Patent Publication Number: US-2005124958-A1

Title: Disposable sanitary napkin with discrete flaps and method for manufacturing same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to disposable sanitary napkins. The sanitary napkin features at least one multi-layer flap that is discrete from the main body of the sanitary napkin. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a sanitary napkin with at least one flap, and which generates a reduced amount of waste as compared to conventional manufacturing techniques.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Sanitary napkins are low cost mass produced articles. A typical manufacturing facility includes an assembly line where the various components of the sanitary napkin are progressively combined and laminated into a continuous web, which is cut transversely into discrete products.  
      The term “sanitary napkin”, as used herein, refers to an article that is worn by females in their undergarments adjacent to the pudendal region and which is intended to absorb and contain the various exudates that are discharged from the body (e.g., blood, menses, vaginal discharges and urine). Hence, the term “sanitary napkin” encompasses pantiliners as well as catamenial devices. The term “disposable” refers to articles that are intended to be discarded after a single use. That is, the articles are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored or reused as an absorbent article.  
      To enhance the functionality of sanitary napkins, manufacturers are designing products with complex and sophisticated contour lines. For example, it is known to provide sanitary napkins with flaps having adhesive disposed thereon, the flaps being adapted to be folded over and secured to the undergarment of the user via the adhesive, thereby enabling the secure attachment of the sanitary napkin to the undergarment. With traditional manufacturing techniques, extensive trimming is required to produce the highly irregular contoured edge of such sanitary napkins, which generates a considerable amount of waste material. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the sanitary napkin increases because the starting material is used less efficiently.  
      Therefore, a clear need exists in the industry to develop sanitary napkins with one or more flaps, which can be produced with a reduced amount of waste material as compared to prior art sanitary napkins.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the forgoing, the present invention provides an improved disposable sanitary napkin which is intended to be worn in the undergarment of a user, the sanitary napkin being structured such that it can be manufactured with considerably less waste as compared to conventional napkins. The sanitary napkin according to the present invention includes a main body having a longitudinal axis; a transverse axis; first and second longitudinal sides extending along the longitudinal axis; and first and second transverse sides extending along the transverse axis. The sanitary napkin has at least one flap having at least two layers. The flap is discrete from the main body and includes an attachment portion extending along the longitudinal axis and secured to the main body. The attachment portion has a first end zone and a second end zone. The first end zone is co-extensive with at least a portion of the first transverse side and the second end zone is co-extensive with at least a portion of the second transverse side. The flap also includes a projecting portion that extends from the attachment portion. When the sanitary napkin is in use, the projecting portion projects laterally from the first longitudinal side of the main body. The two layers of the flap are bonded to one another and form a seal line extending along at least a portion of the periphery of the projecting portion.  
      The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing disposable sanitary napkins. The method comprises providing a continuous web formed from at least two superposed layers, the web having a longitudinal axis. The superposed layers are bonded to form an area of juncture that defines a cyclic pattern and extends along the longitudinal axis. The continuous web is severed at the area of juncture to form two longitudinally extending, continuous strips. Each of the strips have a plurality of projecting portions, each one of the projecting portions being arranged in spaced relationship to an adjacent projecting portion and each projecting portion being united to an adjacent projecting portion by a attachment portion. The method further includes providing a succession of absorbent systems, and advancing at least one of the strips and the succession of absorbent systems along paths which converge toward one another. The projecting portions of the strip are affixed to respective absorbent systems of the succession and the strip is transversely cut between adjacent absorbent systems to sever the attachment portions between the projecting portions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      A detailed description of examples of implementation of the present invention is provided herein below with reference to the following drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a bottom plan view of a sanitary napkin according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the sanitary napkin of  FIG. 1 , the flaps of the sanitary napkin being shown in a position in which they project laterally from the longitudinal sides of the main body of the sanitary napkin;  
