EP1337213A2

EP1337213A2 - Pant-like disposable absorbent articles

Info

Publication number: EP1337213A2
Application number: EP01989889A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jennifer Elizabeth Pozniak; Timothy James Blenke; Cassandra Elizabeth Morris; Thomas Harold Roessler; Jody Dorothy Suprise; Robert Eugene Vogt
Original assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc; Kimberly Clark Corp
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc; Kimberly Clark Corp
Priority date: 2000-11-03
Filing date: 2001-11-01
Publication date: 2003-08-27
Also published as: WO2002036060A2; WO2002036060A3; AU2002228775A1; KR100822589B1; AR031184A1; MXPA03003603A; KR20040004430A

Abstract

A pant-like, refastenable, disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis, a pair of opposed side panels, a pair of releasable joints and a pair of proportional fasteners. The absorbent chassis defines a pair of laterally opposed side edges and a pair of longitudinally opposed waist edges. The side panels extend between and connect the side edges of the absorbent chassis to define a waist opening and a pair of leg openings in the pant-like disposable absorbent article. Each of the opposed side panels defines a first side margin which is permanently attached to the side edge of the absorbent chassis in one waist region of the absorbent article to provide a permanent joint. Each of the opposed side panels further defines a second side margin opposite the first side margin which is releasably attached to the side edges of the absorbent chassis in the other waist region of the absorbent article to provide the releasable joints. The proportional fasteners are located adjacent the releasable joints and are configured to be smaller in the longitudinal direction than the releasable joints.

Claims

maintaining the article in the prefastened condition particularly when it is being pulled on or off over the hips of the wearer. Absorbent articles including such releasable bonds and methods of making such are further described in U.S. Patent Application entitled "DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT ARTICLES HAVING PASSIVE SIDE BONDS AND ADJUSTABLE FASTENING SYSTEMS" filed in the name of Elsberg on June 19, 1998 and assigned U.S. Serial No. 09/100,574, and U.S. Patent 6,036,805 entitled "METHOD OF MAKING AN ABSORBENT ARTICLE WITH PREFASTENED SIDE PANELS AND ABSORBENT ARTICLES MADE BY THE SAME" issued March 14, 2000 June 19, 1998 to McNichols, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

For example, as representatively illustrated in Figs. 1-3, and 5, the pant-like diaper 20 may includes releasable bonds 64 which releasabiy connect the side panels 48 to the front waist region 22 of the diaper 20. In such a configuration, the releasable bonds 64 provide the releasable joints 78 and assist the fasteners 62 in maintaining the diaper 20 in a prefastened condition as the diaper 20 is pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer. Moreover, when the releasable bonds 64 provide the releasable joints 78 and the fasteners 62 are engaged, they assist the fasteners 62 in preventing movement and shifting of the waist regions 22 and 24 and side panels 48 relative to each other for improved fit and performance. The releasable bonds 64 also provide improved hip coverage and prevent rollover or folding of the side edges 30 and waist edges 32 of the absorbent chassis 28 of the prefastened diaper 20 as it is pulled over the wearers hips. Such prevention of rollovers and foldovers can reduce the level of contact between the fasteners 62 and the skin of the wearer which can desirably result in reduced skin irritation and redness.

The releasable bonds 64 may be discrete point bonds, dashed lines, continuous lines, discontinuous lines and the like, or combinations thereof. Moreover, the releasable bonds 64 may have any shape such as circular, square, triangular and the like. Desirably, the releasable bonds 64 are ultrasonic point bonds for improved manufacturing efficiency. In such a configuration, the ultrasonic bonds will be destroyed upon the first disengagement of the releasable joints 78.

The diaper 20 is provided in a pant-like configuration with the releasable joints 78 intact. In such a configuration, the diaper 20 may be pulled on or off over the legs and hips of the wearer. Further, the releasable joints 78 should have a relatively low peel strength such

16 that the joint can be broken by the caregiver if desired without tearing or severely damaging the other portions of the diaper 20. As such, the releasable joints 78 may be disengaged to inspect the diaper for possible soiling. If the diaper 20 is soiled during use, the releasable joints 78 may be disengaged to easily remove the diaper 20 from the waist of the wearer with reduced risk of undesirably soiling the clothes or legs of the wearer. Finally, the releasable joints 78 may also be disengaged to allow the user the option of applying the pant-like diaper 20 in a conventional diaper configuration.

