Upstanding Side Flap Patents (Class 604/385.28)
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Patent number: 6869423Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a basic absorbent batt structure and a supplementary absorbent batt structure placed on the basic absorbent batt structure. The diaper is formed with a feces receiving space surrounded by the supplementary absorbent batt structure and bottom and side surfaces of a cavity and extending from a crotch region toward a front waist region so that an upper opening of the cavity is partially uncovered in the crotch region 31 and thereby forms a feces inlet leading to the space.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2002Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Kazuaki Onishi, Yasushi Sayama, Hiroyuki Tanji
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Patent number: 6863665Abstract: A disposable waste containment article includes a waste containment structure that has an absorbent composite which is positioned between the wearer and cover, and a pair of containment flaps operatively joined to the waste containment structure. The waste containment structure defines an open volume well formed between the absorbent core and the containment flaps for receiving directly and holding solid body exudates. Methods are provided for making the waste containment article.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2002Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Paulette Mary Rosch, Ingrid Christine Hollrah, Roxanne Belinda Hallock
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Patent number: 6840930Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, comprising; (a) a containment assembly having a rear waist region, a crotch region, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, a body facing surface and a garment facing surface opposite to the body facing surface, the containment assembly comprising a topsheet, a backsheet joined to the topsheet, an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a pair of barrier leg cuffs having a proximal edge and a distal edge and being positioned adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the containment assembly; (b) a pair of rear ear panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the barrier leg cuff in the rear waist region; (c) a pair of front ear panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the barrier leg cuff in the front waist region; and (d) a reinforcement nonwoven joined to at least one of either the rear ear panels or the front ear panels, the reinforcemeType: GrantFiled: April 23, 1998Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Kouichi Miyamoto, Yukio Heki, Masataka Sugita
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Patent number: 6840929Abstract: A disposable worn article N comprises an absorbent body M including a core C and a liquid impermeable backsheet B, and a cuff 10 including a contact portion 12 and a stand-up portion 11. In the vicinity of a central portion of the cuff 10, a free end 123 of the contact portion 12 and a connecting portion 13 between the contact portion 12 and the stand-up portion 11 are arranged in the order of the free end 123 and the connecting portion 13 in a direction that transverses a direction in which the cuff 10 extends and that extends from an inside to an outside of the absorbent body M. In the vicinity of an end portion of the cuff 10, the free end 123 and the connecting portion 13 are arranged in the order of the connecting portion 13 and the free end 123 in the direction that transverses the direction in which the cuff 10 extends and that extends from the inside to the outside of the absorbent body M.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2002Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: Zuiko CorporationInventor: Syuhei Kurata
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Patent number: 6837879Abstract: A disposable absorbent article for personal wear has an inner layer, an outer layer and an absorbent body disposed therebetween. Containment flaps are secured to the inner layer of the article, with each flap having a first layer extending outward from the inner layer of the article to a distal end of the flap. A generally liquid permeable second layer of the flap extends in opposed relation with a medial surface of the flap first layer of the flap and is free from fixed engagement therewith along at least a portion thereof whereby the flap second layer and the portion of the medial surface of the flap first layer define a surge chamber therebetween for receiving liquid body waste. The inner layer of the disposable article is interposed between the surge chamber and the absorbent body.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2001Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kuen, Sherry A. Van Dyke
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Patent number: 6817993Abstract: An oblong absorbent article that includes a liquid-impermeable bottom sheet, and upper liquid-permeable sheet and an absorbent body disposed between these sheets, and on each side of the longitudinal center line of the upper sheet at least one longitudinal elastic liquid barrier having at least the free edge treated with a non-adhesive sealing medium which partly fills out the pores formed between the free edge and the abutment surface on the wearer, and/or which, when the article is donned, increases around said abutment surface, the wetting angle of the liquid to the skin.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1999Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products ABInventors: Eva Simmons, Peter Rönnberg, Anders Gustafsson, Bo Runeman
