Patent ID: 7132031
Filing Date: 2006-11-07
Classification: A61F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A process of making disposable diapers each having inner and outer surfaces adapted to face toward and away from a wearer, respectively. front and rear ends extending in a transverse direction and a pair of side edges extending in a longitudinal direction, a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending between said waist regions, and one of said front and rear waist regions of said outer surface being provided in vicinities of said side edges with folded tape fasteners which are unfoldable in said transverse direction, said process comprising the steps of: feeding continuously a web in a machine direction which defines the transverse direction of the diapers to be made, wherein said web comprises backsheets of the diapers arranged side-by side and has a surface defining the outer surface of the diapers; providing tape fastener members each having, in said machine direction, longitudinally opposite end portions and an intermediate portion extending between said opposite end portions, said opposite end portions being folded in a Z-shape or an inverted Z-shape, top sections of said Z-shape and said inverted Z-shape being coated on undersides thereof with a first adhesive and bottom sections of said Z-shape and said inverted Z-shape being coated on undersides thereof with a second adhesive; bonding said tape fastener members by means of said second adhesive to said surface of said web in said one of said front and rear waist regions of said backsheets of the diapers so that said tape fastener members straddle cutting lines which are located between adjacent ones of the diapers and define the side edges of the diapers; and cutting said web together with said tape fastener members along said cutting lines to separate the individual diapers from said web: said process further comprising, prior to said bonding, folding said web along a line bisecting a width of said web so that a first region of said web destined to form the front waist regions of the diapers and a second region of said web destined to form the rear waist regions of the diapers overlay each other; and joining the folded first and second regions together in joining zones on opposite sides of the cutting lines destined to define said side edges of said diapers; wherein, in said bonding, said tape fastener members are bonded to said web by means of said second adhesive on opposite sides of respective said joining zones so as to straddle respective said joining zones.