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:
Aug. 23, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2006
James Russell Fitts, Jr., Gainesville, GA (US);
Janis Wilson Hughes, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Patricia Hwang Calhoun, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Wing-chak NG, Suwanee, GA (US);
Glynis Allicia Walton, Roswell, GA (US);
James Russell Fitts, Jr., Gainesville, GA (US);
Janis Wilson Hughes, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Patricia Hwang Calhoun, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Wing-Chak Ng, Suwanee, GA (US);
Glynis Allicia Walton, Roswell, GA (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
An elastic-powered shrink laminate includes a shrinkable layer and an elastic layer bonded together while the elastic layer is in a dimensionally unstable, stretched state. The elastic layer remains substantially in the stretched state prior to shrinkage of the shrinkable layer. When the shrinkable layer is activated, the laminate retracts, and the retraction is aided (i.e. powered) by the elastic layer. The elastic-powered shrink laminate is useful in personal care absorbent articles where latent, post-assembly retraction of a waistband region is desired.