side edge of the tensioned second body panel web forms the second waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article. The waist elastomer is applied to the elastic web material along the dividing line in the elastic web material before forming the cut in the elastic web material, and then it is possible to form the cut through the elastic web material and through the waist elastomer. Thereby, after cutting the elastic web material and shifting the positions of the first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web, the applied and divided waist elastomer will form front and rear waist elastomers on the produced pant - type article.

[0065] In a method as disclosed herein, including the step of dividing a heat-treated elastic web material into two parts, the zones with reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material are such that the first part of each zone with reduced elasticity is positioned in a first body panel web under tension and the second part of each zone with reduced elasticity is positioned in a second body panel web under tension, and can be divided into the first part and the second part respectively by a cut in the elastic web material.

[0066] In a method as disclosed herein, including the steps of dividing a heat-treated elastic web material into two parts and shifting the positions of the first body panel web under tension and the second body panel web under tension in the cross-machine direction, the zones with reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material can have a shape with a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion as seen in the cross-machine direction, the first end portion and the second end portion having a width in the machine direction greater than the width in the machine direction of the intermediate portion, and the cut in the elastic web material divides each zone with reduced elasticity at the intermediate portion of the zone with reduced elasticity.

[0067] In a method as disclosed herein, including the step of dividing a heat-treated elastic web material into two parts, the step of arranging the tensioned first body panel web and the tensioned second body panel web spaced apart from each other in the cross-machine direction may include pulling the tensioned first body panel web away from the tensioned second body panel web in the cross-machine direction, whereby a first side edge of the tensioned first body panel web forms a first waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article and a first side edge of the tensioned second body panel web forms a second waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article. The waist elastomer can be applied along the first and second side edges of the elastic web material either before or after forming a cut in the elastic web material.

[0068] In a method as disclosed herein, including the step of dividing a heat-treated elastic web material into two parts and pulling the parts apart in the cross-machine direction, a zone having reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material can have a shape comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, as seen in the cross-machine direction, the first end portion and the second end portion having a machine direction width smaller than the machine direction width of the intermediate portion, and the cut in the elastic web material divides each zone having reduced elasticity in the intermediate portion of the zone having reduced elasticity.

[0069] Generally, the waist elastomer can be applied to the waist edge of the tensioned first body panel web and to the waist edge of the tensioned second body panel web before forming the composite web of the precursor article, or can be applied along the first and second waist edges of the composite web of the precursor article.

[0070] In a method of producing a disposable pant-type article as disclosed herein, an absorbent assembly attached to first and second body panel webs and bridging the distance between the first and second body panel webs can form the only connection between the first body panel web and the second body panel web in a coherent composite web of a precursor article. Leg opening portions are formed in the coherent composite web of the precursor article at gaps between intermittently attached absorbent assemblies. The leg opening portions can then be shaped by cutting to provide a desired curvature to the leg opening edges.

[0071] Alternating crotch portions and leg opening portions in a coherent chassis web are formed by cutting a leg opening in the chassis web formed by continuous connection of the inward-facing side edges of the first and second panel webs. The side edges of the first and second panel webs can be directly connected to each other or can be indirectly connected by a bridging web.

[0072] As described herein, the distance between the first body panel web and the second body panel web can be bridged by an outer or inner cover web, which is applied across the full cross-machine direction width of the composite web of the precursor article, or it is applied at least across the crotch region and optionally across all or part of one or both of the first and second body panel webs. In such cases, the leg openings have to be cut out between intermittently applied absorbent assemblies. The absorbent assembly can be applied before or after forming the leg openings.

[0073] The elastic panel web can include reinforcing elastic elements (such as leg elastic elements and / or waist elastic elements applied in addition to a coherent elastic layer within the elastic panel web, etc.).

[0074] As described herein, the waist elastomer is preferably applied after one or more zones having reduced elasticity have been created within the elastic web material.

[0075] The methods as disclosed herein can further include the step of applying components such as leg elastomers, elastic barrier cuffs, disposal means, fastening elements, etc. Such components will then form part of a disposable absorbent pant-type article as disclosed herein.

[0076] As described herein, one or both of the front panel web and the rear panel web can include or be composed of a trilaminate web, which includes two outer nonwoven layers and an intermediate coherent elastic layer (such as an elastic film or elastic nonwoven sandwiched between the outer nonwoven layers, etc.). The three-layer nonwoven film-nonwoven laminate provides the elastic panel with outer and inner surfaces like a smooth, soft and skin-friendly fabric. The laminate can be produced by any known method or combination of methods (such as a stretch bonding method, etc.), which includes incremental stretching, etc.

[0077] The layers of the laminate can be joined together by a pattern of discrete bonding elements (e.g., point joints, etc.) distributed across the surface of the laminate. The bonding elements can be formed by ultrasonic bonding or thermal bonding as described herein. After cutting individual pant-shaped articles from the production web, the tensioned elastic layer in the laminate contracts, causing the inelastic nonwoven layer to bunch between the bonding elements, thereby increasing the bulkiness of the outer surface of the laminate in the finished pant-shaped article. As described herein, joining the laminate can also be performed such that an aperture is formed in or through the elastic layer at the bonding elements, thereby increasing the breathability of the laminate. Such apertures in the inner elastic layer in a three-layer laminate are generally not visible from the surface of the outer layer of the laminate.

[0078] A three-layer elastic panel web can be formed by stretch-bonding a first surface of an elastic layer (e.g., an elastic film or an elastic nonwoven, etc.) to a first nonwoven layer and then joining a second nonwoven layer to the second surface of the elastic layer. As described herein, joining between the layers can be performed by ultrasonic bonding or thermal bonding.

[0079] As described herein, in addition to the coherent elastic layer, the elastic panel web can include reinforcing elastic elements, which can be applied between a first nonwoven layer and a second nonwoven layer, or can be applied to the outer surface of a three-layer panel web. Forming a laminate by stretch bonding implies that the elastic layer is stretched (e.g., by 50% to 600% in the machine direction MD, etc.) and held in the stretched state while being bonded to a non-elastic or less elastic web (such as a non-elastic or less elastic nonwoven layer, etc.) in order to maintain the elastic properties of the elastic layer in the laminate. As described herein, the first and second nonwoven layers are preferably non-elastic nonwoven layers.

[0080] In the method disclosed herein, when using a laminated elastic panel web that includes a stretch-bonded elastic layer and one or more non-stretchable layers (such as one or more non-stretchable nonwoven layers), the web is held under tension throughout the process until the final step of cutting individual pant-like articles from the chassis web. This generally means that the web is stretched in the machine direction to the maximum extent allowed by one or more non-stretchable layers.

[0081] A crotch web as disclosed herein can be any suitable non - stretchable web material (e.g., a non - stretchable non - woven web, a non - stretchable polymer film, or a non - stretchable laminate, etc.). Laminates including one or more non - woven webs, as well as laminates including one or more non - woven webs and polymer films, are also contemplated. In the crotch web forming the surface facing the outer clothing of the pant - type article, it may be preferred that the surface facing the outer clothing is formed by a non - woven material. The crotch web can be a crotch panel web having a first side edge and an opposing second side edge, wherein the first side edge of the crotch panel web is attached at a front seam to the front crotch edge of a tensioned front panel web, and the second side edge of the crotch panel web is attached at a rear seam to the rear crotch edge of a tensioned rear panel web, thereby bridging the gap between the front crotch edge of the front panel web and the rear crotch edge of the rear panel web. Alternatively, the crotch web can be an outer or inner cover web extending in the cross - machine direction for all or at least 75% of the distance between the front waist edge and the rear waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article.

[0082] Absorbent articles as disclosed herein and methods for their production will be further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0083]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0084] The different aspects of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments disclosed herein can be realized in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the aspects described herein.

[0085] The absorbent pant-type article can be a baby diaper, training pants, feminine hygiene pants, swimsuit, disposable underwear, etc.

[0086] The drawings are schematic, and the pant-type articles shown in the figures are simplified articles. It should be understood that the articles can include additional features such as barrier cuffs, disposal means, etc. Also, it should be understood that the waist elastics disclosed herein are optional, or that any other suitable type of waist elastic can be used. The side seams can be reclosable side seams, and the pant-type articles can be provided with fastening elements to provide for the reclosability of the side seams.

[0087] A method for producing a pant-type article as disclosed herein is described in the context of disposable pant-type articles that include an absorbent assembly. However, it should be understood that the method is equally applicable to the production of absorbent pant-type articles that do not include a prefabricated absorbent assembly. The methods disclosed herein are useful in the production of any type of disposable pant-type article such as adult incontinence articles, baby diapers, training pants, swim pants, disposable underwear, feminine sanitary pants, etc.

[0088] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a disposable absorbent pant-type article 1 in the form of a pant-type incontinence article for adult users is shown. The pant-type article 1 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in an unfolded flat condition with all elastic elements and components in an extended state such that the pant-type article 1 generally appears two-dimensional. FIG. 1 shows the article from the surface facing the wearer on the inside of the article, and FIG. 2 shows the article from the surface facing the clothing on the outside of the article.

[0089] The pant-type article 1 has a longitudinal direction L and a transverse direction T. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, measurements of distances and dimensions are taken with the pant-type article fully stretched and in a condition without gathers.

[0090] The article includes a front body panel 3 and a rear body panel 4. The front body panel 3 is composed of a front body panel material that can elastically expand and contract in the transverse direction T, and the rear body panel 4 is composed of a rear body panel material that can elastically expand and contract in the transverse direction T. The crotch region 5 is positioned between the front body panel 3 and the rear body panel 4.

[0091] At least a front body panel web that can elastically expand and contract in the transverse direction T provides the overall elastic expandability of the front body panel 3.

[0092] At least a rear body panel web that can elastically expand and contract in the transverse direction T provides the overall elastic expandability of the rear body panel 4.

[0093] The article further includes an absorbent core 7. The absorbent core 7 forms part of an absorbent assembly 6. The absorbent assembly 6 is disposed in the crotch region 5 of the pant-type article 1. The absorbent assembly 6 extends forward over the front body panel 3 and rearward over the rear body panel 4 in the longitudinal direction L. The absorbent assembly 6 bridges the gap between the front body panel 3 and the rear body panel 4. The absorbent assembly 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a separately produced component that includes an absorbent core 7, a liquid-permeable topsheet 8, and a liquid-impermeable backsheet 9. The absorbent core 7 is sandwiched between the topsheet 8 and the backsheet 9.