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Publication number: 20040215161Abstract: A disposable diaper easy to put on a wearer in a standing position comprising a liquid permeable topsheet 2, a liquid impermeable backsheet 3, an absorbent member 4 interposed between the two sheets and having a pair of laterally extensible side parts on the below-waist portion of one longitudinal end section and a pair of standing gathers, wherein the region having the absorbent member in the crotch section contains a region having a lateral flexural stiffness of 25 gf/50 mm or less, the standing gathers are formed by fixing an elastic member at a fixing extension ratio of 100% or higher, and the standing gathers on each side, when extended in their non-fixed state, have a tensile load of from 20 to 120 gf at an effective extension ratio (fixing extension ratio—30%), and provides a tensile load increase rate of 1.0 gf/% or lower required to extend from a 20% extension ratio to the effective extension ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2003Publication date: October 28, 2004Inventors: Yasuyuki Okuda, Haruko Toyoshima
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Publication number: 20040186454Abstract: A flat type disposable diaper with a pair of waistbands, which has a pair of standing gathers formed on longer sides thereof and contains a region having a lateral bending stiffness of 25 cN/50 mm or less within a region having an absorbent member in the crotch portion. The standing gathers are fixed at an extension ratio of 100% or higher and have such tensile characteristics in their state not fixed to the diaper that the tensile load required to extend to an effective extension ratio is 20 to 120 cN and that the increase rate of tensile load required for extending from an extension ratio of 20% up to the effective extension ratio is 1.0 cN/% or lower, the effective extension ratio being 30% lower than the fixing extension ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2004Publication date: September 23, 2004Inventors: Taketo Itoh, Takao Kasai, Yasuyuki Okuda, Haruko Toyoshima
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Patent number: 6794557Abstract: A disposable absorbent article includes a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. One or more of the backsheet, topsheet, and absorbent core is constructed of an absorbent composite that includes an absorbent layer of hydratable fine fibers in the form of microfibril obtained from cellulose or a derivative thereof and super absorbent polymer (SAP) particles bonded together by the hydratable fibers, and a nonwoven substrate supporting the absorbent layer such as SMS. The absorbent layer is coated over the surface of the nonwoven substrate. The core may include one uniform layer of the absorbent composite or a composite having one layer of the nonwoven substrate and a plurality of segmented absorbent layers applied thereon. In the latter design, the absorbent layers are spaced apart from one another to expose surface sections of the substrate. These non-coated surface sections provide wicking zones which allow room for the absorbent layers to expand and prevent gel blocking.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2000Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Associated Hygienic Products LLCInventors: Walter V. Klemp, Paul M. Ducker, Scott W. Sneed, Migaku Suzuki
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Patent number: 6790203Abstract: An absorbent product has an absorption body with a generally oblong shape with two longitudinal sides, two transverse sides, a longitudinal center line, and also includes a first, liquid-permeable surface layer and a second, essentially liquid-impermeable surface layer, an essentially liquid-impermeable backing layer, an absorption body positioned between the liquid-permeable surface layer and the backing layer, two leakage barriers made of flexible material in the longitudinal direction on each side of the longitudinal center line. Each leakage barrier has a first edge permanently fastened along the first, liquid-permeable surface layer and a second edge which extends in the direction of the longitudinal center line of the absorbent product. The first surface and/or the second surface of each leakage barrier is fastened to or near to the first, liquid-permeable surface layer and/or the second, liquid-impermeable surface layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products ABInventor: Hans Eén
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Patent number: 6786895Abstract: A disposable absorbent article, and a method of manufacture of the disposable absorbent article, which better contains fecal material within the article, and which prevents leakage of fecal material out of the article, and/or prevents movement of fecal material from the anal region to the genital region is described herein. The absorbent article utilizes barrier cuffs, an absorbent core, and a topsheet with at least one cut in the intermediate region of the absorbent article such that part of the intermediate region of the topsheet is lifted out of the plane of the rest of the topsheet by the barrier cuffs. The lifted portion forms a transverse barrier and a pocket between the topsheet and the absorbent core.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventor: Christoph Johann Schmitz
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Publication number: 20040153044Abstract: An absorbent article has an inner layer, an outer layer and an absorbent body therebetween. A pair of containment flaps is secured to the inner layer in spaced relation with each other, with each flap having a first layer extending from a base to a distal end of the flap whereby the flap first layer has a lateral surface and a medial surface. A liquid permeable second layer is disposed in generally opposed relationship with the medial surface of the flap first layer and is free from fixed engagement with at least a portion of the medial surface of the flap first layer to define a surge chamber therebetween for receiving liquid body waste. A surge member is disposed within the surge chamber for taking in liquid waste received in the surge chamber and releasing the liquid waste to the absorbent body.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2003Publication date: August 5, 2004Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kuen, Sherry A. Van Dyke
