Upstanding Side Flap Patents (Class 604/385.28)
  • Patent number: 8758317
    Abstract: An absorbent article that realizes favorable erection of gathers and excels in transversal leakage preventing effects. There is disclosed a vertically long absorbent article comprising a surface layer with surface sheet (2), a backside layer with backside sheet (3), an absorbent layer with absorbent body (4) interposed therebetween and a pair of gathers (5,5) formed of a sheetlike member (9) so as to have a hollow on both the side areas of the surface layer in the longitudinal direction thereof. The pair of gathers (5,5) in the state of having a three-dimensional configuration part (10) wherein the sheetlike member (9) makes a convex on the external surface side of the absorbent article in the thickness direction thereof are joined to the surface layer and/or backside layer by a junction portion (11) provided so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article. The three-dimensional configuration part (10) is provided so as to construct a hollow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Nomoto, Masashi Uda, Hideaki Morita, Kenji Ohba, Yuichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8758319
    Abstract: In a standing part (342) of each side wall part (34) in an absorbent product (1), an inwardly bending part (3423) is formed between a first elastic member (35) and a second elastic member (36). When the absorbent product (1) is worn, the inwardly bending part (3423) where no elastic member is provided comes into contact with a wearer to be deformed into surface shape, and a portion in the vicinity of the inwardly bending part (3423) and the first elastic member (35) contacts with the wearer in surface shape. Therefore, the wearer is prevented from being compressed excessively by the first elastic member (35) and the second elastic member (36) and excrement is prevented from leaking out to the outer side of the absorbent product (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Livedo Corporation
    Inventor: Yuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8728051
    Abstract: Laminates with a layer of bonded nonwoven material attached to a layer of film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Aaron Lu, Robert Haines Turner, Lisa Marie Reynolds, Thomas Burkhart, Helmut Hartl, Deying Kong, David D. Newkirk
  • Patent number: 8716549
    Abstract: An absorbent article to be worn the lower torso is provided. The absorbent article comprises a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core, and a pair of longitudinal barrier cuffs attached to the chassis. Each of the longitudinal barrier cuffs comprises a web of material. The web of material comprises a first nonwoven component layer, and a second nonwoven component layer. Each of the longitudinal barrier cuffs comprises a longitudinal zone of attachment where each of the longitudinal barrier cuff attaches to the chassis, a longitudinal free edge, and a plurality of mechanical bonds disposed between the longitudinal zone of attachment and the free edge. The plurality of mechanical bonds attach one of a first portion of the web of material to a second portion of the web of material, and the web of material to a portion of the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Calvin Hoi Wung Cheng, Rajeev Chhabra, Olaf Erik Alexander Isele, DeeAnn Ling Nelson
  • Patent number: 8715262
    Abstract: An elastic barrier flap for an absorbent article includes a web configured to define a gap and a plurality of elastic members captured by the web. The plurality of elastic members is symmetrically arranged about the gap defined by the web. The web and plurality of elastic members are adapted to inhibit the transverse flow of body exudates released by a wearer of the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Connie May McMorrow, Daniel R. Schlinz, Kylie Bridger, Sara Jane Willie Stabelfeldt, Patrick Dean Abney, Daniel Lee Ellingson, Sarah A. Funk, Rodney Allen Butler, Scott Simon Craig Kirby
  • Patent number: 8684988
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article includes two laterally opposing longitudinally extending barrier cuff strips attached to an interior surface of an absorbent assembly in laterally opposing attachment zones. Each barrier cuff strip may include a water-impermeable layer and may be extensible. A longitudinally extending elastic gathering member is attached to each barrier cuff strip adjacent to its proximal edge. When the article is worn, the elastic gathering members contract and raise the barrier cuff strips to form side barriers. The absorbent assembly includes an absorbent core that may contain superabsorbent particles, which may be contained inside pockets. A portion of the absorbent assembly such as the portion that lies between the barrier cuff strip attachment zones may be extensible and may include a water-impermeable layer. The laterally opposing attachment zones may act as dams preventing a lateral flow of liquid bodily waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Gary Dean LaVon
  • Patent number: 8672912