[0094] The absorbent core 7 is arranged such that the central part 7c of the absorbent core 7 is positioned in the crotch region 5, the front end part 7f of the absorbent core overlaps with the front body panel 3 in the front overlap area 10, and the rear end part 7r of the absorbent core 7 overlaps with the rear body panel 4 in the rear overlap area 11.

[0095] The absorbent core 7 shown in the figure has an hourglass shape. However, the present disclosure is not limited to an hourglass-shaped core, and it should be understood that the absorbent core can have any useful shape (e.g., rectangular shape, T-shaped, etc.) as known in the art.

[0096] The absorbent assembly 6 is applied on the inner surface of the pant-type article 1, and the inner surface is the surface intended to face the wearer when the pant-type article 1 is worn. The inner surface of the absorbent assembly 6 is formed by a liquid-permeable topsheet 8 and can optionally include a barrier cuff (not shown) extending along the side edges of the absorbent assembly 6.

[0097] As disclosed herein, both the topsheet 8 and the backsheet 9 can extend beyond the periphery of the absorbent core 7 and can be joined to each other at an edge seal extending along the periphery of the absorbent core 7 outwardly of the peripheral edge of the absorbent core 7. Moreover, the peripheral edge portion of the absorbent assembly 6 can be formed by only one of the topsheet and the backsheet.

[0098] The absorbent core 7 as disclosed herein can include any conventional material suitable for absorbing discharged body waste, such as cellulose fluff pulp, tissue layers, superabsorbent polymers (superabsorbents), absorbent foam materials including hydrogel foam materials, or absorbent nonwoven materials. The absorbent core can include non-absorbent components (e.g., reinforcing elements, shaping elements, binders, etc.). Also, various types of liquid-receiving elements and liquid-distributing elements can be included in the core.

[0099] The absorbent core 7 can be a three-dimensionally shaped core having different amounts of absorbent material in different parts of the core, and can be provided with features such as embossing, fluid acquisition cavities, and fluid distribution channels. Also, the properties of the absorbent core, such as density, amount of absorbent material, and absorbency capacity, can be varied in different parts of the absorbent core. The absorbent core 7 can include a core cover, which sandwiches the absorbent material between an upper core cover layer and a lower core cover layer. Such a core cover can be a tissue material or a nonwoven material and is provided in addition to the topsheet and the backsheet.

[0100] The liquid-permeable topsheet 8 can include a nonwoven material or can be composed of a nonwoven material. Other suitable topsheet materials include tow fibers, porous foams, plastic films and laminates with apertures, and combinations of such materials. The material that is best suited as the topsheet material is soft and non-irritating to the skin, is easily penetrated by body fluids, and exhibits low rewet.

[0101] The liquid-impermeable backsheet 9 can be composed of a thin plastic film (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene film), a nonwoven material coated with a liquid-impermeable material, a hydrophobic nonwoven material that resists liquid penetration, or a laminate of a plastic film and a nonwoven. The backsheet material can be breathable such that it allows vapor to escape from the absorbent body while still preventing liquid from passing through the backsheet material.

[0102] The topsheet and the backsheet can be connected to each other, for example, by adhesive bonding, pasting, or welding by heat or ultrasonic waves. The topsheet and / or the backsheet can be further attached to the absorbent core by any method known in the art (such as adhesives, thermal bonding, welding, needling, etc.).

[0103] The front body panel 3 has a front panel waist edge 31 extending in the transverse direction T, a pair of front panel side edges 32, 33 extending in the longitudinal direction L, and a front panel crotch edge 34 extending in the transverse direction T on the opposite side of the front panel waist edge 31. The rear body panel 4 has a rear panel waist edge 41 extending in the transverse direction T, a pair of rear panel side edges 42, 43 extending in the longitudinal direction L, and a rear panel crotch edge 44 extending in the transverse direction T on the opposite side of the rear panel waist edge 41.

[0104] The crotch region 5 includes a crotch region web, preferably a non-stretchable web material, such as a non-stretchable nonwoven fabric, etc.

[0105] In the pant-type article 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the crotch region 5 includes a crotch panel 5', and the crotch panel 5' is attached to the front body panel 3 at a front overlap seam 23 extending along the front panel crotch edge 34. The crotch panel 5' is attached to the rear body panel 4 at a rear overlap seam 24 extending along the rear panel crotch edge 44. The crotch panel 5' is preferably formed from a non-stretchable web material such as a non-stretchable nonwoven fabric.

[0106] Alternatively, or in addition to applying a crotch panel within the crotch region as shown in FIGS. 1 - 3, the crotch region can include a portion of the web material (e.g., an inner or outer cover web material of a panty-like article that extends continuously longitudinally from the front panel waist edge to the rear panel waist edge and bridges the gap between the front panel crotch edge and the rear panel crotch edge). The portion of the continuous cover web material applied in the crotch region between the front panel crotch edge and the rear panel crotch edge constitutes the crotch web material.

[0107] In the panty-like article 1 shown in the figures, the elastically stretchable front body panel 3 is formed from a continuous front body panel web applied in the machine direction MD corresponding to the transverse direction T of the panty-like article 1. Thereby, the front body panel web extends in the transverse direction T across the panty-like article 1 from the first front panel side edge 32 to the second front panel side edge 33 and extends in the longitudinal direction L from the front waist edge 31 to the front crotch edge 34. The elastically stretchable rear body panel 4 is formed from a continuous rear body panel web applied in the machine direction MD corresponding to the transverse direction T of the panty-like article 1. Thereby, the rear body panel web extends in the transverse direction T across the panty-like article 1 from the first rear panel side edge 42 to the second rear panel side edge 43 and extends in the longitudinal direction L from the rear waist edge 41 to the rear crotch edge 44.

[0108] The crotch region 5 is disposed between the front body panel 3 and the rear body panel 4, is continuous with the front body panel 3 along the front panel crotch edge 34, and is continuous with the rear body panel 4 along the rear panel crotch edge 44. The extension of the crotch region 5 in the longitudinal direction L is defined as the longitudinal distance between the front panel crotch edge 34 and the rear panel crotch edge 44.

[0109] The first front panel side edge 32 is intended to be joined to the first rear panel side edge 42 at the first side seam 20, and the second front panel side edge 33 is intended to be joined to the second rear panel side edge 43 at the second side seam 21, forming a pant-type article 1 having a waist opening 12, a first leg opening 13, and a second leg opening 14 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0110] The waist opening 12 is defined by a front panel waist edge 31 and a rear panel waist edge 41. The first leg edge 18 defines the first leg opening 13, and the second leg edge 19 defines the second leg opening 14.

[0111] The side seams of a pant-type article as disclosed herein can generally be band-shaped joints, which are formed by ultrasonic welding or thermal welding. To have sufficient strength to withstand the forces to which the pant-type article is exposed while being worn, and to allow for sufficient production tolerances when cutting individual pant-type garments from a precursor web, the side seams generally have a width on the order of 5 millimeters to 10 millimeters. It is also known to produce side seams having a width of less than 5 mm.

[0112] It is generally desired that soiled pant-type garments can be easily removed without the need to pull the garment down over the user's legs. Thus, side seams are generally constructed so that they can be broken by manual force, allowing the user or caregiver to pull the side seams apart before removing the soiled pant-type garment. The pant-type article can be a reclosable article, meaning that, for example, the side seams can be manually opened to check whether the article is soiled and needs to be replaced, and then reclosed if the article is found to still be in a condition allowing further use. Reclosability is generally provided by fastening elements (such as, for example, hook-and-loop type fasteners).

[0113] The disposable pant-type article 1 includes a front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity, and the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity is disposed within an overlap area 10 between the absorbent core 7 and the front body panel 3.

[0114] Also, the disposable pant-like article 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 includes a rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity, and the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity is disposed within an overlap area 11 between the absorbent core 7 and the rear body panel 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity and the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity are disposed within corresponding overlap areas 10, 11 between the absorbent core 7 and the body panels 3, 4, and the body panel zones 16, 17 having reduced elasticity have a tapered shape in the longitudinal direction L of the disposable pant-like article 1. The extent of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction T adjacent to the waist opening 12 is smaller than the extent of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction T adjacent to the crotch region 5. Moreover, in the absorbent pant-like article 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3, the extent of the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction T adjacent to the waist opening 12 is smaller than the extent of the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction T adjacent to the crotch region 5. Also, the extent of the body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity in the transverse direction T is herein also referred to as the width of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity. It is not essential for a pant-like absorbent article as disclosed herein that both the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity and the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity have a tapered shape with a smaller width at the waist opening 12 than at the crotch region 5. When both the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity and the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity are provided, it is sufficient for only one of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity and the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity to have a tapered shape. When only one of the body panel zones having reduced elasticity has a tapered shape, it may be preferable for the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity to be provided with the tapered shape.

[0115] The front and rear body panel zones 16, 17 having reduced elasticity shown in FIGS. 1-3 have a tapered shape in the longitudinal direction L of the disposable pant-type article, include a wider portion in the crotch region 5, and include a narrower portion in the waist elastic feature 50. By forming a zone having reduced elasticity with a narrower part in the waist portion of the article and a wider part in the crotch portion of the article, the elasticity in the front and rear body panels 3, 4 is higher in the waist portion, causing the side seams to take the inwardly inclined configuration shown in FIG. 3. The shaped side seams better conform to the shape of the wearer's buttocks than the side seams of a normal pant-type absorbent article, improving the fit and stay-up properties of the pant-type absorbent article.

[0116] The front and rear body panel zones 16, 17 having reduced elasticity are shown in the figure to be arranged such that they substantially coincide with the overlap areas 10, 11 between the absorbent core 7 and the front and rear body panels 3, 4. It may be preferred that the body panel zone having reduced elasticity coincides with the corresponding front or rear overlap area 10, 11 by at least 70%, more preferably at least 80%.