       FIG. 3   a  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2  taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3   b  is a cross-sectional view of a sanitary napkin according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3   c  is a cross-sectional view of a sanitary napkin according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3   d  is a cross-sectional view of a sanitary napkin according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a continuous multi-layer web from which flaps for the sanitary napkins according to the present invention are made, a portion of the multi-layer web being removed to show its structure;  
       FIG. 5   a  is a top plan view of the continuous web shown in  FIG. 4  in which the layers of the web are bonded and form an area ofjuncture having a cyclic pattern;  
       FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view of an apparatus that may be used for obtaining the bonded continuous web of  FIG. 5   a;    
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the continuous web shown in  FIG. 5   a  to which areas of adhesive material and their associated release papers have been added;  
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the continuous web shown in  FIG. 6  that has been cut to form a pair of strips;  
       FIG. 8   a  is a top plan view of the continuous web of  FIG. 7 ;  
       FIG. 8   b  is a top plan view of the continuous web of  FIG. 7  according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an apparatus for putting the strips from the continuous web of  FIG. 7  in phase;  
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 9 ;  
       FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the strips in phase as they leave the apparatus of  FIG. 9 ;  
       FIG. 12  is a top plan view of a multi-layer continuous web, the web having a succession of absorbent systems to which the strips as shown in  FIG. 11  are to be attached;  
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an apparatus for processing the web of  FIG. 12  to seal the layers of the web to one another;  
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an apparatus for continuously joining of the web of  FIG. 13  with the strips shown in  FIG. 11 ;  
       FIG. 15  is a top plan view of the web produced by the apparatus in  FIG. 14 , the figure also showing the areas along which the web is cut to provide individual sanitary napkins;  
       FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the web of  FIG. 15  when cut into individual sanitary napkins;  
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of an apparatus for continuously joining of the web of  FIG. 13  with two pairs of strips;  
       FIG. 18  is top plan view of a sanitary napkin as produced by the apparatus of  FIG. 17 , the sanitary napkin including partially overlapping flaps; and  
       FIG. 19  is a top plan view of a sanitary napkin as produced by the apparatus of  FIG. 17 , the sanitary napkin including flaps that are spaced from one another. 
    
    
      In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for purposes of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention. Throughout the drawings, identical components are designated by the same reference numerals.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3   a  there is shown a sanitary napkin  20  according to the present invention. The napkin  20  comprises a main body  22 . The main body  22  has two mutually opposing longitudinally extending sides  24 ,  26 , and an imaginary longitudinal centerline  28  running down the center of the napkin  20 , generally equidistant from the longitudinally extending sides  24 ,  26 .  
      The term “longitudinal”, as used herein, refers to a line, axis or direction in the plane of the sanitary napkin  20  that is generally aligned with (e.g., approximately parallel to) a vertical plane which bisects a standing wearer into left and right body halves when the sanitary napkin  20  is worn.  
      The main body  22  also has two mutually opposing transversely extending sides  30 ,  32 . An imaginary transverse centerline  42  runs across the napkin  20 , perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline  28 .  
      The sanitary napkin  20  has at least one flap, and in the embodiment shown in the Figures has two flaps  34 ,  36 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the sanitary napkin  20  is preferably manufactured such that the flaps  34 ,  36  are initially folded over the main body  22 . Prior to use, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the flaps  34 ,  36  are unfolded such that they extend laterally outward from the main body  22 . During use, the flaps  34 ,  36  are folded about the side edges of the undergarment in which the sanitary napkin  20  is installed.  
      The main body  22  has an upper surface that is adapted to be oriented toward the user and a lower surface that is adapted to face the undergarment of the wearer. The main body  22  may feature a single layer structure or a multilayer structure. In the case of a single layer structure, the upper and lower surfaces of the single layer define the upper and lower surfaces of the main body  22 . In the case of a multilayer structure, different layers define the upper and lower surfaces of the main body  22 .  
