Patent ID: 6254714
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: A41H,Y10T

Abstract:
Apparatus for fabricating an undergarment assembly having a reclosable opening in a front panel, said apparatus including:means to position first and second web supply rolls on transversely spaced centerlines,said first and second webs each having a width substantially equal to one half the product plus an amount for overlap,means to advance said first web along a first path,means to advance said second web along a second path,a first means to apply bonding agent to a longitudinally spaced area of one of the webs facing the other of said webs,means to partially superpose said second web and said first web in partially overlapped relationship along a conjoined path to form an assembly having innermost and outermost webs,means to bond spaced apart overlapped areas of said first web to said second web, said spaced bonded areas froming a unitary rear panel,means to advance, cut, and attach pairs of tapes, each having a portion extending from opposite sides of the undergarment assembly,means to advance, cut, and apply a release coated cover strip to each of said extending tape portions, said cover strip for removal by a user before the tapes are folded to connect the rear and front panels,means to advance, cut, and attach a tape to the half width web, said tape extending beyond the overlapped margin of said first web and protruding over said second half width web for attachment of said first and second half width webs to form the connected front panel of the assembly,means to cut leg opening portions along non-overlapped side margins of said conjoined first and second web assembly,means to transversely cut said bonded rear panel and connected front panel into the undergarment assemblymeans to remove said undergarment assembly from said conjoined path.