Waist Opening Patents (Class 604/385.3)
  • Publication number: 20110178489
    Abstract: A disposable diaper having a tensile stress well compatible with a wearer's average body contour including convex and concave and thereby to reduce creating an uncomfortable feeling of tightness against the wearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Baba, Satoshi Mitsuno, Kyota Saito, Tatsuya Hashimoto, Mariko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7981100
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article includes a sheet member, an absorbent core, at least one front leg elastic member, and at least one rear leg elastic member. The leg elastic members intersect at left and right intersections located in a crotch region of the sheet member. The left and right intersections are placed at any position on the outer side in the lateral direction relative to the vicinity of left and right side edges of the absorbent core in the crotch region. The front leg elastic member has left and right front leg contraction-reduced sections located on the outer side in the lateral direction relative to the left and right intersections. The left and right front leg contraction-reduced sections are cut so as to have reduced contractile forces. The rear leg elastic member has left and right front leg contraction-reduced sections located on the outer side in the lateral direction relative to the left and right intersections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Livedo Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Masaru Fujioka
  • Publication number: 20110172629
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article worn about the lower torso of a wearer includes at least one pair of side panels connecting a first waist region to a second waist region forming a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. Each side panel includes a waist region, a hip region and a leg region wherein the waist region, the hip region and the leg region differs structurally, functionally and visually to provide an improved initial fit and sustained fit while exhibiting a garment-like appearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Barry Robert Feist, Krista Beth Comstock, Lisa Jane Goodlander
  • Publication number: 20110172626
    Abstract: A disposable diaper having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a side facing the wearer's skin and a side facing away from the wearer's skin and including a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region extending between the front and rear waist regions, a waist-opening, a pair of leg-openings, an elastic front waist panel defining the front waist region, an elastic rear waist panel defining the rear waist region and a liquid-absorbent chassis containing a liquid-absorbent core. The front and rear waist panels are formed of elastic sheets lying on the side facing the wearer's skin and front and rear ends of the liquid-absorbent chassis are attached to the elastic sheets on the side facing away from the wearer's skin thereof. In the front and rear waist regions or at least in the rear waist region a region of the elastic sheets facing the liquid-absorbent core is partially formed with low elasticity zones having a tensile stress lower than that in other zones of the waist region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventor: Satoshi MITSUNO
  • Patent number: 7972320
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region between the waist regions. The chassis includes laterally opposing closed side edges defining its width, longitudinally opposing front and back waist end edges defining its length, an interior surface and an exterior surface, and including a water-impermneable backsheet. An absorbent assembly is attached to the chassis. A belt structure is disposed in the waist region of the chassis. The belt structure includes a first belt segment, a second belt segment and a third belt segment. The belt segments are disposed longitudinally with respect to each other and the coefficient of friction of at least a portion of one of the first belt segment and third belt segment is greater than the coefficient of friction of at least a portion of the second belt segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bruno Johannes Ehrnsperger, Andrew James Sauer, Gary Dean LaVon
  • Publication number: 20110152817
    Abstract: A wearing article configured so that the wearing article can be smoothly put on the wearer's body even when the wearer is in the chair. The wearing article includes front and rear waist regions, of which at least the rear waist region is elasticized. The wearing article further includes fastening means comprising a pair of first fastening elements extending on respective outer surfaces of first lateral zones of the front waist region in a longitudinal direction and a pair of second fastening elements adapted to be engaged with the associated the first fastening elements and extending on respective inner surfaces of second lateral zones of the rear waist region in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Kinoshita, Natsuko Aoyagi, Kayoko Tanaka, Yasuhiko Kenmochi
  • Patent number: 7963953
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article includes a main body, a sleeve-like member extending adjacent the waist edge of the front or rear portions, and an adjustable elastomeric waist belt having a central portion and a pair of opposite free ends each defining ear-like projections. The central portion of the elastomeric member can be disposed in a sleeve-like member with each ear-like projection extending out from opposite sides. The central portion can be attached to the sleeve-like member and/or the main body near a longitudinal axis of the main body or adjacent the waist edge of the main body. The ear-like projections can be attachable to each other or the main body to form the desired waist size of the wearer of the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: First Quality Retail Services, LLC
    Inventors: Edward P. Erdman, Michael J. Naughton, Stacy J. Driskell
  • Publication number: 20110144610
    Abstract: A pant type absorbent article such as a pant diaper, a sanitary pant or incontinence pant, said article having a core region (3) comprising an absorbent core (2) and a chassis region (4) surrounding the core region. The chassis comprises front, back and waist regions (5, 6 and 7). The article in at least a part of the chassis region (4) comprises an outer coversheet (10) in the form of an elastic web material (11) constituting the sole component of the chassis (4) in at least 20% of the total surface area of the article (1), said elastic laminate having an opacity of at least 40% and a basis weight of no more than 100 g/m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventors: Tomas Karlson, Anders Gustafsson, Urban Widlund, Jan Wastlund-Karlsson, Margareta Wennerback
  • Patent number: 7959619
    Abstract: Disposable hygiene pants with a front portion (2), a rear portion (3) and a crotch portion (4) provided with two leg openings (5, 6), the longitudinal edge portions (21, 22) of the front portion being connected by longitudinal weld seams (7, 8) to the longitudinal edge portions (31, 32) of the rear portion (3) in order to form a waist opening (9) and two leg openings (5, 6) in the crotch portion, which leg openings are outwardly delimited in the transverse direction by the inner end portions of the weld seams as seen in the longitudinal direction of the hygiene pants. The hygiene pants have an outer cover (10) and comprise an absorption unit (11). The cover is preferably made of an elastic laminate. The weld seams (7, 8) are each reinforced by at least one reinforcing strip (15, 16) containing thermoplastic fibers and have a tensile strength, in a direction transverse to the weld seam, in excess of 5 N/25.4 mm at least in the portions reinforced with said nonwoven strip (15, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Cartier, Christian Dumas, Hans Een, Marcus Lehto, Lucas Back
  • Patent number: 7955311
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a pants member and a body fluid absorbent pad lying inside the pants member. The pad is connected to elastic first and second suspender members extending in a circumferential direction of the diaper and joined under extension in the circumferential direction of the diaper to the pants member. Front and rear ends of the pad are joined to the suspender members in middle zones of these suspender members of which transversely opposite side edges are joined to transversely opposite side edges of front and rear waist regions. Inner and outer ends of the suspender members are joined to the front and rear waist regions in a joining zones arranged intermittently in the circumferential direction of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Tanaka, Hirotomo Mukai
  • Publication number: 20110125122
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing disposable absorbent garments and a garment made thereby. In particular embodiments, the method comprises removing notches or holes of a garment web or webs adjacent to front and back waist edges to define a series of spaced apart front and back waist edge openings. The method includes providing front and back elastic waistband webs, and positioning the respective waistband webs to overlay at least a portion of each opening, and bonding the waistband webs to each other. The garment includes first and second waist edge cutouts, wherein two side seams extend from the waist edge cutouts to respective leg openings. The garment further includes front and back elastic waistbands attached to each other at first and second waistband side seams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Russell E. Thorson, Todd W. Wilkes, Jesus S. Banda
  • Patent number: 7947029
    Abstract: An underpants type disposable diaper cover capable of firmly holding an absorbent pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Daio Paper Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuhiro Saito
  • Publication number: 20110118689
    Abstract: An absorbent article such as a diaper, an incontinence pad, a sanitary towel or the like includes at least one elasticated area. The elasticated area includes a patterned area having a visible pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Hans Een, Marcus Lehto, Ulrika Carlson
  • Publication number: 20110112500
