EP0433951A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conformable absorbent article
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
•
Filing: 1990-12-17
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-12-17
Abstract
Abstract A conformable absorbent article (10) has a topsheet (26) that is designed to substantially fully contact the body of the wearer to provide improved performance in managing and containing body wastes. Management and containment of body wastes are improved by several structural elements that can be utilized individually or collectively. Some of these elements are a waste-containment pocket (56) formed between the topsheet (26) and backsheet (30), an opening (38) in the topsheet (26) for receiving body wastes therethrough, a pair of containment flaps (50) and a pair of side flaps (60), and an expandable backsheet (30) to retain body wastes therein.
Inventors
- 👤 Dan Darold Endres
- 👤 Timothy James Blenke
- 👤 Robert Eugene Vogt
- 👤 Georgia Lynn Zehner
- 👤 Steven Harry Levine
- 👤 David Peter Kielpikowski
- 👤 John Philip Vukos
- 👤 Mary Ann Bruemmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 04:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/45; A61F13/49; A61F13/49007; A61F13/49009; A61F13/49014; A61F13/49017; A61F13/494; A61F13/49406; A61F13/495; A61F13/51; A61F13/511; A61F13/512; A61F13/513; A61F13/56; A61F13/62; A61F13/49011; A61F13/491; A61F13/49413; A61F13/53; A61F13/539; A61F2013/49068; A61F2013/49077; A61F2013/51059; A61F2013/51066; A61F13/51121; A61F2013/5113; A61F2013/51147; A61F13/5116; A61F2013/51165; A61F2013/51322; A61F13/514; A61F13/51401; A61F2013/51409; A61F2013/51411; A61F2013/51415; A61F2013/51423; A61F2013/51441; A61F2013/51443; A61F2013/530131; A61F2013/530343; A61F2013/53035; A61F2013/530379; A61F2013/53043; A61F2013/530481; A61F2013/530583; A61F2013/530868; A61F2013/530927; A61F2013/530934; A61F2013/530941; A61F13/534; A61F13/537; A61F13/53708; A61F2013/53721; A61F2013/53765; A61F2013/53769; A61F2013/53795
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A disposable absorbent article (10), comprising: a liquid permeable topsheet (26), having a topsheet periphery (40) with a topsheet peripheral measurement, and a liquid impermeable backsheet (30) having a backsheet periphery (42) with a backsheet peripheral measurement which is greater than said topsheet peripheral measurement, said topsheet periphery (40) being joined to said greater backsheet periphery (42) to form a waste-containment pocket (56) therebetween, said liquid permeable topsheet (26) being adapted to substantially fully contact the body of the wearer, and said liquid permeable topsheet (26) further including an opening (38) adapted for receiving body wastes therethrough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
55 words
The article of claim 1 wherein said topsheet (26) includes opposite longitudinal ends (44, 46) and opposite lateral sides (48), said ends and said sides forming said topsheet periphery (40) and said backsheet (30) includes opposite longitudinal ends (50, 52) and opposite lateral sides (54), said ends and said sides forming said backsheet periphery (42).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of claim 1 or 2, wherein said waste-containment pocket (56) has a volume of at least about 150 cubic centimeters.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article of claims 2 or 3, further comprising a waist elastic member (80) near one end of said longitudianl ends, said waist elastic member (80) being peripherally joined only to said backsheet (30).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of one of the preceding claims, further comprising a breathable panel (92) near one of said longitudinal ends and having an area of at least about 40 square centimeters.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of claim 5, wherein said breathable panel (92) has a water vapor transmission rate of at least about 2000 grams per sqaure meter per 24 hours (g/m²/24 hrs.).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 5 or 6, wherein said breathable panel has an effective breathable area of at least about 20 square centimeters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
The article of one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pair of strecthable ears at one of said longitudinal ends, said stretchable ears (82) having one of a plurality of loop members (90) and a plurality of hook members (88) thereon, the other of said longitudinal ends having the other of said plurality of loop members (90) and said plurality of hook members (88) thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article of one of the preceding claims, further comprising an absorbent structure (14) in said waste-containment pocket (56).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article of claim 9 wherein said absorbent structure (14) has a crotch width between 2 inches to 3 inches *.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of one of the preceding claims, wherein one of said topsheet (26) and said backsheet (30) has a width between 5 inches to 7 inches.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The article of one of claims 9 to 11, wherein said absorbent structure (14) has an opening therein having a volume of at least about 20 cubic centimeters, and/or said absorbent structure having an overall width of 4 inches to 5 inches.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The article of one of claims 2 to 12, further comprising a pair of containment flaps (58) positioned at respective one of said lateral sides (48) of said liquid permeable topsheet (26) and a pair of side flaps (60) positioned at respective one of said lateral sides (48) of said liquid permeable topsheet (26).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
