Seamless disposable absorbent garment
AssigneeDrylock Technologies NV
InventorsRicardo Borrero, Michael Wayne Harris, Michael Sandor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substantially cylindrical, or tubular, garment structure can be provided using a three-dimensional or circular knitting machine, using a mold, or using an additive manufacturing process. A unit segment of the garment structure can include two waistband regions at opposite end faces of the cylindrical garment structure, and each of the waistband regions can correspond to a different one of two nested articles. Each of the two nested articles can be converted into a separate and distinct brief-style absorbent underwear assembly. In an example, a waistband region and body panel region of an absorbent underwear product can be formed using the same knitted material in a continuous, three-dimensional knitting process.
Claims14
A disposable underwear garment for incontinent individuals, the garment comprising:
- a substantially tubular knitted upper portion configured to be worn at or below a wearer's waist, the substantially tubular knitted upper portion including an extensible and retractable material that is substantially seamless about the circumference of the tubular upper portion, including being seamless in regions that are configured to be positioned at a wearer's hips, wherein the upper portion includes a front panel portion and a rear panel portion, and wherein each of the front and rear panel portions includes a lower edge region;
- and
- an absorbent panel assembly joining the lower edge regions of the front and rear panel portions of the tubular knitted upper portion such that leg holes are provided on opposite longitudinal sides of the absorbent panel assembly,
- said absorbent panel assembly having first and second end regions and having an absorbent core between said end regions, where said absorbent core includes a first transversal edge and a second transversal edge adjacent the first and second end regions of the absorbent panel assembly, respectively;
- wherein the absorbent core is positioned between a body-side layer and a liquid-impervious outside layer, and the absorbent core is configured to correspond to a body fluid insult area when the underwear garment is worn;
- wherein the first and second end regions of the absorbent panel assembly have a thickness which is less than a thickness of a central portion of the absorbent panel assembly;
- wherein the first and second end regions of the absorbent panel assembly are coupled to the respective front and rear panel portions of the tubular knitted upper portion;
- and
- wherein the first and second end regions of the absorbent panel assembly are positioned adjacent the transversal edges of the absorbent core such that the absorbent core does not overlap with the respective front and rear panel portions of the tubular knitted upper portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.