Patent Application
20130230835
Many absorbent articles intended for personal wear, such as diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, bandages, medical garments and the like, are designed to be sufficiently absorbent to pull moisture from liquid body exudates including urine, menses, blood, etc. away from the wearer to reduce skin irritation caused by prolonged wetness exposure.
Training pants and adult incontinence products can come pre-assembled in a wear configuration to more closely resemble conventional underpants. In particular, front and back waist regions of such training pants are typically attached at a seam either permanently or refastenably (such as by a primary fastening system) to define a wear configuration of the pants having a waist opening and leg openings.
For such articles where the attachment is refastenable, such as diapers, training pants, and incontinence underwear, a caregiver can find such articles difficult to apply to the subject without removing the subject's shoes and bottom garments. This is particularly applicable to active children of toilet training age, and of adults of limited mobility. Similarly, an individual caring for himself or herself can find such articles difficult to apply to himself or herself without removing his or her shoes and bottom garments. Although attempts have been made to develop techniques by which a garment can be applied to a user without the need to remove shoes and bottom garments, such techniques have been inadequate.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method for applying a refastenable absorbent article to a subject. In one embodiment of the method, the article has first and second transverse sides, the first transverse side having first front and back side panels and the second transverse side having second front and back side panels. The method includes configuring the article such that the first transverse side is open and such that the second transverse side is closed; thereafter positioning the first front and back side panels around a first leg such that the first front side panel meets the first back side panel, and thereafter fastening the first front side panel to the first back side panel; thereafter opening the second transverse side; thereafter positioning the second front and back side panels around a second leg such that the second front side panel meets the second back side panel, and thereafter fastening the second front side panel to the second back side panel; and thereafter drawing the article up into a wear position on the subject.
In particular embodiments, the positioning around the first and second legs includes positioning around the first and second thighs, respectively. In particular embodiments, the positioning around the first and second thighs occurs while the subject is sitting. In particular embodiments, the configuring includes beginning with a configuration in which both the first and second transverse sides are closed, and thereafter opening the first transverse side. In particular embodiments, the article comprises a first waist region and second waist region, and the configuring comprises separating the first waist region from the second waist region by tearing along one or more lines of perforations.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for simplifying the application of a refastenable absorbent article to a subject. In one embodiment of the method, the article has first and second transverse sides, the first transverse side having first front and back side panels and the second transverse side having second front and back side panels. The method includes manufacturing a plurality of refastenable absorbent articles, and assembling the plurality of articles into a package. The method further includes instructing a consumer to configure the article such that the first transverse side is open and such that the second transverse side is closed; to position the first front and back side panels around a first leg such that the first front side panel meets the first back side panel, and to thereafter fasten the first front side panel to the first back side panel; to thereafter open the second transverse side; and to thereafter position the second front and back side panels around a second leg such that the second front side panel meets the second back side panel, and to thereafter fasten the second front side panel to the second back side panel.
In particular embodiments, the plurality of refastenable absorbent articles are assembled into the package in a closed configuration. In other embodiments, the plurality of refastenable absorbent articles are assembled into the package in an open configuration. In particular embodiments, the instructing includes providing graphic images, such as graphic images disposed on the package. Particular embodiments further comprise instructing the consumer to tear along a line of weakness so as to configure the article such that the first transverse side is open and such that the second transverse side is closed.
In another embodiment, the method includes providing a first graphic image associated with the package illustrating positioning the first front and back side panels around the first leg such that the first front side panel meets the first back side panel, wherein the second transverse side is depicted as closed; providing a second graphic image associated with the package illustrating opening the second transverse side; and providing a third graphic image associated with the package illustrating positioning the second front and back side panels around the second leg such that the second front side panel meets the second back side panel. The first graphic image is shown sequentially before the second graphic image, and the second graphic image is shown sequentially before the third graphic image. Particular embodiments of the method further include providing a fourth graphic image associated with the package illustrating drawing the article up into a wear position on the subject, and at least one of the graphic images includes a depiction of the subject without bottom garments removed.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a package including secondary information for simplifying the application of a refastenable absorbent article to a subject. In particular embodiments, the article has first and second transverse sides, the first transverse side having first front and back side panels and the second transverse side having second front and back side panels. The package includes an outer surface; a plurality of refastenable absorbent articles disposed within the package; a first graphic image associated with the package illustrating positioning the first front and back side panels around a first leg such that the first front side panel meets the first back side panel, wherein the second transverse side is depicted as closed; a second graphic image associated with the package illustrating opening the second transverse side; and a third graphic image associated with the package illustrating positioning the second front and back side panels around a second leg such that the second front side panel meets the second back side panel. The first graphic image is shown sequentially before the second graphic image, and the second graphic image is shown sequentially before the third graphic image. In particular embodiments, each refastenable absorbent article of the plurality of refastenable absorbent articles is disposed within the package in a closed configuration.
The present disclosure will be more fully understood, and further features will become apparent, when reference is made to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely representative and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present disclosure. The drawings are representational and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof might be exaggerated, while others might be minimized.