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a chassis extending about a longitudinal axis and having a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The chassis has a first transverse axis dividing the absorbent structure into a front body panel terminating in a front waist region and a rear body panel terminating in a rear waist region. The rear waist region has a first elastic region. The chassis is delimited by opposed longitudinal edges and opposed transverse edges. In the rear waist region, the absorbent structure terminates at a first distance from the transverse edge and the first elastic region extends substantially parallel to the transverse edge and spaced therefrom by a second distance and spaced from the absorbent structure by a third distance. The third distance is greater than said second distance or substantially equal thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Helena Corneliusson, Rozalia Bitis, Ingrid Stjernholm
  • Patent number: 8663183
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article is claimed that comprised a backsheet and an absorbent core and a core coversheet or topsheet, that in use faces the wearer, and one or more cuffs (25, 26), comprising one or more longitudinally extending elastic laminate portion(s) (10), formed by at least an elastic material (12) attached to a supporting sheet (20) of said cuff (25, 26), said laminate portion(s) (10) comprising in at least relaxed and partially contracted state a body-facing surface with a multitude of wrinkles, and whereby said elastic laminate portion (10) has an absolute contracted length Lc and a fully stretched absolute length Ls, whereby at a partial elongation of the elastic laminate potion (10) of ?=0.5: a) said wrinkles have an average wrinkle height Hw of less than 600 micrometers; and b) said laminate portion (10) has an average wrinkle density Dw between 5 and 10 wrinkles per cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Blanca Arizti, Ekaterina Anatolyevna Ponomarenko, Gemma Baquer Molas, Simone Seeboth, David James Dahlinger, David Richard Tucker, Don Randell Greer
  • Patent number: 8641695
    Abstract: An absorbent article such as a diaper, pant diaper, a sanitary pant or incontinence garment has at least one first elastic web material which is ultrasonically welded to at least one second web material along at least one weld seam. The second web material is different to the first elastic web material and the second web material has a degree of elasticity which is different to the elasticity of the first elastic web material. The ultrasonic weld seam between the first elastic web material and the second web material is reinforced to have a weld strength in a direction transverse to the weld seam which is at least 5N/25.4 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Kerstin Edwall, Margareta Wennebäck, Elisabeth Lakso
  • Patent number: 8613737
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a disposable absorbent article. The disposable absorbent article has a longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, an outer surface and an inner surface. The absorbent article is folded before use along the lateral direction. The disposable absorbent article comprises a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed therebetween, and an elasticized outer leg cuff. The elasticized outer leg cuff is disposed adjacent to a longitudinal side edge of the absorbent article. The elasticized outer leg cuff 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 elasticity and has a top gasket cuff surface, an inner cuff extending laterally inwardly from the joint and an outer cuff extending laterally outwardly from the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Kouichi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8585670
    Abstract: In a disposable pants-type wearing article, a body fluid absorbent panel provided in a crotch region extends in a longitudinal direction A and is fixed to a sheet member defining inner surfaces of front and rear waist regions. The body fluid absorbent panel is formed along its opposite side edges with flaps and free edges of the respective flaps are provided with crotch region elastic members attached under tension thereto. The front and rear waist regions are provided along peripheral edges of leg-openings with lower elastic members attached under tension thereto. Regions of the side flaps in which the free edges of the flaps developed in a transverse direction overlap the associated lower elastic members are affixed to respective inner surfaces of the front and rear waist regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Shunsuke Takino
  • Patent number: 8585672
    Abstract: A simple disposable absorbent article including a chassis and an absorbent assembly. The chassis includes laterally opposing side flaps formed by laterally inwardly disposed portions of the chassis and deployable belt ears. Each belt ear is held laterally inwardly disposed until being released and deployed laterally outward so as to project laterally outward beyond the adjacent side flap. Fastening elements may be disposed on at least two of the belt ears, the fastening elements being adapted for fastening portions of the article together to encircle a waist and legs of a wearer. The chassis may be extensible. The absorbent assembly may be attached in a cruciform pattern to the chassis to allow portions of the chassis underlying the absorbent assembly and lying outside the cruciform attachment pattern to extend laterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary Dean LaVon, Kevin Michael Smith, Yoichiro Yamamoto, Michael Patrick Hayden
