Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-19
2001-09-11
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S386000, C604S387000, C604S391000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287287
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles which are adapted to contain body exudates. More particularly, the present invention relates to prefastened disposable absorbent articles which have passive side bonds and adjustable fastening systems to maintain the articles about the waist of the wearer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is desired that absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants or incontinence garments provide a close, comfortable fit about the wearer and contain body exudates. Moreover, it is desirable that such absorbent articles, after being soiled, can be removed from the wearer in a convenient and dean manner without undesirably soiling the care giver or surrounding area such as the clothes of the wearer. In certain circumstances, it is also desirable that such absorbent articles are capable of being pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer to allow the wearer or caregiver to easily pull the article on and easily remove the article if it has not been soiled. For example, such absorbent articles can assist in the toilet training of children.
Conventional diapers are not provided in a prefastened condition and have typically included a front waist portion and a back waist portion which are releasably connected about the hips of the wearer during use by conventional fasteners such as adhesive tape fasteners or hook and loop type fasteners. For example, the conventional fasteners have typically included a pair of fasteners, such as adhesive tape tabs, located on the outermost comers of the diaper in the back waist region of the diaper and a complimentary fastener, such as a taping panel, located on the outer surface of the outer cover of the diaper in the front waist portion of the diaper. In such a configuration, the diaper has been positioned between the legs of the wearer and the adhesive tape tabs have been releasably attached to the taping panel to secure the back waist portion to the front waist portion of the diaper to secure the diaper about the waist of the wearer. Such conventional diapers are easy to fasten about and remove from the wearer after use without undesirably soiling the care giver. However, such conventional diapers are not prefastened before use and thus are not configured to be pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer when the fasteners are attached.
Several attempts have been made to provide absorbent articles which effectively contain body exudates and are capable of being pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer. For example, some conventional absorbent articles, such as conventional training pants, have included integral side panels which connect the front waist portion to the back waist portion of the absorbent article. The side panels have been made stretchable such that the waist opening of the absorbent article can expand to allow the absorbent article to be pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer if desired. Such side panels have also been designed such that they may be tom to remove the training pant from the wearer after it has been soiled.
However, many of such attempts have not been completely satisfactory. For example, absorbent articles such as training pants have not always been able to achieve a close conforming fit to the wearer while still being able to expand enough to be pulled up and down over the hips of the wearer. Often such training pants fit the waist of the wearer loosely which can undesirably result in leaks. As a result, many of such training pant articles have not contained bodily exudates as effectively as conventional diaper-type articles which can be adjusted to achieve a more conforming fit to the wearer. Moreover, the removal of soiled absorbent articles which have integral side panels, such as conventional training pants, has not always been completely satisfactory. For example, the side panels have been difficult to tear when attempting to remove the article from the waist of the wearer instead of pulling the article down over the hips of the wearer.
Accordingly, despite the attempts to develop improved absorbent articles, there remains a need for absorbent articles which can provide the benefits of conventional training pants and conventional diapers. That is, there remains a need for absorbent articles which conform to the wearer to effectively contain bodily exudates, which are capable of being pulled up and down over the hips and buttocks of the wearer, and which are readily secured about and removed from the wearer in a convenient and clean manner. Moreover, there is a need for disposable absorbent articles which include waist sections which are releasably prefastened such that the article can be reliably pulled on over the wearers legs and hips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In response to the difficulties and problems discussed above, a new prefastened disposable absorbent article which has passive side bonds and an adjustable fastening system has been discovered. In one aspect, the present invention concerns a prefastened disposable absorbent article which defines an absorbent, a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects the waist regions and a pair of opposed side edges. The prefastened absorbent article includes a pair of primary fasteners which are located on the opposed side edges in one of the waist regions. The primary fasteners overlap and releasably engage the opposite waist region of the absorbent article to provide the prefastened absorbent article. The article further includes a pair of passive side bonds which are located inward of the primary fasteners. The passive side bonds releasably connect an overlapped portion of the one waist region to the opposite waist region to assist in maintaining the prefastened absorbent article in a prefastened condition.
In another aspect, the present invention concerns a prefastened disposable absorbent article which defines an absorbent, a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects the waist regions and a pair of opposed ear regions on one of the waist regions which overlap the opposite waist region. The absorbent article includes a pair of primary fasteners which are located on the opposed ear regions and which are releasably engaged to the opposite waist region of the absorbent article to provide the prefastened absorbent article. The article further includes a belt segment which defines opposed end portions and which is located in the one waist region and a pair of secondary fasteners which are located on the opposed end portions of the belt segment. The secondary fasteners are configured to releasably engage the opposite waist region to conform the waist regions to a wearers body after the prefastened absorbent article is pulled on over a wearer's hips. The article also includes a pair of passive side bonds which are located inward of the primary fasteners on the opposed ear regions. The passive bonds releasably connect an overlapped portion of the ear regions to the opposite waist region to assist in maintaining the prefastened absorbent article in a prefastened condition.
In still another aspect, the present invention concerns a prefastened disposable absorbent article which defines a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects the waist regions and a pair of opposed side edges. The absorbent article includes an outer cover and an absorbent chassis. The absorbent chassis includes a backsheet which is connected to the outer cover, a bodyside liner which is connected to the backsheet in a superposed relation and an absorbent core disposed between the backsheet and the bodyside liner. The absorbent article includes a pair of primary fasteners which are located on the outer cover on the laterally opposed side edges of the back waist region of the absorbent artide. The primary fasteners are configured to releasably engage an outer surface of the absorbent article in the front waist region of the absorbent article. The article further
Curtin Jeffrey B.
Dudkowski Alyssa A.
Kidwell Michele
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Weiss John G.
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