And Waist Opening Patents (Class 604/385.29)
  • Patent number: 11950988
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide for improved adjustability, adherence, and engagement of absorbent incontinence articles. An absorbent article is designed to fit various body contours and sizes and facilitate placements of the scrotum or genitals for comfort. An absorbent article may include a structure and materials to absorb fluid, for instance a paper or napkin-like article made using virgin fiber or recycled fibers and may include superabsorbent. The article, for instance a sheath or liner is adapted to provide no or at least one split or cleft, and thus at least one absorbent flap, to tuck into or engage a crotch of the underwear and restrict movement of the article. An adhesive or other fastening means is also provided to restrict article movement. The absorbent article also includes graduated placement indicia to facilitate retention of proper fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventor: Abigail Alligood
  • Patent number: 11925540
    Abstract: An elastic sheet for an absorbent article includes a first fibrous layer disposed on a first surface of the elastic sheet, a second fibrous layer disposed on a second surface of the elastic sheet opposite to the first surface, and contractible elastic members secured between the first fibrous layer and the second fibrous layer. The first fibrous layer and the second fibrous layer each include continuous fibers of thermoplastic and gathers formed between adjacent ones of the elastic members. The gathers are disposed in an intersecting direction intersecting with a direction in which the elastic members extend. An average flexural rigidity value of the first fibrous layer and the second fibrous layer in accordance with a KES method is 0.0035×10?4 to 0.022×10?4 (N·m2/m). A thickness under a compression load to the gathers in accordance with the KES method is 0.22 to 1.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Norihito Ikeuchi, Satoshi Mitsuno
  • Patent number: 11903804
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article may include a first waist region, a second waist region, a crotch region disposed between the first and the second waist regions, and a chassis having a topsheet, backsheet, absorbent core, and chassis periphery. The chassis periphery has a varying width, Wv.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kumardipti Chatterjee, Jeromy Thomas Raycheck, Michael Devin Long
  • Patent number: 11744746
    Abstract: A low bulk, high capacity disposable absorbent pant is disclosed. The pant may have a variety of combinations of features that contribute to imparting the pant with a more close-fitting, discreet appearance, particularly under outer clothing, more resembling that of an ordinary undergarment. The features may include an arrangement of relatively closely-spaced elastomeric strands in a belt structure; elastomeric strands in the belt structure having active portions that traverse forward and rearward portions of an absorbent pad assembly; an arrangement of elastomeric strands in the belt structure below the side seams; an arrangement of longitudinal elastic strands in the absorbent pad assembly that are closer to the longitudinal axis of the pant than to the side seams; and/or an absorbent core structure having portions that are tapered and/or channeled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ryo Minoguchi, Fred Naval Desai, Alexander Fedotov
  • Patent number: 11712376
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a lateral direction, a vertical direction, and a front-rear direction that are orthogonal to each other is provided. The absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; elastic members that are inserted along the lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member and that are spaced apart in the vertical direction; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced part in the lateral direction and in the vertical direction; and side-seal sections disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are formed on two sides of the elastic members in the vertical direction so that the elastic members are sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions on the two sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Masaharu Tomioka
  • Patent number: 11679038
    Abstract: An absorbent article is described that includes leg elastics that form the outermost edges of the product. The leg elastics can include an increased number of elastomeric strands and can extend outboard of the chassis. In this manner, the leg elastics can form a proper seal with the legs of the wearer without interference and can be visually inspected by a caregiver. Placing the leg elastics outboard of the chassis also provides for an efficient manner of producing the garment by attaching multiple elastic components to the garment along a vertical bonding seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah A. Kleuskens, Stacy E. Evenson, Andrew T. Hammond, Sarah A. Olson
  • Patent number: 11666492
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wearable article continuous in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction comprising a front elastic belt region, a back elastic belt region, a crotch region, a waist opening and two leg openings; the crotch region extending longitudinally between the front elastic belt region and the back elastic belt region; the front elastic belt region having an area of A1, the crotch region having an area of A2, the back elastic belt region having an area of A3, the front elastic belt region having a front placement distance L8, and the back elastic belt region having a back placement distance L9 according to the measurements herein; wherein the total of A1, A2 and A3 is from about 1250 cm2 to about 1400 cm2, and having a relationship of A3>A1>A2; and wherein the ratio of L8 to L9 is no more than about 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ling Tong, Koichi Morimoto, Chunmin Cheng, Albert Choy So
