MXPA00010303A - Disposable absorbent article having reinforced ear panels - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, comprising;(a) a containment assembly having a rear waist region, a crotch region, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, a body facing surface and a garment facing surface opposite to the body facing surface, the containment assembly comprising a topsheet, a backsheet joined to the topsheet, an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a pair of barrier leg cuffs having a proximal edge and a distal edge and being positioned adjacent to the longitudinal edges ofthe containment assembly;(b) a pair of rear ear panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the barrier leg cuff in the rear waist region;(c) a pair of front ear panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the barrier leg cuff in the front waist region;and (d) a reinforcement nonwoven joined to at least one of either the rear ear panels or the front ear panels, the reinforcement nonwoven not substantially overlapping the containment assembly.

Description

DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT ARTICLE THAT HAS REINFORCED EAR PANELS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles, and more particularly to disposable absorbent articles having reinforced ear panels.

BACKGROUND Babies and other incontinent individuals carry absorbent articles such as diapers to receive and contain urine and other exudates from the body. Absorbent articles function both to contain the discharged materials and to isolate the user's body materials and clothing. and Bed Linens Disposable absorbent articles having many different basic designs are well known in the art, including tape type diapers in which the back portion of the diaper is affixed to the front portion of the diaper on each side of the wearer, and "pull-on" type diapers that allow the wearer to place the absorbent article as underpants and that require none of the fastening steps of the tape type designs. It is also known that the exterior of the disposable diapers may be covered with a flexible sheet, impervious to liquid and vapor to prevent any liquid absorbed from passing to through the diaper and stain the adjacent articles such as clothes, sheets and the like. These external covers, generally referred to as backsheets, are frequently constructed from waterproof films. fluid such as polyethylene. Although these backsheets prevent the liquid from passing through the diaper, these can also form the warm feel of the diaper and comfort for the wearer because of its impermeability to air and / or moisture, particularly in the posterior waist and ear regions. lateral of the article. Some disposable diapers are provided with a laminated non-woven material or otherwise adhered to the backsheet film to provide the fabric appearance and fabric-like feel on the outer side of the garment so that the users and caregivers perceive a sensation in the form of a garment. However, these garments may be stiff, bulky or rough on the surface. The use of these non-woven materials can also increase raw material costs associated with the production of absorbent articles, especially for larger sized garments, for example, as used by incontinent adults or adults prostrate in bed. Therefore, there remains a desire to provide disposable absorbent articles with breathability and softness, particularly in the area of the lateral ear, without compromising strength and while still cost-effective to produce. None of the prior art provides all the advantages and benefits of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an absorbent article having a longitudinal center line and a lateral center line, comprising: (a) a containment assembly having a rear waist region, a crotch region, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, a surface that gives the body and a surface that gives the garment opposite to the surface that it gives to the body, the containment assembly comprising a top sheet, a back sheet attached to the top sheet, an absorbent core placed between the top sheet and the back sheet, and a pair of leg barrier folds having a proximal edge and a distant edge and which are positioned adjacent the longitudinal edges of the containment assembly; (b) a pair of posterior ear panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the leg barrier fold in the posterior waist region; (c) a pair of front ear panels extending laterally outward from the proximal edges of the leg barrier fold in the front waist region, and (d) a reinforcing nonwoven material bonded to at least one of any of the ear rear panels or the ear front panels, the reinforcing nonwoven material substantially not overlapping the containment assembly These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the description concludes with the claims singling out and claiming the invention differently, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in combination with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention having portions cut away to reveal the underlying structure, with the internal surface (which gives the body) of the article giving the observer; Figure 2a is a simplified cross-sectional view taken along section line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 2b is a simplified cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention taken along section line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure A is an enlarged view of a part of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, with the exterior surface (which gives the garment) of the article to the observer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles. As used herein, the term "absorbent article" refers to devices that absorb and contain exudates from the body, and, more specifically, refers to devices that are placed against or close to the user's body to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body. The term "disposable" is used herein to describe absorbent articles that are not intended to be washed or restored or otherwise reused as an absorbent article (ie, they are intended to be discarded after a single use and, preferably, to be recycled, composted or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner). An absorbent (unitary) article refers to the absorbent articles that are formed of separate parts joined together to form a coordinated entity in such a way that they do not require separate manipulated parts such as a separate fastener and liner.