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Patent number: 6767343Abstract: A disposable pull-on diaper that includes elastic members attached under tension to peripheral edge portions of leg-openings and a pair of leak-barrier cuffs provided in the vicinity of transversely opposite side edges of a core. The elastic members associated with the leg-openings include first elastic members extending along front peripheral edge portions of the leg-openings and second elastic members extending along rear peripheral edge portions of the leg-openings and, in a crotch region, the free side edge portions of the leak-barrier cuffs extend inward beyond the side edges of said core and are folded back along substantially middle folding zones thereof outward beyond the side edges of the core and wherein the free side edge portions are bonded, in the vicinity of the folding zones, to the outer surface of the topsheet in the upper zone of the core.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2001Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Takaaki Shimada, Kenji Nakamura
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Patent number: 6767344Abstract: A disposable wearing article that includes a substantially liquid-impervious leak-barrier cuff associated with a waist-opening, which has a fixed end portion lying on a side of one longitudinal end portion of an article, a free end portion extending from the fixed end portion toward a crotch region and fixed side portions lying on the transversely opposite side edge portions of the article. A rising fulcrum zone of the leak-barrier cuff lies in a substantially non-contractible region of the article extending between the elastic member associated with the waist-opening and elastic members associated with leg-openings.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2001Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventor: Seiji Suzuki
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Patent number: 6761955Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and having leakage-preventing side walls on a liquid-receiving side of the article. The leakage-preventing side walls extend in a longitudinal direction of the article and lie opposite one another in a width direction of the article. At least a liquid-receiving face of each leakage-preventing side wall is made of a fibrous sheet that contains hydrophobic fibers thermally bonded to one another and hydrophilic fibers shorter than the hydrophobic fibers. At least a part of the hydrophilic fibers form aggregates which are dispersed in the fibrous sheet and are bonded to the hydrophobic fibers.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2001Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Makoto Suekane, Etsuko Tagami, Kazuya Nishitani
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Publication number: 20040133182Abstract: A disposable undergarment includes liquid-impervious skin-contactable sheets actually having a pair of belt-like strips spaced apart from and opposed to each other in a transverse direction of an undergarment and extending in a longitudinal direction of the undergarment along transversely opposite side edge portions of the undergarment. The skin-contactable sheets are attached to a skin-contactable surface of the undergarment so as to cover a panel. The skin-contactable sheets have fixed surface areas secured to longitudinally opposite end portions of the undergarment and free surface areas adapted to be spaced upward from the panel so that the skin-contactable surface may be partially surfaced between these skin-contactable sheets.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Inventor: Yoshitaka Mishima
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Publication number: 20040133181Abstract: The present invention has a configuration such that a plurality of leg portion elastic members are arranged around the respective leg openings of a disposable diaper so that the respective leg portion elastic members are not connected or cross each other in a crotch portion, the minimum width of an absorbent article body at the crotch portion is within the range of from 250 to 350 mm, and the opposite side edges in the width direction of the absorbent article body in the crotch portion bend towards the external surface of the diaper, when worn. As a result, the ability for absorbing a large amount of body waste can be easily ensured, and the performance of preventing leakage from the crotch portion can be easily improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Inventors: Kenji Ishiguro, Hidekazu Ito, Takao Koyama
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Publication number: 20040127868Abstract: An absorbent article is provided having a chassis with a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending longitudinally between the front and back waist regions. An absorbent body structure extends longitudinally generally from the front waist region to the back waist region. Longitudinally extending leak guards are provided having a free laterally inward side and a laterally outward side attached to the chassis laterally outward of the absorbent body structure so as to define respective containment pockets along opposite lateral sides of the absorbent body structure. The leak guards are substantially elastomeric in a transverse direction along their longitudinal length.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2002Publication date: July 1, 2004Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Christopher P. Olson, Robert A. Stevens, Mark S. Franke
