Diaper having improved reinforced area for receiving adhesive fastening tape

Claim 2

Disposable diaper which includes an outer liquid-impermeable film and a bilayer film bonded to the liquid-impermeable film as a peel-resistant reinforced fastening area to which pressure-sensitive adhesive fastening tapes attached at another part of the diaper may be adhaered to hold the diaper in a closed position, the bilayer film comprising a reinforcing layer and a room-temperature-nontacky bonding layer, and being bonded to the liquid-impermeable film under heat and pressure that leaves the liquid-impermeable film substantially undeformed, the bonding layer holding the reinforcing layer to the liquid-impermeable film with greater force than that which the fastening tape applies when adhered to the top of the bilayer film, whereby the fastending tapes may be reliably and lastingly adhered to the reinforced area of the diaper by hand pressure, and may be removed and reapplied, all without distortion or tearing of the liquid-impermeable film.

Claim 3

Diaper of claim 1 in which the bonding layer includes a tackifying resin.

Claim 4

Diaper of claim 1 in which the bonding layer comprises an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 5

Diaper of claim 2 in which the bonding layer comprises an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 6

Diaper of claim 3 in which the bonding layer comprises a blend of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, one copolymer having a melt-flow index of at least 500 and another having a melt-flow index of no more than about 200.

Claim 7

Diaper of claim 4 in which the bonding layer comprises a blend of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, one copolymer having a melt-flow index of at least 500 and another having a melt-flow index of no more than about 200.

Claim 8

Diaper of claim 1 in which the bonding layer has flowed so as to form a raised ridge surrounding the edge of the reinforcing layer.

Claim 9

Diaper of claim 1 in which the bilayer film is free of release treatments on its top surface.

Claim 10

Diaper of claim 1 in which the bilayer film is bonded to the liquid-impermeable film sufficiently to resist peeling from the liquid-impermeable film with a 90° peel strength of at least 200 N/m.

Claim 11

Diaper of claim 9 in which the bonding layer softens at a temperature less than 120° C.

Claim 12

Diaper of claim 10 in which the bonding layer is nontacky below 60° C.

Claim 13

Method for reinforcing the outer liquid-impermeable polyethylene film of a disposable diaper in an area to which pressure-sensitive-adhesive fastening tapes attached at another part of the diaper may be adhered to hold the diaper in a closed position, comprising bonding to the liquid-impermeable film a bilayer film that comprises a reinforcing layer and a room-temperature-nontacky bonding layer, the bilayer film being bonded to the liquid-impermeable film under heat and pressure that leaves the liquid-impermeable film substantially undeformed, and holding the reinforcing layer to the liquid-impermeable film with greater force than that which the pressure-sensitive adhesive of the fastening tape applies to the top of the bilayer film, whereby the free ends of the adhesive fastening tapes may be reliably and lastingly adhered to the reinforced area of the diaper by hand pressure, and may be removed and reapplied, all without distortion or tearing of the liquid-impermeable film.

Claim 14

Method for reinforcing the outer liquid-impermeable polyethylene film of a disposable diaper in an area to which pressure-sensitive-adhesive fastening tapes attached at another part of the diaper may be adhered to hold the diaper in a closed position, comprising bonding to the liquid-impermeable film a bilayer film that comprises a reinforcing layer and a room-temperature-nontacky bonding layer, the bilayer film being bonded to the liquid-impermeable film under heat and pressure that leaves the liquid-impermeable film substantially undeformed, and holding the reinforcing layer to the liquid-impermeable film with greater force than that which the pressure-sensitive adhesive of the fastening tape applies to the top of the bilayer film, whereby the free ends of the adhesive fastening tapes may be reliably and lastingly adhered to the reinforced area of the diaper by hand pressure, and may be removed and reapplied, all without distortion or tearing of the liquid-impermeable film.

Claim 15

Method of claim 12 in which the bonding layer includes a tackifying resin.

Claim 16

Method of claim 12 in which the bonding layer comprises an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 17

Method of claim 13 in which the bonding layer comprises an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 18

Method of claim 14 in which the bonding layer comprises a blend of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, one copolymer having a melt-flow index of at least 500 and another having a melt-flow index of no more than about 200.

Claim 19

Method of claim 15 in which the bonding layer comprises a blend of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, one copolymer having a melt-flow index of at least 500 and another having a melt-flow index of no more than about 200.

Claim 20

Method of claim 12 in which the bonding layer flows during the bonding operation so as to form a raised ridge surrounding the edge of the reinforcing layer.

Claim 21

Method of claim 12 in which the bilayer film is cut from a non-blocking storage roll, the bonding layer is nontacky at temperatures below about 60° C., has a tensile strength of at least about one-half MPa, and is bonded to the liquid-impermeable film at a temperature of less than about 120° C.