Patent Application
20080047659
As used herein, the terms “absorbent article”, “absorbent garment”, or simply “article” or “garment” refer to devices that absorb and contain body fluids and other body exudates. More specifically, these terms refer to garments that are placed against or in proximity to the body of a wearer to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body. A non-exhaustive list of examples of absorbent garments includes pantiliners, sanitary napkins, feminine hygiene products, diapers, diaper covers, disposable diapers, training pants, and adult incontinence products. Such garments may be intended to be discarded or partially discarded after a single use (“disposable” garments). Such garments may comprise essentially a single inseparable structure (“unitary” garments), or they may comprise replaceable inserts or other interchangeable parts.
The present invention may be used with all of the foregoing classes of absorbent articles, without limitation, whether disposable or otherwise. The absorbent article of the present invention is optionally a diaper, pantiliner, sanitary napkin, feminine hygienic garment, incontinent brief, training pant, diaper holder, or combination thereof. The embodiments described herein provide an exemplary structure of a disposable, pant-like diaper article which is adapted to be worn by infants about the lower torso. However this is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. The invention will be understood to encompass, without limitation, all classes, and types of absorbent articles, including those described herein.
The term “longitudinal”, as used herein, refers to an axis or direction in the plane of the absorbent article that is generally aligned with a vertical plane which bisects a standing wearer into left and right body halves when the absorbent article is worn. The term “lateral” refers to the line, axis, or direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, which lies within the plane of the absorbent article. The length in the longitudinal axis and lateral axis represent the length and width of an absorbent article.
Throughout this description, the terms “top sheet” and “back sheet” denote the relationship of these materials or layers with respect to the absorbent body. It is understood that additional layers may be present between the absorbent body and the top sheet and back sheet, and that additional layers and other materials may be present on the side opposite the absorbent body from either the top sheet or the back sheet.
The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing single waist panel reattachable absorbent articles. In the absorbent articles disclosed herein, there is only one side panel connecting to edges of either the front or the back absorbent core area.
Top sheet web 106 is made from a soft and non-irritable material to avoid any discomfort to the wearer. Therefore, in this arrangement, the absorbent pad is sandwiched between back sheet web 102 and top sheet web 106 to form a multilayered chassis 100. Multilayered chassis 100 is cut into multiple individual absorbent articles: each individual article having a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent pad interposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that multilayered chassis 100 may have additional layers disposed between the top sheet web and the back sheet web. For example, in one embodiment, multilayered chassis 100 has a porous acquisition layer incorporated between top sheet web 106 and absorbent pads 104. The acquisition layer in the form of a fibrous wadding, a carded fibrous web or other type of fibrous material can temporarily store fluids before they are finally absorbed by absorbent pads 104.
Rectangular holes 200 are cut out from multilayered chassis 100 in between absorbent pads 104 as shown in
The individual T shaped absorbent articles are then cut and separated as shown in
The individual T-shaped absorbent articles are then arranged in a manner such that horizontal arm 204 forms the leading edge as shown in
At step 702, rectangular holes are cut out into the multilayered chassis. The rectangular holes are cut such that one leg hole is positioned between two adjacent absorbent pads. At step 704 the multilayered chassis is divided into multiple individual T-shaped absorbent articles. This division is made by cutting the multilayered chassis such that a cut extends from a length of the rectangular multilayered sheet to an edge of the rectangular hole. A horizontal arm of the resulting T-shaped article forms a waist panel, and a vertical arm of the T-shaped article comprises the absorbent pad. At step 706, the individual absorbent articles are separated and arranged such that the horizontal arm forms the leading edge. At step 708, the absorbent article is folded in half by flipping the vertical arm of the T-shaped article up to the horizontal arm. At step 710, a bonding material such as an adhesive is applied to the side edges of the horizontal arm. At step 712, the side edges of the horizontal arm are folded up and over the vertical arm. The side edges of the horizontal arm are releasably bonded to the side edges of the vertical arm using a suitable bonding arrangement. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that different bonding arrangements may be used for bonding the waist panel. In one embodiment a combination of fastener grips and target devices is used for bonding. In different embodiments, adhesives, hook and loop arrangements, mechanical bonds and ultrasonic bonds may be used for such bonding.
In various embodiments of the present invention, back sheet 102 is preferably formed from a laminated sheet of a non-woven material and film. Such material should be hydrophobic, soft in texture, and strong in tensile strength. An example includes hydro-entangled nonwoven webs, which may contain some cotton and/or rayon fibers blended in with thermal-plastic fibers. Cellulose fibers can also be blended in at small percentages to reduce cost. Other materials for forming the back sheet may include polypropylene films, co-extruded films (polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate), co-polymer films (polyethylene/polypropylene), and polylaminates (polypropylene nonwoven and polyethylene film). Another example is a film made of a “breathable” microporous polyethylene. This material allows water vapor to pass through it over time, while being impervious to water.
Liquid permeable top sheet 106 may be made from a variety of textile-like films and fabrics. Preferred nonwoven materials include spun-bonded polypropylene, spun-bonded polyethylene, and thermally bonded webs of staple fibers.
Absorbent pad 104 can be made up of any suitable absorbent material, as well as combinations of different types of absorbent materials. For example, the absorbent may be formed of a mixture of pulp fluff and superabsorbent particles wrapped in a liquid permeable tissue wrap. The superabsorbent particles may be substantially homogeneously mixed with the hydrophilic fibers or may be non-uniformly mixed. The pulp fluff may be exchanged with synthetic, polymeric, meltblown fibers or with a combination of meltblown fibers and natural fibers. Examples of superabsorbent materials include polyacrylamides, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylates, various grafted starches, and the like. A desired super absorbent material is a cross-linked polysodium acrylate, which can be purchased from BASF Corporation of Portsmouth, Va., under the trademark ASAP 2260.
Leg elastics 300 and waist elastics 302 are optionally provided depending upon the intended use of the absorbent article. Leg elastics 300 and waist elastics 302 function to further prevent leakage of body exudates and support the chassis. Examples of materials used for making leg and waist elastics include sheets or strands or ribbons of a polymeric, elastomeric material, polyurethane, synthetic and natural rubber.
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or element of any or all the claims. The invention intends to cover all possible embodiments within the boundaries defined by the appended claims.