The present invention relates to a method of applying a refastenable absorbent article to a subject; to a method for simplifying the application of a refastenable absorbent article to a subject; and to a package including secondary information for simplifying the application of a refastenable absorbent article to a subject. Reference to the Figures shall be made in describing various embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that the embodiments depicted in the Figures and described herein are merely representative examples of the method of the invention. The various embodiments of the invention are suitable for use in conjunction with disposable absorbent garments such as refastenable adult incontinence underwear, prefastened disposable diapers, refastenable disposable training pants or swim pants, refastenable disposable enuresis garments, and the like. For illustration purposes, various embodiments of the present method invention shall be described in conjunction with refastenable incontinence underwear.
Within the context of this specification, each term or phrase below will include the following meaning or meanings. Additional terms are defined elsewhere in the specification.
“Attached” refers to the joining, adhering, bonding, connecting, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be attached together when they are attached directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly attached to intermediate elements.
“Disposable” refers to articles which are designed to be discarded after a limited use rather than being laundered or otherwise restored for reuse.
“Elastomeric” refers to a material or composite which can be elongated by at least 50% of its relaxed length and which will recover, upon release of the applied force, at least 20% of its elongation. It is generally preferred that the elastomeric material or composite be capable of being elongated by at least 100%, more preferably by at least 200%, of its relaxed length and recover, upon release of an applied force, at least 50% of its elongation.
“Longitudinal” and “transverse” have their customary meaning, as indicated by the longitudinal and transverse axes depicted in the Figures. The longitudinal axis lies in the plane of the article and is generally parallel to a vertical plane that bisects a standing wearer into left and right body halves when the article is worn. The transverse axis lies in the plane of the article generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
These terms may be defined with additional language in the remaining portions of the specification.
The garment includes a first waist region 20 contiguous with the first waist edge 16. The first waist region 20 defines first and second side edges 22, 24 spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction 14. The first waist region 20 defines a first surface 26 and an opposing second surface 28. The first surface 26 can be a body-facing surface and the second surface 28 can be a clothing-facing surface, as representatively illustrated in
In particular embodiments, the first waist region 20 is a front waist region, corresponding to the front of the wearer, and the second waist region 40 is a back waist edge, corresponding to the back of the wearer. In other embodiments, the first and second waist regions 20, 40 instead correspond to back and front waist regions, respectively, as representatively illustrated in
The article or garment 10 defines a first transverse side 15 and a second transverse side 17. The first transverse side 15 includes a first front side panel 21 and a first back side panel 41, and the second transverse side 17 includes a second front side panel 23 and a second back side panel 43. The first front side panel 21 is bordered by the first side edge 42, and the first back side panel 41 is bordered by the first side edge 22. Similarly, the second front side panel 23 is bordered by the second side edge 44, and the second back side panel 43 is bordered by the second side edge 24.
In particular embodiments, the first waist region 20 is at least partially elastomeric. In addition or in the alternative, the second waist region 40 is at least partially elastomeric. In particular embodiments, the first waist region 20 is substantially continuously transversely elastomeric from the first side edge 22 to the second side edge 24. Similarly, in particular embodiments, the second waist region 40 is substantially continuously transversely elastomeric from the first side edge 42 to the second side edge 44. In evaluating whether a waist region is substantially continuously transversely elastomeric, the region or regions to which any fastening component (described below) or absorbent composite is attached, or regions within which bonds (such as ultrasonic, heat, or pressure bonds) or seams are present, are ignored. In particular embodiments, the first waist region 20, the second waist region 40, or both, comprise an elastomeric nonwoven material, and preferably consist essentially of an elastomeric nonwoven material. In particular embodiments, the elastomeric nonwoven material comprises an elastomeric film sandwiched between two nonwoven facing layers. U.S. Pat. No. 7,803,244 issued Sep. 28, 2010 to Siqueira et al. and assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. discloses particular examples of elastomeric nonwoven composites suitable for use in conjunction with particular embodiments of the present invention. In other embodiments, the elastomeric nonwoven material can include elastomeric threads or ribbons sandwiched between two nonwoven layers.
In particular embodiments, the first waist region 20 is formed by a unitary member that extends from the first side edge 22 of the first waist region 20 to the second side edge 24 of the first side region 20. Such an embodiment is depicted at the right side of
In an alternative embodiment, the first waist region 20 is formed by bonding opposing first and second side panels 36 and 38 to a central absorbent composite 49 along bond regions 37 and 39, as representatively illustrated in
The garment 10 further comprises a first fastening component 60 attached to the first surface 26 of the first waist region 20 adjacent its first side edge 22, and further comprises a second fastening component 62 attached to the first surface 26 of the first waist region 20 adjacent its second side edge 24. Referring to
The first waist region first portion 86 can comprise the entirety of the first waist region 20, or can comprise only a part of the first waist region 20. For example, in the embodiment representatively illustrated in
Still referring to
In particular embodiments, the process 80 further comprises providing a second waist panel web, such as a second elastomeric waist panel web 84. The second elastomeric waist panel web 84 can comprise an elastomeric nonwoven composite, and elastomeric film/nonwoven laminate, an elastomeric filament/nonwoven, or the like. The method 80 can further include stretching the second elastomeric waist panel web. The method 80 can further comprise attaching a mating fastening component or components (not shown) to the second waist panel web 84. The method further includes severing (such as by cutting) the second waist panel web 84 to create a second waist region portion 89. The method further includes incorporating the second waist region portion 89 into a second waist region 40 of the garment 10.