[0117] The front and rear body panel zones 16, 17 having reduced elasticity are shown in the figure to be arranged such that they substantially coincide with the overlap areas 10, 11 between the absorbent core 7 and the front and rear body panels 3, 4. It may be preferable that the body panel zones having reduced elasticity coincide with the corresponding front or rear overlap areas 10, 11 by at least 70%, more preferably by at least 80%. The front and rear body panel zones 16, 17 having reduced elasticity can be shaped and sized to correspond to the shape and size of one side of each of the front and rear overlap areas 10, 11.

[0118] The tapered part of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity, which is positioned between the front end edge of the absorbent assembly 6 and the front end edge of the front body panel 3, is part of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity that provides an improved body-conforming shape to the pant-type absorbent article 1 by generating an elastic gradient (which causes the side seams 20, 21 to take the inclined configuration shown in FIG. 3).

[0119] As shown in FIG. 1, the taper angle α is the inclined line l of the portion of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity that is positioned between the front end edge 27 of the absorbent assembly 6 and the front waist edge 2 of the front body panel 3 i and a line l parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the pant-type absorbent article 1. The taper angle α of the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity is from 3° to 35°, preferably from 7° to 25°.

[0120] In an article where the absorbent assembly is narrower than a front body panel zone having reduced elasticity and the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity extends transversely beyond the side edge of the absorbent assembly, the inclined line is drawn from the point where the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects a line that is parallel to the transverse direction T of the pant-type absorbent article and passes through the front end point of the absorbent assembly to the point where the front body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects the front waist edge of the front body panel.

[0121] In a corresponding manner, the taper angle α of the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity is the inclined line l of the portion of the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity that is positioned between the rear edge 28 of the absorbent assembly 6 and the rear waist edge 15 of the rear body panel 4 i and a line l parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the pant-type absorbent article 1. The taper angle α of the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity is from 3° to 35°, and preferably can be from 7° to 25°.

[0122] In an article where the rear part of the absorbent assembly is narrower than a rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity and the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity extends transversely beyond the side edge of the absorbent assembly, the inclined line is drawn from the point where the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects a line that is parallel to the transverse direction T of the pant-type absorbent article and passes through the rear end point of the absorbent assembly to the point where the rear body panel zone having reduced elasticity intersects the rear waist edge of the rear body panel.

[0123] When the edge of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity deviates from a straight line as in the case of the funnel-shaped rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity shown in the figure, the inclined line l iFrom the point where the inclined edge of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity crosses the end edge of the absorbent assembly 6, it is drawn to a point on the end edge of the body panel where the inclined edge of the body panel zone meets the end edge of the body panel.

[0124] In the example shown in the figure, the front waist edge 2 of the front body panel 3 coincides with the front waist edge 31 of the pant-type absorbent article 1, and the rear waist edge 15 of the rear body panel 4 coincides with the rear waist edge 41 of the pant-type absorbent article 1. The reason is that the elastic waist feature 50 is applied so that it completely overlaps the front and rear body panels 3, 4. As described herein, the elastic waist feature can alternatively be applied to the absorbent pant-type article, and the elastic waist feature extends in the longitudinal direction L beyond the waist edges of the front and rear body panels 3, 4.

[0125] In a pant-type absorbent article in which the absorbent core is applied without being incorporated into the absorbent assembly, the inclined line l i is determined with respect to the portion of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity that is positioned between the end edge of the absorbent core and the waist edge of the body panel.

[0126] The disposable pant-type article shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 can alternatively have a body panel zone with reduced elasticity in only one of the front body panel 3 and the rear body panel 4. When the disposable pant-type article has only a single body panel zone with reduced elasticity, the body panel zone with reduced elasticity is preferably a front body panel zone with reduced elasticity. The front body panel zone with reduced elasticity can be particularly beneficial. The reason is that the front body panel zone with reduced elasticity will be the part of the pant-type article 1 that is applied over the wearer's abdomen. The front body panel zone 16 with reduced elasticity will exert less pressure on the wearer's abdomen than the adjacent unprocessed part of the front body panel 3, thereby contributing to improved wearer comfort while still keeping the pant-type article 1 in contact with the wearer's body in the abdominal area.

[0127] As disclosed herein, the elastically stretchable front body panel 3 and / or the elastic rear body panel 4 can be composed of a single layer of elastic material (preferably an elastic nonwoven material). Alternatively, the elastic front body panel 3 and / or the elastic rear body panel 4 can include, or be composed of, an elastic laminate including at least a first layer of nonwoven material and an elastic layer. The elastic laminate can include a second layer of nonwoven material, and the elastic layer is an intermediate elastic layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer of nonwoven material. One or both of the first layer and the second layer of nonwoven material can be a non-elastic nonwoven material.

[0128] The elastic layer in the elastic laminate can include, or be composed of, a layer of elastic film, elastic nonwoven material, or elastic scrim.

[0129] At least two layers of the elastic laminate can be joined together by a plurality of discrete joining elements 27, and the joining elements 27 are arranged in a joining pattern as shown in FIG. 3. The joining pattern can be seen on the entire outer surface of the elastic front body panel 3 including the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity. The joining pattern is the same throughout the entire front body panel 3, providing a uniform appearance on the surface of the front body panel 3, such that the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity cannot be visually distinguished, and the presence of the absorbent core below the front body panel zone 16 having reduced elasticity is made ambiguous. Each discrete joining element can have a surface area on the order of 0.1 mm 2 to 3.0 mm 2 . The surface area of the individual joining areas can preferably be in the lower part of that range (e.g., 0.1 mm 2 to 1.5 mm 2 , or 0.1 mm 2 to 1.0 mm 2 , etc.).

[0130] The total joining area is in the range of 4% to 13%, and preferably can be in the range of 5% to 10%.

[0131] As disclosed herein, the apertures can be in the elastic layer, in the joining elements, or disposed in the joining elements.

[0132] In FIG. 3, only the front body panel 3 can be seen. However, the rear body panel 4 is also preferably composed of an elastic laminate having a joining pattern applied over the entire outer surface of the rear body panel 4, and the joining pattern obscures the presence of the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity and the portion of the absorbent core 7 positioned inside the rear body panel zone 17 having reduced elasticity in the same manner as for the front body panel 3.

[0133] The leg elastic members 25, 26 are disposed on the rear body panel part 4 that is elastically stretchable along the rear parts of the leg edges 18, 19. Although not shown in the figure, the leg elastic members can be applied along other parts of the leg edges 18, 19 (for example, along the parts of the leg edges 18, 19 that extend into the crotch region 5 and / or along the leg edges 18, 19 that extend over the front body panel part 3, etc.). Each leg elastic member can include a plurality of individual elastic elements (for example, 2 to 15 individual elastic elements, 3 to 12 individual elastic elements, or 4 to 10 individual elastic elements, etc.).

[0134] The plurality of individual elastic elements can be elastic strings, threads, or bands that are spaced apart and applied along the rear leg edge sections of the first and second leg edges.

[0135] The reinforcing leg elastic members can be covered by a nonwoven covering web.

[0136] The leg elastic members constitute a reinforcing elastomer applied in addition to the elastic material in the front and rear body panel webs. The reinforcing leg elastic members are optional for the pant-type absorbent article as disclosed herein and can be omitted, and only the elasticization provided at the leg openings 13, 14 is the elasticity from the elastically stretchable front and rear body panel materials.

[0137] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pant-type article 1 as disclosed in this specification can have an elastic waist feature 50 disposed along the waist opening 12. The elastic waist feature 50 can include one or more elastic elements that extend parallel to the front panel waist edge 31 and the rear panel waist edge 41. The one or more elastic waist elements can be incorporated into the front body panel 3 and the rear body panel 4, or can be applied as a separate waistband. The separate waistband can be attached to the front panel waist edge 31 and the rear panel waist edge 41, or can be attached to the front body panel 3 and / or the rear body panel 4 in a state where the waistband completely overlaps the corresponding body panels 3, 4 and shares a common waist edge. The pant-type article 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 has an elastic waist feature 50 that extends around the entire circumference of the waist opening 12, thus forming a waistband that surrounds a continuous waist.

[0138] The waist elastic feature 50 constitutes a reinforcing elastomer applied in addition to the elastic material in the front and rear body panel webs.

[0139] The elastic material in the elastic elements disposed along the leg openings 13, 14 and the waist opening 12 can be any suitable elastic material such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, for example, thermoplastic polyurethane or styrene block copolymer or elastane (also referred to as spandex (polyurethane-polyurea copolymer)). The elastic element can be of the elastane type available under the trade name "LYCRA", but any suitable elastic thread can also be used. The thread can have a linear mass density (dtex) of about 80 to 1200 dtex.

[0140] The pant-type article as disclosed herein is of the type shown in the figures and can have a two-piece chassis with a crotch panel, the crotch panel being connected to the front panel along the front panel crotch edge and to the rear panel along the rear panel crotch edge. Alternatively, the pant-type article can have a one-piece chassis having a non-elastic outer or inner cover web that extends the full distance between the front panel waist edge and the rear panel waist edge, the cover web constituting the non-elastic layer of each of the front panel and the rear panel and constituting the crotch web material in the crotch region of the pant-type article.

[0141] As disclosed herein, the elastically stretchable front body panel and the elastically stretchable rear body panel can include, or can be composed of, a stretch-bonded laminated elastic web material. The stretch-bonded laminated elastic web material is preferably produced by ultrasonic bonding or thermal bonding and is bonded by a bonding pattern composed of a plurality of discrete uniformly distributed bonding elements. The bonding elements can each have a surface area on the order of from 0.1 mm 2 to 3.0 mm 2 . The surface area of the individual bonding areas can preferably be in the lower part of that range (for example, from 0.1 mm 2 to 1.5 mm 2 , or from 0.1 mm 2 to 1.0 mm 2 etc.). The total bonding area can be in the range of 4% to 13%, preferably in the range of 5% to 10%.

[0142] A suitable stretch-bonded laminate can include a layer or web of nonwoven material (e.g., spunbond nonwoven, airlaid nonwoven, wetlaid nonwoven, carded nonwoven, electrospun nonwoven, or meltblown nonwoven, etc.). The nonwoven material can be bonded by any suitable technique (e.g., by needling, hydroentangling, ultrasonic welding, or thermobonding, etc.).

