Patents Examined by Karin Reichle
  • Patent number: 6902552
    Abstract: An elongated, curved sanitary napkin having elasticized, raised side edges along the opposite sides of an absorbent. A garment attachment panel is secured to the underside of each side edge. A fixed portion of the garment attachment panel is bonded to each side edge so that a free portion of each of the garment attachment panels, extending from the fixed portion, is directed generally inward and downward. During use, the garment attachment panels are fastened together beneath an undergarment crotch. The fastener and the garment attachment panels are dimensioned so that, when fastened, the garment attachment panels exert a pull on the side edges and control their deflection, thereby preventing them from folding in over the absorbent. The garment attachment panels confine the crotch portion of the undergarment under the absorbent so that the edges of the panty crotch are prevented from pulling up and onto the absorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Theodore VanGompel, Julie Terese Brocker, Lori Sue Schutkoske
  • Patent number: 6890327
    Abstract: A disposable diaper including a topsheet, a backsheet and a core disposed therebetween. A pair of outer side barrier cuffs and a pair of inner side barrier cuffs lying more inwardly of the outer side barrier cuffs are formed adjacent transversely opposite side edges and extend longitudinally thereof. Each of the outer side barrier cuffs has its longitudinally opposite ends covered with a pair of end barrier flaps that are positioned adjacent longitudinally opposite ends of the diaper so as to form front and rear pockets, respectively. The inner side barrier cuffs are shorter than the outer side barrier cuffs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Suzuki, Hiroyuki Soga
  • Patent number: 6891079
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting production of ammonia from urine held adjacent a user's skin by an article. The method includes applying a composition including a Yucca sp. extract to an area of the wearer's skin. A wipe for wiping surfaces including a flexible sheet and a composition held by the sheet including a Yucca sp. extract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Koenig, Lisa M. Kroll
  • Patent number: 6843786
    Abstract: An absorbent garment is provided with a first and a second waist portions joined by an intermediate region including an absorbent body. A first attachment, provided on the first waist portion, and a second attachment, provided on the second waist portion, cooperate with each other for releasable attachment. The first attachment is provided with at least two elongate attachment strip elements extending between the side edges and the second attachment is provided with an attachment strip element, oriented generally transverse to said first attachment and located at each side edge of the second waist portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Svante Thuren, Robert Kling
  • Patent number: 6843785
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Yvette L. Hammonds, Shelley R. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 6802832
    Abstract: An absorbent product such as a sanitary napkin, a diaper, an incontinence pad or similar article, includes an absorbent body having an absorbent layer presenting a first surface and an opposite second surface. A first material layer is arranged in contact with the first surface of the absorbent layer. A second material layer is arranged in contact with the second surface of the absorbent layer. There is at least one bend indication in the form of a through slit or an elongated opening arranged in the absorbent layer. One of the surfaces of the absorbent layer is mutually joined with the material layer in contact therewith, within a region immediately surrounding the bend indication, on both sides thereof. The absorbent layer's opposite surface in this region is not joined to the material layer in contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Roy Hansson, Kerstin Johansson
  • Patent number: 6797858
    Abstract: An absorbent article having front and rear regions corresponding to the front and rear of a wearer, respectively, and a crotch region between the front and rear regions. The article generally has a backsheet, a topsheet overlaying the backsheet, and a foam layer disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. An absorbent core also is located between the topsheet and the backsheet. The foam layer preferably extends from the front region, through the crotch, and into the back region. The foam layer is attached to the article, while in a laterally extended position, in at least one of the front and rear regions thereby elasticizing at least one region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward P Erdman
  • Patent number: 6786895
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article, and a method of manufacture of the disposable absorbent article, which better contains fecal material within the article, and which prevents leakage of fecal material out of the article, and/or prevents movement of fecal material from the anal region to the genital region is described herein. The absorbent article utilizes barrier cuffs, an absorbent core, and a topsheet with at least one cut in the intermediate region of the absorbent article such that part of the intermediate region of the topsheet is lifted out of the plane of the rest of the topsheet by the barrier cuffs. The lifted portion forms a transverse barrier and a pocket between the topsheet and the absorbent core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Christoph Johann Schmitz
  • Patent number: 6786893
    Abstract: An elastic absorbent article such as a sanitary towel, a panty liner or an incontinence pad includes an inner layer and an outer layer which are elastic and an intermediate absorption body which is non-elastic. The absorption body is connected to at least one of the inner and outer layers only in a central and small region and in that the region is visibly marked on the inner layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Lina Strand
  • Patent number: 6770064
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a particulate chemical mixture, which is exothermically reactive in the presence of air or moisture, for heating at least a portion of the absorbent article. The heat generated improves the absorption of body fluids by lowering the viscosity of the absorbed fluids. The absorbent article can be formed as a sanitary napkin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Herman Ruscher
  • Patent number: 6764474