  • Patent number: 8568380
    Abstract: A two-piece diaper system having a re-usable shell and a removable and replaceable absorbent pad is provided. The re-usable diapering system consists of a non-absorbent outer liquid impervious shell, as in a standard disposable diaper but without an integral central absorbent layer which is exposed to liquids in the crotch area. A separate disposable absorbent pad is provided in the central crotch area of the disposable diaper which is not sandwiched in the shell. The central area of the shell is stiffened to facilitate manufacture and handling by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: James Roy Brownlee
  • Patent number: 8535288
    Abstract: In an absorbent product (1), each of a pair of side wall parts (34) has two side wall end parts (341) bonded on both end portions of a bonded part (33) and a standing part (342) standing up from the main body part (2) between the two side wall end parts (341). The side wall part (34) is folded outwardly at an inner edge of the bonded part (33) and further folded inwardly. Each side wall end part (341) has a bonded section (3411) and a half standing part (3412) which is continuous from the standing part (342). The half standing part (3412) stands up from the main body part (2) lower than the standing part (342) and fits the vicinity of wearer's crotch in wearing. Thus, it is possible to prevent side leakage from the vicinity of end portions in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent product (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Livedo Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 8529535
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article is provided with a pair of liquid-barrier sheets on a body-side surface of the article. A dimension by which distal edges of distal zones of the barrier sheets are spaced from each other in a transverse direction is gradually enlarged from a rear end toward a front end of the article. An end sheet functioning to pull the distal zones closer to each other in the transverse direction is attached to the distal zones extending toward the rear end so as to extend between the distal zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Sachiyo Suzuki, Yoshitaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 8523835
    Abstract: A pant-type disposable absorbent hygiene article (2), comprises a waist edge (20), continuous in the circumferential direction thereof and forming a waist opening, and leg openings (8a,b), a front piece (6) and a back piece (4) having longitudinal side edge sections (16,18), and a crotch region (10), disposed between the front piece (6) and the back piece (4). The waist edge (20), continuous in the circumferential direction thereof, and the leg openings (8a,b) are produced by joining, on the manufacture end, the longitudinal side edge sections (16,18) of a front piece (6) and a back piece (4). The hygiene article also comprises an absorbent body (22). Every leg opening (8a,b) has an elastic leg opening section (81).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Paul Hartmann AG
    Inventor: Krzysztof D. Malowaniec
  • Patent number: 8523834
    Abstract: Process for making a variable stretch composite 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: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Fred Naval Desai, Urmish Popatlal Dalal, Mark William Hamersky, Steven Daryl Smith
  • Patent number: 8513483
    Abstract: An improved barrier member for an absorbent article that includes a nonwoven treated with a hydrophobic surface coating. The hydrophobic surface coating includes a non-aqueous, solventless, multicomponent silicone composition. The hydrophobic surface coating may be substantially free of aminosilicones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Johannson Jimmy Tee, Jr., Kemal Vatansever Catalan
  • Patent number: 8506544
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent pant having single-section side stretch panels is disclosed. The pant may have features including a seam with an overlapping configuration, and a seam with a sandwiched configuration. A seam of overlapping configuration may be formed by mechanical bonds that provide for tensile strength in a lateral direction, while providing tearability for convenient removal, and may include additional features that include indicia of a location of tearability, a tear-inducing notch, and structure to grasp for tearing. A seam of sandwiched configuration may be configured to provide a finished outward appearance and configured to provide extended lateral width of side stretch panels, providing for increased stretch, without extending overall hoop circumference of the pant, at risk of an undesirably loose fit. The pant may include other features that reduce usage of materials, including complementary cut side panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gregory Ashton, Masaharu Nishikawa, Michael Dale Trennepohl
