HUT77399A - Absorbent article having inflected barrier cuffs - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, incontinence pads, absorbent undergarments, feminine sanitary pads, more particularly absorbent articles with side wings that fold upon the wearer and thereby provide closure cuffs closing properties and fit.

Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and incontinence pads or underwear have the most important function of absorbing and retaining excreted materials. These articles are thus intended to prevent contamination, wetting, or other damage to clothing or other materials such as bedding that come into contact with the wearer. Such products are most unlikely to be absorbed by leakage of substances from the body into the gaps between the pad and the wearer's leg or waist because they are not immediately absorbed by the absorbent article and the absorbent article cannot fit well with the wearer, so that gaps are formed that allow body fluids to leak from the absorbent article. For example, urine settles on the topsheet faster than it could absorb and therefore penetrates into the gaps of the absorbent article where it comes into contact with clothing or other objects and is absorbed by these materials. In addition, faecal material that is not readily absorbed by the absorbent article tends to "float on the fluid receiving surface and find its way through the gaps between the wearer's feet and waist."

The current disposable diaper has a topsheet, backsheet, absorbent core, and elasticated foot straps enclosed in a continuous topsheet and backsheet that extend beyond the edges of the absorbent core. These elasticated leg straps are generally effective in preventing or leaking liquid from a fluid-filled diaper into clothing that contacts its edges. The elasticated leg straps provide a liquid impermeable barrier between the diaper edge and the clothing in contact therewith, providing sealing around the wearer's legs and minimizing gap formation. However, leaks can still occur along the perimeter of the diaper. As the diaper is worn for an extended period of time, the diaper is subjected to forces that reduce its fit on the wearer. Large gaps are formed and sagging around the diaper leg and waist due to loss of fit. Thus, when liquid is deposited on the topsheet, a portion of it is not immediately absorbed through the topsheet and leaks toward the edges of the diaper, where it can leak or penetrate through the slits of the diaper, and absorb and absorb into the garment or underwear. .

Disposable diapers must be fitted with straps (cuffs) to prevent the wearer's clothing from being contaminated with faeces or urine or liquid jets. The cuff barriers prevent the free flow of such material and provide a structure that holds such material in the diaper so that it floats or flows freely on the topsheet and remains in the diaper. Although such structures are effective in holding such material, it has been found that it can leak through the straps and contaminate the wearer's clothing, since the diaper construction does not facilitate a durable fit to the wearer. In addition, it is possible that the strap barrier is not well placed on the wearer, so that there is no good initial fit, and long-term fit is often worse.

Some examples of disposable diapers and absorbent articles are described in the following patents:

United States Patent No. Re 26,151, originally re-enacted on January 31, 1967, discloses a disposable diaper having inwardly folded side wings and fasteners having inwardly folded edges of the side wings on the surface of the diaper absorbent pad. recorded.

U.S. Patent 3,860,003 discloses shrinkable side portions for disposable diapers. Such diapers have outwardly projecting wings and elastic members which form seals around the leg.

U.S. Patent No. 4,490,148 describes an incontinence pad or diaper having inwardly folded flaps that are attached to the backsheet at their ends and have elasticized free edges. This patent follows the

U.S. Patent No. 180,335, provided that the side wings are not attached to the step pad portion. The foregoing patent locates the attachment points at the ends of the side wings, behind the waist-fold edges of the absorbent core, and secures them to the underside of the backsheet.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,860 discloses a detachable two-part absorbent article having a disposable member having inwardly bent side wings (Figure 2). The disposable member is temporarily secured to a re-attachable waistband that holds the disposable diaper to the wearer's waist.

U.S. Patent No. 5,087,255 discloses an absorbent article having an inwardly curved ankle strap for improved waist support and fit. Although this absorbent article was effective, its manufacture is not economical. The ankle barrier is manufactured separately from the absorbent core, backsheet, and topsheet, and, as part of the manufacturing process, is affixed to and attached to the topsheet.

• ·. ·· • · · I ·· • · · · · · ♦ ·.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having an improved folded diaper according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,255 and a two-piece diaper according to U.S. Patent No. 4,964,860. it has storage properties, but it is much more appropriate and efficient to produce.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a diaper having an inwardly curved strap barrier to prevent leakage of body fluids.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article which is easy to dispose of to the wearer and provides improved storage by being less sensitive to shipping variants and providing improved durability.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention provides absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, incontinence pads, diaper mounts, training pants, women's sanitary napkins and the like, which have inverted straps that improve the fit and storage characteristics of the absorbent article in a more appropriate and economical manner. can be manufactured and used in a more appropriate way than products currently available on the market. The absorbent article of the present invention has a frontal waistband; a dorsal waist; part of a step pad; a liquid-permeable topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet associated with the topsheet; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a pair of longitudinal side flaps formed by projections of the topsheet, the backsheet, or both. Each of the side wings has a distal and proximal edge and extends from the front waist portion longitudinally through the crotch portion to the backside waist portion. The side wings further comprise a spacer device disposed adjacent the distal edge of each side panel in the step insert portion.

The side wings are folded inward on the front waist and outward on the back waist. Thus, when they are fitted to the wearer, the side wings are folded inwardly along their entire length. These side wings are comfortably sealed in the configuration of the wearer's tail in the "no-movement zone" of the foot pad. The "bent strap barrier" thus bent provides a better fit and storage characteristics throughout the wearer's walking area of the foot pad.

Brief description of the drawings:

Although the description will be closed by the claims which specifically describe the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which the same terms are used to designate like elements.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a disposable diaper according to the present invention in which excavations are used to indicate the underlying structural members. The body side of the diaper is facing the viewer.

