Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Raymond Gerard St Louis

Mark John Beitz

Daniel Hoo

Lorry F Sallee

Richard Francis Keller

David Andrae Justmann

Chris Lee Heikkinen

David James VanEperen

Douglas Paul Rammer

Christopher Peter Olson

Michael John Faulks

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

Michael Barth Venturino

Daniel Robert Schlinz

Paul Joseph Datta

Kuo-Shu Edward Chang

Alan Francis Schleinz

John Timothy Hahn

Sandra M Yarbrough

Barbara Ann Gossen

Cynthia Helen Nordness

Eric Scott Kepner

David James Van Eperen

Steven Scott Friderich

Donald LeRoy Smith

Cynthia Louise Wyngaard

Jeffrey Joseph Samida

Robert Thomas Cimini

Joseph Conrad Burriss

Monica Lynn Bontrager

Roxanne Marie Zuleger

Bradley John Berken

Barbara Jean Wink

A garment-like absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis that defines a waist opening and first and second leg openings. A longitudinal length of the chassis is optimized in a linear relationship with the waist circumference of the chassis, the circumference measured at 500 grams tension. With respect to the linear relationship, the thickness of the garment is substantially constant along the same line defined by the length and the circumference, and decreases as the y-intercept increases.

Garment-like absorbent article

A method and apparatus for forming an airlaid fibrous web on a moving surface can include a contoured foraminous member (,) having a first side portion (,), a laterally opposed second side portion (,), and a depth contour. A longitudinally extending, first side-masking member (,) can be located superjacent the first side portion (,) of the foraminous member (,), and can have a first inboard side wall surface (,). At least a second, separately provided, longitudinally extending, side-masking member (,) can be located superjacent the second side portion (,) of the foraminous member (,), and can have a second inboard side wall surface (,). Either or both of the first and second side-masking members (,) are at least laterally movable relative to the foraminous member (,). A releasable attachment system (,) can selectively hold at least the first side-masking member (,) at a substantially fixed position relative to the foraminous member (,).

Apparatus and process for forming a laid fibrous web with enhanced basis weight capability

An absorbent article (,) which includes a backsheet layer (,) having a pair of laterally opposed and longitudinally extending side margins (,). Each side margin has an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour,located at appointed leg opening regions (,) in an intermediate portion (,) of the side margin. Each concave side edge contour (,) has a selected longitudinal extent along a length dimension (,) of the article (,). A liquid permeable topsheet layer (,) is connected in a superposed facing relation to the backsheet layer (,), and an absorbent body (,) is sandwiched between the topsheet layer (,) and the backsheet layer (,). A separately provided gusset-flap composite member (,) is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along each of the leg opening regions (,). The gusset-flap member (,) provides a leg gusset section (,) and a containment flap section (,), and is distinctively configured to provide improved leakage resistance, fit and comfort.

Absorbent article with more conformable elastics

A distinctive method and apparatus for forming an article includes a moving of at least one first strand of material, such as strand (,), along an appointed machine-direction (,). The at least one first strand of material is attached to a base layer of material (,) to provide a substrate composite (,), and a laminate layer (,) can be placed adjacent the at least one first strand of material to provide a laminate composite web (,). In a particular aspect, at least one second strand of material, such as strand (,), can be moved along its appointed machine-direction, and the at least one second strand of material can be attached to the base layer (,). In another aspect, an appointed portion of the base layer (,) can be folded to substantially enclose the at least one second strand (,) with the base layer material. Alternatively or additionally, an appointed portion of the base layer (,) can be folded to substantially enclose the at least one first strand (,) and the laminate layer (,) with the base layer material. In a further aspect, at least one of the strands of material can be divided of into a plurality of strand segments to provide a substantially nongathering section of at least one of the strands.

Process for manufacturing an elastic article

An absorbent article (10) which includes a backsheet layer (30) having a pair of laterally opposed and longitudinally extending side margins (20). Each side margin has an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour 15 located at appointed leg opening regions (17) in an intermediate portion (16) of the side margin. Each concave side edge contour (15) has a selected longitudinal extent along a length dimension (26) of the article (10). A liquid permeable topsheet layer (28) is connected in a superposed facing relation to the backsheet layer (30), and an absorbent body (32) is sandwiched between the topsheet layer (28) and the backsheet layer (30). A separately provided gusset-flap composite member (19) is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along each of the leg opening regions (17). The gusset-flap member (19) provides a leg gusset section (142) and a containment flap section (144). The gusset-flap member includes a barrier layer (174) having a pair of laterally opposed, longitudinally extending, barrier layer side edges (140, 141), and has a first major facing surface (148) and a second major facing surface (149). A nonwoven fabric layer (176) is joined in facing relation with the first facing surface (148) of the barrier layer (174). The fabric layer (176) has a leg gusset region (136), an outboard side portion (170), a containment flap region (63), and an inboard side portion (62). The outboard side portion (170) of the gusset-flap fabric layer (176) is arranged to wrap around at least one side edge of the barrier layer (174) and to extend inboard therefrom along the second facing surface (149) of the barrier layer (174). A first arrangement of a first plurality of separate, longitudinally extending elastomeric members (138) are attached and interposed between the barrier layer (174) and the fabric layer (176) within the leg gusset section (142) of the gusset-flap member (19).

Absorbent article with enhanced elastic design for improved aesthetics

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, WI, United States of America

Raymond Gerard St Louis