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US 5,846,232 AGranted
Absorbent article containing extensible zones
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsPaul John Serbiak, Duane Girard Uitenbroek
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AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsPaul John Serbiak, Duane Girard Uitenbroek
Estimating the term…
An absorbent article includes extensible zones. These extensible zones enable the absorbent article to expand and fit a broad size range of users. The extensible zones enable a broad range of adjustment in waist and leg opening dimensions by extension and retraction of the extensible zones. The bodyside liner layer and the outer cover layer preferably comprise spunbonded layers stretched in one direction and correspondingly narrowed in another direction. The extensible zones typically include an elastic layer between, and mounted to extend with, the outer cover layer and the bodyside liner layer. The elastic layer can comprise an elastic film or strands of material. An absorbent core is located between the bodyside liner layer and the outer cover layer. A method for forming an absorbent article is also disclosed which includes the step of forming a base structure by attaching the extensible bodyside liner layer to an extensible outer cover layer and creating at least one extensible zone by incorporating the elastic layer between the outer cover layer and the bodyside liner layer. In another embodiment of the invention, a plurality of extensible zones are formed with plural elastic layer elements. In another embodiment of the invention, the outer cover layer is formed by a nonextensible layer which is gathered and attached to the elastic layer and the bodyside liner layer. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the extensible zones are formed by the outer cover layer and bodyside liner layer with no elastic layer present.
An absorbent article having a front portion, a rear portion, and a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, and a first outer perimeter, said front portion, said rear portion, and said crotch portion, in combination, defining an overall area of said absorbent article, a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions and defining a first direction in said absorbent article aligned substantially with said longitudinal axis and a respective second cross direction, said absorbent article comprising:
An absorbent article having a front portion, a rear portion, a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, and a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions and defining a first direction of said absorbent article aligned with said longitudinal axis and a respective second cross direction, said absorbent article comprising:
An absorbent article of claim 70, said crotch portion including leg elastics spaced outwardly from said longitudinal axis, wherein said leg elastics can coexist simultaneously with said base structure in substantially fully extended unstressed condition, said leg elastics extending when said base structure is extended in said extensible zone in the first direction, said leg elastics being generally unstressed when attached to said crotch portion of said absorbent article and stressed when said absorbent article is applied to a user.
An absorbent article having a front portion, a rear portion, a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, and a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions and defining a first direction of said absorbent article aligned with said longitudinal axis and a respective second cross direction, said absorbent article comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.