Method of forming a disposable elastic structure

Claim 1

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats on opposing sides of each elastic strand substantially having different periods and amplitudes, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 2

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats on opposing sides of each elastic strand substantially having different periods and amplitudes, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 7

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands, with the first and second outside layers having a low basis weight of a controlled irregularity; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by bonding together with a controlled irregularity the first and second outside layers; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity substantially uniformly distributed throughout the elastic structure, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 8

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands, with the first and second outside layers having a low basis weight of a controlled irregularity; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by bonding together with a controlled irregularity the first and second outside layers; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity substantially uniformly distributed throughout the elastic structure, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 9

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers and positioning the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer out of parallel; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 10

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers and positioning the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer out of parallel; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 11

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer and by differentially tensioning adjacent nonintersecting elastic strands within the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats between any two adjacent elastic strands having a different period and amplitude adjacent to one of said two adjacent strands than the period and amplitude adjacent to the other of said two adjacent strands, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 12

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer and by differentially tensioning adjacent nonintersecting elastic strands within the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats between any two adjacent elastic strands having a different period and amplitude adjacent to one of said two adjacent strands than the period and amplitude adjacent to the other of said two adjacent strands, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 13

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure, and adhering together the first and second outside layers with the first stretched elastic layer therebetween using an adhesive layer having a predetermined adhesive pattern comprising adhesive areas interspersed with open, nonadhesive areas to provide a controlled irregularity of an adhesive; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic stucture to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 14

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure, and adhering together the first and second outside layers with the first stretched elastic layer therebetween using an adhesive layer having a predetermined adhesive pattern comprising adhesive areas interspersed with open, nonadhesive areas to provide a controlled irregularity of an adhesive; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic stucture to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 15

A method of forming a breathable multidirectional elastic structure comprising the steps of: providing first and second low basis weight nonwoven breathable outside layers, and first and second elastic layers, with each elastic layer comprising plural elastic strands; applying an adhesive layer to at least one of the first and second outside layers by forming the adhesive layer to have a first group of substantially mutually parallel bands of adhesive and a second group of substantially mutually parallel bands of adhesive, with the first group of adhesive bands intersecting the second group of adhesive bands at an intersection angle; configuring the elastic strands of the first elastic layer to conform to the first group of adhesive bands, and configuring the elastic strands of the second elastic layer to conform to the second group of adhesive bands; sandwiching the first and second elastic layers between the first and second outside layers; and bonding together the first and second outside layers, with the elastic strands of the first and second elastic layers sandwiched therebetween, using the adhesive layer.

Claim 16

A method of forming a breathable multidirectional elastic structure comprising the steps of: providing first and second low basis weight nonwoven breathable outside layers, and first and second elastic layers, with each elastic layer comprising plural elastic strands; applying an adhesive layer to at least one of the first and second outside layers by forming the adhesive layer to have a first group of substantially mutually parallel bands of adhesive and a second group of substantially mutually parallel bands of adhesive, with the first group of adhesive bands intersecting the second group of adhesive bands at an intersection angle; configuring the elastic strands of the first elastic layer to conform to the first group of adhesive bands, and configuring the elastic strands of the second elastic layer to conform to the second group of adhesive bands; sandwiching the first and second elastic layers between the first and second outside layers; and bonding together the first and second outside layers, with the elastic strands of the first and second elastic layers sandwiched therebetween, using the adhesive layer.

Claim 28

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially multidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, a first elastic layer having a first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands, and a second elastic layer having a second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first and second elastic layers by stretching the first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands and by stretching the second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; first positioning the stretched first layer between the first and second outside layers; after the first positioning step, positioning the stretched second elastic layer between the first and second outside layers with the elastic strands of the second layer intersecting the elastic strands of the first layer; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first and second elastic layers therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first and second elastic layers to cause the first and second elastic layers to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially multidirectional elastic properties so as to form an elastic structure having elastic properties in more than one direction.

Claim 29

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially multidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, a first elastic layer having a first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands, and a second elastic layer having a second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first and second elastic layers by stretching the first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands and by stretching the second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; first positioning the stretched first layer between the first and second outside layers; after the first positioning step, positioning the stretched second elastic layer between the first and second outside layers with the elastic strands of the second layer intersecting the elastic strands of the first layer; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first and second elastic layers therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first and second elastic layers to cause the first and second elastic layers to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially multidirectional elastic properties so as to form an elastic structure having elastic properties in more than one direction.

Claim 30

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands; and forming the structure into a strap configuration.

Claim 31

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure; forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands; and forming the structure into a strap configuration.

Claim 32

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially multidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, a first elastic layer having a first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands, and a second elastic layer having a second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first and second elastic layers by stretching the first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands and by stretching the second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; positioning the stretched first and second elastic layers between the first and second outside layers, with the elastic strands of the first layer intersecting the elastic strands of the second layer; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first and second elastic layers therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by adhering the structure with an adhesive layer having a predetermined adhesive pattern comprising adhesive areas interspersed with open, nonadhesive areas; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first and second elastic layers to cause the first and second elastic layers to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats on opposing sides of each elastic strand substantially having different periods and amplitudes, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially multidirectional elastic properties so as to form a multidirectional elastic structure having elastic properties in more than one direction.

Claim 33

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially multidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, a first elastic layer having a first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands, and a second elastic layer having a second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first and second elastic layers by stretching the first multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands and by stretching the second multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; positioning the stretched first and second elastic layers between the first and second outside layers, with the elastic strands of the first layer intersecting the elastic strands of the second layer; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first and second elastic layers therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by adhering the structure with an adhesive layer having a predetermined adhesive pattern comprising adhesive areas interspersed with open, nonadhesive areas; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first and second elastic layers to cause the first and second elastic layers to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats on opposing sides of each elastic strand substantially having different periods and amplitudes, and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially multidirectional elastic properties so as to form a multidirectional elastic structure having elastic properties in more than one direction.

Claim 34

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by spraying an adhesive layer on at least one of the first and second breathable outside layers; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 35

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure having substantially unidirectional elastic properties, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched nonintersecting elastic strands of the first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by spraying an adhesive layer on at least one of the first and second breathable outside layers; and forming a breathable elastic structure having a nonuniformity which is substantially regularly distributed throughout the elastic structure, the forming step comprising the step of relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity and the pleats, when drawn apart, having substantially unidirectional elastic properties so as to allow the elastic structure to be drawn apart in a direction substantially parallel with at least one the nonintersecting elastic strands.

Claim 36

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by screen printing an adhesive layer on at least one of the first and second outside layers; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats on opposing sides of each elastic strand substantially having different periods and amplitudes and the pleats, when drawn apart, having elastic properties.

Claim 37

A method of forming a breathable elastic structure comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven low basis weight first breathable outside layer, a nonwoven low basis weight second breathable outside layer, and a first elastic layer having a multiplicity of nonintersecting elastic strands; stretching the first elastic layer by stretching the elastic strands of the first elastic layer; positioning the stretched first elastic layer between the first and second outside layers; adhering the first and second outside layers together with the stretched first elastic layer therebetween to form a substantially unitary structure by screen printing an adhesive layer on at least one of the first and second outside layers; and relaxing the stretching of the first elastic layer to cause the first elastic layer to contract and to draw the outside layers into pleats having a controlled irregularity with the pleats on opposing sides of each elastic strand substantially having different periods and amplitudes and the pleats, when drawn apart, having elastic properties.