      In accordance with a specific and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 3   a , the main body  22  is of a laminate construction and has at least three layers. More specifically, the main body  22  has a fluid-pervious cover layer  56 , which is usually designated as the “cover layer”, that faces the body of a wearer when the napkin  20  is in use; a liquid-impervious barrier layer  58 , which faces the wearer&#39;s undergarment when the napkin  20  is in use; and an absorbent system  60  therebetween. The absorbent system  60  has at least one absorbent component made of a single layer or multiple layers. The primary purpose of the absorbent system  60  is to absorb and retain body exudate. In the embodiment of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 3   a , the absorbent system  60  has two absorbent components, namely a first absorbent component  62  that comprises a single layer of material (commonly known as a “transfer layer”) and a second absorbent component  64  (commonly known as an “absorbent core”) that also comprises a single layer of material. The number of layers of material forming the first and the second absorbent components  62  and  64  is not essential since each absorbent component  62  and  64  may include more than one layer of material. It should be expressly noted that the first absorbent component  62  is optional and that the absorbent system  60  may include only the second absorbent component  64 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3   a , the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  and the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  are sealed together along their peripheral edges to form a peripheral flange seal  57  containing the absorbent system  60 . The peripheral flange seal  57  extends continuously around the absorbent system  60  to completely enclose the same. The peripheral flange seal  57  can be realized by using any means commonly known in the art for this purpose, such as by gluing, crimping, pressure and/or heat-sealing, ultrasonics, and the like.  
      Each of the components of the sanitary napkin  20  will be now described in further detail.  
      Main Body—Fluid—Pervious Cover Layer  
      The fluid-pervious cover layer  56  is the top layer of the sanitary napkin  20 . The purpose of the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  is to provide an interface that would normally contact the body of the wearer when the sanitary napkin  20  is in use. The fluid-pervious cover layer  56  is porous to liquids since its main function is to capture as quickly as possible a discharge of bodily exudate and transfer it to the absorbent system  60  underneath.  
      The fluid-pervious cover layer  56  may be formed from an apertured thermoplastic film. Such films are common in the art. Because of the high porosity of such films, they accomplish the function of quickly transferring body exudate to the inner layers (i.e. the absorbent system  60 ) of the napkin  20 .  
      The fluid-pervious cover layer  56  may alternatively be made of fibrous materials, such as non-woven fibrous materials. It may be composed of only one type of fiber, such as polyester, or it may alternatively be composed of bicomponent or conjugate fibers having a low melting point component and a high melting point component.  
      Bicomponent fibers may be made up of a polyester core and a polyethylene sheath. The use of appropriate bicomponent materials results in a fusible non-woven fabric. Using a fusible fabric increases the ease with which the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  may be mounted to the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  at the peripheral flange seal  57 .  
      The fibers may be selected from a variety of natural and synthetic materials such as nylon, polyester, rayon (in combination with other fibers), cotton acrylic fiber and the like and combinations thereof. It will be evident to the person skilled in the art that a wide variety of other types of non-woven fabric materials can also be used.  
      Main Body—Absorbent System—First Absorbent Component  
      Adjacent to the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  on its inner side and bonded thereto is an optional absorbent component  62  that may be used to form part of the absorbent system  60 . The first absorbent component  62  provides the means of receiving body fluid from the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  and holding it until an underlying second absorbent component  64  has an opportunity to absorb the fluid.  
      The first absorbent component  62  may be made from one or more layers of material. In the embodiment of a sanitary napkin according to the present invention shown in the figures, the first absorbent component  62  is shown as a single layer, however as stated above, the absorbent component  62  may have a multi-layer structure if desired.  
      The first absorbent component  62  is preferably more dense and has a larger proportion of smaller pores than the fluid-pervious cover layer  56 . These attributes allow the first absorbent component  62  to contain body fluid and hold it away from the inner side of the fluid-pervious cover layer  56 , thereby preventing the fluid from re-wetting the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  and its surface. However, the first absorbent component  62  is preferably not so dense as to prevent the passage of the fluid into the underlying second absorbent component  64 .  
      The first absorbent component  62  may be composed of fibrous materials, such as wood pulp, polyester, rayon, flexible foam, or the like, or combinations thereof. The first absorbent component  62  may also comprise thermoplastic fibers for the purpose of stabilizing the layer and maintaining its structural integrity. The first absorbent component  62  may be treated with surfactant on one or both sides in order to increase its wettability, although generally the first absorbent component  62  is relatively hydrophilic and may not require treatment. The first absorbent component  62  is preferably bonded on both sides to the adjacent layers, i.e. the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  and the underlying second absorbent component  64 .  
