Elasticized web and a method and apparatus for its manufacture

1. An elasticized web, comprising:

a first gatherable substrate; and

a multi-strand elastic yarn affixed to said first gatherable substrate at a plurality of fixation locations when the elastic yarn is elongated under tension so that the first gatherable substrate is gathered when the tension on the elastic yarn is relaxed,

wherein at each fixation location a portion of said first gatherable substrate passes between strands of said multi-strand elastic yarn.

2. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first gatherable substrate includes a thermally bondable material and said portion of said first gatherable substrate includes a melted component of said first gatherable substrate.

3. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a region of said first gatherable substrate is folded over said multi-strand elastic yarn to form a pocket within which said multi-strand elastic yarn runs.

4. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said thermally bondable material is selected from the group consisting of a spunbond, air laid, wet laid, hydroentangled, needled, carded or meltblown nonwoven of polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

5. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said thermally bondable material is a combination of polymers, the combination of polymers being mixed, in layers, or in a bi-component fiber.

6. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the combination of polymers includes polyethylene and polypropylene.

7. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said thermally bondable material is a thermoplastic elastomer of polyurethane in sheet or film form.

8. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of fixation locations is greater than one, and wherein said fixation locations are spaced along said multi-strand elastic yarn by from 0.2 to 25 mm.

9. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one or more of any of said substrates has a basis weight of from 5 to 80 g/m 2 .

10. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns.

11. An elasticized web, comprising:

a first gatherable substrate;

a multi-strand elastic yarn affixed to said first gatherable substrate at a plurality of fixation locations; and

a plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns,

wherein at each fixation location a portion of said first gatherable substrate passes between strands of said multi-strand elastic yarn, and

wherein said plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns includes elastic yarns having differing amounts of tension.

12. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns are substantially rectilinear and generally parallel to each other.

13. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns follow a curved path.

14. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first gatherable substrate is an elastic laminate.

15. A disposable absorbent article comprising an elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 .

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein said article is a sanitary napkin or a panty shield.

17. A disposable absorbent article for attachment around a waist of a wearer, said article comprising:

an absorbent structure extending about a longitudinal axis and having a transverse axis dividing the absorbent structure into a front panel terminating in a front end region and a rear panel terminating in a rear end region, said absorbent structure having a crotch region extending between said front end region and said rear end region, the absorbent structure being delimited by opposed longitudinal edges and opposed transverse edges, wherein said absorbent structure includes at least one region comprising an elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 .

18. The article as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn extends in a direction having a component parallel to said transverse axis.

19. A disposable absorbent article for attachment around a waist of a wearer, said article comprising:

an absorbent structure extending about a longitudinal axis and having a transverse axis dividing the absorbent structure into a front panel terminating in a front end region and a rear panel terminating in a rear end region, said absorbent structure having a crotch region extending between said front end region and said rear end region, the absorbent structure being delimited by opposed longitudinal edges and opposed transverse edges, wherein said absorbent structure includes at least one region comprising an elasticized web, the elasticized web comprising a first gatherable substrate, and a multi-strand elastic yarn affixed to said first gatherable substrate at a plurality of fixation locations, wherein at each fixation location a portion of said first gatherable substrate passes between strands of said multi-strand elastic yarn,

wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn extends in a direction having a component parallel to said transverse axis, and

wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn constitutes at least a part of a waist elastic structure in said front end region or said rear end region of said absorbent structure.

20. The article as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said waist elastic structure comprises said elasticized web, said first gatherable substrate of said elasticized web being a backsheet of said absorbent structure.

21. The article as claimed in claim 19 , further comprising a topsheet and a backsheet, wherein said first gatherable substrate is said backsheet or said topsheet of said absorbent structure.

22. The article as claimed in any one of claim 17 , wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn extends in a direction having a component parallel to said longitudinal axis.