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of an alternative absorbent article embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5a is a partial sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5b is a partially sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating another absorbent article of the present invention in which the wings are folded into the undergarment portion of the undergarment, with the body side of the diaper facing the viewer.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another diaper of the present invention having a waist portion at the back;

- 9 wing flaps where the body side of the diaper is facing the viewer.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the undergarment of Fig. 1, with the wings folded for packaging.

Figure 10a is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a diaper according to the present invention.

Figure 10b is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a diaper of the present invention with a reusable strap.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a strap according to the present invention having a fastening system on the backside of the front blade. In the drawing, the body side of the diaper is facing the viewer.

Detailed Description of the Invention:

The term "absorbent article" refers to articles which absorb and contain excreted substances, more particularly articles placed on or near the body of the wearer to absorb and retain the excreted substances. Absorbent articles are distinguished according to whether they are reusable or disposable. “Disposable terms mean that they are disposable after use (that is, there is no intention to wash them out or otherwise regenerate and reuse them). THE

Preferably, the absorbent articles of the present invention are disposable absorbent articles. Further, absorbent articles may be defined as being "uniform, i.e., not requiring separate actuating components or containing a diaper system member such as a separate support or liner. The disposable absorbent articles of the present invention are preferably uniform. The disposable absorbent article of the present invention, diaper 20, is shown in Figure 1. "The term" diaper "generally refers to the underwear worn by children and helpless persons on the lower part of their bodies. However, it should be understood that the present invention also relates to other disposable absorbent articles, such as incontinence pads, absorbent pads, disposable training pants, waist diapers, diapers, sanitary napkins, and the like.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the diaper 20 of the present invention, in its extended, non-contracted state (i.e., not including shrinkable elastic members), with portions cut away to more clearly show the structure of the diaper 20, wherein the diaper 20 side is facing the viewer. The diaper shown in FIG. 1 has a body-facing side 40 (facing the viewer), an undergarment 41 facing the body-facing surface 40, a front waist portion 22, a backside waist portion 24, and a crotch portion 26. and a circumference defined by the outer edges of the diaper 20, which

- Out of 11 longitudinal edges are marked with 30 and the end edges are marked with 32. The waistband consists of the parts of the diaper that surround the wearer's waist during wear. The waist portions may comprise a resilient member that extends around the wearer's waist. The step pad portion 26 is that portion of the diaper 20 which is located between the front waist portion 22 and the backside waist portion 24 and includes a portion which, during wear, is located between the wearer's legs and covers the wearer's lower body. The diaper 20 also has a transverse centerline 34 and a longitudinal centerline 36.

The diaper 20 comprises a liquid-permeable topsheet 38; a liquid impervious backsheet 42 having an inner surface 23 (see Figures 2-4) and an opposite outer surface 28; An absorbent core having a side marked 50 and a waist marked 52; 62 wings, each having a proximal edge 64 proximal to the center of the body, a distal edge 66 distal to the center of the body, 72 having a first end and 74 having a second end; spacer means 76 for resilient distal edge 66 from body surface 40 as elastic members 77 to maintain at least a portion of distal edge 66 from body surface 40; and a closure member 78 for attaching at least a portion of the distal edge 66 to the front waist portion 22 of the proximal edge.

12 In a preferred embodiment of the diaper 20, wherein the backsheet 42 generally has a length and width greater than the absorbent core 44, the backsheet 42 extends beyond the edges of the absorbent core 44 to thereby form the periphery of the diaper 20, or in other words, the diaper 20. edges. The circumference includes the longitudinal edges 20 and the end edges 32. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the topsheet 38 may have the same length as the backsheet 42 along the end edges 32 and longitudinal edges 30 of the diaper 20.

Preferably, the proximal edge 64 of the flap 62 defines the longitudinal edge 30 of the diaper 20 on the front waist 22 and is preferably a projection of the topsheet 38 or the backsheet 42 or both. The distal edge 66 of each wing 62 defines the longitudinal edge 30 of the diaper 20 at the backside 24. Preferably, the distal edge 66 is not secured to any of the lower end portions of the diaper 20 at the crotch portion 26 or the backside 24, but the distal edge 66 is preferably secured to the lower end structure of the diaper 20 (topsheet 38) at the proximal edge 64 inside by means of the closure 78, which is preferably an adhesive. (The term "inside" here refers to the direction toward the longitudinal centerline 36 of the diaper 20). Therefore, the distal edge 66 at the waist 22 is closed (i.e., not open, i.e., it cannot move away from the body surface 40).

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Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a preferred embodiment of the wing 62, showing the topsheet 38, the backsheet 42, the absorbent core 44 and the spacer 76. The absorbent core 44 is disposed between the topsheet 38 and the backsheet 42. The topsheet 38 and the backsheet 42 extend beyond the side edge 50 of the absorbent core 44 to form the side flap 62. In the illustrated embodiment, the topsheet 38 is secured to the backsheet 42 by an adhesive layer 35 along its distal edge 66. Preferably, an adhesive layer 37 is used to secure the absorbent core 44 to the backsheet as described below. The spacer 76, like a plurality of elastic members 77, is disposed on the distal edge 66 of each wing 62. Preferably, the elastic members 77 are connected to the diaper 20 by an elastic member 86. The distal edge 66 is thus held away from the body surface 40 of the topsheet 38 by an elastic action of the elastic members 77; Thus, a channel 88 is provided between the proximal edge 64 and the distal edge 66.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and a preferred embodiment of the side wings 62 on the front waist 22. The topsheet 38 and the backsheet 42 extend beyond the side edge 50 of the absorbent core 44 to form the side flaps 62. As shown in Fig. 3, the backsheet 38 is folded back onto itself and secured by the closure member 78. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer surface 28 of the backsheet 42 is adjacent to the skin of the wearer when taken on.

