Patent ID: 8361045

Claim:
A method of manufacturing several distinct disposable absorbent articles on a single machine, said method comprising the steps of: a) forming an absorbent assembly having at least one absorbent layer and cutting said absorbent assembly into individual absorbent assemblies each into a predetermined size and shape; b) moving a bodyside liner into alignment with said individual absorbent assemblies and applying an outer cover to said individual absorbent assemblies to form a continuous web having a primary stretch in a cross-direction; c) adding at least one of the following components to either said bodyside liner, said individual absorbent assemblies or to said outer cover by activating certain applicators at a predetermined time: a surge layer, a skin care formulation, at least one pair of containment flaps, at least one pair of side panels, elastics which will correspond to at least one of the following regions of each of said individual absorbent articles: a crotch region, a waist region and leg opening regions, at least one pair of ear panels, and at least one fastener; d) cutting a pair of leg openings in said web; e) severing said continuous web in a cross-direction to form individual absorbent articles; f) folding said individual absorbent articles at least once; g) stacking said folded absorbent articles into at least one orderly pile; and h) wrapping a package around said one or more orderly piles.