    Abstract: The invention relates to an incontinence article (2) in the form of briefs for the absorption of bodily excretions, comprising a front stomach portion (4) and a rear back portion (6), which are connected to one another at lateral seam regions (14) on both sides at the manufacturer's to form a stomach and back band which is continuous in the transverse direction or direction of the girth (16) and which has a hip opening (18) that is closed around the girth, and comprising a crotch portion (8), which has an absorption pad (7) and extends in a longitudinal direction (9) between the stomach portion (4), with a transverse border (58) facing the crotch, and the back portion (6), with a transverse border (60) facing the crotch, wherein the crotch portion (8) is undetachably joined to the stomach portion (4) and the back portion (6), wherein not only the crotch portion (8) but also the stomach portion (4) and the back portion (6) delimit the leg openings (19) of the incontinence article, wherein first elasticated mea
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Benjamin Wenzel, Fridmann Hornung
  • Publication number: 20110106039
    Abstract: A disposable diaper to prevent an undesirable step from being formed due to downward displacement of a front end flap of an absorbent chassis during use of the diaper, to prevent body waste from leaking out and to assure a good appearance. A front waist region includes elasticized regions extending at least in the transverse direction Y, wherein the elasticized regions comprise a first elasticized region defined between a waist-opening peripheral edge and a front end flap of the absorbent chassis so as to extend in the transverse direction Y. A second elasticized region is defined adjacent the first elasticized region so as to extend in the transverse direction Y, and a pair of third elasticized regions are defined adjacent the second elasticized region and spaced from and opposed to in the transverse direction Y on both sides of a non-elasticized region formed in a transverse middle of the front waist region. The second elasticized region extends across the front flap of the absorbent chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Kyota Saito, Seiichi Kuwano, Yoshio Ono
  • Publication number: 20110098667
    Abstract: An incontinence garment comprising: a waistband; a front portion attached to the waistband, wherein the front portion has at least a first securing member disposed thereon; a back portion attached to the waistband in a position opposite to the front portion, wherein the back portion has at least a second securing member disposed thereon; a crotch portion disposed between the front portion and the back portion and opposite to the waistband, wherein the first and second securing members are disposed between the waistband and the crotch portion; and an absorbent assembly disposed between the front portion and second back portion, wherein the absorbent assembly comprises a first end affixed to the first securing member and a second end affixed to the second securing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Joseph J. Nicholson, Nancy Weber
  • Patent number: 7918961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new worn article, which gives a close fit and with which it is possible to reduce the production cost. A worn article of the present invention includes a main body portion 20 including an absorbent core 25 and covering a front torso area, a crotch area and a rear torso area of a wearer, and a pair of side panels PL and PR attached to the main body portion 20 and located between the front and rear torso areas when the worn article is worn. Each of the side panels PL and PR is stretchable in an around-the-torso direction X. At least a portion of the side panel PL and PR includes an elastic thread G sandwiched between at least two sheet-like materials S1 and S2 and is in a contracted state where the elastic thread is contracted, thus forming gathers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Zuiko Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Wada, Masaki Nakakado
  • Publication number: 20110071488
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent wearing article having an absorbent chassis and an annular elasticized waist panel. The elastic waist panel includes a front waist panel and a rear waist panel. A rear waist panel has a dimension in a longitudinal direction that is greater than that of the front waist panel and further includes a first elasticized region, a second elasticized region defining a waist band and a third elasticized region located toward a crotch region of the article. Tensile stress of the third elasticized region, as measured in a transverse direction, is less than the tensile stress of the first and second elasticized regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Seiichi Kuwano, Yoshio Ono, Kyota Saito
  • Publication number: 20110066127
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent wearing article constructed with an absorbent core that may be deformed to form absorbent barriers against body waste and thereby an absorbent chassis that includes the absorbent core may be kept in contact with the wearer's torso with good fitness to improve appearance of the article put on the wearer's body and to prevent leak of body waste. The disposable absorbent wearing article comprising an absorbent chassis and an annular elasticized waist panel wherein the absorbent core of the absorbent chassis is formed with deformation guides so that at least opposite lateral regions of said absorbent core may be deformed along the deformation guides toward the wearer's torso under elastic contraction of at least a front waist panel constituting the annular waist panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Seiichi Kuwano, Yoshio Ono
  • Patent number: 7901392
    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: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Mark James Kline, Miguel Alvaro Robles
  • Publication number: 20110054432
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a rear waist region provided with a waist region elastic member attached thereto under tension. The waist region elastic member is formed with a plurality of slits each extending in a longitudinal direction and extending through the elastic member in a thickness direction thereof. The waist region elastic member is stretched in a transverse direction as the diaper is put on the wearer's body and thereupon the slits are opened up to form respective through-holes. A first graphics display region formed in combination with the slits includes note stems and note tails. Each of these note stems is contiguous to the associated through-holes. In the area nearer a crotch region than the first graphics display region, a second graphics display region is formed. The first and second graphics display regions cooperate to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junko Ueda, Koichiro Mitsui
  • Publication number: 20110040276
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article to be worn about the lower torso of a wearer that facilitates an easy, intuitive change is provided. The disposable absorbent article includes at least one serviceable indicium that facilitates an easy change by providing alignment of the article relative to an anatomical feature of the wearer or by externally highlighting one or more components of the article thereby indicating alignment and fit about the wearer's lower torso.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Luke R. Magee, George B. Glackin, III, Christopher J. Hosmer, Naomi S. Korn, James D. Wilson, Mark C. Bates, Mattias Schmidt, Eva Susanne Dominique Thurnay, Joerg Mueller, John C. Costello, Ann M. Sullivan, Gregg A. Flender, Donald C. Roe, Mark J. Kline, Kenneth Edwin Jewell
  • Patent number: 7887526
    Abstract: A disposable undergarment includes a front body panel having a pair of opposite first side edges, a first waist edge and a first crotch edge spaced from said first waist edge. A rear body panel has a pair of opposite second side edges, a second waist edge and a second crotch edge spaced from said second waist edge. The crotch edges of each of the front and rear body panel webs includes at least one peak and at least one valley. Each of the front and rear body panels have a minimum rise defined between the valley of each of the respective front and rear body panels and the first and second waist edges respectively. The valleys defining the minimum rises form at least in part leg opening portions of the front and rear body panels. The crotch edges of the front and rear body panels are spaced apart and form a gap therebetween in a non-overlapping relationship. A crotch member bridges the gap and has opposite end portions connected to the front and rear body panels respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul T. Van Gompel, Russell E. Thorson, Jacqueline A. Gross
  • Patent number: 7887522
    Abstract: A pull-on wearable article includes a main portion including an outer cover, the main portion defining a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region extending between and connecting the front and rear waist regions. First and second extendable side panels extend between and connect the main portion front waist region and the main portion rear waist region to form the article in a closed waist configuration, at least a portion of each side panel being extendable between a relaxed state and an extended state. The article defines first and second side regions, each side region including one of the first and second side panels and a transverse region of the main portion bordering the respective side panel. An informational image is disposed in at least the first side region. The article may further include a texture feature formed in an outer surface of the article and positioned proximate to the informational image to form a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Melanie D. Allen, Kathleen Quinlan Ames-Ooten, Mark John Ciesko, Barry Robert Feist, Eiro Fukuda, George Bartol Glackin
  • Patent number: 7879747
    Abstract: An elastic laminate having fragrance releasing microcapsules embedded within a nonwoven web layer of the laminate is generally disclosed. The elastic laminate is configured to release the encapsulated fragrance upon stretching the laminate. The elastic laminate can continue to release fresh fragrance even after the first stretching force is applied, effectively extending the life of the elastic laminate. The resulting elastic laminate is useful for many applications, and is particularly useful in the construction of an absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Conrad, Patrick Payne
  • Publication number: 20110015605
    Abstract: A laminate with micro-texture having attachment lines oriented in a primary direction and mechanically activated in the primary direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: John Jianbin Zhang, Andrea Marie Breitenbach
  • Patent number: 7872169
    Abstract: A non-elastic thermoplastic film having a noise abatement region and a fastening component. The noise abatement region has a plurality of apertures, wherein each of the plurality of apertures has an area of between about 4 mm2 to about 75 mm2. The fastening component is disposed within the noise abatement region such that the fastening component is surrounded by the noise abatement elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Oscar Antonio Ruiz, John Carroll Molander
  • Patent number: 7857801
    Abstract: A disposable diaper including a chassis and an absorbent assembly. The chassis includes laterally opposing side flaps formed by laterally inwardly folded portions of the chassis and deployable chassis ears formed by other laterally inwardly folded portions of the chassis. Each chassis ear is held laterally inwardly folded until being released and unfolded laterally outward so as to project laterally outward beyond the adjacent side flap. An elastically extensible stretch waistband overlies portions of the laterally opposing chassis ears and extends laterally across the waist region between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Michael Hamall, Gary Dean LaVon, Kevin Michael Smith
  • Publication number: 20100324519
    Abstract: The present invention provides a disposable diaper improved so as to prevent body waste from leaking sideways without sacrificing a bodily fluid absorbing capacity of a liquid-absorbent structure and to assure a high retention for urine and discharged feces. The waist elastic members includes first waist elastic members 31 extending in a transverse direction in a vicinity of a waist-opening 16 and second waist elastic members 32 provided between leg-opening 17 and first elastic members 31 and the first elastic members and extending in the transverse direction across opposite lateral regions so as not to present in central zones of front and rear waist regions 13, 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Akiko Yagi, Hideaki Maki
  • Publication number: 20100324513
    Abstract: A pant-type absorbent article (55) includes a chassis structure, the chassis structure including a front panel (56), a back panel and a crotch panel (58) arranged between the front and back panels (56,57) and front and back waist panels (61a,61b) arranged at the front and back panels (56,57) respectively. At least one of the front and back panels (56,57) includes an activated three-layer elastic laminate (68) including a first fibrous nonwoven web and a second fibrous nonwoven web and an elastic film between the first and second fibrous nonwoven webs. At least one of the first and second fibrous nonwoven webs is a creped nonwoven web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Margareta Wennerbäck
  • Publication number: 20100318054
    Abstract: Stretched laminates with prestrained elastics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Frederick Michael Langdon, Fred Naval Desai
  • Patent number: 7851666
    Abstract: The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles including one or more discrete components. Representative discrete components include the nonwoven layer of the outer cover, the absorbent core, the bodyside liner, fasteners, ears and attachment panels. The discrete components include a material having a Surface Topographic Variance value of 30 micrometers or greater. The material includes a printed block having a Printed Block Sensor Value that is about three times greater than a Sensor Value for the area of the material outside of the printed block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Russell Belau, Robert David Forrester, Michael John Flattum, Paula Cardinahl Winkel, Bernhardt Edward Kressner
  • Publication number: 20100312214
    Abstract: The present invention on its first aspect provides a disposable diaper improved so as to prevent body waste from leaking sideways without sacrificing a bodily fluid absorbing capacity of a liquid-absorbent structure and to assure appropriate fitness to the wearer's body. In each of front and rear waist regions 13, 14, a disposable diaper 10 comprises an upper elasticized region 18 extending in a vicinity of a waist-opening periphery 16a, lower elasticized regions 20A, 20B, intermediate elasticized region 19 extending between the upper elasticized region 18 and the lower elasticized regions 20A, 20B and outside longitudinally opposite ends 12a, 12b of a liquid-absorbent structure 12, and, at least in the front waist region 13 of the front and rear waist regions 13, 14, a non-elasticized region 30 opposed to a central zone of a liquid-absorbent core wherein a tensile stress of the intermediate elasticized region 19 is lower than a tensile stress of the upper elasticized region 18.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Takaaki Shimada, Akiko Yagi, Hideaki Maki
  • Publication number: 20100305533
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article comprising an absorbent core having a garment surface and an opposed body surface, which surfaces meet along at least one longitudinal edge and at least one end edge; a liquid permeable topsheet positioned adjacent the body surface of the absorbent core and having a pair of opposed longitudinal edges; a liquid impermeable backsheet positioned adjacent the garment surface of the absorbent core; and a waistcap/waistband disposed adjacent to at least one projection associated with the absorbent core, wherein the waistcap/waistband is capable of absorbing moisture and subsequently deforming to fill at least a portion of space between the article and a portion of the wearer's body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Gregory Ashton, Masaharu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 7842021
    Abstract: Absorbent articles with waist seals are disclosed. The seals are formed from folded stacks, discrete segments, or pleated material arranged to provide a resiliently compressible seal that can be located at one or more locations within the absorbent article, e.g., along a central portion of the rear waist region of a diaper. The seals may be constructed from relatively thin materials that (through folding, stacking, pleating, etc.) can provide a resiliently compressible seal that is thick enough and appropriately shaped to conform to the wearer's anatomy well enough to provide the desired sealing. At the same, time, the continuous web material used to form the seal is preferably thin enough to be economically delivered to the manufacturing line in roll form. The seals may be provided in the form of compressed seals that expand when one or more openings are formed in a sealed cavity containing compressed resilient material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Leigh E. Wood, Randall L. Alberg
  • Publication number: 20100298799
    Abstract: A process for making a pant-like disposable absorbent garment comprising: providing a front panel and back panels and an absorbent insert which extends between the front and back panels; printing a front waistband graphic on the front panel such that the front waistband graphic extends at least 90% of the front panel width; printing a back waistband graphic on the back panel such that the back waistband graphic extends at least 90% of the back panel width; and joining the first and second front side edges to the first and second back side edges, such that the garment assumes a pull-on configuration, and such that the front waistband graphic is in at least substantial alignment with the back waistband graphic. A garment made by the process is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Katherine C. Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20100298798
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing pant-type absorbent articles each article (21) including a chassis structure having at least one elastic panel and an integrated absorbent core component (32), the method including a continuous pant-forming process comprising forming the chassis structure and incorporating the absorbent core component (32) into the chassis structure. The at least one elastic panel is formed by a) separately producing a two-layer laminate (8) comprising a first non-elastic fibrous nonwoven web (1) and an elastic film (6), b) activating the two-layer laminate (8) by incremental stretching in at least one direction to render the two-layer laminate (8) elastically stretchable, c) stretching the activated two-layer laminate (8) by 10-200% in at least one direction, d) introducing the two-layer laminate (24,25) in the pant-forming process, and e) laminating the elastic film (6) of the stretched two-layer laminate (24,25) to an elastic or nonwoven chassis component (39, 40, 23, 54).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Elisabeth Lakso, Margareta Wennerbäck, Jan Wästlund-Karlsson
  • Patent number: 7833207
    Abstract: A pants-type wearing article includes front and rear waist regions connected to each other by a fastener member in a detachable and refastenable manner. Each of the fastener member includes a sheet-like supporting element adapted to be folded in a Z-shape or an inverted Z-shape as the front and rear waist regions are put flat together and a fastener element. The supporting element has a top section, a bottom section and an intermediate section connecting the top and bottom sections. Between opposed surfaces of the bottom section and the intermediate section, a sheet-like liner section is provided so as to extend from a bottom section's openable end of the bottom section along these opposed surfaces toward a top section's joint end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kenmochi, Akiyoshi Kinoshita, Natsuko Aoyagi, Kayoko Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100286646
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a belt member defining front and rear waist regions and a liquid-absorbent structure defining a crotch region wherein the belt member includes a peripheral edge of a waist-opening and this peripheral edge includes two segments associated with the front and rear waist regions spaced from and opposed to each other in an anteroposterior direction Y. Front and rear belt sections of the belt member include, in the front and rear waist regions, see-through regions for the article wearer's skin having a total light transmittance of about 55% or higher and occupying 40% or more of the front and rear waist regions. The front and rear belt sections are provided along the peripheral edge of the waist-opening with a reinforcing elastic member extending in a transverse direction X.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takino, Yuki Maeda, Hiroyuki Tanji
  • Patent number: 7819853
    Abstract: Variable stretch composites having one or more first elastomeric members disposed on a first region of an extensible substrate, and one or more second elastomeric members disposed on a second region of the extensible substrate which different from the first elastomeric members to provide variable properties to said regions of the composite. The composite has been incrementally stretched to at least partially break up the structure of the substrate in order to reduce its resistance to stretch. The variable stretch composites are useful for disposable and durable articles, such as disposable absorbent articles including diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, incontinence briefs, catamenial garments, baby bibs, and the like, and durable articles like garments including sportswear, outerwear and the like. The present invention also relates to methods of forming such variable stretch composites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Fred Naval Desai, Urmish Popatlal Dalal, Donald Carroll Roe
  • Publication number: 20100262109
    Abstract: A method for continuously producing absorbent garments includes forming a continuous multi-component production web; and cutting individual garments from the production web. The production web is formed by: a) feeding a first elastic web in a travelling direction; b) stretching the first elastic web by 35-250% in the travelling direction; c) intermittently laying down absorbent cores in an intermediate zone extending in a travelling direction of the production web; d) feeding a continuous web of liquid permeable material in the travelling direction and covering the absorbent cores with the continuous web of liquid permeable material; and e) bonding the first elastic web to the continuous web of liquid permeable material in a first lateral zone on a side of the intermediate zone of the production web. In addition, an absorbent garment has a continuous liquid permeable layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Katarina Eriksson
  • Publication number: 20100262110
    Abstract: A method for continuously producing absorbent garments includes forming a continuous multi-component production web; and cutting individual garments from the production web. The production web is formed by: a) feeding a first elastic web in a travelling direction; b) stretching the first elastic web by 35-250% in the travelling direction; c) intermittently laying down absorbent cores in an intermediate zone extending in a travelling direction of the production web; d) feeding a continuous web of liquid permeable material in the travelling direction and covering the absorbent cores with the continuous web of liquid permeable material; and e) bonding the first elastic web to the continuous web of liquid permeable material in a first lateral zone on a side of the intermediate zone of the production web. In addition, an absorbent garment has a continuous liquid permeable layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Elisabeth Lakso
  • Patent number: 7806880
    Abstract: A pull-on wearable article includes a main portion with an outer cover, the main portion defining a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region extending between and connecting the front and rear waist regions. First and second extendable side panels extend between and connect the main portion front waist region and the main portion rear waist region to form the article in a closed waist configuration, wherein at least a portion of each side panel is extendable between a relaxed state and an extended state. The article defines first and second side regions, each side region including one of the first and second side panels and a transverse region of the main portion bordering the respective side panel. An informational image is disposed in at least the first side region, wherein the informational image is legible when the first and second side panels are substantially in the relaxed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Donald Carroll Roe, Melanie D. Allen, Kathleen Quinlan Ames-Ooten, Mark John Ciesko, Barry Robert Feist, Eiro Fukuda, George Bartol Glackin
  • Publication number: 20100234822
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a waistband which is attached to first and second body portions of the article. The first body portion is attached to the waistband by at least a fastening means wherein the article assumes a pant diaper form. The waistband has a reception surface and a perforation. The perforation allows the reception surface to be separated into first and second belt portions. At least a part of the reception surface is located on each belt portion, thereby allowing the article to assume a belt diaper form. The first belt portion comprises at least one fastening means. The second fastening means is arranged so that the absorbent article can be readily converted from a pant diaper form to a belt diaper form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Lucas Bäck