A preferred embodiment of an absorbent article of the present invention is the unitary disposable absorbent article, diaper 20, shown in Figure 1. As used herein, the term "diaper" refers to an absorbent article generally worn by infants and incontinent persons that is worn around the user's lower torso. However, it should be understood that the present invention is also applicable to other absorbent articles such as incontinence briefs, incontinence undergarments, diaper liners and fasteners, feminine hygiene garments, training pants, and the like. Figure 1 is a plan view of the diaper 20 in its flattened state, without contracting (i.e., with the contraction induced by the elastic pulled outwardly) with parts of the structure that are cut away to show more clearly the construction of the diaper 20 and with the part of the diaper 20 that gives the wearer, the inner surface (i.e., the surface that faces the body) 40, giving the observer. As shown in Figure 1, diaper 20 preferably comprises a containment assembly 22 comprising an upper sheet 2 permeable to liquid; a back sheet 26 impermeable to the liquid attached to the upper sheet; and an absorbent core 28 positioned between the topsheet 4 and the backsheet 26. The absorbent core 28 has a pair of opposite longitudinal edges 60. The backsheet 26 prevents the exudates absorbed and contained in the absorbent core 28 from wetting the articles that they are in contact with the diaper 20 such as sheets and undergarments. The diaper preferably also comprises ear front panels 31; rear ear panels 30; leg barrier folds 32; and a fastening system 36 preferably comprising at least one pair of securing members 37 and a tie member 38. The elastic waist (not shown) can also be provided. The diaper 20 has an inner surface 40 (giving the observer in the Figure 1), an external surface (that is, the surface that gives the garment) 42 opposite the inner surface 40, a rear waist region 44, a front waist region 46 opposite the rear waist region 4, a crotch region positioned between the rear waist region 44 and the front waist region 46 and a periphery which is defined by the outer perimeter or edge of the diaper 20 in which the side edges are designated 50 and the end edges are designated 52. The rear waist region 4 and the front waist region 46 extend from the end edges 52 from the periphery to the crotch region 8. The inner surface 40 of the diaper 20 comprises that part of the diaper 20 which is placed adjacent the wearer's body during use (i.e., the inner surface 40 is generally formed by the less a part of the upper sheet 24 and other components attached to the upper sheet 24). The outer surface 42 comprises that part of the diaper 20 that is positioned away from the wearer's body (i.e., the outer surface 42 is generally formed by at least a portion of the back sheet 26 and other components attached to the back sheet 26). ). As used herein, the term "attached" encompasses configurations by which one element is directly secured to the other element by fixing the element directly to the other element, and configurations by which the element is indirectly secured to the other element by fixing the element to a member or intermediate members, which in turn are fixed to the other element. The diaper 20 also has two centerlines, a longitudinal centerline 100 and a transverse centerline 110. The term "longitudinal", as used herein, refers to a line, axis, or direction in the plane of the diaper 20 that is generally aligned with (e.g., approximately parallel to) a vertical plane that divides a user standing in left and right halves when the diaper 20 is worn. The term "transverse", as used herein, refers to a line, axis or direction that located within the plane of the diaper which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (which divides the wearer into halves of the front and back body). The topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 have length and width dimensions generally greater than those of the absorbent core 28. The topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 extend beyond the edges of the absorbent core 28 to thereby form the periphery of the diaper Although the topsheet 24, the backsheet 26, and the absorbent core 28 can be assembled in a variety of well-known configurations, exemplary configurations of the containment assembly are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 entitled "Shrinkable side portions for disposable diaper" issued to Kenneth B. Buell on January 14, 1975; and in U.S. Patent No. 5,151,092 entitled "Absorbent article with elastic dynamic waist feature having a predisposed elastic flexure joint" issued to Kenneth B. Buell et al. on September 29, 1992. The packing folds elastically contractible 63 are disposed adjacent the periphery of the diaper 20, preferably adjacent to each leg barrier fold 32 along each lateral edge 50, such that the packing folds 63 tend to pull and retain the diaper 20 against the legs of the user. Alternatively, a packing fold 63 may be disposed adjacent either or both of the end edges 52 to provide a waist fold. The packing folds may comprise any of the means as are well known in the diaper art, see, for example, Buell U.S. Patent No. 3,860,003 and Kievet and other U.S. Patent No. 4,515,595. In a preferred embodiment as shown in Figure 1, the gusset fold 63 is formed from the extension of the