IP Library Granted Patent US 6,976,978
Granted Patent B2
US 6,976,978 · App. 10/056,888 · Granted Dec 20, 2005

Refastenable pull-on training pant with diagonal seams

Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,976,978
App. No.
10/056,888
Granted
Dec 20, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A disposable pant garment is made from a web by joining front and back side panels attached to the garment chassis. The side panels have diagonal edges in order to result in side seams on the garment which run diagonally on the garment side. This diagonal side seam provides superior fit and releasability, especially in the case of refastenable side seams such as may be used for training pants. One or more of the side panels may be constructed from a plurality of pieces.

Claims (31)

1. A disposable pant garment, comprising:

a garment chassis having a front direction and a back direction;

a front side-panel and a back side-panel, each extending from the same side of the garment chassis;

the front side panel and the back side panel each having a waist end edge and a leg end edge and having a distal edge extending from the leg end edge to the waist end edge;

such that when the garment is laid out flat, each distal edge of each side panel defines a vector extending from one of the waist end edge or the leg end edge along the distal edge of the side panel towards the longitudinal axis of the garment, the vectors of the side panels crossing the longitudinal axis of the garment chassis at congruent angles; and

at least one of the front side panel and the back side panel being constructed from at least two pieces of material bonded together wherein one piece is proximal to the absorbent chassis and another piece is distal from the absorbent chassis;

wherein the entirety of the garment is disposable.

2. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein: the angles defined by the front and back side panel distal edges are acute angles.

3. The disposable pant garment of claim 1 , wherein:

when the garment is laid out flat, the distal edge of the front side panel defining a vector extending from the leg end edge of the front side panel towards the waist end edge of the front side panel;

the distal edge of the back side panel defining a vector extending from the waist end edge of the back side panel towards the leg end edge of the back side panel.

4. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein: the front and back side panels are engagable at areas proximal their distal edges to create a side seam for the garment;

the side seam having a first terminus at a waist opening of the garment and extending diagonally along a side portion of the garment so as to extend across the side portion to a second terminus at a leg opening of the garment.

5. The disposable pant garment according to claim 4 , wherein: the side seam has a line of weakness between front and back side panels.

6. The disposable pant garment according to claim 4 , wherein: the front and back side panels are releasably engagable to create the side seam.

7. The disposable pant garment according to claim 6 , wherein: the front and back side panels have refastenable fastening components disposed thereon.

8. The disposable pant garment according to claim 7 , wherein: the fastening components include hook and loop fasteners.

9. The disposable pant garment according to claim 8 , wherein: the hook and loop fasteners comprise strips of hook material and strips of loop material fastened to the side panels parallel and adjacent to the distal edges of the side panels.

10. The disposable pant garment according to claim 9 , wherein: the back side panel has a loop fastener.

11. The disposable pant garment according to claim 9 , wherein: the front side panel has a hook fastener.

12. The disposable pant garment according to claim 9 , wherein: the hook fastener extends from a first surface of the garment.

13. The disposable pant garment according to claim 12 , wherein: the loop fastener extends from a second surface of the garment opposite the first surface.

14. The disposable pant garment according to claim 7 , wherein: at least one of the refastenable fastening components is integral with a surface of a side panel.

15. The disposable pant garment according to claim 7 , wherein: the garment is fastenable by overlapping the back side panel over the front side panel.

16. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein: the front and back side panels are bonded to the garment chassis.

17. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein: the back side panel is constructed from at least two pieces of material permanently bonded together.

18. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein one of the front side panel and the back side panel consists of two members, the members including a first member having the attachment component distal from the garment chassis and a second member proximal the garment chassis and permanently bonded thereto, the two members being bonded together.

19. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein: the front side panel and back side panel materials have elastomeric properties.

20. The disposable pant garment according to claim 19 , wherein: the front side panel and back side panel are elastomeric in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the garment.

21. The disposable pant garment according to claim 19 , wherein: the front side panel and back side panel are elastomeric from the waist end edge to leg end edge.

22. The disposable pant garment according to claim 1 , wherein: the front side panel and back side panel distal edges for each of a left and right side of the garment are not collinear.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2002
From: RUMAN, MARCILLE FAYE; RATLIFF, KATHLEEN IRENE
To: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 012538/0026 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 0979034000 · Feb 22, 2001
Related Publication 20020112276A1 · Aug 22, 2002