Patents by Inventor Hironao Minato

Hironao Minato has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7754939
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes antislip elements having a frictional force higher than those of end flaps and side flaps. These antislip elements are attached to portions of the end flap extending immediately outside transversely opposite ends of a waist elastic member on the side of these portions facing away from the diaper wearer's skin. The waist elastic member is, in turn, attached to the end flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Yoshida, Hironao Minato, Koichiro Mitsui
  • Patent number: 7749213
    Abstract: In a disposable diaper includes a pair of side flaps respectively extending from an end portion in a lateral direction of the diaper main body and a fixing tape disposed in proximity of a farthest edge of the respective side flaps, the fixing tape is provided with a hook member, the fixing tape and the side flaps are to be engaged via the hook member, and an engaging region on the side flaps where the fixing tape is to be engaged includes portions having a different engaging force with the hook member. As a result, the fixing tape can be temporarily fixed with a modest engaging force, despite the hook member having a greater engaging force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Mitsui, Yasushi Sayama, Hironao Minato, Koichiro Tani
  • Patent number: 7749210
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a through-hole formed in an inner sheet destined to come in contact with a wearer's skin so that this through-hole may communicate with a pocket for receiving feces. The inner sheet is formed with an elastic area extending in a longitudinal direction along transversely opposite side edges of the through-hole. In a crotch region of the diaper, a stiffening sheet strips are attached to the inner sheet between the transversely opposite side edges of the diaper and the transversely opposite side edges so that the respective stiffening sheet strips extend in a transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Mishima, Hironao Minato, Nariaki Shimoe
  • Publication number: 20100114055
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided with a skin-contactable sheet piece above a liquid-pervious topsheet. The skin-contactable sheet piece is formed with openings extending in a back-and-forth direction through which body waste is guided toward the topsheet and both lateral zones of the sheet piece on both sides of these openings as viewed in a transverse direction B are provided with elastic members attached under tension. Outside the skin-contactable sheet piece as viewed in the transverse direction B, leak-barriers are provided and the lateral zones of the skin-contactable sheet piece are bonded to the leak-barriers along regions defined between proximal edges and free edges of the respective leak-barriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Kaiyo Nakajima, Naoko Takada
  • Publication number: 20100106127
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided with a skin-contactable sheet piece above a liquid-pervious topsheet. The skin-contactable sheet piece is formed with openings extending in a back-and-forth direction through which body waste is guided toward the topsheet and both lateral zones of the sheet piece on both sides of these openings as viewed in a transverse direction B are provided with elastic members attached under tension. Outside the skin-contactable sheet piece as viewed in the transverse direction B, leak-barriers are provided and the lateral zones of the skin-contactable sheet piece are bonded to the leak-barriers along regions defined between proximal edges and free edges of the respective leak-barriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Kaiyo Nakajima, Naoko Takada
  • Publication number: 20100069871
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided with a skin-contactable sheet piece above a liquid-pervious topsheet. The skin-contactable sheet piece is formed with openings extending in a back-and-forth direction through which body waste is guided toward the topsheet and both lateral zones of the sheet piece on both sides of these openings as viewed in a transverse direction are provided with elastic members attached under tension. Outside the skin-contactable sheet piece as viewed in the transverse direction, leak-barriers are provided and the lateral zones of the skin-contactable sheet piece are bonded to the leak-barriers along regions defined between proximal edges and free edges of the respective leak-barriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Kaiyo Nakajima, Naoko Takada
  • Publication number: 20100063471
    Abstract: A disposable diaper[[1]] is provided with a skin-contactable sheet piece[[33b]] above a liquid-pervious topsheet[[32]]. The skin-contactable sheet piece[[33b]] is formed with openings extending in a back-and-forth direction through which body waste is guided toward the topsheet[[32]] and both lateral zones[[40]] of the sheet piece[[33b]] on both sides of these openings as viewed in a transverse direction B are provided with elastic members[[37]] attached under tension. Outside the skin-contactable sheet piece[[33b]] as viewed in the transverse direction B, leak-barriers[[58]] are provided and the lateral zones [[40]] of the skin-contactable sheet piece[[33b]] are bonded to the leak-barriers[[58]] along regions defined between proximal edges and free edges of the respective leak-barriers[[58]].