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Publication number: 20040127882Abstract: A pant-like absorbent article, such as a child's training pant, 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 longitudinally along the crotch region from the front waist region to the back waist region, the absorbent body structure including laterally extending wing portions that extend laterally along the front and back ear portions. Longitudinally extending 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2002Publication date: July 1, 2004Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventor: Shirlee A. Weber
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Patent number: 6755808Abstract: An absorbent garment includes a body panel and an absorbent composite having a longitudinally extending length and a laterally extending width and including a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. The absorbent composite is connected to the body panel and includes a side margin that is not attached to the body panel and that extends laterally outboard and terminates in a free edge. In one preferred embodiment, the free edge does not extend along the entirety of the length of the absorbent composite. Rather, the entire width of an end of the absorbent composite is secured to the body panel. Preferably, the width of the side margin along the portion of the absorbent composite overlapping the body panel is relatively constant.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2001Date of Patent: June 29, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Bridget A. Balogh, David F. Bishop, Danielle K. Minnich
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Publication number: 20040122410Abstract: A disposable diaper includes an absorptive body having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and a liquid retentive absorbent member interposed between the sheets and a pair of flaps connected to the lateral edges of the absorptive body. The disposable diaper has a pair of upstanding walls which are formed by providing a sheet at the lateral sides of the diaper, the sheet has a lateral base edge and a lateral distal edge and is arranged in such a manner that the sheet is folded to allow the base edge and the distal edge to be positioned on the side of the flap and that the longitudinal ends of the sheet as folded are fixed to a stomach side section and a back side section of the diaper, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2003Publication date: June 24, 2004Applicant: Kao CorporationInventors: Taketo Itoh, Hiroki Minowa
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Publication number: 20040102756Abstract: An absorbent article (1) includes a cuff (30) and a liquid-holding absorbent (5). The cuff (30) is provided on a surface of a sheet (3) covering the liquid-holding absorbent (5). The cuff (30) is obtained by folding the sheet, which faces a surface of a body of a wearer, and folding back the sheet so as to form a two-folded shape. An adhesion section (37) for keeping the two-folded shape of the cuff is provided at least near a base portion of the cuff.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Yuzo Ichiura, Masaki Nakakado, Kazutoshi Makimura, Syuhei Kurata
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Patent number: 6726669Abstract: A disposable pull-on garment includes front and rear waist-encircling regions each having first elasticized zones and a second elasticized zone extending in a waist-encircling direction. Auxiliary elastic members include plural lines of first auxiliary elastic members extending in the waist-encircling direction in the first elasticized zones, and plural lines of second auxiliary elastic members extending in the waist-encircling direction in the second elasticized zones. A tensile stress of the first auxiliary elastic members is greater than that of the second auxiliary elastic members. A tensile stress of the first elasticized zones is greater than that of the second elasticized zone.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2001Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Takaaki Shimada, Kenji Nakamura
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Patent number: 6716205Abstract: A pant-like absorbent garment having a combined leg elastic and leak guard flap feature. A chassis of the absorbent garment includes an outer cover and a body side liner with at least one elastomeric member folded within the body side liner around each of two leg openings defined by the chassis to form a finished edge around each leg opening. The folded edge of the body side liner is then folded again to create a fully functional flap with the appearance of a leg elastic in the crotch area. The resulting absorbent garment has a three-dimensional leg elastic assembly that creates a bucket for containing body fluids, and furthermore, creates a tailored, soft, comfortable leg and side seal.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2000Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, Kathleen Irene Ratliff
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Publication number: 20040059311Abstract: A disposable diaper according to the invention include a liquid-impermeable topsheet, a liquid-permeable backsheet and an absorbent core therebetween. A pair of barrier cuffs which are elastically extendable in a longitudinal direction of the diaper are provided to a transversely opposite side flaps of the diaper. Front and rear ends of the barrier cuff are bonded to the diaper at longitudinally opposite ends thereof. Outer side edges of the barrier cuffs are bonded to outer edges of the flaps and inner side edges of the barrier cuff are bonded to the flaps along lines defined between the outer side edges and transversely opposite side edges of the core. Each of the barrier cuffs has a dimension between the outer and inner side edges thereof selected to be larger than a dimension of the flap between the outer and inner side edges thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Applicant: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Hironao Minato, Yasushi Sayama