[0143] The fibers of the nonwoven material used herein can be man-made fibers, natural fibers, or a mixture of man-made fibers and natural fibers. Man-made fibers include single-component fibers, bicomponent fibers, and multicomponent fibers of polymers (e.g., polyolefins, polyesters, polyacrylates, etc.), as well as regenerated fibers (e.g., viscose fibers and modal fibers, etc.). Natural fibers are, for example, cellulose fibers (e.g., pulp fibers, cotton fibers, linen, hemp, etc.).

[0144] The nonwoven web material used in a pant-type article as disclosed herein can include a thermoplastic material. The nonwoven web material will typically be incorporated into the joints and seams within the pant-type article, and it is desirable that the nonwoven web be weldable by heat or by an ultrasonic welding process. Examples of polymers suitable for use in the fibrous nonwoven webs as disclosed herein are polyethylene polypropylene, and other polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers, as well as polyesters. A weldable nonwoven web has a high content of thermoplastic components, preferably containing at least 50% thermoplastic fibers, more preferably at least 80% thermoplastic fibers.

[0145] The elastic material used in the front and rear body panels of an absorbent pant-type article as disclosed herein can be a breathable elastic film (e.g., an elastic film with apertures or a microporous elastic film, etc.). The elastic film is 20 g / m2 to 80 g / m 2 basis weight, preferably between 20 g / m 2 and 60 g / m 2 It is possible to have a basis weight between. The elastic web can be of any suitable elastic polymer (natural or synthetic). Some examples of useful materials for the elastic web are low crystalline polyethylene, metallocene-catalyzed low crystalline polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polyurethane, polyisoprene, butadiene-styrene copolymer, styrene block copolymers such as styrene / isoprene / styrene (SIS), styrene / butadiene / styrene (SBS), or styrene / ethylene-butadiene / styrene block copolymer and the like. Blends of these polymers can also be used as well as other modified elastomeric materials or non-elastomeric materials.

[0146] As described herein, the front and / or rear body panels can be composed of an elastic laminate including an elastic film, the elastic film being sandwiched between two non-elastic nonwoven layers and formed into a laminate by bonding the layers together by a bonding pattern of a plurality of discrete bonding elements. The discrete bonding elements can be formed within the laminate such that apertures are formed within the elastic film adjacent to and / or within the bonding elements. The discrete bonding elements increase the bulkiness of the laminate and the apertures provide high breathability to the elastic laminate, thereby contributing to an increase in wearer comfort.

[0147] The basis weight of the stretch-bonded elastic laminate web for use as an elastic panel material in an absorbent pant-type article as disclosed herein is preferably between 40 g / m 2 and 100 g / m 2 and more preferably below 90 g / m 2 as follows.

[0148] A continuous method of producing a disposable absorbent pant-like article as disclosed herein will be described with reference to FIGS. 4-9.

[0149] FIG. 4 shows a continuous elastic front panel web 101 advancing in the machine direction MD. The front panel web 101 is advanced in the machine direction MD while being stretched in the machine direction MD so that the front panel web 101 is tensioned in the machine direction MD.

[0150] The front panel web 101 has a front waist edge 102 and an opposing front crotch edge 103.

[0151] FIG. 4 further shows a continuous elastic rear panel web 108 being fed in the machine direction MD parallel to the elastic front panel web 101. The rear panel web 108 is advanced in the machine direction MD while being stretched in the machine direction MD so that the rear panel web 108 is tensioned in the machine direction MD.

[0152] The rear panel web 108 has a rear waist edge 109 and an opposing rear crotch edge 110. The rear panel web 108 is spaced from the front panel web 101 in the cross-machine direction CD perpendicular to the machine direction MD, and has a distance 115 between the front panel web 101 and the rear panel web 108 in the cross-machine direction CD between the crotch edge 103 of the front panel web 101 and the crotch edge 110 of the rear panel web 108.

[0153] By subjecting a portion of the elastic front panel web 101 to heat treatment, a front zone 116 having reduced elasticity is formed in the elastic front panel web 101. The front zone 116 having reduced elasticity is spaced apart in the machine direction (MD) and has a tapered shape in the cross-machine direction CD of the tensioned first body panel web.

[0154] By subjecting a portion of the elastic rear panel web 108 to heat treatment, a rear zone 117 having reduced elasticity is formed within the elastic rear panel web 108. The rear zone 117 having reduced elasticity is spaced apart in the machine direction (MD) and has a tapered shape in the cross-machine direction CD of the tensioned first body panel web.

[0155] In the heat treatment step, the heat supplied to the elastic web material is preferably controlled to avoid raising the temperature of the thermoplastic material in the elastic web material above the melting point of the thermoplastic material. Thereby, the fibrous structure of the nonwoven web, which includes or is composed of thermoplastic fibers and forms part of the elastic web material, can be maintained or at least substantially maintained within the elastic web material. The heat supply can be controlled by controlling the heat exposure time and / or the temperature of the heat supply means such as a heating roller.

[0156] In the heat treatment step, sufficient heat is supplied to reduce the elasticity of the elastic web material without completely eliminating the elasticity of the elastic web material.

[0157] The elastic front panel web 101 and / or the elastic rear panel web 108 can be an elastic laminate web material as disclosed herein. The elastic laminate web material can be formed by bonding at least a first layer of nonwoven material to an elastic layer, and the bonding is carried out by a plurality of discrete bonding elements, which are arranged in a bonding pattern (preferably, a bonding pattern of uniformly distributed bonding elements).

[0158] Providing heat-treated zones 116, 117 of reduced elasticity in both the elastic front panel web 101 and the elastic rear panel web 108 is optional for the methods and pant-type absorbent articles as disclosed herein. If only one of the elastic front panel web 101 and the elastic rear panel web 108 is provided with a heat-treated zone of reduced elasticity, it may be preferred that the body panel web having reduced elasticity is the elastic front panel web 101.

[0159] In the method illustrated in FIGS. 4-9, the elastic front panel web 101 provides a front panel zone 116 having reduced elasticity and having a shape that tapers in a direction from the front crotch edge 103 to the front waist edge 102. The front panel zone 116 having reduced elasticity is created prior to the application of any waist elastomer, and it may be preferred that the heat treatment is such that it does not affect the waist elastomer disposed along the front waist edge 102 of the elastic front panel web 101.

[0160] Similarly, the elastic rear panel web 108 provides a rear panel zone 117 having reduced elasticity and having a shape that tapers in a direction from the rear crotch edge 110 to the rear waist edge 109. The rear panel zone 117 having reduced elasticity is created prior to the application of any waist elastomer, and it may be preferred that the rear panel zone 117 having reduced elasticity does not affect the waist elastomer 111 disposed along the rear waist edge 109 of the elastic rear panel web 108.

[0161] By forming a zone with reduced elasticity having a narrower part at the waist portion of the article and a wider part adjacent to the absorbent core of the article, the article will have greater elasticity at the waist portion. Moreover, in the parts of the front body panel and the rear body panel positioned above the corresponding end edges of the absorbent assembly or the absorbent core, the increasing elasticity in the front panel and / or the rear panel of the pant-type absorbent article will cause the side seams to be inclined inwards when the pant-type article is in a non-tensioned state. The side seams shaped in such a way fit better to the shape of the user's (especially female user's) buttocks.

[0162] The shape and size of the zone with reduced elasticity are not limited to the shapes and sizes shown in FIGS. 1-9, but it should be understood that they can be varied as disclosed herein, for example, according to the size and cut of the pant-type article, as well as the size and shape of the absorbent core in the absorbent pant-type article. However, the body panel zone with reduced elasticity as disclosed herein is continuously tapered without a sharp change in the width of the body panel zone with reduced elasticity in a part of the zone with reduced elasticity that is disposed between the end edge of the absorbent assembly or the absorbent core of the absorbent pant-type article and the waist edge of the body panel where the zone with reduced elasticity is disposed, which is preferred.

[0163] The front waist elastomer 104 is disposed along the front waist edge 102, and the rear waist elastomer 111 is disposed along the rear waist edge 109. The front and rear waist elastomers 104, 111 are attached to the front panel web 101 and the rear panel web 108, for example, by a method as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 brochures, prior to the production steps shown in FIG. 4. The methods in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 brochures start with a base web to which a continuous waist elastomer is attached, and then the base web is cut into two parts along a cutting line extending in the machine direction, cutting both the base web and the waist elastomer along the cutting line. Dividing the base web into two parts results in the formation of a first panel web and a second panel web, where the first panel web has a first portion of the waist band component attached thereto, and the second panel web has a second portion of the waist band component attached thereto. The two web parts are then shifted in the cross-machine direction such that the cut edges of the web parts (along which the parts of the waist elastomer are attached) are arranged facing away from each other. When the web parts are further processed in a method as disclosed herein, the cut edge of the first panel web forms the front waist edge 102 of the front panel web 101 as shown in FIG. 4, and the cut edge of the second panel web forms the rear waist edge 109 of the rear panel web 108. The divided waist band components form the front waist elastomer 104 and the rear waist elastomer 111 on the respective front panel web 101 and rear panel web 108.

[0164] The methods described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 brochures result in a front waist elastomer 104 that coincides with the front waist edge 102 of the front panel web 101 and a rear waist elastomer 111 that coincides with the rear waist edge 109 of the rear panel web 108.

[0165] In the examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, the front waist edge 102 and the rear waist edge 109 have a matching sine wave configuration. It should be understood that the waist edges do not have to have the undulating configuration shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, and that any other configuration, such as a straight edge, a zigzag edge, etc., as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 for example, can be used. Moreover, it should be understood that other methods for attaching the waist elastomer to the front and rear panel webs can also be used. The front waist elastomer can alternatively be attached by an edge seam along the front waist edge of the front panel web, and the rear waist elastomer can be attached by an edge seam along the rear waist edge of the rear panel web. In such embodiments, the waist elastomer extends in the cross-machine direction CD outwardly of the waist edge of the corresponding panel web. Another possible arrangement of the waist elastomer is to attach the waist elastomer slightly inwardly of the waist edge of the panel web. In such embodiments, each waist elastomer completely overlaps the corresponding panel web, and a small edge portion of the panel web extends in the cross-machine direction CD a distance on the order of 2 mm to 15 mm outwardly of the waist edge of the panel web, and the edge portion of the panel web forms a frill border above the waist elastomer when the pant-type article is worn.

