Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Paula Kay Zoromski

Andrew Mark Long

Brian K Nortman

Richard John Schmidt

Gordon Allen Shaw

Patrick Robert Lord

Mari-Pat Yvonne Von Feldt

Michael Donald Sperl

Thomas Allan Eby

Jeffrey Lawrence McManus

Alan Francis Schleinz

David W Heyn

Andrew Edsel Huntoon

Gregory Todd Sudduth

Allen Todd Leak

Dale Arthur Peterson

Jean Feyen Niemeyer

Sang Van Tran

Steven Walter Moster

A male component of a male and female fastening system, such as a hook and loop fastener, that can remain fastened to a female component under high levels of shear force. The male component has a backing material with projections extending from the backing material at an angle toward the direction of fastener force. The combination of the male component with a standard female loop component results in a secure fastening system. The combination of the male component with a standard female loop component is particularly beneficial when used in absorbent articles.

Male fasteners with angled projections

An article (,), has a first article portion (,), a second article portion (,), and a fastener (,). The fastener secures the first article portion to the second article portion and includes at least one first fastener component (,), which is attached to the first portion of the article. A cooperating, second fastener component (,) is mechanically interengageable with the first fastener component (,) and is attached to the second portion of the article (,). The first fastener component (,) includes a plurality of engagement members (,) having a first quantity of engageable stalk members (,).

Mechanical fastening system having a plurality of engagement members which include stalk members

An article (,) has a lengthwise longitudinal direction (,), a lateral cross-direction (,), a first article portion (,), a second article portion (,), and a fastener (,) for securing the first article portion (,) to the second article portion (,). The fastener (,) includes at least one first fastener component (,) attached to a lateral side section (,) of the first article portion (,), and a cooperating, second fastener component (,) attached to the second article portion (,). The first fastener component includes an engagement substrate (,) having an appointed lift region (,), and a plurality of engagement members (,), such as the representatively shown hook members, which are operably attached to extend away from the engagement substrate. The lift region (,) is disposed along at least a longitudinally extending, outboard edge of the engagement substrate (,), and the lift region contains a plurality of engagement members which have been substantially deactivated.

Fastener system with a lift region

An absorbent article, such as the shown diaper (10), has a front waistband portion (14), a back waistband portion (12) and an intermediate portion (16) interconnecting said front and back waistband portions. The article includes a backsheet member (30), a liquid permeable topsheet layer (28), and an absorbent body (32) sandwiched between the topsheet layer (28) and backsheet member (30). The backsheet member includes an air permeable, polymer sheet layer (96), and a first, outward nonwoven fibrous web (94) attached to or otherwise operatively joined with a major facing surface (78) of the polymer sheet layer (96) at a plurality of individual, spaced apart thermal bonds (98). The outward nonwoven web (94) includes a plurality of fibers having substantially unbonded lengths which extend substantially continuously between at least an adjacent pair of the bonds, and the substantially unbonded fiber lengths are arched away from an outward surface of the thermal bonds by arch heights (60) which provides a distinctive embossing element depth value. In addition, the fibers of the outward nonwoven web can have a selected denier, and the outward nonwoven web (94) can have a selected basis weight.

Absorbent article with visually and tactilely distinctive outer cover

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Paula Kay Zoromski