Absorbent articles with curved elasticized laminates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022071808-A1
Application number	US-201817419388-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2018
Priority date	Dec 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 10, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Absorbent articles having curved elasticized laminates and apparatuses and methods for forming such articles are disclosed. In one embodiment a method of forming an article may comprise moving absorbent assemblies and elasticized laminates in the machine direction. The method may further comprise oscillating the elasticized laminates in the cross-machine direction to impart a curvature, bonding the elasticized laminates to the absorbent assemblies while maintaining the imparted curvature such that at least a portion of the elasticized laminates are disposed outboard of longitudinal side edges of the absorbent assemblies, and finally separating the absorbent assemblies into individual absorbent articles, where the elasticized laminates extend in a curving manner throughout the absorbent articles.

First claim

1 . A method of forming an absorbent article comprising:
moving a stream of connected absorbent assemblies in a machine direction, the absorbent assemblies comprising:
a bodyside liner,
an outer cover, and
an absorbent body disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover, the absorbent body having a length in the machine direction that is greater than a width in a cross-machine direction;
moving a first pair of elasticized laminates in the machine direction, each of the first pair of elasticized laminates comprising:
a laminate material comprising a fold to form a laminate material top layer and a laminate material bottom layer, and
an elastomeric member disposed between the laminate material top layer and the laminate material bottom layer;
oscillating, with a laminate oscillating device, each of the first pair of elasticized laminates in the cross-machine direction to impart a curvature to each of the first pair of elasticized laminates, the oscillation occurring within a single plane; bonding each of the first pair of elasticized laminates to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies while maintaining the imparted curvature such that at least a portion of the fold of each of the first pair of elasticized laminates is disposed outboard of longitudinal side edges of the stream of connected absorbent assemblies; and separating the stream of connected absorbent assemblies into individual absorbent articles, each article comprising a front region, a rear region, and a crotch region disposed between the front region and the rear region, wherein the fold and the elastomeric member of each elasticized laminate of each individual absorbent article extend in a curving manner throughout at least the crotch region of each individual absorbent article.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric member comprises one or more elastomeric strands.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates are bonded to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies along a straight bond line.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates are bonded to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies along a curving bond line.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fold and the elastomeric member of each elasticized laminate of each individual absorbent article are disposed completely outboard of longitudinal side edges of a chassis of the individual absorbent articles.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates further comprises:
a first group of one or more elastomeric members; and a second group of one or more elastomeric members spaced from the first group of elastomeric members, and wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates is attached to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies at a location between the first group of one or more elastomeric members, which form elasticized leg cuffs in the individual absorbent articles, and the second group of one or more elastomeric members, which form elasticized containment flaps in the individual absorbent articles.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
moving a pair of continuously extending elasticized containment flaps in the machine direction; and bonding the pair of continuously extending elasticized containment flaps to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies, wherein the pair of elasticized containment flaps cover at least a portion of each of the first pair of elasticized laminates.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the bonded pair of continuously extending elasticized containment flaps each comprise a projection portion un-coupled to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies and a base portion coupled to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies, wherein the base portion has a proximal end portion which defines a transition between the projection portion and the base portion, and wherein the continuously extending elasticized containment flaps are bonded to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies such that first pair of elasticized laminates do not extend laterally inboard of the proximal end portions of the elasticized containment flaps.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the each of the first pair of elasticized laminates has a constant cross-machine direction width.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates traverses through the laminate oscillating device along a laminate web path, the laminate web path forming an angle of between about 120 degrees to greater than about 0 degrees.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates traverses through the laminate oscillating device along a laminate web path, the laminate web path forming an angle of between about 90 degrees to greater than about 0 degrees.

12 . A method of forming an absorbent article comprising:
moving a stream of connected absorbent assemblies in a machine direction, the absorbent assemblies comprising:
a bodyside liner,
an outer cover, and
an absorbent body disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover, the absorbent body having a length in the machine direction that is greater than a width in a cross-machine direction;
moving a first pair of elasticized laminates in the machine direction, each of the first pair of elasticized laminates comprising:
a laminate material having first side edge and a second side edge, at least one of the first side edge and the second side edge being a folded edge, wherein the laminate material comprises a laminate material top layer and a laminate material bottom layer; and
an elastomeric member disposed between the laminate material top layer and the laminate material bottom layer;
oscillating, with a laminate oscillating device, each of the first pair of elasticized laminates in the cross-machine direction to impart a curvature to each of the first and second side edges of each of the first pair of elasticized laminates, the oscillation occurring within a single plane; bonding each of the first pair of elasticized laminates to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies while maintaining the imparted curvature; and separating the stream of connected absorbent assemblies into individual absorbent articles, each article comprising a front region, a rear region, and a crotch region disposed between the front region and the rear region, wherein the first and second side edges and the elastomeric member of each elasticized laminate of each individual absorbent article extend in a curving manner throughout at least the crotch region of each individual absorbent article.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates form elasticized containment flaps in the individual absorbent articles.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates is bonded to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies along a straight bond line.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the first pair of elasticized laminates is bonded to the stream of connected absorbent assemblies along a curving bond line.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
moving a second pair of elasticized laminates in the machine direction, each of the second pair of elasticized laminates comprising:
a laminate material having first side edge and a second side edge, at least one of the first side edge and the second side edge being a folded edge, wherein the laminate material comprises a laminate material top layer and a lam

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Jones Matthew R
• Niedt James R
• Scholl robert w
• Dempsey Kirk J

Classifications

• A61F13/4942

  the barrier not being integral with the top- or back-sheet · CPC title

• A61F13/15609

  the ribbons being applied in an irregular path · CPC title

• A61F13/49017 Primary

  the elastic means being located at the crotch region · CPC title

• A61F13/49413

  the edge leakage prevention means being an upstanding barrier · CPC title

• A61F13/15699

  Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs · CPC title