[0166] The waist elastomers attached to the front panel web and the rear panel web by methods other than those disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the Patent Document 2 pamphlet can be attached during any suitable stage of the methods as disclosed herein, or can be attached prior to the stage shown in FIG. 4. Also, it should be understood that the waist elastomer members as disclosed herein are optional with respect to the methods and disposable pant-type articles as disclosed herein.

[0167] The waist elastic member can include, or be composed of, any suitable elastic or stretchable material known in the art, including elastic threads, elastic films, elastic nonwovens, and elastic foams. Moreover, the elastic member can be applied in the form of a plurality of elongated elastic elements, for example, as a single band of elastic or stretchable material such as an elastic laminate. In all cases, the elastic member is a component of a chassis web or disposable pant-type article as disclosed herein, which is distinct from the elastic material in the front and rear panel webs of a pant-type article such as a leg elastomer or a body elastomer.

[0168] An inelastic continuous crotch panel web 118 having a first side edge 119 and an opposing second side edge 120 is advanced in the machine direction MD, and the first side edge 119 of the crotch panel web 118 is attached at a first overlap seam 121 along the crotch edge 103 of the tensioned front panel web 101 as shown in FIG. 5, and the second side edge 120 of the crotch panel web 118 is attached at a second overlap seam 122 along the crotch edge 110 of the tensioned rear panel web 108. The crotch panel web 118 bridges the distance 115 between the front panel web 101 and the rear panel web 108 and forms a coherent composite web 130 of interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c (bounded by a dividing line Ld extending in the cross-machine direction CD), each precursor article 131a, 131b, 131c having a pitch length Lp in the machine direction MD between the dividing lines Ld. The pitch length Lp of the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c remains the same until the final step of the method as disclosed herein when individual pant-type articles are cut from the chassis web 130 and when the application of tension to the composite web 130 of interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c ceases.

[0169] Referring to FIG. 6, a pair of crotch elastic members composed of a first band-shaped crotch elastic member 141 and a second band-shaped crotch elastic member 142 is provided.

[0170] Each of the crotch elastic members 141, 142 has a longitudinal direction L of the crotch elastic member that coincides with the cross-machine direction CD of the moving composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c. e It is stretched in the longitudinal direction L.

[0171] Each of the stretched crotch elastic members 141, 142 is attached to the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c while maintaining the stretched state of the crotch elastic members 141, 142 and the state aligned with the cross-machine direction CD. The pair of crotch elastic members 141, 142 is attached to the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c in a state where the first crotch elastic member 141 is spaced apart from the second crotch elastic member 142 by a crotch interval S in the machine direction, and is symmetrically installed on each side of the precursor article center line Lc extending in the cross-machine direction CD. The pair of crotch elastic members of the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c are spaced apart in the machine direction by an article interval corresponding to the pitch length of the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c. C In the moving composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c shown in the figure, the first end portions 143, 144 of the first and second crotch elastic members 141, 142 are overlapped with and attached to the tensioned front panel web 101 as seen in FIG. 6, and the second end portions 145, 146 of the first and second crotch elastic members 141, 142 are overlapped with and attached to the tensioned rear panel web 108.

[0172] In the moving composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c shown in the figure, the first end portions 143, 144 of the first and second crotch elastic members 141, 142 are overlapped with and attached to the tensioned front panel web 101 as seen in FIG. 6, and the second end portions 145, 146 of the first and second crotch elastic members 141, 142 are overlapped with and attached to the tensioned rear panel web 108.

[0173] When applying the stretched crotch elastic members 141, 142 to the chassis web, the first and second end portions 143, 144, 145, 146 of the crotch elastic members 141, 142 can be held in movable clamps in a stretching device (not shown). The clamped end portions 143, 144, 145, 146 are applied and attached to the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c under conditions where they are not stretched and not under tension.

[0174] The stretched crotch elastic members 141, 142 can have a width w measured in the machine direction MD in the range of 15 mm to 50 mm and a length l measured in the cross-machine direction in the range of 150 mm to 350 mm.

[0175] The crotch elastic members 141, 142 can include, or can be composed of, an elastic film or an elastic nonwoven band.

[0176] The crotch elastic member is optional for the methods and pant-type absorbent articles as disclosed herein.

[0177] As shown in FIG. 7, the method further includes applying and attaching the absorbent assembly 160 to the moving composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c. Each absorbent assembly 160 includes an absorbent core 161, a liquid-impermeable backsheet 162, and a liquid-permeable topsheet 163, and the absorbent core 161 is sandwiched between the topsheet 163 and the backsheet 162.

[0178] Each absorbent assembly 160 is applied to the composite web 130 of the precursor article over the precursor article centerline Lc extending in the cross-machine direction (CD) and covers the stretched and attached crotch elastic members 141, 142.

[0179] The absorbent assemblies 160 are applied at intervals in the machine direction (MD), with the front end parts 160' of each absorbent assembly 160 overlapping the reduced elasticity front zone 116 in the front body panel web 101, and the rear end parts 160" of the absorbent assembly 160 overlapping the rear panel zone 117 having reduced elasticity in the rear body panel web 108.

[0180] The absorbent core 161 is disposed between the topsheet 163 and the backsheet 162, and absorbs liquids (such as urine or other body fluids) that have passed through the topsheet 163. The topsheet 162, the backsheet 163, and the absorbent core 161 can be composed of any material suitable for their purposes.

[0181] The absorbent core 161 can be a single-layer structure or a layered structure. The absorbent core 161 can contain an appropriate amount of superabsorbent material. Such superabsorbent materials are well known in the field of absorbent articles and are composed of water-swellable and water-insoluble materials that can absorb large amounts of fluid when forming hydrogels. The absorbent core 161 can contain superabsorbent material in the form of fibers or particles of absorbent polymer material. For example, the superabsorbent material can be surface cross-linked partially neutralized polyacrylate. The superabsorbent material (such as superabsorbent fibers or particles) can be mixed with other absorbents or one or more liquid uptake materials (such as cellulose fluff pulp, etc.) and / or can be placed in pockets or layers in the absorbent core 161.

[0182] The absorbent core 161 can further include components for improving the characteristics of the absorbent core 161 (such as integrity and strength, etc.). For example, the absorbent core 161 can include one or more binders (such as binder fibers, etc.). Elastic fibers, chemically reinforced fibers, etc. can be present in the absorbent core 161 to counteract the wet-collapse of the cellulose fibers. Also, such fibers may be useful in maintaining a fluid transport capillary network in the absorbent component so that the absorbent fluid can be distributed in the absorbent component and can also be absorbed by the superabsorbent material in parts of the absorbent component outside the initial wet area of the absorbent article.

[0183] The topsheet 163 is the layer facing the wearer and can include or be composed of a fluid-permeable nonwoven fabric, a perforated polymer film, a mesh, or a foam. The topsheet can be made from a thermoplastic material (such as thermoplastic synthetic fibers, films, or nets, etc.). The topsheet 163 can be composed of a single layer or can have a laminate structure including multiple layers (such as two or more layers). The layers can be made from the same material or some or all of the layers can be made from different materials.

[0184] Moreover, the backsheet 162 can be composed of a liquid-impermeable layer (such as a polymer film, etc., such as a film of polyethylene or polypropylene). The backsheet 162 can be breathable. Materials that can be used for the backsheet 162 include thin and flexible fluid-impermeable plastic films, or fluid-impermeable nonwoven materials, fluid-impermeable foams, and fluid-impermeable laminates. The backsheet 162 can be formed by a single layer or can be a multi-layered structure in which at least one layer is fluid-impermeable.

[0185] After the application and attachment of the absorbent assembly 160 to the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c, a leg cut 170 is formed in the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c between the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c. Each leg cut 170 has a closed-loop configuration as shown between the precursor articles 131b and 131c in FIG. 7. The leg cut forms a first leg edge 171 of the leading precursor article 131c and a second leg edge 172 of the trailing precursor article 131b.

[0186] As shown in FIG. 7, the closed-loop leg cut 170 forms a cutout portion 173 having an approximately heart shape inside each leg cut 170. The shape of the leg cut 170 and the outer shape of the cutout portion are not limited to the methods or pant-type absorbent articles as disclosed herein and can be varied within the scope of the appended claims. By way of example, the leg edges of the pant-type absorbent article 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 have slightly different leg outer shapes but can still be produced by the methods as described in connection with FIGS. 4-9.

[0187] After forming the leg cut 170, the cutout portion 173 is removed from the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c and is not part of a further portion of the process as disclosed herein.

[0188] After forming the leg cut, the absorbent assembly 160 can be positioned centrally in the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c between the first leg edge 171 and the second leg edge 172 of each of the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c.

[0189] As shown in FIG. 9, when the leg edges 171, 172 are formed, the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c is folded along the fold line Lv extending in the machine direction MD to align the waist edge 102 of the front panel web 101 with the waist edge 109 of the rear panel web 108.

[0190] The first side seam 181 and the second side seam 182 are formed into each of the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c along the dividing line Ld between the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c from the aligned waist edges 102, 109 of the front and rear panel webs 101, 108 to the leg cut 170.

[0191] The first side seam 181 of the leading precursor article 131a and the second side seam 182 of the trailing precursor article 131b can be formed as a single wide seal extending along the dividing line Ld. By cutting the composite web 130 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c along the dividing line Ld, when separating the individual pant-type articles from the chassis web 130 of the precursor articles 131a, 131b, 131c, the single wide seal shown in FIG. 9 will be simultaneously divided into the two side seams 181, 182 of the interconnected precursor articles 131a, 131b.

[0192] Alternatively, the side seams 181, 182 can be formed as individual seals installed on each side of the dividing line Ld.

[0193] The side seams can be formed by any method appropriate for the purpose (e.g., by heat welding, by ultrasonic welding, or by an adhesive, etc.). In the case of an adhesive side seam, the adhesive is generally applied before the chassis web is folded along the fold line Lv.