  • Patent number: 11529271
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to absorbent articles having at least a first belt which comprises a first, second and third zone. The at least first belt provides improved fit in the low motion zone of a wearer while being able to adapt easily to the motion of the wearer outside the low motion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary D. LaVon, Koichi Morimoto, Chunmin Cheng, Ling Tong
  • Patent number: 11432975
    Abstract: Disclosed is an array 1 of wearable articles 20, each article comprising a main body 38 and a ring-like elastic belt 40 comprising a front belt and a back belt wherein at least the front belt or the back belt is an elastic member having an elastic member width in the transverse direction and a non-elastic region; wherein a first elastic member of a first article comprises a first non-elastic region; a second elastic member of a second article comprises a second non-elastic region; a third elastic member of a third article comprises a third non-elastic region; wherein the elastic member width of the first, second, and third elastic members are the same; and the first, second, and third non-elastic regions are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Koichi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11389341
    Abstract: An incontinence pant including a main body having a front portion, a back portion, a crotch portion, a waist opening, and two leg openings. An elasticized waist cuff is formed at the waist opening and an elasticized leg cuff is formed at each of the two leg openings. Suspended mesh lining is disposed within the main body and is attached at each of the elasticized waist cuff and the two elasticized leg cuffs. The elasticized cuffs each have a pocket depth of at least 1 inch to form an absorbent area receiving a portion of an absorbent pad to capture leaked fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Tailored Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Fredrica V. Coates
  • Patent number: 11389340
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wearable article continuous in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction comprising an elastic belt region, a crotch region, a waist opening and two leg openings; wherein the article meets the formula of: LC<0.38CW-18; wherein LC is the Drapability index (%) according to the measurements herein, and CW is the Compression Work index (gfcm) according to the measurements herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Koichi Morimoto, Hui Liu
  • Patent number: 11370211
    Abstract: The method includes providing a thermoplastic web having mechanical fastening elements and a nonlinear line of weakness that extends predominantly in a first direction and demarcates nonlinear edges of two sub-webs but does not sever the thermoplastic web. The method further includes severing the thermoplastic web at the nonlinear line of weakness into the two sub-webs and joining the two sub-webs to a carrier to form the laminate. The two sub-webs are separated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Severing the thermoplastic web and joining the two sub-webs to the carrier are carried out in-line without offsetting the two sub-webs in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ryan M. Luepke, Scott M. Niemi, Thomas J. Gilbert, Adam A. Krzmarzick
  • Patent number: 11351067
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; an elastic member that is inserted along a lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced apart in the lateral direction; and side-seal sections that are disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are disposed on two sides of the elastic member in a vertical direction, which intersects the lateral direction and a front-rear direction, so that the elastic member is sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Masaharu Tomioka
  • Patent number: 11318053
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes: an absorbent main body including an absorbent core; and leak-proof walls on respective widthwise side portions of the absorbent main body. Each leak-proof wall is capable of standing on a skin side in the thickness direction, and includes a skin-side portion and a non-skin-side portion. A joined part is formed by joining at least partially facing surfaces of the skin-side and non-skin-side portions. The absorbent main body includes a crotch stretchable portion in a central portion in the width direction and the longitudinal direction, and the crotch stretchable portion stretches/contracts in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the width direction. The joined part is provided inside a distal end of the leak-proof wall and outside the crotch stretchable portion in the width direction. A part of the joined part and a part of the crotch stretchable portion at least overlap in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Takahito Nagai
  • Patent number: 11298275
    Abstract: A disposable diaper 1 has an elasticized leg cuff 10 on each longitudinally extending, lateral side of the crotch portion C. The elasticized leg cuff 10 includes an elastic member fixing sheet 5, an elastic member 6, an inner sheet 31, and an outer sheet 32 in order from the skin facing side. The inner sheet 31 and the outer sheet 32 are bonded to each other via a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced bonds 7. The elastic member 6 is located between the elastic member fixing sheet 5 and the inner sheet 31 and arranged at a location that does not overlap the bonds 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yumi Furukawa, Hiromichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11298273
