Absorbent articles with absorbent chassis and belt elastic arrangements and frangible pathways

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024000625-A1
Application number	US-202318214586-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2023
Priority date	Jun 30, 2022
Publication date	Jan 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising a first belt and a second belt, which may include a frangible pathway comprising lines of weakness. The belts may also comprise elastic strands positioned between and connected with a first substrate and a second substrate. The elastic strands may be severed at the lines of weakness, and the cut elastic strands may be continuously bonded between the first substrate and the second substrate. The arrangements of the frangible pathways relative to belt elastic positions herein may be configured to help ensure the belts may be relatively easily torn along the frangible pathways without the need to also tear uncut elastic strands.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An absorbent article comprising:
a first belt comprising an inner wearer facing surface and an outer garment facing surface, the first belt further comprising a laterally extending inner edge and a laterally extending outer edge, the outer edge positioned longitudinally outward of the inner edge; a second belt, wherein laterally opposing end portions of the second belt are connected with laterally opposing end portions of the first belt at a first side seam and a second side seam to form a waist opening; a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, the chassis comprising a longitudinally extending first side edge and a longitudinally extending second side edge laterally separated from the first side edge by a first end edge and a second end edge longitudinally separate from the first end edge, and wherein longitudinally opposing end regions of the chassis are connected with the first belt and the second belt; wherein a portion of the chassis overlaps the inner wearer facing surface of the first belt to define a chassis overlap region; a frangible pathway in the first belt extending across the overlap region between a proximal terminus on the inner edge and a distal terminus on the outer edge of the first belt, the first frangible pathway comprising a first tear zone extending from the overlap region to the distal terminus, and a second tear zone extending from the overlap region to the proximal terminus; and the distal terminus and the proximal terminus positioned laterally between the first side edge of the chassis and the first side seam.

2 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first belt further comprises: elastic strands positioned between and connected with a first substrate and a second substrate; and wherein the frangible pathway comprises lines of weakness.

3 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein some elastic strands are severed at the lines of weakness, and wherein the severed elastic strands are continuously bonded between the first substrate and the second substrate.

4 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein all elastic strands extending through the first tear zone between the first side edge of the chassis and the distal terminus are severed at the lines of weakness.

5 . The absorbent article of claim 4 , wherein elastic strands extending through the second tear zone between the first side edge of the chassis and the proximal terminus are severed at the lines of weakness.

6 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the lines weakness cut at least one elastic strand extending through the first tear zone or the second tear zone in at least one location between the first side edge of the chassis and the second side edge of the chassis.

7 . The absorbent article of claim 6 , wherein the lines weakness do not cut at least one elastic strand extending between the first side edge of the chassis and the second side edge of the chassis.

8 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the lines of weakness comprise discrete cut lines.

9 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate comprise nonwovens and wherein the lines of weakness comprise discrete bonds wherein materials of the nonwovens are at least partly fused together.

10 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener component connected with the inner wearer facing surface of the first belt in the overlap region adjacent the frangible pathway, the fastener component adapted to refastenably connect with at least one other component of the absorbent article.

11 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , further comprising an accessibility opening in the first belt positioned in the overlap region adjacent the fastener component.

12 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the first tear zone extends from the accessibility opening to the distal terminus, and the second tear zone extends from the accessibility opening to the proximal terminus.

13 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the accessibility opening comprises a slit in the first belt.

14 . The absorbent article of claim 13 , wherein the slit extends along a line in a lateral direction to define an angle from about 0 degrees to about 10 degrees with respect to the outer edge of the first belt.

15 . The absorbent article of claim 13 , wherein the slit is curved and extends in a longitudinal direction.

16 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the accessibility opening is positioned between the fastener component and the inner edge of the first belt.

17 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the accessibility opening is positioned between the fastener component and the outer edge of the first belt.

18 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the frangible pathway and the accessibility opening partially surround the fastener component.

19 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the fastener component comprises hooks, and the wherein the hooks extend toward the backsheet.

20 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the frangible pathway extends through the fastener component and divides the fastener component into at least two parts.

21 . The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the chassis overlap region comprises an adherence region where an adhesive is positioned between the chassis and the inner wearer facing surface of the first belt, and wherein the accessibility opening is positioned outside the adherence region.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Willhaus Keith Richard
• Raycheck Jeromy Thomas
• Rosiak Jeffry
• Naylor Jason Edward
• Strasemeier John Andrew
• Long Michael Devin
• Taylor Nicholas Alexander

Classifications

• A61F13/15723

  Partitioning batts; Cutting · CPC title

• A61F13/15593

  having elastic ribbons fixed thereto; Devices for applying the ribbons · CPC title

• A61F2013/49025

  having multiple elastic strands · CPC title

• A61F2013/15934

  for making non-woven · CPC title

• A61F2013/15406

  Basis weight · CPC title