backsheet 26 and a portion of the leg barrier fold 32 extending outwardly from and along the lengths of the legs. longitudinal edges 60 of the absorbent core 28 in at least the crotch region 48. The elastic flap members 65 are operatively associated with the packing folds 63 in an elastically contractible condition such that in a normally unrestricted configuration, the members Flap elastics will effectively contract or shirm the packing folds. The length of the elastic fin members 65 is generally dictated by the design of the diaper and can be fixed to the diaper by any means known in the art. The absorbent core 28 may be any absorbent member that is generally compressible, capable of shaping, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids such as urine and other certain exudates from the body. The absorbent core 28 can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes (eg, rectangular, hourglass, "T", asymmetric, etc.) and from a wide variety of commonly used liquid absorbent materials. in disposable diapers and other absorbent articles such as crushed wood pulp, which is generally referred to as air felt. Examples of other suitable absorbent materials include creped cellulose wadding; meltblown polymers including coform; chemically hardened, modified or cross-linked cellulosic fibers; tissue including tissue wraps and tissue laminates; absorbent foams; absorbent sponges; superabsorbent polymers; gelling absorbent materials; or any equivalent material or combinations of materials. The configuration and construction of the absorbent core 28 can be varied (for example, the absorbent core may have variable gauge zones, a hydrophilic gradient, a superabsorbent gradient, or acquisition zones of lower average density and lower average basis weight, or may comprise one or more layers or structures). In addition, you can also vary the size and absorbent capacity of the absorbent core 28 to encompass users ranging from babies to adults However, the total absorbent capacity of the absorbent core 28 must be compatible with the design load and intended use of the diaper 20 One modality of the diaper 20 has an absorbent core 28 in T-shaped modified, asymmetric, having ears in the frontal waist region but a generally rectangular shape in the posterior waist region. Other exemplary absorbent structures for use as the absorbent core 28 of the present invention are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,610,678 entitled "High Density Absorbing Structures" issued to Weisman et al. On September 9, 1986; U.S. Patent No. 4,673,402 entitled "Absorbent articles with double-layered cores" issued to Weisman et al. on June 16, 1987, U.S. Patent No. 4,888,231 entitled "Absorbent core having a de-oiling layer" issued to Angstadt on December 19, 1989; and in U.S. Patent No. 4,834,735, entitled "High density absorbent members having lower density and lower basis weight acquisition zones", issued to Alemany et al. on May 30, 1989. The absorbent core 28 can alternatively understand the dual core system containing a core of acquisition / distribution of chemically hardened fibers placed on an absorbent storage core as detailed in U.S. Patent No. 5,234 | 423, entitled "Absorbing article with characteristic of elastic waist and improved absorbency "issued to Alemany et al. on August 10, 1993; and in U.S. Patent No. 5,147,345, entitled "High efficiency absorbent articles for incontinence management" issued to Young, LaVon and Taylor on September 15, 1992. The topsheet 24 is preferably attached to the absorbent core. and to the backsheet 26 by joining means (not shown) such as those well known in the technique. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 are directly bonded together at the periphery of the diaper and are indirectly joined together by attaching them directly to the absorbent core 28 by any suitable attachment means known to those skilled in the art. The technique. The topsheet 24 is preferably docile, gentle in feel, and non-irritating to the wearer's skin. In addition, the topsheet 24 is preferably permeable to liquid allowing liquids (eg, urine) to easily penetrate through its thickness. A suitable top sheet 24 can be manufactured from a wide range of materials such as woven and nonwoven materials; polymeric materials such as thermoplastic films formed with openings, plastic films with openings, and hydroformed thermoplastic films; porous foams; cross-linked foams; crosslinked thermoplastic films; and thermoplastic canvases. Suitable woven and nonwoven materials may be composed of natural fibers (eg, wood or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (e.g., polymer fibers such as polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene fibers) or a combination of fibers natural and synthetic The topsheet 24 is preferably made of a hydrophobic material to isolate the wearer's skin from liquids that have passed through the topsheet 24 and which are contained within the absorbent core 28 (ie, avoid rewetting). If the topsheet 24 of a hydrophobic material is made, at least the top surface of the topsheet 24 is preferably treated so that it is hydrophilic in such a way that liquids will transfer through the topsheet more rapidly. This decreases the likelihood that the body exudates will flow out of the upper sheet 2 instead of being drawn through the upper sheet 24 and absorbed by the absorbent core 28.