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Kaiyo Nakajima, Naoko Takada
  • Patent number: 7662137
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is formed in one of front and rear waist regions with first wings which are elastically stretchable in a waist-surrounding direction and these first wings are provided on respective body facing surfaces with first fastener elements. The other waist region is provided on its undergarment facing surface with, in addition to second fastener elements, anti-slip zones exhibiting a desired average kinetic frictional force relative to the body facing surface of the first wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Sayama, Hironao Minato, Koichiro Tani, Koichiro Mitsui, Kengo Ochi, Masato Isono
  • Patent number: 7654990
    Abstract: A disposable diaper improved so that the wearer's skin can be reliably protected from being soiled with feces. A chassis constituting the diaper includes a spacer sheet attached to an inner sheet of the chassis. The spacer sheet has a front end zone and a rear end zone fixed to the inner sheet and an intermediate zone left free from the inner sheet. The intermediate zone is formed with an opening shaped so as to describe a circular arc which is convex forward. Along the opposite side edges of the opening, the spacer sheet is provided with elastic members extending in the length direction of the diaper and attached thereto in a stretched state in the direction. These elastic members extend forward with respect to the diaper along the peripheral edge of the opening so as to get close to a center line bisecting a width of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kaiyo Nakajima, Hironao Minato, Toshimitsu Baba, Naoko Takada, Kaori Feruya
  • Patent number: 7578813
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article is provided with a pair of tape fasteners each composed of inner and outer tape strips and a hook member. The outer tape strip has a proximal portion fixed to the side section of the rear waist region and a distal portion extending outwards from the side section. The inner tape strip has a proximal portion fixed to the side section, a first distal portion bonded to the distal portion of the outer tape strip, and a second distal portion extending outwards from the distal portion of the outer tape strip. The hook member is attached to at least the second distal portion of the inner tape strip. The tape fastener has first and second zones corresponding to the distal portions of the outer and inner tape strips. A stiffness of the second zone is lower than that of the first zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Mitsui, Takayuki Miyoshi, Hironao Minato
  • Patent number: 7419480
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a pair of barrier cuffs. Each of the barrier cuffs includes inner and outer sheet strips provided separately of each other. The first and second sheet strips include bottom side edges fixed to the inner surface of the diaper and top side edges left free from the inner surface. The bottom side edge of the first sheet strip is inwardly spaced from the bottom side edge of the second sheet strip. The first and second sheet strips are locally bonded to each other in a part of the overlapping area of these sheet strips. One of the first and second sheet strips has its top side edge spaced from the top side edge of the other sheet strip and is provided with an elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kaori Furuya, Hironao Minato
  • Publication number: 20080077110
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a through-hole formed in an inner sheet destined to come in contact with a wearer's skin so that this through-hole may communicate with a pocket for receiving feces. The inner sheet is formed with an elastic area extending in a longitudinal direction along transversely opposite side edges of the through-hole. In a crotch region of the diaper, a stiffening sheet strips are attached to the inner sheet between the transversely opposite side edges of the diaper and the transversely opposite side edges so that the respective stiffening sheet strips extend in a transverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitaka MISHIMA, Hironao Minato, Nariaki Shimoe
  • Publication number: 20080065036
    Abstract: A disposable diaper including, a covering chassis having front and rear waist regions, and a crotch region; a body fluid absorbent structure disposed at least in the crotch region; and an elastic isolating sheet covering at least the absorbent structure. The elastic isolating sheet has a front opening and a rear opening. The absorbent structure is provided on a bottom thereof with an elastic panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Kaiyo Nakajima, Naoko Takada
  • Patent number: 7326192
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a through-hole formed in an inner sheet destined to come in contact with a wearer's skin so that this through-hole may communicate with a pocket for receiving feces. The inner sheet is formed with an elastic area extending in a longitudinal direction along transversely opposite side edges of the through-hole. In a crotch region of the diaper, a stiffening sheet strips are attached to the inner sheet between the transversely opposite side edges of the diaper and the transversely opposite side edges so that the respective stiffening sheet strips extend in a transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Mishima, Hironao Minato, Nariaki Shimoe
