Disposable diaper

• US 7,666,174 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Onishi, Kazuaki, Kawakami, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): KIDWELL, MICHELE M
• Application Number:
  US10/830,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.01, 60438524-3853
• US Class Current: 604/385.27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity

Abstract

Here is disclosed a disposable diaper, which includes a liquid-absorbent zone in a crotch region having first through fourth sections. A stiffness of the first and second sections formed from top- and backsheets is lower than a stiffness of the third and fourth sections formed from the top- and backsheets and an absorbent core. Stretchably elastic members extending in a longitudinal direction are contractibly attached to the fourth section. A liquid-absorbent zone in the crotch region is formed with a concavity (feces pocket) as the fourth section contract in the longitudinal direction under a contractile force of the elastic members.

Claims

1. A disposable diaper having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, comprising:

a liquid-pervious topsheet facing a wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-impervious backsheet facing away from the wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-absorbent core interposed between said top- and backsheets;

a front waist region;

a rear waist region;

a crotch region extending between said front and rear waist regions;

a liquid-absorbent zone being formed in said front and rear waist regions and said crotch region;

a pair of elasticized side flaps lying outside transversely opposite side edges of said liquid-absorbent zone;

said liquid-absorbent zone in said crotch region exclusively having;

a first section, having a length, a width and a depth, the length of which is greater than its width and which length extends across said crotch region at a longitudinal middle thereof in the transverse direction,

a pair of second sections, each having a length, a width and a depth, the length of each said second sections extending from transversely opposite ends of the length of said first section toward at least one of said front and rear waist regions in the longitudinal direction,

a third section, located in a U-shaped region defined by the length of said first section in the transverse direction of said disposable diaper and the lengths of said second sections in the longitudinal direction of said disposable diaper, and

a pair of fourth sections extending on a transverse outside of each of said second sections in the longitudinal direction;

wherein said first and second sections are formed from said top sheet and said back sheet except said core and said third and fourth sections are formed from said top sheet and said back sheet and said core, so that each stiffness of said first and second sections is lower than that of said third and fourth sections;

wherein said distal portion of said third section slopes downward as viewed in a thickness direction of the diaper; and

wherein at least said fourth sections are provided with stretchably elastic members which contractibly extend in the longitudinal direction.

2. The diaper according to claim 1, wherein a liquid-absorbent function of said core is higher in said third section than in said fourth section.

3. The diaper according to claim 1, wherein a Gurley stiffness of said first and second sections is in a range of 0.98×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 19.6×

10<sup>−

7</sup> N and a Gurley stiffness of said third and fourth sections is in a range of 9.8×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 19.6×

10<sup>−

7</sup> N.

11. The diaper according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of liquid-barrier sheets in the longitudinal direction on said side flaps, each of said liquid-barrier sheets having proximal portions attached to one of said side flaps, elasticized distal portions biased to rise up above said top sheet and longitudinally opposite ends.

4. A disposable diaper having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, comprising:

a liquid-pervious top sheet facing a wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-impervious back sheet facing away from the wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-absorbent core interposed between said top- and back sheets;

a front waist region;

a rear waist region;

a crotch region extending between said front and rear waist regions;

a liquid-absorbent zone being formed in said front and rear waist regions and said crotch region;

a pair of elasticized side flaps lying outside transversely opposite side edges of said liquid-absorbent zone;

said liquid-absorbent zone in said crotch region exclusively having;

a first section, having a length, a width and a depth, the length of which is greater than its width and which length extends across said crotch region at a longitudinal middle thereof in the transverse direction,

a pair of second sections, each having a length, a width and a depth, the length of each said second sections extending from transversely opposite ends of the length of said first section toward at least one of said front and rear waist regions in the longitudinal direction,

a third section, located in a U-shaped region defined by the length of said first section in the tranverse direction of said disposable diaper and the lengths of said second sections in the longitudinal direction of said disposable diaper; and

a pair of fourth sections extending on a transverse outside of each of said second sections in the longitudinal direction;

wherein said first through fourth sections are formed from said top sheet and said back sheet and said core and a stiffness of the core is lower in said first and second sections than in said third and fourth sections, so that each stiffness of said first and second sections is lower than that of said third and fourth sections;

wherein said distal portion of said third section slopes downward as viewed in a thickness direction of the diaper; and

wherein at least said fourth sections are provided with stretchably elastic members which contractibly extend in the longitudinal direction.

