US5196000A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Absorbent article with dynamic elastic waist feature comprising an expansive tummy panel
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
•
Filing: 1991-08-22
•
Granted: 1993-03-23
•
Expires: 2011-08-22
Abstract
Abstract Absorbent article such as disposable diapers, incontinent briefs, diaper holders and the like, that have a unique elastic waist feature that improve the dynamic fit of the elasticized waistband as well as the containment characteristics of the absorbent article. The elastic waist feature comprises an "expansive tummy panel" that is capable of expanding well- beyond the dimensions of the absorbent article set by the primary fastening system (and the original dimensions of the end edge) so as to accommodate wearers, especially large infants, with large expansile waists so as to reduce the sagging/slipping of the absorbent article. The extension forces of the elasticized waistband are lower than the extension forces of the elasticized side panels so as to accommodate such expansion. In preferred embodiments of the elastic waist feature, the elasticized waistband is formed from a stretch laminate.
Inventors
- 👤 Sandra H. Clear
- 👤 Danielia T. Falcone
- 👤 Kenneth B. Buell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/45; A61F13/49; A61F13/49007; A61F13/49009; A61F13/51; A61F13/511; A61F13/15577; A61F13/15585; A61F13/47; A61F13/49011; A61F13/491; A61F13/56; A61F13/62; A61F13/622; A61F13/15203; A61F2013/15284; A61F2013/15292; A61F2013/15357; A61F2013/15365; A61F13/4902; A61F2013/49031; A61F2013/49033; A61F2013/49042; A61F2013/51002; A61F2013/51019; A61F2013/51038; A61F13/514; A61F13/51401; A61F2013/51409; A61F2013/51411; A61F2013/51429; A61F2013/51441; A61F13/51474; A61F2013/51486; A61F13/53; A61F2013/530802; A61F13/534; A61F13/537; A61F2013/53791; A61F13/539; A61F2013/53908; A61F2013/53916; A61F2013/5694; A61F13/58; A61F2013/583; A61F2013/586; A61F2013/587; A61F2013/588; A61F13/84; A61F2013/8488; A61F2013/8491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
A unitary disposable absorbent article having a first waist region, a second waist region, end edges, and longitudinal edges, the absorbent article comprising: a containment assembly comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet joined with said top sheet, and an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent core having side edges and waist edges; an elastic waist feature at least extending longitudinally outwardly from one of said waist edge of said absorbent core said elastic waist feature comprising an elasticized waistband, said elasticized waistband comprising (i) a shaping panel zone being elastically extensible in at least the lateral direction, (ii) a waistline panel zone resiliently flexurally joined with said shaped panel zone, said waistline panel zone being elastically extensible in at least the lateral direction, and (iii) a predisposed, resilient, waistband flexural hinge zone joining said shaping panel zone and said waistline panel zone for allowing relatively flexural bending between said shaping panel zone and said waistline panel zone when forces are applied and for providing a restoring force/moment to resiliently return said shaping panel zone and said waistline panel zone to essentially their preceding in-use configuration when the forces are removed, said waistband flexural hinge zone having a bending flexure restoring force greater than about 20 grams f , and the extension forces of said elasticized waistband being less than or equal about 400 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 50 mm; and a closure system disposed on the absorbent article for creating/maintaining lateral tension through at least a portion of said elasticized waistband.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
A unitary disposable absorbent article having a first waist region, a second waist region, end edges, and longitudinal edges, the absorbent article comprising: a containment assembly comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet joined with said top sheet, and an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent core having side edges and waist edges; an elastic waist feature at least extending longitudinally outwardly from one of said waist edge of said absorbent core said elastic waist feature comprising an elasticized waistband, said elasticized waistband comprising (i) a shaping panel zone being elastically extensible in at least the lateral direction, (ii) a waistline panel zone resiliently flexurally joined with said shaped panel zone, said waistline panel zone being elastically extensible in at least the lateral direction, and (iii) a predisposed, resilient, waistband flexural hinge zone joining said shaping panel zone and said waistline panel zone for allowing relatively flexural bending between said shaping panel zone and said waistline panel zone when forces are applied and for providing a restoring force/moment to resiliently return said shaping panel zone and said waistline panel zone to essentially their preceding in-use configuration when the forces are removed, said waistband flexural hinge zone having a bending flexure restoring force greater than about 20 grams f , and the extension forces of said elasticized waistband being less than or equal about 400 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 50 mm; and a closure system disposed on the absorbent article for creating/maintaining lateral tension through at least a portion of said elasticized waistband.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said elastic waist feature additionally comprises an interconnecting panel zone flexurally joined with said containment assembly; a first flexural hinge zone joining said interconnecting panel zone with said containment assembly; and a second flexural hinge zone joining said shaping panel zone with said interconnecting panel zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein the edge compression stiffness of said interconnecting panel zone is greater than the edge compression stiffness of said shaping panel zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The absorbent article of claim 3 wherein the edge compression stiffness of said shaping panel zone is greater than the edge compression stiffness of said waistline panel zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein the extension forces of said shaping panel zone are greater than the extension forces of said waistline panel zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The absorbent article of claim 5 wherein said elasticized waistband comprises a portion of said backsheet, a portion of said topsheet, and an elastomeric member positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet; said waistband flexural hinge zone comprising the discontinuity formed by removing a segment of said backsheet corresponding to said waistline panel zone so as to provide a windowed elastic waist feature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The absorbent article of claim 6 wherein the extension forces of said shaping panel zone are between about 175 grams f and about 225 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 50 mm; and the extension forces of said waistline panel zone are between about 75 grams f and about 175 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 50 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein said elasticized waistband comprises a stretch laminate such that said elasticized waistband is capable of expanding beyond the original planar state of the absorbent article.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The absorbent article of claim 8 wherein said elasticized waistband comprises a portion of said topsheet, a portion of said backsheet, a resilient member positioned between said backsheet and said topsheet, and an elastomeric member positioned between said topsheet and said resilient member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
