Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Jason Gene Csida

Charles Robert Tomsovic

Brian Robert Vogt

Michael Lee Lohoff

Jason Kyle Sieck

Jack Lee Couillard

Richard Mark Konetzke

Justin M Mueller

Patricia Katherine Eng

Robert Lee Popp

Marcille Faye Ruman

Chadwick Irvin Romzek

Kyle Mark Barriger

Patrick Robert Lord

Ronald Alex Hilt

Sohyun Sara Park

Kurt Garrett Krupka

Kenneth John Wagner

Bradley W Schoon

Eric-John Raoul Gilgenbach

Lloyd Carl Hietpas

Rebecca Suzanne Walter

Eric S Krueger

Donald J Osentoski

Joseph Daniel Coenen

Debra Hartley Durrance

Heather Schenck Mortell

Scott Gerald Chapple

Bridget Ann Balogh

David Joseph Nickel

Joseph J Gimenez

Matthew D Woods

Palani Raj R Wallajapet

David Michael Clemens

Matthew R Van Hout

Lindsay Borkovetz

Wade L Behnke

Hwa Y Kim

Mike L Lohoff

Dale H Damsteegt

Scott John Andrew Swanson

An absorbent article has a front region, a back region, and a crotch region extending between and connecting the front region and the back region. A non-rectangular absorbent core is located in the absorbent article wherein a portion of the absorbent core is positioned in an overlapping relationship with an elastic material located in at least one of the front region or back region. The non-rectangular absorbent core has a narrowest width dimension in the transverse direction of the absorbent article which is offset from each of the transverse axis of the absorbent article and the narrowest width of the absorbent article. Longitudinally extending elastic material located in the crotch region of the absorbent article is positioned in a spaced apart relationship to the longitudinal direction side edges of the absorbent core.

Absorbent article

Pant-like absorbent articles having improved chassis structures are disclosed. One pant-like garment comprises a front panel comprising a front garment-side layer, a front body side layer, and front elastic members therebetween, and a rear panel comprising a rear garment-side layer, a rear bodyside layer, and rear elastic members between the rear garment-side layer and the rear bodyside layer, a portion of the rear elastic members proximate a rear waist end edge are being uncovered by one of the rear garment-side layer and the rear bodyside layer. The garment may further comprise a rear secondary elastic member disposed overlapping the uncovered portion of the rear elastic members, and wherein one of the rear garment-side layer and the rear bodyside layer is folded over the rear panel secondary elastic member and overlaps the other one of the rear garment-side layer and the rear bodyside layer.

Pant-like disposable absorbent articles with improved chassis construction

An absorbent article can have a topsheet layer, a liquid impermeable layer, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet layer and the liquid impermeable layer. The absorbent article can further include an exudate management layer in fluid communication with the topsheet layer. In various embodiments, the exudate management layer can be positioned on a body facing surface of the topsheet layer. In various embodiments, the exudate management layer can be positioned between the topsheet layer and the absorbent core. The exudate management layer has a first component which defines an opening for direct passage of body exudates into the absorbent core. The exudate management layer has a second component which at least partially overlaps the first component of the exudate management layer and further extends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article in a direction towards the posterior region of the absorbent article.

Method of manufacturing an exudate management layer for use in an absorbent article

One example pant-like garment may comprise a front panel comprising a front garment-side layer, a front body-side layer, and one or more front chassis elastic members disposed between the front garment-side layer and the front body-side layer, and a rear panel comprising a rear garment-side layer, a rear body-side layer, one or more rear chassis elastic members disposed between the rear garment-side layer and the rear body-side layer, and one or more rear panel leg elastic members directly overlapping the one or more rear chassis elastic members in a vertical direction perpendicular to longitudinal and lateral directions. The garment may further comprise an absorbent assembly disposed between the front panel and the rear panel.