      Main Body—Absorbent System—Second Absorbent Component  
      Immediately subjacent to and bonded to the first absorbent component  62  is the second absorbent component  64 . As is the case with the first absorbent component  62 , the second absorbent component  64  may also be made from one or more layers of material.  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3   a  illustrate an embodiment of the sanitary napkin according to the present invention wherein the second absorbent component  64  consists of a single layer.  
      The second absorbent component  64  has a large liquid-holding capacity and is extremely retentive. The second absorbent component  64  may comprise pulp fluff material and may optionally include other absorbent materials or non-absorbent materials such as conjugate fibers, fusible fibers, binders, sphagnum moss, superabsorbents, and the like and combinations thereof.  
      In one embodiment, the second absorbent component  64  is a blend or mixture of cellulosic pulp fibers and superabsorbent disposed in and amongst fibers of the pulp. Preferably, the second absorbent component  64  contains from about 40 weight percent to about 95 weight percent cellulosic fibers, and from about 5 weight percent to about 60 weight percent SAP (superabsorbent polymers). By way of example, 10 weight percent SAP means 10 μm 2  SAP per 100 g/m 2  basis weight of the material.  
      Suitable cellulosic fibers that can be used in the second absorbent component  64  are well-known in the art and include wood pulp, cotton, flax and peat moss. Wood pulp is however preferred. Although both softwood and hardwood species can be used, softwood pulps are preferred. It is not necessary to treat cellulosic fibers with chemical debonding agents, cross-linking agents and the like.  
      Suitable SAP particles for use in the invention may be inorganic or organic crosslinked hydrophilic polymers, such as polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, crosslinked starches, guar gum, xanthan gum, and the like and may be in the form of powder, grains, granules, or fibers.  
      Main Body—Liquid—Impervious Barrier Layer  
      Underlying the absorbent system  60  is a liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  which comprises liquid-impervious film material such as to prevent liquid that is entrapped in the absorbent system  60  from egressing the sanitary napkin  20  and staining the wearer&#39;s undergarment. The liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  can be made of polymeric film, such as polyethylene or a polyethylene/ethylvinyl acetate (EVA). The polymeric film is preferably capable of fully blocking the passage of liquid or gas that may emanate from the absorbent system  60 . Alternatively, breathable films may be used that allow passage of gas while blocking liquid.  
      Flaps  
      Since both flaps  34  and  36  are substantially identical, only flap  34  will be described herein. Flap  34  is a discrete component, which implies that both it and the sanitary napkin&#39;s main body  22  are initially formed separately and then attached in a subsequent procedure. More specifically, during a finite time interval, the main body  22  and flaps  34  share no common boundary and are independent bodies. In the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3   a , flap  34  is positioned under the main body  22 . Note that since  FIG. 1  is a bottom view of the sanitary napkin  20 , flap  34  is depicted as being positioned over the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flap  34  has an attachment portion  38  that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline  28 , and a projecting portion  39  that extends from the attachment portion  38 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the attachment portion  38  has two end zones, namely end zone  40  and end zone  41  that are generally opposite to one another. The end zones  40  and  41  are co-extensive with respective portions of the transversely extending sides  30 ,  32  of the periphery of the main body  22 . The attachment portion  38  also has an outer edge  43  that extends from the end zone  40  to the end zone  41 . In the specific case shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer edge  43  of flap  34  is co-extensive with the longitudinal side  24  and in the case of flap  36 , the outer edge  43  is co-extensive with the longitudinal side  26 .  
