Abstract: Disclosed is a method for maintaining and/or improving skin health in the area of a wearer covered by an absorbent article. The absorbent article includes a vapor permeable backsheet, a liquid pervious topsheet positioned in facing relation with the backsheet, an absorbent core located between the backsheet and the topsheet. The absorbent article also includes skin care compositions thereon for maintaining and/or improving skin health.

Abstract: An absorbent article for wearing about the torso and including a member that supports the movement of urine in an x-y plane to enhance the wearer's awareness that urination has occurred by increasing the wetted area contacting the wearer's skin. The member has a permeable body-facing layer and an impermeable layer disposed in a face-to-face arrangement with the permeable layer and preferably is held in close contact with the wearer's skin during use.

Abstract: A wetness event counter, which can be utilized in a disposable absorbent article, has at least one indicating member. The indicating member can provide a first indication to a caregiver for a first wetness event and a second indication, which is different from the first indication, to a caregiver upon a second wetness event.

Abstract: A wetness event counter, which can be utilized in a disposable absorbent article, has at least one indicating member. The indicating member can provide a first indication to a caregiver for a first wetness event and a second indication, which is different from the first indication, to a caregiver upon a second wetness event.

Abstract: An absorbent article including features facilitating toilet training of a wearer is provided. The article includes at least a first appearing graphic that changes from an initial, less visible state to a subsequent, more visible state in the absence of wetness, thereby to provide positive encouragement to a child during toilet training. The appearing graphic becomes less visible if subjected to liquid. A wetness sensation member may also be provided to give tactile, negative sensation to the child, thereby giving feedback received by at least two different senses. Additionally or alternatively, a second appearing graphic, different from the first appearing graphic, may be provided to increase a child's interest in the toilet training process. The first and second appearing graphics may become visible at different times, thereby providing a sequential or spaced reveal of the image.

Abstract: A pull-on wearable article includes a main portion with 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 panels 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, wherein at least a portion of each side panel is extendable between a relaxed state and an extended state. The article defines first and second side regions, each side region including one of the first and second side panels and a transverse region of the main portion bordering the respective side panel. An informational image is disposed in at least the first side region, wherein the informational image is legible when the first and second side panels are substantially in the relaxed state.

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 panels 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 panel being extendable between a relaxed state and an extended state. The article defines first and second side regions, each side region including one of the first and second side panels and a transverse region of the main portion bordering the respective side panel. 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.

Abstract: Variable stretch composites having one or more first elastomeric members disposed on a first region of an extensible substrate, and one or more second elastomeric members disposed on a second region of the extensible substrate which different from the first elastomeric members to provide variable properties to said regions of the composite. The composite has been incrementally stretched to at least partially break up the structure of the substrate in order to reduce its resistance to stretch. The variable stretch composites are useful for disposable and durable articles, such as disposable absorbent articles including diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, incontinence briefs, catamenial garments, baby bibs, and the like, and durable articles like garments including sportswear, outerwear and the like. The present invention also relates to methods of forming such variable stretch composites.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article having a non-linear notch cut without the presence of a significantly laterally extending resulting piece. The resulting absorbent article having a front end edge and a back end edge which are complementary. The front end edge having at least three tangential points (a1, a2, b). Tangential point b is longitudinally inboard of a1 and a2. The back end edge having at least three tangential points (x1, x2, y), wherein y is longitudinally outboard of x1 and x2. The absorbent article being longitudinally folded about a first fold line. The first fold line may be drawn between points a2 and x2. The absorbent article being longitudinally folded about a second fold line, said second fold line may be drawn between points a1 and x1.

Abstract: Variable stretch composites having one or more first elastomeric members disposed on a first region of an extensible substrate, and one or more second elastomeric members disposed on a second region of the extensible substrate which different from the first elastomeric members to provide variable properties to said regions of the composite. The composite has been incrementally stretched to at least partially break up the structure of the substrate in order to reduce its resistance to stretch. The variable stretch composites are useful for disposable and durable articles, such as disposable absorbent articles including diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, incontinence briefs, catamenial garments, baby bibs, and the like, and durable articles like garments including sportswear, outerwear and the like. The present invention also relates to methods of forming such variable stretch composites.

Abstract: An absorbent article having at least one stretch zone comprising a slow recovery elastomer wherein said slow recovery elastomer exhibits a normalized unload force of greater than about 0.04 N/mm2 at 37° C.; and said slow recovery elastomer exhibits at least about 20% post elongation strain at 22° C. after 15 seconds of recovery from a 400% strain. The absorbent article may additionally comprises at least one feature selected from the group consisting of a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core, an ear, a side panel, a waist feature, a fastener component, a leg cuff, a gasketing cuff, a barrier cuff, and combinations thereof; wherein the feature comprises at least a part of the stretch zone.

