Disposable Means Patents (Class 604/385.13)
  • Patent number: 6929628
    Abstract: A toilet flushable diaper for use by infants and incontinent adults. The diaper has a liquid impervious back sheet comprised of a soluble film center layer covered on both sides with flocking or nonwoven material. An absorbent member is carried on the inner surface of the back sheet comprises a liquid pervious cover which encapsulates an inner body for absorbing urine and other body fluids. The diaper is formed with a weakened tear sheet which enables manual tearing of it into several pieces, allowing the pieces to dissolve when absorbing water as they are flushed down a toilet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Frederick W. George
  • Patent number: 6926704
    Abstract: An absorbent disposable article, such as nappy pants, has a T-shaped tape attached on the outside of the article with such adhesion that the tape withstands a load of at least 25 N in the tape flap without the tape coming away from the outer layer. The tape flap is arranged in a parked state during use and can also be used to seal the article into a closed, folded package after use. When the tape flap has been freed from its parked state, the tape flap forms a stem portion of a T with the two cross-legs of the T permanently attached to the outer layer, so the tensile forces in the tape flap are taken up by the two legs. The outer layer includes a non-woven laminate, with at least one outer ply of spunbond and an inner ply of at least one meltblown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Mikael Andersson, Ken Olsson, Anna-Karin Storm
  • Patent number: 6805691
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hygiene product including a sanitary napkin, a release sheet and a packaging sheet. Wing portions of the sanitary napkin are folded back against a body surface of a main body portion of the sanitary napkin, and pressure sensitive adhesive layers of the wing portions are covered with the release sheet. A stack of the packaging sheet, the sanitary napkin and the release sheet are so folded into the hygiene product that only the packaging sheet is exposed externally. A portion of the packaging sheet protruding rearwardly from a rear end of the sanitary napkin is bonded to an exterior surface of the release sheet at a position spaced rearwardly away from the pressure sensitive adhesive layers of the wing portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kashiwagi, Etsuko Tagami
  • Publication number: 20040199136
    Abstract: An article containing a liquid pervious topsheet coated with a lotion composition is disclosed. The lotion composition provides a skin benefit and/or reduces the adherence of BM to the skin of the wearer, thereby improving the ease of BM clean up. The lotion composition applied to the article in a nonuniform manner, preferably such there are regions on the article's topsheet that are not coated with lotion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Laura Graves Spalding Van Rijswijck, Julie Charlene Rule
  • Publication number: 20040111076
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is formed in one of front and rear waist regions with first wings which are elastically stretchable in a waist-surrounding direction and these first wings are provided on respective body facing surfaces with first fastener means. The other waist region is provided on its undergarment facing surface with, in addition to second fastener means, anti-slip zones exhibiting a desired average kinetic frictional force relative to the body facing surface of the first wings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Yasushi Sayama, Hironao Minato, Koichiro Tani, Koichiro Mitsui, Kengo Ochi, Masato Isono
  • Patent number: 6736804
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article with a mechanical fastening system having disposal mechanism so as to provide convenient disposal of the absorbent article. The mechanical fastening system preferably comprises a tape tab having a first fastening element, a landing member comprising a second fastening element engageable with the first fastening element, and disposal mechanism for allowing the absorbent article to be secured in a configuration that provides convenient disposal of the absorbent article. The disposal mechanism preferably comprises a second fastening element affixed to the backing surface of at least one of the tape tab, so that the first fastening element of the opposite tape tab will engage the second fastening element of the disposal mechanism so as to secure the absorbent article in its disposal configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Anthony J. Robertson, Charles Locke Scripps
  • Patent number: 6723430
    Abstract: Provided is a water-decomposable absorbent article including a water-decomposable back layer, a water-decomposable and liquid-pervious surface layer, and a water-decomposable absorbent layer sandwiched between the back layer and the surface layer. The absorbent layer is formed of at least one composite sheet of a water-soluble or water-swellable polymer layer and a water-decomposable fibrous layer, of which the uppermost layer adjacent to the surface layer is the water-decomposable fibrous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kurata, Mitsuhiro Wada, Sachiyo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6716203
    Abstract: An individually wrapped feminine care absorbent article package includes an absorbent article contained within a pouch having an openable flap. The pouch is made from a wrapper material having an inner film layer and at least one fibrous material outer layer having a tactile cloth-like softness as compared to the film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Heather A. Sorebo, Wendy Benhke, Julie Bednarz, David R. Wagner, Robert J. Koenig, Kimberly A. Stanford
  • Patent number: 6692825
