Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

Laura Jean Turner

Barbara Oakley Sauer

Robert Eugene Vogt

Chinmay Suresh Betrabet

Thomas Glenn Merrill

Ruth Ann Lachapell

A personal care absorbent article, such as an infant diaper, a training pant, an incontinence garment and the like, having at least one swellable structure attached thereto for use as a containment dam or support structure. The swellable structure having a swellable layer and a cover material adapted to expand upon swelling of the swellable layer. The pleated cover material allows the swellable layer to swell freely in a z-direction.

Swellable structure having a pleated cover material

An absorbent article having a flap and a spacer wherein the flap is positioned in the rear waist portion of the article and forms a pocket. The spacer is positioned proximate the pocket opening and biases the pocket into an open position. The flap may be a laterally extending liquid impermeable flap which is fixedly secured to the article along a seam. The seam, which may be substantially U-shaped, extends between first and second terminal ends. The flap has a free edge which extends between the first and second terminal ends of the seam. The seam and free edge of the flap define the boundaries of a pocket which is formed between the flap and a topsheet of the absorbent article. The pocket has an opening extending between the first and second terminal ends of the seam. The spacer affixed to the article whereby it is disposed between the flap and the topsheet proximate, and optionally extending through, the pocket opening to bias the free edge of the flap away from the topsheet.

Absorbent article with a flap and spacer

An absorbent article having a flap and a spacer wherein the flap is positioned in the rear waist portion of the article and forms a pocket. The spacer is positioned proximate the pocket opening and biases the pocket into an open position. The flap may be a laterally extending liquid impermeable flap which is fixedly secured to the article along a seam. The seam, which may be substantially U-shaped, extends between first and second terminal ends. The flap has a free edge which extends between the first and second terminal ends of the seam. The seam and free edge of the flap define the boundaries of a pocket which is formed between the flap and a topsheet of the absorbent article. The pocket has an opening extending between the first and second terminal ends of the seam. The spacer affixed to the article whereby it is disposed between the flap and the backsheet proximate, and optionally extending through, the pocket opening to bias the free edge of the flap away from the topsheet. Alternative spacer embodiments may be employed. A single spacer or two spacers positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the article may be used to bias the pocket open. The use of a spacer which dynamically biases the flap away from the topsheet automatically adjusts the size of the pocket opening in response to relative movement between the wearer and the absorbent article. One or more hinged spacers may be employed to provide such a dynamic spacer.

Absorbent article with a flap and biasing spacer

An absorbent article with an adhesive flap. The absorbent article has a crotch region, a rear waist region, and a body facing surface positionable adjacent a wearer when the article is in use. The absorbent article includes a backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet attached to the backsheet, an absorbent structure disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, and a flap positioned in the rear waist region of the article. The flap has first and second oppositely facing major surfaces wherein the first major surface faces the topsheet and the second major surface forms a portion of the body facing surface of the absorbent article. A substantial portion of the front edge of the flap is a free edge and an adhesive is disposed on the body facing major surface of the flap whereby the adhesive may engage the skin of the wearer when the absorbent article is in use. The adhesive flap thereby prevents the formation of a gap between the absorbent article and the wearer's skin near the rear waist region and, thus, inhibits the leakage of bodily exudates from the absorbent article.

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Laura Jean Turner