Elasticated materials and articles comprising elasticated materials are disclosed. In an embodiment, an elasticated material may comprise a first layer, second layer, an elastomeric strand disposed between the first and second layers, and a plurality of bonds bonding the first and second layers together. The strand may have straight and arcuate portions. The bonds may comprise a first and a second bond and may be disposed on opposite sides of the strand and separated a distance less than an un-tensioned diameter of the strand. The first and second bonds may be disposed along a strand straight portion. The plurality of bonds may further comprise a third and fourth bond which are longitudinally adjacent and disposed on opposite sides of the strand and spaced apart a distance greater than the un-tensioned diameter of the strand. The third and fourth bonds may be disposed along a strand arcuate portion.

Elastic laminates with curved elastics and methods for manufacturing

An absorbent article with a fastening system with reduced waste and method of manufacturing such an absorbent article is disclosed. The method of manufacturing an absorbent article can include cutting a first web of ear tab material to provide a first ear tab that is registered and cutting a second web of ear tab material to provide a second ear tab that is registered. The method can also include providing a web of ear panel material, coupling the first and second ear tabs to the web of ear panel material, cutting the web of ear panel material to provide first and second ear panels to form first and second ears, and coupling the first and second ears to the absorbent assembly to form at least a portion of the fastening system for the absorbent article. The first and second ears can be configured to be different from one another.

Absorbent article with a fastening system with reduced waste and method of manufacturing the same

A method for positioning side panels during manufacture of a pant includes positioning the side panels on side panel transfer devices. The side panels move perpendicular to a pant transport plane as the pant is transported in the machine direction and the side panels reside on the side panel transfer devices. The side panels can include refastenable fastening components. The method and apparatus can move the fastening components closer together in the cross-machine direction or maintain the fastening components at a constant cross-machine position while the side panels reside on the side panel transfer devices.

Garment side panel conveyor system and method

A panel of a material is transported in operative proximity to an air knife having a nozzle and a curved Coanda surface, such that the panel is folded over the curved Coanda surface as the material is transported in a machine direction. The panel can be folded to a variety of angles and can comprise a refastenable fastening component. Air knives are employed in various methods for folding garment side panels and forming prefastened garments, such as refastenable pants.

Presentation and bonding of garment side panels

In a method and apparatus for securing engagement between fastening components of a pre-fastened garment the fastening components are aligned in at least partially overlapping relationship with each other and engaged with each other to define an engagement seam. The fastening components are then flexed at the engagement seam to generate a shear stress at the seam to thereby promote increased engagement between the fastening components. In another embodiment, the fastening components are delivered in a predetermined direction to a nip and then drawn into the nip at a speed greater than the speed at which the fastening components are delivered to the nip. The fastening components are passed through the nip generally to squeeze the fastening components together at the engagement seam for promoting enhanced engagement between the fastening components.

Apparatus and method for securing engagement between fastening components of pre-fastened garments

A system and process for inspecting an underlying edge of a composite article, such as a disposable absorbent article. The article has first and second panels in at least partially opposed, overlapping engagement with each other. The process and system determine whether the panels of the article are present and/or properly positioned. Also disclosed is a process and system for detecting whether one or more components are present and/or properly positioned in the composite article by use of infrared radiation. Also disclosed is a process and system for defining a window in an image of the article, scanning the defined window to determine a position of the edge and redefining the window in the event that the edge is not located within the defined window during scanning of the defined window.

Infrared detection of composite article components

A process for making prefastened and refastenable garments includes providing a plurality of discrete articles with mating fastening components disposed in the waist regions. First fastening components are separated from one another by an initial transverse distance. The waist region containing the first fastening components is modified to transversely displace these fastening components to a post displacement distance that is not equal to the initial distance. The process allows for convenient alignment of the fastening components to form refastenable seams.

Presentation of fastening components for making prefastened and refastenable pants

A method of folding pants is suitable for use with discrete articles including mechanical fastening components and suitable for the manufacture of prefastened and refastenable pants. The discrete articles define leading and trailing halves with opposed side panels. The leading side panels can be maintained separate from the trailing side panels during folding and until the discrete articles are downstream of a folding nip.

Folding and manufacture of pants

Growing community of inventors

Reno, TX, United States of America

Jason Gene Csida