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wearable article continuous in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, comprising a main body and an elastic belt comprising a front belt and a back belt, the main body being continuous with the front belt and the back belt, and the transverse edges of the front belt and the back belt are joined by a seam to form a waist opening and two leg openings, wherein each of the front belt and back belt are formed by an inner sheet, an outer sheet, and a plurality of elastic bodies sandwiched therebetween, wherein at least some of the elastic bodies run in the transverse direction substantially parallel to each other, wherein according to the Material Circumference Measurement and the Whole Article Force Measurement herein, the Belt Utilization is no less than 92%, and the Fit Circumference Force is greater than 2.0N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Koichi Morimoto, Chunmin Cheng, Masaharu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11291592
    Abstract: In a trunks-type disposable diaper in which a front around-leg elastic member and a back around-leg elastic member are attached on both sides in a width direction of an intermediate region in a region between an edge of one leg opening and an edge of the other leg opening in a pattern in which at least one front around-leg elastic member and at least one back around-leg elastic member cross each other, the above-described problem is solved by providing an inner member bonded portion that is a region bonding an outer member and an inner member only further to the center side in the width direction than a crossing position between the front around-leg elastic member and the back around-leg elastic member on both sides in the width direction in the intermediate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Daio Paper Corporation
    Inventor: Mina Takaishi
  • Patent number: 11219555
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for making elastomeric laminates with deactivated regions that may be used as components of absorbent articles. The methods and apparatuses may be configured with a pattern roll and a pressing surface adjacent the pattern roll. The pattern roll may include a bonding surface and a protuberance. As the pattern roll rotates, first and second substrates are welded together between the bonding surface and the pressing surface to create bonds between the first and second substrates. As the pattern roll continues to rotate, the first and second substrates and one or more stretched elastic strands are compressed between the pressing surface and the protuberance to sever the one or more stretched elastic strands to create deactivated regions in the elastomeric laminate. The processes and apparatuses may be configured to help prevent ends of the severed elastic strands from retracting in an uncontrolled fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Uwe Schneider, Kazuaki Tameishi
  • Patent number: 11179279
    Abstract: An underpants-type disposable diaper separately has a front side outer member and a back side outer member, the front side outer member and the back side outer member being spaced apart in a front-back direction in a middle in the front-back direction The back side outer member has a gluteal cover portion extending to a center side of the side seal portions in the front-back direction, and a front-back direction dimension of a side edge of the gluteal cover portion is 0.9 to 1.1 times a width direction dimension from a side edge of the back side outer member to a side edge of a center side of the side seal portions in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Daio Paper Corporation
    Inventors: Aya Ide, Yosuke Mori
  • Patent number: 11147717
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. In particular, discrete mechanical bonds are applied to a first substrate and a second substrate to secure elastic strands therebetween, wherein the discrete bonds are arranged intermittently along the machine direction. During the bonding process, heat and pressure are applied to the first substrate and the second substrate such that malleable materials of the first and second substrates deform to completely surround an outer perimeter of a discrete length of the stretched elastic strand. After removing the heat and pressure from the first and second substrates, the malleable materials harden to define a bond conforming with a cross sectional shape defined by the outer perimeter of the stretched elastic strand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Uwe Schneider, Joseph Allen Eckstein
  • Patent number: 11103389
    Abstract: Both high air permeability and high peeling strength are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: DAIO PAPER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aya Takahashi, Yukina Furuhashi
  • Patent number: 11083633
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to elastic laminates and methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Elastic laminates may include one or more reinforcement layers positioned between unstretched portions of elastic materials and substrates to which the elastic materials are bonded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Todd Douglas Lenser, Urmish Popatlal Dalal, Tanner L. Williams
  • Patent number: 10987255