[0194] The method as disclosed herein can further include attaching a reinforcing leg elastomer along all or selected parts of the leg opening.

[0195] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the zones of reduced elasticity 116, 117 can be formed in the web of elastic material 200, which is a precursor web for forming the first and second body panel webs 101, 108 (e.g., the front and rear body panel webs 101, 108, etc.). After the formation of the zones of reduced elasticity 116, 117, the web of elastic material 200 is divided into the front and rear body panel webs 101, 108.

[0196] The method steps shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are performed before arranging the tensioned front body panel web 101 and the tensioned rear body panel web 108 side by side, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0197] The tensioned first body panel web 101 and the tensioned second body panel web 108 are formed from a single elastic web material 200 having a first side edge 201 and a second side edge 202, and the single elastic web material 200 is heat-treated to form a zone 205 of reduced elasticity. The tensioned elastic web material 200 is then divided into two parts by forming a cut 210 into the elastic web material 200 along a dividing line L1 extending in the machine direction MD, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, thereby forming from the heat-treated elastic web material 200 the tensioned first body panel web 101 and the tensioned second body panel web 108. The tensioned first body panel web 101 has a first side edge 101' constituted by the first side edge 201 of the elastic web material 200 and a second side edge 101" formed by the cut 210 in the elastic web material, and the tensioned second body panel web 108 has a first side edge 108' constituted by the second side edge 202 of the elastic web material 200 and a second side edge 108" formed by the cut 210 in the elastic web material 200.

[0198] As shown in FIG. 10, steps in a method as disclosed herein of arranging a tensioned first body panel web 101 and a tensioned second body panel web 108 spaced apart from each other by a distance 115 in the cross-machine direction (CD) can include shifting the positions of the first body panel web 101 and the second body panel web 108 formed by dividing a tensioned elastic web material 200. Thereby, a second side edge 101” of the tensioned first body panel web forms a first waist edge 102 of the composite web of the precursor article 130 as shown in FIGS. 4-8, and a second side edge 108” of the tensioned second body panel web 108 forms a second waist edge 109 of the composite web of the precursor article 130 as shown in FIGS. 4-8.

[0199] Referring to FIG. 10, a waist elastomer 215 is applied to the elastic web material 200 along a dividing line L1 in the elastic web material 200 before a cut 210 is formed in the elastic web material 200. Thereafter, the cut 210 is formed through the elastic web material 200 and through the waist elastomer 215 applied and attached to the elastic web material 200. In the example of FIG. 10, the waist elastomer 215 is applied in the form of a plurality of elastic elements that are subsequently covered by a nonwoven cover web 216. It should be understood that the waist elastomer can be applied in any useful form (such as in the form of a prefabricated band-shaped waist elastomeric member that can include one or more elastic elements such as a band, string, elastic film, elastic nonwoven, etc.).

[0200] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, zones 205 with reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material 200 are divided by cuts 210 in the elastic web material 210 into a first part 116 and a second part 117 respectively. The first part 116 of each zone 205 with reduced elasticity of the original elastic web material 200 is positioned within the tensioned first body panel web 101, and the second part 117 of each zone 205 with reduced elasticity is positioned within the tensioned second body panel web 108.

[0201] In FIG. 10, the zone 205 with reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material 200 has a shape with a first end portion 205', a second end portion 205", and an intermediate portion 205"' between the first end portion 205' and the second end portion 205", as seen in the cross-machine direction CD. The first end portion 205' and the second end portion 205" have a width in the machine direction MD that is larger than the width in the machine direction MD of the intermediate portion 205"'. The cut 210 in the elastic web material 200 divides each zone 205 with reduced elasticity at the narrow intermediate portion 205"' of the width of the zone 205 with reduced elasticity.

[0202] FIG. 11 shows an alternative way of performing the step of arranging the tensioned first body panel web 101 and the tensioned second body panel web 108 side by side at a distance 115 from each other in the cross-machine direction (CD), wherein the first body panel web 101 and the second body panel web 108 formed by splitting the tensioned elastic web material 200 are pulled apart in the cross-machine direction CD, whereby the first side edge 101' of the tensioned first body panel web 101 forms the first waist edge 102 of the composite web of the precursor article 130 as shown in FIGS. 4-8, and the first side edge 108' of the tensioned second body panel web 108 forms the second waist edge 109 of the composite web of the precursor article 130 as shown in FIGS. 4-8.

[0203] In the method shown in FIG. 11, the waist elastomer can be applied along the first and second side edges 201, 202 of the elastic web material 200 either before or after forming the cut 210 in the elastic web material 200.

[0204] In both the method shown in FIG. 10 and the method shown in FIG. 11, the waist elastomer can be omitted. It should also be understood that the waist elastomer can be added at the waist edge of the composite web of the precursor article at any stage of the process until individual absorbent pant-type articles are cut from the composite web of the precursor article.

[0205] As shown in FIG. 11, the zone 205 having reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material 200 can have a shape with a first end portion 205', a second end portion 205", and an intermediate portion 205'" between the first end portion 205' and the second end portion 205", as seen in the cross-machine direction CD. The first end portion 205' and the second end portion 205" have a width in the machine direction MD that is smaller than the width in the machine direction MD of the intermediate portion 205'". The cut 210 in the elastic web material 200 divides each zone 205 having reduced elasticity in the wider intermediate portion 205'" of the zone 205 having reduced elasticity.

[0206] A further option for providing the tensioned first body panel web 101 and the tensioned second body panel web 108 is to supply the body panel webs 101, 108 as separate elastic material webs 200. Such an option provides the advantage that the first body panel web 101 and the second body panel web can be freely selected from different materials (e.g., materials having different elastic properties).

[0207] FIG. 12 shows a further alternative for forming heat-treated zones 205', 205" of reduced elasticity within a tensioned elastic web material 200. The difference from the method shown in FIG. 10 is that the part of the tensioned elastic web material 200 that is to form the first tensioned body panel web 101 provides a first part zone 205' of reduced elasticity, and the part of the tensioned elastic web material 200 that is to form the second tensioned body panel web 108 provides a second part zone 205" of reduced elasticity, and the first and second zones 205', 205" of reduced elasticity are to form first and second zones 116, 117 of reduced elasticity within the first and second tensioned body panel webs 101, 108. The first and second part zones 205', 205" of reduced elasticity are spaced apart in the cross-machine direction CD, leaving area 206 at the dividing line L1, which has not been heat-treated and retains its original elastic properties. The spacing between the first and second part zones 205', 205" of reduced elasticity is preferably sufficient to allow the application of the waist elastomer in the untreated part of the elastic web material.

[0208] Description of the test method Elasticity test This method is used to determine whether a material can be considered elastic by determining the degree of permanent deformation after two loading and unloading cycles.

[0209] A suitable tensile testing machine (such as those available from Lloyd, Instron, or Zwick) is used. The tensile testing machine should be equipped with two vertically aligned clamps and should be able to perform cyclic movement.

[0210] The material to be tested should be conditioned for at least 4 hours in an environment set at 23°C ± 2°C and 50% ± 5% relative humidity. The test is to be conducted in this same environment.

[0211] For subsequent stable attachment into the tensile testing machine clamps, high friction tape can be attached over the front and back sides of the sample strip at the outer edges of the 50 mm middle section of the sample to be tested.

[0212] Sample strips (25 mm wide and preferably at least 100 mm long) are cut from the material to be tested using a scalpel and a cutting template.

[0213] The clamps of the testing machine should be as wide or wider than the sample to be tested. At the start of the procedure, the clamps are set at a mutual distance of 50 mm equal to the length of the sample to be tested.

[0214] This method can be used to determine the cross-machine direction elasticity or the machine direction elasticity of the material depending on which direction is aligned with the length direction of the sample. Thus, this method measures the elasticity in the length direction of the sample.

[0215] When testing parts of an article as disclosed herein, the functionality of the part of the article to be tested should be considered when preparing the sample strip. For example, the elasticity of the panel material in a panty-type diaper is generally evaluated with the length direction of the sample arranged parallel to the waist edge (in the transverse direction of the article). The reason is that this is the main direction of stretching when the article is in use. However, it is also possible to evaluate the elasticity of the article in the length direction by the method described herein.

[0216] The tensile testing machine is calibrated according to the device instructions.

[0217] The load and the clamp distance in the tensile testing machine are set to zero. The sample is inserted into the clamp (centered vertically), and a very slight stress (preload) of 0.05 N ± 0.01 N is applied onto the sample. This is the starting point for the test. The upper clamp is set to move over a distance of 15 mm (equal to 30% extension from the initial 50 mm sample length) at a speed of 500 mm / min and then immediately return to the starting point at the same speed.

[0218] The first cycle of elongation and return to the starting point is performed, and immediately followed by the same second cycle. The pre-test value regarding the elongation of the sample is recorded at 0.1 N at the start of the first cycle. After performing the second cycle, the sample is allowed to rest for 60 seconds while remaining clamped at the starting point. Thereafter, the sample is stretched until a force of 0.1 N is registered, and the post-test elongation of the sample is recorded as the elongation of the sample at 0.1 N. The permanent deformation of the sample is calculated by dividing the difference (δ) between the post-test elongation and the pre-test elongation at 0.1 N by the pre-test elongation at 0.1 N.

[0219] For example, in the post-test stretch to 0.1 N, an elongation of 5 mm is read. The elongation (5 mm) is then divided by the initial length of the sample (50 mm), giving a permanent deformation of 10%.

[0220] In the context of the present disclosure, a material is considered elastic if the permanent deformation is less than 10% and inelastic if the permanent deformation exceeds 10%.

[0221] Comparison of elasticity in different zones of the material The test method for panel zone elasticity involves several adaptations and modifications in accordance with the general setup of the standard method ASTM D882-18, as specified in the following instructions.

[0222] All preparations and tests are conducted in a laboratory environment set at 23°C + / - 1°C and 50% + / - 5% relative humidity.

[0223] The test is performed on samples taken from an elastic body panel, which has crotch edges and waist edges and is formed from an elastic web material heat-treated to form a zone of reduced elasticity within the body panel. The test is performed on the elastic web material of the elastic body panel (i.e., without additional elastic or inelastic components).