  • Patent number: 8491558
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a backsheet having a longitudinal axis, a topsheet attached to the backsheet and having a body-facing surface, and an absorbent core disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. The article may also include barrier leg cuffs. The article further includes a sensation member, which sensation member may be defined in part by the topsheet or may be separate from the topsheet. The sensation member may be a wetness sensation member, a temperature sensation member, a tactile agent, or a combination thereof. Visible and/or tactile indicia may be associated with the sensation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Jennifer Joan Nandrea, Masaharu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8491555
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a planar pad manufactured from three bonded layers each having different properties and materials. This includes a contact layer having a first and corresponding second portion. The second portion overlaps the first portion sufficient to create a first overlay. Such contact layer may be made of fibers which include silver nano-particulates. The contact layer may also include a coating made of TEFLON or similar material. The second layer is an absorbency layer positioned immediately below the contact layer. The absorbency layer being made of natural woven bamboo fiber. In addition, the absorbency layer may be two-part construction having a first absorbent portion and a corresponding second absorbent portion which abuts the first absorbent portion, wherein both absorbent portions have fused sides to reduce fraying. The third layer is a waterproof barrier layer which is posited directly below the absorbency layer, preferably constructed of TYVEK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Inventor: Jennifer J. Bracci
  • Patent number: 8491556
    Abstract: Absorbent articles with stretch direction properties are disclosed, having at least three stretch zones. A first edge zone and a second edge zone are separated by a middle zone. The middle zone, which may the same length as each edge zone, has different stretch-direction characteristics than the edge zones. The middle zone may stretch in a single direction, whereas the edge zones may stretch in a different single direction or in bi- or multi-axial directions. The flaps may be created from the edge zones. Through this construction, the absorbent article exhibits improved fit and appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Popp, Lawrence H. Sawyer, Joseph D. Coenen, Christopher P. Olson, Michael J. Faulks, James M. Carr
  • Patent number: 8486849
    Abstract: Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, incontinent briefs, diaper holders, training pants and the like, having elastomeric ear panels and a fastening system that provides the user with different options as to how the absorbent article may be fitted to and removed from the wearer. The absorbent articles allow the wearer to choose between conventional and pull-on diaper configurations, or combinations thereof, and properly and comfortably fit a large range of wearer sizes. Further, the absorbent articles can be pulled on and/or off as a pant. This feature is provided by the ear panels which maintain sufficient tension to hold the diaper on the wearer throughout the period of use without harming the wearer's skin, while providing enough stretch to allow the diaper to be pulled up or down over the wearer's hips. The fastening system is refastenable for convenience yet strong enough to maintain the diaper in a fastened configuration without becoming detached if the diaper is pulled on or off the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Mark James Kline, Miguel Alvaro Robles
  • Patent number: 8475426
    Abstract: An incontinence protector for males intended for disposable use, including a fastening pocket for fastening the genitalia during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Bror-Inge Helmfridsson, Ken Olsson
  • Patent number: 8475424
    Abstract: The disposable pull-on garment has a longitudinal centerline, a front region, a crotch region, and a back region. The front and back regions are joined at seams to form a waist opening and leg openings. The pull-on garment comprises a main portion, a side portion, and a waist portion. The side portion is disposed transversely outboard of the main portion. The waist portion comprises a center waist portion, an outer side waist portion, and an inner side waist portion. The contraction rate of the inner side waist portion is less than that of the center waist portion, and the contraction rate of the side portion longitudinally inboard of the inner side waist portion is greater than that of the inner side waist portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kenji Fujimoto, Haruko Sato, Masato Higaki, Toshiyuki Matsuda, Hiroshi Nakahata
  • Patent number: 8439887