    Abstract: A nonwoven web and method of preparing a novel nonwoven web of synthetic fiber are disclosed. An aqueous solution amide crosslinked synthetic precursor polymer is extruded under defined conditions through a plurality of die orifices to form a plurality of threadlines. The threadlines are attenuated with a defined primary gaseous source to form fiber under conditions of controlled macro scale turbulence and under conditions sufficient to permit the viscosity of each threadline, as it leaves a die orifice and for a distance of no more than about 8 cm, to increase incrementally with increasing distance from the die, while substantially maintaining uniformity of viscosity in the radial direction, at a rate sufficient to provide fiber having the desired attenuation and mean fiber diameter without significant fiber breakage. The attenuated threadlines are dried with a defined secondary gaseous source. The resulting fibers are deposited randomly on a moving foraminous surface to form a substantially uniform web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Qin, Yong Li, Wendy Lynn Van Dyke, Anthony John Wisneski, Palani Raj Ramaswami Wallajapet, Hannong Rhim
  • Patent number: 6645189
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper has a disposal securing means. This means includes perforated lines which are formed between transversely opposite side edges of front and rear waist regions and respective first joining zones, along which top- and backsheets are torn together to define slits. The perforated lines extend in a longitudinal direction between the vicinity of a peripheral edge portion of a waist-opening and the vicinity of peripheral edge portions of respective leg-openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kurita, Tomoko Tsuji
  • Patent number: 6638261
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper has a pair of tape fasteners to hold the diaper in a rolled up state. The tape fasteners are provided in the vicinity of transversely opposite side edges of a rear waist region so as to extend in a longitudinal direction. The tape fasteners have lower end portions bonded to the diaper by bonding zones extending in a waist-surrounding direction in the vicinity of peripheral edge portions of respective leg-openings. The bonding zones extend obliquely inward in the waist-surrounding direction from the transversely opposite side edge portions of the rear waist region toward the upper end portions of the respective tape fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6629966
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper that includes a pair of tape fasteners which are adapted to hold the diaper in a rolled-up state. The tape fasteners are provided at transversely opposite side edges of a rear waist region so as to extend along the side edges in a longitudinal direction. Each of the tape fasteners has an upper end portion lying adjacent a waist-opening and a lower end portion lying adjacent an associated leg-opening. The upper end portions of the tape fasteners are bonded to the diaper by bonding zones which extend obliquely inward in a waist-surrounding direction from the transversely opposite side edges of the rear waist region toward the lower end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corp.
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Seiji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6623466
    Abstract: An absorbent article including a disposable diaper, reusable diaper, feminine care pad, training pants, incontinence garment and the like. The article comprises a detachable flushable topsheet and an absorbent pouch containing absorbent contents; however, the detachable topsheet is optional. A fastening means releasably attaches the absorbent pouch in a stationary position within the article and prevents the pouch from shifting with respect to the article. The detachable topsheet can be removed from the article and flushed in a toilet together with the human waste. A binding allows the pouch to be opened to flush the absorbent contents and human waste inside the pouch, in segments to avoid clogging a toilet. Instead of flushing, the absorbent pouch can be removed from the article and disposed of in a waste receptacle, by rolling the pouch, with minimum finger contact with human waste, and securing the pouch to itself using an adhesive tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Inventor: Irene Richardson
  • Patent number: 6610037
    Abstract: A disposal cover comprising a single sheet of flexible, fluid-impervious material with a tape fastening system applied to the sheets perimeters is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the sheet has two outwardly curved sides which taper toward two opposing ends. In use, a used sanitary item, either a pad or a tampon, is placed longitudinally in the center of the cover, and the curved sides and tapered ends are folded until they overlap, and then are fastened together with a tape fastening system. This results in the used sanitary item being completely concealed in a compact, sanitary package that can be easily and discreetly disposed of through the solid waste system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventor: Georgene Elaine Rosengrant
  • Publication number: 20030153891
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an absorbent article having a multifunctional disposal fastening mechanism disposed on the outer cover thereof. The absorbent article has an improved disposal fastening mechanism that provides for a convenient and simple disposal of the article, while at the same time providing relevant or pleasing indicia on the multifunctional disposal fastening mechanism. The multifunctional disposal fastening mechanism is capable of maintaining the garment in a rolled up configuration, and it includes visible indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventor: Kenneth John Molee
  • Patent number: 6595973
    Abstract: Here is disclosed a pull-on disposable wearing article formed by connecting front and rear waist regions to each other wherein an auxiliary sheet having a given area and placed upon outer surface of a backsheet extends from a crotch region into the front waist region and comprises a free end zone lying in the front waist region and circumferentially extending and fixed side edge zones longitudinally extending along the transversely opposite side edges in the front waist region as well as in the crotch region and fixed to the outer surface of the backsheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corp.
