Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Velcro Industries B.v.

Richard Warren Tanzer

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Georgia Lynn Zehner

Lorry F Sallee

Mark Louis Robinson

William S Pomplun

Thomas Walter Odorzynski

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

Frank Paul Abuto

David Louis Zenker

Stanley Roy Kellenberger

John Philip Vukos

Carl Gerard Rippl

Sandra M Yarbrough

Brian K Nortman

Daniel R Laux

Wen Zyo Schroeder

Palani Raj Ramaswami Wallajapet

Mary A Bruemmer

Anthonette A Gossens

Gregory James Wideman

Dan D Endres

Ross Thomas Kaufman

Paula Mary Sosalla

Barbara Ann Gossen

Cynthia Helen Nordness

Michael Tod Morman

David William Koenig

Fung-jou Chen

Christopher Peter Olson

Timothy James Blenke

William P Clune

Kelly Dean Branham

Joseph D Mitchell

Richard John Schmidt

Bernhardt Edward Kressner

Michael Ralph Lostocco

Paul John Serbiak

Troy Michael Runge

Jacek K Dutkiewicz

Yong Li

Jayant Chakravarty

John Herbert Conrad

Richard Joseph Kamps

Ernesto S Tachauer

Jennifer Elizabeth Pozniak

Stephen Avedis Baratian

Richard S Yeo

Wallace L Kurtz, Jr

Brian J Vanbenschoten

Joseph Earl Pierce

Alexander J Neeb

Karen Marie Menard

William Clayton Bunyard

Nancy E Dawson

Lisa Marie Kroll

Heidi S Tremblay

Bruce Reed Shafer

Kristin Ann Goerg-Wood

Michael Franklin Kalmon

Mary Garvie Weber

Krzysztof Andrzej Szymonski

Jared Lockwood Martin

Jian Oin

Paul A Dandurand

Julius Charles Nagy

Marlene Ruth Lehman

Donald Francis Guay

Hugh Michael Sexton

Stephanie R Majors

An absorbent article includes a liquid intake region, a liquid retention region, a barrier region, and plural strips of microlayer material located adjacent to the liquid retention region.

Absorbent article formed with microlayered film

Fibers are hydroentangled at temperatures near or above their glass transition temperature, the resultant fabrics are then rapidly cooled. A process of preparing a nonwoven fabric that includes depositing fibers on a foraminous support; impinging hot or warm water upon the fibers to hydroentangle them; and then rapidly cooling the resultant fabric is disclosed. The hydroentangled fabric resulting from this process, products made from the hydroentangle fabric, and the equipment used to prepare the fabrics are described.

Hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics, process, products and apparatus

An absorbent article comprising a laminated outer cover is disclosed. The laminated outer cover comprises an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester film including a filler material. The aliphatic-aromatic copolyester films have suitable breathability, vapor transfer and tensile strength properties while being substantially biodegradable.

Absorbent articles having an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester film

The present invention is directed to a wet wipe product. The wet wipe product comprises a fibrous substrate and a triggerable binder formulation. The triggerable binder formulation is capable of binding the fibers in the fibrous substrate. The triggerable binder formulation may include acrylamide polymers, vinylamide/amine polymers, and mixtures. The triggerable binder formulation is insoluble in a wetting composition comprising an insolubilizing agent but is dispersible in disposal water.

Dispersible alcohol/cleaning wipes via topical or wet-end application of acrylamide or vinylamide/amine polymers

An absorbent article for absorbing body liquids, comprising a unitary system of microlayered film constructed and arranged to carry out the multiple functions of liquid intake, liquid uptake and distribution, liquid retention and liquid barrier requisite for such an absorbent article. The unitary system comprises a series of sequentially arranged topside, inside and bottom side regions having different properties needed to perform the functions of the absorbent article.

Absorbent article formed with microlayered films

A method of making a touch fastener includes coextruding, side-by-side, a plurality of lanes of polymeric material to form a sheet-form base. The sheet-sheet form base includes a lane of a first polymeric material disposed between two lanes of a second polymeric material, the second polymeric material is different from the first polymeric material. The method further includes molding a plurality of discrete fastener element stems extending outwardly from and integral with the sheet-form base in each of the two lanes of the second polymeric mateial and forming engageable heads on the stems.

Hook fasteners and methods of making the same

Biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic films are disclosed. The films comprise filler particles and a copolyester. The films have high vapor permeability and tensile strength and are suitable for use in absorbent and non-absorbent products.

Biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic copolyester films

An primary liquid retention layer suitable for use in an incontinence garment includes a plurality of pleats defined by fold lines in at least one region of the composite. The fold lines are oriented in a first direction. The primary liquid retention layer is stretchable in a second direction perpendicular to the fold lines, between a first position where the pleats are substantially folded and a second position where the pleats are substantially unfolded or extended due to liquid loading, while the primary liquid retention layer remains substantially in the plane of the garment so as to not distort the wetted appearance of the garment.

Incontinence garment having pleated extensible liquid retention layer

A biaxial stretch, form-fitting, pant-like, absorbent garment has a stretchable outer cover, a stretchable body side liner, and a stretchable absorbent assembly. The outer cover and the body side liner are desirably biaxially stretchable. The absorbent assembly can either be biaxially stretchable or segmented with longitudinal stretch. The absorbent garment is easy to apply, has a self-adjusting feature, and delivers enhanced fit and comfort during use without restricting a wearer's movement.

Biaxial stretch garment

A cloth-like, flexible mechanical fastener including a flexible layer and at least one fastener island, and methods of making the same. The fastener island has a planar perimeter edge, a mechanical fastening material, and a backing material attached to the mechanical fastening material. The backing material is embedded within the flexible layer and the planar perimeter edge is surrounded by the flexible layer. Accordingly, the mechanical fastener offers an improved flexibility and a cloth-like presentation. The improved flexibility and cloth-like presentation reduce the potential for the wearer to be exposed to coarse edges or creases, thereby lowering the possibility of red-marking or irritation of the skin. Moreover, the flexibility of the fastener allows the fastener to better accommodate the movement of the wearer, providing more reliable securement. The cloth-like, flexible mechanical fastener may be of particular use in combination with disposable absorbent articles to secure the article about a wearer.

Cloth-like mechanical fastener

A form-fitting, pant-like, absorbent garment that delivers an optimal amount and direction of stretch to provide optimal fit and comfort. The absorbent garment has an outer cover with a back panel, a crotch panel and a front panel. The back panel and the front panel can each stretch in a transverse direction, and the crotch panel can stretch in a longitudinal direction. Seams joining the front and back panels to the crotch panel provide non-stretch zones that may be positioned to control fit forces. The garment provides enhanced fit and comfort during use, and ease of application with a self-adjusting feature.

Absorbent garment with transverse and longitudinal stretch

An absorbent elastic nonwoven composite material having stretch properties in a machine direction includes an elastic filament matrix and, contained with the matrix, absorbent fibers and a superabsorbent material. A plurality of bond lines oriented in a direction transverse to the machine direction provides reinforcement of the elastic filament matrix so that, when the composite material is stretched, there is less tearing and separation of the elastic filaments. The reinforcement by the bonding lines reduces the separation and shake-out of the absorbent and superabsorbent materials from the matrix during stretching and recovery of the composite material, and improves the recovery. The absorbent elastic nonwoven composite material is useful in a wide variety of personal care absorbent articles and medical absorbent articles.

Absorbent article having reinforced elastic absorbent core

An absorbent article has a liquid permeable top sheet, a substantially liquid impermeable, preferably water vapor permeable back sheet, and a selectively stretchable absorbent composite between the top sheet and the back sheet. The selectively stretchable absorbent composite is more stretchable in a first direction than in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and can be stretched to at least 150% of an initial length in the first direction. The absorbent composite has a selectively stretchable substrate layer and a plurality of pockets in or on the substrate layer. The pockets each contain a quantity of superabsorbent material, which can swell when exposed to a liquid insult. When the substrate is stretched, the pockets become spaced further apart, thereby promoting comfort and alleviating gel blocking caused by adjacent pockets swelling toward each other.

Absorbent article having superabsorbent in discrete pockets on a stretchable substrate

An absorbent article is provided with a central region which is selectively stretchable in the longitudinal direction, and two end regions adjacent to the central region which are selectively stretchable in the lateral direction. When employed as a garment, such as a disposable diaper or pant-like absorbent garment, the central region provides selective longitudinal (front-to-back) stretching in the crotch area of the wearer, and the two end regions provide selective lateral (side-to-side) stretching in the front and back waist areas of the wearer.

Absorbent article having zoned directional stretching

An absorbent article having relatively light weight and less bulk includes a liquid permeable top layer, an inner surge layer, and a substantially liquid-impermeable outer cover. A plurality of pockets are formed in at least one of the surge layer and the outer cover material. The pockets contain a superabsorbent material. The surge layer or outer cover material containing the pockets functions as an absorbent layer, thereby eliminating the need for a separate (often bulky) absorbent layer between the surge layer and the outer cover.

Absorbent article having superabsorbent pockets in a non-absorbent carrier layer

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Neenah, WI, United States of America

Richard Warren Tanzer