Disposable Undergarment and Related Manufacturing Equipment and Processes

Abstract

This invention pertains to a three dimensional disposable panty, subassemblies of the panty, and an apparatus and methods for making the panty and subassemblies. The panty is designed to hold a primary absorbent sanitary pad. The panty may have elasticized leg and waist openings and be stretchable about the hip and stomach regions of a user. the panty provides backup protection to control egress of fluids that leak or seep around or through the primary sanitary pad. The panty includes a secondary absorbent positioned in the crotch area and extending into the body of the disposable panty, front and back, and preferably over the leg elastics to trap, inside the panty, leakage from the primary absorbent, and to prevent strike through onto e.g. outer clothing and bed linen. The apparatus and methods facilitate assembling leg elastics and crotch elastics into the panty subassemblies while assembling a series of panty subassemblies in a continuous web structure at a constant, or relatively constant, continuous and efficient speed.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disposable garment comprising:
 a front body portion, a back body portion, and a crotch portion in between the front body portion and the back body portion, the front body portion and the back body portion being connected together to form a waist opening, a first leg opening, and a second leg opening, the first leg opening being surrounded by a first front leg edge portion, a first back leg edge portion, and a first crotch leg edge portion positioned in between the first front leg edge portion and the first back leg edge portion, the second leg opening being surrounded by a second front leg edge portion, a second back leg edge portion, and second crotch leg edge portion positioned in between the second front leg edge portion and the second back leg edge portion;   an absorbent located at least within the crotch portion;   an elastic having a first end near a first outer edge of one of the body portions and extending along the first leg edge portion and the second leg edge portion to a second end near a second outer edge of the same body portion, the elastic having been cut to form a first intermediate end spaced from a second intermediate end; and   a plurality of opposing crotch elastics extendably affixed to opposing edges of the crotch portion on each side of the crotch portion.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable garment of  claim 1 , having a second elastic having a first end near a first outer edge of the body portion free of the first elastic and extending along the first leg edge portion and the second leg edge portion to a second end near a second outer edge of the same body portion, the second elastic having been cut to form a first intermediate end spaced from a second intermediate end. 
     
     
         3 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate ends are retracted. 
     
     
         4 . A disposable garment as in  claim 3 , wherein the retracted intermediate ends are free from adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . A disposable garment as in  claim 2 , wherein the first and second elastics have been cut into a plurality of elastic sections. 
     
     
         6 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the waist opening is surrounded at least in part by a waist elastic. 
     
     
         7 . A disposable garment as in  claim 6 , wherein the waist elastic comprises threads, ribbons, a film, or a composite. 
     
     
         8 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the front body portion and the back body portion include body elastics positioned between the waist opening and the leg openings. 
     
     
         9 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the garment defines a length direction and a width direction transverse to the length direction, wherein the crotch elastics extendably affixed to opposing edges of the crotch portion extend in the length direction of the garment. 
     
     
         10 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the garment defines a length direction and a width direction transverse to the length direction, wherein the crotch portion is free from continuous elastics spanning the width direction of the garment. 
     
     
         11 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the opposing crotch elastics and the first and second elastics overlap. 
     
     
         12 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the garment has a body side liner positioned to face the wearer. 
     
     
         13 . A disposable garment as in  claim 12 , wherein the body side liner comprises a front body portion element and a back body portion element which are separate from one another. 
     
     
         14 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate ends are adjacent the crotch portion. 
     
     
         15 . A disposable garment as in  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate ends extend over the crotch portion. 
     
     
         16 . A disposable garment as in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first or second elastic is angled with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the disposable garment.