    Abstract: The invention, a reusable adjustable diaper, includes: a multi-ply member having a first curvilinear portion connecting by a medial portion to a second curvilinear portion; a first elastomeric member connected to a first curved segment of multi-ply member and having a first plurality of fastening areas; a second elastomeric member connected to a second curved segment of multi-ply member and having a second plurality of fastening areas; a first plurality of fasteners connected to first curvilinear portion; a second plurality of fasteners connected to second curvilinear portion and disengagably fastenable with first plurality of fasteners; a third fastener connected to multi-ply member and disengagably fastenable with first elastomeric member at each of first plurality of fastening areas; and a fourth fastener connected to multi-ply member and disengagably fastenable with second elastomeric member at each of second plurality of fastening areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Inventor: Stacee M. Magee
  • Patent number: 8425483
    Abstract: A double gusset cloth diaper including an inner surface and an outer surface forming an hourglass shape, having a groin area proximate a center line of the reusable diaper and defining at least one recess therebetween. A fluid absorbent material is removably located in the recess through the opening. A first gusset is attached to the reusable diaper to form a first seal between the inner surface and the legs of the user. A second gusset is attached to the reusable diaper proximate the first gusset. The gussets are formed of an elastic material attached to the wrong side of the inner surface in a channel formed by stitching the inner surface to form channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kanga Care, LLC
    Inventor: Julie Ekstrom
  • Patent number: 8383878
    Abstract: An absorbent article such as a diaper, training pant, and the like comprises a containment member that has a central zone and a barrier zone. The central zone has greater air flow according to the Air Permeability Test than the barrier zone. The barrier zone a greater hydrohead according to the Hydrostatic Head Pressure Test than the central zone. The containment member may be used for absorbent core formation and may have portions configured to serve as barrier leg cuffs for the finished absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Michael Dale Trennepohl, Olaf Erik Alexander Isele, Kenneth Michael Hamall, Angelli Sue Denmon
  • Patent number: 8382735
    Abstract: A disposable diaper having a neat appearance. The diaper 101 includes: a liquid-permeable top sheet 111 which covers a use surface side; a leakage preventing sheet 112 which covers a non-use surface side; an absorbent body 113 interposed between the top sheet and the leakage preventing sheet; and an external sheet 120 disposed on an outer surface side of the leakage preventing sheet, wherein three-dimensional gathers BS are formed along leg surrounding portions, and leg cut-out portions of the external sheet which form leg openings are located in a portion of the minimum width of a crotch portion, at a position nearer to a central side than places outward by 5 mm from rising start points of the three-dimensional gathers BS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Daio Paper Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Torigoshi, Yosuke Mori
  • Patent number: 8377026
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an absorbent wearing article being capable of alleviating irritation to the wearer's skin as well as to be easily produced and a method for making the same. A liquid-absorbent chassis 4 is provided with a barrier cuff 5 including first and second barrier cuffs 5a, 5b each comprising an outermost edge 21, an innermost edge 24 and front and rear ends 22, 23 opposed to and spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction Y. The outermost edge 21 as well as the front and rear ends 22, 23 are joined to a topsheet 10 to define a fixed edge and the innermost edge 24 is not joined to the topsheet 10 to define a free edge adapted to be freely spaced from the liquid-absorbent chassis 4. Of the first and second barrier cuffs 5a, 5b, at least the fixed edge is formed by an inelastic, substantially non-extensible first sheet 25 while the free edge is formed by an elastically extensible second sheet 26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Mishima, Kyo Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8377025
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a void space between a separator sheet and a liquid-absorbent structure. The separator sheet has opposite lateral zones extending in a longitudinal direction, a middle zone via which the opposite lateral zones are contiguous to each other, a front through-hole formed on the side of a front waist region, a rear through-hole formed on the side of rear waist region, and separator sheet biasing elastic members attached under tension to the respective lateral zones. A chassis includes a front leg elastic member laid on the side of the front waist region and a rear leg elastic member laid on the side of the rear waist region wherein at least the rear leg elastic member includes a rear transverse segment extending across the crotch region and a position of the rear transverse segment corresponds to a position of the middle zone of the separator sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kaiyo Nakajima, Hironao Minato
