Dual elastic, liquid barrier containment flaps for a disposable absorbent article

• US 5,931,825 A
• Filed: 04/22/1997
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuen, David Arthur, Van Deurzen, John Irvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O YONG, KI
• Application Number:
  US08/841,444
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.1, 604/385.2, 604/378, 604/358, 604/373, 604/393, 604/394, 604/395
• US Class Current: 604/385.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49009 with elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49015 the elastic means being elastic panels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/494 characterised by edge leakage prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4942 the barrier not being integral with the top- or back-sheet

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article has a liquid impermeable backsheet, a topsheet, and an absorbent structure therebetween. The backsheet defines a liquid barrier zone on both sides of the absorbent structure, and a pair of liquid impermeable containment flaps overlie respective liquid barrier zones. Each liquid impermeable containment flap includes a flap elastic member and a leg elastic member. A liquid barrier is in each liquid barrier zone, and extends between the front edge and the back edge of the backsheet.

Claims

1. A disposable absorbent article, comprising:

a liquid impermeable backsheet comprising a front edge and a back edge,

an absorbent structure disposed on said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a liquid permeable topsheet overlying said liquid impermeable backsheet and said absorbent structure, said topsheet having a pair of lateral edges and being narrower than said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a first liquid barrier zone defined by said backsheet on one side of said absorbent structure, and a second liquid barrier zone defined by said backsheet on an other side of said absorbent structure, said liquid barrier zones positioned outward of said lateral edges of said topsheet and extending between said front edge and said back edge,

a liquid impermeable containment flap over each said liquid barrier zone of said liquid impermeable backsheet, and comprising an inner portion and an outer portion, said inner portion having a flap elastic member elastically associated therewith, and said outer portion having a leg elastic member elastically associated therewith, and

a liquid barrier in each said liquid barrier zone comprising a bondline between said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet, and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet, each said liquid barrier providing obstruction to the passage of liquid between said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein each said containment flap comprises a liquid impermeable inner layer and an outer layer, and wherein said leg elastic member and said flap elastic member are between said liquid impermeable inner layer and said outer layer.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein each said liquid barrier is between a respective said leg elastic member and a respective said flap elastic member.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein each said leg elastic member is in a respective said liquid barrier zone.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein each said liquid barrier zone has a width of about 2 millimeters or greater.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an adhesive bondline.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein each said liquid barrier comprises a thermal bondline.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an ultrasonic bondline.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein each said liquid barrier directly joins said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein each said liquid barrier directly joins said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet.

11. A disposable absorbent article, comprising:

a liquid impermeable backsheet comprising a front edge and a back edge,

an absorbent structure disposed on said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a liquid permeable topsheet overlying said liquid impermeable backsheet and said absorbent structure, said topsheet having a pair of lateral edges and being narrower than said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a first liquid barrier zone defined by said liquid impermeable backsheet on one side of said absorbent structure, and a second liquid barrier zone defined by said liquid impermeable backsheet on an other side of said absorbent structure, said liquid barrier zones positioned outward of said lateral edges of said topsheet and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a containment flap over each said liquid barrier zone, and comprising a liquid impermeable inner layer and an outer layer,

a flap elastic member in each said containment flap and positioned between said liquid impermeable inner layer and said outer layer,

a leg elastic member in each said containment flap and positioned between said liquid impermeable inner layer and said outer layer, and

a liquid barrier in each said liquid barrier zone comprising a bondline between said liquid impermeable inner layer and said liquid impermeable backsheet, and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet, each said liquid barrier providing obstruction to the passage of liquid between said liquid impermeable inner layer and said liquid impermeable backsheet.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein each said liquid barrier is between a respective said leg elastic member and a respective said flap elastic member.

13. The article of claim 11 further comprising a topsheet overlying said backsheet and said absorbent structure,

each said containment flap being joined to said topsheet along a flap seam, said flap seam being between a respective said leg elastic member and a respective said flap elastic member.

14. The article of claim 13 wherein each said flap seam is between a respective said liquid barrier and a respective said flap elastic member.

15. The article of claim 11 wherein said liquid barrier comprises an adhesive bondline.

16. The article of claim 11 wherein said liquid barrier comprises a thermal bondline.

17. The article of claim 11 wherein said liquid barrier comprises an ultrasonic bondline.

18. The article of claim 11 wherein each said liquid barrier directly joins said liquid impermeable inner layer and said liquid impermeable backsheet.

19. A disposable absorbent article, comprising:

a pant body comprising a waist opening periphery, a pair of leg opening peripheries, and an interior space,

said pant body further comprising a liquid impermeable backsheet including a front edge and a back edge, said front edge and said back edge being substantially contiguous with said waist opening periphery,

an absorbent structure in said interior space and disposed on said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a liquid permeable topsheet overlying said liquid impermeable backsheet and said absorbent structure, said topsheet having a pair of lateral edges and being narrower than said liquid impermeable backsheet,

a first liquid barrier zone defined by said liquid impermeable backsheet on one side of said absorbent structure, and a second liquid barrier zone defined by said liquid impermeable backsheet on an other side of said absorbent structure, said liquid barrier zones positioned outward of said lateral edges of said topsheet and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet,

a liquid impermeable containment flap over each said liquid barrier zone, and comprising a flap elastic member and a leg elastic member elastically associated therewith, and

a liquid barrier in each said liquid barrier zone comprising a bondline between said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet, and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet, each said liquid barrier providing obstruction to the passage of liquid between said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet.

20. The article of claim 19 wherein each said liquid barrier is between a respective said leg elastic member and a respective said flap elastic member.

21. The article of claim 20 wherein each said containment flap comprises a liquid impermeable inner layer and an outer layer, and wherein said leg elastic member and said flap elastic member are between said liquid impermeable inner layer and said outer layer.

22. The article of claim 21 wherein each said leg elastic member is in a respective said liquid barrier zone.

23. The article of claim 21 wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an adhesive bondline.

24. The article of claim 21 wherein each said liquid barrier comprises a thermal bondline.

25. The article of claim 21 wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an ultrasonic bondline.