Each of the side panels 48 may include one or more individual, distinct pieces of material. For example, in the illustrated embodiments, each side panel 48 includes a front side panel 70 and a back side panel 72. The front side panel 70 includes the first side margin 50 which may be releasabiy attached to the side edges 30 of the absorbent chassis 28 in the front waist region 22 of the diaper 20 to provide the releasable joint 78. The back side panel 72 includes the second side margin 52 which may be permanently connected to the side edges 30 of the absorbent chassis 28 in the back waist region 24 of the diaper 20 to provide the permanent joint 76. In such a configuration, the laterally outward edge of the front side panel 70 is connected to the laterally outward edge of each back side panel 72 to provide a side seam 74 as illustrated in Figs. 1-4. Desirably, the laterally outward edges of the front and back side panels 70 and 72 are attached to each other along the side seam 74 using ultrasonic bonding for improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced raw material cost. Side panels 48 having such front and back side panels 70 and 72 provide improved manufacturability. In an alternative configuration, each side panel 48 may include a single piece of material which is folded over upon itself during manufacturing along a fold line located in a similar location to the side seam 74.

The side seams 74 of the present invention may be arranged in a number of configurations. For example, as representatively illustrated in Figs. 1-4, the side seams 74 may be provided in a flange bonded configuration. In the illustrated embodiments the interior surface of the front panel 70 is attached to the interior surface of the back panel 72 in an overlapping configuration to provide the flanged side seams 70. Alternatively, the side seams 74 may be provided in a lap bonded configuration (not illustrated). As such, the exterior surface 36 of one of the front or back panels 70 and 72 are bonded to the interior surface 34 of the opposing front or back panel 70 and 72 in an overlapping arrangement. Such a configuration may be desirable when the side seams 74 provide the

17 releasable joints 78, as a lap bonded configuration would subject the side seams 74 primarily to shear forces during use, thereby providing enhanced seam strength.

As representatively illustrated in Fig. 4, the side seams 74 may provide the releasable joint 78. In such a configuration, the first side margins 50 of the front side panels 70 are permanently attached to the side edges 30 of the absorbent chassis 28 in the front waist region 22. Likewise, the second side margins 52 of the back side panels 72 are permanently attached to the side edges 30 of the absorbent chassis 28 in the back waist region 24. The releasable joint 78 is created by the releasable attachment of the laterally outward edges of the front side panel 70 and the back side panel 72 at the side seam 74. Materials suitable for the side panels 48 of the diaper 20 are generally known to those skilled in the art. For example, suitable materials for the side panels 48 include those materials described above as being suitable for the outer cover 42 or bodyside liner 44 of the absorbent chassis 28 of the diaper 20 such as woven and nonwoven materials or laminates of such materials. Desirably, the side panels 48 are extensible or elastic to provide improved fit about the wearer. For example, the side panels 48 may comprise a stretch-thermal laminate (STL), neck-bonded laminate (NBL), or stretch-bonded laminate (SBL) material. Methods of making such materials are well known to those skilled in the art and described in U.S. Patent No. 4,663,220 issued May 5, 1987 to Wisneski et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,226,992 issued July 13, 1993 to Mormon, and European Patent

Application No. EP 0 217 032 published on April 8, 1987 in the names of Taylor et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. When made with extensible or elastic materials, the side panels 48 are desirably capable of elongating in the lateral direction 40 from about 10 to about 400 percent, more desirably at least about 100 percent, even more desirably from about 100 to about 300 percent, and still yet more desirably from about 150 to about 250 percent for improved fit and performance. The stretchability of the side panels when elastic materials are used, allows the side panels 48 to stretch over and around the hips of the wearer as the prefastened diaper is pulled on while still maintaining proper fit at the waist after the diaper is correctly positioned on the wearer.

Desirably, the side panels 48 are a neck-bonded laminate material for improved manufacturing due to its ability to stretch in the cross machine direction. For example, in a particular embodiment, the side panels 48 include a neck-bonded laminate material which includes a urethane film having a basis weight of about 15 grams per square meter

18 and commercially available from Shawmut Mills, a business having offices in West Bridgewater Massachusetts, under the trade designation SHAWMUT TX-1560 sandwiched between two layers of necked, stretched spunbond. Each spunbond layer has a basis weight of about 16 grams per square meter and is composed of 3.0 denier polypropylene fibers. The composite is laminated together with an adhesive spray at an add-on rate of about 0.3 grams per square meter. A suitable adhesive is available from Findley Adhesive under the trade designation FINDLEY 2525A. Such a neck-bonded laminate material is generally capable of elongating in the cross machine direction about 185 percent.

