# US 9,867,743 B2 · Absorbent article having a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,867,743 B2 - Document ID: US9867743B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/121,113 - Filed: 2014-04-30 - Published: 2017-03-09 - Granted: 2018-01-16 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-30 - Assignees: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. - Applicants: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. - Inventors: Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt; David Fleger Bishop; Wendy Lynn VanDyke; Robert Lee Popp; David John Enz; Catherine Marguerite Hancock-Cooke; Alanna Haessler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9867743B2 ## CPC - A61F 13/5633: {open type diaper} - A61F 13/49004: {with fastening means} - A61F 13/49017: {the elastic means being located at the crotch region} - A61F 13/5644: {having more than one pair of fasteners} - A61F 13/622: {Fabric strip fastener elements, e.g. hook and loop} - A61F 13/49007: {Form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable diapers} - A61F 13/5638: {adjustable open type diapers (adjustable otherwise than by the fasteners A61F13/493)} - A61F 13/62: {Mechanical fastening means (A61F13/5611, A61F13/5616, A61F13/581 take precedence);} Fabric strip fastener elements, e.g. hook and loop (A61F13/66 takes precedence) - 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 An absorbent article includes a chassis having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a bodyside liner at least in part defining the inner surface of the article, an outer cover at least in part defining the outer surface of the article, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover. A pair of ears extends transversely outward from the opposite sides of the chassis at the second waist portion thereof. A primary fastening system has a primary first fastening component located on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component. A secondary fastening system has a secondary second fastening component located on each of the ears and corresponding secondary first fastening components. A non-linear strip attached to an outer surface of the article includes the primary second fastening component and the secondary first fastening components. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An absorbent article having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first waist portion, a second waist portion, a crotch portion extending longitudinally between and connecting the first waist portion and the second waist portion, the absorbent article comprising: a chassis having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a bodyside liner at least in part defining the inner surface of the article, an outer cover at least in part defining the outer surface of the article, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover; a pair of ears extending transversely outward from the opposite sides of the chassis at the second waist portion thereof; and a fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the primary fastening system comprising a primary first fastening component located on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component, the secondary fastening system comprising a secondary second fastening component located on each of the ears and corresponding secondary first fastening components, a non-linear strip attached to the outer surface of the article at the first waist portion, the primary second fastening component and the secondary first fastening components being located on the non-linear strip, wherein the strip is arcuate, the strip comprising an arcuate upper edge, an arcuate lower edge and a pair of side edges extending between the upper and lower edges. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The absorbent article set forth in claim 1 wherein at least the upper edge of the strip has a radius between 155 mm and 1,740 mm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The absorbent article set forth in claim 1 wherein the strip is defined by the primary second fastening component. ### Claim 4 An absorbent article having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first waist portion, a second waist portion, a crotch portion extending longitudinally between and connecting the first waist portion and the second waist portion, the absorbent article comprising: a chassis having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a bodyside liner at least in part defining the inner surface of the article, an outer cover at least in part defining the outer surface of the article, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover; a pair of ears extending transversely outward from the opposite sides of the chassis at the second waist portion thereof; and a fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the primary fastening system comprising a primary first fastening component located on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component, the secondary fastening system comprising a secondary second fastening component located on each of the ears and corresponding secondary first fastening components, a non-linear strip attached to the outer surface of the article at the first waist portion, the primary second fastening component and the secondary first fastening components being located on the non-linear strip, wherein the strip comprises a straight central portion and a pair of angled portions with each of the angled portions flanking opposite sides of the straight portion, the straight central portion comprising the primary second fastening component, and the angled portions comprising the secondary first fastening components. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The absorbent article set forth in claim 4 wherein each of the angled portions of the strip angle upward and outward from a respective side of the straight central portion towards the first waist edge and the respective side edge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The absorbent article set forth in claim 4 wherein the angled portions are formed separately from the straight central portion. ### Claim 7 An absorbent article having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first waist portion, a second waist portion, a crotch portion extending longitudinally between and connecting the first waist portion and the second waist portion, the absorbent article comprising: a chassis having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a bodyside liner at least in part defining the inner surface of the article, an outer cover at least in part defining the outer surface of the article, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover; a pair of ears extending transversely outward from the opposite sides of the chassis at the second waist portion thereof; and a fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the primary fastening system comprising a primary first fastening component located on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component, the secondary fastening system comprising a secondary second fastening component located on each of the ears and corresponding secondary first fastening components, a non-linear strip attached to the outer surface of the article at the first waist portion, the primary second fastening component and the secondary first fastening components being located on the non-linear strip, the non-linear strip having a pair of spaced cutouts, each of the cutouts including one of the secondary first fastening components. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The absorbent article set forth in claim 7 wherein each of cutouts is arcuate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The absorbent article set forth in claim 8 wherein each of the arcuate cutouts has approximately the same radius as an adjacent portion of the side edges. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The absorbent article set forth in claim 7 wherein the strip comprises an upper edge, a lower edge and a pair of side edges, each of the cutouts being disposed between the lower edge and one of the side edges. ### Claim 11 An absorbent article having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first waist portion, a second waist portion, a crotch portion extending longitudinally between and connecting the first waist portion and the second waist portion, the absorbent article comprising: a chassis having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a bodyside liner at least in part defining the inner surface of the article, an outer cover at least in part defining the outer surface of the article, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover; a pair of ears extending transversely outward from the opposite sides of the chassis at the second waist portion thereof, each of the ears having a medial line; and a fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the primary fastening system comprising a primary first fastening component located on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component, the secondary fastening system comprising a secondary second fastening component located on each of the ears and corresponding secondary first fastening components, a non-linear strip attached to the outer surface of the article at the first waist portion, the primary second fastening component and the secondary first fastening components being located on the non-linear strip, each of the primary first fastening component being located below the medial line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The absorbent article set forth in claim 11 wherein each ears includes an upper edge, a lower edge, a proximal edge, and a distal edge, the medial line being taken along the distal edge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The absorbent article set forth in claim 11 wherein the medial line divides the respective ears into an upper half and a lower half, the primary first fastening components being located on the lower half. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The absorbent article set forth in claim 11 wherein the strip is arcuate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The absorbent article set forth in claim 11 wherein each of the back ears includes an elastomeric portion and a non-elastomeric portion, the primary first fastening components being mounted to the respective non-elastomeric portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The absorbent article set forth in claim 15 wherein each of the non-elastomeric portions of the back ears is a tab. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The absorbent article set forth in claim 11 wherein at least a portion of each of the ears is elastomeric.