Patents Examined by Jacqueline F. Stephens
  • Stretchable and contractible sheet and absorbent article
    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
  • Apertured webs and methods for making the same
    Patent number: 10973705
    Abstract: A patterned apertured web includes a plurality of first arrays forming a first zone in the patterned apertured web. At least some of the first arrays include a first plurality of land areas and a first plurality of apertures. At least some of the first plurality of land areas surround at least some of the first plurality of apertures. The first plurality of apertures of the first zone have a plurality of Interaperture Distances, according to the Aperture Test. The Interaperture Distances of the first zone have a first distribution having a first mean and a first median. The first mean is greater than the first median by at least 4%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Timothy Ian Mullane, Kelyn Anne Arora, Jill Marlene Orr, Donald Carroll Roe, Jennifer Schutte, John Brian Strube, Ann Cecilia Tapp, Rachael Eden Walther, Amanda Margaret Bicking, Jennifer Lynn Dusold, Margaret Elizabeth Porter
  • Absorbent product
    Patent number: 10973708
    Abstract: In an absorbent product (1), a first absorbent sheet (22) is disposed between a top sheet (21) and a back sheet (23). A second absorbent sheet (22a) is disposed between the first absorbent sheet (22) and the back sheet (23). The first absorbent sheet (22) includes a first upper sheet (221), a first highly absorbent material (222), and a first lower sheet (223). The first absorbent sheet (22) extends in the longitudinal direction beyond the longitudinal edges of the second absorbent sheet (22a) on both longitudinal sides. On each longitudinal side, an extension (224) of the first absorbent sheet (22) beyond the second absorbent sheet (22a) includes a back-sheet contact region (225) that is spaced in the longitudinal direction from the longitudinal edge of the second absorbent sheet (22a) and that is in contact with the back sheet (23). This configuration suppresses the return of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: LIVEDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Miyuki Fujimoto, Hironobu Yokokawa, Osamu Moriura, Kazuya Maruhata
  • Disposable diaper
    Patent number: 10966879
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has front and rear waist regions, a crotch region, and an absorbent chassis. The absorbent chassis includes an absorbent structure and a pair of side flaps. Each of the side flaps has layered sheet materials and includes a distal edge, a cuff branch line between the side edge of the absorbent structure and the distal edge, a leg-opening elasticized area between the cuff branch line and the distal edge, and a leakage-barrier cuff branched from the cuff branch line and intersecting with the leg-opening elasticized area. The leakage-barrier cuff has a free edge parallelly-spaced from the cuff branch line. The distance from the cuff branch line to the distal edge is larger than from the cuff branch line to the free edge. The number of sheet material layers included in the leg-opening elasticized area is larger than in the leakage-barrier cuff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Inoue, Shunsuke Takino, Hideaki Maki
  • Absorbent garment insert
    Patent number: 10966881
    Abstract: An absorbent member is intended for insertion in diapers to boost the absorptive capacity. The construction increases the flow of fluid to the diaper, yet in preferred embodiments, blocks the reflow of fluid pressed of the diaper from reaching the wearer to reduce the propensity to cause or aggravate diaper rash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Gary F Hirsch
  • Shaped nonwoven
    Patent number: 10968552
    Abstract: A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, and wherein in at least one of the microzones, the first region is hydrophobic and the second region is hydrophilic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Arman Ashraf, Paul Thomas Weisman, Adrien Grenier, Martin Ian James, Stefano Michele Sinigaglia
  • Absorbent article with high absorbent material content
    Patent number: 10966885
    Abstract: An absorbent article comprising a pair of leg cuffs with an raised section and an absorbent core comprising at least one channel at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the article. The article may have a crotch width before use as measured between the proximal edges of the leg cuffs at the level of the crotch point of from to 70 mm to 200 mm, and a Relative Crotch Width Reduction (RCWR) of 32 mm/kg to 150 mm/kg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bruno Johannes Ehrnsperger, Blanca Arizti, Ernesto Bianchi, Hans Adolf Jackels, Carsten Heinrich Kreuzer, Rodrigo Rosati
  • Leg and flap elastic composite for an absorbent article and method of manufacturing same
    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
  • Disposable floating absorbent core and disposable absorbent assembly including same, and method of making same
    Patent number: 10925776
    Abstract: An absorbent article is disclosed. The absorbent article includes a core and a chassis. One or more discrete bonding zones bond the core to the chassis, and one or more unbonded zones of the core are not bonded to the chassis, forming a floating core. The core is not elastically coupled with the chassis. A method of making the absorbent article may include selectively bonding the chassis to the core at discrete bonding zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: DSG Technology Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Wright, Eugenio Varona, Dennis Smid
  • Diaper accessories and related methods
    Patent number: 10925777
    Abstract: Diaper assemblies, along with related articles and methods, are provided. The diaper assembly includes a diaper comprising an inner surface and a blocking member coupled to a portion of the inner surface. The blocking member has a resilient pad coextends along a portion of the inner surface and further includes an attachment layer bonded to the resilient pad and may be repositionably attached at other locations along the inner surface. Advantageously, the blocking member can provide a releasable and repositionable seal that conveniently enhances the functionality of commercially available diapers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Leigh E. Wood, Michael J. McNamara, Lori-Ann S. Prioleau
