Combination of refastenable and releasable bonds

• US 20070049890A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Popp, Robert, Williamson, Thomas, Mattingly, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49004 with fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/55115 characterized by the features before use, e.g. how are the diapers folded or arranged in a package
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5622 specially adapted for diapers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/565 pants type diaper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/27 including readily dissociable fastener having numerous, protruding, unitary filaments randomly interlocking with, and simultaneously moving towards, mating structure [e.g., hook-loop type fastener]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/33 having adhesive fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/47 Strap-end-attaching devices

Abstract

A refastenable, pant-like garment, including a chassis including a first waist region and a second waist region, together defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings. The garment also includes a first refastenable seam joining a first distal portion of the first waist region to a first distal portion of the second waist region. The first refastenable seam includes a first refastenable bond connecting the first distal portion of the first waist region and the first distal portion of the second waist region having a first refastenable bond peel strength.

Claims

1. A prefastened article, comprising:

a chassis including a first waist region and a second waist region, together defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings;

a refastenable seam joining a first distal portion of the first waist region to a first distal portion of the second waist region, and including a first refastenable bond connecting the first distal portion of the first waist region and the first distal portion of the second waist region having a first refastenable bond peel strength, the first distal portion of the first waist region being folded and bonded with a releasable bond having a first releasable bond peel strength, wherein the first refastenable bond peel strength is greater than the first releasable bond peel strength.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein separating the first waist region from the second waist region initially stresses the refastenable bond and the releasable bond predominantly in peel, then ruptures the releasable bond predominantly in peel, then stresses the refastenable bond predominantly in shear.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the refastenable bond peel strength to the releasable bond peel strength is greater than 1.5.

4. The article of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the refastenable bond peel strength to the releasable bond peel strength is greater than 50.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the refastenable bond comprises hook and loop, cohesive, adhesive or tape.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the releasable bond comprises an ultrasonic bond.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the releasable bond comprises a pressure bond.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the releasable bond comprises an adhesive bond.

9. A process for providing a package of prefastened articles comprising:

manufacturing the article of claim 1;

rupturing the releasable bond; and

packaging the article.

10. A refastenable, pant-like garment, comprising:

a chassis including a first waist region and a second waist region, together defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings;

a first refastenable seam joining a first distal portion of the first waist region to a first distal portion of the second waist region, and including a first refastenable bond connecting the first distal portion of the first waist region and the first distal portion of the second waist region having a first refastenable bond peel strength, the first distal portion of the first waist region being folded and bonded with a releasable bond having a first releasable bond peel strength, wherein the first refastenable bond peel strength is greater than the first releasable bond peel strength; and

a second refastenable seam joining a second distal portion of the first waist region to a second distal portion of the second waist region, and including a second refastenable bond connecting the second distal portion of the first waist region and the second distal portion of the second waist region having a second refastenable bond peel strength, the second distal portion of the first waist region being folded and bonded with a releasable bond having a second releasable bond peel strength, wherein the second refastenable bond peel strength is greater than the second releasable bond peel strength.

11. The garment of claim 10, wherein the first distal portion of the second waist region is folded and bonded with a first permanent bond having a first permanent bond peel strength, the first permanent bond peel strength being greater than the first refastenable bond peel strength and the first releasable bond peel strength, and the second distal portion of the second waist region is folded and bonded with a first permanent bond having a second permanent bond peel strength, the second permanent bond peel strength being greater than the second refastenable bond peel strength and the second releasable bond peel strength.

12. The garment of claim 11, wherein the first and second permanent bonds comprise ultrasonic bonds.

13. The garment of claim 10, wherein a ratio of the first refastenable bond peel strength to the first releasable bond peel strength is greater than 1.5, and a ratio of the second refastenable bond peel strength to the second releasable bond peel strength is greater than 1.5.

14. The garment of claim 10, wherein a ratio of the first refastenable bond peel strength to the first releasable bond peel strength is greater than 50, and a ratio of the second refastenable bond peel strength to the second releasable bond peel strength is greater than 50.

15. The article of claim 10, wherein the first and second refastenable bonds comprise hook and loop, cohesive, adhesive or tape.

16. The article of claim 10, wherein the first and second releasable bonds comprise ultrasonic bonds.

17. The article of claim 10, wherein the first and second releasable bonds comprise pressure bonds.

18. The article of claim 10, wherein the first and second releasable bond comprise adhesive bonds.

19. A refastenable joint joining a first material having a first end and a second end to a second material having a third end and a fourth end, including a refastenable bond connecting the first end to the third end, the first material being folded and bonded with a releasable bond wherein separating the second end from the fourth end initially stresses the refastenable bond and the releasable bond predominantly in peel, then ruptures the releasable bond predominantly in peel, then stresses the refastenable bond predominantly in shear.

20. The joint of claim 19, wherein the third end is folded and bonded with a permanent bond, separating the second end from the fourth end initially stresses the permanent bond, refastenable bond and the releasable bond in peel, then destroys the releasable bond in peel, then stresses the refastenable bond and permanent bond in shear.

21. The joint of claim 20, wherein the permanent bond comprises an ultrasonic bond.

22. The joint of claim 19, wherein the releasable bond has a releasable bond peel strength, the permanent bond has a permanent bond peel strength and the refastenable bond has a refastenable bond peel strength, the releasable bond peel strength is less than the refastenable bond peel strength, and the refastenable bond peel strength is less than the permanent bond peel strength.

23. The joint of claim 22, wherein a ratio of the refastenable bond peel strength to the releasable bond peel strength is greater than 1.5.

24. The joint of claim 22, wherein the ratio of the refastenable bond peel strength to the releasable bond peel strength is greater than 50.

25. The joint of claim 19, wherein the refastenable bond comprises hook and loop, cohesive, adhesive or tape.

26. The joint of claim 19, wherein the releasable bond comprises an ultrasonic bond.

27. The joint of claim 19, wherein the releasable bond comprises a pressure bond.

28. The joint of claim 19, wherein the releasable bond comprises an adhesive bond.