Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Leona G Boland

Robert A Stevens

Georgia Lynn Zehner

John C Wilson

Gregory John Rajala

Paul Theodore Van Gompel

Jody Dorothy Suprise

Stanley Roy Kellenberger

Dan D Endres

Deborah Lynn Proxmire

Michael A Sciaraffa

Lynn A Johnson

John L Chiatalas

A disposable pant-like garment for absorbing human discharge comprises an absorbent assembly including a liquid impervious outer cover, a liquid pervious liner, and an absorbent medium therebetween. A pair of stretchable side panels are joined to the absorbent assembly to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, and an intermediate portion of each stretchable side panel is generally peripherally disposed about a respective leg opening. The stretchable side panels provide generally inwardly directed force vectors against a wearer to maintain the garment snugly against the wearer's body and the absorbent assembly snugly in place against the crotch area both before and after a discharge.

Disposable training pant or incontinence garment

A disposable absorbent garment (10) of the type having opposed engageable waistband portions (14) separated by an intermediate portion (16), comprises a breathable elastomeric nonwoven fabric outer cover (12) and a superposable absorbent structure (32), including a liquid-impervious baffle (36), a liquid-pervious bodyside liner (34), and an absorbent core (38) disposed therebetween. The absorbent structure (32) preferably forms an independent insert separately attached to the outer cover (12) without restricting the stretchability thereof. The garment (10) has a generally asymmetrical hourglass profile with leg cut-out openings (18) converging together to define a narrow crotch portion, front (28) and rear (30) panels on either side of the crotch and pairs of front (20, 22) and rear (24, 26) ear portions extending from the waistbands (14) to the leg openings (18). A plurality of fastener members (42, 44, 46, 48) each having inner (49) and outer (51) peripheral edges, extend across the bodyside of the ear portions (20, 22, 24, 26) substantially from an associated waistband portion (14) to one of the marginal leg openings (18), with the rear pair of fastener members (42, 46) being hingedly attached along their outer peripheral edges (51) to the laterally opposed rear pair (20, 22) of associated ears. The hinged fastener members releasably engage the other pair of front fastener members (46, 48) fixedly attached along both their inner (49) and outer (51) peripheral edges to the front pair (24, 26) of laterally opposed ears. When longitudinally opposed pairs of the fasteners are fastened together about the body of a wearer, the hinged rear fastener members (42, 44) are bent peripherally outwardly so that their respective outer peripheral edges (51) abut the outer marginal edge of an engaged longitudinally opposed ear portion, forming a tailored, spliced seam presenting a neat, trim fit and appearance. The rear pair of fastener members (41, 44) includes a pair of snap elements (50A) spaced from one another in essentially coplanar relationship and engageable with a mating pair of snap elements (50B) similarly situated on the longitudinally opposed front pair of fastener members (46, 48), forming a primary load bearing closure. The snap elements (50A, 50B) on the fastener member (42, 44, 46, 48) are separated by abutment surfaces (52, 54, 56, 58) presenting cooperable secondary load bearing surfaces (62) for effecting and maintaining a substantially continuous closure between the primary snap closures (50A-50B) when longitudinally opposed pairs (42, 46; 44, 48) of the fastener members are fastened together, providing full-length, fixed point fastening substantially from waist to leg of a wearer.

Fastening system for a disposable absorbent garment having a tailored

A method of integrating a fluid-absorbing component into a holding component of an anatomically form-fitting, generally self-adjusting absorbent garment is disclosed. An elastomeric outer cover is provided for holding a relatively inelastic absorbent insert in selected bodily registration for absorbing and containing bodily fluids. A slidable hem retaining arrangement operatively connects the insert to the outer cover, including cooperating fasteners engageable with one another through a plurality of fenestrations, allowing unrestricted elongation or retraction of the outer cover relative to the insert. The fasteners are releasably engageable with one another to allow removal and replacement of the insert when soiled. Alternatively, ultrasonic bonds may be used instead of refastenable closures, where a single-use disposable garment is contemplated.

Method of integrating an absorbent insert into an elastomeric outer

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 comprising a breathable elastomeric nonwoven laminar outer cover having an absorbent insert structure attached and integrated thereinto while allowing substantially unrestricted functional stretchability of the outer cover. The insert is attached to the outer cover by selectively breakable sonic bonds along either of the waist and leg openings of the outer cover to accommodate various body shapes and sizes. Upon exertion of certain stresses against the garment by wearers having larger waist and/or leg sizes, the bonds break away and restore the inherent stretch properties of the corresponding region of the outer cover. The breakable bonds also maintain a neat, aesthetic appearance of the product and minimize interference of loose, unattached material during processing, storage and use of the article.

Disposable absorbent garment having elastic outer cover and absorbent

An anatomically form-fitting, generally self-adjusting disposable absorbent slip-on undergarment that may be easily raised and lowered by the wearer during use, e.g., a training pant or incontinence pad. The garment comprising a breathable elastomeric nonwoven laminar outer cover having an absorbent insert structure attached and integrated thereto while allowing substantially unrestricted functional stretchability of the outer cover. The outer cover has closed side panels connecting the front and rear panels and the leg and waist openings thereof, including manually separable side seams having breakable ultrasonic bonds for removing the garment from the wearer upon soiling, without removal of the wearer's outer clothing.

Stretchable disposable absorbent undergarment

An anatomically form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable garment with a stretchable outer cover (20), an absorbent structure (22) for absorbing and containing urine and body exudates, fixed position fasteners (70) (72) (74) (76) with front waist section waist tucks (57) or (65) and/or back section waist tucks (57) or (65) which provide a straight waist appearance when worn by an infant.

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with straight waist

An anatomically form fitting, self-adjusting disposable garment with a resiliently stretchable outer cover (20) with an absorbent structure (22) retained therein. The absorbent structure (22) has a resiliently stretchable bodyside liner (42) which causes the absorbent structure (22) to assume a body conforming shape. The disposable garment also features fixed position fasteners to fasten the garment around a wearer.

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with a stretchable

An anatomically form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable garment with a resiliently stretchable outer cover (20), stretchable in two directions (67) (69), an absorbent structure (22) and fixed position, full-length fasteners (70) (72) (74) (76) attached to the outer cover (20).

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with two-direction

An anatomically form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable garment with a two-zone resiliently stretchable outer cover (20) with a back zone (67) resiliently stretchable in a cross body direction (71), and a front zone (69) resiliently stretchable in a vertical direction (73).

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with a zoned stretchable

An anatomically form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable garment comprising a stretchable outer cover (20), an absorbent structure (22) comprising a liquid permeable bodyside liner (42), a liquid impermeable barrier (44) with an absorbent composite (38) disposed therebetween, respective ends of the absorbent structure (22) disposed within pockets (29) (31) formed from sections of stretchable outer cover (20). Fixed position point-to-point fasteners (70) (72) (74) (76) are attached to outer cover (20).

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with absorbent retaining

An anatomically form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable garment with a resiliently stretchable outer cover (20), an absorbent structure (22), fixed position fasteners (70) (72) (74) (76) and elastic members (58) (60) in the waist and elastic members (62) in the leg portions.

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with elastic waist and

An anatomically form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable diaper with a stretchable outer cover (20), an absorbent structure (22) and fixed position fasteners (70) (72) (74) (76) attached to the outer cover (20).

Form-fitting self-adjusting disposable garment with fixed position

An elasticized waist diaper in which a layer of elastic material is positioned in an opening in the waist area of a diaper. The elastic layer is located such that it forms a portion of the waist edge of the diaper. The elastic layer may be formed from the same piece of elastic material as is used for the diaper leg elastic.

Growing community of inventors

Neenah, WI, United States of America

Leona G Boland