The Procter Gamble Company

Karen M Davis

George Christopher Dobrin

Terrill Alan Young

David M Weirich

David C Kleinschmidt

A disposable absorbent article having a pair of barrier leg cuffs and a pair of side panels is provided. The barrier leg cuffs are disposed along opposing sides of an absorbent core and the side panels are disposed outboard of the barrier leg cuffs along opposing sides of the absorbent article. The barrier leg cuffs are integrally formed with the side panels from a single nonwoven ply.

Disposable diaper having integral cuffs and side panels

A disposable absorbent articles having breathable side panels. The disposable absorbent article preferably comprises a containment assembly including a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core has a pair of opposing longitudinal edges, an inner surface and an outer surface. The backsheet has a garment-facing surface, a body-facing surface, a central region and an outer region. The backsheet preferably further includes at least three distinct zones, a pair of apertured zones comprising apertures and a non-apertured zone. The apertured zones preferably include at least a portion of the outer region of the backsheet and extend laterally outwardly form each of the longitudinal edges. The non-apertured zone preferably comprises the central region and is juxtaposed the outer surface of the absorbent core. The disposable absorbent article preferably further comprises a liquid and air pervious outer cover joined with the garment-facing surface of the backsheet to form a breathable laminate in the apertured zones. In preferred embodiments, a side panel extends laterally outwardly from each of the longitudinal edges of the absorbent core, each of the side panels comprising at least a portion of the laminate such that the side panels are breathable.

Absorbent article having breathable side panels

A method for forming a composite elastic material. An elastic member having at least one elastic strand is fed onto a rotating forming structure exhibiting a multiplicity of apertures therein. The elastic member has a surface facing the forming structure and another surface facing away from the forming structure. A thermoplastic film is extruded onto the surface of the elastic member facing away from the forming structure. A pneumatic vacuum is applied to the thermoplastic film and the elastic member so that the thermoplastic film is simultaneously apertured and bonded to the elastic member thereby forming a breathable composite elastic material.

Method for forming a composite elastic material

A disposable undergarment having at least one break-away panel comprised of one or more strips of manually tearable material uninterruptedly extending from one leg opening to the waist opening which allows the disposable undergarment to be torn open and removed without sliding the undergarment down the length of both legs.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Karen M Davis