Plural Elastic Elements Patents (Class 604/385.27)
  • Patent number: 7744579
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on garment has a front waist region and a back waist region opposite the front waist region. The disposable pull-on garment also has a chassis and front and back waist members attached to the chassis in the front and back waist regions, respectively. The front waist member has a first retraction force and the back waist member has a second retraction force. The disposable pull-on garment also has a pair of side members attaching the front waist region to the back waist region, thereby forming a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. Each of the pair of side members includes a waist zone and a hip zone. The waist zones have retraction forces which are about equal to the first retraction force, and the hip zones have retraction forces which are greater than the first or second retraction forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Frederick Michael Langdon, Uwe Schneider, Christopher Jason Hawke, Gregory Ashton
  • Patent number: 7744578
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanio, Masataka Kinoshita, Kazuya Nishitani, Noritatsu Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 7736350
    Abstract: A pant-like absorbent article includes laterally extending front and back ear portions defined at opposed lateral sides of the front and back waist regions. A laterally inwardly directed leg contour is defined in each of the lateral sides between the respective front and back ear portions. An absorbent body structure extends between the front and back waist regions and includes laterally extending wing portions along the front and back ear portions. Leak guards are provided having a free laterally inward side and a laterally outward side with a contour corresponding generally to that of the article lateral sides and leg contours. The laterally outward sides of the guards are attached to the lateral sides of the front and back ear portions and along the leg contours laterally outward of the absorbent body structure so as to define a containment pocket along the leg contours and front and back ear portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Shirlee A. Weber
  • Patent number: 7727216
    Abstract: A diaper for adults includes a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending therebetween, wherein side edge portions of the front and rear waist regions are detachably connected to each other so as to form a waist hole and a pair of leg holes, the side edge portions have a dimension of at least 150 mm as measured in a longitudinal direction, and a position correcting system to correct relative position of first and second fastening components when the first and second waist regions are connected to each other comprises at least one spacing zone defined between setting zones for tow or more fastening components into which the first fastening component is divided in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kenmochi, Akiyoshi Kinoshita, Natsuko Aoyagi, Naoto Ohashi, Makoto Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 7722590
    Abstract: A pull-on disposable wearing article is provided with a chassis and an absorbent batt structure extending on the inner surface of the chassis. The chassis has a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region and is composed of a base sheet which is substantially not elastically extensible/contractible, and first and second outer sheets stretched in a transverse direction and bonded in such a stretched state to outer surfaces of the base sheet in the front and rear waist regions, respectively, and being elastically extendible/contractible in the transverse direction. An absorbent batt structure is laid inside the chassis. The base sheet defining an inner surface of the chassis is formed with gathers as the first and second outer sheets contract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoko Tsuji, Hirotomo Mukai, Akiyoshi Kinoshita, Tatsuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7717896
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on wearing article has its waist region divided into a front section and a rear section and connector sheet strips adapted to connect these two sections together. Each of the connector sheet strips has zones to be joined to the front sections and a non-joint zone interposed between the zones to be joined to the front and rear sections and adapted to be easily torn apart in the vertical direction of the article. The front and rear sections respectively have ears lying on the outer side. These ears have respective inner surface releasably joined to each other by a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Otsubo, Naoto Ohashi, Yusuke Kawakami, Makoto Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 7708728
    Abstract: An absorbent article comprising a topsheet with a large opening for receiving feces. The topsheet has an elastic laminate portion with y-direction elongation. The laminate portion has a first zone, a second zone and, optionally, a third zone. The zones have different degrees of maximum elongation and/or different wrinkle heights and/or densities. The zones are configured such that one or more zones are created that cause less or no pressure marks. Overall, the topsheet maintains an excellent force profile, resulting in well performing, comfortable to wear absorbent articles that provide isolation of feces away from the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Blanca Arizti, Ekaterina Anatolyevna Ponomarenko, Simone Seeboth, Gemma Baquer-Molas
  • Patent number: 7704243
