Disposable body wastes absorbent article

• US 6,443,933 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Mishima, Yoshitaka, Suzuki, Naomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grayson, Angela J
• Application Number:
  US09/570,359
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.14, 604/385.04, 604/385.23
• US Class Current: 604/385.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4942 the barrier not being integral with the top- or back-sheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/505 with separable parts, e.g. combination of disposable and reusable parts, A61F13/20, A61F13/49003 take precedence; supporting or fastening means A61F13/56; belts or the like A61F13/64

Abstract

A disposable body wastes absorbent article including a pair of barrier side flaps and a pair of barrier end flaps, each of these flaps having a lower portion folded in a sidewise U-shape such that an open end of the U-shape is opposed to an upper portion of the flap.

Claims

1. A laminated panel for a disposable body wastes absorbent article having transversely opposite side edges and longitudinally opposite ends, said laminated panel comprising:

a liquid-pervious topsheet;

a liquid-impervious backsheet;

a liquid-absorbent core disposed between the liquid-pervious topsheet and the liquid-impervious backsheet;

a pair of barrier side flaps provided along said transversely opposite side edges of the disposable body wastes absorbent article and extending longitudinally of said laminated panel and being biased to rise above an upper surface of the laminated panel; and

a pair of barrier end flaps provided along said longitudinally opposite ends of the disposable body wastes absorbent article and extending transversely of said laminated panel,

each of said barrier side flaps comprises;

a first side section extending above an upper side of said laminated panel longitudinally thereof;

a second side section extending on a lower side of said laminated panel longitudinally thereof; and

longitudinally opposite ends overlying said longitudinally opposite ends of said laminated panel on the upper side thereof, said second side section being folded in a sidewise U-shaped configuration along a folding line extending longitudinally of said lasted panel with an open end of said U-shaped configuration being opposed to said first side section and with an inner surface of said second side portion laid flat together so as to define a free side subsection and a fixed side subsection placed on said free side subsection and said fixed side subsection having an upper surface thereof fixed to the lower surface of said laminated panel along said transversely opposite side edges thereof, said folding line lying beneath and inward of side edges of the liquid-impervious backaheet;

each of said barrier end flaps comprises;

a first end section extending above the upper surface of said laminated panel transversely thereof;

a second end section extending on the lower surface of said laminated panel transversely thereof; and

transversely opposite ends overlying said longitudinally opposite ends of said laminated panel on an upper side thereof, said second section being folded in a sidewise U-shaped configuration along a folding line extending transversely of said laminated panel with an open end of said U-shaped configuration being opposed to said first end section and with an inner surface of said second side section laid flat together so as to define a free end subsection and a fixed end subsection placed on said free end subsection, and said fixed end subsection having a upper surface thereof fixed to the lower surface of said laminated panel along said longitudinally opposite ends thereof, said folding line lying beneath and inward of end edges of the liquid-impervious backsheet,

said longitudinally opposite ends of said barrier side flaps are collapsed inward transversely of said laminated panel while said transversely opposite ends of said barrier end flaps are collapsed inward longitudinally of the laminated panel to place said longitudinally opposite ends of said barrier side flaps and said transversely opposite ends of said barrier end flaps upon each other, said longitudinally opposite ends of said barrier side flaps being fixed to said transversely opposite ends of said barrier end flaps.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein said barrier side flaps and said barrier end flaps are each formed from a nonwoven fabric, and said barrier side flaps are provided along said first side sections with at least one elastic member extending longitudinally of said laminated panel and secured under tension and said barrier end flaps are provided along said first end sections with at least one elastic member extending transversely of said laminated panel and secured under tension.

3. The article according to claim 1, wherein said barrier side flaps and said barrier end flaps are each formed from an elastic nonwoven fabric, said barrier side flaps are joined to said laminated panel under tension directed longitudinally of said laminated panel, and said barrier end flaps are joined to said laminated panel under tension directed transversely of said laminated panel.

4. The article according to claim 1, wherein flexible side flaps are formed from portions of said topsheet and said backsheet which portions extend outward from lateral side edges of said core, said fixed side subsections of said first side sections being fixed on a lower surface of said side flaps and said fixed end subsections of said first end sections being fixed on the lower surface of said side flaps.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein said laminated panel comprises an absorbent pad that is attached to an inner surface of a diaper cover.

6. The article according to claim 1, wherein flexible side flaps are formed from portions of said topsheet and said backsheet which portions extend outward from lateral side edges of said flaps and said fixed end subsections of said first end sections being fixed on the lower surface of said side flaps.

7. The article according to claim 1, in combination with a diaper cover.

8. A laminated panel for a disposable body wastes absorbent article, said laminated panel comprising:

a liquid-pervious topsheet;

a liquid-impervious backsheet;

a liquid-absorbent core disposed between the liquid-pervious topsheet and the liquid-impervious backsheet;

a pair of barrier side flaps extending longitudinally of said laminated panel and being biased to rise above an upper surface of the laminated panel; and

a pair of barrier end flaps extending transversely of said laminated panel,

each of said barrier side flaps comprises;

a first side section extending above an upper side of sad laminated panel longitudinally thereof;

a second side section extending on a lower side of said laminated panel longitudinally thereof; and

longitudinally opposite ends overlying said longitudinally opposite ends of said laminated panel on the upper side thereof, said second side section being folded in a sidewise U-shaped configuration along a folding line extending longitudinally of said laminated panel with an open end of said U-shaped configuration being opposed to said first side section and with an inner surface of said second side portion laid flat together so as to define a free side subsection and a fixed side subsection placed on said free side subsection and said fixed side subsection having an upper surface thereof fixed to the lower surface of said laminated panel along said transversely opposite side edges thereof, said folding line lying beneath and inward of side edges of the liquid-impervious backsheet;

each of said barrier end flaps comprises;

a first end section extending above the upper surface of said laminated panel transversely thereof;

a second end section extending on the lower surface of said laminated panel transversely thereof; and

transversely opposite ends overlying said longitudinally opposite ends of said laminated panel on an upper side thereof, said second section being folded in a sidewise U-shaped configuration along a folding line extending transversely of said laminated panel with an open end of said U-shaped configuration being opposed to said first end section and with an inner surface of said second side section laid flat together so as to define a free end subsection and a fixed end subsection placed on said free end subsection, and said fixed end subsection having a upper surface thereof fixed to the lower surface of said laminated panel along said longitudinally opposite ends thereof, said folding line lying beneath and inward of end edges of the liquid-impervious backsheet,

said longitudinally opposite ends of said barrier side flaps are collapsed inward transversely of said laminated panel white said transversely opposite ends of said barrier end flaps are collapsed inward longitudinally of the laminated panel to place said longitudinally opposite ends of said barrier side flaps and said transversely opposite ends of said barrier end flaps upon each other, said longitudinally opposite ends of said barrier side flaps being fixed to said transversely opposite ends of said barrier end flaps.

9. The article according to claim 8, wherein said barrier side flaps and said barrier end flaps are each formed from a nonwoven fabric, and said barrier side flaps are provided along said first side sections with at least one elastic member extending longitudinally of said laminated panel and secured under tension and said barrier end flaps are provided along said first end sections with at least one elastic member extending transversely of said laminated panel and secured under tension.

10. The article according to claim 8, wherein said barrier side flaps and said barrier end flaps are each formed from an elastic nonwoven fabric, said barrier side flaps are joined to said laminated panel under tension directed longitudinally of said laminated panel, and said barrier end flaps are joined to said laminated panel under tension directed transversely of said laminated panel.