Patent US4518508A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4968313A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4968313A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Diaper with waist band elastic
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
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Filing: 1988-12-19
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Granted: 1990-11-06
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Expires: 2008-12-19
Abstract
Abstract Disposable garments such as disposable diapers are disclosed that possess improved elastic characteristics. At least one garment outer sheet is composed of a drawable fabric, such as melt blown polymeric fibers or melt spun filaments. An elastic element is affixed in the relaxed condition to a web of outer sheet fabric. The elastic web is then stretched, and simultaneously the web in the area of elastic element attachment is drawn to impart a molecular orientation to the web fibers. As a result, the web fibers are permanently elongated. Upon relaxation of the stretched elastic element, shirrs or gathers are formed in the web fibers that permit subsequent stretching of the elastic element when the garment is worn. One of the outside sheet webs need not be drawable or drawn if it is performed with corrugations or pleats in the region of elastic element attachment. The present invention also includes apparatus for manufacturing the garment. The apparatus includes novel rolls for pre-corrugating one garment sheet and for simultaneously stretching the elastic element and drawing web in the region of elastic element attachment. Alternately, the entire web may be drawn, rather than just in the region of elastic element attachment.
Inventors
- 👤 Reinhardt N. Sabee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:04
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/45; A61F13/49; A61F13/49007; A61F13/49009; A61F13/15577; A61F13/15585; A61F13/15593; A61F13/15707
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A disposable garment comprising a drawable top sheet, a back sheet, a moisture absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and back sheet, and at least one elastic element affixed at least to the top sheet in a substantially relaxed state, and wherein the top sheet in at least the areas of elastic elements attachment thereto have a higher degree of molecular orientation than adjacent areas, said areas of attachment being shirred or gathered as a result of drawing or molecularly orienting the top sheet after the elastic is attached.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A disposable garment comprising a drawable top sheet, a back sheet, a moisture absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and back sheet, and at least one elastic element affixed at least to the top sheet in a substantially relaxed state, and wherein the top sheet in at least the areas of elastic elements attachment thereto have a higher degree of molecular orientation than adjacent areas, said areas of attachment being shirred or gathered as a result of drawing or molecularly orienting the top sheet after the elastic is attached.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the top sheet is comprised of a melt spun web of drawable fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the elastic element affixed to the top sheet is comprised of a self adhering elastic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the draw top sheet is comprised of a partially molecularly oriented web.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the top sheet is comprised of partially drawn polymeric fibers, filaments, or apertured film having molecular orientation values in the range of 0.05% to 85% of the maximum draw to which said polymeric fibers, filaments or apertured film can be subjected.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The disposable garment of claim 5 wherein the molecular orientation values are in the range of 5% to 45% of the maximum draw.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The disposable garment of claim 2 wherein the drawable back sheet is comprised of a partially molecularly oriented web.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the top s is comprised of a melt blown web of drawable fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The disposable garment of claim 8 wherein top sheet contains drawable melt spun filaments
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The disposable garment of claim 9 wherein the filaments are drawable in a longitudinal direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The disposable garment of claim 9 wherein the filaments are drawable in a transverse direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The disposable garment of claim 9 wherein the drawable filaments are transverse at predetermined angles to a longitudinal direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the top sheet is drawn to approximately 11/4 to 6 times its undrawn length.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the top sheet is drawn in predetermined discrete areas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the top sheet is drawn in predetermined discrete areas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the disposable garment further comprises at least two fastening tapes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The disposable garment of claim 3 wherein the basis weight of the top sheet is within the range of approximately 4 to 300 grams per square yard.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The disposable garment of claim 9 wherein the drawable melt blown fibers and/or the melt spun filaments have a thickness or diameter of about 0.5 to 200 microns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the dimensions of the top sheet adjacent the elastic element are increased by a combination of drawing the top sheet fibers and realigning the top sheet fibers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The garment of claim 1 whereupon fitting the garment to a wearer the elastic element is stretched and the top sheet is again drawn and molecularly oriented to provide a comfortable and conforming fit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The disposable garment of claim 1 wherein the back sheet waist margins contain numerous transversely spaced perforations.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The disposable garment of claim 13 wherein the top sheet is drawn by molecular orientation to increase its area from approximately 1.5 to 12 times the undrawn area.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The disposable garment of claim 22 wherein the top sheet is drawable in more than one direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
118 words