The top sheet 24 can be made hydrophilic by treating it with a surfactant. Suitable methods for treating the topsheet 24 with a surfactant include spraying the top sheet 24 with the surfactant and immersing the material in the surfactant. A more detailed discussion of such treatment and hydrophilic capacity is contained in the United States patent No. 4,988,344 entitled "Absorbent articles with multi-layer absorbent layers" issued to Reising, et al. On January 29, 1991 and in U.S. Patent No. 4,988,345 entitled "Absorbent articles with rapidly-absorbing absorbent cores" issued to Reising on January 29, 1991. A preferred alternative top sheet 24 comprises a film formed with openings. Films formed with openings are useful for the topsheet 24 because they are permeable to body exudates and not yet absorbent and have a reduced tendency to allow liquids to pass back through and re-wet the wearer's skin In this way, the surface of the formed film that is in contact with the body remains dry, thereby reducing the staining of the body and creating a more comfortable feeling for the user. Suitable formed films are described in U.S. Patent No. 3,929,135, entitled "Absorption structures having tapered capillaries", issued to Thompson on December 30, 1975; U.S. Patent No. 4,324,246 entitled "Disposable absorbent article having a stain-resistant top sheet", issued to Mullane, et al. on April 13, 1982; U.S. Patent No. 4,342,314 entitled "Elastic plastic weft exhibiting properties in the form of fiber", issued to Radel et al. on August 3, 1982; U.S. Patent No. 4,463,045 entitled "Macroscopically expanded three-dimensional plastic screen exhibiting non-blistering visible surface and fabric-like tactile printing", issued to Ahr and others on July 31, 1984; and in U.S. Patent No. 5,006,394"Multilayer Polymer Film" issued to Baird on April 9, 1991. The diaper 20 preferably further comprises elasticized leg barrier folds 32 positioned adjacent the longitudinal edges 25 of the assembly. of containment. The leg barrier folds 32 provide improved containment of liquids and other exudates from the body. Each leg barrier fold 32 can comprise any of several different modalities to reduce leakage of body exudates in the leg regions. (The leg barrier fold 32 is sometimes also referred to as leg bands, side flaps, elasticized leg cuffs, or elastic folds.) The non-limiting examples of the modalities for leg barrier folds are described herein. United States patents following. U.S. Patent No. 3,860,003 discloses a disposable diaper that provides a collapsible leg opening having a side flap and one or more elastic members to provide an elasticized leg fold (gusset fold). U.S. Patent No. 4,909,803 entitled "Disposable Absorbent Article Having Elasticized Fins" issued to Aziz et al. On Ma20, 1990, discloses a disposable diaper having "vertical" elasticized flaps (barrier folds) to improve the containment of leg regions. U.S. Patent No. 4,695,278 entitled "Absorbent Article Having Double Folds" issued to La is September 22, 1987, discloses a disposable diaper having double folds including a gusset fold and a barrier fold. U.S. Patent No. 4,795,454 entitled "Absorbent article having double leak-resistant folds" issued to Dragoo on January 3, 1989 discloses leak-resistant folds. U.S. Patent No. 4,704,115 entitled "Disposable Garment of Waste Containment" issued to Buell on November 3, 1987, discloses a disposable diaper or garment of dressing for incontinence having lateral edge leakage channels configured to contain the free liquids within the garment Each leg barrier fold 32 has a proximal edge 33 attached to the containment assembly 22, a distal edge 35 , and a separation means 77 such as an elastic separation member 77 for separating the distant edge 35 away from the liquid receiving surface (upper sheet 24) of the containment assembly 22. The proximal edge 33 of the leg barrier fold 32 it is preferably inside the packing fold 63, preferably between the longitudinal edge 60 of the core 28 and the elastic flap members 65 joining a segment of the leg barrier fold to the back sheet 26 by a seal means (not shown separately) such as a drop of adhesive to form a leak resistant seal along the proximal edge 33 to present a barrier to the penetrating liquid through the upper sheet 24 to prevent liquids from penetrating below the barrier folds 32 towards the edges of the diaper 20. The backsheet 26 of the present invention preferably comprises a plastic film 27 having an outward facing surface 70a and a body-facing surface 70b, as shown in Figure 2. The plastic film 27 is preferably impermeable to liquids (eg, urine) and is preferably manufactured from a thin plastic film. However, the plastic film 27 preferably allows the vapors of the diaper 20 to escape. In a preferred embodiment, a microporous polyethylene film is used for the plastic film. A suitable polyethylene microporous film is manufactured by Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., Nagoya, Japan and is marketed commercially as Espoir. A suitable material for the plastic film is a thermoplastic film having a thickness of about 0.012 mm to about 0 051 mm, preferably comprising polyethylene or polypropylene. Preferably, the