EP0486006A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Absorbent article and method of making same
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Filing: 1991-11-13
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-11-13
Abstract
Abstract A diaper (10) or absorbent article comprising a topsheet (12), a backsheet (14), an absorbent (16) between the topsheet and backsheet, and an elevating device (26) for spacing the topsheet (12) above the absorbent (16) to form a pocket-like shape. The topsheet (12) can have a generally U-shaped opening (64) and the absorbent can have a hole (22) therein, both of which receive and isolate waste material from the wearer. The absorbent side edges (86) can have portions that are gatherable by elastic members attached in a stretched condition.
Inventors
- 👤 Mary Anne Bruemmer
- 👤 Paulette Mary Rosch
- 👤 John Philip Vukos
- 👤 Duane Girard Uitenbroek
- 👤 Georgia Lynn Zehner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/45; A61F13/49; A61F13/495; A61F13/51; A61F13/511; A61F13/494; A61F13/49406; A61F13/49413; A61F13/15203; A61F2013/15284; A61F2013/15365; A61F2013/1539; A61F2013/4512; A61F2013/4568; A61F2013/4587; A61F13/49007; A61F13/49009; A61F13/4902; A61F2013/49031; A61F2013/49068; A61F2013/49076; A61F2013/49096; A61F2013/49493; A61F2013/51186; A61F13/512; A61F2013/5128; A61F13/53; A61F2013/530481; A61F13/534; A61F13/537; A61F2013/53765; A61F2013/53769
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 53
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
An absorbent article (10), comprising: a backsheet (14) a topsheet (12) having an opening (64) therein, an absorbent (16) between said backsheet (14) and said topsheet (12), and an elevating means (26) below said topsheet (12) for elevating at least a portion of said topsheet (12), away from said absorbent (16), thereby forming a pocket-like shape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article of claim 1 wherein said absorbent (16) has a hole (22) therein, and preferably further comprising a masking layer (24) with said hole (22).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 2 wherein said hole (22) extends through said absorbent (16), and said masking layer (24) is between said backsheet (14) and said absorbent (16).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of claim 2 or 3 wherein said masking layer (24) comprises a first layer of absorbent material, and a second layer of liquid impermeable material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article of claim 4 wherein said first layer further comprises a superabsorbent material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The article of one of claims 2 to 5 further comprising an article front edge (67) and an article back edge (66) and wherein said hole (22) has a front edge (68) spaced about 5 centimeters to about 20 centimeters from said article front edge (67).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of one of claims 2 to 6 wherein said hole (22) has a depth of from 1 millimeters to 3 centimeters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The article of one of claims 2 to 7 wherein said hole (22) has an area from 5 square centimeters to 100 square centimeters, preferably from 15 square centimeters to 65 square centimeters.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article of one of the preceding claims further comprising a pair of stretchable ears (32) and a fastening means (34) on each said stretchable ear (32) adapted for fastening said article about a wearer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 9 wherein each said fastening means (34) comprises at least a hook member (36) and a loop member (38).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein said backsheet (14) comprises an expandable material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The article of one of the preceding claims further comprising an article front edge (67) and an article back edge (66), and wherein said absorbent comprises a hole (22) therein, said elevating means (26) being positioned between said hole (22) and said article back edge (66).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein said elevating means (24) is between and contacts both said topsheet (12) and said absorbent (16).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein said elevating means (24) comprises an absorbent material, a foam material and/or a thermoplastic material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of one of claims 2 to 14 further comprising an absorbent pledget member (20) disposed adjacent to said hole (22).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article of claim 15 wherein said pledget member (20) partially or totally encircles said hole (22).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of claim 16 wherein said pledget member (20) comprises a plurality of pledget members at least partially encircling said hole.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of one of claims 15 to 17 wherein said pledget member (20) includes a superabsorbent material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
An absorbent article, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: an article front edge (67) and an article back edge (66) a backsheet (14) and a topsheet (12), and an absorbent (16) between said backsheet (14) and said topsheet (12) said topsheet (12) being generally U-shaped comprising a pair of containment flaps (30) and an opening (64) therebetween facing toward said article front edge (67).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of claim 19 wherein said containment flaps (30) are integral with said topsheet (12).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The article of claim 19 or 20 wherein each said containment flap (30) has a width between about 1 centimeter to about one-half the total width of said article, preferably a width between 1 centimeter to 6 centimeters.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein said opening (64) in said topsheet has an area between 30 square centimeters to 400 square centimeters, preferably between 60 square centimeters and 260 square centimeters.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein said opening (64) has an area between 10 percent to 80 percent of the total area of said topsheet (12).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein a back edge (50) of said opening (64) is spaced from said article back edge from 1 centimeter to 10 centimeters.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
The article of one of claims 19 to 24 further comprising an elastic member (52) in each said containment flap (30) for gathering at least a portion thereof, wherein the length of said elastic member (52) in the stretched condition preferably being between 30% to 85% of the length of said article.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The article of claim 25 wherein each said elastic member (52) is attached in a stretched condition to gather its respective said portion of each said containment flap (30).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The article of one of claims 25 to 26 wherein said elastic members (52) are spaced apart in their stretched conditions between about 1 centimeter to about the total width of said article, preferably between 2 centimeters and 7 centimeters.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
The article of one of claims 25 to 27 wherein the length of said elastic member (52) in the stretched condition is between 7 centimeters to about the total length of said article, preferably between 12 centimeters to 30 centimeters.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article of one of claims 25 to 28 wherein each said gathered portion terminates between 2 centimeters to 10 centimeters from one of said article front edge (67) and said article back edge (66).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
69 words
An absorbent article, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a basesheet (14) an absorbent (18) comprising generally opposite side edges (86), a pair of absorbent panels (78) disposed with and spaced from respective ones of said absorbent side edges, and a pair of elastic members (82) associated with at least one of said basesheet (14), said absorbent (18), and respective ones of said absorbent panels (78).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 30 wherein each said elastic member (82) is attached in a stretched condition to its respective said absorbent panel (78) and said basesheet (14).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 30 wherein each said elastic member (82) is attached in a stretched condition to its respective said absorbent panel (78) and said absorbent (18).