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Patent number: 6706029Abstract: A diaper structure is formed with a leakage preventing arrangement, in the form of a flexible flap located outwardly with respect to a diaper absorbent core. The flap is formed with a support portion extending upwardly from the diaper surface to support an inwardly extending inner branched portion and an outwardly extending outer branched portion extending the length of the support portion. Both the inner and outer branched portions are fixed to the diaper body at longitudinal ends thereof in longitudinally stretched condition so that a pocket is jointly formed by a portion of a topsheet covering a side edge of the core, the support portion and the inner branched portion. The pocket is maintained in an open position independently of a wearer's posture to impede the leakage of excretions from the diaper.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2000Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Migaku Suzuki, Mitsuzo Ochi, Takeshi Kudo
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Patent number: 6706030Abstract: An absorbent article includes a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable antileakage sheet, a liquid-retentive absorbent core, having a substantially elongate shape, and having upstanding guards formed on longitudinal left and right opposing side portions of the absorbent article, the upstanding guards are provided with a plurality of upstanding guard elastic members so as to form a gather over the entire region in the widthwise direction of the upstanding guard, the upstanding guard is sectioned into a free end region, a central region and a basal end region so as to trisect it in its widthwise direction, and the stress of the free end region is larger than that of the other regions.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2001Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Kao CorporationInventors: Yasuyuki Okuda, Hisanori Watanabe, Hidekazu Ito, Takao Koyama
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Patent number: 6702801Abstract: An absorbent garment includes an extensible backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet, a retention portion, and an outer surface. The retention portion is between the topsheet and the backsheet with the outer surface facing the backsheet and with the opposite side portions of the backsheet and the topsheet extending beyond the side edges of the retention portion. The opposite side portions of the topsheet are attached to the opposite side portions of the backsheet on opposite sides of the retention portion. Less than 30% of the area of the outer surface of the retention portion is attached to the backsheet. In one embodiment, the retention portion is freefloating between the backsheet and topsheet. In one embodiment, the topsheet is extensible. In another embodiment, less than 30% of an inner surface of the retention portion is attached to the topsheet. In another embodiment, the retention portion includes at least one fold.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2001Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Paul T. Van Gompel, David A. Fell, Jacqueline A. Gross, Yung H. Huang, Michael T. Morman, Thomas H. Roessler
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Patent number: 6702799Abstract: A disposable wearing article that includes a liquid-absorbent first core disposed between top- and backsheets, a pair of side flaps extending in a longitudinal direction outside transversely opposite side edges of the first core in a crotch region and a pair of second cores spaced from the respective side edges of the first core and disposed between the top- and backsheets. The respective side edges of the first core in the crotch region curve inward in a transverse direction of the article to describe circular arcs while inner side edges of the respective second cores in the crotch region curve outward in the transverse direction of the article to describe circular arcs. The first core and the second cores are bonded together in the vicinity of the side edge portions of the first core and in the vicinity of the inner side edge portions of the second cores in the crotch region so that the side flaps obliquely extend downward from the side edge portions of the first core.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2001Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventor: Toshifumi Otsubo
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Patent number: 6702800Abstract: A form-fitting, pant-like, absorbent garment that delivers an optimal amount and direction of stretch to provide optimal fit and comfort. The absorbent garment has an outer cover with a back panel, a crotch panel and a front panel. The back panel and the front panel can each stretch in a transverse direction, and the crotch panel can stretch in a longitudinal direction. Seams joining the front and back panels to the crotch panel provide non-stretch zones that may be positioned to control fit forces. The garment provides enhanced fit and comfort during use, and ease of application with a self-adjusting feature.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: John Philip Vukos, Georgia Lynn Zehner, Duane Girard Uitenbroek, Richard Warren Tanzer
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Patent number: 6699227Abstract: The present invention provides an absorbent article having a silhouette that includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is in opposite relation to the first portion, and a pair of opposed longitudinally extending sides connecting the first portion to the second portion, wherein the distance between the pair of longitudinally extending sides decreases from the first portion to the second portion. The absorbent article also contains a layered portion with a substantially transparent cover layer and a substantially transparent backsheet layer. At least one flap may optionally extend laterally from a longitudinally extending side.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2002Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: McNeil-PPC, Inc.Inventor: Jutta S. Haarer
