Garment having elastomeric laminate
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsKenneth B. Buell, Sandra H. Clear, Danielia T. Falcone
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AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsKenneth B. Buell, Sandra H. Clear, Danielia T. Falcone
Estimating the term…
Absorbent article such as disposable diapers, incontinent briefs, diaper holders and the like, that have a unique elastic waist feature that improves the dynamic fit of the elasticized waistband as well as the containment characteristics of the absorbent article. The elastic waist feature preferably comprises an interconnecting panel zone, a first flexural hinge zone joining the interconnecting panel zone with the containment assembly, an elasticized waistband, and a second flexural hinge zone joining the elasticized waistband with the interconnecting panel zone. The elasticized waistband comprises a shaping panel zone; a waistline panel zone; and a predisposed, resilient, waistband flexural hinge zone joining the shaping panel zone and the waistline panel zone. The waistband flexural hinge zone is predisposed to allow the panel zones to flexurally bend about a defined axis or zone and is resilient to provide a restoring force/moment that returns the panel zones to their preceeding in-use configuration, especially when the elasticized waistband has been pretensioned by a closure system. The closure system dynamically creates/maintains lateral tension through the elasticized waistband thereby allowing the elasticized waistband to more dynamically expand and contract with the motions of the wearer. The absorbent article additionally preferably comprises a pair of elasticized side panels disposed in the second waist region. The elasticized side panels preferably comprise a “zero strain” stretch laminate and an extension panel. The present invention also relates to alternative waist features comprising “an expansive tummy panel” elasticized waistband.
A garment including a zero strain stretch laminate, said zero strain stretch laminate comprising an elastomeric member and an elongatable web secured to said elastomeric member along at least a portion of the coextensive surfaces while in a substantially untensioned condition to form a bonded laminate web, said bonded laminate web being incrementally stretched substantially uniformly to form said zero strain stretch laminate, said zero strain stretch laminate being elastically extensible so as to elongate in at least one direction when tensional forces are applied and to return to about said zero strain stretch laminate's previous size and configuration when the tensional forces are removed.
The garment of 1 wherein said zero strain stretch laminate has a machine direction and a cross direction, said zero strain stretch laminate being incrementally stretched in the cross direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.