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Therefore, there is a need for designs in which the outer surface 28 is formed from or covered with a textile or textile-like material which is a skin-friendly surface for the wearer's skin.

The absorbent core 44 may be a generally compressible, malleable, non-irritating material capable of absorbing and retaining fluids and certain excreted materials. The absorbent core 44 can be manufactured in a variety of sizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular, watch glass, asymmetrical) and of a variety of materials commonly used to make disposable diapers and other absorbent articles, such as shredded wood pulp, commonly referred to as airfelt. Other suitable absorbent materials include, for example, creped cellulose wadding, absorbent foams, absorbent sponges, superabsorbent polymers, absorbent gelling materials, and other equivalent materials or combinations of materials. However, the total absorbent capacity of absorbent core 44 should be compatible with and the purpose of using the diaper 20. Further, the absorption capacity and configuration of the absorbent core 44 may be varied according to whether the wearer, child or adult is wearable (e.g., variable size or hydrophilic gradient, capillary differential, low density zone, may or may not include absorbent gelling agents).

The absorbent core 44 may comprise a layer of absorbent material comprising hydrophilic fibers and a gelling absorbent material (hydrogel) as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,610,678, which is incorporated herein by reference. Preferred embodiments of the absorbent core 44 are generally described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,234,423 and 5,217,445. Other absorbent cores useful in the present invention are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,124,188 and 5,137,537, 5,180,622, 5,260,345,

U.S. Patent No. 673,402; and International Patent Application Publication No. WO 92/11830. All of these patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference.

The backsheet 42 is positioned adjacent to the absorbent core 44 on a surface opposite to the wearer's body, and is secured to the core by means of a fastening means 37 as is well known in the art. For example, the backsheet 42 may be attached to the absorbent core 44 by a continuous layer of adhesive, a patterned layer of adhesive, or separate strips or spots of adhesive. Suitable adhesive is found in Η. B. Fuller Company, St. Paul, Minn. and is marketed as HL-1258. The core bonding device consists of a mesh pattern of adhesive fibers as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,573,986, which is incorporated herein by reference. One ···

16 other such mesh-pattern adhesives consist, for example, of a spiral adhesive, having a pattern that can be produced by the apparatus and methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,911,173, 4,785,995, and 4,842,666. All of these patents are herein incorporated by reference. Alternatively, the fasteners may be welded joints, extruded joints, ultrasonic joints, dynamic mechanical joints, or any other suitable joining method known in the art, or a combination thereof.

The backsheet 42 is made of a liquid impermeable and preferably thin plastic film, although other flexible fluid impermeable materials may be used. The backsheet 42 prevents material that has been absorbed by and stored in the absorbent core 44 from wetting objects that contact the diaper 20, such as bedding or underwear. Further, the backsheet 42 may also prevent vapors from being released from the absorbent core 44 while also preventing the emptying material from penetrating the backsheet 42. Thus, the backsheet 42 may be a woven or nonwoven material, a polymeric film such as a thermoplastic material such as a polyethylene or polypropylene film or a composite material, herein a film-coated nonwoven material. Alternatively, the backsheet 42 may comprise a laminate consisting of a nonwoven layer and a polymeric film, including embodiments in which the nonwoven layer extends beyond the dimensions of the polymeric film. An example of such a backsheet 42 is

- 17 ·; i ”: * ··:. ··. ·« • · ·. · * · «« ♦ ·· .. · · · · polyethylene film, about 0.012-0.51 mm thick. “By flexible term we mean materials that are easily formed and easily fit into the shape and contours of the human body. A suitable polyethylene film is manufactured under the tradename Tredegar X8526 by Tredegar Film Products, Inc., Terre Haute, IN. company. The backsheet 42 is preferably embossed and / or matted to provide a textile-like appearance.

The topsheet 38 provides a well-formed, soft feel and does not irritate the wearer's skin. Furthermore, the topsheet 38 is liquid-permeable, allowing the liquids to flow throughout their thickness. Suitable topsheets can be made of a variety of materials such as porous foams, corrugated foams, formed films, perforated plastic films, natural fibers (e.g., wood and cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (e.g., polyester or polypropylene fibers) or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. A number of manufacturing methods are available for manufacturing the topsheet 38. For example, topsheet 38 may be woven, nonwoven, braided, carded, or the like. A preferred topsheet 38 is made of 2.2 denier cut polypropylene fiber, such as P-8, manufactured by Veratec, Inc., a subsidiary of International Paper Company, Walpole, Massachusetts. “The term" cut fibers "is used to mean fibers at least 15,9 mm long. Preferred topsheet 38 comprises carded and thermally bonded fibers well known in the art.

In a preferred embodiment, the topsheet 38 is made of a hydrophobic material to isolate the wearer's skin from the fluid in the absorbent core 44. In the case where the topsheet 38 is made of a hydrophobic material, at least its upper surface is treated to be hydrophilic so that liquids can penetrate rapidly therethrough. This reduces the likelihood that the body excreted material will drain from the topsheet 38, rather than seep through it and be absorbed into the absorbent core 44. The topsheet 38 may be made hydrophilic by treatment with a surfactant, such as by spraying or immersing in a surfactant. This treatment is discussed in more detail in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,988,344 and 4,988,345, which are incorporated herein by reference.