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Patent number: 6699228Abstract: A disposable absorbent garment includes a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. A pair of inboard leg gathers are attached to the topsheet on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article and extend at least through the crotch area. The absorbent garment further includes an upper, partial length absorbent structure. The upper absorbent structure has a front edge extending near the front waist opening and a rear edge terminating in the area of the crotch region. A second pair of inboard leg gathers are positioned inboard of the first pair of leg gathers, and disposed on top of the upper absorbent structure. A BM containment pocket is formed beneath the upper absorbent structure. The BM containment pocket reduces mixing of urine and BM and prevents soiling of genitals, thereby reducing the incidence and severity of diaper rash.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 1998Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.Inventors: Harry Joseph Chmielewski, Ebba A. Hansen
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Patent number: 6692475Abstract: A disposable undergarment that includes liquid-impervious skin-contactable sheets actually having a pair of belt-like strips spaced apart from and opposed to each other in a transverse direction of an undergarment and extending in a longitudinal direction of the undergarment along transversely opposite side edge portions of the undergarment. The skin-contactable sheets are attached to a skin-contactable surface 1a of the undergarment so as to cover a panel. The skin-contactable sheets have fixed surface areas secured to longitudinally opposite end portions 1c of the undergarment and free surface areas adapted to be spaced upward from the panel so that the skin-contactable surface may be partially surfaced between these skin-contactable sheets.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2001Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventor: Yoshitaka Mishima
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Patent number: 6689113Abstract: The present invention relates to a sanitary absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin that has the ability to protect the undergarment of the wearer from being soiled by menstrual liquid. The sanitary napkin has a main body with panels that originate from its longitudinal side edges. A distal end of each panel that is continuous with the respective longitudinal side edge is folded underneath and affixed to the barrier later of the main body to form a looping member and a freely extending flap. As a result the effective affixation point of each flap is located inwardly of the respective side edge of the main body.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Inc.Inventors: Roger Boulanger, Pramod Mavinkurve, Tara Glasgow, Anthony Ng, Arnie Lingertat
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Patent number: 6685689Abstract: A method for producing an elongate sheet of material that includes barrier flaps which extend along the side-edges of said sheet in spaced relationship with respective side-edges, and which project up from the plane of the sheet, including placing along each edge-part of a first elongate web a narrower second elongate web, so the outer side-edges of respective second webs will lie edge-to-edge with the side-edges of the first web; placing along each edge-part of the first elongate web and on top of respective second webs a third elongate sheet narrower than the first sheet, so the outer side-edges of respective third webs will lie edge-to-edge with the side-edges of the first and second webs; joining the first, second and third webs together with a join extending along the outer side-edges of the webs; and swinging the third webs laterally outwards through 180° around the join lines.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2001Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products ABInventor: Peter Rönnberg
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Patent number: 6682515Abstract: A disposable absorbent sanitary article that includes sheets to form a pair of flaps and a pair of flaps. The sheets are folded along flap fold lines back onto themselves, respectively, to form free edge portions of the respective pairs of flaps. Elastic members are secured under tension to the sheets inside the respective free edge portions and are spaced from the fold lines at least by 1 mm, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2000Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Katsumi Mizutani, Yoshio Ono, Hirotomo Mukai
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Patent number: 6682516Abstract: An absorbent garment having standing leg gathers with improved leak containment capabilities, a method of making the absorbent garment, and a method of determining the leak containment capability of a standing leg gather are disclosed herein. In a first aspect, a method of determining a Leg Gasketing Index is disclosed herein and includes elongating a section of a standing leg gather and measuring the resulting elastic contractile force. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to an absorbent garment including standing leg gathers having a mean Total Leg Gasketing Index over three elongation cycles of at least about 4.75 kg*mm.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2002Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.Inventors: Lee W. Johnston, Kenneth John Molee, Stacy Jean Driskell, John D. Litvay
