Absorbent garment with asymmetrical leg elastic tension

Details Absorbent garment with asymmetrical leg elastic tension Absorbent garment with asymmetrical leg elastic tension

2000-08-15

2003-10-21

Lo, Weilun (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material

Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...

C604S385270, C604S385240

Reexamination Certificate

active

06635041

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to pant-like, personal care absorbent products having asymmetrical tension around the leg openings with respect to an imaginary dividing plane between a wearer's anterior and posterior sides. More particularly, elastic members around the leg openings have varying tension to adapt to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body for ideal gasketing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pant-like absorbent garments, such as adult incontinence wear as well as infant and children's diapers, swim wear and training pants, typically include a pair of leg openings having an elastic portion around each leg opening. The elastic portions are intended to fit snugly around a wearer's legs to prevent leakage from the garment. However, more pressure is required in certain areas around the leg, such as in the crotch area, than in other areas around the leg, such as in the dwell area away from the crotch in order to increase the gasketing effect. Furthermore, pressure variation requirements differ depending on the wearer's activities.
For example, for infants, the crotch area is typically the area around the leg openings most susceptible to leakage, while leg opening areas away from the crotch area are typically less susceptible to leakage. When uniform pressure is applied around the leg openings, if the pressure is too great, leakage in the susceptible areas is prevented, but the high pressure creates discomfort in the areas less susceptible to leakage. Likewise, if the pressure is uniform yet too loose, it is likely that not enough pressure is exerted in the areas more susceptible to leakage to prevent leakage in those areas.
In overnight use when a child sleeps on its stomach, the front areas of the legs are more susceptible to leakage than the back areas of the legs. Furthermore, in the sleeping position when the wearer's legs are extended, greater comfort is desired in the back areas of the legs.
Active children have different gasketing and comfort requirements than infants or sleeping children. For example, forward movement of the legs is hindered when too much pressure is present in the front areas of the legs. Likewise, when the legs move forward, the back areas of the legs are more susceptible to leakage.
There is a need or desire for leg elastics for absorbent garments that have customized pressure and gasketing around the leg openings to adapt to the nonsymmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been found that variation in tension among elastic members is a factor that can be optimized to provide enhanced comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings by providing optimized pressure and gasketing. More particularly, such optimization is achieved with asymmetrical tension in the elastic members around the leg openings with respect to an imaginary dividing plane between a wearer's anterior and posterior sides.
The present invention is directed to customized pressure around the leg openings of pant-like absorbent garments, such as diapers and training pants. The resulting garment has asymmetrical pressure around the leg openings with respect to a wearer's anterior and posterior sides. Such pressure variation is customized according to the wearer's level of activity to provide greater leakage protection while maintaining maximum comfort.
The invention is achieved by varying the tension in the elastic members as the elastic members are applied to the leg openings of the absorbent garment. Alternatively, elastic materials having different levels of tension can be used, or the density of ultrasonic bonds used to attach the elastic members to the absorbent garment can be varied. Any of these methods can be used alone or in combination to achieve the product of the invention.