    Inventor: Tomoko Sugito
  • Publication number: 20030116462
    Abstract: A feminine care absorbent article package includes an absorbent article contained within a pouch having a panel member extending across the back of the pouch. The panel member is alternately pulled over the open top of the pouch to open and re-seal the pouch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Heather A. Sorebo, Wendy Benhke, Julie Bednarz, David R. Wagner, Robert J. Koenig
  • Patent number: 6562017
    Abstract: An absorbent article having raisable strips with inner portions of the raisable strips arranged at the opposite side of the absorbent article being folded to have a Z-shaped cross section. Bottom portions of the Z-shaped inner portions are bonded to a top sheet of the absorbent article, and elastic members are mounted in top portions of the Z-shaped inner portions so that the top portions are raised flat together with slanted side portions of the Z-shaped inner portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Livedo Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakaoka, Masaru Fujioka, Satoshi Maeda, Kazuyo Mori
  • Patent number: 6547774
    Abstract: An absorbent disposable undergarment includes an outer garment, such as pants, in combination with a detachable absorbent pad attached inside thereof. First suspending flaps hang down from an inner side of a stretchable waist-opening peripheral edge of the pants toward a crotch section of the pants. The first suspending flaps are provided with first fastener elements that are disposed remote from the waist opening of the pants. Second suspending flaps extend upwardly from longitudinally opposite ends of the absorbent pad. The second suspending flaps are provided with second fastener elements, that are adapted to mate with the first fastener elements, and are disposed remote from the core of the pad. These second fasteners are releasably engaged with the first fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Ono, Yoshihisa Fujioka, Yoshikazu Takigawa
  • Publication number: 20030069556
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an individually folded and wrapped product, comprising and absorbent article and an enveloping sheet. The absorbent article is provided with side flaps and adhesive regions that aid in fixing it to a wearer's panties, keeping it in the correct position and avoiding the occurrence of leakage. The enveloping sheet totally encloses the absorbent article when the absorbent article is transversely folded over itself with the flaps in an open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventor: Rogerio Costa
  • Patent number: 6544242
    Abstract: A disposable body fluids absorbent article is provided on an outer surface of a backsheet thereof with a tape fastener for fastening the used article in a rolled up condition for disposal. The tape fastener includes a fixed end portion secured to the outer surface of the backsheet, a free end portion longitudinally opposite the fixed end portion, an elastically stretchable portion extending longitudinally between these opposite end portions, and an adhesive portion extending longitudinally between the free end portion and the elastically stretchable portion and releasably bonded to the outer surface of the backsheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kido, Hiroyuki Soga, Toshio Inoue, Koji Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20030065302
    Abstract: An individual package of an absorbent article permits a base end of a tape to be bonded with sufficiently large bonding strength without complicating packaging process and increasing manufacturing cost. The absorbent article is wrapped by a package sheet having side edge portions and end edges, and one end edge is overlapped over the other end edge. The package sheet is sealed along the side edge portions, a base end of a tape is fixed on the surface of the package sheet located outside in an overlapping portion, and a free end of the tape extends across one end edge and is releasably adhered on the outer surface of the package sheet adjacent one end edge. The package sheet has a surface, on which the base end of the tape is fixed, the surface being smoothed by a smoothing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichiro Kuroda, Wataru Yoshimasa, Satoshi Nozaki, Masahiro Kashiwagi, Noritatsu Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20030045856
    Abstract: A selectively releasable, interengaging fastening system that may be used for a variety of articles such as, for example, shoes, garments, disposable absorbent products such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinence products and the like. The fastening system includes a first fastener component that can constitute at least a first portion of an article. The first fastener component includes an engagement section having a plurality of substantially non-isotropic engagement members such that the engagement section has an axis of substantially maximal engagement. The fastening system also includes a cooperating fastener component that may constitute at least a second portion of an article such that the first and second portions of the article are capable of being joined by movement of the respective components together generally along an attachment direction into an overlapping and interengaging configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Denise R. Couture, Yvette L. Hammonds, Valerie L. Kurbec, Shelley R. Rasmussen, William G. Reeves, William G. Stratton, Manuel A. Torres
  • Patent number: 6524293
    Abstract: A prefastened, refastenable, disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis, at least one stretch panel, and a pair a primary fasteners. The absorbent chassis defines a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges and a pair of laterally opposed side edges. The stretch panel is located in one of the waist regions and defines a waist edge, a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges which are located laterally beyond the side edges of the absorbent chassis, and an inward edge which is located longitudinally inward from the waist edge. The pair of primary fasteners are located on the laterally opposed outboard edges of the stretch panel and are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of the absorbent chassis to releasably engage a front waist region to a rear waist region to provide the prefastened disposable absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura Linda Elsberg, Brian Walter Angielski, June Marie De Valk, Tim Joseph Janssen, Patrick Sean McNichols, Jennifer Elizabeth Pozniak, Bruce Reed Shafer, James Bennington Stopher, Gary Lee Travis
  • Publication number: 20030036740
    Abstract: A system for attaching a personal care article to an undergarment, the system including: (a) providing a personal care article having a top surface, a bottom surface, garment attachment adhesive applied to the bottom surface, a peel strip covering the garment attachment adhesive and pair of wings including selectively releasable, interengaging fasteners such that the wings are adapted to be temporarily mechanically engaged on the topsheet side of the article and then reconfigured to hold the article to an undergarment; (b) overlapping and temporarily interengaging the wings on the top surface of the article while the peel strip protecting the garment adhesive is removed; (c) positioning the article in an undergarment and securing the article to the undergarment utilizing the garment adhesive; and (d) disengaging the wings and re-engaging the wings around the undergarment to further secure the article to the undergarment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Yvette L. Hammonds, Shelley R. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 6520944
    Abstract: A diaper has a front part, a rear part and an intermediate crotch part which includes an absorbent body that extends in the longitudinal direction of the diaper from the rear part, through the crotch part and into the front part and which is spaced from the end-edge of the rear part and/or the front part. A weakening line is provided transversely in that part of the diaper which lies longitudinally outside the absorbent body, in the front or the rear part. The weakening line terminates at a distance from the side-edges of the diaper in the diaper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Anna Karin Jonbrink
  • Publication number: 20030014030
    Abstract: An absorbent disposable article, such as nappy pants, has a T-shaped tape attached on the outside of the article with such adhesion that the tape withstands a load of at least 25 N in the tape flap without the tape coming away from the outer layer. The tape flap is arranged in a parked state during use and can also be used to seal the article into a closed, folded package after use. When the tape flap has been freed from its parked state, the tape flap forms a stem portion of a T with the two cross-legs of the T permanently attached to the outer layer, so the tensile forces in the tape flap are taken up by the two legs. The outer layer includes a non-woven laminate, with at least one outer ply of spunbond and an inner ply of at least one meltblown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Mikael Andersson, Ken Olsson, Anna-Karin Storm
  • Publication number: 20030014032
    Abstract: A napkin package is difficult to form permanent folding, twisting or corrugation in a leakage preventing wall as folded and wrapped by a packaging sheet, to ensure raising of the leakage preventing wall from a surface of a sanitary napkin after opening the package for achieving satisfactory side leakage preventing effect. A sanitary napkin has longitudinally extending leakage preventing walls on both sides of a liquid absorbing portion. A reinforcement sheet is provided on a surface side of a folded sanitary napkin with covering a portion of the folding line, the reinforcement sheet is bent at a position corresponding to the folding line without forming crease, and portions of the leakage preventing walls located corresponding to the portion across which the folding line extends, are urged onto an outer surface of the bent portion of the reinforcement sheet by the elastic tension force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Kashiwagi, Tatsuya Tamura, Shinnpei Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20030004486
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a garment facing surface. A backsheet defining the garment facing surface is provided on its outer surface with an adhesive tape adapted to hold the diaper in a rolled-up state. The adhesive tape comprises a fastening tape and a reinforcing tape. The fastening tape is folded back in an inner tape section and an outer tape section. The inner tape section is fixed in the vicinity of its end to the backsheet and spaced from the backsheet in the vicinity of a fold being contiguous to the outer tape section. The outer tape section is coated with an adhesive and temporarily fixed to the inner tape section. The reinforcing tape is folded back in two sections in a direction opposite to that in which the fastening tape is folded back and is fixed to the inner tape section in the vicinity of the fold 33 and also to the backsheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Seiji Suzuki, Keiichi Jibiki, Nariaki Shimoe
  • Patent number: 6491675