    Abstract: A 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 therebetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart (e.g. generally equally spaced apart) elastic elements (e.g. strands or threads) that are aligned in a generally in generally parallel relation. Further, the top and base layers define a region of inelasticity. The leg wrap structure 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: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: DSG Technology Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Shu Edward Chang, Anne Smid, Patrick King Yu Tsang, Ian Walker, Andrew Wright
  • Patent number: 7699827
    Abstract: A pant shaped garment having a rear portion, a front portion, and a crotch portion, a waist opening with a waist edge and two leg openings bordered by a leg edge having a front part located generally on the front portion and a rear part located generally on the rear portion and on the crotch portion. Front and rear portions are mutually connected in two side joins which run from the waist opening to each leg opening. An elongated elastic element is pre-stretched along the rear part of the leg edge of each leg opening. The front portion comprises an elastically extensible material and the elongated elastic element constricts the rear part of the leg edge, thereby stretching the elastic material along the front part of the leg edge. The side joins exhibit a curvature in a direction towards the rear portion that increases in a direction from the waist opening towards the leg opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Cecile Sandin, Katarina Eriksson, Sofia Hermansson, Catarina Linner
  • Patent number: 7682350
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article has a front waist edge, a back waist edge, a topsheet, a backsheet attached to at least a portion of the topsheet, and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. A waist member is attached to a wearer-facing surface of the disposable absorbent article or between the topsheet and the backsheet adjacent to the front waist edge and the back waist edge. The waist member is unattached to an outer-facing surface of the disposable absorbent article. The waist member extends outward from the front waist edge and the back waist edge such that at least a region of the waist member is visible from a vantage point external to the disposable absorbent article, thereby providing the appearance of a finished front waist edge or the appearance of a finished back waist edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Frederick Michael Langdon, Luke Robinson Magee, Gregory Ashton, Mark John Ciesko
  • Patent number: 7666174
    Abstract: Here is disclosed a disposable diaper, which includes a liquid-absorbent zone in a crotch region having first through fourth sections. A stiffness of the first and second sections formed from top- and backsheets is lower than a stiffness of the third and fourth sections formed from the top- and backsheets and an absorbent core. Stretchably elastic members extending in a longitudinal direction are contractibly attached to the fourth section. A liquid-absorbent zone in the crotch region is formed with a concavity (feces pocket) as the fourth section contract in the longitudinal direction under a contractile force of the elastic members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Onishi, Yusuke Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7662138
    Abstract: An absorbent article has an elastic waist portion, an absorbent element (5), and a liquid-impermeable outer layer (3) which is intended to enclose the absorbent element on at least that side thereof which faces away from the wearer during use of the article. The absorbent element (5) is in its entirety arranged on the second piece (2). The liquid-impermeable outer layer (3) is breathable, at least over a portion of this which covers the absorbent element (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Kent Hermansson, Cécile Sandin, Hans Eén, Kenneth Strannemalm, Anna-Carin Elfström, Karin Lindmark
  • Patent number: 7658732
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in structure of disposable garments. The disposable garments of the invention may include an outer layer and an elastic inner layer. The elastic inner layer has an elastic inner layer perimeter and defines an opening, which may be in the form of a slit or aperture, located in an internal position to the elastic inner layer perimeter. The elastic inner layer perimeter may be bonded to the outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul T. Van Gompel, Georgia L. Zehner
  • 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: 7654993
    Abstract: An absorbent article that includes a component with an elastic laminate portion, which provides y-direction elongation. The elastic laminate portion is a support sheet and an elastic material, together forming a laminate portion of the component. The elastic laminate portion has zones, each with a different degree of maximum elongation. The zones also have different wrinkle heights and/or densities, such that one or more zones are created that cause less or no pressure marks, whilst overall an excellent force profile is maintained, resulting in well performing, comfortable to wear absorbent articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Company
    Inventors: Blanca Arizti, Ekaterina Anatolyevna Ponomarenko, Simone Seeboth, Gemma Baquer-Molas
  • Patent number: 7648490
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin includes: a napkin body having a liquid-absorbent layer for absorbing and retaining liquid; and first and second projections each exerting an elastic contractive force between longitudinally opposing front and rear ends to concavely curve the body surface of the napkin body and raise itself from the body surface of the napkin body. The napkin body has an overlap region where the second projections lie on laterally opposite sides of the first projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichiro Kuroda, Wataru Yoshimasa, Toshiyuki Tanio, Shinobu Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 7641642
