Kimberly-clark Corporation

Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Deborah Lynn Proxmire

Robert A Stevens

Eric Donald Johnson

Mark Louis Robinson

Paula Mary Sosalla

Barbara Ann Gossen

Cynthia Helen Nordness

Daniel R Laux

Lynn Carol Brud

Lynn A Johnson

Georgia Lynn Zehner

Ann Louise McCormack

Daniel Robert Schlinz

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

Dan D Endres

Wanda Walton Jackson

Leona G Boland

John C Wilson

David Peter Kielpikowski

Nancy Donaldson Kollin

Mir Inayeth Alikhan

Tamara L Mace

Edward Bruce Richter

An absorbent article has a longitudinal length dimension, a lateral cross dimension, a front waistband portion, a back waistband portion and an intermediate portion which interconnects the front and back waistband portions. The article includes a backsheet layer having a pair of laterally opposed side margins, with each side margin having an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour located at appointed leg opening regions in an intermediate portion of each of the side margins. Each concave side edge contour has a selected longitudinal extent along the length dimension of the article. A liquid permeable topsheet layer is connected in superposed relation to the backsheet layer, and an absorbent body is sandwiched between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer. A separate, elasticized and gathered leg gusset is connected to the article along each of the appointed leg opening regions, and each leg gusset is configured to extend beyond and to bridge between opposed, spaced-apart portions of an associated one of the concave side edge contours of the backsheet layer.

Absorbent article with improved elastic margins and containment system

An absorbent article includes a longitudinal length dimension, a lateral cross-dimension, a front waistband portion, a back waistband portion, an intermediate portion which interconnects the front and back waistband portions, and a pair of laterally opposed elasticized side margins. The article has a backsheet layer, and a liquid permeable topsheet layer connected in superposed relation to the backsheet layer. An absorbent body is sandwiched between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer, and an elasticized, waist pocket member is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along at least one end margin of the article. The waist pocket member includes an extending flange section and an extending pocket section. The pocket section of the waist pocket member includes a substantially fixed edge portion secured to the article, and an elasticized, gathered moveable edge portion, which is longitudinally spaced from the fixed edge portion. The pocket section can also include a substantially liquid impermeable pocket barrier layer, and a pocket fabric layer connected in facing relation with the pocket barrier layer. Additionally, a plurality of separate, laterally extending pocket elastic members can be sandwiched between the pocket barrier layer and the pocket fabric layer to thereby provide an elasticized waist pocket composite which is substantially laterally gathered.

Absorbent article with waist elastic and containment system

Fibrous laminated web and method and apparatus for making the same and

A distinctive absorbent article includes a backsheet layer which has a width dimension and a length dimension, and which includes a front waistband section, a back waistband section, and an intermediate section interconnecting the front and back waistband sections. An absorbent body is superposed on the backsheet layer, and an intermediate transfer layer, which is liquid permeable, is disposed in facing relation with the absorbent body to generally sandwich the absorbent body between the backsheet and transfer layer. The transfer layer has an appointed bodyside, inner surface, and a bodyside liner layer is located on the inner surface of the transfer layer. The bodyside liner comprises a bonded carded web which has a basis weight within the range of about 15-40 gsm and is composed of bicomponent fibers having a fiber denier within the range of about 1.0-3.0 dpf. The bodyside liner is constructed to provide for a Penetration rate index of at least about 1.5 ml/sec and a Retention index of not more than about 0.8 gm.

Absorbent article having a liner which exhibits improved softness and

A method is disclosed for making a fastener landing zone within a selected area on the front waist panel of a diaper. The front waist panel and a rear waist panel are stretchable in a cross-body direction, the rear panel having elongated ears bearing mechanical fasteners on inner, body-facing surfaces thereof which are releasably engageable with mechanical fasteners provided on the landing zones. The landing zones are shaped, sized and oriented on the front waist panel so as to impart a tensile force distribution pattern thereacross, directing tensile stresses away from the leg and waist openings while providing a band of abdominal support across the front waist panel between the landing zones.