  • Patent number: 8377021
    Abstract: Winkles are prevented from being generated in the flap portion to reduce an uncomfortable feeling and friction. In a sanitary napkin including an absorber interposed between a liquid-permeable top sheet and a liquid-impermeable back sheet and a flap portion surrounding the absorber without including the absorber, the flap portions at least in a front area and a back area of the sanitary napkin each have an outer shape of a wave-like line composed of convex curves and concave curves in which the direction of a line tangent to the outline of the flap portion is continuously changed; the width of the absorber gradually narrows in each of the front side area and the back side area in such a manner that lines incline toward each other to form a convex curve; and the wave-like line is formed along each of the inclining lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: DAIO Paper Corporation
    Inventor: Haruko Odoi
  • Patent number: 8353889
    Abstract: A hygienic article having side panels extending outward in a lateral direction from either of said front or back waist region. Each side panel comprises at least two material segments which are connected to each other by a lap seam wherein said material segments define a distal segment and a proximal segment in the lateral direction. On the distal edge of each side panel a fastening member is placed which is capable of securing said side panels to the front or back waist region such that the hygienic article assumes a pant like shape. The material segments which form the side panels are attached to each other by the lap seam in such a way that when the side panels are folded back towards the longitudinal centerline of the hygienic article, the materials are attached to each other in the lap seam such that the most distal material segment is placed closer towards the inner or outer surface of the hygienic article than the more proximal material segment attached to said most distal segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Lucas Bäck, Paulina Halleröd (neé Ljungberg)
  • Patent number: 8317769
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin comprises an absorbent interposed between a liquid-permeable surface sheet and a liquid-impermeable back sheet and enlarged to have a larger absorbent width on the back end than that of a crotch portion, and stereo gathers on the two sides of the surface. The stereo gathers have one or more folded-back portions formed at positions on the back end of the vicinity of a body liquid discharging portion, and the sanitary napkin is made to have a larger width between the stereo gathers on the back end thereof than that at the body liquid discharging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Daio Paper Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoko Kurihara
  • Patent number: 8303559
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided with a skin-contactable sheet piece above a liquid-pervious topsheet. The skin-contactable sheet piece is formed with openings extending in a back-and-forth direction through which body waste is guided toward the topsheet and both lateral zones of the sheet piece on both sides of these openings as viewed in a transverse direction are provided with elastic members attached under tension. Outside the skin-contactable sheet piece as viewed in the transverse direction, leak-barriers are provided and the lateral zones of the skin-contactable sheet piece are bonded to the leak-barriers along regions defined between proximal edges and free edges of the respective leak-barriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Hironao Minato, Kaiyo Nakajima, Naoko Takada
  • Patent number: 8282615
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a front region (2), a back region (3) and a crotch region (4) there between. The article further includes substantially longitudinally extending inner (12) and outer (13) leak barriers alongside each side of the absorbent core (9). The inner and outer leak barriers are spaced from each other in the transverse direction (x) of the article. The inner leak barriers (12) extend at least along the part of the crotch region (4) having the narrowest width (w1) in the transverse direction (x), and along a length (b) of at least 5 cm, and the outer leak barriers (13) extend along at least a part of the front region (2) and/or back region (3) of the article, while at least a part of the crotch region (4) along which said inner leak barriers (12) extend is free from raised outer leak barriers (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Hans Een, Jan Wästlund-Karlsson, Ulrika Carlson, Sue Uner
  • Patent number: 8246593