    Abstract: An absorbent article 1 having a liquid retentive absorbent layer and a liquid impermeable leak preventive layer and including, in its longitudinal direction, an excretion portion facing section A which is placed opposite a wearer's liquid excretion portion, when in wear, and a rear section B which is placed more on the back side than the excretion portion facing section A, when in wear, wherein a leak preventive wall 5 is disposed on opposite side portions in the longitudinal direction, the leak preventive wall 5 having a basal wall portion and a planar elastic expansible/contractible portion connected to an upper end portion of the basal wall portion and being raised in the excretion portion facing section A and in the rear section B, and wherein a distance from an upper end portion of the basal wall portion to the leak preventive layer in the rear section is shorter than a comparable distance in the excretion portion facing section A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Murai, Tetsuya Kusagawa, Miyuki Kondo, Mitsugu Hamajima
  • Patent number: 7632259
    Abstract: An absorption article such as a pant diaper, having a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and an absorption body positioned therebetween, the article having a front end portion, a rear end portion, and a crotch portion lying therebetween, the rear end portion and the adjacent part of the crotch portion having a transverse elastic system, a rear leg elastic system which runs between the two longitudinal side edges of the article along the leg cutout of the article in the rear part of the crotch portion and crosses the crotch portion essentially parallel to the transverse center line of the article. The article has, on each side of the absorption body, a pocket for temporary storage of liquid, the extent of the pocket being limited by the longitudinal side edge of the absorption body, the transverse elastic system and the rear leg elastic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Anna-Karin Elfström, Cécile Sandin, Kent Hermansson, Kenneth Strannemalm, Carina Mare, Lennart Nilsson
  • Patent number: 7608069
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a leg elastic member captured between a biaxially extensible outer cover and a biaxially extensible bodyside liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Georgia Lynn Zehner, Duane Girard Uitenbroek, John Philip Vukos
  • Patent number: 7604625
    Abstract: An integral disposable elasticized absorbent article has a front waist portion, a back waist portion, a crotch portion, a pair of spaced apart leg openings, an absorbent core member, and means for tightly fitting the absorbent body to the body of the wearer. The absorbent article has a barrier layer which comprises one or more segments overlying portions of the absorbent core member, and defining one or more retaining enclosures between the barrier layer segments and the underlying portion of the absorbent core member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: First Quality Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mordechai Turi, Michael Kauschke
  • Patent number: 7597690
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin includes a surface element that is formed of a liquid-permeable topsheet covering a liquid absorbent layer. The surface element is raised from the skin-side surface of a napkin body by an elastic force of an elastic member to form a protuberance having a front end and a rear end. The protuberance fits in the intergluteal cleft and prevents rearward leakage of menstrual blood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanio, Wataru Yoshimasa, Kenichiro Kuroda, Shinobu Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 7594905
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin includes a napkin body containing a liquid absorbent layer and a three-dimensional structure is disposed on the skin-side surface of the napkin body. The three-dimensional structure is formed of a reinforcing member and a liquid-permeable sheet, and an elastic member is disposed along an apex to extend in a longitudinal direction. The reinforcing member has high-density portions and low-density portions alternating with each other in the longitudinal direction so that the apex can be shortened in the longitudinal direction by an elastic contractive force of the elastic member. Therefore, the napkin body can be easily kept curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanio, Wataru Yoshimasa, Kenichiro Kuroda, Shinobu Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 7591811
    Abstract: A diaper with legs is a lower torso garment worn by a user to retain excreted waste matter. The diaper may have fasteners to close the waist and legs, or may be of the pull-on type. The diaper includes a flat sheet wrapped around the torso with legs extending from the sides of the sheet. A front waist arch and a rear waist arch are disposed at an upper portion of the edges of the sheet. The arches extend the height of the diaper in front and back. An elastic material is disposed at the waist arches, at the junction between the legs and the central portion of the diaper, and at the end of the legs. The elastic material disposed at the end of the legs and at the junction between the legs and the central portion provides double leak protection at the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Inventor: Lisa Diane Crislip Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 7591810