The topsheet 38 and the backsheet 42 may be joined in any suitable manner as is well known in the diaper industry. "Tethered herein is intended to mean configurations wherein the topsheet 38 is directly associated with the backsheet 42 by attaching them, or configurations wherein the topsheet 38 is indirectly secured to the backsheet 42 by attaching the topsheet 38 to intermediate members, which are then attached to the backsheet 42. In a preferred embodiment, the topsheet 38 and the backsheet 42 are directly bonded to one another along the circumference of the diaper by means of the fastening means 35 as adhesive or any other material known in the art.

using other fasteners. Suitable fasteners have been discussed above in connection with the backsheet 42.

The diaper 20 further includes a pair of side wings 62 which provide a structure that prevents the free flow of exudates from the body surface side 40 of the diaper 20 and retains and stores these exudates in the diaper 20. In a preferred embodiment, the flaps 62 are impermeable to liquids. Thus, on the front waist 22, where the flaps 62 are folded over the body surface 48 of the absorbent core 44, the flaps 62 prevent the fluid deposited on the topsheet 38 from migrating behind the absorbent core 44. This helps to ensure that the liquid that is not immediately absorbed by the absorbent core 44 is absorbed before migrating to areas where it may leak from the diaper 20. The step pad 26 partially extends the side wings 62 upwardly within the wearer's' non-moving zone and forms a liquid impervious strap barrier which fits within the wearer's body, thereby ensuring that the body's excreted material is retained even when the diaper 20 is full. On the backside of the backside 24, the side wings 62 provide a seal around the wearer's tail, which helps to prevent the formation of gaps that can lead to leakage.

Each wing 62 is a flexible member having a proximal edge 64 and a distal edge 66. The distal edge 66 of the flap 62 is the portion of the flap 62 that forms the absorbent 44

- located laterally from core 20 when flap 62 is flat (before folding flap 62 and securing to flap 38 on front 22). Preferably, the distal edge 66 of each wing 62 is not secured to any of the lower members of the diaper 20 at least at the backside 24, but preferably neither at the backside 24 nor at the crotch portion 26. The distal edge 66 is preferably disposed at a certain distance from the body surface 40 in the crotch portion 26 such that the wing 62 can form a channel 88 (as shown in Figure 2) to improve the storage capacity of the diaper 20. As used herein, it is understood that there are embodiments where the distal edges 66 may assume one or more positions relative to the body surface 40, sometimes a position adjacent to the body surface 40. In a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the distal edge of each of the side wings 62 is disposed laterally within the prominent edge 64 of the front waist portion 22 to provide an even more effective barrier against the flow of effluent. The distal edges 66 are held on the front waist portion 22 by the first closure members 78 within the promix edges 64 to prevent them from turning.

The promixal edge 64 is that portion of the side flap 62 which is disposed adjacent the side edge 50 of the absorbent core 44. (If the side wings 62 are in a flat shape, then the wings of FIG

- 21 promixal edges disposed laterally inwardly of distal edge 66). The distal edge 66 is spaced apart from the promixal edge 64 and defines the true width of each of the side wings 62. The proximal edges 64 and the distal edges 66 may be in a parallel, non-parallel, orthogonal or curved relationship. In addition, each of the side wings 62 may have a plurality of cross-sectional surfaces of various shapes, such as circles, squares, rectangles, or any other shape. Preferably, the promixal edge 64 is arranged in a parallel or rectangular relationship to the distal edge 66. The true width of the side flaps 62 is an important parameter to reduce the leakage of excreted material from the diaper 20. If the true width of the flap is too small, gaps are formed between the wearer's foot and the distal edge 66 so that fluid may flow through the distal edge 66 into the circumference of the diaper 20.

As shown in Figure 1, the distal edges 66 are preferably spaced laterally at a certain distance on the front waist portion 22. However, the lateral distance between the distal edges 66 may vary depending on whether they are crossed, converging, or laterally spaced from each other as the promix edges on the front waist 22. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of Figure 1, the distal edges 66 are spaced from about 25 mm to about 150 mm.

- 22 may be laterally spaced. Preferably, the distal edges 66 are spaced apart so that the flank fits into the innermost leg of the wearer rather than sitting on the outside of the thigh.

It is also shown in Figure 1 that the distal edges 66 are arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the end edge 32 of the diaper 20 at the front 22. Although this is a preferred embodiment, the distal edges 66 may optionally be arranged such that they are angled, preferably angled, so that the distal edges 66 are not perpendicular to the end edges 32. Adjustment of the side wings 62 to the ends 32 can help to keep the wing 62 in use at a certain distance from the body surface 40 in the crotch portion 26 during use.

The distal edges 66 are preferably spaced sideways, preferably at a certain distance, to the step insert 26. The lateral distance of the distal edges 66 from one another, particularly in the pad 26, is important to prevent leakage of body material, particularly urine, from the diaper 20 along the wearer's legs. If the distal edges 66 are positioned too far apart in the lateral direction, then the side wings 62 tend to "pop out the pad 26" and urine may flow to the side wings 62. In case the distal edges 66 are too close together,

They then reduce the space available for the emptying material so that the emptying material can be deposited directly on the side wings 62 and flow to the edges of the diaper 20.

Preferably, the distal edge 66 of each of the side wings 62 is disposed laterally outwardly in the backside 24 of the diaper 20, each of the proximal edges 64 when the diaper 20 is in a flat, unstretched state. The term "outside" refers to the direction facing away from the longitudinal centerline 36 of the diaper 20 (i.e., the direction opposite to the expression inside). In this way, the flap 62 extends laterally outwardly on the backside 24 when the diaper 20 is in a flat, unstretched condition. The laterally extending portion of the flap 62 facilitates better storage, which is less sensitive to diaper pickup variants and provides a constant fit around the wearer's tail.

