The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of polypropylene-containing fibers that form a nonwoven web, which fibers in addition contain a slip agent, the web has a side which is provided with an alternating pattern which consists of individualized bonded areas which bonded areas are in the form of rods which are arranged in the cross direction of the web, the alternating pattern of individualized bonded areas defines a non-bonded area, the web has a basis weight on the range of from 5-25 g/m.sup.2, the surface of the bonded areas is in the range of 5-20% of the total surface of the side, and the surface of the non-bonded area is in the range of 80-95% of the total surface of the side. The present invention further relates to a process for forming the nonwoven fabric.

A process and an apparatus for making a refastenable side seam of an hygienic absorbent article efficiently, without the need to remove scrap and which allows refastenable side seams to be obtained which are ergonomic, aesthetically pleasing, easily identifiable by the user and such that they do not reduce the wearability of the article. The disclosure also relates to a hygienic absorbent article provided with at least one refastenable side seam. The disclosure also relates to a process and an apparatus for carrying out one or more operations on elastic panels usable for making an hygienic absorbent article provided with at least one refastenable side seam.

An absorbent article comprising: a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and backsheet, wherein the absorbent core comprises an absorbent material, said absorbent material comprising cellulose fibers and/or superabsorbent polymers, and wherein said absorbent material is contained within at least one core wrap substrate enclosing said absorbent material, and wherein a top layer of said core wrap is adhered to a bottom layer of said core wrap by a first adhesive to form one or more channel forming areas substantially free of said absorbent material, wherein said top layer comprises said first adhesive arranged to define a first adhesive area and said bottom layer comprises a second adhesive arranged to define a second area, wherein said first adhesive area is greater than said second adhesive area, and wherein said first and second adhesive areas comprise one or more adhesive stripes, wherein at least one of said adhesive stripes of the first adhesive area overlap said channel forming areas.

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.

A perforating apparatus for perforating a web capable of making at least one plurality of holes in a zone of the web in a precise way and without imperfections or lacerations in the web. The present invention also relates to a process for perforating the web capable of making at least one plurality of holes in a zone of the web in an efficient way and without snags occurring. The present invention also relates to a machine for producing sanitary absorbent articles comprising at least one perforating apparatus.

An absorbent article and method of making the absorbent article are disclosed. The absorbent article having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core structure having one or more layers wherein at least one layer is a heterogeneous mass layer, wherein the topsheet and the heterogeneous mass are integrated such that they reside in the same X-Y plane.

Extensible nonwoven fabrics having improved elongation, extensibility, abrasion resistance and toughness. In particular, embodiments of the invention are directed to extensible spunbond fabrics comprising a polymeric blend of a metallocene catalyzed polypropylene, polyethylene, and a third polymer component.

A method for manufacturing a composite sheet includes a first step of, in a state that a curved part of a first sheet whose one surface rises and whose another surface is recessed and that a second sheet is overlaid on the first sheet, revolving a first roller to convey the first sheet and the second sheet; a second step of passing the sheets between the first roller and a second roller revolving so that a pressing part protruding outward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the second roller is inserted into the recess of the first roller; forming, in a region within the second sheet opposing the curved part, a protruding part which is surrounded by a flat part; and a third step of joining a boundary part of the first sheet to the second sheet.

A tampon has a pair of longitudinally extending side edges and an absorbent member. The absorbent member has an insertion area, a withdrawal area, and an intermediate area between the insertion area and the withdrawal area and an attachment area. The absorbent material has a plurality of fiber integrated nonwoven layers but are without fiber integration adjacent layers outboard of the attachment area. A withdrawal line extends from the withdrawal area and is attached to the absorbent member in the attachment area such that each of the plurality of absorbent layers is attached to an adjacent nonwoven layer in the attachment area.

A tampon has a pair of longitudinally extending side edges and an absorbent member. The absorbent member has an insertion area, a withdrawal area, and an intermediate area between the insertion area and the withdrawal area and an attachment area. The absorbent material has a plurality of fiber integrated nonwoven layers but are without fiber integration adjacent layers outboard of the attachment area. A withdrawal line extends from the withdrawal area and is attached to the absorbent member in the attachment area such that each of the plurality of absorbent layers is attached to an adjacent nonwoven layer in the attachment area.