Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-06-19
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S385010, C604S385280, C604S358000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248097
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an article having one or more elasticized, peripheral margins. More particularly, the invention relates to an article which incorporates a distinctively elasticized containment system at legband and/or waistband portions of the article, has a distinctively proportioned shape.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, have been constructed with various types of elasticized waistbands and elasticized leg bands or leg cuffs. Such article designs have also included additional, elasticized containment or barrier flaps at the leg and/or waist sections of the article. Particular article designs have incorporated a stretchable outer cover composed of an elastomeric web material, such as a stretch-bonded laminate which includes a layer of nonwoven fabric. Other conventional designs have included separate elastomeric or nonelastomeric side panel members connected to the lateral side edges of a backsheet or outercover member, and have included fastening systems and fastening tabs connected to the side panels for securing the article on a wearer. The absorbent articles have included various shapes, such as rectangular, hour-glass, T-shape and I-shape. The absorbent pads of the articles have also incorporated these shapes.
Articles which incorporate conventional elasticized margins and conventional barrier flap configurations at their legband sections have, however, exhibited various shortcomings. For example, it has been difficult to avoid red marking of the wearer's skin and difficult to maintain the desired operation of the barrier flaps when the articles are being worn. Even when the barrier flaps are constructed of an elastomeric material or otherwise elasticized, it has been difficult to maintain contact between the movable edge of the barrier flap and the wearer's body and has been difficult to reliably hold the flap open for an effective receipt and containment of urine and feces. It has also been difficult to provide a trim, un-bunched fit of the article in the crotch region between the wearer's legs. In addition, it has been difficult to maintain a close fit of the elasticized leg cuffs about the wearer's legs during the movements of the wearer while also providing a neat and tailored appearance of the absorbent article. It has also been difficult to place the article on the wearer due to the article width in its crotch region. As a result, there has been a continued need for improved containment structures at the various regions of the absorbent articles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention can provide a distinctive article having a longitudinal direction and a lateral cross-direction. The article includes a backsheet layer having a pair of laterally opposed side margins, with each side margin having a terminal side edge contour located at an appointed leg opening region in each of the side margins. A substantially liquid permeable topsheet layer is connected in superposed relation to the backsheet layer, and an absorbent body is positioned and held between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer. A separate, elasticized gusset-flap member is connected to the article along each of the appointed leg opening regions, and each gusset-flap member has a leg gusset section and a containment flap section. The leg gusset section is configured to extend beyond and bridge between opposed, spaced-apart portions of an associated one of the side edge contours of the backsheet layer.
In particular aspects, the article of the invention can include a backsheet layer having a pair of laterally opposed and longitudinally extending side margins, with each side margin having an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour located at appointed leg opening regions in an intermediate portion of the side margin. Each concave side edge contour has a selected longitudinal extent along a length dimension of the article. A substantially liquid permeable topsheet layer is connected in a superposed facing relation to the backsheet layer, and an absorbent body is sandwiched between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer. A separately provided gusset-flap composite member is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along each of the leg opening regions, and the gusset-flap member provides a leg gusset section and a containment flap section. A gusset-flap attachment has a longitudinal extent and secures each gusset-flap member to the article, and an additional perimeter bond attachment is positioned adjacent to and laterally outboard from each gusset-flap attachment. Each perimeter bond attachment is configured to secure its associated leg gusset section to the article beside its corresponding, outwardly concave terminal side edge contour of the article along at least a partial length of the terminal side edge contour, and the perimeter bond attachment extends inboard from a terminal side edge of the backsheet layer adjacent an article juncture region. The article juncture region is where an overlapping portion of an outboard edge of at least one leg gusset section intersects across the terminal side edge contour of the backsheet layer, and where the overlapping portion of the outboard edge of the at least one leg gusset section is superposed over a bodyside surface of the backsheet layer.
In another aspect, the article of the invention can include an end portion of a first arrangement of elastomeric members in the leg gusset section which is substantially deactivated to provide at least one gusset end portion of each leg gusset section which is substantially non-gathered along the longitudinal direction. Additionally, a leg gusset, outboard securement can attach at least one gusset end portion of each leg gusset section to the article.
In a further aspect, the article of the invention can include an end portion of a second arrangement of at least one elastomeric member in the containment flap section which is substantially deactivated to provide at least one flap end portion of each containment flap section which is substantially non-gathered along the longitudinal direction. Additionally containment flap, distal securement array can attach at least one flap end portion of each containment flap section to the article.
In yet another aspect, the article of the invention can include a distinctively configured backsheet layer. The backsheet layer can have a maximum waistband width_A along said cross dimension, and a minimum crotch width_B at an intermediate portion of said backsheet layer. A quotient of the maximum waistband width_A divided by the minimum crotch width_B of said backsheet layer is at least a predetermined value, such as a minimum value of about 1.6. The backsheet layer can also have a length_K along which a cross-directional width of the backsheet is not more than a value_C, where the value_C is determined by the formula,
(value_C)=(0.8)*(width_B)+(0.2)*(width_A).
Additionally, the length_K can be at least about 30% of an overall length of said article, and the backsheet layer can have a front turn-out angle_&thgr; which is within a selected range, such as a range of about 115-135 degrees.
In still a further aspect, the article of the invention can include a distinctively configured absorbent retention portion. The backsheet layer can have a maximum waistband width_A along the cross dimension of the article, and the absorbent retention portion can have a minimum width_P along the cross dimension at an intermediate portion of the retention portion. A quotient of the width_A divided by said width_P is at least a predetermined value, such as a minimum value of about 3.3. The absorbent retention portion can also have a longitudinal length_Z along which a cross-directional width of the retention portion is not more than a value_Q, where the value_Q is determined by the formula,
(value_Q)=(0.8)*(width_P)+(0.2)*(width_A).
Additionally, the length_Z can be at least about 30% of an overall length of said artic
Beitz Mark John
Bontrager Monica Lynn
Chang Kuo-Shu Edward
Friderich Steven Scott
Gossen Barbara Ann
Kidwell Michele
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Weiss John G.
Yee Paul
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