Because the distal edge 66 is disposed on the front waist portion 22 within the prominent edge 64 and the backside waist portion 24 outside the proximal edge 64, the distal edge 66 is inflated along its length when the diaper is applied to the wearer. This inflexion sets up the side wings 62 from a tight fit around the tail (lateral outward portion) in the "no-move zone" of the crotch portion 26 and thus provides better storage capacity. The resulting "inflated barrier strap is easier to put on the wearer and ensures that the 26-step pad part" movement

It fits better into its 24 zone and at least has a tight fit around the wearer's tail at least on the backside 24.

It has been found that the inflated barrier strap, on the one hand, exerts a sealing action around the wearer's tail, thereby providing a tight fit that reduces leakage of excreted material, particularly viscous mucus, and provides a raised barrier strap for the 26 in the front waist, which collects, stores, and retains body excreted material in the diaper along channel 88. However, it has been found that if the flap 62 is flung too far toward the front waist 22 along the length of the flap 62, the evacuated body fluids tend to overflow the flaps 62. Thus, it is preferable that the inflated barrier straps provide a sealing effect around the wearer's tail during use to closely fit at a distance of less than about 50% of the length of the diaper 20 (i.e., the exposed portion of the barrier straps is located here), more preferably less than about 40% of its length, most preferably only on the backside 24. (Percentage length of the flap is defined as the length of the diaper that the flap is flattened divided by the total length of the diaper multiplied by 100). In this way, the uppermost part of the wing (the distal edge 66 is located within the proximal edge 64) has at least about 50 of the diaper length during use.

25%, preferably at least 60%, most preferably from the front 22 to the crotch 26 and thereabouts.

The flap portion of the flap 62 may be held in less than about 50% of the length of the diaper 20 in a variety of different ways. For example, closure 78 may be elongated longitudinally to ensure that the snap portion comprises less than about 50% of the length of the diaper 20. Alternatively, in the diaphragm portion 26 of the diaper 20, a diaphragm anchorage member 100 may be provided to secure the distal edge 66 within the proximal edge 64, as shown in FIG.

The step insert fastener 100 may be any fastener known in the art, including the closure 78 described below that holds the distal edges 66 within the longitudinal edges 30 of the front waist 22. The padding member 100 may also be released so that the person using the diaper 66 may partially or fully expose the distal edge 66 of the pad 26 to provide the desired fit.

The closure 78 for securing the first end 72 of the side wings 62 is shown in Figure 1. The closure 78 provides a more comfortable fit for the wearer and puts the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62 in the proper position to form an inwardly curved bar. In a preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG

The closure 26 is disposed on the waist portion 22. Preferably, the remaining portions of the distal edges 66 are not secured to the lower structure of the diaper 20 so that the distal edges 66 may open freely. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the closure 78 is about 25-100 mm, preferably about 35-75 mm. This design is advantageous in order to provide a close fit to the wearer's tail and thus prevent faecal leakage.

While each of the closures 78 may be any fastening device known in the art, such as ultrasonic bonding, heat / pressure pulse bonding, or adhesive, the closure member is preferably an adhesive such as Η. B. Fuller Company, St. Paul, Minn. adhesive marketed by the company as HL-1258.

As shown in Figure 1, the spacers 76 preferably comprise elastic members 77 operatively associated with each of the flaps 62 at the distal edge 66. Preferably, the elastic members 77 are secured to the flaps 62 in a resiliently contractable condition such that, in normal, unsupervised condition, the elastic members 77 effectively contract the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62. The elastic members 77 can be secured to the flaps 62 in at least two ways, as discussed in U.S. Patent 3,860,003, which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the length of the elastic member 77

···· is usually determined by the diaper design. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the elastic member 77 extends substantially across the entire length of the flaps 62 to the step insert 26, but other lengths are contemplated. Preferably, the elastic members 77 are not located on the front waist portion 22. The fact that the distal edge 66 cannot fold at the ends 32 helps to reduce the forces that pull the diaper 20 down, causing the diaper 20 to sag and form gaps at the waist.

As shown in Fig. 2, the elastic member 77 is operatively associated with the side wings 62 by securing them to the side wings 62 with elastic fasteners 86. The elastic fastener 86 must be flexible and sufficiently adhesive to hold the elastic member 77 in an extended position. Although the elastic member 77 may be attached to its flaps 62 only at its ends, it is preferred that it be secured to its flaps 62 along its entire length. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the absorbent article comprises ear flaps 54 (shown in FIG. 8), the elastic members 77 may be attached to the flaps 54 at the backside of the backside 24. Here, the attachment device 86 is preferably hot-melt adhesive beads (Type 581 from Findley Adhesive, manufactured by Findley Adhesives, Incorporated, Elmgrove, Wisconsin), although the elastic members 77 can be attached to the side members 62 in any number of ways known in the art.

