US 7,842,021 B2Granted

Absorbent article with seal and method of manufacturing

Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company

InventorsLeigh E. Wood, Randall L. Alberg

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Abstract

Absorbent articles with waist seals are disclosed. The seals are formed from folded stacks, discrete segments, or pleated material arranged to provide a resiliently compressible seal that can be located at one or more locations within the absorbent article, e.g., along a central portion of the rear waist region of a diaper. The seals may be constructed from relatively thin materials that (through folding, stacking, pleating, etc.) can provide a resiliently compressible seal that is thick enough and appropriately shaped to conform to the wearer's anatomy well enough to provide the desired sealing. At the same, time, the continuous web material used to form the seal is preferably thin enough to be economically delivered to the manufacturing line in roll form. The seals may be provided in the form of compressed seals that expand when one or more openings are formed in a sealed cavity containing compressed resilient material.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing an absorbent article, the method comprising:

assembling an absorbent article that comprises:
a central region comprising absorbent material, the central region comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are spaced at opposite ends of the central region along a longitudinal direction;
a front waist region located at the first end of the central region, wherein the front waist region extends in a lateral direction across a first end of the central region, wherein the lateral direction is generally transverse to the longitudinal direction;
and
a rear waist region located at the second end of the central region, wherein rear waist region extends in the lateral direction across the second end of the central region;
attaching a self-contained seal to the waist region during the assembling, wherein the seal comprises a compressed folded stack of resilient material contained within a sealed cavity such that the compressed folded stack comprises a first thickness, wherein the folded stack comprises a continuous length of the resilient material with two or more folds spaced apart across the rear waist region in the lateral direction and a segment of the resilient material extending in the lateral direction between each pair of folds at opposing ends of the segment;
and
forming an opening in the sealed cavity of the seal such that the compressed folded stack of resilient material expands to a second thickness greater than the first thickness as air enters the cavity.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/457,635Filed 14 Jul 2006 · continuation in part
Priority: 14 Jun 2006
Published: US 2007/0293832 A120 Dec 2007
Granted: 30 Nov 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A61F 13/49011
With elastic means: the elastic means is located at the waist region
A61F 13/15585
Apparatus or processes for manufacturing: of babies' napkins, e.g. diapers
A61F 13/49466
Characterised by edge leakage prevention means: the edge leakage prevention means being at the waist region
A61F 2013/49023
Being elastomeric sheet: being textured, e.g. corrugated