Disposable article with centrally located zones of elasticity

Abstract

The present invention provides an absorbent garment subassembly for attaching to an absorbent garment, the absorbent garment having a front portion, a back portion and two side portions. The subassembly has a first carrier layer and an elastic member operatively associated with the first carrier layer. The elastic member has a center portion and two end portions. The center portion has a greater area than either of the end portions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An absorbent garment subassembly for attaching to an absorbent garment, the absorbent garment having a front portion, a back portion and two side portions, the subassembly comprising: 
 a first carrier layer; and    an elastic member operatively associated with the first carrier layer,    wherein the elastic member has a center portion and two end portions, and    the center portion has a greater area than either of the end portions.    
     
     
         2 . The subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center portion and the two end portions are positioned along a longitudinal direction of the subassembly such that the center portion is positioned between the two end portions, 
 a longitudinal dimension of the center portion along the longitudinal direction is a first distance,    a longitudinal dimension of each of the two end portions along the longitudinal direction is a second distance, and    the first distance is less than twice the second distance.    
     
     
         3 . The subassembly of  claim 2 , wherein a dimension of the center portion perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is a third distance, 
 a dimension of each of the two end portions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is a fourth distance, and    the third distance is greater than the fourth distance.    
     
     
         4 . The subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center portion and the two end portions are positioned along a longitudinal direction of the subassembly such that the center portion is positioned between the two end portions, 
 a dimension of the center portion perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is a first distance,    a dimension of each of the two end portions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is a second distance, and    the first distance is greater than the second distance.    
     
     
         5 . An absorbent article having a front portion, a back portion and two side portions, the article comprising: 
 a main chassis;    an absorbent portion; and    an elastic portion operatively associated with the main chassis,    wherein the elastic portion has a larger area in one of the front portion and the back portion than it does in either of the side portions.    
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the elastic portion has a first region that overlaps the main chassis and a second region that does not overlap the main chassis.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the first region has an area that is smaller than an area of the second region.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the area of the first region is less than ten percent of a total area of the elastic portion.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein the are of the second region is substantially equal to the total area of the elastic portion.  
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the elastic portion comprises a first elastic portion and a second elastic portion, 
 the first elastic portion has a larger area in the front portion than it does in either of the side portions, and    the second elastic portion has a larger area in the back portion than it does in either of the side portions.    
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first elastic portion has a front elastic portion corresponding to the front portion of the article and two first side elastic portions corresponding to the side portions of the article, and 
 the second elastic portion has a back elastic portion corresponding to the back portion of the article and two second side elastic portions corresponding to the side portions of the article.    
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the front elastic portion has a depth measured from a waist edge of the article toward a crotch portion of the article, 
 the first side elastic portions have a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, and    the depth of the front elastic portion is greater than the depth of the first side elastic portions.    
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the back elastic portion has a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, 
 the second side elastic portions have a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, and    the depth of the back elastic portion is greater than the depth of the second side elastic portions.    
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the depth of the front elastic portion substantially equals the depth of the back elastic portion.  
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the back elastic portion has a depth measured from a waist edge of the article toward a crotch portion of the article, 
 the second side elastic portions have a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, and    the depth of the back elastic portion is greater than the depth of the second side elastic portions.    
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the side portions are inelastic.  
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the first elastic portion contacts the second elastic portion.  
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein the first elastic portion contacts the second elastic portion at a crotch portion of the article.  
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are triangular in shape.  
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are triangular in shape.  
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elastic portions have different areas.  
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are one of oval and circular in shape.  
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are diamond shaped.  
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are rectangular.  
     
     
         25 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the article is a diaper.  
     
     
         26 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the article is a pant.  
     
     
         27 . A method of making an absorbent article having a front portion, a back portion, two side portions, a main chassis, an absorbent portion, a first elastic portion operatively associated with the main chassis, and a second elastic portion operatively associated with the main chassis, the elastic portions having a larger area in one of the front portion and the back portion than in either of the side portions, the method comprising: 
 moving the main chassis in a machine direction;    applying the first elastic portion to the main chassis; and    applying the second elastic portion to the main chassis,    wherein the elastic portions are shaped such that the elastic portions can be formed from a single ribbon of material with substantially no waste.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein one of the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion has a first region that overlaps the main chassis and a second region that does not overlap the main chassis.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first region has an area that is smaller than an area of the second region.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the area of the first region is less than ten percent of a total area of the elastic portion.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the are of the second region is substantially equal to the total area of the elastic portion.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first elastic portion has a larger area in the front portion than it does in either of the side portions, and 
 the second elastic portion has a larger area in the back portion than it does in either of the side portions.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first elastic portion has a front elastic portion corresponding to the front portion of the article and two first side elastic portions corresponding to the side portions of the article, and 
 the second elastic portion has a back elastic portion corresponding to the back portion of the article and two second side elastic portions corresponding to the side portions of the article.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the front elastic portion has a depth measured from a waist edge of the article toward a crotch portion of the article, 
 the first side elastic portions have a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, and    the depth of the front elastic portion is greater than the depth of the first side elastic portions.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the back elastic portion has a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, 
 the second side elastic portions have a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, and    the depth of the back elastic portion is greater than the depth of the second side elastic portions.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the depth of the front elastic portion substantially equals the depth of the back elastic portion.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the back elastic portion has a depth measured from a waist edge of the article toward a crotch portion of the article, 
 the second side elastic portions have a depth measured from the waist edge of the article toward the crotch portion of the article, and    the depth of the back elastic portion is greater than the depth of the second side elastic portions.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the side portions are inelastic.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first elastic portion contacts the second elastic portion.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first elastic portion contacts the second elastic portion at a crotch portion of the article.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are triangular in shape.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are triangular in shape.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second elastic portions have different areas.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are one of oval and circular in shape.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are diamond shaped.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second elastic portions are rectangular.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the article is a diaper.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the article is a pant.  
     
     
         49 . A method of supplying first and second elastic portions for making an absorbent article having a front portion, a back portion, two side portions, a main chassis, an absorbent portion, the first elastic portion operatively associated with the main chassis, and the second elastic portion operatively associated with the main chassis, the elastic portions having a larger area in one of the front portion and the back portion than in either of the side portions, the method comprising: 
 forming the elastic portions from a single ribbon of material with substantially no waste;    re-indexing the elastic portions relative to each other; and    transporting the elastic portions to an assembly position of the article.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein one of the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion has a first region that overlaps the main chassis and a second region that does not overlap the main chassis.  
     
     
         51 . The article of  claim 50 , wherein the first region has an area that is smaller than an area of the second region.  
     
     
         52 . The article of  claim 51 , wherein the area of the first region is less than ten percent of a total area of the elastic portion.  
     
     
         53 . The article of  claim 52 , wherein the are of the second region is substantially equal to the total area of the elastic portion.