- 28 ···· neck. Thus, for example, the elastic members 77 may be secured to, or simply glued to, the wing flaps by ultrasonic, thermal / pressure pulses, according to various bonding patterns. The method of attaching the elastic members to the flaps 62 is described in more detail in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,081,301 and 4,253,461, which are incorporated herein by reference. It should be noted that one or more elastic members 77 may be used to make each wing 62 elastic, preferably three such members.

suitable as an elastic member is an elastic cord made of natural rubber having a cross section of 0.18 x 1.5 mm, such as the L-1900 Rubber Compound, a trademark of Easthampton Rubber Company, Stewart, Virginia. Other suitable elastic members 77 are the Fulflex Company, Middletown, Rhode Island made of natural rubber under the trademark Fulflex 9411. The elastic member 77 may also consist of a heat-shrinkable material well known in the art. Other well-known materials suitable for this purpose include elastomeric films, polyurethane films, Lycra, elastomeric adhesives, elastomeric foams and molded elastic lining. The elastic members 77 may have a variety of shapes. For example, the width of the elastic members 77 can be varied; they may consist of one or more strips of elastic or non-parallel elastic material; they may be square or curved in cross-section.

• · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

- 29 The spacers 76 may optionally include a number of other elements. Each of the side wings 62 may, for example, be provided with stiffening means disposed therein or thereon. The stiffening device must be sufficiently rigid so that the distal edge 66 is spaced a certain distance from the body surface side 40. Suitable materials for stiffening devices include, but are not limited to, foams, non-woven fabrics, tail wadding, polyethylene film, formed films, scattered adhesives, foamed elastomers, polyester, polyurethane.

The spacers 76 may also include means for shortening the distal edge 66 relative to the diaper 20 edge length. The distal edge 66 can be shortened by making a fold or a crease therein. This fold or wrinkle may be fixed by means well known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as adhesives or heat. Alternatively, a portion of the distal edge 66 may be cut out and the resulting edges may be joined by a blunt or overlapping connection. The distal edge 66 may also be shortened by associating the distal edge 66 with a certain length in a position different from that in which it would lie when the diaper 20 is in a flat configuration. Other abbreviations are known in the art.

The method by which the diaper 20 is worn to the wearer will depend on the embodiment used. The preferred methods used in the various embodiments are described below.

- 30 le. However, the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62 are in each case pulled outward, sideways so that the distal edges 66 are disposed outside the proximal edges 64 of the backside 26. This provides a sealing configuration around the wearer's tail. The distal edges 66 of the side wings 62 remain within the longitudinal edges 30 of the front waist 22. Thus, the side wings 62 are folded inward to form barrier straps which are raised in the "motionless zone" of the step pad portion 26.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention on the front waist 22. In this embodiment, the topsheet 38 folds between the side edges 50 of the absorbent core 44. At least a portion of the topsheet 38 extends between the backsheet 42 and the underwear side 4 6 of the absorbent core 44. Preferably, the topsheet 38 and the absorbent core 44 are bonded to one another by a layer of adhesive 37 or other method known in the art. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the backsheet 42 includes a longitudinal rim surrounding the elastic members 77. Preferably, the flange 33 is formed by screwing a portion of the backsheet 42 between the elastic members 77 and securing the backsheet 42 to one of the elastic members 77 by means of an adhesive strip 35. Preferably, the backsheet 42 is twisted between the elastic members 77 so that the inner surface 23 of the backsheet 42 touches the elastic members 77 and the adhesive strip 35. This configuration helps its mega-

In order to expose any liquid deposited on the inner surface 23 of the backsheet 42 to the distal edge 66 of the flaps 62 on the backside 24 and the crotch portion 26. However, this embodiment is less desirable than other embodiments because only one fold (fold) is present in the side wings 62. During wear, the side wings 62 are subjected to strong stresses. Depending on the material of the backsheet 42, the wings of a single fold (fold) may not be strong enough for active wearers.

Figure 5a illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the topsheet 38 has lateral projections 21a that wrap around the backsheet 42 and are secured to the outer surface of the backsheet 42 by an adhesive strip 39 or other bond (bonded by pressure, heat pulse, ultrasonic welding, etc.). This embodiment is particularly suitable if the backsheet 42 is formed of a plastic film. Since most wearers do not like plastic contact with their skin, the backsheet 42 is covered by a projection 21a of the topsheet 38, which is typically made of a nonwoven fabric, and has a textile-like effect on the body surface 40 of the folded flaps 62. skin. (A particularly suitable material for the backsheet 42 is a nonwoven textile material lined with a polymeric film, but may consist of a woven or nonwoven fabric, a polymeric film, a polyethylene or polypropylene thermoplastic plastic material or a composite material such as a film-coated nonwoven material).

. · ·· «· 99

32 Another suitable side flap construct 62 is provided with a backsheet 42 which is a nonwoven textile polymeric film laminate, wherein the nonwoven fabric extends beyond the dimensions of the polymeric film to form the side flaps 62.

Fig. 5b is a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the topsheet 38 has lateral projections 21b comprising discrete members associated with the topsheet 38. The side projections 21b wrap around the backsheet 42 and are connected to the outer surface 28 of the backsheet 42 by means of adhesive strips 39 or other fastenings (e.g., pressure, heat pulse, ultrasound, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, the side projections 21b are made of a hydrophobic nonwoven material and thus prevent the liquid deposited on the topsheet 38 from being absorbed behind the liquid impervious backsheet 42. The lateral projections 21b may be attached to the topsheet 38 by any method known in the art, such as adhesive or dynamic mechanical bonding, as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,919,783, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the backsheet 42 has a portion 25 which is folded around the elastic members 77 and forms a longitudinal edge 33. Preferably, the skirt 38 is formed by folding a portion of the backsheet 42 around the elastic members 77 and securing the backsheet 42 to itself by a 35

- 33 strips of adhesive. Preferably, the backsheet 42 is wrapped around the elastic members 77 so that the inner surface 23 of the backsheet 42 is in contact with the elastic members 77 and the adhesive strip 35. This configuration helps to prevent any liquid that may be deposited on the inner surface 23 of the backsheet 42 from the backside 24 of the backside and the step 26 from partially behind the distal edges of the flaps 62. Preferably, the topsheet 38 is secured to the outer surface 28 of the portion of the backsheet 42 by an adhesive layer 39 or other suitable fastening which wraps the elastic members 77. In this configuration, the topsheet 38 contacts the wearer's skin at least on the backside 24.

Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention having tabs 54 extending laterally outwardly from the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62 on the backside 24. The flaps 54 form a structure that surrounds the waist portion of the front 22 and the backside 24 of the wearer. Each flap 54 has a proximal edge 51 and a distal edge 53. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the flaps 54 is secured to each flap 62. The proximal edge 51 of the flap 54 is preferably secured to the distal edge 66 of the flap 62. The proximal edge 51 of the flap 54 is secured to the undergarment surface 41 of the backsheet 42 or to the body surface 40 of the topsheet 38 or between the topsheet 38 and the backsheet 42. The ear wings are known in the art

34 can be attached to the side wings 62; For example, the flaps 54 may be continuously or intermittently secured to the flaps 62 by heated or unheated adhesive, heat pulse, pressure, ultrasonic welding, dynamic mechanical bonding or any other fastening method known in the art.

The flaps 54 may have a variety of sizes, shapes, configurations and materials. In a preferred embodiment shown in Figure 9, the flaps may have a rectangular shape and have a lateral dimension of about 5.1 to about 20.3 mm; wherein the dimensions are measured such that the flaps 54 are in a relaxed, unstretched position. Further, the flaps 54 may be made of a single, two or more pieces of material joined together.

Preferably, the flaps 54 are fastened to the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62 by means of fastening methods well known in the art (not shown). Suitably, each of the flaps 54 is secured to the flaps 62 by melt (e.g., ultrasonic, thermal or pressure pulse). Alternatively, the flaps 54 may be attached to the flaps 62 in a discontinuous or continuous manner using adhesive, dynamic mechanical bonding or any other method known in the art.

Preferably, the flaps 54 are extensible, at least laterally, and any suitable extensible, extensible, or • ♦ · ·

- Made of 35 elastomeric materials. (Here, "stretchable" refers to materials that can be enlarged in at least one direction. "Stretchable refers to materials that can be stretched under tensile force and exhibit elongation resistance." The term "elastomeric" refers to materials that are elongated at least one direction by force A material which is particularly suitable for making the flaps 54 has been found to be a laminate having a sandwich structure comprising an elastomeric film between two layers of textile .The fabric may be woven or nonwoven. non-woven fabric labeled P-8 from Veratec Inc. (a subsidiary of International Paper Company, Walpole, Mass.). The elastomeric film suitable for laminate formation is, for example, EXX-500 from Exxon Chemical Company, Laké Zürich IL Other materials used to make the 54 flaps include woven quilts; nonwoven quilts; films, including polymeric films; foams; laminates such as foil laminates, nonwoven laminates or zero stretch laminates; elastomers; elastomeric linings;

composites; elastic-like structured foil sheets; or other combinations of materials known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 discloses suitable zero-stretch laminates and pre-stretched stretch laminates for this purpose, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, the flaps 54 further comprise fasteners 56 disposed adjacent their distal edges 53. These can be any fastening material known in the art, such as mechanical fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, pressure sensitive adhesives and cohesive materials. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fastening members 56 are patch tapes. The patch tapes 54 may be of any known type, such as the adhesive patch tapes disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,848,594. Other examples of fastening systems, including mechanical fastening systems, are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,869,724, 4,848,815, and 5,242,436, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, the diaper embodiment of the present invention comprising the flaps 54 is administered to a person as follows. The flaps 54 are first folded out of their folded configuration for wrapping (shown in Figure 9) and unfolded sideways in the opposite direction. The backside 24 is positioned under the wearer's back and the rest of the diaper is pulled between the legs. The front waist portion 22 is then placed around the wearer's waist and the ear wings 54 are wrapped around the waist; the wings are pulled and stretched to fit the size and shape of the wearer. The flaps 54 are then secured to the front waist portion 37 by means of fasteners 56 disposed adjacent the distal edges 53 of the flaps 54.

Figures 10a and 10b illustrate alternative embodiments of the present invention that also include straps. As shown in Figure 10a, the strap 120 may be permanently attached to the diaper 20. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 10b, the strap 120 may be a reusable, discrete member that is releasably attached to the diaper 20 during use. In either case, the strap 120 is located on the backside of the backside 24 adjacent to the end edge 32 of the diaper 20. The strap 120 may have a variety of sizes, shapes, configurations and materials known in the art. An example of an absorbent article with straps for use in the present invention is described in U.S. Patent 4,964,860.

As shown in Figures 10a and 10b, the strap embodiments of the present invention preferably also include fasteners located on the front waist 22. These front fasteners 122 provide means for securing the front waist portion 22 to the back waist portion 24 or strap 120 when the diaper 20 is released to the wearer. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the fastening members 122 of the front waist portion is disposed on the front waist portion 22. More preferably, a front waist fastening member is disposed adjacent each longitudinal edge 30 of the diaper 22

38 on the front waist as shown in Figures 10a and 10b. The front waist fasteners 122 may have a variety of sizes, shapes, and materials. In a preferred embodiment, the front fasteners 122 may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. Alternatively, the front fasteners 122 may be of the hook-loop type as described in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 4,964,860.

