IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,728,047
Granted Patent B2
US 12,728,047 · App. 18/102,964 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Absorbent article having fastening system

Inventors: Hiroshi Nakahata (Cincinnati, OH); Urmish Popatlal Dalal (Milford, OH); James David Landgrebe (Madeira, OH)
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
A61F13/622A61F13/625A61F13/581A61F13/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,728,047
App. No.
18/102,964
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fastening member includes a base substrate and one or more engagement portions disposed on the base substrate. The one or more engagement portions comprise a first engagement portion. The engagement portions each comprise one or more hooks. The fastening member comprises a fold line and the fold line is at least partially disposed within the first engagement portion.

Claims (44)

1 . A fastening member comprising:

a base substrate;

one or more engagement portions disposed on the base substrate and comprising a first engagement portion;

wherein:

the engagement portions each comprise;

an outboard longitudinal edge;

an inboard longitudinal edge;

an outboard lateral edge extending between the outboard longitudinal edge and the inboard longitudinal edge;

an inboard lateral edge extending between the outboard longitudinal edge and the inboard longitudinal edge; and

a plurality of hooks extending between the outboard longitudinal edge and the inboard longitudinal edge and extending between the outboard lateral edge and the inboard lateral edge;

the fastening member comprises a fold line;

the fold line is laterally positioned between the outboard longitudinal edge of the first engagement portion and the inboard longitudinal edge of the first engagement portion and is at least partially disposed within the first engagement portion; and

at least one engagement portion of the one or more engagement portions comprises one or more hooks integrally formed from the base substrate.

2 . The fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement portions comprise an aggregate maximum width, B A , that is at least 18 mm.

3 . The fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate comprises a base maximum width, A, and wherein the one or more engagement portions comprise an aggregate maximum width, B A , that is at least 70% of the base width, A.

4 . The fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the fold line is completely disposed within the first engagement portion.

5 . The fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate having a first outboard longitudinal edge and a first inboard longitudinal edge and the first engagement portion comprises a second outboard longitudinal edge and a second inboard longitudinal edge, and wherein a maximum distance, D 2 , between the first outboard longitudinal edge and the second outboard longitudinal edge is 10% or less of the base maximum width, A.

6 . The fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion comprises a CD Stiffness of 600 N/m or less.

7 . The fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement portions comprise fastening elements that differ by one of the group consisting of: size, shape, directionality, whether the element is discrete or integral, constituent material, the number and/or type of layers from which integral fastening elements are formed, diameter, height and combinations thereof.

8 . An absorbent article comprising a topsheet, backsheet, and absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet, an ear, and the fastening member of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate is joined to a wearer-facing surface of the backsheet, topsheet or ear.

9 . A fastening member comprising:

a base substrate having a first outboard longitudinal edge and a first inboard longitudinal edge; and

an engagement portion disposed on the base substrate, the engagement portion comprising:

a second outboard longitudinal edge and a second inboard longitudinal edge; and

a plurality of fastening elements extending between the second outboard longitudinal edge and the second inboard longitudinal edge;

wherein the first outboard longitudinal edge is at least partially coincident with the second outboard longitudinal edge and the first inboard longitudinal edge is at least partially coincident with the second inboard longitudinal edge;

wherein the first outboard longitudinal edge and the first inboard longitudinal edge are separated by a first lateral edge; and

wherein the second outboard longitudinal edge and the second inboard longitudinal edge are separated by a second lateral edge.

10 . The fastening member of claim 9 , wherein the base substrate comprises a first area and the engagement portion comprises a second area, and wherein the second area is at least 50% of the first area.

11 . The fastening member of claim 9 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a Stiffness of 600 N/m or less.

12 . The fastening member of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of fastening elements are integrally formed from the base substrate.

13 . The fastening member of claim 9 , wherein the fastening elements and the base substrate comprise the same constituent material.

14 . The fastening member of claim 9 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a length, LE, and wherein first and second longitudinal outboard edges coincide throughout the entire length and/or the first and second longitudinal inboard edges coincide throughout the entire length, LE.

15 . The fastening member of claim 9 , wherein the base substrate comprises a length, L, and wherein the first and second longitudinal outboard edges coincide through the entire length, L and/or the first and second longitudinal inboard edges coincide through the entire length, L.

16 . An absorbent article comprising a topsheet, backsheet and absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet, and further comprising a back ear and a fastening member;

wherein the fastening member comprises a base substrate having an engagement portion disposed thereon;

wherein the fastening member is joined to the back ear at a fastener attachment bond;

wherein the fastener attachment bond is at least partially disposed in the engagement portion; and

wherein the engagement portion comprises:

an outboard longitudinal edge;

an inboard longitudinal edge; and

a plurality of fastening elements, wherein the plurality of fastening elements extend between the outboard longitudinal edge and the inboard longitudinal edge.

17 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein the fastening member is joined to a wearer facing surface of the back ear.

18 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein the fastening member overlaps the back ear in an overlap zone and comprises a free zone that does not overlap the back ear, wherein the Overlap to Free Area Ratio is 0.1 to 1.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2025
From: NAKAHATA, HIROSHI; DALAL, URMISH POPATLAL; LANDGREGE, JAMES DAVID
To: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 070995/0083 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63304755 · Jan 31, 2022
Related Publication 20230240915A1 · Aug 3, 2023
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