Patents by Inventor Kazuya Nishitani

Kazuya Nishitani 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: 7279613
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin including: a backsheet; a liquid-permeable topsheet; and an absorbent layer which is capable of absorbing a liquid and disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. At least a part of a region in which the absorbent layer is provided is adapted to receive a liquid. The liquid-receiving region includes a raised region in which a hydrophilic material layer is provided. The raised region is continuously elongated in a longitudinal direction of the sanitary napkin. The raised region includes a front region for coming into contact with a vaginal opening of a wearer and a rear region for coming into contact with buttocks of the wearer. When the front region and the rear region are respectively depressed with a given pressure, an amount of the depression of the rear region is larger than an amount of the depression of the front region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Nozaki, Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Patent number: 7196241
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin in which diffusing liquid hardly reaches a rear end edge is adapted to make a liquid absorbent layer less deformable in a rear region so that it can easily be kept in close contact with the wearer's buttocks. The sanitary napkin has an elongated main absorbent region surrounded by compressed grooves that are formed in a skin-side surface. Since a rear end of the main absorbent region is far away from a rear end edge of the napkin to provide a relatively large rear region, worries about rearward leakage may be relieved. Furthermore, since auxiliary longitudinal grooves are provided in the rear region, a liquid absorbent layer may hardly be twisted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio, Akane Sakai
  • Publication number: 20060287636
    Abstract: An absorbent article worn in the groin area, in which, when a compressive force is received from a lateral direction, a main absorbent region can oppose an excretion area of a wearer's body without twists or wrinkles occurring, and when the compressive force is relaxed, the article easily recovers to its original shape. An absorbent body provided in the absorbent article has a main absorbent region, reinforcing regions, and buffer regions. The bending stiffness of the reinforcing regions is larger than that of the buffer regions, and the bending stiffness of the main absorbent region is larger than that of the buffer regions. When compressive force is received from a wearer's thigh areas in the lateral direction, the reinforcing regions that are positioned to the left and right deform in a curved shape, and the buffer regions that are to the left and right are compressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Akane Sakai, Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani, Satoshi Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7056311
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin which is effective in preventing liquid from leaking out obliquely rearward. The sanitary napkin has rear flaps rearward of fold-back flaps to be wrapped around a crotch part of an undergarment. The rear flap has a side edge substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline. The rear flap is provided at its front portion with a rear pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The rear pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is disposed forward of a rear end of a leakage preventing wall and a rear end of a main absorbent region. Since the rear flaps can be firmly fixed through the rear pressure-sensitive adhesive layers, the leakage preventing walls hardly move, so that the leakage preventing walls, as well as the rear flaps outside them, can effectively prevent obliquely rearward leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio, Akane Sakai, Jun Kudo
  • Publication number: 20050080391
    Abstract: An absorbent article which can effectively widen absorbing area of excretion liquid at a center portion of the absorbent article, is provided. Divided absorbent elements are formed dividingly on both of a center line. The divided absorbent elements are fixed on a back sheet at positions of compressed portions, and inner side end portions of the divided absorbent elements are taken as free ends. Upon use of a sanitary napkin, by bending the sanitary napkin in response to exertion of compressing force F from femoral parts, the divided absorbent elements are raised so that menstrual blood can be absorbed not only through inner surfaces but also through outer surfaces. Therefore, absorbing area can be greater than that of the conventional sanitary napkin, and side leakage can be successfully prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani, Noritatsu Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 6858771
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including a backsheet, an absorbent storage layer, a liquid guide layer, and a top layer. The absorbent storage layer, the liquid guide layer and the top layer satisfy the following relationships: the liquid guide layer>the absorbent storage layer>the top layer with respect to a water absorbency due to capillary phenomenon; the liquid guide layer>the absorbent storage layer>the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount less than a maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer; and the absorbent storage layer>the liquid guide layer>the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount more than the maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20040260263
