Absorbent articles including front and back waist panels with different stretch characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12364628-B2
Application number	US-202117242376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2020
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to absorbent articles with front and back waist panels having different stretch characteristics. A first waist panel may be connected with a chassis and positioned in a first waist region, and a second waist panel may be connected with the chassis and positioned in a second waist region. In some configurations, the first waist panel may comprise a first structural feature that is not included in the second waist panel or may comprise a first structural feature is different from a second structural feature included in the second waist panel. As such, the first structural feature provides different stretch characteristics between the first waist panel and the second waist panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An absorbent article comprising:
a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions;
a first waist edge, a second waist edge, a first longitudinal side edge; and a second longitudinal edge;
a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet;
leg gasketing elements extending from the first waist region to the second waist region;
a first waist panel comprising an inboard lateral edge, an outboard lateral edge, and two longitudinal edges, the first waist panel comprising a first elastic film comprising a first end region separated from a second end region by a central region, wherein the central region of the first elastic film is bonded with a first nonwoven in a stretched state and wherein the first and second end regions are bonded with the first nonwoven in unstretched states, and wherein the first waist panel is connected with the chassis and positioned in the first waist region;
a second waist panel comprising an inboard lateral edge, an outboard lateral edge, and two longitudinal edges, the second waist panel comprising a second elastic film bonded to a second nonwoven in a stretched state, and wherein the second waist panel is connected with the chassis and positioned in the second waist region; and
wherein the first waist panel is bonded with the chassis with a first region of first pressure bonds, the first region of first pressure bonds extending longitudinally inboard from the outboard lateral edge of the first waist panel by a first distance D 1 ;
wherein the second waist panel is bonded with the chassis with a second region of second pressure bonds, the second region of second pressure bonds extending longitudinally inboard from the outboard lateral edge of the second waist panel by a second distance D 2 , wherein D 1 is greater than D 2 ; and
wherein the first pressure bonds and the second pressure bonds impart different stretch characteristics to the first and second waist panels, respectively.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein regions of the first waist panel adjacent the outboard lateral edge and the longitudinal edges are bonded to the chassis and at least a portion of the inboard lateral edge of the first waist panel is unattached to the chassis.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein regions of the second waist panel adjacent the outboard lateral edge and the longitudinal edges are bonded to the chassis and a least a portion of the inboard lateral edge of the second waist panel is unattached to the chassis.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein a region adjacent the outboard lateral edge of the second waist panel is adhesively bonded to the chassis and regions adjacent the longitudinal edges of the second waist panel are pressure bonded to the leg gasketing elements.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4 , wherein the leg gasketing elements comprise inner cuffs and outer cuffs.

6. The absorbent article of claim 5 , wherein the regions adjacent the longitudinal edges of the second waist panel are pressure bonded to the inner cuffs of the leg gasketing elements.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein a region adjacent the outboard lateral edge of the first waist panel is mechanically bonded to the chassis.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the outboard lateral edge of the second waist panel is coterminous with the second waist edge, and wherein the outboard lateral edge of the first waist panel is coterminous with the first waist edge.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the outboard lateral edge of the second waist panel is positioned longitudinally inboard of the second waist edge.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein a region of the second waist panel that is unattached to the chassis comprises an area of about 400 mm 2 to about 10000 mm 2 .

11. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first waist region comprises a front waist region and the second waist region comprises a back waist region.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Kilbacak Sally Lin
• Roe Donald Carroll
• Raycheck Jeromy Thomas
• Schneider Uwe
• Long Michael Devin
• Quade Michael Brian
• Naylor Jason Edward
• Rosiak Jeffry
• Lange Stephen Joseph

Classifications

• A61F2013/4944

  having multiple barriers · CPC title

• A61F2013/49098

  Other Details not otherwise provided of the absorbent articles specially adapted to be worn around the waist · CPC title

• A61F2013/1591

  via adhesive · CPC title

• A61F2013/15878

  by thermal bonding · CPC title

• A61F2013/15869

  with ultrasonic energy · CPC title