Front or rear opening closed-sided absorbent articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020163810-A1
Application number	US-201816611311-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	May 28, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Absorbent articles with front and rear opening features are disclosed. An article may comprise an absorbent insert comprising an outer cover, a liner, and a core between the outer cover and liner, a first waist panel coupled to the insert and having a first waist panel bottom edge, a first waist panel top edge, a first waist panel outer surface, and a first waist panel inner surface, and a second waist panel coupled to the insert. The first waist panel may be coupled to the second waist panel along side edges of the article, and the first waist panel may further comprise a weakened region comprising weakened portions extending at least partially between the first waist panel bottom edge and the first waist panel top edge. The weakened region may have a weakened region percentage of between about 45% and about 90%.

First claim

1 . An absorbent article including front region, a crotch region, and a rear region, the article having a first side edge and a second side edge and further comprising:
an absorbent insert having a front insert region with a front insert waist edge, and a rear insert region with a rear insert rear waist edge, and comprising an outer cover, a liner, and an absorbent core disposed between the outer cover and the liner; a first waist panel coupled to the absorbent insert, the first waist panel having a first waist panel bottom edge, a first waist panel top edge, a first waist panel outer surface, and a first waist panel inner surface, the first waist panel having an un-elasticized region; and a second waist panel coupled to the absorbent insert, wherein the first waist panel is coupled to the second waist panel proximate the first side edge of the absorbent article and the second side edge of the absorbent article, wherein the first waist panel comprises a weakened region comprising weakened portions extending at least partially between the first waist panel bottom edge and the first waist panel top edge, at least a portion of the weakened region extending through the un-elasticized region, and wherein the weakened region has a weakened region percentage of between about 45% and about 90%.

2 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the weakened region has a weakened region percentage of between about 65% and about 75%.

3 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein a basis weight of the first waist panel is between about 10 gsm and about 100 gsm.

4 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the weakened region has an average peak shear strength of less than about 60 N, according to the Average Peak Shear Strength Test Method.

5 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the weakened region has an average peak shear strength of less than about 40 N, according to the Average Peak Shear Strength Test Method.

6 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first waist panel comprises a fold proximate the first waist panel top edge, the fold dividing the first waist panel into a first waist panel first portion and a first waist panel second portion, and wherein the weakened region extends through at least part of the first waist panel first portion and the first waist panel second portion.

7 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein:
the first waist panel has a first waist panel length, and the weakened region extends for a distance that is between about 50% and about 100% of the first waist panel length.

8 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein:
the first waist panel has a first waist panel length, and the weakened region extends for a distance that is between about 75% and about 100% of the first waist panel length.

9 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first waist panel is coupled to the rear insert region of the absorbent insert.

10 . An absorbent article including front region, a crotch region, and a rear region, the article having a first side edge and a second side edge and further comprising:
an absorbent insert having a front insert region with a front insert waist edge, and a rear insert region with a rear insert waist edge, and comprising an outer cover, a liner, and an absorbent core disposed between the outer cover and the liner; a first waist panel coupled to the absorbent insert, the first waist panel having a first waist panel bottom edge, a first waist panel top edge, a first waist panel outer surface, and a first waist panel inner surface, the first waist panel having an un-elasticized region; and a second waist panel coupled to the absorbent insert, wherein the first waist panel is coupled to the second waist panel proximate the first side edge of the absorbent article and the second side edge of the absorbent article, wherein the first waist panel comprises a weakened region extending at least partially between the first waist panel bottom edge and the first waist panel top edge and at least a portion of the weakened region extends through the un-elasticized region, and wherein the weakened region has an average peak shear strength of less than about 60 N, according to the Average Peak Shear Strength Test Method.

11 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the weakened region has an average peak shear strength of less than about 40 N, according to the Average Peak Shear Strength Test Method.

12 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein:
the first waist panel is connected to the insert throughout an attachment region, the attachment region comprises a first attachment region longitudinal side edge, a second attachment region longitudinal side edge, an attachment region top edge, an attachment region bottom edge, an overall attachment region width, an overall attachment region length, and has an overall attachment region area, the attachment region comprises a low-strength attachment region and a high-strength attachment region, the high-strength attachment region is disposed proximate attachment region bottom edge, and the low-strength attachment region has a first peel strength and the high-strength attachment region has a second peel strength, the second peel strength being greater than the first peel strength.

13 . The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the peel strength of the low-strength attachment region is less than or equal to about 4 N, according to the Angled Peel Test Method, and wherein the peel strength of the high-strength attachment region is greater than or equal to about 5 N, according to the Angled Peel Test Method.

14 . An absorbent article including front region, a crotch region, and a rear region, the article having a first side edge and a second side edge and further comprising:
an absorbent insert having a front insert region with a front insert waist edge, and a rear insert region with a rear insert waist edge, and comprising an outer cover, a liner, and an absorbent core disposed between the outer cover and the liner; a first waist panel coupled to the absorbent insert, the first waist panel having a first waist panel bottom edge, a first waist panel top edge, a first waist panel outer surface, and a first waist panel inner surface, the first waist panel having an un-elasticized region; and a second waist panel coupled to the absorbent insert, wherein the first waist panel is coupled to the second waist panel proximate the first side edge of the absorbent article and the second side edge of the absorbent article, wherein the first waist panel comprises a weakened region extending at least partially between the first waist panel bottom edge and the first waist panel top edge, the weakened region comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and a middle portion disposed between the weakened region top portion and the weakened region bottom portion, and at least a portion of the weakened region extends through the un-elasticized region, and wherein an average peak shear strength of the weakened region top portion or the weakened region bottom portion is greater than the average peak shear strength of the weakened region middle portion.

15 . The absorbent article of claim 14 , wherein both the weakened region top portion and the weakened region bottom portion have an average peak shear strength that is greater than the average peak shear strength of the weakened region middle portion.

16 . The absorbent article of claim 14 , wherein the average peak shear strength of the weakened region top portion is less than about 60 N, according to the Average Peak Shear Strength Test Met

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Johnson Beth
• Kleuskens Sarah
• Niedt James R
• Barriger Kyle M

Classifications

• A61F13/84

  Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads · CPC title

• A61F13/496 Primary

  in the form of pants or briefs · CPC title

• A61F13/565

  pants type diaper · CPC title

• A61F13/49011

  the elastic means is located at the waist region · CPC title

• A61F2013/49087

  having breakable lateral stitches or panels · CPC title