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper includes a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed therebetween. The diaper has a waist-hole and a pair of leg-holes. The diaper is provided on one of a front half or a rear half thereof with at least one elastically stretchable fastening member transversely extending across a longitudinal center line of the diaper, and a hook member which lies on the longitudinal center line to catch the fastening member. The fastening member has transversely opposite end portions secured to the diaper, and a transversely intermediate portion exposed on an outer surface of the backsheet. After use, the used diaper is rolled-up with an outer peripheral surface thereof surrounded by the intermediate portion, and the intermediate portion is caught by the hook to secure the used diaper in the rolled-up state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Toshio Inoue, Seiji Suzuki, Kenji Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020177836
    Abstract: A shorts-type disposable diaper including a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorber interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, front and rear waist portions being connected together at opposite sides thereof, respectively, the improvement including a tape fastener adapted to fasten the diaper when the diaper is to be discarded, the tape fastener being disposed at a central outer surface section of the backsheet and extending in a longitudinal direction of the backsheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Hayase, Harumitsu Toyoda, Haruko Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6485478
    Abstract: A disposable undergarment that has a pair of tape fasteners attached to transversely opposite side edge portions of a rear waist region and a non-stretchable target tape strip attached to the outer surface of a front waist region. The front and rear waist regions and a crotch region are elastically stretchable in length and width. The tape strip includes a flexible plastic sheet having transversely opposite side edges extending longitudinally and upper and lower edges extending transversely of the undergarment and a plurality of long fibers extending longitudinally on the outer surface of the sheet between the upper and lower edges. The sheet is formed with a plurality of perforated lines arranged to be transversely spaced one from another by a predetermined dimension and to extend between the vicinity of the upper edge and the vicinity of the lower edge. The target tape strip is attached to the front waist region being substantially in non-stretched state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeo Imai, Toshimitsu Baba
  • Publication number: 20020165515
    Abstract: The invention is a diaper comprising an impermeable outer shell, means for securing it around the waist and legs, and a set of multiple absorbent pads located inside the shell. Each such pad in the set being positioned and adapted to receive and hold liquid and solid waste in turn. Each pad being easily removable after use, through suitable openings in the shell, leaving behind a clean pad in its place for subsequent use and removal. Each said pad comprising a top layer of absorbent material lined with a lower, thin layer of impermeable material designed to hold liquids and keep them from seeping downward to the next pad in the stack, an end tongue or handle for puling out of the pad stack and out of the shell, and an integral (plastic) bag or enclosure to isolate the used pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventor: Herbert R. Burnham
  • Patent number: 6475205
    Abstract: A pull-on disposable diaper that is provided, in a vicinity of transversely opposite side edges in a rear waist region, with fastening tape strips. The fastening tape strips are adapted to hold the diaper in its rolled up state for disposal after the diaper has been used. Each of the tape strips includes a first portion extending longitudinally of the diaper parallel to the associated one of transversely opposite side edges and a second portion branched from the first portion that extends longitudinally of the diaper. Longitudinally opposite end regions of the first portion are bonded to edges of waist- and leg-openings. The second portion includes an anchoring zone adapted to be separably anchored on the outer peripheral surface of the rolled up diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Seiji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6454748
    Abstract: A diaper with a pocket including an exterior layer of a liquid impervious plastic material. An interior layer is formed of a liquid absorbing material. Separable vertical edges extend downwardly from the upper edge of the layers with an adhesive strip for securing the diaper on the child. Also provided is an intermediate layer of a liquid impervious plastic material in a generally rectangular configuration exterior of the interior layer and coupled at the periphery to the interior face of the exterior layer at the back, the intermediate layer extending horizontally for the majority of the extent of the back and extending vertically for the majority of the extent of the back thereby forming a large pocket for the receipt of baby-changing related objects. A slit is formed in the exterior layer for allowing entrance to and egress from the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Inventor: Shari Ives
  • Publication number: 20020133134
    Abstract: A detachable sack (36) for holding absorbent items which appearing as a decorative portion of a baby's pamper when attached to the back one side. The plastic detachable sack is flexible and easy to crease (32) and is firmly held close to the pamper (8) with a clear thin plastic sheet (20) holding on each angle and side. The detachable sack includes a plastic drawstring (16) of which is positioned throughout the top hem (25) of the sack which is adapted for the sanitary retrieval and disposal of absorbent materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventor: Kimberly Laniece Wilbon
