In order to maintain or grow their market share, manufacturers of disposable absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and absorbent pants must continue to discover and develop improvements to materials, components and features that affect aspects such as containment, absorbency, comfort, fit and appearance. Absorbent pants are manufactured in smaller sizes to be used as, e.g., pull-on diapers and toilet training pants for young children, and in larger sizes to be used as, e.g., undergarments for persons suffering from incontinence.
A particular type of absorbent pant design currently marketed is sometimes called the “balloon” pant. The balloon pant design usually includes a central absorbent chassis and an elastic belt. The elastic belt is usually relatively wide (in the longitudinal direction) and elastically stretchable in the lateral direction. It entirely encircles the wearer's waist, and thereby covers a relatively large amount of the wearer's skin, and also makes up a relatively large portion of the visible outside surfaces of the pant. The central chassis portion is typically joined to the inside of the belt in the front, wraps under the wearer's lower torso between the legs, and is joined to the inside of the belt in the rear. The belt is often formed of two layers of nonwoven web sandwiching one or more elastic members such as a plurality of laterally-oriented strands or strips of elastomeric material, or a section of elastomeric film or elastomeric nonwoven. It is common among such designs that, in manufacture, the elastic member(s) are sandwiched between the nonwoven web layers in a strained condition. Upon completion of manufacture and allowance of the belt with sandwiched elastic member(s) to assume a relaxed condition, the elastic member(s) contract laterally toward their unstrained lengths. This causes the nonwoven web layers to form gathers that take the form of visible rugosities in the belt. It is believed that some consumers find the rugosities attractive because they present a textured, plush, frilly and/or soft appearance and feel, and also provide a visible indication of stretchability and comfortableness.
The balloon pant design provides for certain efficiencies in manufacture, and it is believed that the design may gain popularity. Consequently, any improvement in components such as the belt that enhance its appearance and functionality may give the manufacturer thereof an advantage.