5. The diaper according to claim 4, wherein a liquid-absorbent function of said core is higher in said third section than in said fourth section.

6. The diaper according to claim 4, wherein a Gurley stiffness of said first and second sections is in a range of 0.98×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 19.6×

10<sup>−

7</sup>N and a Gurley stiffness of said third and fourth sections is in a range of 9.8×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 19.6×

10<sup>−

7</sup>N.

12. The diaper according to claim 4, further comprising:

a pair of liquid-barrier sheets in the longitudinal direction on said side flaps, each of said liquid-barrier sheets having proximal portions attached to one of said side flaps, elasticized distal portions biased to rise up above said top sheet and longitudinally opposite ends.

7. A disposable diaper having a longitudinal direction, a longitudinal axis, a transverse direction, and a transverse axis, comprising:

a liquid-pervious top sheet facing a wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-impervious back sheet facing away from the wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-absorbent core interposed between said top sheet and said back sheet;

a front waist region;

a rear waist region;

a crotch region extending between said front and rear waist regions;

a liquid-absorbent zone being formed in said front and rear waist regions and said crotch region;

a pair of elasticized side flaps lying outside transversely opposite side edges of said liquid-absorbent zone;

said liquid-absorbent zone in said crotch region exclusively having;

a first section, having a length, a width and a depth, the length of which is greater than its width and which length extends across said crotch region at a longitudinal middle thereof in the transverse direction,

a pair of second sections, each having a length, a width and a depth, the length of each of said second sections extending from transversely opposite ends of the length of said first section toward at least one of said front and rear waist regions in the longitudinal direction,

a third section, located in a U-shaped region defined by the length of said first section in the tranverse direction of said disposable diaper and the lengths of said second sections in the longitudinal direction of said disposable diaper, and

a pair of fourth sections extending on a transverse outside of each of said second sections in the longitudinal direction;

wherein said first and second sections are formed from said top sheet and said back sheet except said core and said third and fourth sections are formed from said top sheet and said back sheet and said core, so that each stiffness of said first and second sections is lower than that of said third and fourth sections;

wherein said distal portion of said third section slopes downward as viewed in a thickness direction of the diaper; and

wherein at least said fourth sections are provided with stretchably elastic members which contractibly extend in the longitudinal direction.

8. The diaper according to claim 7, wherein a liquid-absorbent function of said core is higher in said third section than in said fourth section.

9. The diaper according to claim 7, wherein a Gurley stiffness of said first and second sections is in a range of 0.98×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 19.6×

10<sup>−

7</sup>N and a Gurley stiffness of said third and fourth sections is in a range of 9.8×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 19.6×

10<sup>−

7</sup>N.

10. The diaper according to claim 7, further comprising:

a pair of liquid-barrier sheets in the longitudinal direction on said side flaps, each of said liquid-barrier sheets having proximal portions attached to one of said side flaps, elasticized distal portions biased to rise up above said top sheet and longitudinally opposite ends.

13. A disposable diaper having a longitudinal direction, a longitudinal axis, a transverse direction, and a transverse axis, comprising:

a liquid-pervious topsheet facing a wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-impervious backsheet facing away from the wearer'"'"'s skin;

a liquid-absorbent core interposed between said top- and backsheets;

a front waist region;

a rear waist region;

a crotch region extending between said front and rear waist regions;

a liquid-absorbent zone being formed in said front and rear waist regions and said crotch region;

a pair of elasticized side flaps lying outside transversely opposite side edges of said liquid-absorbent zone;

said topsheet, said backsheet, and said core defining a single U-shaped channel, when viewed from a direction that is perpendicular to both said longitudinal direction and said transverse direction, in which the core is absent and the topsheet is bonded to said backsheet, said U-shaped channel defined by (i) a base channel centered over and oriented parallel to the tranverse axis of said disposable diaper and by (ii) two parallel longitudinal channels, each originating at an opposite end of said base channel and extending toward said front waist region or said rear waist region, each longitudinal channel situated parallel to and equidistant from said longitudinal axis.