  • Absorbent article with leg gasketing cuff
    Patent number: 10918534
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article may include a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a leg gasketing system. The leg gasketing system may include an inner cuff and an outer cuff. The inner cuff may include an inner cuff folded edge and an inner cuff material edge and the outer cuff may include an outer cuff folded edge and an outer cuff material edge such that the web of material is folded laterally inward to form the outer cuff folded edge and folded laterally outward to form the inner cuff folded edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Jeromy Thomas Raycheck, Lisa Jane Goodlander, Lisa Maria Grinkemeyer, Jessica Lee Mosman, Jason Edward Naylor, LeAnn Nichole Phillips
  • Absorbent article with philic anhydrous lotion
    Patent number: 10912857
    Abstract: A lotion composition is provided. The lotion composition includes a) about 1% to about 90%, by weight, of a rheology structurant; and a b) carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Ya-lin Pan, Debora Christine Ebert, Peter Christopher Ellingson, Raphael Warren
  • Absorbent article
    Patent number: 10912682
    Abstract: An absorbent article (200) includes an absorbent body (23) provided at a front and rear direction range including a crotch portion (C2), and a topsheet (22) that covers a top side of the absorbent body (23), wherein a slit (40) with a predetermined width is formed in the absorbent body (23) at least at the crotch portion (C2) to extend in a front and rear direction, and wherein the topsheet (22) includes a fall-in portion (30) that is fallen in the slit (40) of the absorbent body (23), and convex portions (31) are provided at least at a part of the fall-in portion (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: DAIO PAPER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Aya Takahashi
  • Absorbent article having outwardly convex longitudinal central channels for improved protection
    Patent number: 10912684
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoko Munakata, Kiyoe Ohba
  • Pull-on wearable article with informational image
    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
  • Tampon with consolidated fibrous assembly and method of making
    Patent number: 10905598
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a tampon article, a composite fibrous web, and a method of making same. Such an article includes an outer carrier component including an inner surface that defines an internal void. Including an absorbent component elongate along an axis and is disposed in the internal void. The absorbent component includes an outer surface that extends about the axis and faces the inner surface. The absorbent component further includes a composite fibrous web of staple cellulosic fibers and a meltspun web of filaments entangled with the web of staple cellulosic fibers. The composite fibrous web can be in a compressed configuration in the internal void such that at least portion of the outer surface of the absorbent component is defined by the meltspun web of filaments. The tampon can include a withdrawal cord coupled to the absorbent component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Weslpun India Limited
    Inventors: Dipali Goenka, Pranay Sahu
  • Absorbent article with absorbent core
    Patent number: 10898393
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions; and a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core. The article also includes a waist feature joined to the chassis a waist region and having a portion extending longitudinally outboard of the chassis in said waist region. The backsheet has a barrier layer having a maximum length, LBS. The absorbent core has absorbent material and a maximum length, LCW, and wherein LCW is substantially the same as LBS. The absorbent material is disposed in an absorbent material deposition area. The absorbent material deposition area has a maximum length, LAB, wherein LAB is about 90% or greater of LBS. The first absorbent area lateral edge is disposed a longitudinal distance, D1, from the first barrier lateral edge, wherein D1 is 5% or less of LBS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ronald Joseph Zink, Masaharu Nishikawa, Gary Dean Lavon
  • Shaped nonwoven
    Patent number: 10888471
    Abstract: A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, wherein the intensive property is one or more of thickness, basis weight, or volumetric density, and wherein the first surface has a TS7 value of less than about 15 dB V2 rms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Arman Ashraf, Paul Thomas Weisman
  • Method of making an absorbent composite and absorbent articles employing the same
    Patent number: 10864121
    Abstract: A method of making an absorbent composite that includes a first fabric, a second fabric, and particles positioned between the two fabrics and absorbent articles made from the absorbent composite. The particles are secured between the two fabric using adhesive, thermal plastic or combinations thereof. The fabrics are bonded together in a manner that limits particle movement between the fabrics. The bond pattern may define pockets or other shapes. In applications in which the bond pattern forms pockets, the particles may be positioned in the pockets. The particles may be SAP particles or other particles with advantageous properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: DSG Technology Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Patrick King Yu Tsang, Kuo-Shu Edward Chang, Andrew C. Wright
  • Absorbent core wrap with a low basis weight nonwoven in the bottom layer
    Patent number: 10857255
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes an absorbent core having an absorbent material enclosed in a core wrap having a top layer and a bottom layer. The bottom layer of the core wrap comprises a nonwoven comprising synthetic fibers, which has a basis weight from about 6 g/m2 to about 10 g/m2 and the nonwoven has a static coefficient of friction as measured in cross-machine direction of no more than 0.40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Stefan Flöter, Geeske Gratzel, Torsten Lindner