David John Enz, Neenah, WI; Robert Lee Popp, Greenville, WI; David Fleger Bishop, Appleton, WI; Wendy Lynn VanDyke, Appleton, WI; Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Appleton, WI; and Catherine Marguerite Hancock-Cooke, Neenah, WI.
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI.

Filed: 2/28/14
Issued: 11/1/16

A method of manufacturing an absorbent article including a fastening system configured to attach a rear waist region of the absorbent article to a front waist region of the absorbent article to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article, the fastening system including a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the primary fastening system including at least one primary first fastening component and a primary second fastening component, the secondary fastening system including at least one secondary first fastening component and at least one secondary second fastening component, the method comprising: coupling a carrier web to a web of primary second fastening component material to form a composite web, the carrier web including secondary first fastening component material; cutting the composite web to form a discrete composite web component comprising primary second fastening component material and discrete portions of secondary first fastening component material; and coupling the discrete composite web component to an outer cover of an absorbent assembly, the absorbent assembly comprising: a liquid impermeable outer cover, a liquid permeable top sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the outer cover and the top sheet; a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the rear waist region; a first side portion transversely opposing a second side portion; and a first longitudinally extending fold-line proximate the first side portion and a second longitudinally extending fold-line proximate the second side portion, both fold-lines extending from the front waist region to the rear waist region; wherein the discrete composite web component forms the primary second fastening component of the primary fastening system and the at least one secondary first fastening component of the secondary fastening system; wherein an inboard-most longitudinal edge of a first discrete portion of secondary first fastening component material proximate the first side portion is disposed outboard of the first longitudinally extending fold-line, and wherein an inboard-most longitudinal edge of a second discrete portion of secondary first fastening component material proximate the second side portion is disposed outboard of the second longitudinally extending fold-line.

A method of manufacturing an absorbent article including a fastening system configured to attach a rear waist region of the absorbent article to a front waist region of the absorbent article to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article, the fastening system including a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the primary fastening system including at least one primary first fastening component and a primary second fastening component, the secondary fastening system including at least one secondary first fastening component and at least one secondary second fastening component, the method comprising: cutting a carrier web including a secondary first fastening component material to form a first carrier including an outermost longitudinal edge and an innermost longitudinal edge, the first carrier including at least a portion of the secondary first fastening component material; cutting a web including primary second fastening component material to form a strip, the strip including at least a portion of the primary second fastening component material; coupling the first carrier to an outer cover of an absorbent assembly, the absorbent assembly comprising: a liquid impermeable outer cover, a liquid permeable top sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the outer cover and the top sheet, the absorbent assembly including a first longitudinal side edge, a second longitudinal side edge opposite the first longitudinal side edge, a front waist region, a rear waist region, a first longitudinally extending fold-line proximate the first longitudinal side edge, and a second longitudinally extending fold-line proximate the second longitudinal side edge; wherein the first carrier is coupled to the absorbent assembly in the front waist region such that the outermost longitudinal edge of the first carrier is inboard of the first longitudinal side edge of the absorbent assembly and the innermost longitudinal edge of the first carrier is outboard of the first longitudinally extending fold-line, the at least a portion of the secondary first fastening component material on the first carrier forming the at least one secondary first fastening component of the secondary fastening system; and coupling the strip including the at least a portion of the primary second fastening component material to the outer cover of the absorbent article in the front waist region, the at least a portion of the primary second fastening component material forming the primary second fastening component of the primary fastening system, wherein the first carrier is coupled to the outer cover such that an innermost longitudinal edge of the first carrier is disposed outboard of a first outer edge of the strip.