Pant-type absorbent article and a method for producing pant-type absorbent articles

• US 8,282,616 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Industrivärden AB)
• Original Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Industrivärden AB)
• Inventors: Lehto, Marcus, Melin, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vasat, Peter S
• Application Number:
  US12/518,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20100063468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: 604/394, 604/395, 604/396, 604/385.01, 604/370, 604/371, 604/366, 604/392
• US Class Current: 604/385.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15739 Sealing, e.g. involving cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15756 Applying tabs, strips, tapes, loops; Knotting the ends of pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/496 in the form of pants or briefs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4963 characterized by the seam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8215 Tensile tests
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8223 Peel tests
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/431 Joining the articles to themselves B29C66/4322 and B29C66/4332 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72343 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7294 Non woven mats, e.g. felt
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/4878 Diapers, napkins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 by folding

Abstract

A pant-type absorbent article including a chassis structure including a front panel having a front end edge and first and second side edges, a back panel having a back end edge and first and second side edges and a crotch panel arranged between the front and back panels at least one of said front and back panels including an elastic nonwoven/film laminate, and a core being integrated with the chassis structure, the first and second side edges of the front panel being joined by side seams to the corresponding first and second side edges of the back panel. Each side seam is formed at least in part in a weldable connecting member, the connecting member including a first part being secured to a side edge on the front panel and a second part being secured to a corresponding side edge on the back panel, said first and second parts of said connecting member being joined by thermowelding to form said side seam.

Claims

1. A method for producing a pant-type pant absorbent article, each article including a chassis structure comprising a front panel having a front end edge and first and second side edges, a back panel having a back end edge and first and second side edges and a crotch panel arranged between the front and back panels, said chassis structure having an integrated absorbent core component,

the method including a pant-forming process comprising forming the chassis structure and joining the first and second side edges of the front panel to the corresponding first and second side edges of the back panel, and incorporating the absorbent core component into the chassis structure,

wherein the pant-forming process comprises:

a) producing a continuous web of connecting member blanks by joining two continuous webs of weldable material in direct face-to-face relationship along paired weld lines extending transversely across the web of connecting member blanks;

b) severing the web of connecting member blanks between each pair of weld lines to create individual connecting member blanks;

c) securing said individual connecting member blanks to a chassis web at predetermined locations along a first edge of said chassis web with said weld lines arranged in the transverse direction of the chassis web;

d) folding said chassis web along a longitudinal folding line to bring a second edge of said chassis web in alignment with said first edge of said chassis web;

e) securing said chassis web to said connecting member blanks along said second edge of said chassis web;

f) severing said chassis web between said weld lines in said connecting member blanks to separate individual pant-type articles from said chassis web,

wherein said connecting member blanks are permanently secured to said chassis web in step c) and/or in step e).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the permanent securement is made by adhesive.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous web of connecting member blanks comprises a thermoplastic film.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous web of connecting member blanks comprises a thermoplastic nonwoven web.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the continuous web of connecting member blanks contains at least 50% thermoplastic polymeric material.

7. The pant-type pant absorbent article produced according to the method in claim 1, comprising a chassis structure comprising a front panel having a front end edge and first and second side edges, a back panel having a back end edge and first and second side edges and a crotch panel arranged between the front and back panels at least one of said front and back panels comprising an elastic nonwoven/film laminate, and a core being integrated with the chassis structure, the first and second side edges of the front panel being joined by side seams to the corresponding first and second side edges of the back panel,

wherein each said side seam comprises a thermowelded join formed in a weldable connecting member, the connecting member comprising a first part being secured to a side edge on the front panel and a second part being secured to a corresponding side edge on the back panel, said first and second parts of said connecting member being joined by said thermowelded join, said connecting member is permanently secured to the front and back panels.

8. The pant-type pant absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member is secured to the front and back panels by means of an adhesive.

9. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the side seams are openable side seams.

10. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member comprises a thermoplastic film.

11. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member comprises a thermoplastic nonwoven web.

12. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member contains at least 50% thermoplastic polymeric material.

13. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member is a rectangular piece of material having a welded join running across the piece of material, and forming the side seam on the pant-type absorbent article.

14. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 13, wherein the connecting member has a width perpendicular to the side seam of 20-200 mm.

15. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 13, wherein the connecting member has a length parallel to the side seam corresponding to at least 25% of the length of the side seam.

16. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein an elastic waist panel is arranged on at least one of the front and back panels.

17. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 16, wherein the elastic waist panel extends continuously all the way between the side seams.

18. A pant-type absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the absorption core is part of a core component comprising a topsheet, a barrier sheet and the absorption core arranged between the topsheet and the barrier sheet.

2. A method for producing a pant-type pant absorbent article, each article including a chassis structure comprising a front panel having a front end edge and first and second side edges, a back panel having a back end edge and first and second side edges and a crotch panel arranged between the front and back panels said chassis structure having an integrated absorbent core component,

the method including a pant-forming process comprising forming the chassis structure and joining the first and second side edges of the front panel to the corresponding first and second side edges of the back panel, and incorporating the absorbent core component into the chassis structure,

wherein the pant-forming process comprises:

a) producing a continuous web of connecting member blanks by joining two continuous webs of weldable material in direct face-to-face relationship along a single weld line extending transversely across the web of connecting member blanks;

b) severing the web of connecting member blanks between each single weld line to create individual connecting member blanks;

c) securing said individual connecting member blanks to a chassis web at predetermined locations along a first edge of said chassis web with said weld line arranged in the transverse direction of the chassis web;

d) folding said chassis web along a longitudinal folding line to bring a second edge of said chassis web in alignment with said first edge of said chassis web;

e) securing said chassis web to said connecting member blanks along said second edge of said chassis web;

f) severing said chassis web in said weld line in said connecting member blanks to separate individual pant-type articles from said chassis web,

wherein said connecting member blanks are permanently secured to said chassis web in step c) and/or in step e).

19. The method according to claim 2, wherein the permanent securement is made by adhesive.

20. The method according to claim 2, wherein the continuous web of connecting member blanks comprises a thermoplastic film.

21. The method according to claim 2, wherein the continuous web of connecting member blanks comprises a thermoplastic nonwoven web.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the continuous web of connecting member blanks contains at least 50% thermoplastic polymeric material.

23. The pant absorbent article produced according to the method in claim 2, comprising a chassis structure comprising a front panel having a front end edge and first and second side edges, a back panel having a back end edge and first and second side edges and a crotch panel arranged between the front and back panels at least one of said front and back panels comprising elastic nonwoven/film laminate, and a core being integrated with the chassis structure, the first and second side edges of the front panel being joined by side seams to the corresponding first and second side edges of the back panel,

wherein each said side seam comprises a thermowelded join formed in a weldable connecting member, the connecting member comprising a first part being secured to a side edge on the front panel and a second part being secured to a corresponding side edge on the back panel, said first and second parts of said connecting member being joined by said thermowelded join, said connecting member is permanently secured to the front and back panels.

24. The pant absorbent article according to claim 23, wherein the connecting member is secured to the front and back panels by means of an adhesive.

25. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 23, wherein the side seams are openable side seams.

26. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 23, wherein the connecting member comprises a thermoplastic film.

27. The pant-type absorbent article according to claim 23, wherein the connecting member comprises a thermoplastic nonwoven web.

28. A pant-type absorbent article according to claim 23, wherein the absorption core is part of a core component comprising a topsheet, a barrier sheet and the absorption core arranged between the topsheet and the barrier sheet.