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin that is provided with large rear flaps to effectively prevent liquid from leaking obliquely rearward. The rear flaps are disposed rearward of fold-back flaps to be wrapped around a crotch part of an undergarment. The rear flap is of a shape spreading rearwardly from a starting point. With a pressure from the thighs acting forward of the starting point, leakage preventing walls forward of the starting point can be maintained in a rising state during wear. On the other hand, the leakage preventing walls rearward of the starting point may possibly fall outward. However, even if the leakage preventing walls fall outward rearward of the starting point, they will never project out of the rear flaps. Accordingly, they hardly leave a stain on an undergarment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Noritatsu Tamagawa, Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio
  • Publication number: 20040260262
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin has leakage preventing walls on a skin-side surface of a main body. The leakage preventing wall has a skin-contacting portion, of which an inner edge is fixed at an inner edge's front end and an outer edge is fixed at an outer edge's front end located forward of the inner edge's front end. Therefore, when the leakage preventing wall is in a rising position, the skin-contacting portion is inclined with the outer edge closer to the wearer's body than the inner edge. Accordingly, the skin-contacting portion can easily conform to the wearer's crotch on both sides of the vaginal opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio, Masataka Kinoshita, Akane Sakai
  • Publication number: 20040249355
    Abstract: An absorbent article having leakage preventing walls that longitudinally exert an elastic contractive force to bend a main body. Each leakage preventing wall is provided, between front and rear ends, with a constraint portion so as to locally constrain an allowable rising height of the leakage preventing wall. Thus, the leakage preventing wall takes a shape that can easily conform to a curved surface of the wearer's body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanio, Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Noritatsu Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20040243084
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article having a center absorbent element on a backsheet. The center absorbent element has a center absorbent sheet covered with a center topsheet. The center absorbent sheet is formed with a plurality of projections, wherein longitudinal guide grooves are defined between transversely adjacent projections, transverse guide grooves are defined between longitudinally adjacent projections for communication between the longitudinal guide grooves. The longitudinal guide grooves are dimensioned to extend over at least two projections aligned in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshimasa, Noritatsu Tamagawa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20040243087
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin which is effective in preventing liquid from leaking out obliquely rearward. The sanitary napkin has rear flaps rearward of fold-back flaps to be wrapped around a crotch part of an undergarment. The rear flap has a side edge substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline. The rear flap is provided at its front portion with a rear pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The rear pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is disposed forward of a rear end of a leakage preventing wall and a rear end of a main absorbent region. Since the rear flaps can be firmly fixed through the rear pressure-sensitive adhesive layers, the leakage preventing walls hardly move, so that the leakage preventing walls, as well as the rear flaps outside them, can effectively prevent obliquely rearward leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio, Akane Sakai, Jun Kudo
  • Publication number: 20040243082
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin in which diffusing liquid hardly reaches a rear end edge is adapted to make a liquid absorbent layer less deformable in a rear region so that it can easily be kept in close contact with the wearer's buttocks. The sanitary napkin has an elongated main absorbent region surrounded by compressed grooves that are formed in a skin-side surface. Since a rear end of the main absorbent region is far away from a rear end edge of the napkin to provide a relatively large rear region, worries about rearward leakage may be relieved. Furthermore, since auxiliary longitudinal grooves are provided in the rear region, a liquid absorbent layer may hardly be twisted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio, Akane Sakai
  • Patent number: 6761955
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and having leakage-preventing side walls on a liquid-receiving side of the article. The leakage-preventing side walls extend in a longitudinal direction of the article and lie opposite one another in a width direction of the article. At least a liquid-receiving face of each leakage-preventing side wall is made of a fibrous sheet that contains hydrophobic fibers thermally bonded to one another and hydrophilic fibers shorter than the hydrophobic fibers. At least a part of the hydrophilic fibers form aggregates which are dispersed in the fibrous sheet and are bonded to the hydrophobic fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Makoto Suekane, Etsuko Tagami, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Patent number: 6673985