[0224] Test samples are taken from the heat-treated body panel. The samples are 25 mm wide and at least 100 mm long. All samples are cut with the length direction of the sample parallel to the transverse direction of the panel (i.e., parallel to the crotch and waist edges of the panel). For this purpose, a metal template is placed on the panel and the samples are prepared by cutting along the periphery of the template with a scalpel. The first set of 10 samples is centered such that the 50 mm middle section of the sample fully enters the zone of reduced elasticity. The second set of samples is centered such that the 50 mm middle section fully enters outside the zone of reduced elasticity.

[0225] For subsequent stable attachment into the tensile testing machine clamp, high-friction tape can be attached over the front and back sides of the sample strip immediately outside the 50 mm middle section of the sample to be tested.

[0226] The elasticity test should be completed within 10 minutes after cutting the sample from the panel in order to minimize creep in the elastic material.

[0227] A conventional tensile testing machine is used for the test (e.g., available from Zwick / Roell, Instron, or Lloyd). The upper and lower clamps should be at least 25 mm wide and aligned vertically. The gauge length (test length) between the clamps is set to 50 mm. The force reading of the tensile testing machine is set to zero, and the tape-like section of the sample is inserted into the clamps. After insertion, the sample pre-tension should be 0.05 N + / - 0.01 N (as shown on the force display). Then, the upper clamp is set to move at a constant speed of 500 mm / min. When the tensile testing machine reads a force of 5 N, the percentage elongation of the sample is calculated.

[0228] For example, a 50 mm test length is inserted into the clamps. The upper clamp moves, and 5 N is read after 70 mm (or a total clamp separation of 120 mm). The elasticity reported at 5 N is equal to 70 mm of elongation divided by the initial 50 mm sample length (or 140%).

[0229] The elasticity value in the context of this disclosure is the arithmetic mean from a series of 10 representative individual samples.

Description of the reference numerals

[0230] 1 Disposable pant-like article 2 Front waist edge 3 Front body panel 4 Rear body panel 5 Crotch region 5’ Crotch panel 6 Absorbent assembly 7 Absorbent core 7c Central part 7f Front end part 7r Rear end part 8 Top sheet 9 Back sheet 10 Front overlap area 11 Rear overlap area 12 Waist opening 13 First leg opening 14 Second leg opening 15 Rear waist edge 16 Front body panel zone with reduced elasticity 17 Rear body panel zone with reduced elasticity 18 First leg edge 19 Second leg edge 20 First side seam 21 Second side seam 23 Front overlap seam 24 Rear overlap seam 25 Leg elastic member 26 Leg elastic member 27 Front end edge, coupling element 28 Rear end edge 31 Front panel waist edge 32 First front panel side edge 33 Second front panel side edge 34 Front panel crotch edge 41 Rear panel waist edge 42 First rear panel side edge 43 Second rear panel side edge 44 Rear panel crotch edge 50 Elastic waist feature 101 Front panel web 101’ First side edge 101” Second side edge 102 Front waist edge 103 Front crotch edge 104 Front waist elastomer 108 Rear panel web 108’ First side edge 108” Second side edge 109 Rear waist edge 110 Rear crotch edge 111 Rear waist elastomer 115 Distance 116 Front zone with reduced elasticity 117 Rear zone with reduced elasticity 118 Crotch panel web 119 First side edge 120 Second side edge 121 First overlap seam 122 Second overlap seam 130 Composite web 131a, 131b, 131c Precursor article 141 First crotch elastic member 142 Second crotch elastic member 143 First end portion 144 First end portion 145 Second end portion 146 Second end portion 160 Absorbent assembly 160’ Front end part 160” Rear end part 161 Absorbent core 162 Backsheet 163 Topsheet 170 Leg cut 171 First leg edge 172 Second leg edge 173 Cutout portion 181 First side seam 182 Second side seam 200 Elastic material web 201 First side edge 202 Second side edge 205 Zone with reduced elasticity 205’ First end portion 205” Second end portion 205”’ Intermediate portion 206 Area 210 Cut 215 Waist elastomer 216 Non-woven fabric coated web CD Cross-machine direction l Line l i Inclined line L Longitudinal direction Lc Precursor article center line Ld Dividing line L e Longitudinal direction of crotch elastic member Lp Pitch length Lv Folding line L1 Dividing line MD Machine direction S C Crotch interval T Transverse direction w Width α Taper angle

Claims

1. A disposable pant-type article (1), the disposable pant-type article (1) having a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (T), the disposable pant-type article (1) comprising: - A front body panel (3) composed of an elastic front body panel material, the front body panel material being elastically stretchable in the transverse direction (T), the front body panel (3); - A rear body panel (4) composed of an elastic rear body panel material, the rear body panel material being elastically stretchable in the transverse direction (T), the rear body panel (4); - A crotch region (5) positioned between the front body panel (3) and the rear body panel (4); - An absorbent core (7), the absorbent core (7) being arranged such that a central part (7c) of the absorbent core (7) is positioned within the crotch region (5), and a front end part (7f) of the absorbent core (7) overlaps the front body panel (3) in a front overlap area (10), and a rear end part (7r) of the absorbent core (7) overlaps the rear body panel (4) in a rear overlap area (11), the absorbent core (7); - A first front panel side edge (32) joined to a first rear panel side edge (42) at a first side seam (20); - A second front panel side edge (33) joined to a second rear panel side edge (43) at a second side seam (21); - A waist opening (12) defined by a front panel waist edge (31) and a rear panel waist edge (41); - A first leg edge (18) defining a first leg opening (13); - A second leg edge (19) defining a second leg opening (14) and comprising. The disposable pant-type article (1) further includes at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity, and the at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity is disposed in the front overlap area and the rear overlap area (10, 11) between the absorbent core (7) and one of the front body panel (3) and the rear body panel (4). The at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity extends in the longitudinal direction (L) toward the waist opening outside the front overlap area and the rear overlap area (10, 11). The disposable pant-type article has a tapered shape in the longitudinal direction (L), and the extension of the at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity in the transverse direction (T) adjacent to the waist opening (12) is smaller than the extension of the at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity in the transverse direction (T) adjacent to the absorbent core (7). Disposable pant-type article (1).

2. The absorbent core (7) forms part of an absorbent assembly (6), and the absorbent assembly (6) includes the absorbent core (7), a liquid-permeable topsheet (8), and a liquid-impermeable backsheet (9). The absorbent core (7) is sandwiched between the liquid-permeable topsheet (8) and the liquid-impermeable backsheet (9). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 1.

3. The at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity is a front body panel zone (16) having a reduced elasticity, and the at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having a reduced elasticity is disposed in the front overlap area and the rear overlap area (10, 11) between the absorbent core (7) and the front body panel (3). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The disposable pant-type article (1) further includes a rear body panel zone (17) having a reduced elasticity, and the rear body panel zone (17) having the reduced elasticity is disposed in the rear overlap area (11) between the absorbent core (7) and the rear body panel (4). The rear body panel zone (17) having the reduced elasticity extends in the longitudinal direction (L) toward the waist opening outside the front overlap area and the rear overlap area (10, 11). The disposable pant-type article has a tapered shape in the longitudinal direction (L), and the extension of the rear body panel zone (17) having the reduced elasticity in the transverse direction (T) adjacent to the waist opening (12) is smaller than the extension of the rear body panel zone (17) having the reduced elasticity in the transverse direction (T) adjacent to the absorbent core (7). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 3.

5. The elasticity of the body panel material in the front body panel zone (16) having the reduced elasticity, and / or the elasticity of the body panel material in the rear body panel zone (17) having the reduced elasticity is 0% to 70% of the elasticity of the body panel material outside the body panel zone (16, 17) having the reduced elasticity. For example, it is 30% to 60% or 40% to 60% of the elasticity of the body panel material outside the body panel zone (16, 17) having the reduced elasticity. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 4.

6. The taper angle (α) is a portion of the reduced elasticity front body panel zone (16) positioned between the front edge (27) of the absorbent assembly (6) and the front waist edge (2) of the front body panel (3). The inclination line (l ｉ ) and a line (l) parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the disposable pant-type article (1). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, defined between them.

7. The taper angle (α) of the front body panel zone (16) having the reduced elasticity is in the range of 3° to 35°, preferably in the range of 7° to 25°. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 6.

8. The taper angle (α) is a portion of the reduced elasticity rear body panel zone (17) positioned between the rear end edge (28) of the absorbent assembly (6) and the rear waist edge (15) of the rear body panel (4). The inclined line (l ｉ ) and a line (l) parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the disposable pant-type article (1), the disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 7.

9. The taper angle (α) of the rear body panel zone (17) having the reduced elasticity is in the range of 3° to 35°, preferably in the range of 7° to 25°. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 8.

10. The at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having reduced elasticity is disposed between an end edge of the absorbent core (7) and a waist edge (2, 15) of the body panel (3, 4) in which the body panel zone (16, 17) having reduced elasticity is disposed, and in a part of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity, has a continuously tapered shape, or the at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having reduced elasticity is disposed between an end edge (27, 28) of the absorbent assembly (6) and the waist edge (2, 15) of the body panel (3, 4) in which the body panel zone (16, 17) having reduced elasticity is disposed, and in a part of the body panel zone having reduced elasticity, has a continuously tapered shape, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The at least one body panel zone (16, 17) having reduced elasticity has a triangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, or a funnel shape, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The elastically stretchable front body panel material and / or the elastically stretchable rear body panel material includes, or is composed of, an elastic laminate, and the elastic laminate includes at least a first layer of a nonwoven material and an elastic layer, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The first layer of the nonwoven material is a non-elastic layer, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 12.

14. The elastic laminate includes a second layer of a nonwoven material, and the elastic layer is an intermediate elastic layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer of the nonwoven material, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 12 or 13.

15. The second layer of the nonwoven material is a non-elastic layer, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 14.

16. The elastic layer includes, or is composed of, a layer of an elastic film, the disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

17. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the elastic layer comprises a layer of an elastic nonwoven material or is composed of a layer of an elastic nonwoven material.