    Abstract: A stretchable/contractible sheet having an up-down direction and a left-right direction intersecting each other includes a first sheet; a second sheet; welded portions; and elastic members. Elastic members are arranged between the first sheet and the second sheet by welded portions and with a space in the up-down direction. The welded portions include a first welded portion; and a third welded portion. The welded portions further include a second welded portion; and a fourth welded portion. The first welded portion and the third welded portion have portions that overlap in the up-down direction. A length of a portion where the first welded portion and the third welded portion overlap in the up-down direction is larger than a length in the up-down direction between a lowermost end of the first welded portion and a lowermost end of the third welded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM Corporation
    Inventor: Toshifumi Ohtsubo
  • Patent number: 10980678
    Abstract: A stretchable/contractible sheet having an up-down direction and a left-right direction intersecting each other is provided. The stretchable and contractible sheet includes: a first welded-portion row including a plurality of welded portions arranged side-by-side in the up-down direction; and a second welded-portion row including the plurality of welded portions located adjacent to the first welded-portion row on a one side in the left-right direction. The first welded-portion row includes: a first convex portion protruding toward the one side; and a second convex portion. The second welded-portion row includes a third convex portion protruding toward another side opposite to the one side in the left-right direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshifumi Ohtsubo
  • Patent number: 10973704
    Abstract: Articles of the present disclosure may have a tensile stress of the front proximal tummy zone higher than the tensile stress of any of the front waist zone, the front distal tummy zone, or the front leg zone, and a tensile stress of the back distal tummy zone higher than any of the tensile stress of the back waist zone, the back proximal tummy zone, or the back leg zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Koichi Morimoto, Chunmin Cheng, Ling Tong
  • Patent number: 10966874
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to absorbent article's chassis that may comprise one or more pluralities of tightly spaced (less than 4 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, and less than 1 mm) and/or low decitex (less than 300, less than 200, less than 100 dtex) and/or low strain (less than 300%, less than 200%, less than 100%) elastics to deliver low pressure less than 1 psi (according to the conditions defined by the Pressure-Under-Strand Test in the Method below) under the elastics. The elastics in the chassis may be oriented parallel or transverse to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary Dean LaVON, Uwe Schneider, Bret Darren Seitz, Sarah Marie Wade, Joseph Allen Eckstein
  • Patent number: 10932957
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending between and interconnecting the front and back waist regions. The article comprises an outer cover, a body-side liner, an absorbent assembly between the outer cover and the body-side liner, and leg and flap elastic composites including a containment flap portion and a gasket portion. Each of the composites are attached to the liner such that one of the composites is disposed adjacent one side edge of the liner and the other composite is disposed adjacent the other side edge of the liner, each of the composites extend longitudinally from the front waist region to the back waist region, and each of the composites have a deadened portion in the front waist region or the back waist region. The article further includes a waist elastic member extending longitudinally between the deadened portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Luis Alberto Tenorio, Jeffrey Alan DeBroux, David Kyle Stankewicz, Darin Allen Engelhart, James Richard Schermerhorn, Michael Donald Sperl, Daniel Mark Duhm, Michael Lee Lohoff, Anita Marie-Nanette Gilgenbach, Kenneth James Quella
  • Patent number: 10918536
    Abstract: A diaper has vertical and lateral directions, and a skin facing surface and a non-skin facing surface on an opposite side thereof, includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region positioned between the front and rear waist regions, and includes a pair of leg openings, and a waist opening defined by side edges of the front and rear waist regions. At least one of the front and rear waist regions includes a pair of tape fasteners fixed to the non-skin facing surface of the side edges. At least one of the front and rear waist regions includes a pocket openable toward the crotch region, on the skin facing surface. An upper end of a fixing part of the tape fastener is positioned at a lower side of a closing edge (folding part) positioned on the waist opening side of the pocket in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Inoue, Shunsuke Takino, Hideaki Maki
  • Patent number: 10905605
    Abstract: A pull-on wearable article includes a main portion including an outer cover, the main portion defining a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region extending between and connecting the front and rear waist regions. First and second extendable side regions extend between and connect the main portion front waist region and the main portion rear waist region to form the article in a closed waist configuration, at least a portion of each side regions being extendable between a relaxed state and an extended state. An informational image is disposed in at least the first side region. The article may further include a texture feature formed in an outer surface of the article and positioned proximate to the informational image to form a composite image. Alternatively or additionally, the image includes a cognitively functional graphic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Melanie D Allen, Kathleen Quinlan Ames-Ooten, Mark John Ciesko, Barry Robert Feist, Eiro Fukkuda, George Bartol Glackin
