# US 9,433,541 B2 · Disposable wearing article > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,541 B2 - Document ID: US9433541B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/984,795 - Filed: 2012-02-09 - Published: 2014-01-30 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-10 - Assignees: Unicharm Corporation - Applicants: Takaya Arayama; Hirotomo Mukai - Inventors: Takaya Arayama; Hirotomo Mukai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433541B2 ## CPC - A61F 13/53: characterised by the absorbing medium (A61F13/20 takes precedence) - A61F 13/49001: {having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves} - A61F 13/49413: {the edge leakage prevention means being an upstanding barrier} - A61F 13/53409: {having a folded core} - A61F 13/49007: {Form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable diapers} - A61F 13/49017: {the elastic means being located at the crotch region} - A61F 13/49019: {the elastic means being placed longitudinally, transversely or diagonally over the article} - 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) ## Abstract A disposable wearing article includes a central curving unit that allows the absorber to curve in the inner direction in a convex shape is formed in the center of the absorber, a pair of first curving units along the front-back direction that allow the absorber to curve in the outer direction in a convex shape is formed outboard of the central curving unit of the absorber, a pair of second curving units along the front-back direction that allow the absorber to curve in the inner direction in a convex shape is formed outboard of the first curving unit of the absorber, and a front end of the central curving unit is positioned posteriorly of a front end of a second curving unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disposable wearing article, comprising: an absorber having a front-back direction, a widthwise direction perpendicular to the front-back direction, an inner direction for facing a wearer, and an outer direction opposite the inner direction, wherein the absorber has a central portion formed in a center of the absorber in the widthwise direction, a pair of side end portions including side ends of the absorber in the widthwise direction, and a pair of intermediate portions positioned between the central portion and the side end portions, in a crotch region that is adapted to be in contact with a crotch of the wearer, a central curving unit that allows the absorber to curve in the inner direction in a convex shape is formed in the center of the absorber, a pair of first curving units along the front-back direction that allow the absorber to curve in the outer direction in a convex shape is formed outboard of the central curving unit of the absorber in the widthwise direction, a pair of second curving units along the front-back direction that allow the absorber to curve in the inner direction in a convex shape is formed outboard of the first curving unit of the absorber in the widthwise direction, a top surface of the absorber that takes a convex shape in the inner direction due to the central curving unit is adapted to be in contact with the crotch of the wearer, a front end of the central curving unit is positioned posteriorly of a front end of at least one of the second curving units, the absorber includes: a first layer positioned at a non-skin contact surface side; and a second layer overlapping the first layer and being positioned at a skin contact surface side, the absorber in the central portion is formed only by the second layer, the absorber positioned between the central curving unit and the first curving units is formed by the first layer and the second layer, and the absorber positioned between the first curving units and the second curving units is formed only by the second layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The disposable wearing article according to claim 1, wherein in the widthwise direction, a density of the absorber positioned between the central curving unit and the first curving units is more than a density of the absorber positioned in the central portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The disposable wearing article according to claim 1, wherein a rear end of the central curving unit is positioned posteriorly of a rear end of at least one of the second curving units. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The disposable wearing article according to claim 1, wherein the central curving unit is configured by a central elastic member arranged along the front-back direction, each of the second curving units is configured by a first elastic member arranged along the front-back direction, and in a state prior to curving of the absorber in a convex shape, the central elastic member has a stress more than that of the first elastic member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The disposable wearing article according to claim 4, wherein the central elastic member has central portion elastic members positioned in a center of the central elastic member in the widthwise direction, and central auxiliary elastic members positioned outboard of the central portion elastic members in the widthwise direction, and in a state prior to curving of the absorber in a convex shape, each of the central portion elastic members has a stress more than that of each of the central auxiliary elastic members. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The disposable wearing article according to claim 1, wherein second elastic members are formed along the front-back direction, outboard of the second curving units of the absorber in the widthwise direction, and posteriorly of the second curving units. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The disposable wearing article according to claim 6, wherein the second elastic members and the second curving units do not overlap each other when seen in the widthwise direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The disposable wearing article according to claim 6, wherein the second elastic members and the second curving units overlap each other when seen in the widthwise direction, and a length of an overlapping region between the second elastic members and the second curving units in the front-back direction is below 20 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The disposable wearing article according to claim 1, wherein the central curving unit, the first curving units, and the second curving units are configured by at least any one of outer ends provided along the front-back direction and in the widthwise direction of the first layer, slits formed in the absorber along the front-back direction, and elastic members arranged along the front-back direction. ### Claim 10 A disposable wearing article, comprising: an absorber having a front-back direction, a widthwise direction perpendicular to the front-back direction, an inner direction for facing a wearer, and an outer direction opposite the inner direction, wherein the absorber has, in a crotch region that is adapted to be in contact with a crotch of the wearer, a central portion formed in a center of the absorber in the widthwise direction, a pair of side end portions including side ends of the absorber in the widthwise direction, and a pair of intermediate portions positioned between the central portion and the side end portions in the widthwise direction, the absorber has a first layer positioned at a non-skin contact surface side and a second layer overlapping the first layer and being positioned at a skin contact surface side, the first layer has a length in the widthwise direction shorter than the second layer, a central elastic member is provided in the central portion of the absorber, outer ends in the widthwise direction of the first layer are arranged along the front-back direction and outboard of the central elastic member of the absorber in the widthwise direction, a pair of first elastic members is provided along the front-back direction and outboard of the outer ends of the first layer in the widthwise direction, the pair of first elastic members is provided inboard of outer ends of the second layer in the widthwise direction, and a front end of the central elastic member is positioned posteriorly of front ends of the first elastic members. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The disposable wearing article according to claim 10, further comprising a front waistline region and a back waistline region, wherein the crotch region is between the front and back waistline regions in the front-back direction, and the pair of first elastic members does not extend into the front and back waistline regions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The disposable wearing article according to claim 10, wherein a rear end of the central elastic member is positioned posteriorly of rear ends of the first elastic members. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The disposable wearing article according to claim 10, wherein the central elastic member has (i) central portion elastic members and (ii) central auxiliary elastic members positioned outboard of the central portion elastic members in the widthwise direction, and ends of the central portion elastic members and the central auxiliary elastic members are flush. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The disposable wearing article according to claim 10, wherein the first layer of the absorber has a central aperture overlapping the central elastic member in a thickness direction of the absorber, and the second layer of the absorber has a pair of slits overlapping the pair of first elastic members in the thickness direction of the absorber.