18. At least two layers of the elastic laminate are joined together by a plurality of discrete joints (27), the joints being arranged in a regular joint pattern, the joint pattern being visible on the outer surface of the elastic body panel (3, 4), which includes being visible on the outer surface of the elastic body panel in the body panel zones (16, 17). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 17.

19. The elastically stretchable front body panel (3) and / or the elastically stretchable rear body panel (4) comprises an elastic nonwoven material or is composed of an elastic nonwoven material. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

20. The elastically stretchable front body panel (3) is formed from a continuous front body panel web (101) extending transversely across the width of the pant-type article (1) between the first front panel side edge (32) and the second front panel side edge (33), and / or the elastically stretchable rear body panel (4) is formed from a continuous rear body panel web (108) extending transversely across the width of the pant-type article (1) between the first rear panel side edge (42) and the second rear panel side edge (43). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. The crotch region (5) comprises a non-elastic crotch web material such as a non-elastic nonwoven web. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. The disposable pant-type article includes an elastic waist feature (50), the elastic waist feature (50) including one or more elastic elements. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

23. The elastic waist feature (50) completely overlaps with the front body panel (3) and the rear body panel (4), and shares the waist edges (31, 41) with the corresponding front body panel (3) and rear body panel (4). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 22.

24. The elastic waist feature (50) is applied to the waist edges of the front body panel and the rear body panel, and protrudes beyond the waist edges (31, 41) of the corresponding front body panel (3) and / or rear body panel (4). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to claim 22.

25. The elastic waist feature (50) extends around the entire circumference of the waist opening (12) in the form of a waistband. The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 22 to 24.

26. The elastic waist feature (50) is a component of the disposable pant-type article (1) that is different from the body panel material of the front body panel (3) and the rear body panel (4). The disposable pant-type article (1) according to any one of claims 22 to 25.

27. A method of producing a disposable pant-type article, the method comprising: - Feeding a tensioned elastic web material (200) continuously in the machine direction, the elastic web material (200) having a first side edge (201) and a second side edge (202); - Subjecting a portion of the elastic web material (200) to heat treatment to create zones (205; 205', 205") having reduced elasticity in the elastic web material (200), the zones (205) having reduced elasticity being spaced apart in the machine direction (MD); - Forming at least a first body panel web (101) as part of a composite web of interconnected precursor articles (130) from the elastic web material (200), wherein the composite web of the precursor articles (130) has a first waist edge (102) and a second waist edge (109), and the tensioned first body panel web (101) includes at least a portion of each of the spaced-apart zones (205; 205', 205") having reduced elasticity, and each portion of the spaced-apart zones (205; 205', 205") forms a body panel zone (116) having reduced elasticity within the first body panel web (101), and each body panel zone (116) having reduced elasticity has a tapered shape in the cross-machine direction (CD) of the tensioned first body panel web, step; - Placing the tensioned first body panel web (101) alongside a tensioned elastic second body panel web (108) in the composite web of interconnected precursor articles (130), wherein there is a distance (115) between the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108) in the cross-machine direction (CD), and the body panel zones (116) having reduced elasticity in the first body panel web (101) are arranged in a state where the body panel zones (116) having reduced elasticity are tapered toward the first waist edge (102) of the composite web of the precursor articles (130), step; - Applying the absorbent assembly (160) intermittently to the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108), wherein the absorbent assemblies (160) are applied spaced apart in the machine direction (MD), and a first end part (161') of each absorbent assembly (160) overlaps a zone of reduced elasticity (116) in the tensioned first body panel web (101), and a second end part (161") of the absorbent assembly (160) is attached in an overlapping state to a part of the tensioned second body panel web (108). - Folding the composite web of the precursor article (130) along a folding line (Lv) extending in the machine direction (MD) and aligning the first waist edge (102) of the composite web of the precursor article (130) with the second waist edge (109) of the composite web of the precursor article (130). - Forming first and second side seams (181, 182) in each precursor article (131a, 131b, 131c), wherein the side seams (181, 182) join the tensioned first body panel web (101) to the tensioned second body panel web (108) and are formed in the cross-machine direction (CD) along a dividing line (Ld) between the precursor articles (131a, 131b, 131c). - Cutting individual pant-type articles from the composite web of the precursor article (130). A method comprising the above steps.

28. The elastic web material (200) is formed by bonding at least a first layer of non-woven material to an elastic layer, the bonding being carried out by a plurality of discrete bonding elements, and the bonding elements being arranged in a bonding pattern. The method according to claim 27.

29. The method further comprises: - Feeding a continuous inelastic crotch web (118) in the machine direction (MD). - Attaching the inelastic crotch web (118) to the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108), thereby bridging the distance (115) between the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108), wherein the inelastic continuous crotch web (118) is attached to the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108) after arranging the tensioned first body panel web (101) alongside the tensioned elastic second body panel web (108), and before applying the absorbent assembly (160) to the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108). - Forming leg cuts (170) in the composite web of the interconnected precursor articles (130), each leg cut (170) having a closed-loop configuration and forming a first leg edge (171) of the leading precursor article (131a) and a second leg edge (172) of the trailing precursor article (131b). The method according to claim 27 or 28, further comprising. [

30. ] The method comprises - Providing a pair of crotch elastic members (141, 142), the pair of crotch elastic members being composed of a first crotch elastic member (141) and a second crotch elastic member (142). - Stretching each crotch elastic member (141, 142) in the longitudinal direction (Le) of the crotch elastic member (141, 142) and aligning the longitudinal direction (Le) of the crotch elastic member (141, 142) with the cross-machine direction (CD). - While maintaining the crotch elastic member (118) in a stretched state and aligned with the cross-machine direction (CD), attaching each stretched crotch elastic member (141, 142) to the crotch web (118), wherein the first crotch elastic member (141) is spaced apart from the second crotch elastic member (142) by a crotch interval (Sc) in the machine direction (MD), and a pair of crotch elastic members (141, 142) of the leading precursor article (131a) are spaced apart from a pair of crotch elastic members (141, 142) of the trailing precursor article (131b) by an article interval in the machine direction (MD), and the article interval depends on the pitch length (Lp) of the precursor articles (131a, 131b, 131c) in the composite web of interconnected precursor articles (130). The method according to claim 29, further comprising.

31. The method comprises - Forming a cut (210) in the tensioned and heat-treated elastic web material (200) along a dividing line (L1) extending in the machine direction (MD) to divide the tensioned and heat-treated elastic web material (200) into two parts, thereby forming from the tensioned and heat-treated elastic web material (200) a tensioned first body panel web (101) and a tensioned second body panel web (108), wherein the tensioned first body panel web (101) has a first side edge (101') constituted by the first side edge (201) of the elastic web material (200) and a second side edge (101") formed by the cut (210) in the elastic web material (200), and the tensioned second body panel web (108) has a first side edge (108') constituted by the second side edge (202) of the elastic web material and a second side edge (108") formed by the cut (210) in the elastic web material (200). The method according to any one of claims 27 to 30, further comprising.

32. The step of arranging the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108) side by side at a distance (115) from each other in the cross-machine direction (CD) includes shifting the positions of the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108) in the cross-machine direction (CD), whereby the second side edge (101”) of the tensioned first body panel web (101) forms the first waist edge (102) of the composite web of the precursor article (130), and the second side edge (108”) of the tensioned second body panel web (108) forms the second waist edge (109) of the composite web of the precursor article (130), the method according to claim 31.

33. The waist elastomer (215) is applied and attached along the dividing line (L1) in the elastic web material (200) of the elastic web material before forming the cut (210) in the elastic web material, and then the cut (210) is formed through the elastic web material and through the waist elastomer (215), the method according to claim 32.

34. The waist elastomer (215) is applied after the zone (205; 205’, 205”) having the reduced elasticity is created in the elastic web material (200), the method according to claim 33.

35. The zone (205; 205', 205") having reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material (200) is divided into a first part and a second part by a cut (210) in the elastic web material (200), and the first part of each zone (205; 205', 205") having reduced elasticity is positioned in the tensioned first body panel web (101), forming a body panel zone (116) having reduced elasticity in the first body panel web (101), and the second part (117) of each zone (205) having reduced elasticity is positioned in the tensioned second body panel web (108), forming a body panel zone (117) having reduced elasticity in the second body panel web (108). The method according to any one of claims 30 to 33.

36. The zone (205) having reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material (200) has a shape including a first end portion (205'), a second end portion (205"), and an intermediate portion (205''') between the first end portion (205') and the second end portion (205"), as seen in the cross-machine direction (CD). The first end portion (205') and the second end portion (205") have a width in the machine direction (MD) that is greater than the width in the machine direction (MD) of the intermediate portion (205'''). The cut (210) in the elastic web material (200) divides each zone (205) having reduced elasticity at the intermediate portion (205''') of the zone (205) having reduced elasticity. The method according to claim 35.

37. The step of arranging the tensioned first body panel web (101) and the tensioned second body panel web (108) side by side at a distance (115) from each other in the cross-machine direction (CD) includes pulling the tensioned first body panel web (101) away from the tensioned second body panel web (108) in the cross-machine direction, whereby the first side edge of the tensioned first body panel web (101) forms the first waist edge (102) of the composite web of the precursor article (130), and the first side edge of the tensioned second body panel web (108) forms the second waist edge (109) of the composite web of the precursor article (130), the method according to claim 31.

38. The waist elastomer is applied along the first and second side edges of the elastic web material (200) before or after forming the cut (210) in the elastic web material (200), and the waist elastomer is preferably applied after a zone (205; 205', 205") having reduced elasticity has been created in the elastic web material (200), the method according to claim 37.

39. The zone having reduced elasticity formed in the elastic web material (200) has a shape comprising a first end portion (205'), a second end portion (205"), and an intermediate portion (205''') between the first end portion (205') and the second end portion (205"), as seen in the cross-machine direction (CD), the first end portion (205') and the second end portion (205") having a width in the machine direction (MD) that is smaller than the width in the machine direction (MD) of the intermediate portion (205'''), and the cut (210) in the elastic web material (200) divides each zone (205) having reduced elasticity in the intermediate portion (205''') of the zone (205) having reduced elasticity, the method according to claim 37 or 38.

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