Laminate with indicia for an absorbent article

• US 7,982,090 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Van Pappelendam, Robert Rene, Borbach, Markus Hermann, Snauwaert, Sofie Gilberte
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva; Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): SU, SUSAN SHAN
• Application Number:
  US11/477,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 604/372, 604/370, 604/367, 604/378, 604/391, 428/152, 156/281
• US Class Current: 604/367
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15772 Control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/514 Backsheet, i.e. the impermeable cover or layer furthest from the skin A61F13/15211, A61F13/15252 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51478 being a laminate, e.g. multi-layered or with several layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5622 specially adapted for diapers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8497 having decorations or indicia means

Abstract

The invention relates to laminates, absorbent articles and production methods thereof. An absorbent article includes a liquid impervious backsheet having a first layer forming the wearer facing side of the backsheet, a second layer forming the garment facing side of the backsheet. The first layer has a wearer-facing surface and a garment facing surface and the garment facing surface includes at least first indicia present in the front half but not in the rear half of the backsheet backsheet. The backsheet includes a third layer on the front half of the backsheet and that covers partially but not fully the garment facing surface of the second layer and the first indicia. The second and the third layers are translucent in order for the first indicia to be visible through the second and third layers when looking at the absorbent article from the garment facing side of the backsheet.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core which is covered by a liquid pervious topsheet on the wearer facing side of the core and a liquid impervious backsheet on the garment facing side of the core, the absorbent article having front and rear waist regions and a re-closable fastening system comprising fastening members connected to said rear waist region and a landing zone connected to said front waist region, the liquid impervious backsheet having a longitudinal centerline and a transverse centerline, the transverse centerline defining a front half of the liquid impervious backsheet and a rear half of the liquid impervious backsheet, the front half having a lateral width and a longitudinal length, the liquid impervious backsheet also having a garment-facing side and a wearer-facing side,

the liquid impervious backsheet comprising at least three layers, a first layer being comprised by the wearer facing side of the liquid impervious backsheet and a second layer being comprised by the garment facing side of the liquid impervious backsheet, the first layer comprising a wearer-facing surface and a garment facing surface,

the garment facing surface of the first layer of the liquid impervious backsheet comprising at least a first indicium, said first indicium being present in the front half of the liquid impervious backsheet and said first indicium not being present in the rear half of the liquid impervious backsheet,

the second layer of the liquid impervious backsheet being provided from a woven, non-woven, knitted, or film material,

the liquid impervious backsheet comprising a third layer which is provided from a woven fabric, non-woven fabric, knitted fabric, or film, and

the third layer being comprised by the front half of the backsheet thereby partially but not fully covering the garment facing surface of the second layer, and being of a third layer shape having a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension, wherein the longitudinal dimension is less than the longitudinal length of the front half,

wherein

the second layer is translucent as to allow that said first indicium comprised by said first layer is visible through said second layer when looking at the absorbent article from the garment facing side of liquid impervious backsheet and wherein said third layer forms said landing zone;

and wherein

the third layer overlies the first indicium, or the first indicium at least partially circumscribes the third layer, and the first indicium lies within an outer contour defined by the longitudinal dimension of the third layer shape plus 10% and the lateral dimension of the third layer shape plus 10%.

2. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein the garment facing surface of the first layer of the liquid impervious backsheet further comprises a second indicium.

3. An absorbent article according to claim 2 wherein said first and second indicia are printed indicia.

4. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said first layer comprises a polyolefin film.

5. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said second layer comprises a non-woven material and said third layer comprises a knitted material.

6. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said first layer, said second layer and said third layer are joined to form a laminate by an adhesive.

7. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein a film layer is comprised between said second layer and said third layer.

8. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said third layer does not carry indicia on any of its surfaces.

9. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said fastening member comprises hook elements and said third layer is one of a nonwoven fabric and a knitted fabric.

10. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said first, second and third layers have a transverse width and wherein said first layer is wider than said third layer.