  • Publication number: 20070239128
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region. The crotch region is divided by a front folding guide and a rear folding guide extending in parallel to each other in a transverse direction of the diaper into a front section, a rear section and an intermediate section. The crotch region is provided on the side of its inner surface with a pair of contracting means extending in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction and spaced from each other. Front portions of the respective contracting means are fixed to the inner surface of the diaper in positions anterior to a line bisecting a longitudinal dimension of the intermediate section while rear portions of the respective contracting means are fixed to the inner surface of the diaper in positions posterior to the intermediate section so that intermediate portions of the respective contracting means may be spaced from the inner surface of the diaper and elastically contractible in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoko TAKADA, Hironao MINATO, Yuko MATSUDA, Yoshitaka MISHIMA
  • Patent number: 7264614
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent panel interposed between these sheets. Folding guides which are extending in a longitudinal direction are formed between front waist section and wings of the panel and stretchable elastic members which are extending in the longitudinal direction and spaced outward from the folding guides in a transverse direction are contractibly attached to side flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Hironao Minato
  • Publication number: 20070106240
    Abstract: A disposable diaper improved so that the wearer's skin can be reliably protected from being soiled with feces. A chassis constituting the diaper includes a spacer sheet attached to an inner sheet of the chassis. The spacer sheet has a front end zone and a rear end zone fixed to the inner sheet and an intermediate zone left free from the inner sheet. The intermediate zone is formed with an opening shaped so as to describe a circular arc which is convex forward. Along the opposite side edges of the opening, the spacer sheet is provided with elastic members extending in the length direction of the diaper and attached thereto in a stretched state in the direction. These elastic members extend forward with respect to the diaper along the peripheral edge of the opening so as to get close to a center line bisecting a width of the diaper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Coporation
    Inventors: Kaiyo Nakajima, Hironao Minato, Toshimitsu Baba, Naoko Takada, Kaori Furuya
  • Publication number: 20070106241
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided on the inner surface of a crotch region with a pair of barrier cuffs opposed to each other about a longitudinal center line. Each of the barrier cuffs includes inner and outer sheet strips in the form of sheet strips provided separately of each other. The first and second sheet strips include bottom side edges fixed to the inner surface of the diaper and top side edges left free from the inner surface in the crotch region. The bottom side edge of the first sheet strip is spaced aside from the bottom side edge of the second sheet strip toward the center line. The first and second sheet strips are collapsed onto the inner surface of the diaper and overlap to each other in such collapsed state. The first and second sheet strips are locally bonded to each other in a part of the overlapping area of these sheet strips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kaori Furuya, Hironao Minato
  • Patent number: 7189220
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a pair of tape fasteners 6 that are used to connect front and rear waist regions 8, 10 to each other and are attached to side flaps 14 in the rear waist region 10 of the diaper. Each of the tape fasteners 6 includes fibrous nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic synthetic resin fiber and thermoplastic synthetic resin coated on a substantially whole area of an outer surface of the fibrous nonwoven fabric wherein the thermoplastic synthetic resin forms a substantially smooth synthetic resin layer on outer surfaces of the respective tape fasteners. Thus, a free portion of each tape fastener is reliably prevented from being disengaged from a target tape even when the outer surface of the tape fastener and an inner surface of an underwear rub together during use of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Miyoshi, Hisashi Takai, Hironao Minato, Koichiro Mitsui
  • Patent number: 7156829
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided with elastically stretchable waist areas extending in a transverse direction along respective end portions of front and rear waist regions and a pair of elastically stretchable wing areas extending outward in the transverse direction from the side edge portions of the rear waist region. The side edge portions of the rear waist region are respectively interposed between the stretchable waist area and the stretchable wing areas. The stretchable wing areas have a transverse stretch stress higher than a transverse stretch stress of the stretchable waist area, so the tensile force exerted on the stretchable wing areas is segmentalized and restrained by the side edge portions of the rear waist region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Masaki Yoshida, Koichiro Mitsui