The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 24, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 12, 1999
Paul Theodore Van Gompel, Hortonville, WI (US);
Yung Hsiang Huang, Appleton, WI (US);
Jacqueline Ann Martin, Neenah, WI (US);
Larry Neal Johns, New Milford, CT (US);
Gary Mack Reynolds, Woodstock, GA (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
An integral absorbent article has a longitudinal article length and a lateral article width. The article includes an absorbent composite having first and second longitudinally opposed end regions, laterally opposed side regions, a bodyside surface, an outward surface, and a first longitudinally terminal end edge. The absorbent composite further includes a substantially liquid-impermeable backsheet layer; a liquid permeable topsheet layer; and a retention portion sandwiched between said backsheet and topsheet layers. An extensible outercover is joined to extend over a major portion of said outward surface of the said absorbent composite. The extensible outercover is desirably capable of providing a the selected elongation when subjected to a tensile force. The extensible outercover is also desirably capable of providing a selected, sustained deformation, when subjected to an applied tensile force and then allowed to relax after a removal of the applied force. In particular aspects, the outercover can provide an elongation of at least about 1 cm when subjected to a tensile force of 30 gmf per inch. In further aspects, the extensible outercover may also provide a substantially permanent deformation of at least about 20%, when subjected to a tensile force of 50 gmf per inch and then allowed to relax for a period of 1 minute (after a removal of the applied tensile force).