      The projecting portion  39  is formed integrally with the attachment portion  38 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the projecting portion  39  features a width, as measured along the imaginary transverse centerline  42 , that is greater than that of the attachment portion  38 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 3   a , the flap  34  includes at least two layers of material that form an outer layer  44  and an inner layer  46 . The outer layer  44  contacts the skin of the wearer when in use and is advantageously made of material that is generally soft and non-irritating to the skin, such as a material identical to the material of the fluid-pervious cover layer  56 . It can, however, also be made of any other type of suitable material. With respect to inner layer  46 , the latter is preferably made of liquid-impervious material such as a material identical to the material of the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58 . However, any other type of suitable material could be used to make inner layer  46 . Additional layers of material can be included between the outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  without departing from the spirit of the invention.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  are bonded to one another to form a first seal  70  that extends continuously along the periphery of the flap  34 . The first seal  70  is realized by using any means commonly known in the art for this purpose, such as by gluing, crimping, pressure and/or heat-sealing, ultrasonics, and the like. The first seal that joins outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  will be described in greater detail herein below with reference to a later figure.  
      In the example shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3   a , the first seal  70  extends continuously from the first end zone  40  to the second end zone  41  along the periphery of the flap  34 . The first seal  70  is the primary means of bonding the outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  to one another. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  are un-bonded inwardly of the first seal  70 . In an alternative embodiment not shown, the outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  can be bonded to one another inwardly of the first seal  70 , however, the degree of bonding inwardly of the first seal  70  is not as strong as the degree of bonding caused by the first seal  70 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , flap  34  is attached to the main body  22  by a second seal  72  that is applied along the attachment portion  38  of the flap  34  and along the longitudinally extending side  24  of the main body  22 , thereby securing the attachment portion  38  of the flap  34  to the main body  22  of the sanitary napkin  20 . The second seal  72  is realized by using any means commonly known in the art for this purpose, such as by gluing, crimping, pressure and/or heat-sealing, ultrasonics, and the like. Although second seal  72  is preferably continuous from the first end zone  40  to the second end zone  41 , it could also be realized by a succession of local bonding sites spaced from one another and extending along the outer edge  43  and the longitudinally extending side  24 . In addition to attaching the flap  34  to the main body  22 , the second seal  72  also unites the outer and inner layers  44 ,  46  to one another along the outer edge  43 .  
      Although the above described embodiments of sanitary napkin  20  according to the present invention include discrete flaps that have been attached to the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  of the sanitary napkin  20 , it should be expressly understood that discrete flaps that are attached to the main body in other locations also remain within the scope of the invention. For example, in the embodiment of the invention depicted in  FIG. 3   b , the flaps  34  and  36  are secured to the fluid-pervious cover layer  56 . As shown in  FIG. 3   c , the flaps  34  and  36  can also be secured to the main body in more than one location. Each flap  34 ,  36  in  FIG. 3   c , more precisely, is secured to both the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  and the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58 .  FIG. 3   d  shows another embodiment of the invention wherein flaps  34 ,  36  are attached to the main body  22  via their outer layers  44 , such that when the flaps  34 ,  36  project outwardly, the projecting portion  39  of the flaps  34 ,  36  does not fold over the attachment portion  38 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3D , when the flaps  34 ,  36  are positioned over the liquid-impervious layer  58 , the projecting portion  39  of the flaps  34 ,  36  fold over the attachment portions  38 . In order to obtain such a sanitary napkin, an apparatus similar to that which will be described in relation to  FIGS. 9 and 10  can be used.  
      Adhesive Fasteners  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d , to secure the napkin  20  to the undergarment of a wearer, the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  is provided with an adhesive fastener  66  comprising an area of standard adhesive material on the surface thereof that is intended to contact the wearer&#39;s undergarment. Additionally, there is an adhesive fastener  68  located on each of the flaps  34  and  36  that is intended to contact the underside of the wearer&#39;s undergarment. A single standard release paper  69  covers the adhesive fastener  66  positioned on the underside of the main body  22  while the adhesive fasteners  68  on the flaps  34 ,  36  are covered by respective release papers  71 . The release papers  69  and  71  are of a conventional construction, such as silicone coated wet-laid Kraft wood pulp, for example.  