Plastic film has a basis weight of about 5 g / m2 to about 35 g / m2. However, it must be distinguished that other flexible liquid impervious materials can be used. As used herein, the term "flexible" refers to materials that are docile and that will easily conform to the figure and general contour of the human body. In conventional diapers (not shown), the backsheet 26 typically comprises a plastic film 27 and a nonwoven web bonded to the outward facing surface 70a of the plastic film 27 to form a laminate. The nonwoven web typically covers all or substantially all of the outward facing surface 70a of the plastic film 27 and extends over the entire area of the containment assembly 22, in the front waist region 46, in the rear waist region 44 , and in the crotch region 48. In other words, the part of the nonwoven web of this conventional backsheet laminate typically covers the entire outward facing surface 42 of the diaper 20. This conventional configuration, while providing a certain degree of fabric-like feel and appearance in the form of a garment can be expensive due to the costs of the same nonwoven laminate itself as well as the costs of manufacturing and / or supplying the lamination process, particularly for the articles tried for the use of adults, due to the size of the articles. This may also feel stiff and uncomfortable for some users, particularly adult users. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the conventional laminate of the backsheet composed of a plastic film of polymer and a non-woven web covering substantially all of the outwardly facing surface 42 of the diaper is removed. Instead, a reinforcing nonwoven material 90 is provided which does not substantially overlap the containment assembly 22. Referring to Figures 3 to 5, in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the backsheet comprises a plastic film 27 existing in the area of the containment assembly 22 The plastic film 27 is not provided in the areas of the front and rear ear panels 30 and 31, since the plastic film 27 is not needed where there is no core material 28 for absorbing exudates, particularly urine The backsheet further comprises a non-woven web, as distinguished above, this non-woven web 90 does not substantially overlap the containment assembly 22 However, removal of the conventional non-woven web layer will generally have the disadvantage of the reduction in overall diaper resistance in the ear regions Therefore, in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a reinforcing nonwoven material 90 is provided in at least one of any of the panel regions For example, the combination of the reinforcement non-woven material 90 and the non-woven material of the bread Earrings 30 and / or 31, provide a strong and soft ear In addition, the volume in the containment region 22 tends to be eliminated in said preferred embodiments since there is less material provided there Said volume removal in the containment region 22 is particularly desirable in absorbent articles for adult users, since those articles tend to require a thicker core that might be needed for the use of infant and child. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the reinforcing nonwoven material 90 can be provided in any of the ear rear panel regions 90 or the ear front panel regions 31 In other more preferred embodiments, the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 may be provided in both the rear ear and front panel regions 30, 31 Referring to Figures 3 to 5, a preferred configuration of the ear panels 30 and 31 will be described. Each of the ear panels 30 extend laterally outward from the proximal edges 33 of the leg barrier fold 32 in the rear waist region 44 Each ear post panel preferably comprises an extension of the leg barrier fold 32, preferably the rear ear panels 30 and the leg barrier fold 32 formed from a piece of continuous material and alternately, multiple pieces of material may be provided, and these may be of the same or different materials. Similarly, each of the ear front panels 31 extend laterally outwardly from the proximal edges 33 of the barrier fold of the barrier. leg 32 in the front waist region 46 Each ear front panel 31 preferably also comprises an extension of the leg barrier fold 32, preferably the front ear panels 31 and the leg barrier fold 32 formed from one piece of continuous and unitary material Alternatively, multiple pieces of material can be provided and these can be of equal materials or different. Highly preferable is the configuration in which all of the ear rear panel 30, the ear front panel 31, and the leg barrier fold 32 are formed from a piece of continuous and unitary material, preferably a non-material material. tissue The reinforcing nonwoven material 90 is preferably attached to at least one of any of the ear rear panels 30 or the ear front panels 31. Preferably, the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 is positioned relative to the leg barrier fold. 32 so that the reinforcing nonwoven material 90 is a part of the outward facing surface 42 of the diaper 20 and the rear ear panel is part of the inward facing surface 40 of the diaper. The proximal edge 95 of the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 