Fastening member comprising shaped tab

• US 7,219,403 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Hilbourne, Jason Arthur, Kraimer, Joseph Bernard, Knaub, David Randall, Chin, Henry Young, Miyamoto, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain; James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/624,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20040022998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 244/42, 243/06, 244/50, 244/52, 604389-391, 428/100
• US Class Current: 24/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5638 adjustable open type diapers adjustable otherwise than by the fasteners A61F13/493
• 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 24/2708 Combined with diverse fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2775 having opposed structure formed from distinct filaments of diverse shape to those mating therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2792 having mounting surface and filaments constructed from common piece of material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44641 having gripping member formed from, biased by, or mounted on resilient member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb

Abstract

A fastening member used for, e.g., a disposable absorbent article is disclosed. The fastening member extends in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction and has a lateral centerline. The fastening member comprises a base panel and a shaped tab extending laterally from the base panel. The shaped tab has a longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, a distal portion and a proximal portion. The shaped tab has a contour edge comprising a shaped upper edge and a shaped lower edge. The shaped upper edge and the shaped lower edge are symmetric with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the shaped tab when relatively shifted in the longitudinal direction and are asymmetric with respect to the lateral centerline of the fastening member.

Claims

1. A fastening member extending in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction and having a lateral centerline, the fastening member comprising a base panel, wherein the base panel includes a lateral upper edge, a lateral lower edge, a longitudinal leading edge and a longitudinal trailing edge, a longitudinal length between the lateral upper edge and the lateral lower edge wherein the length is constant from the longitudinal leading edge to the longitudinal trailing edge and a shaped tab extending laterally from the longitudinal leading edge of the base panel, wherein

the shaped tab has a longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, a distal portion and a proximal portion, the shaped tab has a contour edge comprising a shaped upper edge and a shaped lower edge and a longitudinal length between the shaped upper edge and the shaped lower edge that differs from the longitudinal length of the base panel,

the shaped upper edge and the shaped lower edge are symmetric with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the shaped tab when relatively shifted in the longitudinal direction and are asymmetric with respect to the lateral centerline of the fastening member, said shaped tab comprising a fastening material.

2. The fastening member according to claim 1 wherein the shaped tab has a center point X positioned at the center on the longitudinal centerline of the shaped tab sectioned by the shaped upper edge and the shaped lower edge, a point C in which the lateral centerline of the shaped tab passing the center point X intersects the contour edge of the shaped tab, a point A in which the longitudinal centerline of the shaped tab intersects the shaped upper edge of the contour edge, and a point B in which the longitudinal centerline of the shaped tab intersects the shaped lower edge of the counter edge, wherein the greatest distance from the center point X to the contour edge extending between the point C and the point B is greater than the greatest distance from the center point X to the counter edge extending between the point A and the point C.

3. The fastening member according to claim 2 wherein the greatest distance from the center point X to the contour edge extending between the point C and the point B is present between about 30 degree and about 60 degree downwardly with respect to the lateral centerline of the shaped tab.

4. The fastening member according to claim 3 wherein the greatest distance from the center point X to the counter edge extending between the point A and the point C is present between about 30 degree and about 60 degree upwardly with respect to the lateral centerline of the shaped tab.

5. The fastening member according to claim 2, 3, or 4 wherein the greatest distance from the center point X to the contour edge extending between the point C and the point B is not less than about 120% of the greatest distance from the center point X to the counter edge extending between the point A and the point C.

6. The fastening member according to claim 1 wherein the proximal portion of the shaped tab has a recess.

7. The fastening member according to claim 1 wherein the distal portion of the shaped tab has an upper rounded corner and a lower rounded corner.

8. The fastening member according to claim 7 wherein the upper rounded corner has a greater radius of curvature than the lower rounded corner.

9. The fastening member according to claim 1 wherein the base panel has stretchability.