  • Patent number: 10905602
    Abstract: An array of gender-specific disposable absorbent articles is provided. The array has a first disposable absorbent article adapted to be worn by males and a second disposable article adapted to be worn by females. Both articles have in their longitudinal direction, a front portion, a back portion and a crotch portion between the front portion and the back portion. The first article has a first elastic component configured for providing fit and comfort to a male user. The second article has a second elastic component configured for providing fit and comfort to a female user. The first and the second elastic components each have a plurality of elastic elements extending at least partly along each respective article. The first and second elastic components differ from each other in at least the positioning or the elastic strength of the respective elastic elements. A method for manufacturing the array is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: ESSITY HYGIENE AND HEALTH AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventors: Anna Klinte Olsson, Lucas Bäck
  • Patent number: 10888468
    Abstract: The present invention provides a disposable wearing article which prevents a position shift of a front waist region without a part of a front waist region receding in a concave portion of the abdomen of the wearer. A plurality of linear front waist elastics contractible in a lateral direction is disposed in a front waist region of a disposable wearing article. The front waist elastics have (include) a first elastic positioned adjacent to an outer side of a front-end edge of a liquid absorbent core in a vertical direction, a second elastic positioned adjacent to an inner side of the front-end edge in the vertical direction, and a third elastic positioned adjacent to an inner side of the second elastic in the vertical direction. A contractile force of the first elastic and the second elastic is weaker than a contractile force of the third elastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Maki, Shunsuke Takino, Takuya Inoue
  • Patent number: 10632026
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent garment includes front and rear panels with zones of elastification and non-elastication in the abdomen and rear regions of the garments. The zones of elastification comprise an elastified region, and a non-elastified region or a de-elastified region. The elastified non-elastified or de-elastified regions work in tandem to provide greater contour support and improved fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: ATTENDS HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Trenton T. Ottery, William W. Gaston, Richard E. Finlayson, Brenda Roberson-Brown
  • Patent number: 10617574
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes an absorbent main body, side flaps, leakage barriers, and an elastic member joined in between the side flaps in the absorbent main body, and stretchable and shrinkable in a width direction. Each leakage barrier includes a standing portion in which an outer side in the width direction is a fixed end, and an inner side in the width direction is a free end, and a supporting portion which is adjacent to one end portion in a longitudinal direction of the standing portion and overlaps with the elastic member in a thickness direction. The supporting portion is fixed to the absorbent main body by the heat welding portion. Each side flap is folded to the inner side in the width direction at a position of a folding line which passes through the supporting portion and extends along the longitudinal direction in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Sakaguchi, Maika Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10492958
    Abstract: The present invention provides an underpants-type disposable diaper that has pleats formed in an outer body, which vertically and straightly extend, is excellent in appearance and air permeability, and is excellent in drawing preventing performance of a resilient and elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: DAIO PAPER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomotsugu Matsui, Yosuke Mori, Shunji Seno, Kento Fujima
  • Patent number: 10406040
    Abstract: A disposable article includes a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an elasticized waist gasketing element. The elasticized waist gasketing element has a lateral outboard edge and a longitudinal array of elastic members. The longitudinal array includes a primary waist elastic member disposed inboard of the waist edge by a minimum longitudinal distance A, a secondary waist elastic member disposed inboard of the primary waist elastic member by a minimum longitudinal distance B. The waist gasketing element comprises a Force Ratio of at least about 1.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kumardipti Chatterjee, Jeromy Thomas Raycheck
  • Patent number: 10327966