is preferably secured between the plastic film of the backsheet 27 and the leg barrier fold 32. This preferred arrangement is shown in FIG. Figure 3 and can be seen more clearly in the enlarged portion shown in Figure 4 Preferably, the ear panel 30 and / or 31 is secured to the reinforcing non-woven material 90 located in the ear region by a continuous glue of bead over the total juxtaposed area. This means of securing the two nonwoven layers is believed to provide good strength and integrity without causing stiffness. Alternatively, any other joining means known to those skilled in the art may be used to secure the two non-woven materials comprising the ear panel and the reinforcing nonwoven material. The reinforcement nonwoven material 90 is provided so that it does not substantially overlap the containment assembly 22. For example, as can be seen very clearly in Figure 5, which is a view of the surface that faces outwardly. (garment) of the absorbent article is substantially not provided with reinforcing nonwoven material 90 in the containment assembly region 22. In the preferred embodiments in which the ear rear panels 30 are provided with the reinforcing nonwoven material 90a and the ear front panels 31 are also provided with the reinforcement nonwoven material 90b, it is preferred that the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 further comprises a strip 94 of nonwoven material extending longitudinally in the crotch region. This preferred configuration for the reinforcement nonwoven material is clearly shown in Figure 5. Most preferably, the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 and the strip 94 are cut from a piece of simple material to form a continuous piece of material. nonwoven material, as shown in Figure 5. However, the reinforcing nonwoven material 90 may alternatively be provided in any or all of the front, crotch, and back regions of the diaper. This can be provided as a unitary piece of nonwoven material, which is preferred as described above, or it can be provided in segments discreet If it is provided in discrete segments, each segment may be the same or a different composition of material. In preferred embodiments, the strip region 94 of the reinforcement nonwoven material 90, which is located in the crotch region 48, has a distant edge 97 extending further outward from the longitudinal centerline 100 than does the edge. next 33 of the leg barrier fold 32. In this manner, the distal edge 97 of the strip 94 forms a part of the side edge 50 of the periphery of the diaper. This construction provides increased comfort to the user as follows. A part of the plastic film 27 of the backsheet is laminated to the leg barrier fold 32 in order to prevent leakage. This plastic 27 is a portion of the outward facing surface 42 of the diaper, and this tends to be in contact with the wearer's body in the leg area of the wearer's crotch region. Typically, it is stiff and can cause a "suffocating" sensation or other discomfort for the user. However, by extending the distal edge 97 of the strip 94 beyond the proximal edge 33 of the leg barrier fold 32 such that the strip 94 is made a part of the side edge 50 (ie, the periphery) of the diaper, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, the comparatively milder nonwoven material of strip 94 comes into contact with the wearer's skin, instead of the comparatively stiffer plastic material 27 of the backsheet. In the preferred embodiments as shown very clearly in Figure 4, the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 is secured to the containment assembly 22 between the plastic film 27 and the leg barrier fold 32. As shown in Figure 3, the non-woven reinforcement material 90 can be secured to the containment assembly 22 by the chassis drop glue 84 and the side seal glue 80. These adhesives are typically used to secure the components of the disposable absorbent articles. (For ease of illustration, chassis drop glue 84 is shown on one side of the diaper only.) In the typical constructions of the absorbent articles having side seal glue 80, it is common for the side seal glue 80 to be completely cut out in the crotch region 48 during the manufacturing process, in which the leg openings formed in the crotch region 48 are cut after the various components comprising diaper 20 are combined. Thus, if the typical construction were to be used in relation to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, strip 94 of the non-woven material of reinforcement 90 would be left completely or mostly disjointed to the remainder of the article in crotch region 48. This is undesirable, not only because of the risk that the leaks would increase, but also that disjoint strip can easily be broken. In addition, it would likely result in a generally unattractive appearance, inconvenience in the application to the caregiver, and discomfort during use. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, this problem is solved by providing the strip 94 with sufficient width in the crotch region 48 such that the chassis drop glue 84 that is applied between the leg elastics 65 and the side edge 50 also secure the strip 94 to the containment assembly 22.