      Method of Manufacture  
       FIG. 4  shows a multi-layer web from which the flaps  34 ,  36  of sanitary napkin  20  are made. The web is designated by the reference numeral  100  and includes at least two layers. In a specific example of the invention depicted in the figures, the web  100  has an upper layer  102  that is preferably made of liquid-impervious material, such as the material used for making the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58 . In  FIG. 4  the web  100  has been depicted with a portion of the upper layer  102  removed to reveal an underlying lower layer  103  that is preferably made of a material that is soft and non-irritating to the skin, such as the material used for the manufacture of the fluid-pervious cover layer  56 .  
      The web  100  has a continuous length and a constant width that is defined between side edges  104  and  106  that are parallel and extend along a longitudinal axis  108 , which is parallel to the machine direction of the web  100 . It should be noted that the web  100  is not restricted to only two layers, as more than two layers can be provided without departing from the spirit of the invention.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5   a , the two layers of web  100  are then bonded together at an area of juncture  110 . The area of juncture  110  is constrained between the side edges  104  and  106  and has a cyclical pattern. Preferably, but not necessarily, the cyclical pattern defines a wave, such as a sinusoidal wave, for example, which oscillates evenly (i.e., of constant amplitude) around the longitudinal axis  108  of the web  100 . The area of the web located outside of the area juncture  110 , i.e. the portion that is not bonded during the bonding procedure, defines a plurality of alternating web portions  110  that extend transversely across from opposite sides of the web as shown. Each of the web portions  105  will ultimately form the flaps  34  and  36  of the napkin  20 . The bonding of the upper and lower layers  102 ,  103  along the area of juncture  110  can be realized by using any means commonly known in the art for this purpose, such as by gluing, crimping, pressure and/or heat-sealing, ultrasonics, and the like. Although not shown in the figures, the bonding can also be realized by a succession of intermittent bonding sites spaced from one another.  
      When the area of juncture  110  is formed by heat-sealing, an apparatus of the type depicted in  FIG. 5   b  may be used to perform the bonding step. The apparatus depicted in  FIG. 5   b  includes a pair of rolls  115 ,  117  defining a nip between them. One of the rolls is a sealing roll  115  and the other is an anvil roll  117 . One or both rolls is/are heated to a temperature consistent with the materials of the layers. The sealing roll  115  has on its periphery a circumferential projection  119  that contacts the web  100  as the latter passes through the nip. The projection  119  is designed such as to apply pressure on the area of the web  100  where the layers  102 ,  103  are to be bonded, thus forming the area of juncture  110 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 6 , after the layers  102  and  103  of the web  100  have been bonded to one another along the area of juncture  110  adhesive fasteners  68  are applied to the web  100 . Specifically, adhesive fasteners  68  are applied to the web  100  on layer  102  and are then covered with release papers  71 . Note that the adhesive fasteners  68  and their corresponding release papers  71  are applied in each transversely extending projection portion  39  delimited by the area of juncture  110 . The application of the adhesive fasteners  68  and the release papers  71  can be performed with any suitable means known in the art.  
       FIG. 7  shows the web  100  having been severed lengthwise within the area of juncture  110  to form two longitudinally extending strips  112  and  114 . In a first example of implementation, the two longitudinally extending strips  112  and  114  are severed via a first cutting operation, which cuts away sections  118  from within the area of juncture, and a second cutting operation, which forms a cut  73  along the area of juncture between the attachment portions  38  and the projecting portions  39 . In a non-limiting example of implementation, these two cutting operations can be performed by stamping the web with stamps having blade patterns suitable for performing the two cutting operations described.  
      In a second example of implementation, the web  100  is severed by a cutting station that includes a pair of rolls that define a nip therebetween. One roll is a cutting roll and the other roll is an anvil roll. The cutting roll has on its periphery a pattern of blades for contacting the web  100  as the latter passes through the nip. The blade pattern is designed such as to apply a cutting force on the area of the web  100  that is desired to be cut. As such, in order to perform the cutting operation, the web  100  is fed through the nip such that the web  100  is cut along line  73 , and along the lines surrounding sections  118 . It should be understood that in such an embodiment, the two sides of section  118  are cut simultaneously. As such, the blade pattern on the cutting roll includes a single blade at the region for cutting along line  73 , which splits into two blades for cutting the two lines around section  118 . The two blades then re-combines into one blade for cutting the line  73  between the next attachment portion  38  and projecting portion  39 .  