  • Patent number: 6451000
    Abstract: A short-type disposable diaper including a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorber interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, front and rear waist portions being connected together at opposite sides thereof, respectively, the improvement including a tape fastener adapted to fasten the diaper when the diaper is to be discarded, the tape fastener being disposed at a central outer surface section of the backsheet and extending in a longitudinal direction of the backsheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Hayase, Harumitsu Toyoda, Haruko Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20020111597
    Abstract: A disposal cover comprising a single sheet of flexible material with a tape fastening system applied to the sheet's perimeters is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the sheet has two outwardly curved sides which taper toward two opposing ends. In use, a used sanitary item, either a pad or a tampon, is placed longitudinally in the center of the cover, and the curved sides and tapered ends are folded until they overlap, and then are fastened together with a tape fastening system. This results in the used sanitary item being completely concealed in a compact, sanitary package that can be easily and discreetly disposed of through the solid waste system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventor: Georgene Elaine Rosengrant
  • Patent number: 6432095
    Abstract: Provided is a water-decomposable absorbent article including, a water-decomposable back sheet containing water-dispersible fibers, a water-decomposable absorbent layer, and a water-decomposable surface member for covering the absorbent layer. The outer surface of the back sheet is provided with a plurality of adhesive spots for securing the absorbent article to an external support. The adhesive spots are arranged at intervals both in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction. The distance between the neighboring adhesive spots is longer than the maximum fiber length of the fibers constituting the back sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Wada, Nobuhiro Kurata, Megumi Tokumoto
  • Patent number: 6423042
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a pants-type outer cover and a liquid-absorbent pad. The outer cover has a zone adapted to cover the wearer's urethral meatus and the area in the vicinity thereof and being elastic transversely of the diaper. The pad is attached to an inner surface of the outer cover and its zone intended to be placed against the urethral meatus and the area in the vicinity thereof is placed upon the corresponding zone of the outer cover adapted to cover the urethral meatus and the area in the vicinity thereof and then joined to the outer cover along two zones defined on the outer cover so as to be spaced apart from each other transversely of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6402727
    Abstract: A disposal cover comprising a single sheet of flexible material with a tape fastening system applied to the sheet's perimeters is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the sheet has two outwardly curved sides which taper toward two opposing ends. In use, a used sanitary item, either a pad or a tampon, is placed longitudinally in the center of the cover, and the curved sides and tapered ends are folded until they overlap, and then are fastened together with a tape fastening system. This results in the used sanitary item being completely concealed in a compact, sanitary package that can be easily and discreetly disposed of through the solid waste system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventor: Georgene Elaine Rosengrant
  • Publication number: 20020052593
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper has a disposal securing means. This means includes perforated lines which are formed between transversely opposite side edges of front and rear waist regions and respective first joining zones, along which top- and backsheets are torn together to define slits. The perforated lines extend in a longitudinal direction between the vicinity of a peripheral edge portion of a waist-opening and the vicinity of peripheral edge portions of respective leg-openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kurita, Tomoko Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20020049420
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper has a pair of tape fasteners to hold the diaper in rolled up state. The tape fasteners are provided in the vicinity of transversely opposite side edges of a rearwaist region so as to extend in a longitudinal direction. The tape fasteners have lower end portions bonded to the diaper by bonding zones extending in a waist-surrounding direction in the vicinity of peripheral edge portions of respective leg-openings The bonding zones obliquely extend inward in the waist-surrounding direction from the transversely opposite side edge portions of the rear waist region toward the upper end portions of the respective tape fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventor: Seiji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6375645
