Patents by Inventor Yoko Munakata

Yoko Munakata has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11633312
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Ohba
  • Patent number: 10912684
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Ohba
  • Publication number: 20200246201
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Yoko MUNAKATA, Kiyoe OHBA
  • Patent number: 9925094
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Ohba
  • Publication number: 20180028374
    Abstract: An absorbent article has longitudinal edges, front and rear end regions, and a central region between the end regions, and an absorbent core disposed between a topsheet and a backsheet. A pair of central side flaps extend laterally outward from longitudinal edges of the absorbent core in the central region, and a pair of rear side flaps extend laterally outward from longitudinal edges of the absorbent core in the rear end region. A channel with a plurality of first areas and second areas alternately spaced along at least a portion of a length of the channel is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Miura, Yoko Munakata
  • Patent number: 9730844
    Abstract: An absorbent article has longitudinal edges, front and rear end regions, and a central region between the end regions, and an absorbent core disposed between a topsheet and a backsheet. A pair of central side flaps extend laterally outward from longitudinal edges of the absorbent core in the central region, and a pair of rear side flaps extend laterally outward from longitudinal edges of the absorbent core in the rear end region. A support layer disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet in the rear end region extends from one of the rear side flaps to the other outboard of the longitudinal edges of the absorbent core but inboard of the longitudinal edges of the article. The support layer is absent in the central side flaps. A channel with a plurality of first areas and second areas alternately spaced along at least a portion of a length of the channel is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Miura, Yoko Munakata
  • Publication number: 20150265474
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Oba
  • Publication number: 20150080831
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Yoko MUNAKATA, Kiyoe OHBA
  • Publication number: 20150080833
    Abstract: An absorbent article has longitudinal edges, front and rear end regions, and a central region between the end regions, and an absorbent core disposed between a topsheet and a backsheet. A pair of central side flaps extend laterally outward from longitudinal edges of the absorbent core in the central region, and a pair of rear side flaps extend laterally outward from longitudinal edges of the absorbent core in the rear end region. A support layer disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet in the rear end region extends from one of the rear side flaps to the other outboard of the longitudinal edges of the absorbent core but inboard of the longitudinal edges of the article. The support layer is absent in the central side flaps. A channel with a plurality of first areas and second areas alternately spaced along at least a portion of a length of the channel is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Miura, Yoko Munakata
  • Patent number: 8920398
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The ratio of the width of the rear end region to the width of the front end region ranges between 1:1 and 2.5:1. The absorbent article has a topsheet, backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core has a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair of rear side flaps each extending laterally from the corresponding longitudinal edge of the absorbent core in the rear end region and a continuous support layer disposed on the backsheet in the rear end region. The continuous support layer includes a continuous material having a shear rigidity value of at least 3.0 gf/cm·degree in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Miura, Yoko Munakata
  • Patent number: 8715258
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region. The absorbent core is profiled within the central closed area so that the central region has a caliper that is greater than the caliper of the outside of the central closed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Ohba
  • Publication number: 20060116653
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, the invention is directed to an absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article comprises: a liquid pervious topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards the both ends of the channels to define a central closed area which has a maximum length of 80-220 mm and a maximum width of 25-70 mm. The absorbent article further comprises a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Ohba
  • Publication number: 20060116652
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The front end region has a width defined between the longitudinal edges. The rear end region has a width defined between the longitudinal edges. The ratio of the width of the rear end region to the width of the front end region ranges between 1:1 and 2.5:1. The absorbent article comprises: a liquid pervious topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet at least in the central region and the rear end region. The absorbent core has a pair of longitudinal edges. The absorbent article further comprises a pair of rear side flaps each extending laterally from the corresponding longitudinal edge of the absorbent core in the rear end region; and a continuous support layer disposed on the backsheet in the rear end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Miura, Yoko Munakata
  • Patent number: D546945
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Yoko Munakata