      Shown in  FIG. 8   a  are the resulting strips  112 ,  114 , from  FIG. 7 , which have been separated in the direction of the arrows shown, once sections  118  have been removed. As shown, each strip  112 ,  114  includes a succession of the projecting portions  39  united to one another by the attachment portions  38 . As indicated previously, the projecting portions  39  are characterized by a width, as measured in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  108 . The width is generally greater than that of the attachment portions  38 .  
      In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , the sections  118  are cut from the area of juncture  110  and the remaining portions of the area of juncture  110  form the first seal  70  of the flaps  34  and  36 . Although  FIG. 7  depicts sections  118  as being within the area of juncture  110 , meaning that they are bonded together, it should be specifically understood that the sections  118  could also not be bonded together, meaning that the first seal  70  would define the only area of juncture  110 .  
      The size of sections  118  can be modified in order to alter the length of the projecting portions  39 . For example,  FIG. 8   a  depicts the strips  112  and  114  from  FIG. 7 , once the sections  118  have been removed and the strips have been separated, and  FIG. 8   b  shows strips  112  and  114  formed from a web, wherein no sections  18  were cut out. As such, the projecting portions  39  shown in  FIG. 8   b  have an increased dimension along the longitudinal axis  108  since the cutting operation performed on the web  100  of  FIG. 8   b  is essentially a slit that separates the web  100  in two parts without the removal of any material.  
      As previously stated, the severing is done such that the resulting projecting portions  39  will be provided with the first seal  70 . The severing can be effected with any suitable means. As described above, on example is the use of a cutting station, that includes a cutting roll and an anvil roll. The continuous web  100  passes through the nip formed by the cutting roll and the anvil roll. The cutting roll includes a peripheral cutting blade that severs the continuous web according to the selected pattern.  
      Although the above figures relate to a continuous web  100  that features upper and lower layers  102 ,  103  of identical width, it should be specifically understood that a continuous web  100  that is composed of upper and lower layers  102 ,  103  of differing widths remains within the scope of the present invention. Upper layer  102 , for example, could be larger than lower layer  103  and, for example, positioned in the center of the latter. Such an arrangement could therefore result in strips  112 ,  114  where the projecting portions  39  are multi layers structures while the attachment portions  38  are composed of a single layer.  
      Once cut, the strips obtained from the continuous web  100  are processed by an apparatus  120 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , that puts them in phase with one another. The apparatus  120  comprises guide rollers  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  and  130  that establish different paths of travel for the strips  112  and  114 . The strip  112  follows a path of travel that is longer than the path followed by the strip  114  and, as a result, the strip  112  is delayed such as to bring the projecting portions  39  on the strip  112  in phase with the projecting portions  39  on the strip  114 . The strips  112  and  114 , when in phase, are shown at  FIG. 11 . Note that several features, such as the adhesive fasteners  68  and the release papers  71 , are not shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  for the sake of clarity.  
      In accordance with an alternative embodiment, strips  112  and  114 , in addition to being put in phase with respect to one another, can be crossed such that the projection portions  39  of each strip do not face one another but rather face outwardly with respect to one another. This would be the case when manufacturing a napkin  20  as shown in  FIG. 3   d . Alternatively, the strips  112  and  114  could be crossed and placed in a partially overlapping relationship such that the attachment portions  38  of each strip overlap each other.  
      The method according to the invention also includes providing a plurality of absorbent systems.  FIG. 12  shows a sequence of absorbent systems  60 . The absorbent systems  60 , which can comprise a single layer of material or multiple layers of material, are carried in a continuous web  132 . The continuous web  132  generally includes three superposed elements. The first element is a bottom layer that is continuous and is made from the material of the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58 . The second element is the series of absorbent systems  60  that are placed on top of the bottom layer in a spaced apart relationship. The spacing between the absorbent systems  60  is generally selected to match the spacing between the projecting portions  39  on the strips  112  and  114 . The third element is a top layer made from the material of the fluid-pervious cover layer  56 .  