23. A disposable absorbent article for attachment around a waist of a wearer, said article comprising:

an absorbent structure extending about a longitudinal axis and having a transverse axis dividing the absorbent structure into a front panel terminating in a front end region and a rear panel terminating in a rear end region, said absorbent structure having a crotch region extending between said front end region and said rear end region, the absorbent structure being delimited by opposed longitudinal edges and opposed transverse edges, wherein said absorbent structure includes at least one region comprising an elasticized web, the elasticized web comprising a first gatherable substrate, and a multi-strand elastic yarn affixed to said first gatherable substrate at a plurality of fixation locations, wherein at each fixation location a portion of said first gatherable substrate passes between strands of said multi-strand elastic yarn,

wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn extends in a direction having a component parallel to said longitudinal axis, and

further comprising a leg elastic structure in said crotch region, wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn is at least a part of said leg elastic structure.

24. The article as claimed in claim 23 , wherein said leg elastic structure comprises said elasticized web, said first gatherable substrate of said elasticized web being a topsheet of said absorbent structure.

25. The article as claimed in claim 24 , further comprising a backsheet, a topsheet, and a second gatherable substrate, wherein said first gatherable substrate and said second gatherable substrate are each one of said backsheet and said topsheet.

26. The article as claimed in claim 22 , further comprising a standing gather structure in said crotch region, wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn is at least a part of said standing gather structure.

27. The article as claimed in claim 26 , wherein said standing gather structure comprises said elasticized web, and said first gatherable substrate of said elasticized web is a topsheet of said absorbent structure.

28. The article as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising a crotch elastic structure in said crotch region, wherein said multi-strand elastic yarn is at least a part of said crotch elastic structure.

29. The article as claimed in claim 28 , wherein said crotch elastic structure comprises said elasticized web, and said first gatherable substrate of said elasticized web is a backsheet of said absorbent structure.

30. The article as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said article is selected from the group consisting of a child diaper, an adult diaper, a shorts-type diaper, a belted absorbent article and an incontinence garment.

31. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns,

wherein said plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns includes elastic yarns having differing amounts of tension.

32. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said first gatherable substrate includes a thermally bondable material and said portion of said first gatherable substrate includes a melted component of said first gatherable substrate.

33. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said thermally bondable material is selected from the group consisting of a spunbond, air laid, wet laid, hydroentangled, needled, carded or meltblown nonwoven of polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

34. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said thermally bondable material is a combination of polymers, the combination of polymers being mixed, in layers, or in a bi-component fiber.

35. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the combination of polymers includes polyethylene and polypropylene.

36. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said thermally bondable material is a thermoplastic elastomer of polyurethane in sheet or film form.

37. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said plurality of fixation locations is greater than one, and wherein said fixation locations are spaced along said multi-strand elastic yarn by from 0.2 to 25 mm.

38. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 31 , wherein one or more of any of said substrates has a basis weight of from 5 to 80 g/m 2 .

39. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns follow a curved path.

40. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said first gatherable substrate is an elastic laminate.

41. A disposable absorbent article comprising an elasticized web as claimed in claim 31 .

42. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said first gatherable substrate includes a thermally bondable material and said portion of said first gatherable substrate includes a melted component of said first gatherable substrate.

43. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 42 , wherein said thermally bondable material is selected from the group consisting of a spunbond, air laid, wet laid, hydroentangled, needled, carded or meltblown nonwoven of polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

44. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 42 , wherein said thermally bondable material is a combination of polymers, the combination of polymers being mixed, in layers, or in a bi-component fiber.

45. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 44 , wherein the combination of polymers includes polyethylene and polypropylene.

46. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 42 , wherein said thermally bondable material is a thermoplastic elastomer of polyurethane in sheet or film form.

47. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said plurality of fixation locations is greater than one, and wherein said fixation locations are spaced along said multi-strand elastic yarn by from 0.2 to 25 mm.

48. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 11 , wherein one or more of any of said substrates has a basis weight of from 5 to 80 g/m 2 .

49. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said plurality of multi-strand elastic yarns follow a curved path.

50. The elasticized web as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said first gatherable substrate is an elastic laminate.

51. A disposable absorbent article comprising an elasticized web as claimed in claim 11 .