Method of reducing fastener irritation and waist droop in a disposable

A disposable diaper comprises an absorbent structure integrated within an outer cover. The outer cover includes front and rear elasticized waist panels, an intermediate crotch panel separating the waist panels from one another, a pair of sides extending between and interconnecting the waist panels, a pair of leg openings delimited along the sides and front and rear pairs of ears delimited at the sides of the front and rear waist panels, respectively. The rear pair of ears define elongated shapes with internal, body-facing surfaces, a proximal portion spaced from a line centered on the longitudinal axis of the diaper, suer end portions spaced distally from the proximal portions and elastomeric medial portions adjustably spacing and separating the user portions from the proximal portions. The front pair of ears have externally-facing surfaces presenting appointed landing zones, including fixed-position fasteners, cooperable with fixed fasteners provided on the user ends, and including variable-position fasteners selectably engageable with cooperating variable fasteners provided on the proximal portions, wherein the medial portions stretch to allow adjustment and fastening of the fixed-position fasteners once the variable-position fasteners have been selectably fastened.

Adjustable combination fastener for a disposable diaper

An anatomically form-fitting generally self-adjusting disposable absorbent garment and methods of integrating and using the garment. The garment comprises a breathable elastomeric nonwoven fabric outer cover resiliently stretchable in cross-body direction, including a pair of leg openings, front and rear waist sections fastenable with one another defining a waist opening, a crotch section situated between the leg openings and opposing front and rear panels separated by the crotch section. An absorbent insert structure is substantially superposable on the front and rear panels and the crotch section, including a liquid impermeable barrier, a liquid permeable body side liner and an absorbent composite disposed therebetween. The absorbent insert has opposed longitudinal ends which are attached to the outer cover by bonds or snaps at selected waist attachment zones, defining one or more free-span zones of the outer cover underlying the insert and having substantially unrestricted functional stretchability therein. The insert may also be attached along the leg openings.

Disposable absorbent garment having elastic outer cover and integrated

An anatomically form-fitting, generally self-adjusting disposable absorbent garment comprises a breathable elastomeric nonwoven laminar outer cover, resiliently stretchable preferably in a cross-body direction from about 20% to about 200%, including a pair of leg openings, front and rear waist sections together defining a waist opening, a crotch section situated between the leg openings and front and rear panels separated by the crotch section. An absorbent insert structure, substantially superposable on the front and rear panels and the crotch section, includes a liquid impermeable barrier and a liquid permeable bodyside liner, with an absorbent composite disposed therebetween. Longitudinally opposed ends of the absorbent insert are attached to the waist sections, integrating the insert into the outer cover while allowing substantially unrestricted functional stretchability thereof. A pair of supplemental leg elastic members are applied to the outer cover in an operatively tensioned state relative thereto and extend around outermost portions of the leg openings. Either of the leg and waist elastics comprise breathable elastomeric nonwoven laminar fabric strips which are resiliently stretchable preferably from about 20% to about 300%, providing cushioned, cloth-like gathering of the garment about the body of a wearer.

Disposable garment having elastic outer cover and integrated absorbent

An anatomatically form-fitting, generally self-adjusting disposable absorbent garment comprises a breathable elastomeric nonwoven outer cover wherein an elastic nonwoven web is joined to one or more gatherable nonwoven webs, including leg and waist openings and cooperating full-length fastening closures extending from the waist to each leg opening. The leg elastics extend about the outermost portions of the leg openings and are tensioned adjacent the inner thighs of the wearer. The leg elastics are routed so that they direct tensile stresses away from the leg opening, thereby reducing detrimental stress concentrations associated with the fastening closures.

Routing of leg elastic to reduce stresses in a stretchable outer diaper

Growing community of inventors

Larsen, WI, United States of America

Deborah Lynn Proxmire