Patent Application
20070208317
A disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment is designed for absorbing human exudate and has a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. The disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment tries to approach the appearance, size and shape of regular cloth underwear. The disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment differs from regular cloth underwear in that it is not designed to be laundered and reused two or more times. A disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment is intended to be worn by persons, including infants, toddlers or adults and is designed for single or temporary use. The disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment is meant to be disposed of after being used once instead of being cleaned and reused. The disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment is a unitary design that is meant to be pulled up around a user's torso without having to first open the undergarment in order to place it on a user's body. The stretchability of the material used to construct the disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment permits the undergarment to snugly conform to the anatomy of the user's torso. The disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment can be manufactured to be an infant diaper, a child training pant, an adult incontinent garment, a feminine menstrual pant, etc.
Today, manufacturers are being asked by consumers to design disposable pant-like absorbent undergarments that more closely resemble cloth underwear. This is especially true for adults who are just starting to wear incontinent undergarments. Essentially, all disposable pant-like absorbent undergarments utilize an absorbent system that is designed to absorb bodily fluids, such as urine, and keep the wearer dry. The absorbent is retained close to the torso of the wearer by an enclosed chassis. The chassis can be constructed as a laminate having a plurality of elastic strands sandwiched between two outer layers. The plurality of elastic strands normally extend over about a third to about a half of the surface area of the front and back regions and simulate a wide waistband. This elastic region is capable of maintaining a consistent tension to hold the undergarment in place around the wearer's torso even after the absorbent system has been saturated with a large quantity of bodily fluid. However, the lower half to about two-thirds of the surface area of the front and back regions normally do not contain elastic strands and this non-elasticized laminate material tends to move outward, away from the wearer's torso. Such action causes two problems. First, as the non-elasticized material blossoms outward, it creates a bulbous area which can be noticeable under the wearer's outer clothing. Second, this non-elasticized material can create a rustling sound when the wearer moves about, signaling to others that this person is wearing an incontinent undergarment. For adult incontinent undergarments in particular, discretion and close to the body fit are required features that are very important to the wearer.
Now a disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment for absorbing human discharge has been invented that is discreet and provides close to the body fit.
Briefly, this invention relates to a disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment for absorbing human body fluid and solid excrement. The disposable pant-like absorbent undergarment includes a one-piece chassis having a front region with first and second side edges, a back region with first and second side edges, and a crotch region positioned therebetween. An absorbent assembly is secured to at least one of the front, back and crotch regions and includes a liquid permeable bodyside liner, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and an absorbent positioned therebetween. The absorbent assembly and the chassis are capable of being folded to enable the front region to overlap the back region. A pair of seams joins the first and second side edges of the front region to the first and second side edges of the back region, respectively, to form a unitary undergarment having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. The undergarment also includes leg elastics, waist elastics and chassis elastics. The leg elastics are secured to the front and back regions of the chassis and at least partially surround each of the pair of leg openings. The waist elastics are secured to and extend circumferentially around the front and back regions of the chassis. The waist elastics are aligned adjacent to the waist opening. Each of the waist elastics is spaced apart from one another by a distance y and each has a tension value. The chassis elastics are secured to and extend around the front and back regions of the chassis without crossing the absorbent. The chassis elastics extend from between the waist elastics to a portion of the leg elastics, without intersecting the leg elastics. Each of the chassis elastics is spaced apart from one another by a distance z and each has a tension value. The distance z is greater than the distance y and the tension value of the chassis elastics is less than the tension value of the waist elastics.
Referring to
Referring to
Still referring to
The backsheet 36 can be formed from any material that will limit or prevent the passage of a liquid therethrough. Desirably, the liquid-impermeable backsheet 36 should be formed from a material that will prevent liquids, especially urine, from passing therethrough. Some materials that function well as a backsheet 36 include synthetic materials, such as plastic and thermoplastic materials, especially films; polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene; and other materials known to those skilled in the art. The backsheet 36 can be relatively thin, having a thickness of only a few millimeters, and should have a soft hand and be flexible. A film material that is quiet when deformed works best.
The absorbent 38 can be formed from natural or synthetic materials. The absorbent 38 can be made from cellulosic fibers, wood pulp, textile fibers or from other absorbent materials known to those skilled in the art. Superabsorbents, commonly in solid form and in the shape of small particles, granules, flakes, etc., can be mixed, combined, attached, printed or otherwise added to the absorbent material to increase the absorbent capacity of the absorbent 38. A surge layer 40 can also be optionally used, which is normally positioned between the bodyside liner 34 and the absorbent 38. The surge layer 40 functions to rapidly acquire and temporarily retain body fluid, such as urine, before it can be absorbed into the absorbent 38. Desirably, the surge layer 40 is capable of wicking body fluid lengthwise and/or widthwise across its surface as well as directing the body fluid downward in a z-direction, into the absorbent 38.
It should be noted that the absorbent assembly 32 can be constructed with two or more layers of absorbent 38, if desired. Any or all of the layers can contain a superabsorbent material. Likewise, the absorbent assembly 32 can also be constructed without the bodyside liner 34, without the backsheet 36 or without either layer 34 and 36, if one so desires.