The strap diaper configuration of the present invention is provided to the wearer by first folding out the side flaps 62. This is done by either pulling the side wings 62 sideways outward on the backside 24 or by pulling the ends of the strap 120 sideways outward, which creates tension to cause the side wings 62 to pop out on the backside 24. The backside 24 of the diaper 20 is then placed under the wearer's back. The diaper sender then pulls the remainder of the diaper 20 between the wearer's legs so that the front waist is transverse to the wearer's forehead. The strap 120 is then fastened around the wearer's waist, and the fastening elements of the front waist portion 122 are attached to the strap 120, thereby closing the front waist 22 and the backside 24. In this configuration, the distal edges 66 of the side wings 62 provide a seal to the wearer at the backside 24.

They are formed around its tails and form a folded barrier bar which rises in the non-moving zone of the step pad portion 26.

Fig. 11 shows a cushion according to the present invention having means for attaching the absorbent article to the wearer's underwear. In a preferred embodiment, the cushion 1120 comprises a front waist fastener 112 and a back waist fastener 110. Preferably, the front waist fastener 112 is disposed adjacent the end edge 32 of the cushion 1120 on the front waist portion 22, and the rear waist fastener 110 is preferably disposed along the rear waist portion 24 of the cushion 1120. The fasteners are made of adhesive, mechanical fastener, hook-loop or any other fastening device known in the art, preferably pressure-sensitive adhesive. A suitable adhesive is Instant Lock 34-2823, manufactured by the National Starch and Chemical Company of Bridgewater, NJ. Suitable adhesive fasteners are also described in U.S. Patent No. 4,917,697. When a pressure-sensitive adhesive is used, the adhesive is typically covered with a removable release liner 124 to protect it from drying out, contamination, or adhering to a surface other than the intended surface. Suitable release liners are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 4,917,697. Anything commercially available, such

- The release liner commonly used for 40 purposes can be used for this purpose. Suitable release agents are BL30MG-A SILOX E1 / 0 and BL30MG-A SILOX 4P / 0, both manufactured by Akrosil Corporation, Menasha, Wi.

The cushion embodiment of Figure 11 according to the invention is applied to the wearer by first folding out the side flaps 62. This is done by pulling the side wings 62 out laterally outward on the backside 24. The diaper sender then removes the release liner (s) 124 and places the pad pad in the wearer's underwear. Preferably, the front waist portion 22 is located inside the wearer's underwear and the backside waist portion 24 is positioned at the back of the underwear. In this configuration, the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62 on the backside 24 provide a seal around the tail of the wearer, while the distal edges 66 of the flaps 62 are raised and form a folded bar in the wearer's zone of motion.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and purpose of the invention. It is therefore intended that all such changes and modifications for the purpose of the present invention be protected by the claims.

Claims (10)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A disposable absorbent article of the type to be worn by a wearer having a front waist portion, a backside waist portion, an angular first end edge, and a second angular second end opposite to said first end edge. - a liquid-permeable topsheet; - a liquid impervious backsheet attached to said topsheet; - an absorbent core having a pair of longitudinal edges disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet; a pair of longitudinally extending flaps, said flaps forming portions extending laterally from said absorbent core of the backsheet, having distal and promix edges of the flaps, and preferably having a nonwoven web on the wearer's skin; - spacer means operatively associated with each of said side wings for spatially retaining distal edges from said topsheet of said absorbent article, and - closures for securing a portion of said distal edge of each of said lateral wings within and around said prominent portion of said prominent edge to the absorbent core and above said absorbent core. 42, characterized in that said lateral wings are pivoted on said backside waist relative to said frontal waist such that said first end comprises said proximal edges and said second end consists of said distal edges, so that said second end laterally wider than said first ends. An absorbent article according to claim 1, characterized in that said ear flaps are attached to said flaps and extend laterally outwardly from their backside, preferably comprising a stretch laminate consisting of an elastomeric foil layer laminated between two layers of nonwoven fabric. An absorbent article according to claim 2, characterized in that said ear wings further comprise a fastening element for fastening the absorbent article around the wearer's waist, preferably a strap, one end of which is attached to said ear waist and the other end is attached to said frontal waistband. . An absorbent article according to claim 2, characterized in that said ear wings are permanently secured to said front portion of the absorbent article and form a panty. · * · 49 «· * *« · - 43 An absorbent article according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said backsheet is a polymeric film, a nonwoven fabric, a two-layer structure consisting of a nonwoven fabric coated with a polymeric film or a laminate of nonwoven and polymeric film, wherein said nonwoven fabric is a polymer. extending outwardly from the edges of the film so that the non-woven fabric forms said side wings. An absorbent article according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flap comprises a further said topsheet portion extending laterally beyond said backsheet and enveloping said topsheet adjacent to the wearer's skin and of a nonwoven fabric. available. An absorbent article according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said topsheet extends laterally over its envelopes around said longitudinal edges of said absorbent core. An absorbent article according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said distal edges is folded back to itself and secured to itself, thereby forming a border which encloses the ·· ·· * · * » Said spacers 44, wherein said topsheet extends laterally over said longitudinal edges of said absorbent core and is attached to said backsheet adjacent said hem. An absorbent article according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said side wings are folded inwardly and said step pad is partially secured to said topsheet so that said side wings are also folded inwardly. An absorbent pad of an absorbent pad type having a body-facing and underwear-surface type, which is characterized in that it is an absorbent article according to any one of the preceding claims; and means for securing said absorbent pad surface of said absorbent pad to said undergarment, said cushion pad being disposed on said backside of said absorbent article.