Elastic Type Edge Patents (Class 604/385.24)
  • Patent number: 11712377
    Abstract: Absorbent articles of the present disclosure may be constructed with a secondary liner sheet placed on top of a body facing liner of the articles configured to form a pocket. The pocket provides a barrier, thereby separating a front region of the absorbent articles from a rear region. In this manner, the absorbent articles of the present disclosure may reduce the spread of bodily exudates throughout the articles. The reduced spreading of exudates may help to keep skin healthy by reducing the amount of skin exposed to the skin irritants within the exudates and/or by preventing additional skin irritants from being created by preventing the mixing of BM and urine, at least in proximity to the skin of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Enz, Patrick R. Lord, Kroy D. Johnson, Matthew R. Jones, Daniel J. Grassl, Kyle M. Barriger
  • Patent number: 11633309
    Abstract: Absorbent articles comprising a multilayer outer cover comprising a first outer layer and a second outer layer comprising a component that exhibits at least partial elastic recovery after mechanical activation in the machine direction; an inner layer, disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer, the inner layer comprising elastic strands; and wherein at least one of the first outer layer and second outer layer is laminated to the inner layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Marie Autran, Urmish Popatlal Dalal
  • Patent number: 11597184
    Abstract: Elasticated materials and articles comprising elasticated materials are disclosed. In an embodiment, an elasticated material may comprise a first layer, second layer, an elastomeric strand disposed between the first and second layers, and a plurality of bonds bonding the first and second layers together. The strand may have straight and arcuate portions. The bonds may comprise a first and a second bond and may be disposed on opposite sides of the strand and separated a distance less than an un-tensioned diameter of the strand. The first and second bonds may be disposed along a strand straight portion. The plurality of bonds may further comprise a third and fourth bond which are longitudinally adjacent and disposed on opposite sides of the strand and spaced apart a distance greater than the un-tensioned diameter of the strand. The third and fourth bonds may be disposed along a strand arcuate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason G. Csida, Jason K. Sieck
  • Patent number: 11571344
    Abstract: A pants-type disposable diaper (1) having a front body part (P), a back body part (Q) and a crotch part (R) positioned therebetween and formed in a pants shape, comprising an absorbent body (7) situated at least at the crotch part (R) and comprising a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent core (10) disposed therebetween, and an exterior member (2) provided on an outer side of the absorbent body (7) and situated at least at the front body part (P) and the back body part (Q), wherein the exterior member (2) comprises an outer sheet (5) and an inner sheet (6) provided on a skin-facing side of the outer sheet (5), and the outer sheet (5) is made of a nonwoven fabric having a meltblown nonwoven layer and a printed part is provided to the skin-facing side of the outer sheet (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: LIVEDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke Onishi, Masaru Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11504283
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article may include a chassis that includes a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and a leg gasketing system and at least one waist gasketing element. 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 material edge such that the web of material is folded laterally outward to form the inner cuff folded edge. The leg gasketing system may also include a leg gasketing system pocket with an opening on an inboard longitudinal edge of the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Jeromy Thomas Raycheck, Abhishek Prakash Surushe, Zachary Aaron Freije, Cornelia Beate Martynus, Donald Carroll Roe, Andrew James Sauer, Christopher Erin Kiger, Aaron Duane Seitz
  • Patent number: 11497659
    Abstract: A garment-like absorbent article can have a front region, a back region, and a central region extending between and connecting the front region and the back region. The front region and the back region of the absorbent article can be formed from a combination of elastic materials. The combination of the elastic materials can be asymmetrically configured about the absorbent article to provide an improved fit of the absorbent article to the body of the wearer as well as to provide the wearer with an absorbent article that resembles traditional woven underwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: KueYoung You, MinJae Lee, JiYoung Haley Jung
  • Patent number: 11285053
    Abstract: An absorbent article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and a thickness direction, and includes a fluid permeable topsheet, a fluid impermeable backsheet and an absorbent core enclosed between the topsheet and the backsheet having, in the longitudinal direction, a front section, a rear section and a crotch section between the front section and the rear section. The absorbent core has two longitudinally extending side regions and a longitudinally extending central region between said side regions. The central region and the side regions are spaced apart in the transversal direction by longitudinally extending channel regions. Furthermore, the width of the central region in the transversal direction is less than the width of each of the side regions in the transversal direction, at least in the front section and the rear section, and the channel regions are of less basis weight than the side regions and the central region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ESSITY HYGIENE AND HEALTH AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventors: Prelo M. Hood, Paul Coomes, Mariela Biber, Peter Kacenak
