IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,336,894
Granted Patent B2
US 12,336,894 · App. 17/381,717 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Absorbent article with waist containment member and method of manufacturing thereof

Inventors: David F. Bishop (Appleton, WI); Patsy A. Benedict (Omro, WI); Joseph D. Coenen (Kaukauna, WI); Kaitlyn E. Mast (Shipshewana, IN); Michael J. Faulks (Neenah, WI); Thomas Roessler (Appleton, WI)
Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
A61F13/49011A61F13/4942A61F13/49473A61F13/495A61F2013/4958
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,336,894
App. No.
17/381,717
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An absorbent article ( 10, 110, 210 ) can include a waist containment member ( 54 ) with a first longitudinal side edge ( 72 ), a second longitudinal side edge ( 74 ), a proximal portion ( 76 ), and a distal portion ( 78 ). A fold ( 79 a ) can separate the proximal portion ( 76 ) from the distal portion ( 78 ). The proximal portion ( 76 ) can be coupled to the chassis ( 11 ) and the distal portion ( 78 ) can be configured to freely move with respect to the chassis ( 11 ) when the absorbent article ( 10, 110, 210 ) is in a relaxed configuration to provide a containment pocket ( 82 ). The absorbent article ( 10, 110, 210 ) can include a pair of containment flaps ( 50, 52 ). The containment flaps ( 50, 52 ) can each include a base portion ( 64 ) and a projection portion ( 66 ).

Claims (33)

1. An absorbent article including a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a bodyside liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent body disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover, the chassis including a body facing surface and a garment facing surface and having a first chassis longitudinal side edge and a second chassis longitudinal side edge;

a pair of containment flaps including a first containment flap and a second containment flap, the first containment flap being on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the second containment flap being on a second side of the longitudinal axis, the first and second containment flap each comprising:

a base portion coupled to the chassis, the base portion including a proximal end and a distal end, and

a projection portion configured to extend away from the body facing surface of the chassis in at least the crotch region when the absorbent article is in a relaxed configuration, the projection portion further comprising tack-down regions in the front waist region and the rear waist region where the projection portion is bonded to the body facing surface of the chassis; and

a waist containment member disposed on the body facing surface of the chassis, the waist containment member comprising:

a proximal portion coupled to the body facing surface of the chassis, the proximal portion overlapping, in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, a tack-down region of the projection portion of each containment flap, and

a distal portion comprising a distal free edge, the distal portion and distal free edge of the waist containment member being free to move with respect to the chassis when the absorbent article is in the relaxed configuration, and the distal free edge being disposed closer to the lateral axis than the tack-down regions of the containment flaps which vertically overlap the proximal portion, and

wherein the waist containment member comprises a fold separating the distal portion from the proximal portion, the fold vertically overlapping the tack-down region of the projection portion of each containment flap.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of the waist containment member is bonded to the proximal portion of the waist containment member at a first tack-down region and a second tack-down region, the first tack-down region and the second tack down region being disposed laterally outward of the tack-down regions of the projection portions of the containment flaps.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the first tack-down region and the second tack down region being disposed laterally inward of the side edges of the chassis.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion is coupled to the projection portion of each containment flap with the projection portion of each containment flap disposed between the proximal portion and the bodyside liner.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion is disposed between the projection portion of each containment flap and the bodyside liner.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the distal free edge of the distal portion is disposed between the tack-down regions of the projection portions of the containment flaps which vertically overlap the proximal portion and the absorbent body.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of the waist containment member further comprises at least one elastic member, the at least one elastic member being disposed between the tack-down regions of the projection portions of the containment flaps which vertically overlap the proximal portion and the absorbent body.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the waist containment member has a first width in the lateral direction and the chassis has a second width in the lateral direction, a ratio of the first width to the second width is greater than about 0.85.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1 , further including a pair of longitudinally extending fold lines for folding the absorbent article into a folded configuration, the fold lines comprising a first longitudinally extending fold line and a second longitudinally extending fold line, the first longitudinally extending fold line being on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the second longitudinally extending fold line being on a second side of the longitudinal axis, wherein a first longitudinal side edge of the waist containment member is disposed laterally outward of the first longitudinally extending fold line and a second longitudinal side edge of the waist containment member is disposed laterally outward of the second longitudinally extending fold line.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion is free of elastic members.

11. An absorbent article including a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a bodyside liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent body disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover, the chassis including a body facing surface and a garment facing surface and having a first chassis longitudinal side edge and a second chassis longitudinal side edge;

a pair of containment flaps including a first containment flap and a second containment flap, the first containment flap being on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the second containment flap being on a second side of the longitudinal axis, the first and second containment flap each comprising:

a base portion coupled to the chassis, the base portion including a proximal end and a distal end, and

a projection portion configured to extend away from the body facing surface of the chassis in at least the crotch region when the absorbent article is in a relaxed configuration, the projection portion further comprising tack-down regions in the front waist region and the rear waist region where the projection portion is bonded to the body facing surface of the chassis; and

a waist containment member disposed on the body facing surface of the chassis and overlapping, in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, a tack-down region of the projection portion of each containment flap, the waist containment member extending between waist containment member longitudinal side edges and further comprising:

a proximal portion coupled to the body facing surface of the chassis, the proximal portion being free of elastic members, and

a distal portion comprising a distal free edge and a plurality of elastics extending between the waist containment member longitudinal side edges, wherein the distal portion and distal free edge of the waist containment member being free to move with respect to the chassis when the absorbent article is in the relaxed configuration and wherein at least some of the plurality of elastics are disposed closer to the lateral axis than the tack-down regions of the containment flaps.

12. The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the waist containment member comprises a fold separating the distal portion from the proximal portion, the fold vertically overlapping the tack-down region of the projection portion of each containment flap.

13. The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the distal portion comprises a distal free edge and the distal free edge is disposed closer to the lateral axis than the tack-down regions of the containment flaps which vertically overlap the waist containment member.

14. The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein a free edge of the distal portion of the waist containment member is disposed closer to the lateral axis than a fold separating the distal portion from the proximal portion.

15. The absorbent article of claim 14 , wherein the proximal portion includes a longitudinal length as measured in a direction parallel the longitudinal axis when the absorbent article is in a stretched, laid flat configuration and the distal portion includes a longitudinal length as measured in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis when the absorbent article is in a stretched, laid flat configuration, the longitudinal length of the proximal portion being less than the longitudinal length of the distal portion.

16. The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the distal portion of the waist containment member is bonded to the proximal portion of the waist containment member at a first tack-down region and a second tack-down region, the first tack-down region disposed laterally outward of the proximal end of the base portion of the first containment flap and the second tack-down region disposed laterally outward of the proximal end of the of base portion of the second containment flap, and wherein the distal portion is unbonded to the proximal portion between the first tack-down region and the second tack-down region.

17. The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the waist containment member has a first width in the lateral direction and the chassis has a second width in the lateral direction, a ratio of the first width to the second width is greater than about 0.85.

18. The absorbent article of claim 11 , further including a pair of longitudinally extending fold lines for folding the absorbent article into a folded configuration, the fold lines comprising a first longitudinally extending fold line and a second longitudinally extending fold line, the first longitudinally extending fold line being on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the second longitudinally extending fold line being on a second side of the longitudinal axis, wherein a first longitudinal side edge of the waist containment member is disposed laterally outward of the first longitudinally extending fold line and a second longitudinal side edge of the waist containment member is disposed laterally outward of the second longitudinally extending fold line.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 15557895
Related Publication 20210346212A1 · Nov 11, 2021
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