Abstract: Variable stretch composites having one or more first elastomeric members disposed on a first region of an extensible substrate, and one or more second elastomeric members disposed on a second region of the extensible substrate which different from the first elastomeric members to provide variable properties to said regions of the composite. The composite has been incrementally stretched to at least partially break up the structure of the substrate in order to reduce its resistance to stretch. The variable stretch composites are useful for disposable and durable articles, such as disposable absorbent articles including diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, incontinence briefs, catamenial garments, baby bibs, and the like, and durable articles like garments including sportswear, outerwear and the like. The present invention also relates to methods of forming such variable stretch composites.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article including a wetness sensation member and visible highlighting indicating the presence of the wetness sensation member to facilitate an opportunity for the toilet training of the wearer. The wetness sensation member includes a permeable layer and a flow control layer. Urine deposited on the wetness sensation member can penetrate through the permeable body-facing layer in a z direction away from the wearer to the flow control layer. The flow control layer retards the passage of the urine through the wetness sensation member in the z direction while supporting the movement of the urine in an x-y plane to increase the wetted area contacting the wearer's skin and thereby enhance the wearer's awareness that urination has occurred. The visible highlighting is visible when viewing a body-facing surface of the article and may be associatively correlated with an externally visible marking and/or with the concept of toilet training.

Abstract: An elastomeric laminate for use in an absorbent article can have a first plurality of elastomeric strands and a second plurality of elastomeric strands bonded to a first substrate. The first plurality of elastomeric strands can be bonded to the first substrate in a first orientation while the second plurality of elastomeric strands is joined to the first substrate in a second orientation. The first and second orientations can be different such that the elastomeric laminate can accommodate tension forces which act on the laminate from different axes. Optionally, a second substrate or a third plurality of elastomeric strands may be added to the elastomeric laminate.

Abstract: Absorbent articles having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet are disclosed. The absorbent articles include a plasto-elastic material joined to or disposed on at least one of component of the absorbent article to impart sizing or shaping capabilities to the article. The plasto-elastic material has substantially plastic properties when said absorbent article is subjected to an initial strain cycle, for example, when the article is placed on a wearer, and has substantially elastic properties when subjected to a second strain cycle such as when the article is subsequently adjusted to conform to the size of the wearer. The absorbent article can be in the form of diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, wipes, bibs, incontinence briefs or inserts.

Abstract: Absorbent articles having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet are disclosed. The backsheet has a physical variation along at least one axis, wherein said physical variation defines a first backsheet zone and a second backsheet zone, and at least one elastomeric element having at least one primary direction of stretch, said elastomeric element at least partially overlapping and joined to first and/or second backsheet zone, wherein a relaxed pathlength of said elastomeric element in the primary direction of stretch is less than a total pathlength of said backsheet in the region of overlap. The physical variation is a measurable difference as measured by a physical property selected from the group consisting of basis weight, thickness, density and tensile modulus.

Abstract: An extruded web is disclosed. The extruded web can be either a nonwoven material of a films. The web comprises a plasto-elastic material where the plasto-elastic material is a combination of a first polyolefin and a second polyolefin (either a polymeric blends or a polymeric mixture). The claimed combination of polyolefins results in a material that has substantially plastic properties when a sample taken from said web is subjected to an initial strain cycle (such that the web is provided with a set of at least 30% by an initial strain cycle) and substantially elastic properties when a sample taken from the web is subjected to at least a second strain cycle.

Abstract: Absorbent articles having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet are disclosed. The absorbent articles include a thermoplastic elastomer joined to or disposed in a stretch zone on at least one component or region of the absorbent article to impart an elastic resistance that provides sizing or shaping capabilities to the article. The absorbent article can be in the form of diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, wipes, bibs, incontinence briefs or inserts.

Abstract: Absorbent articles having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet are disclosed. The absorbent articles include a thermoplastic elastomer joined to or disposed in a stretch zone on at least one component or region of the absorbent article to impart an elastic resistance that provides sizing or shaping capabilities to the article. The absorbent article can be in the form of diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, wipes, bibs, incontinence briefs or inserts.

Abstract: Absorbent articles having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet are disclosed. The backsheet has a physical variation along at least one axis, wherein said physical variation defines a first backsheet zone and a second backsheet zone, and at least one elastomeric element having at least one primary direction of stretch, said elastomeric element at least partially overlapping and joined to first and/or second backsheet zone, wherein a relaxed pathlength of said elastomeric element in the primary direction of stretch is less than a total pathlength of said backsheet in the region of overlap. The physical variation is a measurable difference as measured by a physical property selected from the group consisting of basis weight, thickness and density.