    Abstract: An absorbent garment includes a front body panel having a terminal waist edge and a terminal crotch edge and a rear body panel having a terminal waist edge and a terminal crotch edge. The terminal crotch edge of the rear body panel is longitudinally spaced from and forms a gap with the terminal crotch edge of the front body panel. An absorbent composite bridges the gap between the front and rear body panels with first and second terminal edges overlying and connected to the front and rear body panels respectively. In one embodiment, the terminal edges of the absorbent composite are the only portion of the absorbent composite connected to the front and rear body panels. In another embodiment, the absorbent composite is further connected to the front and rear body panels at first and second attachment locations proximate a longitudinally extending centerline of the absorbent composite and longitudinally spaced from the first and second terminal edges. Methods of using the absorbent garments are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Morman, James M. Carr, Yung H. Huang, Eric D. Johnson, Jennifer L. Marvin, Mary Jo Meyer, Thomas H. Roessler, Paul T. Van Gompel
  • Patent number: 7588561
    Abstract: A pull-on disposable wearing article is formed in a crotch region with first and second pairs of folding guide lines extending from first and second waist lateral margins toward a transverse middle of the crotch region, respectively. The crotch region is divided into a first zone enclosed by the first waist lateral margin and the first folding guide lines, a second zone enclosed by the second waist lateral margin and the second folding guide lines and a third zone outside the first and second zones. Inside the side edges of the core, first and second elastic members are contractible attached to the article. The first and second elastic members extend across the first and second zones to the third zone. The first and second zones are pulled inward under contractile forces of the elastic members to form tucks which are convex inwardly of the leg-holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kenmochi, Takaaki Shimada, Takako Uosawa, Toshifumi Otsubo
  • Patent number: 7575573
    Abstract: An absorbent article has a chassis assembly with a front region, a rear region, a crotch region disposed between the front and rear region, and a pair of longitudinal edges. A chamber is positioned adjacent to each longitudinal edge and extends from the front region to the rear region with each chamber being substantially enclosed. Drawstring members extend through each of the chambers and exit the chassis assembly from an opening in the rear region. A waist fit member extends across the rear region and is connected to a portion of the drawstring member. The drawstring members are substantially unattached to their respective chambers such that a more secure fit is provided about the legs and the waist of the wearer upon tensioning of the drawstring members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald C. Roe, Connie L. Fisher, Carl L. Bergman, Gregg A. Flender
  • Patent number: 7563257
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article is provided with a skin-contactable panel laid in a front half of a crotch region of the article and a liquid-impervious partition laid in a vicinity of a transverse center line of the article. The panel has transversely opposite side edges bonded to transverse opposite side portion of the article and a intermediate region defined between these side edges. The partition has an upper edge bonded to the panel, a lower edge bonded to a topsheet of the article transversely opposite side edges bonded to the side portions of the article and a middle portion defined between the upper and lower edges. The intermediate region of the panel describes an upward convex circular arc above the topsheet and the middle portion of the partition is unfolded in a thickness direction of the article so as to form a pocket-like barrier against movement of bodily wastes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kaiyo Nakajima, Yoshitaka Mishima
  • Publication number: 20090124991
    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: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Patrick King Yu Tsang, Andrew Wright, Ian Walker, Kuo-Shu Edward Chang, Chang-Hwa Grace Ho
  • Patent number: 7530973
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin includes a napkin body containing a liquid absorbent layer and a three-dimensional structure is disposed on the skin-side surface of the napkin body. The three-dimensional structure is formed of an air-laid nonwoven fabric and a liquid-permeable sheet, and the air-laid nonwoven fabric is formed with upwardly extending compressed portions. The three-dimensional structure comes into close contact with the body's groove to effectively prevent lateral leakage of menstrual blood during sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanio, Wataru Yoshimasa, Kenichiro Kuroda, Shinobu Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 7530972
    Abstract: The absorbent article has an outer sheet that provides an outer surface of the absorbent article, an inner sheet disposed on the inner side of the outer sheet, and elastic members for making below-waist gathers disposed between the two sheets. A patterned sheet is disposed between the outer and inner sheets such that the pattern of the patterned sheet may be seen through the outer sheet from the outside of the diaper. The elastic members for below-waist gathers each have a portion contributory to elastic extensibility and contractibility in the regions outside the lateral sides of the patterned sheet and a portion substantially non-contributory to elastic extensibility and contractibility in the region inside the lateral sides of the patterned sheet. The latter portion of the elastic member is disposed between the patterned sheet and the inner sheet and preferably is kept out of sight from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: KAO Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Ando, Takuo Yanashima
  • Patent number: 7527615
    Abstract: Disclosed is a nonwoven web comprising a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions comprised of the same material and being visually distinct from each other, wherein the first regions will exhibit resistive forces in response to an applied elongation along at least one axis before a substantial portion of the second regions develop significant resistive forces to the applied elongation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, David Joseph Kenneth Goulait, Sheila Snyder Rodriguez, Edward Paul Carlin, Kimberly Ann Dreier, Carolyn Mae Jasper, Dean Jeffrey Daniels
  • Patent number: 7527616
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article having an elasticized outer leg cuff is disclosed. The disposable absorbent article comprises a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed therebetween, and a side flap extending laterally outwardly from the absorbent core. The absorbent article further comprises an elasticized outer leg cuff. The elasticized outer leg cuff is disposed adjacent to the longitudinal side edge in the crotch region and has a base and a gasket cuff supported by the base at a joint of the base to the gasket cuff. The gasket cuff is provided with an elastic material and has an inner cuff extending laterally inwardly from the joint and an outer cuff extending laterally outwardly from the joint. The gasket cuff is formed by folding the distal flap at least twice laterally inwardly toward the longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Kouichi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 7520874
    Abstract: A disposable diaper comprising a fluid-permeable topsheet, a fluid-impermeable backsheet and a fluid-retentive absorbent core interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the disposable diaper being formed in a substantially vertically elongated configuration and having a stomach side, a back side and a crotch region positioned between the stomach side and the back side, wherein a second absorbent core is disposed at an outside region of each opposite side edge of the absorbent core at the crotch region along a longitudinal direction of the diaper, and an elastic member is disposed at the region where the second absorbent core is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Koyama, Hidekazu Ito, Ken Nemoto, Kenji Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 7481802
    Abstract: An absorbent article of pants shape including an elastic waist portion, an absorbent element (5), and a liquid-impermeable outer layer (3) which is intended to enclose the absorbent element on at least that side thereof which faces away from the wearer during use of the article. Elastic members are arranged along the edges of a second piece, along at least the crotch portion for the forming of leg elastics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Kent Hermansson
  • Patent number: 7482505
    Abstract: The invention relates to a single use hygiene article, comprising an absorbing body layer (24, 60, 70), which serves to store body fluids and which can also contain superabsorbent materials, and comprising standing cuff elements (26, 28), which extend in an essentially longitudinal direction, form a lateral leakage barrier and which are attached to the body-facing side of the article at least along a cuff base line (34, 36; 62, 64; 76, 78). The cuff elements (26, 28) are guided with variable distances between the cuff base lines (34, 36; 62, 64; 76, 78). The aim of the invention is to improve the absorption characteristics of the hygiene article. Towards this end, the article is designed in such a manner that the absorbing body layer (24, 60, 70) comprises, in a transversal direction (44) of the hygiene article up to the lateral edges (16) and/or in a longitudinal direction (38) up to at least one longitudinal end (40), an increasing mass per unit area of an absorbent material of this layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Paul Hartmann AG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Stupperich, Wolfgang Röhrl
  • Publication number: 20090005752
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article capable of separating urine and feces efficiently in use and having high urine absorption capacity. The object is attained by an absorbent article including: a first leak preventer in sheet form having a base part; a pair of side members extending in a longitudinal direction on right and left sides of the base part of the first leak preventer; an absorber comprised of at least one layer in an inner space formed by the base part of the first leak preventer and the side members, containing a super absorbent polymer, and capable of absorbing a body fluid; and a bridging member bonded to the pair of side members for bridging the side members, dividing the inner space into front and rear parts, capable of exhibiting a function of separating urine and feces, in which the bridging member is formed to be stretchable in a lateral direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Japan Absorbent Technology Institute
    Inventors: Migaku Suzuki, Reiko Moriya
  • Publication number: 20080312631
    Abstract: A disposable diaper 1 includes a topsheet 2, a backsheet 3, and an absorbent member 4 between the sheets 2 and 3. A pair of leg flaps 5 each having an elastic member is provided along the laterally opposite side edges of the absorbent member 4. Each of the leg flaps 5 is fixed at its front end portion 52 and rear end portion 53 to a portion C, one of longitudinally opposite end portions of the diaper, and to a portion B, the other end portion, in such a configuration that each of the leg flaps 5 may be folded back over the side of the backsheet 3 when the disposable diaper 1 is in a flat-out state with the elastic members stretched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Okuda
  • Patent number: 7462172
    Abstract: An elastic composite is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The elastic composite has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed therebetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart (e.g. generally equally spaced apart) elastic elements (e.g. strands or threads) that are aligned in a generally cross machine direction and in generally parallel relation. Further, the top and base layers define a first longitudinally extending side edge and a second longitudinally extending side edge between which, the elastic construction is disposed. The elastic composite further includes an elasticized region, wherein the elastic construction is disposed, a first non-elasticized region disposed between the first side edge and the elasticized region, and a second non-elasticized region disposed between the second side edge and the elasticized region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: DSG Technology Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Christopher Wright, Kuo-Shu Edward Chang, Patrick King Yu Tsang, Anne Smid
  • Patent number: 7462174
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Nishitani, Toshiyuki Tanio, Masataka Kinoshita, Akane Sakai
  • Publication number: 20080300563
    Abstract: The invention concerns an absorbent article such as a diaper, an incontinence product, a sanitary napkin, a panty liner or the like, wherein one or several parts (103,203: 104,204: 105,205) of said article comprise elastic means (116,216: 117,217; 119,219) which hold a skincare agent in their structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Carolyn Berland, Maria Fernkvist, Ingrid Gustafson
  • Publication number: 20080300568
    Abstract: In a pants-type absorbent product, a first middle elastic member (47) is located along a horizontal direction in a middle front part (4022) between a pair of leg openings in an outer covering sheet (4). The first middle elastic member (47) contracts a first sheet (41) and a second sheet (42), and middle gathers are formed. Thus, it is possible to improve fitting of a middle part (402) to a wearer. In the middle front part (4022), both ends of the first middle elastic member (47) are apart from edges (121) of the pair of leg openings, and a pair of non-contracted parts (49) are provided between the both ends of the first middle elastic member (47) and the edges (121) of the pair of leg openings, to thereby improve flexibility of portions in the vicinities of the leg openings in the outer covering sheet (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Masaru Fujioka, Yuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080287897
    Abstract: Disposable protective undergarments and methods for manufacturing the same, in which the undergarments include a front portion and a back portion each having a stretchable waist area, a stretchable leg area longitudinally spaced from the waist area, and a stretchable belly area positioned between the waist area and the leg area is provided. The belly area is separated from the waist area thereby defining a substantially non-stretchable portion therebetween, and the belly area is also separated from the leg area thereby also defining a substantially non-stretchable portion therebetween. The undergarment optionally includes front and back portions with waist areas each having an outer layer folded over an inner layer, between which layers stretchable web material is sandwiched between.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Loida Guzman Reyes, Brian A. McGinty, Ron Rothenberger, Linda Morrell-Schwartz, Edward P. Erdman, Andrew Waksmundzki
  • Patent number: 7449014
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article is provided with leg elastic elements. The leg elastic elements include first leg elastic elements extending from transversely opposite margins of a front waist region to a front half of a crotch region and second leg elastic elements extending from transversely opposite margins of a rear waist region toward a rear half of the crotch region across a rear half of the crotch region. The first elastic elements extend generally in a transverse direction while the second elastic elements extend in a direction orthogonal to a transverse center line in such a manner that these elastic elements get nearer to a longitudinal center line as these elastic element extend from the rear waist region toward the crotch region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Oba, Takanori Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7449015
    Abstract: A pants-type disposable wearing article includes leg-circumferential first elastic members attached to crotch region's lateral margins of an outer sheet and waist-circumferential second elastic members attached to waist regions' upper margins of the outer sheet. The elastic members are joined to the sheet while the sheet and the second elastic members are stretched at given extension ratios, respectively, in a transverse direction and the first elastic members is stretched at a given extension ratio in the leg-circumferential direction so that the sheet and the first elastic members may have substantially the same leg-circumferential dimensions after these sheet and first elastic members have been relaxed and the sheet and the second elastic members may have substantially the same transverse dimensions after these sheet and second elastic members have been relaxed. In addition, the waist regions' upper margins and the crotch region's lateral margins are substantially planar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Otsubo, Shunsuke Takino
