Abstract: The present invention includes a neck-bonded laminate and a process for forming a neck-bonded elastic laminate, the laminate including a primary elastic region and a secondary elastic region. An exemplary process for forming the laminate includes providing a necked material and overlaying the necked material with an elastic sheet. The necked material and elastic sheet are passed through a nip between two rollers, the rollers being configured to form a primary elastic region and a secondary elastic region and the secondary elastic region having higher strength than the primary elastic region.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to conductive connector attachments for use in electrically connecting printed circuit boards to absorbent products such as diapers, training pants, incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, and the like. Specifically, various configurations and methods of securely attaching conventional conductive hook and loop attachments to printed circuit boards are disclosed.

Abstract: A vaginal insert formed from a composition that, prior to introduction to the vagina, has the physical properties of a liquid, semi-soft gel, paste, foam, or viscous material so that it can be effectively delivered to the vaginal canal. After introduction into the vagina, the composition will expand and/or solidify into a semi-solid or solid structure to substantially fill the entire “H” shaped space of the vagina and a portion of the rugal folds along the length of the vaginal canal. Upon solidifying, the composition defines an insert that, in one embodiment, is suitable for use as a tampon and, in another embodiment, is suitable for use as an incontinence device.

Abstract: A pant-like absorbent article, such as a child's training pant, includes an outercover with at least three elastic regions, that is two in the side seam areas, and one in the central crotch areas. In an alternative, such articles include a fourth elastic region in the article waist band area. In this fashion, the article can demonstrate progressive stretch functionality to help accommodate various consumer body sizes and provide for more conforming fit and reduced leakage.

Abstract: An absorbent article is provided for personal wear about a wearer's waist. The article includes a pair of front side panels attached to the front waist region and a pair of back side panels attached to the back waist region, and is configurable from a wear configuration to a disposal configuration in which the article is generally compacted for disposal. The article also includes a disposal tab having an attachment region with an attachment width and a tab region with a gripping width, the attachment region attached to one of the front or back side panels, the tab region being attachable to the article in at least the disposal configuration of the article, wherein the attachment width is substantially equal to the gripping width.

Abstract: A respiratory access assembly inctudes a distal pJate having one port and cuff and an axially aligned proximal plate including a first port and first cuff and a second port and second cuff. The distal plate is configured to move relative to the proximal plate. The respiratory access assembly includes an actuator, which has a plurality of predetermined positions. When the actuator is positioned in a movement-enabling position, it permits movement of the plates while simultaneously blocking the first port of the proximal plate. When the actuator is positioned in a first or second locked (open) position, it locks the plates together and aligns the port of the distal plate with the respective first or second port of the proximal plate and un-blocks the first port of the proximal plale so that an object, such as a suction catheter, may be positioned through the aligned ports.

Abstract: An ultrasonic mixing system having a treatment chamber in which antimicrobial agents, particularly, hydrophobic antimicrobial agents, can be mixed with one or more formulations is disclosed. Specifically, the treatment chamber has an elongate housing through which a formulation and antimicrobial agents flow longitudinally from a first inlet port and a second inlet port to an outlet port thereof. An elongate ultrasonic waveguide assembly extends within the housing and is operable at a predetermined ultrasonic frequency to ultrasonically energize the formulation and antimicrobial agents within the housing. An elongate ultrasonic horn of the waveguide assembly is disposed at least in part intermediate the inlet and outlet ports, and has a plurality of discrete agitating members in contact with and extending transversely outward from the horn intermediate the inlet and outlet ports in longitudinally spaced relationship with each other.

Abstract: Absorbent articles are disclosed that convey information to a user. In particular, the absorbent articles include an active graphic that comprises a machine readable code. The active graphic, for instance, may comprise a disappearing graphic, an appearing graphic, and/or a color-change graphic. The change in appearance of the graphic may occur once contacted with a suitable activation agent, such as urine. The machine readable code contained in the active graphic, once scanned by a suitable reader device, may convey information to a user related to the absorbent article.

Abstract: The present invention relates to elastic film formulations that have surprisingly high tensile strengths in addition to good viscosity stability and are based on a blend of two styrene block copolymers, namely, styrene-isoprene/butadiene-styrene and styrene-butadiene-styrene. The blend of these two styrenic block copolymers in the range set forth and described herein yield high tensile strength that is at least 50% higher than that of the prior art based styrenic block copolymers and have good viscosity stability. Moreover, the present invention relates to a blend of two different styrene block copolymers that can be made by dry blending the block copolymer components. Then the blend can be extruded into uncross-linked film, fiber, or plurality of fibers.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for topically applying additive compositions to planar substrates, such as tissue webs. In one embodiment, the process is designed to apply relatively high viscous compositions to base sheets at high speeds in a manner that prevents the additive composition from penetrating into the sheet. The additive composition having the relatively high viscosity can be applied to the base sheet in one embodiment using an offset gravure printing process. The applicator roll includes a pattern of raised elements. The raised elements define a surface having at least one dimension that is less than 500 microns. The raised elements are also spaced closely together in order to prevent fiber buildup on the roll during relatively fast processing speeds.

Abstract: Absorbent articles are disclosed that include a machine readable code. The machine readable code, once scanned by a suitable reader device, provides access to information related to the absorbent article. The information may relate to use or disposal of the article. In other embodiments, the information may comprise promotional materials, such as coupons, rebates and news about related products, new products, or the like. The present disclosure is particularly directed to applying and positioning the machine readable codes on the absorbent articles so that the codes are noticeable and can be scanned.

