Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Utility Patent
1993-12-15
2001-01-02
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S358000
Utility Patent
active
06168585
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to disposable absorbent garments. More particularly, the invention pertains to a child's disposable training pant having a full outer cover and an elastically suspended absorbent assembly. The invention also pertains to a method of making a three-dimensional absorbent garment.
The use of disposable absorbent training pants during the period when a child is toilet training has become increasingly popular. The parent or parents will generally undertake toilet training when the child reaches an age in the range of about 15 to 30 months. The aim is for the child to become independent of the parent or caretaker in using the toilet.
Training pants represent an intermediate stage for a child between having diapers applied and using underpants by himself or herself. As such, it is important for training pants to be three-dimensional articles like underpants, rather than two-dimensional articles like disposable diapers. A suitable disposable training pant, therefore, is an article having closed sides and defining waist and leg openings. Hopefully, the child will raise and lower the pant whenever necessary without requiring the aid of a parent. To wear the training pant, the child places his or her feet in the waist and respective leg openings and pulls the pant upwardly along the legs to raise the pant to the crotch. This is significantly different from the way a two-dimensional diaper is secured to child.
Despite the child's best efforts, though, it is highly probable that the child will, on occasion, void while wearing the training pant. Accordingly, the training pant must absorb and contain body waste. Training pants have heretofore been formed primarily as composite structures of which an absorbent core is merely a component. Unfortunately, forces affecting the position of the outer cover in such composite structures also tend to affect the position of the absorbent core. This can impact absorbency and containment characteristics, particularly when considering the typical activity level of a child at the age of toilet training.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, there is a need to provide an improved child's training pant that minimizes the transferral of exterior forces from the outer cover to the absorbent core. In response to this need, a new absorbent garment and method of making an absorbent garment have been discovered. An absorbent garment according to the invention includes an outer cover defining opposite waist regions, and an absorbent assembly having a longitudinal axis and opposite longitudinally spaced ends. The absorbent assembly comprises an absorbent core and a moisture barrier. A tummy band of the garment is formed of an elastic material capable of stretching in first and second substantially perpendicular directions and is operatively joined to the outer cover adjacent at least a portion of one of the waist regions. The tummy band elastically connects one end of the absorbent assembly and the outer cover, in a manner such that the first direction is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the absorbent assembly.
This aspect of the invention provides an absorbent garment that minimizes transference of forces from the outer cover to the absorbent assembly. The tummy band, being stretchable in at least two directions, allows the outer cover to move substantially independently of the absorbent assembly. As a result, the absorbent structure can remain snugly in place and resist movement in response to movements of the outer cover. This is particularly significant with relatively thin absorbent assemblies which tend to be readily influenced by movements of the outer cover. In particular embodiments of the invention, the absorbent core has a bulk thickness of not more than about 0.6 centimeter.
In another aspect of the invention, a three-dimensional absorbent garment includes a full outer cover. The full outer cover has opposite inner and outer surfaces and defines a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. A tummy band formed of an elastic material is operatively joined to the outer cover adjacent at least a portion of the waist opening. An absorbent assembly of the garment has a longitudinal axis, opposite longitudinally spaced ends, and side edges extending between the ends. The absorbent assembly includes a liquid permeable liner, a liquid impermeable moisture barrier attached to the liner, and an absorbent core sandwiched between the liner and moisture barrier. One or more suspension members, each formed of an elastic material, elastically connect the ends of the absorbent assembly and the inner surface of the outer cover. Each suspension member is extendable in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the absorbent assembly. This aspect provides the same benefits described above, but does not require the use of an elastic material that can stretch in two substantially perpendicular directions.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of making a three-dimensional absorbent garment. The method includes: supplying an outer cover having opposite longitudinally spaced waist regions and opposite side panels extending between the waist regions; elasticizing at least a portion of one waist region; supplying an absorbent assembly having a longitudinal axis and opposite longitudinally spaced ends, the absorbent assembly comprising an absorbent core and a moisture barrier; elastically connecting one end of the absorbent assembly and a waist region of the outer cover, the elastic connection being extendable in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the absorbent assembly; and bonding portions of each side panel together to define a waist opening and a pair of leg openings.
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Gage Thomas M.
Kimberely-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Ruhl Dennis
Weiss John G.
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