  • Patent number: 11213014
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article for pets that fits the body of a pet in an excellent manner and is able to properly absorb liquid bodily waste such as urine. This absorbent article (1) for pets has mutually perpendicular longitudinal, width and thickness directions and is worn in such a way that the longitudinal direction extends around the body of a pet. The absorbent article (1) for pets comprises an absorbent body (4) that is provided with a deformation guide part (40) extending in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Komatsubara
  • Patent number: 11154432
    Abstract: Disposable pull-on diapers of the present disclosure may have optimized waist circumferential length and leg opening length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Koichi Morimoto, Takashi Umeo, Hiroyuki Ueno, Katsuhiro Yonemura
  • Patent number: 11154433
    Abstract: A pant-like absorbent articles having handles on side panels of the article for ease of removal and donning of the absorbent garment is disclosed. The article includes a front waist region, a back waist region, and a chassis extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front and back waist regions attached by at least one side panel. Formed within the side panel is at least one handle. The handle includes an aperture formed through the side panel. The handle further includes a reinforcing material operatively joined to the at least one side panel adjacent distal side edges of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Cole W. Poole, Chris P. Olson, Julie A. Paveletzke, John D. Amundson, Susan M. Trefethren, Catherine M. Hancock-Cooke, Adam Suttner, Russell J. Brumm, Bradley A. Colvin, Tim G. Dollevoet, Christopher M. Pieper, Andrew M. Long, Sandra K. Walker
  • Patent number: 10881558
    Abstract: An evaluation method of a wearing state of a disposable diaper including an elastic region in a waist portion or leg-surrounding portions, the evaluation method including: an evaluation image acquiring process in which a terminal including a photographing function acquires an image including at least a part of the elastic region as an evaluation image in the wearing state of the disposable diaper; and an evaluation process of evaluating the wearing state of the disposable diaper based on a degree of deformation of the evaluation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Okuda, Noritomo Kameda, Takuya Miyama
  • Patent number: 10842691
    Abstract: An evaluation method of a wearing state of a disposable diaper including an elastic region in a waist portion or leg-surrounding portions, the evaluation method including: an evaluation image acquiring process in which a terminal including a photographing function acquires an image including at least a part of the elastic region as an evaluation image in the wearing state of the disposable diaper; and an evaluation process of evaluating the wearing state of the disposable diaper based on a degree of deformation of the evaluation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Okuda, Noritomo Kameda, Takuya Miyama
  • Patent number: 10806644
    Abstract: An evaluation method of a wearing state of a disposable diaper including an elastic region in a waist portion or leg-surrounding portions, the evaluation method including: an evaluation image acquiring process in which a terminal including a photographing function acquires an image including at least a part of the elastic region as an evaluation image in the wearing state of the disposable diaper; and an evaluation process of evaluating the wearing state of the disposable diaper based on a degree of deformation of the evaluation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Okuda, Noritomo Kameda, Takuya Miyama
  • Patent number: 10702424
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a wearable article comprising a front region, a back region, a crotch region, and a main body covering the entire crotch region and at least part of the front and back regions, wherein at least one of the front and back regions comprises a first graphic provided by a first material, and a second graphic provided by a second material wherein the first material and the second material differ from each other, and the first and second graphics are not disposed in the main body. The present disclosure is also directed to a wearable article comprising a main body covering the entire crotch region and at least part of the front and back regions, wherein at least one of the front and back regions comprises a first graphic provided by a first material which is liquid when applied to provide the first graphic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Koichi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 10639216
    Abstract: A disposable diaper having front and rear augmented waistband zones having a specified size and stiffness is disclosed. For relatively thinner, less bulky diapers of currently marketed designs, providing augmented waistband zones is believed to reduce mental and physical effort for the caregiver in application of the diaper. The augmented waistband zones provide a robust-feeling structure proximate the waist edges, which the caregiver may grasp at front and rear to adjust the diaper on the wearer. Caregiver perception of a need to reach deeper into the diaper structure to grasp it at a thicker area to tug at it is believed to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Astrid Annette Sheehan
  • Patent number: 10299970
    Abstract: Absorbent articles of the disclosure may comprise first and second belt webs, a folded fastening tab member comprising first and second fastening elements, first and second landing zones, and laterally opposing permanent side seams directly or refastenably joining the first and second belt webs. The fastening tab member may be joined to the first and second fastening elements. And, the absorbent article may be packaged in refastenably closed form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary Dean LaVon, Jacob Alan Barnhorst
  • Patent number: 10265221
    Abstract: Disposable pull-on diapers of the present disclosure may have optimized waist circumferential length and leg opening length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Koichi Morimoto, Takashi Umeo, Hiroyuki Ueno, Katsuhiro Yonemura
  • Patent number: 10195093
    Abstract: An absorbent article with a three-dimensional film transfer layer having an open lattice structure formed from a single film for improved user properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TREDEGAR FILM PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rickey J. Seyler
  • Patent number: 10188562
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a skin-surface side sheet; a non-skin surface side sheet; an absorber; and a waistline retaining unit. Leg stretching units are arranged in the inner side in a longitudinal direction from diaper ends that configure the outer circumference of the disposable diaper or the inner side in a widthwise direction from the diaper ends. A part of the waistline retaining unit is arranged in at least one of a first region in an outer side in the longitudinal direction from the ends of the leg stretching units, and a second region in an outer side in the widthwise direction from the ends of the leg stretching units. A joint region where the skin-surface side and non-skin surface side sheets are joined is provided along the diaper ends in at least one of a first region and a second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Sakaguchi, Yasuhiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10098795
    Abstract: An absorbent article that has an exterior body. In the exterior body is an edge part which is forming a part of the leg opening unit. A rear end of the absorber is positioned in the crotch region so as not to overlap with a waistline elastic member. In an absorber disposition region in which the absorber is disposed, an end in a widthwise direction of the exterior body is positioned inside in the widthwise direction more significantly than an end in the widthwise direction of the absorber, and a part of a leg-holes elastic member is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Takaya Arayama
  • Patent number: 10092460
    Abstract: An absorbent article comprising a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent core provided therebetween; wherein flap sheets having a center region, end regions and intermediate regions positioned therebetween are provided on both sides of the top sheet in a width direction, the flap sheet has a base part facing to the top sheet and a rising part extending from the base part and formed by folding the flap sheet at an inner edge of the base part in the width direction, the center region and the end region of the base part are joined to the top sheet and/or the back sheet at an inner position, in the width direction, of that the intermediate region of the base part is joined to the top sheet and/or the back sheet, and the rising part is joined to the base part at the end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: LIVEDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Masatoshi Ikeuchi
  • Patent number: 10085893
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front and back waist regions. The front waist region has a front waist edge and the back waist region has a back waist edge. The front and back waist edges define a waist opening when the absorbent article is in a wear configuration. An elastomeric waist band extends around at least a portion of the waist opening adjacent the front and back waist edges and defines a circumference of the waist opening. Each leg cuff member of a pair of leg cuff members defines a respective leg opening when the absorbent article is in the wear configuration and operatively connected to the waist band such that movement of the waist band results in movement of the leg cuff members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Long, Julie Paveletzke
  • Patent number: 10064764
    Abstract: A wearing article making it possible to prevent a dimension in the transverse direction of respective recesses formed on an absorbent structure from being notably reduced even when the front and rear waist regions are disposed with waist elastic members directly or indirectly overlapping with the absorbent structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Kawakami, Kazuya Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9889050
    Abstract: An absorbent article that has an absorber which is disposed in the crotch region and an absorber backsheet which is positioned at the outer direction side of the absorber. At least either one of a front end of the absorber and a rear end of the absorber is disposed in the crotch region. In the front end of the absorber backsheet and the rear end of the absorber backsheet, an end at a side at which the absorber is positioned in the crotch region is disposed outboard of the crotch region in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takaya Arayama, Hirotomo Mukai
  • Patent number: 9867740
    Abstract: An absorbent article comprises first and second substrates and one or more elastic elements disposed at least partially intermediate the substrates. The second substrate is attached to the first substrate and/or to portions of the elastic elements. The absorbent article comprises an adhesive having a first and second pattern of elements disposed on first substrate, and first and second texture zones. The first texture zone comprises a first portion of the substrates, a first portion of the elastic elements, and the first pattern of elements of the adhesive and forms a background pattern in the first portion of the substrates. The second texture zone comprises a second portion of the substrates, a second portion of the one or more elastic elements, and the second pattern of elements of the adhesive and forms a macro pattern in the second portion of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ronald Joseph Zink, Sarah Marie Wade, Tina Marie Glahn, Rachael Eden Walther, Gary Dean LaVon, Nicholas Paul Goyette, Kaoru Ishihara, Amanda Margaret Bicking, Diana Juratovac
  • Patent number: 9839562
    Abstract: Diapers, including infant diapers, training pants, and adult incontinence articles, and the like having a specific elastically stretchable transverse separator sheet for excrement separation and/or isolation away from the skin, and process for making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Darrell Ian Brown, Sandra Freiboth, Rolf Hecker, Cornelia Beate Martynus, Janet Neton
  • Patent number: 9782306
    Abstract: A secondary internal topsheet and leg wrap structure is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The leg wrap structure has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed inbetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart elastic elements that are aligned in a generally in generally parallel relation. The leg wrap structure and secondary topsheet provides for the efficient formation of a reservoir and a plurality of fluid dams each capable of capturing a quantity of fluid to minimize the occurrence of fluid leaks from the absorbent article. Methods of forming such absorbent articles are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: DSG Technology Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Patrick King Yu Tsang, Andrew Wright, Ian Walker, Edward Kuo-Shu Chang
  • Patent number: 9549859
    Abstract: A pant-like garment having an elastomeric film laminate front panel and back panel. A front leg elastic member disposed adjacent the front panel leg edge. A back leg elastic member disposed adjacent the back panel leg edge. The absorbent garment having a leg elastic covering panel which extends between and interconnects the front panel to the back panel such that the front leg elastic member is sandwiched between the leg elastic covering panel and the front panel and such that the back leg elastic member is sandwiched between the leg elastic covering panel and the back panel. The length of the leg elastic covering panel is less than the garment length. An absorbent composite is attached to the leg elastic covering panel and a pair of side seams connects the front region to the back region to define a waist opening and a pair of leg openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd W. Wilkes, Lacey L. Poole, Joseph Andrew Mlinar, Marlene R. Dins, Russell Evan Thorson, Brian K. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 9434130
    Abstract: An elastic laminate sheet with excellent elasticity while maintaining softness and favorable appearance including surface feel and the like, an article containing this elastic laminate sheet, a laminate sheet where a high elasticity laminate portion is the elastic laminate sheet, and an article containing the laminate sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kioshi Kunihiro, Shinji Kimura, Yoshihisa Matsuda, Naoyuki Toriumi
  • Patent number: 9358162
    Abstract: A wearing article having a waist-opening that can be easily folded back along a fold line extending in a transverse direction without increasing the stiffness in the vicinity of the waist-opening. A diaper includes front and rear waist members and a crotch member. A liquid-absorbent structure of the crotch member is formed outboard of in a longitudinal direction of a core with front and rear flaps exclusively composed of an absorption surface wrapping sheet, a leakage-barrier sheet and a bottom surface wrapping sheet. The front and rear waist members include first regions overlapping the front and rear flaps, respectively, second regions lying adjacent to the associated first regions and third regions lying adjacent to the associated second regions. The front and rear waist members are provided with the first, second and third waist elastics attached between respective inner and outer sheets in the first, second and third regions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kuwano, Yuki Hashino, Shunsuke Masaki
  • Patent number: 9345627
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article comprises a first crotch elastic member adjacent a first crotch edge and a second crotch elastic member adjacent a second crotch edge, each crotch elastic member extending generally in a longitudinal direction, each crotch elastic member having a front terminal point and a rear terminal point. In one embodiment, at least one of the terminal points of the first crotch elastic member is positioned transversely inward from a remaining portion of the first crotch elastic member, and at least one of the terminal points of the second crotch elastic member is positioned transversely inward from a remaining portion of the second crotch elastic member. In another embodiment, front end portions of the first and second crotch elastic members or rear end portions of the first and second crotch elastic members converge transversely inward toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Donald Sperl, Seth Michael Newlin, Michael John Faulks, Gregory John Jansen
  • Patent number: 9271881
    Abstract: An absorbent layer has a front section lying on the side of a front waist region, a rear section lying on the side of a rear waist region and an intermediate section lying between the front and rear sections. The absorbent layer is formed in the intermediate section with a central depression extending in a longitudinal direction Y and a high density zones having density higher than those of the front and rear sections are formed on both sides of the central depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Takaya Arayama
  • Patent number: 9220641
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent product extends along a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The product has a topsheet, and a backsheet overlaying the topsheet, with the topsheet and backsheet jointly defining first and second side edges of the product on respective sides of the longitudinal axis. An absorbent core is disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet for storing fluid secreted by the wearer of the product. The absorbent core has first and second lateral edges respectively inboard of the first and second side edges of the product so as to define respective first and second lateral portions of the product that are free of the absorbent core. The product also has a plurality of folds parallel to the transverse axis, and a plurality of bonds in at least one of the first or second lateral portions that secure the plurality of folds in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventor: Raquel Carbonari
  • Patent number: 9066834
    Abstract: Absorbent articles comprising a variable stretch composite obtained by a process comprising the steps of providing a first extensible fibrous substrate, printing a first elastomeric composition to a first elasticized region of the substrate, printing a second elastomeric composition to a second elasticized region of the substrate, and incrementally stretching at least a portion of the composite perform to form a variable stretch composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Fred Naval Desai, Urmish Popatlal Dalal, Mark William Hamersky, Steven Daryl Smith
  • Patent number: 9033947
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Fred Naval Desai
  • Patent number: 9028461
    Abstract: A pull-on wear article having a front portion that is adapted to be worn around the front side of a wearer, a crotch portion that is adapted to be worn along the wearer's crotch region, and a rear portion that is adapted to be worn around the wearer's rear side, which is formed into a pants form by bonding lateral side edges of the front portion and lateral side edges of the rear portion, wherein the front portion and the rear portion are each constituted by an outer cover in which an inner layer material and an outer layer material are laminated, the outer cover has plural single layer areas that are formed of the inner layer material or the outer layer material at intervals in the direction of length of the outer cover, and the laminate areas where the inner layer material and outer layer material are laminated have elasticity in the waist-surrounding direction of the outer cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Hayami Ishikawa, Junichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9028632
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling absorbent articles, and more particularly, diaper pants, each including a chassis connected with front and back elastic belts. As discussed in more detail below, opposing end regions of the chassis are connected with regions of the elastic belts where the elasticity of the elastic belts has been removed or deactivated. As discussed in more detail below, an elastic laminate may be formed by continuously bonding elastic strands between a first continuous substrate layer and a second continuous substrate layer. The elastic strands are then intermittently severed in light-bond regions of the elastic laminate. Adhesive on the laminate causes the severed elastic ends to retract or snap back from the light-bond regions at a relatively slower and/or controlled rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Uwe Schneider, Gary Dean LaVon
  • Patent number: 9028462
    Abstract: A garment comprises a laminate. The laminate comprises a first layer colored a first color, and a second layer colored a second color different than the first color. The laminate includes a folded flap in the waist region, thereby defining an integral, outwardly visible waistband having a waistband lower edge. The first layer and the second layer are coterminous at the waistband lower edge and the folded flap is an outwardly folded flap. The first layer is an inner layer and the second layer is an outer layer, and the outwardly visible waistband is colored the first color. The distinction between the first color and second color in conjunction with the fold creates a visible waistband effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Lacey L. Poole, Marleen R. Dins, Marie E. Boll, Julie Ann Paveletzke