In the process embodiment of
In particular embodiments, the garments 10 are constructed and pre-assembled in their pull-on style, wear configuration, with the article fastening system releasably attaching the first and second waist regions 20, 40. In particular embodiments, the garment 10 may be provided in a closed, pant-like configuration, and a user would be required to separate the first waist region 20 from the second waist region 40 by tearing along one or more lines of perforations. Examples of such articles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,838,040 to Mlinar et al., which is incorporated by reference in its entirety to the extent not inconsistent herewith. In other embodiments, the garments are constructed and pre-assembled in a non-pull-on, non-prefastened configuration, akin to a traditional diaper. In still other embodiments, the garments are constructed and pre-assembled with the first transverse side 15 configured in a prefastened, closed configuration, and with the second transverse side 17 configured in a non-prefastened, open configuration.
In particular embodiments, the present invention is directed to a package 100 of prefastened absorbent articles 10, representatively illustrated in
Referring to
The present inventors, through their research, have established that, in particular embodiments, a more efficient donning process is to fasten one side of the article 10 around one leg while the other side of the article is configured in a fastened, closed condition, and to thereafter open the remaining side of the article and to fasten such remaining side around the remaining leg.
Accordingly, the present invention in one aspect relates to a method for applying a refastenable absorbent article 10 to a subject 11. The method comprises configuring the article such that the first transverse side 15 is open and such that the second transverse side 17 is closed, as is representatively illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Note that the preceding sequence of steps could also be performed in conjunction with a subject in the supine position (as opposed to a sitting or standing position), such as by a caregiver performing the various steps on a bed-ridden subject.
One difficulty in promoting the widespread use of the application techniques described above is the challenge of teaching the method to a subject or caregiver. Since packages 100 of diapers, training pants, and incontinence garments 10 typically do not include instructions, users apply such products in a way that is familiar to them, such as via any of the three deficient approaches described earlier.
Accordingly, in another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for simplifying the application of a refastenable absorbent article to a subject. In particular embodiments, the method includes manufacturing a plurality of refastenable absorbent articles. Examples of techniques suitable for manufacturing refastenable absorbent articles, such as prefastened, refastenable absorbent articles, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,838,040 to Mlinar et al., which is incorporated by reference in its entirety to the extent not inconsistent herewith. The method for simplifying application further includes assembling the plurality of articles 10 into a package 100. The method for simplifying application further includes instructing a consumer to follow a series of application steps, such as those described above in conjunction with
Retraining a population of refastenable incontinence garment users may require more than text instructions, which may go unnoticed. The present inventors have learned that prominently-displayed secondary information such as graphical images illustrating the techniques of the method can in particular embodiments be more effective than text instructions in teaching the method.
For effective retraining, instructions illustrating particular embodiments of the method of the present invention can be presented in the form of one or more graphic images 150. The graphic images 150 can be presented to the user on a package 100, or on an insert disposed within or on the package 100. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the method is illustrated in a series of graphic images, such as those of
In particular embodiments of the method for simplifying application by instructing the consumer, such instructing comprises providing graphic images 150 on the package 100, as representatively illustrated in
In particular embodiments, the method includes providing a graphic image that illustrates positioning the first front and back side panels around a first thigh and positioning the second front and back side panels around a second thigh. In particular embodiments, the method includes providing a graphic image that illustrates drawing the article from around the first and second thighs up into a wear position 66 on the subject 11. In particular embodiments, at least one of the graphic images includes a depiction of the subject 11 without bottom garments removed.
In an alternative embodiment, the consumer is instructed in the application steps via the aid of a video-based demonstration. For example, a video-based demonstration of the application techniques can be supplied via an internet website, via a CD-ROM, via a flash memory stick, or the like. Alternatively, the consumer may be instructed via an advertisement.
In one representative example of the package aspect of the present invention, shown in
In one embodiment, the package 100 includes an exterior surface 128, and a plurality of refastenable absorbent articles disposed within the package 100. The package includes a first graphic image associated with the package illustrating positioning the first front and back side panels 21, 23 around the first leg 51 such that the first front side panel 21 meets the first back side panel 23, wherein the second transverse side 17 is depicted as closed. The package further includes a second graphic image associated with the package illustrating opening the second transverse side 17. The package further includes a third graphic image associated with the package illustrating positioning the second front and back side panels 41, 43 around the second leg 52 such that the second front side panel 41 meets the second back side panel 43. Examples of the first, second, and third graphic images described in this paragraph include
It will be appreciated that details of the foregoing embodiments, given for purposes of illustration, are not to be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention, which is defined in the following claims and all equivalents thereto. Further, it is recognized that many embodiments may be conceived that do not achieve all of the advantages of some embodiments, particularly of the preferred embodiments, yet the absence of a particular advantage shall not be construed to necessarily mean that such an embodiment is outside the scope of the present invention.