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Patent number: 6664438Abstract: An absorbent article with a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, a center line (29) running in the longitudinal direction, a center line running in the transverse direction, two side edges (9, 10) running in the longitudinal direction, two end edges (11, 12) running in the transverse direction, and including a liquid-permeable surface layer (2), a liquid-tight surface layer (3), a side barrier pocket (40, 41) arranged along each side edge (9, 10) and having an opening directed towards the longitudinal center line, and an absorption body (4) enclosed between the surface layers (2, 3). The absorption body (4) includes at least one intermediate storage part (22-25) and a liquid transfer part (26). The intermediate storage part (22-25) is arranged along a side edge (9, 10), in direct contact with the liquid transfer part (26), and inside a side barrier pocket (40, 41).Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2000Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products ABInventor: Ted Guidotti
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Patent number: 6659993Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a liquid-impermeable topsheet, a liquid-permeable backsheet and an absorbent core therebetween. A pair of barrier cuffs which are elastically extendable in a longitudinal direction of the diaper are provided along transversely opposite side flaps of the diaper. Front and rear ends of the barrier cuffs are bonded to the diaper at longitudinally opposite ends thereof. Outer side edges of the barrier cuffs are bonded to outer edges of the flaps and inner side edges of the barrier cuffs are bonded to the flaps along lines defined between the outer side edges and transversely opposite side edges of the core. Each of the barrier cuffs has a dimension between the outer and inner side edges thereof selected to be larger than a dimension of the flap between the outer and inner side edges thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1998Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Hironao Minato, Yasushi Sayama
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Patent number: 6648870Abstract: A disposable diaper includes an absorptive body having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and a liquid retentive absorbent member interposed between the sheets and a pair of flaps connected to the lateral edges of the absorptive body. The disposable diaper has a pair of upstanding walls which are formed by providing a sheet at the lateral sides of the diaper, the sheet has a lateral base edge and a lateral distal edge and is arranged in such a manner that the sheet is folded to allow the base edge and the distal edge to be positioned on the side of the flap and that the longitudinal ends of the sheet as folded are fixed to a stomach side section and a back side section of the diaper, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Kao CorporationInventors: Taketo Itoh, Hiroki Minowa
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Patent number: 6648869Abstract: An absorbent article such as a diaper includes a backsheet layer, a substantially liquid-permeable liner layer, and an absorbent body located between the backsheet and the liner. The backsheet and liner layers generally define a front waistband section, a rear waistband section, and an intermediate section, with the intermediate section interconnecting the front and rear waistband sections. The liner includes a plurality of spaced apart longitudinal upstanding ridges located at least in the intermediate section to provide barriers to transverse migration of body exudates. The upstanding ridges are formed by providing a plurality of laterally spaced apart and alternating longitudinally adhered liner portions and unadhered liner portions. Elastic members are located subjacent the unadhered portions and include a front end, a rear end, and a central portion disposed between the front and rear ends.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1996Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Ian W. Gillies, Daniel R. Schlinz
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Patent number: 6648867Abstract: A disposable diaper is provided with a pair of side flaps lying transversely outside the associated side edge of an absorbent core, and the side flaps is formed by a first side sheet connected to the associated side edge portion of a topsheet lying in the vicinity of the associated side edge of the core and extending longitudinally of the diaper and a second side sheet connected to the associated side edge portion of the topsheet and the associated side edge portion of a backsheet both lying in the vicinity of the associated side edge of the core wherein both the first and second side sheets have a water pressure resistance of 100˜1500 mm and a breathing resistance of 0.03˜0.8 Kpa·s/m.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2000Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Hironao Minato, Yasushi Sayama, Naomi Suzuki, Rumiko Shiraishi
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Patent number: 6641570Abstract: A disposable diaper that includes a panel structure composed of a base sheet and a core attached thereto and a sheet member 9 extending above the panel structure. The panel structure has a pair of first side slaps extending in a longitudinal direction and a pair of end flaps extending in a transverse direction. The sheet member includes a pair of side walls biased to rise above the panel structure and a top wall biased to be spaced upward from the panel structure. The side walls have side edge portions bonded to the vicinity of transversely opposite side edges of the core and first end portions bonded to the end flaps. The top wall has an opening defined between the side walls, second end portions bonded to the end flaps and second side flaps extending outside the top edges of the respective side walls 10 in parallel to the first side flaps. Transversely opposite side edge portion of these flaps that overlap each other in the front and rear waist regions are bonded to each other.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2001Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Yoshitaka Mishima, Koichiro Tani
