US5306266A — Flexible spacers for use in disposable absorbent …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 71 words

A spacer for maintaining a fecal void space in a disposable diaper, the spacer comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discreate element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover; the spacer being a generally closed figure having an opening therethrough, whereby fecal material may pass through the opening into the void space of the diaper.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 71 words

A spacer for maintaining a fecal void space in a disposable diaper, the spacer comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discreate element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover; the spacer being a generally closed figure having an opening therethrough, whereby fecal material may pass through the opening into the void space of the diaper.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The spacer recited in claim 1 wherein the discrete elements have a generally rounded surface.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The spacer recited in claim 2 wherein the discrete elements have a generally spherical shape.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The spacer recited in claim 3 wherein the discrete elements comprise expanded polystyrene beads.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The spacer recited in claim 1 wherein the spacer has a packing density of less than 60 percent.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

The spacer recited in claim 5 wherein the spacer has a packing density of between 20 and 50 percent.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The spacer recited in claim 6 wherein the spacer has a packing density of of between 20 and 30 percent.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

The spacer recited in claim 1 wherein the spacer comprises an elastically extensible outer cover.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 77 words

A disposable diaper comprising: a liquid impervious backsheet; a liquid previous topsheet joined to the backsheet; an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet; and a spacer joined to the disposable diaper for maintaining a Z direction fecal void space under compressive loading, the spacer comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discrete element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 77 words

A disposable diaper comprising: a liquid impervious backsheet; a liquid previous topsheet joined to the backsheet; an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet; and a spacer joined to the disposable diaper for maintaining a Z direction fecal void space under compressive loading, the spacer comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discrete element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 113 words

A disposable diaper comprising: a liquid impervious backsheet; a liquid previous topsheet joined to the backsheet to form a fecal void space intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet for receiving fecal matter, the topsheet having an aperture therethrough for communicating fecal matter to the void space; an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet; and a spacer for maintaining the fecal void space under compressive loading, the spacer joined to the disposable diaper intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, the spacer comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discrete element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 113 words

A disposable diaper comprising: a liquid impervious backsheet; a liquid previous topsheet joined to the backsheet to form a fecal void space intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet for receiving fecal matter, the topsheet having an aperture therethrough for communicating fecal matter to the void space; an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet; and a spacer for maintaining the fecal void space under compressive loading, the spacer joined to the disposable diaper intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, the spacer comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discrete element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 129 words

A disposable diaper comprising: a front waist margin; a rear waist margin; a liquid impervious backsheet; a liquid previous topsheet joined to the backsheet to form a fecal void space for receiving fecal matter, intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet the topsheet having an aperture therethrough for communicating fecal matter into the void space; an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet; and a spacer for maintaining the fecal void space under compressive loading, the spacer joined to the disposable diaper intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, the spacer registered with the aperture in the topsheet and comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discrete element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 129 words

A disposable diaper comprising: a front waist margin; a rear waist margin; a liquid impervious backsheet; a liquid previous topsheet joined to the backsheet to form a fecal void space for receiving fecal matter, intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet the topsheet having an aperture therethrough for communicating fecal matter into the void space; an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet; and a spacer for maintaining the fecal void space under compressive loading, the spacer joined to the disposable diaper intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, the spacer registered with the aperture in the topsheet and comprising: a flexible outer cover; and a plurality of discrete elements enclosed in the outer cover, each discrete element relatively movable with respect to other discrete elements within the outer cover.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the spacer comprises a generally closed figure having an opening registered with the aperture in the topsheet.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 16 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11, wherein the discrete elements have a generally rounded surface.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 13 wherein the discrete elements have a generally spherical shape.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 14 wherein the plurality of discrete elements comprise generally spherical expanded polystyrene beads.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 19 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the spacer is positioned between the topsheet and the absorbent core.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the absorbent core comprises an upper layer and a lower layer, and wherein the spacer is positioned between the upper and lower layers of the absorbent core.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the spacer has a packing density of less than 60 percent.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 20 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 18 wherein the spacer has a packing density of between 20 and 50 percent.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 19 wherein the spacer has a packing density of between 20 and 30 percent.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 16 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of separate compartments.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 21 wherein at least one of the separate compartments has a substantially different packing density than another of the separate compartments.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 54 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 22 wherein the spacer has a first compartment with a first relatively high packing density, and a second compartment with a second relatively low packing density, wherein at least a portion of the second compartment is positioned intermediate the aperture through the topsheet and the front waist margin.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 16 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the spacer comprises an elastically extensible outer cover.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 43 words

The disposable diaper recited in claim 11 wherein the spacer maintains a Z-direction thickness of at least 0.64 centimeters under a compressive Z-direction load of at least 350 kilograms per square meter having a circular footprint of no more than 6.45 square centimeters.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-04-25	1997-10-25	1998-04-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-04-25	2001-10-25	2002-04-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-04-25	2005-10-25	2006-04-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Flexible spacers for use in disposable absorbent articles

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