  • Publication number: 20100228218
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on garment has a front waist region and a back waist region opposite the front waist region. The disposable pull-on garment also has a chassis and front and back waist members attached to the chassis in the front and back waist regions, respectively. The front waist member has a first retraction force and the back waist member has a second retraction force. The disposable pull-on garment also has a pair of side members attaching the front waist region to the back waist region, thereby forming a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. Each of the pair of side members includes a waist zone and a hip zone. The waist zones have retraction forces which are about equal to the first retraction force, and the hip zones have retraction forces which are greater than the first or second retraction forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Frederick Michael Langdon, Uwe Schneider, Christopher Jason Hawke, Gregory Ashton
  • Publication number: 20100217218
    Abstract: Absorbent garment such as a diaper and an incontinence guard, said garment comprises a first body panel (16), a second body panel (17) and a crotch portion (13) there between. The garment is provided with opposed laterally extending belt members (17) attached to the waist portion of the first body panel (11) and are adapted to be wrapped around the waist of the wearer of the garment and fastened together by means of first fastening means (18). The second body panel (12) at its waist portion is provided with second fastening means (19) adapted to be fastened to the belt members (17), in such a way that the garment will assume a pant-like shape. An elastic member (20) extends in transverse direction (x) along the waist portion (11a) of the first body panel (11) and extends into at least a portion of each belt member (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventors: Lucas Bäck, Elisabeth Lakso, Stefan Nedestam, Ingela Flink-Ekwall, Kent Hermansson, Gunnel Elglund
  • Patent number: 7749212
    Abstract: A back region having extensibility in a waist direction and provided with stopper members at both ends in the waist direction, an abdominal region provided with flap portions at both ends in the waist direction, and an absorber that bridges between the back region and the abdominal region are provided. It is set in such a manner that a length of the back region in the waist direction when it is stretched is longer than a length of the abdominal region in the waist direction, and a length of the back region in the waist direction when no force is applied from the outside is almost equal to the length of the abdominal region in the waist direction or shorter than the length in the waist direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Zuiko Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Wada
  • Publication number: 20100147722
    Abstract: An absorbent garment, such as a diaper structure, includes a visually discernible alignment indicator visible from a body-facing surface. The alignment indicator includes at least one first reference point. The absorbent garment comes with instructions defining the location of the first reference point on the absorbent article, defining the location of a second reference point on a wearer, and instructing the consumer to position the absorbent garment so that the first reference point optically aligns with the second reference point, and to fasten the absorbent garment in the position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventor: PAUL JOSEPH DATTA
  • Publication number: 20100152642
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes an absorbent body in contact with a moisture activatable shrinking yarn in the form of a metering string. The metering string includes a hanging portion that is at least initially visible to a user when the absorbent article is in use. By observing the change in length of the hanging portion, a user wearing the absorbent article can determine how saturated the absorbent article has become. The metering string may be used with absorbent articles such as tampons and diapers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Jaeho Kim, John Gavin MacDonald
  • Patent number: 7727216
    Abstract: A diaper for adults includes a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending therebetween, wherein side edge portions of the front and rear waist regions are detachably connected to each other so as to form a waist hole and a pair of leg holes, the side edge portions have a dimension of at least 150 mm as measured in a longitudinal direction, and a position correcting system to correct relative position of first and second fastening components when the first and second waist regions are connected to each other comprises at least one spacing zone defined between setting zones for tow or more fastening components into which the first fastening component is divided in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kenmochi, Akiyoshi Kinoshita, Natsuko Aoyagi, Naoto Ohashi, Makoto Ichikawa