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin having a longitudinal rear portion. The sanitary napkin includes: a main absorbent region having a main absorbent core between a back sheet and a surface sheet; side regions on both sides of the main absorbent region; and boundary regions having leakage-preventing side walls and positioned between the main absorbent region and the side regions. In the rear portion, the main absorbent region has a stiff portion, and the side regions are protruded laterally to form rear flaps each having an auxiliary absorbent core between the back sheet and another sheet. In the rear portion, a portion of the main absorbent region having the stiff portion therein, the boundary region and the rear flap have different longitudinal stiffnesses according to the following relationship: the portion having the stiff portion therein>the boundary region>the rear flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Etsuko Tagami, Kazuya Nishitani, Makoto Suekane
  • Publication number: 20030088222
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including: a liquid-permeable topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent storage layer between the topsheet and the backsheet; and a cushion layer between the topsheet and the absorbent storage layer. When a tensile force of 490 mN per 25 mm width is applied to the topsheet in a transverse direction crossing the cushion layer, an extension is at least 30%. When the absorbent article is pressed from above in a region having the cushion layer, an initial thickness T0 of the pressed region of the absorbent article for a pressure of 49 Pa is at least 10 mm, a compressive hardness (LC value) is 0.5 to 0.65, and a compressive recovery (RC value) is at least 35%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20030088231
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including a backsheet, an absorbent storage layer, a liquid guide layer, and a top layer. The absorbent storage layer, the liquid guide layer and the top layer satisfy the following relationships: the liquid guide layer>the absorbent storage layer>the top layer with respect to a water absorbency due to capillary phenomenon; the liquid guide layer>the absorbent storage layer>the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount less than a maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer; and the absorbent storage layer>the liquid guide layer>the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount more than the maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Patent number: 6547772
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin with a pair of wings includes a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween, the wings including a portion of the backsheet extending bilaterally of the napkin and a breathable sheet material bonded to the portion by means of bonding lines extending in a transversely direction of the napkin and arranged intermittently in a longitudinal direction of the napkin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Suekane, Tatsuya Tamura, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20030018314
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin including: a backsheet; a liquid-permeable topsheet; and an absorbent layer which is capable of absorbing a liquid and disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. At least a part of a region in which the absorbent layer is provided is adapted to receive a liquid. The liquid-receiving region includes a raised region in which a hydrophilic material layer is provided. The raised region is continuously elongated in a longitudinal direction of the sanitary napkin. The raised region includes a front region for coming into contact with a vaginal opening of a wearer and a rear region for coming into contact with buttocks of the wearer. When the front region and the rear region are respectively depressed with a given pressure, an amount of the depression of the rear region is larger than an amount of the depression of the front region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Nozaki, Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20020064624
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and having leakage-preventing side walls on a liquid-receiving side of the article. The leakage-preventing side walls extend in a longitudinal direction of the article and lie opposite one another in a width direction of the article. At least a liquid-receiving face of each leakage-preventing side wall is made of a fibrous sheet that contains hydrophobic fibers thermally bonded to one another and hydrophilic fibers shorter than the hydrophobic fibers. At least a part of the hydrophilic fibers form aggregates which are dispersed in the fibrous sheet and are bonded to the hydrophobic fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Makoto Suekane, Etsuko Tagami, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20020062116
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin having a longitudinal rear portion. The sanitary napkin includes: a main absorbent region having a main absorbent core between a back sheet and a surface sheet; side regions on both sides of the main absorbent region; and boundary regions having leakage-preventing side walls and positioned between the main absorbent region and the side regions. In the rear portion, the main absorbent region has a stiff portion, and the side regions are protruded laterally to form rear flaps each having an auxiliary absorbent core between the back sheet and another sheet. In the rear portion, a portion of the main absorbent region having the stiff portion therein, the boundary region and the rear flap have different longitudinal stiffnesses according to the following relationship: the portion having the stiff portion therein>the boundary region>the rear flap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Etsuko Tagami, Kazuya Nishitani, Makoto Suekane