      The bottom layer and the top layer of the web  132  are then bonded to one another at the areas surrounding the absorbent systems  60 . In  FIG. 12 , these regions of bonding  61  are shown by the cross-hatchings. An apparatus that may be used to bond the bottom layer to the top layer is shown in  FIG. 13 . The apparatus  133  includes a heated sealing roll  134  featuring a cavity  136  that is dimensioned to receive an absorbent system  60 . The apparatus  133  also includes an anvil roll  138 , which defines a nip with the sealing roll  134 . The web  132  passes through the nip and is synchronized with the roll  134  such that the absorbent systems  60  mate with the cavity  136 . Accordingly, little pressure and heat is applied to the absorbent systems  60 , while the remainder of the web  132  is subjected to sufficient levels of pressure and heat to heat-seal the bottom layer and the top layer of the web  132  all around the absorbent systems  60 . The bonding of the bottom layer and the top layer of the web  132  can also be done through other methods, such as crimping, adhesives and ultrasonics, among others.  
      The web  132  as it leaves the apparatus  133  can be viewed as a succession of absorbent systems  60 , where the top layer of the web  132  forms the liquid-impervious barrier layer  58  and the bottom layer forms the fluid-pervious cover layer  56  of each absorbent system  60 .  
       FIG. 14  shows an apparatus  140  to unite, in a continuous fashion, the web  132  with the strips  112  and  114 . The apparatus  140  includes a heat-sealing station with a heated sealing roll  142  and an anvil roll  144  which together define a nip through which are directed the strips  112  and  114  and the web  132 . As the strips  112 ,  114 , and the web  132  pass through the nip, they converge toward one another and are bonded to one another. In particular, the bonding is made by two peripherally extending projections  146 ,  148  formed on the roll  142 .  
      After the heat-sealing station, the strips  112 ,  114  that have been united with web  132  in such a manner that the projecting portions  39  of each strip  112 ,  114  are centered with respect to the transverse centerlines of the absorbent systems  60 . However, it should be expressly understood that uniting the strips  112 ,  114  with web  132  such that the projecting portions  39  are offset with respect to the transverse centerline of each successive absorbent system  60  remains within the scope of the invention.  
      The web  154  that results from the combination of the web  132  and the strips  112  and  114  is shown in  FIG. 15 . The web  154  is then cut transversely at the areas  156 , identified by the curved dashed lines, to provide discrete sanitary napkins  20 . The cutting operation thus severs the regions of the attachment portions  38  located between napkins  20 .  
      The cutting can be done with any suitable means. A possible example is a cutting station including a cutting roll and an anvil roll through which the web  154  passes. The cutting roll has on its circumference cutting blades that perform the cutting of the web  154  as the cutting roll turns. The shape of the cutting blades is such that as the rolls turn, they sever the web  154  only at the areas  156 .  
       FIG. 16  shows a succession of sanitary napkins  20  once the cutting operation has been completed and the waste material removed.  
      Although the above method describes a single pair of flaps  34 ,  36  attached to an individual sanitary napkin, it should be specifically understood that attaching more than one pair of flaps  34 ,  36  to a single sanitary napkin remains within the scope of this invention. In order to do so, an apparatus similar to that shown in  FIG. 14  could be used to unite the web  132  with first and second pairs of strips  112 ,  114  and  112 ′,  114 ′. This is shown in  FIG. 17 . Alternatively, two apparatuses similar to that shown in  FIGS. 14 and 17  could be placed in series. As a result, the first apparatus could unite the web  132  with the first pair of strips  112 ,  114  and the second apparatus could be used to attach the second pair of strips  112 ′,  114 ′. An example of the product resulting from such a method is shown in simplified manner in  FIG. 18 . As depicted, each side of the sanitary napkin features a pair of flaps that partially overlap one another. It should be expressly understood, however, that flaps which are distanced from one another and therefore don&#39;t overlap, as shown in  FIG. 19 , also remain within the scope of the present invention.  
      Although various embodiments have been illustrated, this was for the purpose of describing, but not limiting, the invention. Various modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of this invention, which is defined more particularly by the attached claims.