Patent TW-343915-B (TW)
Title: A continuous, high-speed method for producing a pant-style garment having a pair of elasticized leg openings
Inventor: ELMER KELLY LINMAN
IPC: A61F13/15
Filed: 1997-05-12
Granted: 1998-11-01
Abstract: A continuous, high-speed method for producing a pant-style garment having a pair of fully elasticized leg openings, the method comprising the steps of: a) metering a first tensioned elastic ribbon and a second tensioned elastic ribbon tangentially toward a plurality of mandrels, each of the mandrels being spaced apart by a gap along a common centerline and having a top surface and side walls depending therefrom whereby at least a portion of each of the tensioned elastic ribbons projects above the uppermost surface of the mandrels; b) clamping the first and second tensioned elastic ribbons between each of the plurality of mandrels by pushing the first tensioned elastic ribbon toward the common centerline and by pushing the second tensioned elastic ribbon toward the common centerline, thereby encircling the side walls of each of the mandrels, as the first and second tensioned elastic ribbons meet at the common centerline; c) sealing the first and second tensioned elastic ribbons where they are clamped together in order to form a ribbon seal between each of the plurality of mandrels; d) cutting the first and second tensioned elastic ribbons within the ribbon seal between each of the plurality of mandrels so that when cut, the tensioned elastic ribbons form individual tensioned garters about the side walls of the plurality of mandrels, each said tensioned garter having an upper portion being upward of the mandrel top surface and a lower portion, the upper portion of the tensioned garter having sufficient tension to cause the upper portion of the tensioned garter to fold over onto the top surface of the mandrel to form a garter flange while the lower portion of the tensioned garter clings to the side walls of the mandrel; e) placing a substrate having two mutually opposed longitudinal edges, and a longitudinal centerline adjacent to the garter flange; f) sealing the substrate to the garter flange thereby forming a continuously sealed garter comprising a continuous seal, the sealed garter having an inner edge and an outer edge; g) removing the lower portion of the sealed garter from the substrate; h) weakening the continuous seal inboard of the inner edge thereby forming an unsecured substrate portion inboard of the inner edge; I) stripping the substrate and the garter flange from the mandrel while applying vacuum from the top surface of the mandrel to the unsecured substrate portion within the continuous seal so that the inner edge is broken when the substrate and the tensioned garter are stripped off the mandrel, thereby releasing the substrate from the mandrel and forming an aperture about which the tensioned garter contracts; j) folding the substrate along the longitudinal centerline thereby aligning the longitudinal edges of the substrate; k) joining the folded substrate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline, along a plurality of lines of joinder extending from the longitudinal edge to the tensioned edge of the aperture; and l) cutting the substrate through the lines of joinder to form a pant-style garment having a pair of elasticized leg openings.