The method of the present invention includes the steps of: arranging a plurality of non-continuous sheets of a predetermined length intermittently and successively in the conveyance direction on the continuous sheet so that the continuous elastic members are sandwiched between the non-continuous sheets and the continuous sheet; in an overlapping area where the non-continuous sheets overlap with the continuous sheet, attaching the continuous sheet and the non-continuous sheets to each other by welding the sheets to each other in a predetermined pattern, thus producing a continuous laminate; and in a non-overlapping area where the non-continuous sheets do not overlap with the continuous sheet, heating the continuous sheet in the same pattern as said pattern.

A method for producing elastic laminates includes gripping first and second continuous elastic films in respective gripping zones by respective first and second stretching members, transversely stretching the first and second continuous elastic films by rotating said first and second stretching members about respective first and second axes of rotation inclined with respect to each other, and releasing the transversely stretched first and second continuous elastic films from the respective first and second stretching members in respective release zones aligned along a common transverse release line.

A system for manufacturing elastic strand nonwoven panels including an unwind module, a lamination module and a folding module. Elastic strand material is fed from cores disposed on the unwind module through rollers towards the lamination module, where the elastic strand material is attached to a nonwoven web to form an elastic strand nonwoven web. At the folding module, the elastic strand nonwoven web is folded over itself by operation of plates underneath which the elastic strand nonwoven web is fed under tension.

A method for feeding elastic threads in a process for the production of layered composite articles includes: feeding at least one elastic thread along a path extending from a reel of an elastic thread up to a joining zone with at least one web material. Feeding the elastic thread along the above path includes: giving the elastic thread a first percentage elongation along a first section of the path extending between the reel and a control zone; giving the elastic thread a second percentage elongation along a second section of the path extending between the control zone and the joining zone. The second percentage elongation is greater than the first percentage elongation and a length of the first section is greater than a length of the second section.

An apparatus for manufacturing an elastic composite structure for an absorbent sanitary product includes an anvil with weld pattern comprising at least one anchoring region and at least one deactivating region. The anchoring region includes anchoring welds that form anchoring bonds that fuse facing web layers and anchor elastic thread(s) in position relative to the facing web layers. The deactivating region includes a break bar constructed to sever the thread(s). A method of manufacturing the elastic composite structure includes positioning a tensioned elastic thread between web layers, fusing the web layers to form an anchored zone that includes anchoring bonds that fuse the web layers and anchor the tensioned elastic thread therebetween, and cutting the thread to form a deactivated zone between adjacent portions of the anchored zone that is free of tensioned threads. The method further includes fusing the web layers within the deactivated zone.

Apparatus and methods are provided to allow for creation of an elastic laminate. Non-stretched elastic can be laid at peaks over a nonwoven layer contained in valleys and atop peaks. Stretched elastic can be laid over tented nonwoven to create nonwoven tunnels when a second nonwoven is laid atop the first nonwoven and elastic, and the tunnels resist un-stretching of stretched elastic strands by frictional or obstruction forces. An elastic assembly or structure comprising a first and second layer of material bonded at spaced apart bond sites is disclosed, with a plurality of elastic strands disposed in a non-linear manner between said first and second layer of material, so that said strands meander in a cross-machine direction and traverse a machine direction line, restraining movement of the strands by frictional forces between the strands and the non-woven layers.

An elastic film stretchable structure in which an elastic film is stacked between a first sheet layer having air permeability and a second sheet layer having air permeability, the first sheet layer and the second sheet layer are bonded through bonding holes penetrating the elastic film at a number of sheet bonded portions arranged at intervals. A region having the elastic film stretchable structure has a stretchable region that is stretchable in a stretchable direction, and the stretchable region is contracted in the stretchable direction by a contraction force of the elastic film and is extensible in the stretchable direction, and vent holes are formed on the elastic film at sites where the elastic film does not overlap with the sheet bonded portions.

An elastic resin material having a thermoplastic elastic resin as a main component is heated and melted, and the elastic resin material is discharged in a film or a linear shape from a discharge mechanism to form a film-shape or a linear-shape intermediate product. At a temperature above the temperature region at which the elastic resin material elastically deforms, extending is performed until the thickness or width of the film-shape intermediate product or the thickness of the linear-shape intermediate product assumes a prescribed value; with a cooling roller, the intermediate product is cooled to the temperature region at which the elastic resin material elastically deforms, and the intermediate product is hardened, forming a film-shape or linear-shape elastic member. The elastic member is stretched with a stretch roller to a prescribed stretching ratio, and the stretched elastic member is laminated on and bonded to a first base material sheet.

Disclosed is a pant type absorbent article having a back elastic belt comprising a waist guard portion extending towards the crotch region from a closed base line towards an open edge, wherein the waist guard portion is formed by a first inner waist fold extending from a second inner waist fold, the second inner waist fold extending from the inner sheet, and a first elastic member bonded between the first inner waist fold and the second inner waist fold, wherein the waist guard portion is partially bonded to the remainder of the elastic belt from which the first and second inner waist folds extend to define a pocket.

A disposable absorbent pant having a front belt portion and a rear belt portion is disclosed. The front and rear belt portions are joined at side seams and the rear belt portion has a greater length than the front belt portion. A lower edge of the rear belt portion forms at least in part edges of left and right leg openings to the rear of the side seams. The rear belt portion includes first and second layers of nonwoven web material sandwiching a plurality of laterally extending and laterally pre-strained elastic strands, disposed below the side seams. A first of the plurality of elastic strands differs from a second of the plurality of elastic strands by one or more of amount of pre-strain, tensile modulus, decitex, and combinations thereof.