Absorbent articles with unitary hook fasteners, and methods of making such articles
This disclosure includes embodiments of disposable absorbent articles and methods of making disposable absorbent articles that include closures with a web of material and hook fasteners that are unitary with the web. For example, some of the present disposable absorbent articles include diapers or briefs with closure members, such as back ears or front ears, defined at least in part by a nonwoven web with hook fasteners that are unitary with the nonwoven web. Use of such unitary hook fasteners allows simpler construction of such articles and/or softer closure members for improved fit and user comfort, and/or other benefits. Certain embodiments of the present methods can manufacture such absorbent articles with fewer manufacturing steps or processes and/or fewer raw materials, relative to those required to manufacture prior art absorbent articles with hook fastener patches that are added by application of a separate piece of material that includes the hook fasteners.
1 . A disposable absorbent article comprising:
a chassis having opposing front and rear waist portions, a crotch portion extending longitudinally between the front and rear waist portions, a body facing surface configured to face a wearer during use of the article, and an outer surface configured to face away from a wearer during use of the article;
two nonwoven front-ear members each having a first end, a second end, and a width extending between the first and second ends, each of the front-ear members having at least one fastener region on an outward-facing side of the front-ear member, each fastener region comprising a plurality of hook fasteners that are unitary with the nonwoven front-ear panel such that the hook fasteners and nonwoven front-ear panel are both formed by a common piece of nonwoven material that is bonded directly to the chassis;
two closure members each having a first end, a second end, and a width extending between the first and second ends, each of the closure members having an elasticized portion and a nonwoven panel with at least one fastener region on a body facing side of the nonwoven panel, each fastener region comprising a plurality of hook fasteners;
where the first end of each closure member is bonded to the rear waist portion of the chassis, and the second end of each closure member is configured to overlap and be releasably coupled to the front waist portion to define a closed configuration in which:
the front and rear waist portions cooperate with the closure members to encircle and define a waist opening,
a left side of the chassis defines a first leg opening, and
a right side of the chassis defines a second leg opening; and
where the first end of each front-ear member is bonded to the front waist portion of the chassis, and the second end of each closure member is configured to be overlapped by and be releasably coupled to a body-facing side of a corresponding one of the closure members when the closure members are coupled to the front waist portion.
2 . The article of claim 1 , where each fastener region comprises a plurality of distinct sub-regions of the hook fasteners.
3 . The article of claim 1 , where a landing portion of the outer surface on the front waist portion of the chassis is configured to be releasably engaged by the fastener portions of the closure members.
4 . The article of claim 3 , where the portion of the outer surface is defined by an anchoring member bonded to a backsheet of the chassis.
5 . The article of claim 4 , where the anchoring member comprises a loop fastener material.
6 . A disposable absorbent article comprising:
a chassis having opposing front and rear waist portions, a crotch portion extending longitudinally between the front and rear waist portions, a body facing surface configured to face a wearer during use of the article, and an outer surface configured to face away from a wearer during use of the article;
two rear closure members each having a first end, a second end, and a width extending between the first and second ends, and a height extending perpendicular to the width, each of the rear closure members comprising an elasticized portion and a nonwoven panel;
two front closure members each having a first end, a second end, and a width extending between the first and second ends, and a height extending perpendicular to the width, each of the front closure members comprising an elasticized portion and a nonwoven panel;
where the first end of each rear closure member is bonded to the rear waist portion of the chassis, the first end of each front closure member is bonded to the front waist portion of the chassis, and the second end of each rear closure member is configured to overlap and be releasably coupled to the second end of a corresponding one of the front closure members to define a closed configuration in which:
the front and rear waist portions cooperate with the front and rear the closure members to encircle and define a waist opening,
a left side of the chassis defines a first leg opening, and
a right side of the chassis defines a second leg opening; and
where each of the front closure members and/or the rear closure members includes at least one fastener region on the respective nonwoven panel, each fastener region comprising a plurality of hook fasteners that are unitary with the nonwoven panel such that the hook fasteners and nonwoven panel are both formed by a common piece of nonwoven material that is bonded directly to the chassis, and configured to releasably couple the second end of each front closure member to the second end of the corresponding one of the front closure members.
7 . The article of claim 6 , where each of the fastener regions comprises a plurality of distinct sub-regions of the hook fasteners.
8 . The article of claim 6 , where the elasticized portion of each of the closure members is defined by an elastic panel having a first end defining the first end of the closure member, a second end, and a width extending between the first and second ends, and the nonwoven panel of each of the closure members has a first end bonded to the elastic panel, and a second end defining a second end of the closure member such that the width of the closure member extends from the first end of the elastic panel to the second end of the fastener tab.
9 . The article of claim 6 , where the nonwoven panel of each of the closure members includes the respective elasticized portion.