The crotch region 18 of the chassis 12 and the absorbent assembly 32 are capable of being folded to enable the front region 14 to overlap the back region 16. When the crotch region 18 is folded, the first and second ends, 20 and 22 respectively, of the chassis 12 will be approximately even. In
Referring again to
Turning again to
The leg elastics 52 are positioned adjacent to each of the leg openings 48 and 50 and are secured to the front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively, of the chassis 12. The individual elastic strands which form the leg elastics 52 can be formed from CREORA SPANDEX or LYCRA or from any other elastomeric material known to those skilled in the art. CREORA SPANDEX is a registered trademark of Hyosung Corporation, having an office at 450, Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea (121-720). LYCRA is a registered trademark of Invista, having an office at 4123 East 37th St. North, Wichita, Kansas 67220. The individual elastic strands should be aligned approximately parallel to one another or they can be aligned at a slight angle or be skewed relative to one another. However, the elastic strands of the leg elastics 52 should not overlap, cross or intersect one another. The elastic strands can vary in shape, size, configuration and/or length. The diameter and/or cross-sectional configuration of the elastic strands, the decitex of the elastic strands, and the tension imparted into the elastic strands can all be varied to suit one's particular needs. The individual elastic strands can have a round, semi-circular, square, rectangular, oval or some other geometrical configuration. The various ways of positioning, orienting and/or adhering the individual elastic strands to the front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively, of the chassis 12 are well known to those skilled in the art.
The leg elastics 52 are positioned from between about 0.1 to about 0.5 inches (about 2.5 mm to about 13 mm) from a terminal edge of each of the leg openings 48 and 50. The leg elastics 52 at least partially surround each of the leg openings 48 and 50. Desirably, the leg elastics 52 will surround at least about 75% of the periphery of each of the leg openings 48 and 50. More desirably, the leg elastics 52 will surround at least about 90% of the periphery of each of the leg openings 48 and 50. Even more desirably, the leg elastics 52 will completely surround each of the leg openings 48 and 50.
Turning to
Referring again to
Each of the waist elastics 54 also has a tension value. The exact tension value of each of the leg elastics 52 can vary depending upon the particular undergarment being produced. The tension value of the individual elastic strands forming the waist elastics 54 can be less than, equal to, or be greater than the tension value of the individual elastic strands forming the leg elastics 52. Desirably, the tension value of the individual elastic strands forming the waist elastics 54 will be less than or equal to the tension value of the individual elastic strands forming the leg elastics 52. The tension value of each of the individual elastic strands forming the waist elastics 54 can be selected by varying a number of items: the spacing between each elastic strand, the material from which the waist elastics 54 are formed, the number of elastic strands present, the stretch imparted into each of the elastic strands before they are secured to the front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively, the decitex of each of the elastic strands, the cross-sectional area of each of the elastic strands, the means employed for securing each of the elastic strands to the chassis 12, etc. One skilled in the art will know how these and other variables affect the tension value of the waist elastics 54.
It should be noted that the waist elastics 54 used in an adult incontinent undergarment will most likely have a higher tension value than the waist elastics 54 utilized in an infant diaper or in a child training pants. Diapers and training pants are designed to be placed on an infant and toddler, respectively, which have relatively small body dimensions and, therefore, the tension value can be reduced since a smaller amount of tension is needed to retain the garment in place around the wearer's torso.
The individual elastic strands forming the waist elastics 54 can be formed from CREORA SPANDEX, as stated above in relation to the leg elastics 52, or they can be formed from any other elastomeric material known to those skilled in the art. The waist elastics 54 extend from the first side edge 24 to the second side edge 26 of the front region 14 and from the first side edge 28 to the second side edge 30 of the back region 16. Desirably, the waist elastics 54 are continuous elastic strands. The waist elastics 54 extend completely across the pair of seams 42 and 44 once the front region 14 is overlaid and bonded to the back region 16. As depicted in
Referring now to
In
Returning again to
Referring again to
It should be noted that the chassis elastics 56 cover at least about 50% of the total surface area of each of said front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively. The total surface area of each of the front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively, extend from the respective end 20 or 22 to the crotch region 18. The crotch region 18 terminates approximately at the inner terminal ends of the leg elastics 52. Desirably, the chassis elastics 56 cover at least about 60% of the total surface area of each of said front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively. More desirably, the chassis elastics 56 cover at least about 70% of the total surface area of each of said front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively. Even more desirably, the chassis elastics 56 cover at least about 80% of the total surface area of each of said front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively.
Each of the chassis elastics 56 also has a tension value. The exact tension value of each of the chassis elastics 56 can vary depending upon the particular undergarment being produced. However, the tension value of the individual elastic strands forming the chassis elastics 56 should be less than the tension values of the elastic strands forming the waist elastics 54. In addition, the tension value of the individual elastic strands forming the chassis elastics 56 should be less than the tension values of the elastic strands forming the leg elastics 52.
The elastic strands forming the chassis elastics 56 can be formed from CREORA SPANDEX, as stated above in relation to the leg elastics 52 and waist elastics 54, or they can be formed from any other elastomeric material known to those skilled in the art. The chassis elastics 56 also extend from the first side edge 24 to the second side edge 26 of the front region 14 and from the first side edge 28 to the second side edge 30 of the back region 16. Desirably, the chassis elastics 56 are continuous elastic strands. Desirably, at least some of the chassis elastics 56 extend completely across the pair of seams 42 and 44 once the front region 14 is overlaid and bonded to the back region 16. Alternatively, the chassis elastics 54 can stop short of the material forming the pair of seams 42 and 44. As depicted in
Referring again to
Since the chassis elastics 56 cover a greater surface area of the front and back regions, 14 and 16 respectively, of the chassis 12, the number of individual elastic strands forming the chassis elastics 56 greatly exceeds the number of elastic strands forming the waist elastics 54. Desirably, there are at least three times as many individual elastic strands in the chassis elastics 56 as there are in the waist elastics 54. More desirably, there are at least six times as many individual elastic strands in the chassis elastics 56 as there are in the waist elastics 54. Likewise, the number of individual elastic strands forming the chassis elastics 56 greatly exceeds the number of elastic strands forming the leg elastics 52. Desirably, there are at least six times as many individual elastic strands in the chassis elastics 56 as there are in the leg elastics 52.
Lastly, referring now to
While the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