The variable tension is adapted to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body for increased comfort as well as a gasket-like fit about the wearer's legs. As a result, the tension profile of the leg elastics in the resulting absorbent garment is asymmetrical with respect to the front and back of the wearer's body. Furthermore, greater gasketing (better leakage prevention) is provided in areas where leakage is more likely to occur and lower tension is provided for greater comfort in areas where leakage is less likely to occur.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide customized pressure by varying the tension of the elastic members around the leg openings of an absorbent garment resulting in optimized performance of the leg elastic in terms of comfort, fit and containment.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3338992 (1967-08-01), Kinney
patent: 3341394 (1967-09-01), Kinney
patent: 3371668 (1968-03-01), Johnson
patent: 3468748 (1969-09-01), Bassett
patent: 3502538 (1970-03-01), Petersen
patent: 3502763 (1970-03-01), Hartmann
patent: 3542615 (1970-11-01), Dobo et al.
patent: 3692618 (1972-09-01), Dorschner et al.
patent: 3802817 (1974-04-01), Matsuki et al.
patent: 3849241 (1974-11-01), Butin et al.
patent: 4061063 (1977-12-01), Brush
patent: 4300562 (1981-11-01), Pieniak
patent: 4300967 (1981-11-01), Sigl
patent: 4340563 (1982-07-01), Appel et al.
patent: 4371417 (1983-02-01), Frick et al.
patent: 4397704 (1983-08-01), Frick
patent: 4412881 (1983-11-01), Sigl
patent: 4432823 (1984-02-01), Moore
patent: 4486192 (1984-12-01), Sigl
patent: 4578133 (1986-03-01), Oshefsky et al.
patent: 4610681 (1986-09-01), Strohbeen et al.
patent: 4617082 (1986-10-01), Oshefsky et al.
patent: 4639949 (1987-02-01), Ales et al.
patent: 4641381 (1987-02-01), Heran et al.
patent: 4642819 (1987-02-01), Ales et al.
patent: 4646362 (1987-03-01), Heran et al.
patent: 4648928 (1987-03-01), Ales
patent: 4650532 (1987-03-01), Kloehn et al.
patent: 4663220 (1987-05-01), Wisneski et al.
patent: 4675016 (1987-06-01), Meuli et al.
patent: 4687477 (1987-08-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 4692163 (1987-09-01), Widlund et al.
patent: 4726873 (1988-02-01), Ales et al.
patent: 4743241 (1988-05-01), Igaue et al.
patent: 4747846 (1988-05-01), Boland et al.
patent: 4762582 (1988-08-01), de Jonckheere
patent: 4786346 (1988-11-01), Ales et al.
patent: 4863542 (1989-09-01), Oshefsky et al.
patent: 4915767 (1990-04-01), Rajala et al.
patent: 4917746 (1990-04-01), Kons et al.
patent: 4940464 (1990-07-01), Van Gompel et al.
patent: 4943340 (1990-07-01), Ujimoto et al.
patent: 4946539 (1990-08-01), Ales et al.
patent: 5046272 (1991-09-01), Vogt et al.
patent: 5055103 (1991-10-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5092861 (1992-03-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5104116 (1992-04-01), Pohjola
patent: 5143679 (1992-09-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5147487 (1992-09-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5156793 (1992-10-01), Buell et al.
patent: 5167897 (1992-12-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5171388 (1992-12-01), Hoffman et al.
patent: 5180534 (1993-01-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5213645 (1993-05-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5224405 (1993-07-01), Pohjola
patent: 5226992 (1993-07-01), Morman
patent: 5230851 (1993-07-01), Thomas
patent: 5259902 (1993-11-01), Muckenfuhs
patent: 5275676 (1994-01-01), Rooyakkers et al.
patent: 5318741 (1994-06-01), Thomas
patent: 5326415 (1994-07-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5334152 (1994-08-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5342341 (1994-08-01), Igaue et al.
patent: 5354400 (1994-10-01), Lavash et al.
patent: 5385706 (1995-01-01), Thomas
patent: 5389173 (1995-02-01), Merkatoris et al.
patent: 5393360 (1995-02-01), Bridges et al.
patent: 5407507 (1995-04-01), Ball
patent: 5413654 (1995-05-01), Igaue et al.
patent: 5454803 (1995-10-01), Sageser et al.
patent: 5500075 (1996-03-01), Herrmann
patent: 5503919 (1996-04-01), Litchholt et al.
patent: 5509985 (1996-04-01), Kock
patent: 5516392 (1996-05-01), Bridges et al.
patent: 5517737 (1996-05-01), Viltro et al.
patent: 5518566 (1996-05-01), Bridges et al.
patent: 5525175 (1996-06-01), Blenke et al.
patent: 5540672 (1996-07-01), Roessler et al.
patent: 5547531 (1996-08-01), Allen et al.
patent: 562

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Absorbent garment with asymmetrical leg elastic tension does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Absorbent garment with asymmetrical leg elastic tension, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Absorbent garment with asymmetrical leg elastic tension will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3145636