  • Patent number: 7442188
    Abstract: An elongate elastic member is secured to a substrate to form an elastic composite. The elastic member extends along an elastic axis between a first location on the substrate and a second location on the substrate spaced longitudinally from the first location. At least a portion of the elastic axis is generally non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the substrate. The elastic member crosses its elastic axis at least twice as it extends along the elastic axis, with the elastic member crossing itself at least once as it extends along the elastic axis. In another embodiment, the elastic member generally forms a wave pattern which defines a width of the securement path and has at least two different periods along the securement path. In yet another embodiment, the elastic member defines a continuous series of loops wherein each loop defines a closed portion having a generally tear-drop shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kent A. Franklin, Valerie V. Finch, Robin K. Nason
  • Patent number: 7435244
    Abstract: An absorbent article, such as a disposable diaper, having a topsheet, barrier cuffs, an optional acquisition layer, an absorbent core, a barrier layer, and a backsheet. The diaper is arranged so as to create breathable zones of reduced stiffness surrounding the wearer's thighs. That is, the layers of material forming the diaper are arranged so the area surrounding the wearer's thighs includes only the backsheet, barrier cuffs and leg elastics. No liquid-impervious material is present within the breathable zones of reduced stiffness. Furthermore, these breathable zones of reduced stiffness preferably are formed so that only hydrophobic material is present. Thus, providing a better fitting, less irritating absorbent article by reducing the stiffness and increasing the breathability of the diaper in the area surrounding the wearer's thighs, resulting in increased comfort and fit around the wearer's thighs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Arquest, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Schroer, Jr., Glenn Ernest Glasscock, Charles Augustus Hart, John L. Moody, Meredith Gaye Tharp, Jason Brian Woodard
  • Publication number: 20080234651
    Abstract: A pants-type disposable wearing article includes leg-circumferential first elastic members attached to crotch region's lateral margins of an outer sheet and waist-circumferential second elastic members attached to waist regions' upper margins of the outer sheet. The elastic members are joined to the sheet while the sheet and the second elastic members are stretched at given extension ratios, respectively, in a transverse direction and the first elastic members is stretched at a given extension ratio in the leg-circumferential direction so that the sheet and the first elastic members may have substantially the same leg-circumferential dimensions after these sheet and first elastic members have been relaxed and the sheet and the second elastic members may have substantially the same transverse dimensions after these sheet and second elastic members have been relaxed. In addition, the waist regions' upper margins and the crotch region's lateral margins are substantially planar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi OTSUBO, Shunsuke TAKINO
  • Patent number: 7410479
    Abstract: An absorbent article body part includes a liquid permeable surface side sheet, a liquid impermeable back face side sheet, and an absorbent body, positioned between the sheets, and having flap parts, extending outward to the respective sides of the absorbent body, and is formed by layering an outer layer sheet onto the back face side of the main absorbent article body part. At the outer layer sheet, first and second leg part elastic bodies are positioned with sides at one end being set along leg parts from parts of a dorsal waist part at one side and the other side, intermediate parts crossing a crotch part obliquely, and the sides at the other end being set along the leg parts at parts of a ventral waist part at the other side and the one side. Third leg part elastic bodies are positioned along the longitudinal direction at the flap parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Hakujuji Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Hoshino, Fumiko Aoki
  • Patent number: 7396350
    Abstract: A diaper is provided on its inner side with a tufted sheet strip assembly. The assembly includes a plurality of sheet strips, a sheet-like base member to which fixed end zones of the respective sheet strips are permanently bonded, and elastically biasing element adapted to space a transversely intermediate zone of the sheet-like base member from the inner side of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Mishima, Yuko Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20080161768
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a chassis, an absorbent structure placed on the chassis and elastic elements attached under tension to the chassis so as to extend across an absorbent structure region of the chassis occupied by the absorbent structure and to extend outward beyond opposite side edges of the absorbent structure. An elongation percentage of the elastic elements 6 is relatively low in the absorbent structure region as well as in first side regions outside opposite side edges of the absorbent structure and the elongation percentage is relatively high in second side regions outside the first side region and gradually increases as the elastic elements draw away from the first side regions toward the second side regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Baba, Takanori Matsuo, Hiroyuko Soga, Junichi Noguchi