# US 9,000,254 B2 · Disposable diaper with reduced bulk

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- Number: US 9,000,254 B2
- Document ID: US9000254B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/168,548
- Filed: 2011-06-24
- Published: 2012-06-28
- Granted: 2015-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-25
- Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Applicants: Judit Ester McGregor; Nicole Anja Reichardt
- Inventors: Judit Ester McGregor; Nicole Anja Reichardt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9000254B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/5116: {being formed of multiple layers (A61F13/5123 takes precedence)}
- A61F 13/511: Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
- A61F 13/51121: {characterised by the material}
- A61F 13/51394: {creating a visual effect, e.g. having a printed or coloured topsheet, printed or coloured sub-layer but being visible from the topsheet, other than embossing for purposes of bonding, wicking, acquisition, leakage-prevention}
- A61F 13/514: Backsheet, i.e. the impermeable cover or layer furthest from the skin {(A61F13/15211, A61F13/15252 take precedence)}
- A61F 13/51496: {having visual effects}
- A61F 13/537: characterised by a layer facilitating or inhibiting flow in one direction or plane, e.g. a wicking layer {(A61F13/538 takes precedence)}
- A61F 13/84: Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads
- A61L 15/22: containing macromolecular materials
- A61L 15/58: Adhesives
- A61F 2013/51078: {being embossed}
- A61F 2013/51165: {with the combination of films and nonwovens}
- A61F 2013/530007: {being made from pulp}
- A61F 2013/530481: {having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials}
- A61F 2013/53051: {being only in particular parts or specially arranged}
- A61F 2013/530518: {the maximum being at the crotch}
- A61F 2013/8497: {having decorations or indicia means}
- 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)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

A disposable diaper is disclosed having reduced bulk, especially in the back waist region. Due to an opaque topsheet and a backsheet having a relatively high percentage of printed surface area, the diaper has reduced see-through even in those areas of the back waist region where no absorbent core is comprised.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A disposable diaper comprising a chassis, the chassis comprising a topsheet and a backsheet, the disposable diaper further comprising an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet,
wherein the chassis has a longitudinal dimension and a chassis back waist region, a chassis back waist edge, a chassis front waist region and a chassis crotch region, the chassis back waist region making up about 25% of the longitudinal dimension of the chassis beginning at the chassis back waist edge and extending towards the chassis crotch region,
wherein the absorbent core has a longitudinal dimension co-extending with the longitudinal dimension of the chassis, the absorbent core having an absorbent core back waist region, an absorbent core front waist region and an absorbent core crotch region, wherein the absorbent core further has an absorbent core back waist edge, the absorbent core back waist edge being longitudinally offset by at least 10 percent from the chassis back waist edge, the 10% offset being based on the longitudinal dimension of the chassis;
wherein the absorbent core back waist region makes up about 25% of the longitudinal dimension of the absorbent core region and comprises about 0.01 g/cm2 or less of absorbent material;
wherein the absorbent core front waist region makes up about 25% of the longitudinal dimension of the absorbent core region and comprises about 0.03 g/cm2 or more of absorbent material;
wherein the absorbent core crotch region makes up about 25% of the longitudinal dimension of the absorbent core region and comprises about 0.04 g/cm2 or more of absorbent material;
wherein the backsheet comprises a film layer and a nonwoven layer, the nonwoven layer having a basis weight from about 10 g/m2 to about 30 g/m2, and the backsheet has a percentage of printed surface area of about 50% or more, in the chassis back waist region; and
wherein the topsheet has an opacity of at least 15%.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the chassis back waist edge comprises the back waist edge of the topsheet and the back waist edge of the backsheet.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the backsheet comprises a film layer and a nonwoven layer, the print being provided on the film layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the backsheet comprises a film layer and a nonwoven layer, the print being provided on the nonwoven layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the backsheet comprises a film layer and a nonwoven layer, the print being provided on the film layer and the nonwoven layer, wherein the printed surface area of the backsheet is determined when the film layer and the nonwoven layer are overlaying each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The disposable diaper of claim 3, wherein the film layer and the nonwoven layer are coextensive.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core comprises a first and a second nonwoven web and absorbent material disposed between the first and second nonwoven webs.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core comprises a nonwoven web, which envelops the absorbent material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core back waist region makes up 25% of the longitudinal dimension of the absorbent core beginning at the absorbent core back waist edge and extending towards the absorbent core crotch region, and wherein the absorbent core back waist region comprises not more than 0.01 gram of absorbent material per cm2 of the absorbent core.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material comprises at least 95% of particulate absorbent polymer material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the opacity of the topsheet is homogeneous throughout the topsheet.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the topsheet comprises a nonwoven web.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the topsheet is tinted.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the topsheet comprises TiO2.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the topsheet is bonded.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, wherein the topsheet is embossed, and wherein the absorbent core is non-embossed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, the disposable diaper further comprising an acquisition system positioned between the absorbent core and the topsheet and wherein the acquisition system has a longitudinal dimension less or equal to the longitudinal dimension of the absorbent core, wherein the back waist edge of the acquisition system does not extend beyond the absorbent core back waist edge towards the chassis back waist edge.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The disposable diaper of claim 1, the disposable diaper further comprising an acquisition system positioned between the absorbent core and the topsheet, wherein the topsheet is embossed and wherein the acquisition system and the absorbent core are non-embossed.