Absorbent article having extensibility at waist panel

• US 20040147890A1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Shirakawa, Takuya, Lu, Hong, Nakahata, Hiroshi, Miyamoto, Kouichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,395,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49011 the elastic means is located at the waist region
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4902 characterised by the elastic material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51464 being stretchable or elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51474 characterised by its structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15284 characterized by quantifiable properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/49042 with only stretchable part, i.e. part being not elastic but only extensible with not a full recovery of its original length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51429 being elastomeric or stretchable sheet

Abstract

An absorbent article having extensibility at waist panel is disclosed. The absorbent article includes a liquid pervious topsheet, an absorbent core disposed underneath the topsheet, and a chassis layer. A first or second waist panel includes a portion of the chassis layer. The chassis layer includes a plurality of spaced discontinuities regularly disposed in at least a portion of the first or second waist panel. The discontinuities are open to provide the chassis layer with extensibility in the transverse direction when the first or second waist panel is subjected to tension. The absorbent article also includes an extensibility controlling means to control the extensibility of the chassis layer.

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal side edges and a first end edge, a second end edge, a first waist panel adjacent to the first end edge, a second waist panel adjacent to the second end edge, a crotch panel positioned between the first and second waist panels, and a side panel extending laterally outwardly from the first or second waist panel, the absorbent article comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, an absorbent core disposed underneath the topsheet, and a chassis layer, wherein the first or second waist panel comprises a portion of the chassis layer, the chassis layer including a plurality of spaced discontinuities regularly disposed in at least a portion of the first or second waist panel, the discontinuities being open to provide the chassis layer with extensibility in the transverse direction when the waist panel is subjected to tension;

and an extensibility controlling means to control the extensibility of the chassis layer, wherein the extensibility controlling means inhibits the chassis layer from extending beyond extensibility causing breakage of the chassis layer.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the extensibility causing breakage of the chassis layer is more than 20%.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein the extensibility controlling means inhibits the chassis layer from extending beyond 20% at tension force of 125 grams/25 mm.

4. The absorbent article of claim 3 wherein the extensibility controlling means is disposed in the first or second waist panel in the transverse direction across at least the transverse width of the plurality of spaced discontinuities.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein the extensibility controlling means is disposed along the end edge.

6. The absorbent article of claim 5 wherein the extensibility controlling means is a stretchable elastic material.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the chassis layer comprises a liquid impervious material.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent article comprises a liquid impervious sheet disposed between the absorbent core and the chassis layer.

9. The absorbent article of claim 7 wherein the absorbent core does not extend into the first or second waist panel in which the discontinuities are provided.

10. The absorbent article of claim 8 wherein the absorbent core does not extend into the first or second waist panel in which the discontinuities are provided.