    Abstract: A modified diaper for allowing its top edge to be pulled back without placing one's finger inside the diaper. The modified diaper includes a diaper base that includes an edge tab. The diaper base defines a conventional disposable baby diaper. The edge tab defines an exterior flap which extends around the circumference of a top edge of the diaper base to form a finger slot that extends from around the entire exterior circumference of the diaper base. A user can insert their finger into this finger slot in order to pull the adjacent section of the top edge of the diaper base, and the portions of the diaper base adjacent to that top edge section, away from the waist of a wearer of the modified diaper without needing to stick their finger into the area between the wearer and the modified diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Inventor: Scottie Watson
  • Patent number: 10292874
    Abstract: A dual-mode high-waist disposable absorbent pant with foldover waist features is disclosed. The pant may include a laterally extending folding region disposed longitudinally between the waist opening edge and the front and/or rear ends of an absorbent core structure; the folding region may include a first web structure. The pant may also include a waistband region disposed longitudinally between the waist opening edge and the folding region; the waistband region may include a second web structure and one or a plurality of laterally extending, pre-strained elastic member(s) disposed between a first pair of layers. The second web structure may differ in configuration from the first web structure. The longitudinal dimension between the waist opening edge of the pant and the leg opening edges may be at least 30 percent of the overall length of the pant when in an open, fully extended and flattened condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Sarah Marie Wade, Masaharu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 10105269
    Abstract: A diaper having an elastic chest band on an extended front portion of a diaper coupled to an elastic upper back band on an extended back portion that prevents bodily waste leaking onto to a wearer's upper torso. The diaper has a pair of wrap around sides. In one example embodiment, the diaper has a pair of absorbent wings coupled to a center panel of the diaper that wrap around a wearer's torso, keeping the diaper snuggly fitting and preventing bodily waste leakage. The diaper has a pair of leg portions that extend down a wearer's thighs, each having a bottom elastic band to prevent leakage down the legs. The diaper has a belt in one example embodiment and an indicator strip in another example embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Inventor: Chandrawatti Kennedy
  • Patent number: 10085894
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a front region, a crotch region, and a back region. The absorbent article has a main portion, a side portion, and a waist portion. The waist portion has a belt portion that has a front belt portion having elastomeric material and a back belt portion having elastomeric material. The front belt portion has a first elastic section and a second elastic section, each section having force zones. The back belt portion has a third elastic section and a fourth elastic section, each section having force zones. The force zones in the portions alternate between a high force zone and a low force zone in at least one belt portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary Dean LaVon, Masaharu Nishikawa, Jacob Alan Barnhorst
  • Patent number: 10034801
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an array of packages may comprise two or more different sizes of disposable absorbent articles. The Array Average Length Difference of at least the first and second absorbent articles in the array is less than about 65 mm and greater than about negative 10 mm. In another embodiment, a disposable absorbent article may have a Product Length is within about +/?40 mm of the Target Rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bret Darren Seitz, Gary Dean LaVon
  • Patent number: 9867412
    Abstract: An article includes a chassis and a belt to be placed around the waist of a wearer and separable from the chassis. A front and/or rear portion of the chassis includes a pair of first fasteners detachably attachable to the outer surface of the belt and separated by a first distance. The chassis includes a pair of first stretch markings related to the first distance. The belt includes a pair of second stretch markings marking a second distance when in a relaxed state and a predetermined third distance when in a stretched state. In a relaxed state, the first stretch markings are positioned in conjunction with or within the second stretch markings allowing the chassis to be attached to the belt in the relaxed state via the first fasteners and allowing the belt to be stretched into the third distance without jeopardizing the fastening of the first fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventors: Roy Hansson, Niklas Svensson
  • Patent number: 9814633
    Abstract: A pull-on diaper for younger baby has a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction, front and waist regions, a crotch region, and rear waist regions and leg cuffs extending along respective laterals of the crotch region. Each of front and rear waist panels is sectionalized into a first elastically contractible region and a second elastically contractible region wherein a dimensional ratio in the longitudinal direction between the first elastically contractible region and the second elastically contractible region is in a range of 1:1.6 to 1:2.2 and an elongation ratio of waist elastics attached to the first elastically contractible region is lower than an elongation ratio of the waist elastics attached to the second elastically contractible region and the elongation ratio of the waist elastics attached to the second elastically contractible region is lower than an elongation ratio of leg cuff elastics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuzawa, Shunsuke Masaki
  • Patent number: 9789010