    Abstract: An ostomy appliance comprising a body side member comprising an adhesive wafer or pad for securing the appliance to the user's skin, said wafer or pad having a hole for receiving a stoma, and an optionally separately exchangeable receiving member or bag secured to the body side ostomy member for receiving secretions from the ostomy, said ostomy appliance further comprising a separate sealing member disposed in the hole of the wafer or pad surrounding the stoma, said sealing member being of a hypo-allergenic adhesive and being in the form of a moldable mass or a ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Coloplast A/S
    Inventors: Inger Mann Nielsen, Eskil Hoejland Olsen, Laila Busk Gothjaelpsen, Danuta Ciok, Carsten Sletten, Anders Christian Nielsen
  • Patent number: 6755808
    Abstract: An absorbent garment includes a body panel and an absorbent composite having a longitudinally extending length and a laterally extending width and including a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. The absorbent composite is connected to the body panel and includes a side margin that is not attached to the body panel and that extends laterally outboard and terminates in a free edge. In one preferred embodiment, the free edge does not extend along the entirety of the length of the absorbent composite. Rather, the entire width of an end of the absorbent composite is secured to the body panel. Preferably, the width of the side margin along the portion of the absorbent composite overlapping the body panel is relatively constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Bridget A. Balogh, David F. Bishop, Danielle K. Minnich
  • Patent number: 6746433
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on garment has an elasticized waist-opening and a pair of elasticized leg-openings. At least one of the inner or outer surfaces of a peripheral edge of the waist opening includes a slippage resistant sheet. The sheet has a high friction coefficient so that the peripheral edge of the waist opening is easily and reliably gripped when the garment is pulled on by a wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Nariaki Shimoe, Yoshinori Kumasaka
  • Patent number: 6743213
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes tape fasteners extending outward from transversely opposite side edges of the diaper and provided on their inner surfaces with hook members. The hook members have their inner surfaces partially coated with adhesive layers by which the hook members are peelably bonded to release zones defined in the proximity of the transversely opposite side edges of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Hironao Minato
  • Patent number: 6740071
    Abstract: A fastener tab for securing absorbent garments having a first elastic region that extends laterally outward from a waist region of the garment, a second elastic region that extends laterally outward from the first elastic region, and a grip that is attached to an outboard portion of the second elastic region. The first elastic region has a greater stretch resistance than the second elastic region. The fastener tab may have a substantially inelastic region interposed between the first elastic region and the second elastic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernadette M. Gibbs
  • 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: 6730070
    Abstract: The absorbent product has longitudinal side edges, transverse end edges, first and second end sections and a crotch section between the end sections. A fastening tab is arranged at a side edge, on the first end section, and includes a first fastening member. A second fastening member is arranged on the second end section and arranged to interact with the first fastening member to bind the product into a briefs shape. A material strip extends in the transverse direction of the product and is fixed permanently to the product, at least at its ends. The fastening tab constitutes part of the material strip and is demarcated from the rest of the material strip by a tear line extending substantially transversely to the direction of extent of the material strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Christian Holmquist
  • Patent number: 6726669
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on garment includes front and rear waist-encircling regions each having first elasticized zones and a second elasticized zone extending in a waist-encircling direction. Auxiliary elastic members include plural lines of first auxiliary elastic members extending in the waist-encircling direction in the first elasticized zones, and plural lines of second auxiliary elastic members extending in the waist-encircling direction in the second elasticized zones. A tensile stress of the first auxiliary elastic members is greater than that of the second auxiliary elastic members. A tensile stress of the first elasticized zones is greater than that of the second elasticized zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Kenji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6716204
    Abstract: An absorbent article which includes a topsheet including a primary aperture for receiving fecal waste, a backsheet joined with at least a portion of the topsheet, an absorbent core disposed between at least a portion of the topsheet and the backsheet, and a spacing member disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The spacing member provides a void space into which feces can be directed. The absorbent article preferably also includes a body adhering composition disposed about at least a portion of the primary aperture for adhering the topsheet of the absorbent article to the wearer during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Vincenzo D'Acchioli, Gianfranco Palumbo, Donald C. Roe, Eva Susanne Dominique Thurnay
  • Patent number: 6706029
    Abstract: A diaper structure is formed with a leakage preventing arrangement, in the form of a flexible flap located outwardly with respect to a diaper absorbent core. The flap is formed with a support portion extending upwardly from the diaper surface to support an inwardly extending inner branched portion and an outwardly extending outer branched portion extending the length of the support portion. Both the inner and outer branched portions are fixed to the diaper body at longitudinal ends thereof in longitudinally stretched condition so that a pocket is jointly formed by a portion of a topsheet covering a side edge of the core, the support portion and the inner branched portion. The pocket is maintained in an open position independently of a wearer's posture to impede the leakage of excretions from the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Migaku Suzuki, Mitsuzo Ochi, Takeshi Kudo