Patent ID: 6776316
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: A61F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of tucking a pair of opposing, refastenable side seams into a body portion of a pant-like garment, each refastenable side seam including at least one resilient component, the method comprising the steps of:positioning the body portion of the pant-like garment on a conveyor having a vacuum zone, with the refastenable side seams in a fastened position wherein the vacuum zone has a transverse width about equal to a desired folded transverse width of the body portion in contact with the vacuum zone; holding the body portion on the conveyor using vacuum force from the vacuum zone; pushing the refastenable side seams into the body portion a distance toward one another while the vacuum force is holding the body portion on the conveyor, creating longitudinal folds in the garment along outer longitudinal edges of the vacuum zone; and compressing the garment with each of the at least one resilient components pushed into the body portion and in a flat conformation.