247 words
The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said closure system comprises a dual tension fastening system comprising: (a) a primary fastening system for providing a side closure for the absorbent article by maintaining said first waist region and said second waist region in an overlapping configuration such that lateral tension is maintained around the circumference of the absorbent article to maintain the absorbent article on the wearer, said primary fastening system comprising: (i) a securement member disposed adjacent each of said longitudinal edges in said second waist region; and (ii) at least one landing member disposed in said first waist region, said landing member being engageable with said securement members; and (b) a waist closure system for providing a variable positioning, passively activated, waist closure for the absorbent article that dynamically maintains/creates lateral tension through at least a portion of said elasticized waistband, said waist closure system comprising: (i) at least one first attachment component disposed in said first waist region, said first attachment component being positioned so as to be longitudinally aligned with said elasticized waistband, and (ii) at least one second attachment component disposed in said second waist region, said second attachment component being engageable with said first attachment component so that when the primary closure is formed said second attachment component engages said first attachment component and at least two anchor zones longitudinally aligned with said elasticized waistband so as to dynamically maintain/create lateral tension through at least a portion of said elasticized waistband.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein said waist closure system comprises a pair of second attachment components, said second attachment components comprising a hook fastening material, and said first attachment component comprises a loop fastening material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein said waist closure system comprises a pair of first attachment components, said first attachment components each comprising a hook fastening material, and said second attachment component comprises a loop fastening material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The absorbent article of claim 12 wherein a portion of said elastomeric member abuts with or overlays a portion of said waist edge of said absorbent core.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The absorbent article of claim 13 additionally comprising a positioning patch positioned subjacent said first attachment component, said positioning patch being longitudinally aligned with said elastomeric member and abutting with or being longitudinally overlapping with said elastomeric member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The absorbent article of claim 14 wherein said elasticized waistband member has differential extensibility along its longitudinal axis when stretched in the lateral direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The absorbent article of claim 13 or 15 wherein said waist edge of said absorbent core has an arcuate shape that bounds a portion of said elasticized waistband.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The absorbent article of claim 13 or 15 wherein said waist edge of said absorbent core is parallel to the end edge of the absorbent article.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein said elastomeric member comprises an elastomeric foam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The absorbent article of claim 8, 9, 10 or 13 wherein said waistband flexural hinge zone comprises the discontinuity formed by removing a segment of said backsheet corresponding to said waistline panel zone so as to provide a windowed elastic waist feature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The absorbent article of claim 1, 3, 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein the extension forces of said elasticized waistband are less than or equal to about 300 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 50 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
The absorbent article of claim 1, 3, 7, 8, 9 or 10 additionally comprising elasticized side panels disposed in said second waist region laterally outwardly from and along a portion of said side edges of said absorbent core, each of said elasticized side panels being elastically extensible in at least the lateral direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The absorbent article of claim 21 wherein the extension forces of each of said elasticized side panels are greater than or equal to about 250 grams f at extensions of between about 6 mm and about 76 mm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
69 words
The absorbent article of claim 22 wherein the extension forces of each of said elasticized side panels are between about 250 grams f and about 500 grams f at extensions of between about 6 mm an about 19 mm; and the extensions forces of said elasticized waistband are between about 75 grams f and about 250 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 50 mm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the extension forces of said elasticized waistband are less than or equal to about 400 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 76 mm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The absorbent article of claim 6 wherein the extension forces of said elasticized waistband are less than about 300 grams f at extensions of between about 25 mm and about 76 mm.
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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) | 1996-03-22 | 1996-09-21 | 1997-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-03-22 | 2000-09-21 | 2001-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-03-22 | 2004-09-21 | 2005-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |