Patent ID: 6913718

Claim:
A method of making shaped components for disposable absorbent articles, comprising the steps of: forming a web by air-laying fibrous material from which said components are formed, said web formed of fibrous material selected from the group consisting of: (1) cellulosic fibrous material; and (2) a blend of cellulosic fibrous material and superabsorbent polymer; longitudinally slitting said web of material into a plurality of adjacent subdivided webs, each of said subdivided webs having a plurality of said shaped components arranged in serial relationship each of said shaped components having a non-rectilinear configuration, said shaped components of adjacent ones of said subdivided webs being in nested relationship with each other; collecting opposite marginal portions of said web of material, respectively positioned outwardly of outboard ones of said subdivided web, and at least partially recycling the marginal portion for formation of said web of said fibrous material; transversely cutting each of said subdivided webs to form individual ones of said shaped components; and assembling said individual ones of said shaped components by one of: (1) stacking said individual ones of said shaped components; and (2) placement of said individual ones of said components on a carrier web for subsequent storage and shipment in roll form.