Granted Patent B2

US 11,571,341 · App. 16/181,240 · Granted Feb 7, 2023

Inventors: Daniel B. Love (Libertyville, IL); Amin Setoodeh (Kildeer, IL); Bridget Donovan (Chicago, IL); Christopher J. Nelson (Hiram, GA); William Rovero (Douglasville, GA)

Assignee: Medline Industries, LP

A61F13/49A61F13/49012A61F13/49058A61F13/536A61F13/8405

Abstract

Claims (80)

1. A method of manufacturing a first absorbent article having a first size and a second absorbent article having a second size, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling the first absorbent article by:

forming a first chassis comprising:

a first chassis length extending in a longitudinal direction from the back to the front of a user,

a first chassis width extending in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the length between first and second longitudinal edges,

a front waist region,

a back waist region, and

a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the back waist region;

attaching a first panel to the back waist region of the first chassis, the first panel comprising:

a first panel width extending in a lateral direction from the first longitudinal edge of the first chassis, and

a first panel length extending longitudinally along the first longitudinal edge of the first chassis;

assembling the second absorbent article by:

forming a second chassis comprising:

a second chassis length extending in a longitudinal direction from the back to the front of a user, wherein the second chassis length is greater than the first chassis length,

a second chassis width extending in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the length between first and second longitudinal edges, wherein the second chassis width is substantially the same as the first chassis width,

a front waist region,

a back waist region, and

a crotch region extending between the first and second portion;

attaching a second panel to the back waist region of the second chassis, the second panel comprising:

a second panel width extending in a lateral direction from the first longitudinal edge of the second chassis, and

a second side panel length extending longitudinally along the first longitudinal edge of the second chassis.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second panel width is greater than the first panel width.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second panel length is substantially the same as the first panel length.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second panel length is greater than the first panel length.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the first absorbent article further comprises the step of attaching a first fastener to the first panel at a position spaced apart from the first longitudinal edge of the first chassis.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein assembling the second absorbent article further comprises the step of attaching a second fastener to the second panel at a position spaced apart from the first longitudinal edge of the second chassis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the first absorbent article further comprises attaching a third panel to the back waist region of the first chassis, the third panel comprising:

a third panel width extending in a lateral direction from the second longitudinal edge of the first chassis, and

a third panel length extending longitudinally along the second longitudinal edge of the first chassis.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein assembling the second absorbent article further comprises attaching a fourth panel to the back waist region of the second chassis, the first panel comprising:

a fourth panel width extending in a lateral direction from the second longitudinal edge of the second chassis, and

a fourth panel length extending longitudinally along the second longitudinal edge of the second chassis.

9. A method of manufacturing a first absorbent article having a first size and a second absorbent article having a second size, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling the first absorbent article using an assembly machine implementing steps comprising:

forming a first chassis having a first chassis length extending in a longitudinal direction from the back to the front of a user and a first chassis width extending in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the length;

attaching a first side panel to the first chassis, the first side panel having a first side panel width extending in the lateral direction and a first side panel length extending in the longitudinally direction;

assembling the second absorbent article using an assembly machine implementing steps comprising:

forming a second chassis having a second chassis length extending in a longitudinal direction from the back to the front of a user and the first chassis width extending in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the length;

attaching a second side panel to the second chassis, the second side panel having a second side panel width extending in the lateral direction and a second side panel length extending in the longitudinally direction.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of forming the first chassis comprises the steps of:

unwinding a continuous web of topsheet material;

unwinding a continuous web of backsheet material; and

marrying the topsheet material to the backsheet material to form a continuous web of chassis material.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of attaching the first side panel to the first chassis comprises the steps of:

unwinding a continuous web of a side panel material; and

severing the continuous web of side panel material to form a first side panel having the first side panel width.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of attaching the first side panel to the first chassis comprises attaching an edge of the first side panel to the first chassis at a first chassis longitudinal edge.

13. The method of claim 12 , the step of attaching the first side panel to the first chassis comprises positioning the edge of the first side panel between the topsheet and the backsheet at the first chassis longitudinal edge.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of forming the first chassis further comprises cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form a first chassis having the first chassis length and the first chassis width.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the second chassis comprises the steps of:

unwinding the continuous web of topsheet material;

unwinding the continuous web of backsheet material;

marrying the topsheet material to the backsheet material to form the continuous web of chassis material; and

cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form a second chassis having the second chassis length and the first chassis width.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of attaching the second side panel to the second chassis comprises the steps of:

unwinding a continuous web of a side panel material;

severing the continuous web of side panel material to form a second side panel having the second side panel width; and

attaching an edge of the second side panel to the second chassis at a second chassis longitudinal edge.

17. A method of manufacturing a first absorbent article having a first size and a second absorbent article having a second size, the method comprising the steps of:

extending a portion of a continuous web of topsheet material;

extending a portion of a continuous web of backsheet material;

extending a portion of a continuous web of first side panel material;

severing the continuous web of first side panel material to form a first side panel having a first side panel width;

inserting an edge of the first side panel between the continuous web of topsheet material and the continuous web of backsheet material with a section of the first side panel extending in a lateral direction beyond a longitudinal edge of the topsheet and backsheet continuous webs;

marrying the topsheet material to the backsheet material to form a continuous web of chassis material;

cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form a first chassis having a first chassis length and a first chassis width;

extending a further portion of the continuous web of topsheet material;

extending a further portion of the continuous web of backsheet material;

extending a portion of a continuous web of a second side panel material;

severing the continuous web of second side panel material to form a second side panel having a second side panel width that is greater than the first side panel width;

inserting an edge of the second side panel between the continuous web of topsheet material and the continuous web of backsheet material with a section of the second side panel extending in the lateral direction beyond the longitudinal edge of the topsheet and backsheet continuous webs;

marrying the topsheet material to the backsheet material to form the continuous web of chassis material; and

cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form a second chassis having a second chassis length and the first chassis width.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step attaching the edge of the first side panel to the topsheet material and the backsheet material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of attaching the edge of the first side panel to the topsheet material and the backsheet material comprises adhering the edge of the first side panel to the topsheet material and the backsheet material using an adhesive.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of attaching the edge of the first side panel to the topsheet material and the backsheet material comprises bonding the edge of the first side panel to the topsheet material and the backsheet material using an ultrasonic bond.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the step of cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form the first chassis comprises cutting the continuous web of chassis material with a cutting die;

the step of cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form the second chassis comprises cutting the continuous web of chassis material with the cutting die;

and the cutting die is not replaced between the step of cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form the first chassis and the step of cutting the continuous web of chassis material to form the second chassis.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (4)