The pant-like disposable diaper 20 of the different aspects of the present invention further includes a pair of fasteners 62 located adjacent the releasable joints 78. The fasteners 62 are configured to releasabiy engage one of the side panels 48 of the diaper 20 to one of the waist regions 22 or 24 of the diaper 20 to maintain the diaper about the waist of the wearer. The use of fasteners which are refastenable allows for ease of securing and removing the diaper 20 from the waist of the wearer without undesirably soiling the wearer. The use of refastenable fasteners further readily allows for the inspection of the inside of the diaper 20 to determine if it has been soiled with the ability to refasten if it is not soiled. When the fasteners 62 and/or the releasable joints 78, are engaged, the side edges 30 of the absorbent chassis 28 and edges of the side panels 48 define leg openings which are configured to encircle the legs of the wearer and the waist edges 32 of the absorbent chassis 28 and the edges of the side panels 48 opposite those defining the leg openings define a waist opening which is configured to encircle the waist of the wearer.

The fasteners 62 may be comprised of a single piece of material or a plurality of pieces. Moreover, a portion of the diaper 20 such as a portion of the side panels 48 may provide the fastener 62. The fastener 62 may be fashioned in various shapes and sizes as are known to those skilled in the art. For example, as representatively illustrated in Figs. 1 , and 3-5, the fastener 62 may be generally rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the fastener 62 may have other shapes well known to those skilled in the art. For example, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 2, the fastener may include a fastener ear 68 which extends laterally toward the longitudinal centerline 80 of the diaper 20, and to which a refastenable fastener material is attached.

19 In such a configuration, the fastener 62 and or a fastener ear 68 may be configured to be extensible or elastic in the lateral direction 40. As such, the fastener would provide improved fit and comfort to the wearer by allowing the fastener 62 more flexibility and range in engaging the exterior surface 36 of the diaper 20 when the diaper is being applied in a conventional configuration. For example, the fastener 62 and/or fastener ear 68 may be composed of material well known in the art. The materials may include a stretch-bonded-laminate (SBL) material, a neck-bonded-laminate (NBL) material, an elastomeric film, an elastomeric foam material, or the like such as described above as being suitable for the side panels 48.

The fasteners 62 include a refastenable fastener material that defines a distal edge 84 that is located laterally closest to the longitudinal centerline of the diaper 20. The length of the fastener in the longitudinal direction along the distal edge 84 of the fasteners 62 is smaller than the length of the releasable joint 78 in the longitudinal direction 38. For example, as representatively illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 the releasable joint 78 may define a releasable joint length 92 in the longitudinal direction 38 that is greater than the fastener edge length 94. In such a configuration the releasable joint length 92 is sufficient to effectively provide the diaper in a training pant configuration that has the necessary coverage and reliability. Whereas, when the releasable joint 78 is opened and diaper 20 is subsequently refastened via the refastenable fasteners 62, the fasteners 62 are sized to be relatively smaller in the longitudinal direction 38 than the refastenable joints 78. As such, the likelihood of redmarking and discomfort to the wearer, which may occur if the fastener 62 is provided as large or nearly as large in the longitudinal direction 38 as the refastenable joint 78, is desirably reduced. However, the fastener edge length 94 still advantageously provides a fastener which is sized to provide effective diaper fastening. Moreover, the relatively shorter length of the distal edge 84 of the fastener 94 allows the hips and legs of the wearer a fuller range of motion thereby further enhancing the fit and comfort of the diaper on the wearer.

In a particular embodiment, the length 92 of the releasable joint 78 in the longitudinal direction 38 may be at least about one and one half times as long as the distal edge 84 of the fastener 94, and desirably at least about twice as long, and still more desirably, three times as long as the distal edge 84 of the fastener 94. For example, if the length 94 of the distal edge 84 of the fastener 62 in the longitudinal direction was approximately 1.5 inches, then the length 92 of the releasable joint 78 may be at least about 2.25 inches and

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