EP0321985A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stretchable absorbent undergarment
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
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Filing: 1988-12-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A stretchable undergarment (26) comprises a liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4), liquid-impervious outer layer (10), an absorbent layer (8), and a stretchable layer (6). The stretchable layer (6) is stretch-bonded to the other layers and, upon relaxing the stretchable layer (6), forms a plurality of rugosities (14,19) in the bodyside layer (4), outer layer (10), and absorbent medium (8). The bonded layers are of a generally trapezoidal shape and have a front end portion (28) that diverges toward a rear end portion (32), wherein the front end portion (28) is from about 20% to about 90% of the width of the rear end portion (32), and the rear end portion (32) is about 20% to about 60% of the length of the bonded layers.
Inventors
- 👤 Anne Marie Fahrenkrug
- 👤 Cathy Lee Winters
- 👤 Nanette Jane Logsdon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:11
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/51; A61F13/514; A61F13/51474; A61F13/51476; A41; A41B; A41B9/00; A41B9/12; A61F13/15203; A61F13/45; A61F13/49; A61F13/511; A61F13/51104; A61F13/51456; A61F13/51464; A61F13/53; A61F13/534; A61F13/537; A61F13/53708; A61F13/53713; A61F13/53717; A61F13/53743; A61F13/53747; A61F13/539; A61F13/49007; A61F13/49009; A61F13/49011; A61F13/56; A61F13/62; A61F13/622; A61F2013/15284; A61F13/4902; A61F2013/49022; A61F2013/49023; A61F2013/49042; A61F2013/49068; A61F2013/49076; A61F13/495; A61F2013/4958; A61F2013/51002; A61F13/51401; A61F2013/51409; A61F2013/51429; A61F2013/51486; A61F2013/51488; A61F2013/530131; A61F2013/530182; A61F2013/530481; A61F2013/530802; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24273; Y10T428/24322; Y10T428/24331; Y10T428/24355; Y10T428/24446; Y10T428/24628; Y10T428/24669; Y10T428/24694; Y10T428/24711; Y10T428/24727; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24826
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A stretchable absorbent undergarment (26) for absorbing human liquids and waste materials, comprising: a liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) a liquid-impervius outer layer (10) an absorbent layer (8) being disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), a stretchable layer (6) being disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), said stretchable layer (6) being stretch-bonded to said other layers (4,8,10) and forming a plurality of rugosities (14,19) in said bodyside layer (4), said outer layer (I0), and said absorbent layer (8) upon relaxation thereof, said bonded layers being of a generally trapezoidal shape and having a front end portion (28) that diverges toward a rear end portion (32), said front end portion (28) being about 20% to about 90% of the width of said rear end portion (32), said rear end portion (32) being about 20% to about 60% of the length of said bonded layers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A stretchable absorbent undergarment (26) for absorbing human liquids and waste materials, comprising: a liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) a liquid-impervius outer layer (10) an absorbent layer (8) being disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), a stretchable layer (6) being disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), said stretchable layer (6) being stretch-bonded to said other layers (4,8,10) and forming a plurality of rugosities (14,19) in said bodyside layer (4), said outer layer (I0), and said absorbent layer (8) upon relaxation thereof, said bonded layers being of a generally trapezoidal shape and having a front end portion (28) that diverges toward a rear end portion (32), said front end portion (28) being about 20% to about 90% of the width of said rear end portion (32), said rear end portion (32) being about 20% to about 60% of the length of said bonded layers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The undergarment of claim 1 wherein said front end portion (28) is about 25% to about 80% of the width of said rear end portion (32).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The undergarment of claim 1 or 2 wherein said rear end portion (32) is about 25% to about 50% of the length of said bonded layers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The undergarment of one of the preceding claims, further comprising a liquid transfer layer (22) between said bodyside layer (4) and said absorbent layer (8) for transferring liquid generally in the Z-direction through said bodyside layer (4) and said liquid transfer layer (22) and into said absorbent layer (8).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The undergarment of one of the preceding claims, further comprising a liquid wicking layer (24) between said bodyside layer (4) and said absorbent layer (8) for wicking liquid generally in the X- and Y-directions prior to absorption in said absorbent layer (8).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The undergarment of one of the preceding claims, wherein said stretchable layer (6) is made pervious with a plurality of apertures (12).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
111 words
A stretchable absorbent undergarment (26) for absorbing human discharge, comprising: a liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) a liquid-impervious outer layer (10) an absorbent layer (8) disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), a liquid delivery layer (22,24) disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), a stretchable layer (6) disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), said stretchable layer (6) being stretch-bonded to said other layers and forming a plurality of rugosities (14,19) in said bodyside layer (4), said outer layer (10), said absorbent layer (8), and said liquid delivery layer (22,24) upon relaxation thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
A stretchable absorbent undergarment (26) for absorbing human discharge, comprising: a liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) a liquid-impervious outer layer (10) an absorbent layer (8) disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), a liquid delivery layer (22,24) disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), a stretchable layer (6) disposed between said liquid-pervious bodyside layer (4) and said liquid-impervious outer layer (10), said stretchable layer (6) being stretch-bonded to said other layers and forming a plurality of rugosities (14,19) in said bodyside layer (4), said outer layer (10), said absorbent layer (8), and said liquid delivery layer (22,24) upon relaxation thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The undergarment of claim 7 wherein said bonded layers are of a generally trapezoidal shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The undergarment of claims 7 or 8 wherein said liquid delivery layer is a transfer layer (22) for transferring liquid generally in the Z-direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The undergarment of claims 7 or 8 wherein said liquid delivery layer is a wicking layer (24) for wicking liquid generally in the X- and Y-directions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The undergarment of one of claims 7 to 10, wherein said stretchable layer (6) is stretched in multiple directions during bonding to said other layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The undergarment of one of the preceding claims wherein said bonded layers are selectively bonded at predetermined areas to control the elasticity thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The undergarment of one of the preceding claims wherein the bonded area is from about 1% to about 50% of the total area of said undergarment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The undergarment of one of the preceding claims wherein said layers are of a different size or shape.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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