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The article of claim 30 wherein each said elastic member (82) is attached in a stretched condition to said absorbent (18) and said basesheet (14).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of claim 30 wherein each said elastic member (82) is attached in a stretched condition to said absorbent (18), said basesheet (14) and its respective said absorbent panel (78).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The article of one of claims 30 to 34 wherein each said absorbent panel (78) is spaced from its respective absorbent side edge (86) at least about 1 millimeter.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
53 words
An absorbent article, comprising: a basesheet (14) an absorbent (18) comprising generally opposite side edges, a portion (88) of each said absorbent side edge being gatherable, and a pair of elastic members (83) associated with at least one of said basesheet (14), said absorbent (18), and respective ones of said absorbent portions (88).
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 36 wherein each said elastic member (83) is attached in a stretched condition to its respective said absorbent portion (88) and said basesheet (14).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 36 wherein each said elastic member (83) is attached in a stretched condition to its respective said absorbent portion (88) and said absorbent (18).
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
The article of claim 36 wherein each said elastic member (83) is attached in a stretched condition to said absorbent (18) and said basesheet (14).
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of claim 36 wherein each said elastic member (83) is attached in a stretched condition to said absorbent (18), said basesheet (14), and its respective said absorbent portion (88).
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article of one of the preceding claims wherein said absorbent (16, 18) includes a hole (22) therein, and an area of superabsorbent material near at least a portion of the periphery of said hole (22).
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
The article of claim 41 wherein said area encircles said hole (22).
Claim 43
Independent Claim
42 words
A method of making an absorbent article, comprising the steps of: providing a backsheet and a topsheet having an opening therein, positioning an absorbent between the backsheet and the topsheet and, elevating at least a portion of the topsheet from the absorbent.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 43 wherein the absorbent has a hole therein, and further comprising the step of providing a masking layer with the hole.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 43 or 44 further comprising the step of providing a pledget member adjacent the hole in the absorbent.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of making an absorbent article especially according to one of claims 41 to 43, comprising the steps of: providing a backsheet, a topsheet, an article front edge and an article back edge, providing the topsheet with a generally U-shaped opening, facing the topsheet opening toward the article front edge, and positioning an absorbent between the backsheet and the topsheet.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 46 wherein the step of providing a generally U-shaped topsheet includes providing a pair of containment flaps, and further comprising the step of gathering at least a portion of each containment flap.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of making an absorbent article, especially according to one of claims 43 to 47, comprising the steps of: providing a basesheet, providing an absorbent having generally opposite side edges, positioning a pair of absorbent sections at respective ones of the absorbent side edges, and forming a pocket-like shape with the absorbent sections and the absorbent.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 48 further comprising the step of attaching a pair of elastic members at respective ones of the absorbent side edges.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 48 or 49 wherein the absorbent sections are spaced from respective ones of the absorbent side edges.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 49 or 50 wherein the step of attaching includes stretching the elastic members.
Claim 52
Independent Claim
66 words
The method of one of claims 49 to 51 wherein the step of attaching includes attaching each elastic member to its respective absorbent section and the basesheet or attaching each elastic member to its respective absorbent section and the absorbent or attaching each elastic member to the absorbent and the basesheet or attaching each elastic member to the absorbent, the basesheet, and its respective absorbent section.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
39 words
The method of one of claims 43 to 52 wherein the absorbent has a hole therein, and further comprising the steps of providing an area of superabsorbent material near at least a portion of the periphery of the hole.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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