Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-11
2001-03-06
Nguyen, A. T. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06197012
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to disposable garments such as disposable training pants or disposable shorts for incontinent patients and more particularly to such disposable garments including lateral waist regions being elastic circumferentially of the garments.
BACKGROUND ART
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,753 discloses a disposable diaper of shorts type provided with side panels which are elastic circumferentially of the diaper. Each of these side panels comprises an elastic woven or nonwoven fabric, a film of elastic material, stretch-bonded laminate which is elastically stretchable and air/liquid-permeable, or the like. “Stretch-bonding” is a technique adopted to bond an elastic member under a tension to a sheet member under no tension. With the laminate obtained by this technique, the sheet member forms gathers as the elastic member contracts after bonded.
With the above-mentioned disposable diaper of prior art, the side panels, i.e., the lateral waist regions may be formed by a breathable woven or nonwoven fabric. However, it is generally difficult to make the lateral waist regions effectively elastic so far as the lateral waist regions are formed by the breathable woven or nonwoven fabric alone. To achieve this, the woven or nonwoven fabric must be made of relatively expensive elastic yarn. Obviously, this is not practical from the viewpoint of a hot competitive pricing in the industry. Certainly, it is possible to provide the lateral waist regions with a high elasticity at a relatively low cost by adopting the well known stretched laminate of woven or nonwoven fabric. However, the diaper obtained in this way will suffer from deterioration of feeling to wear the garment due to many gathers formed in the lateral waist regions which give a wearer uncomfortable rough touch. Additionally, the gathers cause the laminate to be densely folded and consequently deteriorate an expected breathability between in- and exterior of the diaper through the laminate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the problem as has been described above, it is an object object of the invention to provide disposable garment having its lateral waist regions improved in elasticity as well as breathability.
According to the invention, there is provided a disposable garment comprising a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these two sheets and having a front waist region, a rear waist region and transversely opposite lateral waist regions extending between the front and rear waist regions, each of the lateral waist regions at least partially comprises breathable nonwoven fabrics being extendible circumferentially of the garment but normally under no tension and a plural lines of elastic material applied on the nonwoven fabrics, the lines of elastic material being elastically stretchable circumferentially of the garment and continuously extending circumferentially of the garment in parallel one to another, wherein the elastic material is applied to the nonwoven fabrics with no tension.
Each of the lateral waist regions can comprise a pair of extendible and breathable nonwoven fabrics placed one upon another and adhesive by means of which respective inner surfaces of the nonwoven fabrics, wherein the elastic material is used as this adhesive.
The elastic material can comprise a residual strain less than 15% as measured after the elastic material has been stretched by 50% and the nonwoven fabrics are extendible in response to the elastic material being stretched.
The nonwoven fabrics can exhibit a residual strain less than 50% as measured after the of nonwoven fabrics have been stretched by 50%.
The elastic material can be applied on the nonwoven fabric so as to define a plurality of stripes extending circumferentially of the garment.
The elastic material can be applied on the nonwoven fabrics so as to define spirals each extending circumferentially of the garment.
The lateral waist regions can comprise wings extending outward from at least one of front and rear waist regions in a disposable diaper of open type.
The lateral waist regions can comprise the corresponding lateral waist regions in a disposable diaper of shorts type.
As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the disposable garment according to the invention includes the lateral waist regions each comprising the extendible and breathable nonwoven fabric applied under no tension with the elastic adhesive material which is also under no tension. Accordingly, the lateral waist regions are stretched as the garment is put on a wearer's body. Consequently, the initial fibers interstices of the nonwoven fabric are enlarged and the breathability of the lateral waist regions are improved as the lateral waist regions are stretched. In addition, no significant gathers are formed even after the lateral waist regions have been released from the stretching force. Thus, any apprehension that a feeling to wear the garment might be deteriorated by the gathers or traces of these gathers which might be left on wearer's skin can be simultaneously eliminated. In this manner, the garment according to the invention is particularly suitable as a diaper for baby having delicate and sensitive skin.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4938753 (1990-07-01), Van Gompel et al.
patent: 5383988 (1995-01-01), Herrmann et al.
patent: 5980500 (1999-11-01), Shimizu et al.
Kido Tsutomu
Mishima Yoshitaka
Baker & Daniels
Nguyen A. T.
Uni-Charm Corporation
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