Absorbent article having a fastening system with improved flexibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9980859-B2
Application number	US-201414169331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2014
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

An absorbent article is provided that can include a fastening system configured to attach the rear waist region to the front waist region to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article. The fastening system can comprise a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system, the secondary fastening system including at least one secondary first fastening component and at least one secondary second fastening component. A region of flexibility can be provided between adjacent components of the absorbent article between the at least one secondary first fastening component and the bodyside liner in an area under the at least one secondary first fastening component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An absorbent article comprising:
an absorbent assembly comprising a liquid impermeable outer cover, a liquid permeable bodyside liner, and an absorbent body disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner, the absorbent assembly including a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the rear waist region;
a pair of ears extending transversely outward from opposite sides of the absorbent assembly;
a fastening system configured to attach the rear waist region to the front waist region to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article, the fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system;
wherein the secondary fastening system includes at least one secondary first fastening component and at least one secondary second fastening component, the at least one secondary first fastening component being coupled to a first carrier material,
wherein the first carrier material has an outward facing surface and an inward facing surface, the secondary first fastening component being coupled to the outward facing surface of the first carrier material,
wherein the inward facing surface of the first carrier material is coupled to the outer cover in the front waist region, and at least a portion of an area of the inward facing surface of the first carrier material under the at least one secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the outer cover.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the area of the inward facing surface of the first carrier material under the at least one secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the outer cover.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the secondary fastening system includes a left secondary first fastening component and a right secondary first fastening component.

4. The absorbent article of claim 3 , wherein both the left secondary first fastening component and the right secondary first fastening component are coupled to the outward facing surface of the first carrier material, and wherein both the left secondary first fastening component and the right secondary first fastening component are configured such that at least a portion of an area of the inward facing surface of the first carrier material under the left and right secondary first fastening components is not coupled to the outer cover.

5. The absorbent article of claim 3 , wherein the left secondary first fastening component is coupled to the outward facing surface of the first carrier material and the right secondary first fastening component is coupled to an outward facing surface of a second carrier material, the second carrier material being separate from the first carrier material, wherein at least a portion of an inward facing surface of the second carrier material under the right secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the outer cover.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary first fastening component comprises a hook material and the at least one secondary second fastening component comprises a loop material.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the primary fastening system includes at least one primary first fastening component and a primary second fastening component, wherein the first carrier material forms the primary second fastening component.

8. An absorbent article comprising:
an absorbent assembly comprising a liquid impermeable outer cover, a liquid permeable bodyside liner, and an absorbent body disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner, the absorbent assembly including a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the rear waist region;
a pair of ears extending transversely outward from opposite sides of the absorbent assembly;
a fastening system configured to attach the rear waist region to the front waist region to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article, the fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system;
wherein the secondary fastening system includes at least one secondary first fastening component and at least one secondary second fastening component, the at least one secondary first fastening component being coupled to the outer cover, the bodyside liner extending under the at least one secondary first fastening component, and at least a portion of an area of the outer cover under the at least one secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the bodyside liner.

9. The absorbent article of claim 8 , wherein substantially all of the area of the outer cover under the at least one secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the bodyside liner.

10. The absorbent article of claim 8 , wherein the at least one secondary first fastening component is coupled to a carrier material, the carrier material being coupled to the outer cover.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the carrier material forms part of the primary fastening system.

12. The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of an area of the carrier material under the at least one secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the outer cover.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein substantially all of the area of the carrier material under the at least one secondary first fastening component is not coupled to the outer cover.

14. The absorbent article of claim 8 , wherein the secondary fastening system includes a left secondary first fastening component and a right secondary first fastening component.

15. The absorbent article of claim 14 , wherein the bodyside liner extends under the left secondary first fastening component and the right secondary first fastening component, and both the left secondary first fastening component and the right secondary first fastening component are configured such that at least a portion of an area of the outer cover under the left and right secondary first fastening components is not coupled to the bodyside liner.

16. An absorbent article comprising:
an absorbent assembly comprising a liquid impermeable outer cover, a liquid permeable bodyside liner, and an absorbent body disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner, the absorbent assembly including a front waist region including a front waist edge, a rear waist region including a rear waist edge, a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the rear waist region, and two side edges extending between the front waist edge and the rear waist edge;
a pair of ears extending transversely outward from the absorbent assembly, the pair of ears including a left ear and a right ear;
a pair of containment flaps on opposite sides of the absorbent body including a first containment flap and a second containment flap, the first and the second containment flaps including a stem and a base, the base being coupled to the outer cover;
a fastening system configured to attach the rear waist region to the front waist region to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article, the fastening system comprising a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system;
wherein the secondary fastening system includes at least one secondary first fastening component and at least one secondary second fastening component, the at least one secondary first fastening component is coupled to an outward facing surface of a first carrier material, the first carrier material further comprising an inward facing surface, the inwar

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Popp Robert Lee
• Bishop David Fleger
• Enz David John
• Hancock-Cooke Catherine Marguerite
• Vandyke Wendy Lynn
• Haessler Alanna Nicole
• Debroux Jeffrey Alan

Classifications

• A61F13/5644 Primary

  having more than one pair of fasteners · CPC title

• A61F13/5638

  adjustable open type diapers (adjustable otherwise than by the fasteners A61F13/493) · CPC title