Abstract: An absorbent structure having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a z-direction axis normal to the longitudinal and lateral axes, longitudinally opposite ends and laterally opposite side edges. An upper surface of the absorbent structure has a three-dimensional topography relative to the longitudinal and lateral axes and defines a plurality of peaks and valleys of the upper surface relative to the z-direction. A lower surface of the absorbent structure has a three-dimensional topography relative to the longitudinal and lateral axes and defines a plurality of the peaks and valleys of the lower surface relative to the z-direction. The absorbent structure has a projected area as determined by a Topography Analysis Method, and the upper surface of the absorbent structure has a vertical area as determined by the Topography Analysis Method of at least about 0.1 cm2 per 1.0 cm2 projected area of the absorbent structure.

Abstract: A winder for winding a web to produce a rolled product is provided. The winder includes a web transport apparatus that is used for conveying the web. Also included in one exemplary embodiment is a plurality of independent winding modules. The winding modules are independently positioned to independently engage the web as the web is conveyed by the web transport apparatus. The winding modules may be configured to wind the web to form a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. The winding modules are structurally and operationally independent of one another where if one module is disabled, another may still operate to produce the rolled product without shutting down the winder.

Abstract: A method of securing an absorbent article in a fastened configuration for personal wear includes forming an absorbent article to have a body. A mechanical fastening system is positioned on the body. The mechanical fastening system has a loop component and a hook component. The loop component is an elastomeric laminate formed by securing an elastomeric loop material to an elastomeric substrate. The hook component is fastenably engageable with the loop material of the loop component. The laminate is stretched which includes stretching both the loop material and the substrate. The hook component and the loop component are engaged whereby the hook component fastenably engages the loop material of the loop component. The stretched laminate is allowed to retract which includes retraction of the loop material and retraction of the substrate.

Abstract: A stoma dilator is provided which has a base dilator and a plurality of dilators which are coaxially disposed over the base dilator. The base dilator has a hub and an opening therethrough. The base dilator is configured to be positioned over a wire into a patient's tissue. Each of the plurality of dilators has a tapered distal end, a proximal end, and a tubular body, and are held in separated, telescoping position by the dilator positioner such that a portion of each distal end is exposed from beneath another dilator and is graspable by a health care practitioner for movement such that a smaller diameter dilator does not become inaccessible inside of a larger diameter dilator. The stoma dilator may include a hollow sheath positioned over an outermost dilator. The sheath is configured to hold open a tissue opening created by the plurality of dilators. The base dilator and the plurality of dilators may be removed while the sheath remains in a tissue opening.

Abstract: A method for neutralizing odor contained within the headspace of product packaging includes the steps of formulating a blend of either modified and unmodified high surface area materials, differently modified high surface area materials, different unmodified high surface area materials, or a combination thereof; applying the blend of high surface area materials to the inside of the product packaging.

Abstract: An oil absorbing material is generally provided. The oil absorbing material can includes sorbent particles having an average aspect ratio of about 5 to about 500 and a mean average particle diameter of about 10 ?m to about 1 millimeter. The oil absorbing material comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, inorganic filler particles, and absorbent core material. In one embodiment, the sorbent particles can have an average specific surface area of about 0.25 to about 5.0 m2/g and can have a bulk density that is about 0.01 g/cm3 to about 0.8 g/cm3. Processes of making the oil absorbing material are also provided via a solid-state shear pulverization recycling process transforming absorbent article waste into the oil absorbing material. The process can include pulverizing the absorbent article waste to form sorbent particles while cooling the absorbent article waste in an amount sufficient to maintain the absorbent article waste in a solid state.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a front waist region, a back waist region and a crotch region. The front and back waist regions are permanently attached or releasably attachable to each other by an article fastening system to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article. The article is configurable from the wear configuration to a disposal configuration. A disposal tab has an attachment region attached to one of the sides of the article and extends a greatest length La along at least a portion of a length Lp of one of the sides. A tab region extends transversely outward from the attachment region a greatest distance Dt and is attachable to the article in at least the disposal configuration of the article. The attachment region has a first surface attached to one of the sides of the article and a second surface that defines part of the article fastening system.

Abstract: A laminate is generally provided having alcohol repellency properties. In one particular embodiment, the laminate includes a meltblown web bonded to a spunbond web (e.g., a SM laminate, a SMS laminate, a SMMS laminate, etc.). A fluorinated polymeric coating is attached to the surface of the spunbond web (e.g., grafted). The fluorinated polymeric coating comprises a perfluoroalkyl(alkyl) (meth)acrylate monomer polymerized on the surface of the spunbond web via exposure to a low frequency energy source. The perfluoroalkyl(alkyl) (meth)acrylate monomer has a perfluoroalkyl side groups comprising —(CF2)z—F, where z is an integer from 1 to 6. The laminate has an alcohol repellency of greater than 80%.

Abstract: A glove dispensing assembly includes a stack of interfolded gloves. In particular, the gloves are folded in an S-like arrangement including a first fold and a second fold. The finger portion of a leading glove is folded in between a cuff portion and an intermediate portion of a subsequent glove. The manner in which the gloves are folded allows for the gloves to be dispensed in a perpendicular direction or a lateral direction.