| US 7,572,248 B2 | ||
| Unitary disposable pant-type garment with non-elasticized gap between stretch side panels and absorbent assembly | ||
| Gregory Ashton, Symmes Township, Ohio (US); Michael Charles Raufman, Liberty Township, Ohio (US); and Joseph Hung Lam, Mason, Ohio (US) | ||
| Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio (US) | ||
| Filed on May 08, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/434,378. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0225273 A1, Nov. 11, 2004 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61F 13/15 (2006.01); A61F 13/20 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 604—385.01 [604/385.04; 604/378] | 11 Claims |
| 1. A unitary disposable pant-like absorbent article for containing bodily wastes from a wearer, the article comprising:
an outer cover comprising a wearer-facing surface and an opposing garment facing surface, the outer cover defining a lateral
width and a longitudinal length, and having a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region located longitudinally
between the front waist region and the rear waist region, wherein the front waist region of the outer cover extends laterally
outward in opposing directions to define first and second front side regions, wherein the rear waist region of the outer cover
extends laterally outward in opposing directions to define first and second rear side regions, wherein the front and rear
side regions extend laterally outward beyond a narrowest lateral width defined by the crotch region, and wherein the outer
cover defines a pant-like garment having two leg openings and a waist opening when the first front and rear side regions are
connected and when the second front and rear side regions are connected;
a first front stretchable member connected with and forming a laminate with the first front side region, the first front stretchable
member having a first longitudinally oriented side edge and a second longitudinally oriented side edge laterally outboard
of the first longitudinally oriented side edge, and wherein the first longitudinally oriented side edge is entirely disposed
on the wearer-facing surface of the outer cover;
a second front stretchable member connected with and forming a laminate with the second front side region, the second front
stretchable member having a first longitudinally oriented side edge and a second longitudinally oriented side edge laterally
outboard of the first longitudinally oriented side edge, and wherein the first longitudinally oriented side edge is entirely
disposed on the wearer-facing surface of the outer cover;
a first rear stretchable member connected with and forming a laminate with the first rear side region, the first rear stretchable
member having a first longitudinally oriented side edge and a second longitudinally oriented side edge laterally outboard
of the first longitudinally oriented side edge, and wherein the first longitudinally oriented side edge is entirely disposed
on the wearer-facing surface of the outer cover;
a second rear stretchable member connected with and forming a laminate with the second rear side region, the second rear stretchable
member having a first longitudinally oriented side edge and a second longitudinally oriented side edge laterally outboard
of the first longitudinally oriented side edge, and wherein the first longitudinally oriented side edge is entirely disposed
on the wearer-facing surface of the outer cover;
an absorbent assembly comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet associated with the topsheet and
an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent assembly being joined to the wearer-facing
surface of the outer cover and being fully laterally inboard of the first and second, front and rear side regions, the absorbent
assembly having a first longitudinally oriented side edge laterally opposed from a second longitudinally oriented side edge;
wherein the first longitudinally oriented side edge of the absorbent assembly is spaced laterally inboard from the first longitudinally
oriented side edge of the first front stretchable member to define a first front longitudinally orientated non-elasticized
gap region of the outer cover laterally extending between the first longitudinally oriented side edge of the absorbent assembly
and the first longitudinally oriented side edge of first front stretchable member;
wherein the first longitudinally oriented side edge of the absorbent assembly is spaced laterally inboard from the first longitudinally
oriented side edge of the first rear stretchable member to define a first rear longitudinally orientated non-elasticized gap
region of the outer cover laterally extending between the first longitudinally oriented side edge of the absorbent assembly
and the first longitudinally oriented side edge of first rear stretchable member;
wherein the second longitudinally oriented side edge of the absorbent assembly is spaced laterally inboard from the first
longitudinally oriented side edge of the second front stretchable member to define a second front longitudinally orientated
non-elasticized gap region of the outer cover laterally extending between the second longitudinally oriented side edge of
the absorbent assembly and the first longitudinally oriented side edge of second front stretchable member;
wherein the second longitudinally oriented side edge of the absorbent assembly is spaced laterally inboard from the first
longitudinally oriented side edge of the second rear stretchable member to define a second rear longitudinally orientated
non-elasticized gap region of the outer cover laterally extending between the second longitudinally oriented side edge of
the absorbent assembly and the first longitudinally oriented side edge of second rear stretchable member; and
a barrier cuff connected with one of the longitudinally oriented side edges of the absorbent assembly.
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