A disposable garment comprising a top sheet, a drawable back sheet having a length and a width, an elongated moisture absorbent pad having pad ends and side edges interposed between the to sheet and back sheet, and at least one elastic element affixed at least to the back sheet when in a relaxed condition extending along a pad end partially spanning the width of said back sheet to form at least one elasticized area on the back sheet, wherein at least the back sheet elasticized area possesses a higher degree of molecular orientation than adjacent back sheet areas as a result of drawing or molecularly orienting the back sheet after the elastic is attached to the top sheet.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
118 words
A disposable garment comprising a top sheet, a drawable back sheet having a length and a width, an elongated moisture absorbent pad having pad ends and side edges interposed between the to sheet and back sheet, and at least one elastic element affixed at least to the back sheet when in a relaxed condition extending along a pad end partially spanning the width of said back sheet to form at least one elasticized area on the back sheet, wherein at least the back sheet elasticized area possesses a higher degree of molecular orientation than adjacent back sheet areas as a result of drawing or molecularly orienting the back sheet after the elastic is attached to the top sheet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The disposable garment of claim 24 wherein the elastic element affixed to the back sheet is comprised of a self adhering elastic.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The disposable garment of claim 24 wherein the back sheet is comprised of a partially drawn polymeric web having molecular orientation values in the range of 0.05% to 85% of the maximum draw to which said polymeric web can be subjected.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The disposable garment of claim 26 wherein the molecular orientation values are in the range of 5% to 45% of the maximum draw.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The disposable garment of claim 24 wherein at least a portion of the back sheet is drawn to approximately 11/4 to 6 times its undrawn length.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The disposable garment of claim 24 wherein the back sheet is drawn in predetermined discrete areas.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
37 words
The garment of claim 24 whereupon fitting the garment to a wearer the elastic element is stretched and the top sheet and back sheet are again drawn and molecularly oriented to provide a comfortable and conforming fit.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The disposable garment of claim 24 wherein the back sheet waist margins contain numerous transversely spaced perforations.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The disposable garment of claim 24 wherein the elastic element attached to the back sheet is comprised of an elastic pressure sensitive adhesive.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
81 words
A disposable garment comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, a moisture absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and back sheet, and at least one strip of self-adhering elastic material adhered to at least the top sheet when in the relaxed state to produce an elasticized area of the top sheet, the self-adhering strip being stretched and the top sheet should be drawn at least in the elasticized area being drawn to permanently increase the area of the elasticized area.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
81 words
A disposable garment comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, a moisture absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and back sheet, and at least one strip of self-adhering elastic material adhered to at least the top sheet when in the relaxed state to produce an elasticized area of the top sheet, the self-adhering strip being stretched and the top sheet should be drawn at least in the elasticized area being drawn to permanently increase the area of the elasticized area.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The disposable garment of claim 33 wherein the elastic element affixed to the top sheet is comprised of a self adhering elastic.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
82 words
A flexible drawing sheet comprising a plurality of elastic elements attached to the sheet in a relaxed state and being bonded thereto to elasticize predetermined isolated areas of the sheet, the sheet at least in the isolated areas being molecularly oriented after the elastic is attached to increase the areas of the elasticized areas of said sheet so that the elasticized areas can be expanded to a greater length when the elastic is stretched than the length when the elastic is relaxed.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
82 words
A flexible drawing sheet comprising a plurality of elastic elements attached to the sheet in a relaxed state and being bonded thereto to elasticize predetermined isolated areas of the sheet, the sheet at least in the isolated areas being molecularly oriented after the elastic is attached to increase the areas of the elasticized areas of said sheet so that the elasticized areas can be expanded to a greater length when the elastic is stretched than the length when the elastic is relaxed.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The drawable flexible web of claim 36 wherein the elastic elements attached thereto in isolated areas are comprised of self adhering elastic compositions.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
61 words
A garment comprising a top sheet composed of fibers, a back sheet, a moisture absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and back sheet and at least one elastic element attached to the to sheet when in the relaxed state, said elastic subsequently being stretched to increase the areas of attachment tot eh top sheet by drawing the top sheet fibers.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
61 words
A garment comprising a top sheet composed of fibers, a back sheet, a moisture absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and back sheet and at least one elastic element attached to the to sheet when in the relaxed state, said elastic subsequently being stretched to increase the areas of attachment tot eh top sheet by drawing the top sheet fibers.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
The garment of claim 37 where less than 5% of the top sheet fibers and/or filaments are drawable and molecularly orientable.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
The garment of claim 37 whereby transverse stretching of the elastic element realigns the predominantly longitudinal fibers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-11-05 | 1994-05-07 | 1994-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-11-05 | 1998-05-07 | 1998-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-11-05 | 2002-05-07 | 2002-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |