Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Lynn Kirkpatrick LeMahieu

David Arthur Fell

Earle Harry Sherrod

David Jerome Arteman

Phillip Eugene Keck

Jerry Alan Johnston

John A Rooyakkers

Marianne Keevill Leick

Jeffrey Mark LaFortune

Michael Tod Morman

David Arthur Kuen

Sarah Jane Marie Freiburger

Paul Martin Niemi

Mark Kevin Melius

Marianne Keevil Leick

An absorbent article includes a garment having opposite waist regions separated by a crotch region. At least one of the waist regions includes an expansion panel adapted to elongate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the garment. The absorbent article also includes a pair of elastomeric strap members that are adapted to attach to the waist regions.

Absorbent article providing a dynamic fit

An absorbent article includes a moisture barrier, a bodyside liner bonded to the moisture barrier, and an absorbent structure disposed between the bodyside liner and moisture barrier. Elasticized bumpers which function as three-dimensional physical barriers to liquid movement are disposed in the margins of the article. The elasticized bumpers include an internal barrier structure and an elasticized cover disposed over the internal barrier structure and bonded to one of the margins. In particular embodiments, the elasticized cover is formed of a hydrophobic material, is unadhered to the internal barrier structure, and/or is comprised of elastic strands of variable degrees of power.

Absorbent article having elasticized bumpers

An absorbent article includes a generally reduced length absorbent assembly positioned between a moisture barrier and a bodyside liner. The moisture barrier and the bodyside liner extend beyond the absorbent assembly and define at least one waist region with a length dimension greater than about 10 centimeters. A moisture control layer is present in from about 25 to 100 percent of the area of the first waist region. The moisture control layer is configured to accommodate liquid that may be present in the waist region as a result of condensation or perspiration and also limit the transport of liquid from the absorbent assembly into the waist region.

Absorbent article having improved waist region dryness and method of

Absorbent article having tubular, elasticized bumpers

An absorbent article includes a fastening system having first and second buttons bonded to an elastic strap member in respective first and second end regions. The straps are adapted to attach to a garment and maintain the garment in place during use. Reinforcement members are provided within reinforcement zones surrounding the attachment locations of each of the buttons. The reinforcement members locally stabilize the strap member near the attachment locations to minimize or eliminate rolling and twisting of the sides of the strap members during use.

Elastic strap fastening system with button fasteners

An absorbent article includes a fastening system that is easy for the wearer to remove but during use is adapted to resist pop-offs caused by clothing being applied or removed over the absorbent article. The fastening system includes an interlocking fastening component with a backing substrate having a grasping section, a primary attachment section, and secondary attachment sections transversely outward from the grasping section. A plurality of upstanding engaging elements such as hooks are disposed exclusively in the primary and secondary attachment sections.

Absorbent article having an improved mechanical fastening system

A method of making an absorbent article includes the steps of providing a continuous carrier web having opposite side edges and disposing a continuous absorbent web on the continuous carrier web between the side edges Continuous strands of an internal barrier material are disposed on the continuous carrier web with one of the strands being located between the absorbent web and each of the side edges. The continuous carrier web, absorbent web and strands of internal barrier material forming a continuous in-process composite structure which is transversely cut to form a plurality of individual, in-process composite structures. Each individual, in-process composite structure includes an absorbent structure and a pair of internal barrier structures disposed on a carrier sheet. The method also includes disposing the individual, in-process composite structures on a continuous moisture barrier web, and providing a pair of continuous covers. The continuous covers are elasticized over at least part of their length and are positioning over the internal barrier structures. The continuous covers are bonded to the moisture barrier and the moisture barrier web and the covers are cut between the individual, in-process composite structures.

Continuous process for placing discrete, elastic bumpers on an absorbent

An incontinence article is manufactured by providing a formable, liquid impermeable moisture barrier material, an absorbent assembly, and a liquid permeable liner material. At least the moisture barrier, and desirably a composite structure including the moisture barrier, absorbent assembly and liner, are heated to the softening point of the moisture barrier. The composite structure is conformed such as by vacuum forming to the shape of a mold surface. Afterward, a shaped structure is recovered wherein the liner is bonded to the moisture barrier with the absorbent assembly sandwiched therebetween. The shaped structure, which may also include a retaining member and a cover, is adapted to fit the male anatomy and address urine-specific incontinence. The shaped structure includes a central portion and an ungathered peripheral wall outward of the central portion. The peripheral wall has a height above the central portion of at least about 5 millimeters transversely outward from a target zone and at least about 25 millimeters transversely outward from a transition zone. The shaped structure desirably has a Resulting Length of from about 10 to about 25 centimeters, a Body Conforming Angle of less than about 130 degrees, and a Skew Angle of at least about 15 degrees.

Formed incontinence article and method of manufacture

An absorbent article includes an outer cover, a bodyside liner, and an absorbent assembly disposed between the bodyside liner and outer cover. At least one of the bodyside liner and outer cover form side marginal portions which extend beyond the absorbent assembly. Elastic members of the absorbent article have a width dimension extending between opposite inner and outer edges, an inner zone adjacent the inner edge, and an outer zone adjacent the outer edge. The elastic members are elasticized over substantially the entire width dimension. The outer zone of each of the elastic members is bonded to one of the side marginal portions, and the inner zone of each of the elastic members forms a freestanding leg cuff.

Absorbent article with elasticized leg cuffs

Absorbent articles of the present invention are specifically adapted for the adult male anatomy. The articles include a moisture barrier having a length measured between front and back ends of less than about 46 centimeters. A liner is bonded to the moisture barrier sandwiching an absorbent assembly therebetween. The moisture barrier is gathered along each of its side edges between forward and rearward terminal points. The forward terminal points are spaced from the front end of the moisture barrier by at least about 7 centimeters, and the rearward terminal points spaced from the back end of the moisture barrier by less than about 5 centimeters. Elasticized containment flaps disposed on the liner extend longitudinally toward the front end to a position at least about 16 centimeters from the back end of the moisture barrier. The moisture barrier is also gathered along its back end. In particular embodiments, a retaining member is bonded to the liner and defines therebetween a compartment having a volume of at least about 25 cubic centimeters, and a cover formed of a liquid impermeable material is bonded to the liner.

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Hortonville, WI, United States of America

Lynn Kirkpatrick LeMahieu