Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Pankaj Nigam · Gary Dean LaVon · Theodora Beck ·
Assignee(s)	The Procter & Gamble Company ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Richard L. Alexander ·
Primary Examiner	Jacqueline F. Stephens ·
Application Number	US10770043
Filing date	02/02/2004
Issue date	06/15/2010
Prior Publication Data	US20050171499 - 08/04/2005
Predicted expiration date	05/22/2025
Patent term adjustment	475
U.S. Classifications	604/385.28  · 604/385.25  · 604/385.22  · 604/385.24  · 604/385.21  · 604/385.29  · 604/389  · 604/385.16  ·
International Classifications	A61F1315  ·
Kind Code	B2

Patent Family

Abstract

A simple disposable absorbent article including a chassis and an absorbent assembly. The chassis includes a water-impermeable sheet folded laterally inward at both of its side edges to form opposing side flaps. Each side flap is attached to the interior surface of the chassis adjacent to its end edges. Each side flap has a longitudinally extending elastic gathering member attached adjacent to its proximal edge. The absorbent assembly is smaller in width and in length than the chassis. The side edges and end edges of the absorbent assembly may be disposed proximally relative to the respective side edges and end edges of the chassis. The absorbent assembly includes an absorbent core that may contain superabsorbent particles, which may be contained inside pockets. The chassis may be extensible. The absorbent assembly may be attached in a cruciform pattern to the chassis to allow portions of the chassis to extend laterally.

Independent Claims | See all claims (31)

1. 1. A disposable diaper comprising: a web comprising and an interior surface and an exterior surface and forming multiple components of the diaper, including a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region between the front and back waist regions, a front waist edge, a back waist edge, laterally opposing side edges, a backsheet, and barrier leg cuffs; a longitudinal axis extending from a midpoint of the front waist edge through the crotch region to a midpoint of the longitudinally opposed back waist edge; one or more fasteners attached to the exterior surface of the web in one or more of the front and back waist regions; an absorbent assembly attached directly to the interior surface of the web; and wherein a portion of the web disposed in both the front and back waist regions is inwardly folded and bonded to one of the interior surface of the web and interior surface of the absorbent assembly at or adjacent the waist end edges to form first and second laterally opposing side flaps, the first and second side flaps each comprising a distal folded edge extending longitudinally and a laterally opposing longitudinally extending proximal edge, the proximal edges of the first and second side flaps being disposed laterally inward of the respective distal folded edges, wherein the inwardly folded first and second side flaps comprise first and second proximal free edges of the first and second side flaps, respectively, disposed between longitudinally opposed bonds, a portion of the web being folded laterally outward to contain first and second longitudinally extending elastic gathering members, respectively.
2. 2. A disposable diaper comprising: a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region between the waist regions, a front waist edge, and a back waist edge; a longitudinal axis extending from a midpoint of the front waist edge through the crotch region to a midpoint of the longitudinally opposed back waist edge; a web comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface; an absorbent assembly comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface; wherein the web is folded laterally outward over at a first fold line and attached to itself interior surface to interior surface forming a first hem and a proximal edge; wherein the web is folded laterally outward over at a second fold line and attached to itself interior surface to interior surface forming a second hem; wherein the web is folded laterally inward over at a third fold line and attached to the interior surface of one or both of the web and absorbent assembly in the front and back waist regions forming a first side flap, the third fold line forming a first side edge of the diaper; wherein the web is folded laterally inward over at a fourth fold line and attached to the interior surface of one or both of the web and absorbent assembly in the front and back waist regions forming a second side flap, the fourth fold line forming a second side edge of the diaper; wherein the first side flap comprises the first hem and wherein the second side flap comprises the second hem; wherein each of the first and second hems comprise a longitudinally extending gathering member; and wherein the proximal edges of the first and second side flaps are disposed laterally inward of the respective side edges.