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article includes a bodyside liner, an outer cover, an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover, a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region extending between and interconnecting the front and back waist regions, and a tear away section configured to be torn from the absorbent article when at least a threshold force is applied to the tear away section. The front and back waist regions are attached to each other by side panels at least partially defining leg openings and a waist opening of the absorbent article. The tear away section extends from the waist opening to a respective leg opening and is defined by at least one line of weakness. The tear away section has a tear strength greater than the threshold force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Long, Julie Paveletzke
  • Patent number: 9592163
    Abstract: Disposable pull-on diapers of the present disclosure may have optimized waist circumferential length and leg opening length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Koichi Morimoto, Takashi Umeo, Hiroyuki Ueno, Katsuhiro Yonemura
  • Patent number: 9561138
    Abstract: In the disclosed absorbent article, in a first region, a first elastic member extends linearly in the widthwise direction, in a second region, a second elastic member extends linearly in the widthwise direction, the elongational stress of the first elastic member is greater than the elongational stress of the second elastic member, and the length in the widthwise direction of the joining region that is of both the main body of an absorbent body and a chassis in the first region is configured in a manner so as to be shorter than the length in the widthwise direction of the joining region that is of both the main body of the absorbent body and the chassis in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Yoshihisa Watabe
  • Patent number: 9498388
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a chassis having a substantially rectangular shape a first portion, a second portion and a crotch portion extending between the first and second portion, a portion of the chassis being configured to absorb fluids. The absorbent article includes a first securement portion operatively coupled to the first portion of the chassis. The absorbent article includes a second securement portion operatively coupled to the second portion of the chassis and configured to releasably attach to the first securement portion. The chassis is configured to include one of a first chassis length or a second chassis length. When the chassis includes the first length, the chassis includes a first width and the first securement portion includes a second width, and when the chassis includes the second length, the chassis includes the first width and the first securement portion includes a third width, greater than the second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Medline Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Love, Amin Setoodeh, Bridget Donovan
  • Patent number: 9393162
    Abstract: Absorbent articles that include elastics in multiple layers are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Sarah Marie Wade, Tina Marie Glahn, Gary Dean Lavon, Diana Woehnl Juratovac, Kaoru Ishihara, Masaharu Nishikawa, Ronald Joseph Zink, Anna Elizabeth Macura
  • Patent number: 9339425
    Abstract: An absorbent article has a pair of leg cuffs adapted to fit about the legs of a wearer and a pair of containment flaps adapted to provide a barrier to the lateral flow of body exudates. Each containment flaps includes a seam bonding the respective containment flap to the article and at least one elastic member spaced from the seam. A fastening system includes a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system. The secondary fastening system comprises a pair of secondary first fastening components and a pair of secondary second fastening components. Each of the secondary first fastening components is laterally located relative to one of the containment flaps such that an outboard-most longitudinal edge of the secondary first fastening component is spaced laterally inward from the seam and an inboard-most longitudinal edge of the secondary first fastening component is spaced laterally outward from the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, David Fleger Bishop, Robert Lee Popp, Wendy Lynn VanDyke
  • Patent number: 9333122
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article including a buttocks-covering section having tensile force sufficient to prevent this section from lifting and/or quirking during use of the wearing article and being free from anxiety that the buttocks-covering section might irritate the wearer's skin even if this section comes in contact with the wearer's skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takino, Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9333121
    Abstract: In a disposable diaper, ends at a front waistline region side of the disposable diaper within a stretchable range in leg stretch units are configured so as to be closer to an end at the front waistline region side as compared to an end at the front waistline region side within a stretchable range in the crotch stretch unit. Ends at a rear waistline region side within the stretchable range in the leg stretch units are configured so as to be closer to an end at the rear waistline region side as compared to an end at the rear waistline region side within the stretchable range in the crotch stretch unit. A tensile modulus of the crotch stretch unit is configured so as to be greater than a tensile modulus of the leg stretch units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Sakaguchi, Yasuhiro Yamanaka, Tetsuo Okubo