    Abstract: An absorbent article providing improved body fit. The absorbent article includes an extensible fluid permeable facing layer and a first absorbent layer joined to the facing layer. The first absorbent layer includes zones of extensibility. Each zone of extensibility is a region of the first absorbent layer of relatively higher extensibility than regions of first absorbent layer adjacent to the zone of extensibility. A liquid impermeable backsheet is joined to the facing layer at the periphery. The liquid impermeable backsheet has a garment facing surface. A fastening means is disposed on at least a portion of the garment facing surface of the liquid impermeable backsheet. The fastening means defines attachment zones. At least a portion of the first absorbent layer is decoupled from the attachment zones of the fluid impermeable backsheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Bruce William Lavash
  • Patent number: 8246596
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article may comprise a chassis and a pair of longitudinally disposed barrier cuffs. Each cuff may contain a barrier zone, an attachment zone, and a transition edge separating the barrier zone and attachment zone. The barrier cuffs exhibit a cuff span and a cuff height at a given cross-section through a crotch point and an end region. The absorbent article exhibits a cuff span ratio, defined as a maximum cuff span as measured in the end region of the barrier cuff divided by a cuff span as measured at the crotch point, of greater than 1. The absorbent article exhibits a cuff height ratio, defined as a cuff height as measured at the crotch point divided by a minimum cuff height as measured in the end region, of greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Michael Dale Trennepohl
  • Patent number: 8246595
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a front region, a back region and a crotch region there between, said article has substantially longitudinally extending leak barriers, each of said leak barriers having a free laterally inward elasticized side and a laterally outward side, the elasticized side of the leak barrier being raised from the inner cover of the absorbent article. The crotch region along a length of at least 2 cm, preferably at least 5 cm and more preferably at least 10 cm, in longitudinal direction is free from raised leak barriers, while raised leak barriers are present in the front and/or back regions of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Ulrika Carlson, Hans Een, Jan Wästlund-Karlsson
  • Patent number: 8235961
    Abstract: A disposable pants-type diaper of the present invention comprises a diaper main body including a front portion, a back portion, and a crotch portion positioned therebetween, and having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings formed by joining the front portion and the back portion; an absorbent core disposed in the crotch portion; a first elastic means disposed along an upper part of an edge of the both leg openings; and a second elastic means disposed in a middle part in a front-back direction of the crotch portion, extending in a diaper width direction to near the edge of the both leg openings, and having straight side edge portions. According to the disposable pants-type diaper of the above, a foot is hardly caught by the edge of the leg opening in wearing, resulting in easily wearing; and a fitting property of the crotch portion is excellent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Livedo Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakaoka, Yuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8235959
    Abstract: A process is claimed for making a composite sheet useful as topsheet with one or more openings to receive fecal material useful for an absorbent article, said composite sheet comprising a wrinkled, patterned elasticized region that comprises a patterned first sheet and an elastic material said first sheet being patterned with troughs, that are typically compacter, i.e. of higher density, prior to attachment to the elastic material. The troughs are attached to the elastic material. The resulting composite sheet has a uniform wrinkle pattern. Also claimed are specific absorbent articles. Also claimed are composite sheets with a specific residual strain and peel force value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ekaterina Anatolyevna Ponomarenko, Mattias Schmidt, Tina Brown (née Lehmann)r, Alexander Eberhard Unger, Alexander Berk, Darrell Ian Brown, Blanca Arizti
  • Patent number: 8221380
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the high production speed manufacturing of articles comprising a closed or hoop structure, such as garments like pants, or absorbent articles like diapers, having a waist- and leg hoops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventor: Christoph Schmitz
  • Patent number: 8221377
    Abstract: An absorbent wearing article includes a liquid-absorbent structure and an excrement receiving structure having a plurality of passages defined by flexible walls formed from flexible sheets and disposed along a liquid-absorbent surface of the liquid-absorbent structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 8216206