    Abstract: An individually packaged absorbent article having a pair of first flaps and a pair of second flaps with fasteners, such as adhesive fasteners thereon, is disclosed. The absorbent article comprises a pair of first flaps and a pair of second flaps joined to the main body portion apart from the first flaps in the longitudinal direction and extending laterally outward beyond the longitudinal side edges of the main body portion. The garment surface of each of the first and second flaps comprises a first flap fastener and a second flap fastener respectively. The first and second flaps are folded over the body surface of the main body portion to expose the flap fasteners. A wrapper for the absorbed article comprises a main wrapper sheet, a first flap fastener cover and a second flap fastener cover. The main wrapper sheet comprises a pair of longitudinal side portions, a pair of end portions, an inner surface facing the main body portion and an outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Naofumi Nishida, Maki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6371949
    Abstract: Disposal securing arrangements provided on a backsheet of body fluids absorbent garment for disposal thereof has a first strip section bonded to the backsheet, a second strip section bonded to the backsheet, a third strip section having a proximal end portion connected to at least one of the first and second strip sections, and a free end portion. The third strip section includes a stretchable extent defined between these opposite end portions. The third strip section is separably held against the first strip section by a securing region provided thereon. The first and second section strip sections respectively have holding forces sufficient to remain held against the backsheet as the third strip section is peeled off from the first strip section and stretched. The holding force generated in the first strip section is equal to or higher than the holding force generated in the second strip section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Soga, Toshio Inoue, Hirotomo Mukai, Yoshikazu Takigawa
  • Publication number: 20020042600
    Abstract: A disposable pant for adults, toddlers and infants is provided. The pant has elastic side panels of sufficient width to be able to wrap around the pant when loaded with bodily wastes so as to form an elastic pouch for disposal. In an embodiment of the pant there is provided a pant having a body having a front end, a back end, and a crotch area. The body was a chassis, a front fastening panel, and two elastic side panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Datta, Suzanne Marie Schmoker
  • Publication number: 20020032427
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper (10) comprising an outer surface, an inner surface, a front portion (11), a rear portion (12), a crotch portion (13), each of said front portion (11) and said rear portion (12) having side panels with side edges (14), and overlapping side seams (15) which join together said side panels of said front portion (11) and said rear portion (12) to form leg openings (16) and a waist area characterized in that at least one side flap (17) is disposed outboard of each of the side edges (14) of said side panels forming the outermost portion of said overlapping side seams (15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: CHRISTOPH JOHANN SCHMITZ, JOHN GEOFFREY CHAN
  • Publication number: 20020026172
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper includes a pair of tape fasteners which are adapted to hold the diaper in rolled up state, the tape fasteners are provided at transversely opposite side edges of a rear waist region so as to extend along the side edges in a longitudinal direction, each of the tape fasteners has an upper end portion lying adjacent a waist-opening and a lower end portion lying adjacent each of leg-openings, and the upper end portions are bonded to the diaper by means of bonding zones which obliquely extend inward in a waist-surrounding direction from the transversely opposite side edges of the rear waist region toward the lower end portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Seiji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20020013566
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an absorbent article adapted to be secured to a wearer's body. The absorbent article has a cover disposed toward the body facing surface and a baffle disposed toward the undergarment-facing surface. Positioned between the cover and the baffle is an absorbent material. An adhesive is secured to the body facing surface to hold the absorbent article in intimate contact with the wearer during use. The absorbent article further includes a pocket secured to the baffle for assisting removal of the absorbent article. The pocket has a fixed portion and a medial open portion which may be grasped or a portion of the wearer hand may be inserted to facilitate removal. Advantageously, the open portion of the pocket provides a means for hygienically disposing of the sanitary napkin. The method includes folding the sanitary napkin in half (across the transverse axis) so that the cover is in contact with itself and the transverse ends are substantially aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles John Chappell, Wayne Clement Sigl
  • Publication number: 20020004656
    Abstract: A disposable diaper system for infants, babies, senior citizens and/or those who are physically challenged is presented. The system includes a diaper formed as a substantially rectangular blank having tabs at the corners and elastic leg engaging areas to prevent or minimize leakage and to provide a secure and comfortable fit. For hygiene purposes the system includes a first and second storage compartment coextensive therewith for storing an integrated disposable bag and gloves for reducing feces and/or body fluid contamination during diaper removal. The system is configured with materials which provide a reduced overall package volume including both the bag and gloves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Farzana Khan, Jacquel M. Smith