The Procter Gamble Company

Allison Kay Hunter

Bruce William Lavash

Nicholas Albert Ahr

Ronald Ray McFall

John Joseph Curro

Jason Matthew Orndorff

Patricia Lee Christon

Patricia Lee Lampson

Kimberly Ann Buck

Nick A Ahr

Hiroaki Shikata

Kenji Ohshima

Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, and incontinence pads that are provided with mechanical fasteners are disclosed. Preferred embodiments have undergarment covering components (or 'side wrapping elements') that automatically fold along the sides of a wearer's panties and provide an alternative to conventional side flaps. The side wrapping elements of such embodiments have at least one zone of extensibility and at a region therein that is stiffer than the zone of extensibility. The side wrapping elements are provided with mechanical fasteners in the form of hair-like projections that have improved tactile properties.

Absorbent articles having undergarment covering components with

Disclosed is an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, incontinent device, or the like. The absorbent article comprises a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent article further comprises a pair of longitudinally extending cuffs disposed on the body surface of the topsheet on each side of a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article The cuffs comprise an elastic member and a resilient member and are joined to at least one of the topsheet and the backsheet in a longitudinally elastically elongated state. The elastic member preferably comprises first and second regions which are visibly distinct from each other. The first region comprises at least two substantially planar portions and the second comprises a plurality of raised, rib-like elements. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the substantially planar portions of the first region of the bands of web material extends in a substantially longitudinal direction and at least one other of the substantially planar portions of the first region of the elastic member is oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction. The resilient member is soft yet sufficiently resilient to resist the compressive forces applied to the cuffs by normal wearer movement. The resilient member is positioned sufficiently close to the body surface of the topsheet to also provide resistance to bending that may also be caused by normal bodily movements.

Absorbent article having flexure resistant elasticized cuffs

The present invention pertains to an absorbent article. The absorbent article includes a topsheet, a backsheet joined to the topsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet. A coversheet is joined to the topsheet. The coversheet includes a line of weakness defining a flap to be at least partially separated from the remainder of the coversheet.

Absorbent article having a coversheet with extendible flaps

Disclosed is an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, incontinent device, or the like. The absorbent article includes a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, and an absorbent core that lies between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent article further includes a pair of longitudinally extending bands of web material positioned on the body surface of the topsheet on each side of a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article and joined to at least one of the topsheet and the backsheet in a longitudinally elastically elongated state. The bands of web material include first and second regions which are visibly distinct from each other. The first region has at least two substantially planar portions and the second has a plurality of rib elements. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the substantially planar portions of the first region of the bands of web material extends in a substantially longitudinal direction and at least one other of the substantially planar portions of the first region of the bands of web material is oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction. Alternative embodiments of the present invention can also have flaps which extend laterally outward from a side edge of the central absorbent body positioned at least in a middle region of the absorbent article.

Absorbent article with angled band structural elastic-like film cuffs

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, OH, United States of America

Allison Kay Hunter