# US 8,772,569 B2 · Edge fold having substantially uniform gathers for absorbent article and method for making > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,569 B2 - Document ID: US8772569B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/046,752 - Filed: 2008-03-12 - Published: 2008-09-04 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2003-09-18 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Applicants: Uwe Schneider; Christoph Schmitz; Adi Jackels - Inventors: Uwe Schneider; Christoph Schmitz; Adi Jackels - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772569B2 ## CPC - A61F 13/20: Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor - A61F 13/15203: {Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency (chemical aspects A61L15/00)} - A61F 13/15699: {Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs} - A61F 13/15747: {Folding; Pleating; Coiling; Stacking; Packaging} - A61F 13/49017: {the elastic means being located at the crotch region} - A61F 13/49406: {the edge leakage prevention means being at the crotch region} - A61F 13/56: Supporting or fastening means - B29C 55/18: by squeezing between surfaces, e.g. rollers - A61F 2013/15861: {for bonding} - B29C 53/36: Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles (B29C53/56 takes precedence) - Y10T 156/1015: Folding - Y10T 156/1049: Folding only - Y10T 156/1051: by folding - Y10T 156/1082: Partial cutting bonded sandwich [e.g., grooving or incising] - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An absorbent article may have an edge fold having substantially uniform gathers. The edge fold may form a finished edge cuff. The finished edge cuff may be formed around and/or along a portion of a longitudinal edge. The edge fold may be formed by folding and seaming existing material (i.e., without the addition of a discrete part). The edge fold may be extensible, or elastic. The edge fold may completely encircle the portion of the longitudinal edge that defines the leg opening of a diaper. A method and an apparatus for forming an edge fold are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An absorbent article comprising: a leg elastic; and a chassis with a longitudinal edge that includes a leg opening portion with a leg opening portion length, wherein: at least a portion of the chassis adjacent to the leg opening portion is an activated portion, which is incrementally stretched along an activated portion length, wherein the activated portion has an overall shape that is substantially arched; the leg elastic is disposed along at least a portion of the activated portion; at least a portion of the activated portion is a folded portion, folded transversely inward, along a folded portion length; and at least a portion of the folded portion is bonded along a bonded portion length and inboard to the leg elastic, forming an edge fold with substantially uniform gathers, wherein the portion of the leg elastic longitudinally coincident with the folded portion is disposed transversely outboard of the bonded portion and at or transversely inboard of the edge fold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the leg opening portion is substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the article. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein substantially all of the leg opening portion is curved. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a first waist region and a second waist region and the leg opening portion extends over substantially all of a distance between the first waist region and the second waist region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the activated portion extends over substantially all of the leg opening portion length. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the folded portion extends along substantially all of the activated portion length. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the bonded portion extends along substantially all of the folded portion length. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the edge fold has an overall shape that is substantially curved. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the bond is selected from the group including an adhesive bond, an ultrasonic bond, a compression bond, a thermal bond, a radio frequency bond, an infrared bond and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent article is disposable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the absorbent article is wearable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent article is selected from the group including disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, incontinence briefs, and incontinence undergarments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The absorbent article of claim 1, further comprising a barrier leg cuff.