  • Patent number: 9023007
    Abstract: A wearing article configured to smooth out wrinkles that tend to be created in front and rear waist regions. A diaper includes front and rear waist members connected to an intermediary crotch. The front and rear waist members extend from waist ends toward the side of a crotch region and respectively include first regions overlapping front and rear end flaps of the absorbent structure and second regions adjacent the respective first regions. In the front and rear waist members, the first regions and the second regions are provided with first and second waist elastic members sandwiched between the respective top- and backsheets. The respective second regions are formed with inelastic zones overlapping the core and elastic regions lying on both sides of the inelastic regions in the transverse direction. The tightening force of the first regions are lower than the tightening force of the respective second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Hashino, Sarinee Phichetkitjawat, Shunsuke Masaki
  • Patent number: 9023006
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a wearing article adapted to prevent unintentional displacement of a crotch region relative to front and rear waist regions by elastics attached to the crotch region. A diaper includes front and rear waist members, a crotch member by the intermediary of which the front and rear waist members are connected with each other. The rear waist member is formed with a waist fit section and an appendix section. Of the crotch member, front and rear ends including front and rear end flaps are bonded to the front and rear waist members, respectively, to form front and rear bonded regions. Both side flaps are provided on respective inner surfaces thereof with gasket elastics attached thereto. Each of the gasket elastic overlaps at one end with a part of the front waist elastic and overlaps at the other end with a part of the appendix section elastic. Furthermore, the one end overlaps with the front bonded region and the other end overlaps with the rear bonded regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takino, Shunsuke Masaki
  • Patent number: 9017305
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide various properties of slow recovery polymers, films, and laminates that in combination with an hydrogenated block copolymer provide for (1) an order-disorder transition temperature of greater than about 135° C., (2) a hard phase glass transition temperature of greater than about 60° C., (3) a combination of one or more hard block associating ingredients that maintain or increase the glass transition temperature of at least one equivalent hard block polymer of the hydrogenated block copolymer, (4) a force retention factor of greater than about 2, (5) aromatic substitution of either or both the soft block and the hard block, (6) hard blocks with a solubility parameter of greater than about 9.1 (cal/cm3)1/2, and (7) compositions that remain extendable to at least 50% engineering strain after exposure to isopropyl palmitate for 30 hours at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter Gamble Company
    Inventors: David Harry Melik, Steven Daryl Smith, Janet Neton
  • Patent number: 9011401
    Abstract: Disposable diapers improved so that waist regions are effectively elastic to assure high fitness are provided. In a first waist region, bonding region coated with adhesive lines includes a first bonding region coated with first adhesive lines extending from a peripheral edge of a waist-opening toward a crotch region and a second bonding region coated with second adhesive lines extending from the first adhesive lines into the crotch region wherein the first adhesive lines are noncontiguous to the second adhesive lines in the direction of the longitudinal axis so that, with the diaper put on the wearer's body, a region defined in the vicinity of a boundary between the first bonding region and the second bonding region folded inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Kamiyama, Toshimitsu Baba, Kaiyo Nakajima, Reiko Nitta
  • Patent number: 9011404
    Abstract: A pull-on absorbent article including a front outer cover to be worn around a wearer's front side, a rear outer cover to be worn around the wearer's rear side, and an absorbent assembly fixed to the front and the rear outer cover so as to bridge them and having a pair of side seals. The length of each of the front and the outer cover in the longitudinal direction of the article is uniform in the lateral direction and larger than that of the side seals so that the front and the outer cover have extension portions that extend downward from the side seals. The extension portions of the front and/or the rear outer cover have an elasticized region extensible in the lateral direction in a region located laterally outward of each side edge of the absorbent assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Ryoichi Yamamoto, Kenji Ando, Takuo Yanashima, Akio Morita
  • Patent number: 8998872