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article comprising: an absorbent body including a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween; and a flap provided along an edge of opposite sides in a width direction of the absorbent core; wherein the flap has a fixing part joined to the top sheet and a rising part extending upward from the fixing part, and the rising part consists of a nonstretch nonwoven fabric which is water-repellent or liquid impermeable. Further, the flap may have a fold back part extending from the rising part and formed by folding back the rising part at an upper end of the rising part, wherein the fold back part consists of a nonstretch nonwoven fabric which is water-repellent or liquid impermeable, and the rising part and the fold back part are fusion-bonded to each other at a fusion-bond part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Livedo Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Fujioka, Keiichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8216205
    Abstract: A disposable diaper has a pair of transversely opposite lateral portions in a crotch covering region. The lateral portions are provided with body fluid leak-barriers extending in a back-and-forth direction of the diaper. The leak-barriers include a plurality of strips made of a flexible sheet material. These strips are arranged side by side in the back-and-forth direction. These strips respectively have fixed portions and flexible portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Sachiyo Suzuki, Toshifumi Otsubo
  • Patent number: 8211076
    Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided, including an absorber, a top sheet disposed to cover an upper surface of the absorber and at least partially formed of a liquid permeable material, and a back sheet disposed to cover a lower surface of the absorber and formed of a liquid impermeable material. The disposable diaper further includes a skin contact sheet disposed above the top sheet and formed with a stool passing opening, which is an opening capable of passing a stool therethrough, and to the both sides of the skin contact sheet, at least a pair of standing gathers are formed, which are leakage prevention walls capable of standing three-dimensionally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Oji Nepia Co., Ltd., Oji Paper Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Sugiyama, Izumi Tashiro, Kahori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8212102
    Abstract: A diaper having front and rear waist regions and a waist-hole, the waist hole having a peripheral edge that is elastically stretchable in a circumferential direction and includes covering zones and elastic zones in the front and rear waist regions, which peripheral edge is adapted to be stretchable beyond lengths of the covering zones in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kumasaka
  • Patent number: 8197457
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article has an elasticized first band lying in a front half of a crotch region and attached to distal zones of a pair of leak-barrier sheets provided on a body side of the article and an elasticized second band lying in a rear half of the crotch region and attached to the distal zones. A dimension by which distal edge segments of the distal zones extending forward from the first band in a longitudinal direction are spaced from each other is gradually enlarged from the side of the first band toward the side of a front waist region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Sachiyo Suzuki, Yoshitaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 8181273
    Abstract: The present embodiment of the subject inventive matter is a one piece disposable diaper clothing that generally comprises of at least one waistband, a diaper that is attached to the at least one waistband and at least one panel that is attached to the at least one waistband. The waistband includes a fastening means that secures the disposable diaper clothing in place on a child. The at least one panel includes a fabric. The diaper coupled with the at least one panel provides a garment like appearance when worn about the lower torso region of the child. As such, the diaper is placed about the lower torso region of the child thereby keeping the panel towards a front waist of the child. The waistband is extended throughout a rear waist towards the front waist of the child. Then the waistband attached with the panel is secured on a waist of the child by the fastening means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventor: Michelle Kane
  • Patent number: 8157781
    Abstract: A body waste handling article includes a first sheet, a second sheet and a body fluid absorbent core sandwiched between these two sheets, wherein the first sheet defines a liquid-pervious skin-contacting surface. The second sheet is rectangular and has a pair of ends and a pair of lateral edges wherein inside these ends and lateral edges, end flaps and lateral flaps are formed. The end flaps and the lateral flaps are provided with elastic members attached in a stretched state thereto so as extend along the ends and the lateral edges and to become contiguous one to another at corners of the second sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takino, Yuki Maeda, Hiroyuki Tanji