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Patent number: 6638262Abstract: A disposable wearing article includes a substantially liquid-impervious leak-barrier cuff which has a fixed end portion lying in the vicinity of a longitudinal end portion of an article, a free end portion extending from the fixed end portion toward a crotch region and fixed lateral end portions lying on transversely opposite side edge portions of the article. The free end portion is normally biased to rise on a topsheet and locally bonded to the article in retaining zones.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Seiji Suzuki, Takaaki Shimada
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Patent number: 6623468Abstract: A disposable sanitary article having elastic members extending to be associated with leg-openings secured under tension to the article along transversely opposite side edge portions of the sanitary article. The transversely opposite side edge portions respectively have first elastic zones extending across a crotch region in the longitudinal direction along a desired length, second elastic zones extending from the first elastic zones into a front waist region along a desired length and third elastic zones extending from the first elastic zones into a rear waist region along a desired length. The sections of the elastic members extending along the second elastic zones and the third elastic zones has values of stretch stress represented by a relationship of the second elastic zones<the third elastic zones or the third elastic zones<the second elastic zones.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventor: Nariaki Shimoe
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Patent number: 6624340Abstract: Disclosed in an absorbent article including a main body and leakage preventing walls. The leakage preventing walls extend longitudinally and lie opposite one another transversely. Each wall is formed of a nonwoven fabric having corrugations, the crests and valleys of which alternate with each other in the longitudinal direction. The nonwoven fabric is provided with an elastic member extending in the longitudinal direction for exhibiting longitudinal shrinking force. The elastic member is adhered to the valleys of the corrugations of the nonwoven fabric with an adhesive. The adhesive is applied to the surface of the elastic member in a band or linear shape continuous in the axial direction of the elastic member and appears regularly or at random at an interval on an arbitrary line which is set on the surface of the elastic member to extend parallel to the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Uni-Charm CorporationInventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Tatsuya Tamura, Yuuki Noda
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Patent number: 6623465Abstract: An absorbent article that includes a topsheet, a backsheet that is at least partially joined to the topsheet and an absorbent core that lies between the topsheet and the backsheet are described. A water activatable adhesive that, when activated, can adhere to a wearer's skin is also deposited on at least part of the absorbent article is also described.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2000Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Donald C. Roe, Mark J. Kline
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Patent number: 6620145Abstract: Elastic threads for raisable gathers and elastic threads for leg gathers are provided in a specified relationship in side sheets provided at the opposite sides of a skin-side sheet, and the respective side sheets are adhered to the skin-side sheet in a specified relationship. In this way, the raisable gathers and leg gathers can be simultaneously formed in the side sheets. Further, a pocket into which an exchangeable and substantially sandglass-shaped second absorbent body can be positioned and inserted is formed between the skin-side sheet enclosed by the respective adhered portions and the respective side sheets.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Toyo Eizaki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Nakaoka, Masaru Fujioka, Satoshi Maeda, Kazuyo Mori
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Publication number: 20030171732Abstract: An absorbent article having a narrow crotch portion and elasticized shield shields is disclosed. The absorbent article has a fit factor defined as the minimum crotch width divided by the effective height of the side shields. In one embodiment, the absorbent article includes and an absorbent structure having a central portion defined by a width about 65 millimeters or less, and a length about 50 millimeters or greater, and the absorbent article having a fit factor less than about 7.0.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2002Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Sheila Marie Heyrman, David Charles Musil, Melissa Jean Dennis, Debra Ann Haase
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Publication number: 20030171731Abstract: An absorbent garment having standing leg gathers with improved leak containment capabilities, a method of making the absorbent garment, and a method of determining the leak containment capability of a standing leg gather are disclosed herein. In a first aspect, a method of determining a Leg Gasketing Index is disclosed herein and includes elongating a section of a standing leg gather and measuring the resulting elastic contractile force. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to an absorbent garment including standing leg gathers having a mean Total Leg Gasketing Index over three elongation cycles of at least about 4.75 kg*mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2002Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Lee W. Johnston, Kenneth John Molee, Stacy Jean Driskell, John D. Litvay