    Abstract: In a crotch region in the disclosed absorbent article, a waist elastic member provided in a front waist region, and waist elastic members provided in a rear waist region are arranged so as to not come into contact with each other, and a linear identification part is provided in either the front waist region or the rear waist region, in a manner such that in a first region wherein an absorbent main body is provided the identification part is only visible from the side of the absorbent article which is not in contact with the skin, and in a second region wherein the absorbent main body is not provided the identification part is visible from both the side of the absorbent article which is in contact with the skin and that which is not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Yoshihisa Watabe
  • Patent number: 8986275
    Abstract: An outer cover for a disposable absorbent article. The outer cover includes an elastic material joined to an extensible material to form a laminate. At least two different areas of the laminate are simultaneously activated in different directions by a single pair of intermeshing activation rolls. At least a portion of the two different areas of activation on the outer cover are spatially separated by a buffer zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Fred Naval Desai, Fred Michael Langdon, Khalid Qureshi
  • Patent number: 8986276
    Abstract: In a disposable wearing article, front and rear waist elastics are attached between respective outer and inner sheets. An absorbent structure and leg-cuffs are attached to an inner side of the inner sheet. Lateral proximal portions of the respective leg cuffs are bonded between the absorbent structure and the inner sheet and lateral distal portions of the respective leg cuffs extend outwardly in a transverse direction beyond the absorbent structure and are not bonded to the inner sheet. These lateral distal portions are provided with a plurality of cuff elastics. Front and rear waist regions respectively include first through third sub-regions which are adjacent one to another in this order and the respective sub-regions are provided with first through third waist elastics. A tensile stress in the first and third sub-regions is higher than that in the second sub-region and the cuff elastics extend to at least the second sub-region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Kawakami, Shoshi Kosaka
  • Patent number: 8979816
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article includes front and rear outer sheets, an inner sheet, and front and rear waist-opening sheets. Each of first sheet segments of the waist-opening sheets is longer than the corresponding second sheet segments. End portions are bonded to outer surfaces of the outer sheets. In areas where the end portions are spaced apart from the front and rear outer sheets, the first sheet segments and the inner sheet are overlapped to form low stiffness sub-regions. In respective sides inboard of the low stiffness sub-regions, the inner sheet, the front and rear outer sheets and the first sheet segments are respectively overlapped to form inner high stiffness sub-regions, and in respective sides outboard of the low stiffness sub-regions, the inner sheet, the second sheet segments and the first sheet segments are overlapped to form outer high stiffness sub-regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8968505
    Abstract: A process of manufacturing a stretch composite is disclosed. The process comprises providing a polyolefin based substrate, providing a letterpress adhesive application system comprising a pattern roll and an applicator roll, and depositing a molten, non-adhesive, elastomeric composition onto the applicator roll. The process further comprises transferring only a portion of the elastomeric composition that is on the applicator roll, from the applicator roll to the pattern roll, by contacting the pattern roll with the elastomeric composition that is on the applicator roll, and transferring substantially all of the elastomeric composition from the pattern roll to the substrate, by contacting the substrate with the elastomeric composition that is on the pattern roll, without damaging the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Stephen McGuire, Mary Lee Amirpour, Urmish Popatlal Dalal, Fred Naval Desai, Charles Bruce Lambert, David Richard Tucker
  • Patent number: 8968266
    Abstract: A sanitary undergarment, comprising a fabric body, a crotch portion, a waist opening, and a thigh opening, each comprising one or more layers made of a breathable leak-proof material for blocking flow of the body fluid through the fabric body. The sanitary undergarment generally comprises a boxer brief construction. The fabric body constitutes a front portion and a rear portion and blocks flow of the body fluid of the wearer outside the sanitary undergarment and prevents staining of the outer garment. The front portion covers a front part of a pelvic region of the wearer. The rear portion covers a rear part of the pelvic region of the wearer. The crotch portion covers a crotch region of the wearer and comprises one or more of a first layer and a second layer. The second layer prevents chafing at the inner thigh regions of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Deepa A. Kumar
  • Patent number: 8968264
    Abstract: A diaper assembly 2 includes a diaper garment 10 and a fluid absorbent pad 60. The diaper garment 10 has an outer shell 12 from which a sling 20 is suspended. The sling 20 is fluid resistant and has front and rear pockets 34, 36 into which opposite ends of the fluid absorbent pad 60 can be inserted. The front pocket 34 is formed by fluid resistant shield 50 that is surrounded on three sides by gussets 40, 42 that are more skin friendly than the shield 50. Multilayer pads 60 can be carried by the sling 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tailored Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Fredrica V. Coates