109 words
A disposable absorbent article, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a liquid permeable topsheet (26) including opposite longitudinal ends and opposite lateral sides, a liquid impermeable backsheet (30) including opposite longitudinal ends and opposite lateral sides, an absorbent structure (14), between said liquid permeable topsheet (26) and said liquid impermeable backsheet (30), said absorbent structure having an overall width of 4 inches to 5 inches, a pair of containment flaps (58) positioned at respective ones of said lateral sides of said liquid permeable topsheet (26), and a pair of side flaps (60) positioned at respective ones of said lateral sides of said liquid permeable topsheet (26).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of one of claims 13 or 14, wherein said containment flaps (58) and said side flaps (20) are liquid permeable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of claim 13 or 14, wherein said containment flaps (58) and said side flaps (60) are liquid impermeable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 13 or 14, wherein said containment flaps (58) and said side flaps (60) are liquid impermeable and vapor permeable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 13 or 14, wherein said containment flaps (58) are liquid impermeable and said side flaps (60) are liquid permeable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 13 or 14, wherein selected portions of said containment flaps (58) are liquid permeable and remaining portions of said containment flaps are liquid impermeable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of claim 13, 14 or 19, wherein selected portions of said side flaps (60) are liquid permeable and remaining portions of said side flaps (60) are liquid impermeable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The article of one of claims 14 to 20 wherein said topsheet (26) is adapted to substantially fully contact the body of the wearer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
61 words
The article of one of claims 14 to 21, wherein said topsheet (26) has a topsheet periphery (40) with a topsheet peripheral measurement, and said backsheet (30) has a backsheet periphery (42) with a backsheet peripheral measurement greater than said topsheet peripheral measurement, said topsheet periphery (40) being joined to said backsheet periphery (42) to form a waste-containment pocket (56) therebetween.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of claim 22, wherein said waste-containment pocket (56) has a volume of at least about 150 cubic centimeters.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of one of claims 14 to 23, wherein said topsheet (26) has an opening (38) therein.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The article of one of claims 13 to 24, wherein said side flaps (60) are elasticized and have a stretched-out length greater than the length of said backsheet (30) and/or wherein said topsheet (26) is made of stretchable material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article of one of the preceding claims, wherein said backsheet (30) expands for the containment of body wastes.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
103 words
A disposable absorbent article, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a topsheet (26) including opposite longitudinal ends (46) and opposite lateral sides (48), said ends and said sides forming a topsheet periphery (40) having a topsheet peripheral measurement, a backsheet (30) including opposite longitudinal ends (50, 52) and opposite lateral sides (54), said ends and said sides forming a backsheet periphery (42) having a backsheet peripheral measurement, and an absorbent structure (14) between said topsheet and said backsheet adapted for absorbing and retaining body wastes, said backsheet (30) being expandable, whereby said backsheet expands for the containment of body wastes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of one of the preceding claims, wherein said backsheet (30) is a pleated backsheet.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article of one of claims 1 to 27, wherein said backsheet (30) is a microcreped backsheet.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article of one of claims 26 to 29, wherein said backsheet (30) expands by at least about 20 percent and/or under a force of at least about 25 grams per inch.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
The article of one of claims 27 to 30, wherein said backsheet peripheral measurement is greater than said topsheet peripheral measurement, and said topsheet periphery is joined to said backsheet periphery to form a waste-containment pocket (56) therebetween.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of one of claims 27 to 31, wherein said topsheet is adapted to substantially fully contact the body of the wearer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
The article of one of claims 27 to 32, wherein said absorbent structure (14) has a crotch width between 2 inches and 3 inches.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
The article of one of claims 26 to 33, wherein said topsheet (26) is made of stretchable material, and/or said absorbent structure (14) has an overall width of 4 inches to 5 inches.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.