Therefore, in the preferred embodiments of the present invention as described above, the strip 94 is securely fixed over its total length and width to the containment assembly. In addition, securing the strip 94 by means of the drop glue of the chassis 84 which is preferred. The application of the drop glue of the chassis provides a soft, comfortable feeling for the user due to the flexible open areas between the drops, while providing integrity and bond strength. Alternatively, other means of securing the strip 94 to the containment assembly 22 may be used which are known to those skilled in the art. As in conventional articles, end seal glue 82 is also provided, shown as the shaded regions in the Figure ^ 3, in the front waist and post-waist waist regions 44 and 46. This end seal glue 82 serves to prevent leakage of the front and rear waist regions 44 and 46, since the core 28 typically does not extend all the way towards the end edges 52 of the periphery of the article Further, fixing the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 and the strip 94 in the preferred manner described herein also helps to avoid skin irritation for the user, because they are not created seams that come into contact with the skin of the user Alternatively, the proximal edge 95 of the reinforcement nonwoven material 90 can be secured to the plastic film from the outward facing surface 27, however, in said embodiment, the bonding of the strip 94 to the containment assembly 22 tends to become more difficult Preferably the non-woven material used for the leg barrier fold 32 and the non-woven material used for the non-woven material of ref Lunch has substantially the same module In this way the two materials experience approximately the same recovery capacity during and after stretching This contributes to better fit and better comfort for the user and greater ease of application In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 2b , the upper sheet 24 can be extended to be juxtaposed adjacently with the leg barrier fold 32 and the rear ear panel 30 (and / or the ear front panel 31) In this embodiment the extension 24a of the upper sheet 24 essentially serves the same function as the non-woven reinforcement material The extension 24a of the upper sheet may be provided on any or all of the rear ear panel, the ear front panel or the crotch region. However, there may be a risk of increased leakage associated with this modality, since the hydrophilic capacity of at least some parts of the matepal of the sup sheet erior can contribute to the capillary action of liquid example, to alleviate the risk of leakage in these embodiments, the topsheet 24 may be hydrophilic in the area of the core, and treated to render it hydrophobic in the extension areas 24a. However, the costs associated with such treatment of the top sheet tend to increase. The nonwoven web materials useful for ear panels, leg barrier folds, and nonwoven reinforcing material are preferably air permeable. The non-woven web may comprise natural fibers (for example, wood or cotton fibers), or it may comprise fibers of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, or any combination of these fibers. In addition, the non-woven web may be carded, rotated in the molten state, blown in the molten state or joined by continuous air or have another characteristic or be manufactured in any manner known in the art. Preferably, the non-woven web is composed of sufficient thermoplastic material to allow thermal bonding of the material to the other components of the diaper. A suitable nonwoven web for use herein is a twist-bound non-woven web, preferably made of two-component fibers. Preferably, the two-component fiber contains a polyethylene and a polypropylene. Preferably, the two component fiber has a polypropylene core and a polyethylene shell or coating. The two component fiber preferably has from about 55% to about 95% by weight of the polyethylene. Most preferably, the two component fiber has from about 70% to about 90% by weight of the polyethylene. The spin-linked non-woven web is desirably positioned in the disposable absorbent article such that the direction of the twist-linked plastic fibers are aligned with the longitudinal direction of the disposable absorbent article. Preferably, the nonwoven web linked by twist has a attraction strength of at least 80 gf / cm, more preferably at least 180 gf / cm in the transverse direction of the disposable absorbent article. Another suitable nonwoven web is a carded nonwoven web, preferably made of two-component fibers. Preferably, the two-component fiber contains a polyethylene and a polyethylene terephthalate. Preferably, the two-component fiber has a polyethylene terephthalate core and a polyethylene coating. In preferred embodiments, the two-component fiber has from about 50% to about 95% by weight of the polyethylene. Most preferably, the two-component fiber has from about 55% to about 95% by weight of the polyethylene. In a further alternative embodiment, the two component fiber may contain different types of polypropylene. More preferably, the two-component fiber has a polypropylene core which has a higher melting point and a polyethylene coating or sheath having a lower melting point. In a preferred embodiment, the nonwoven web is a carded nonwoven web obtainable from Havix Co., LTD., Gifu, Japan as E-2341. The nonwoven web is made of two-component fibers of a polyethylene (PE) and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The PE / PET ratio is approximately 60/40. The PE / PET two-component fiber has the dimension of 2d x 51 mm. In a preferred alternative embodiment, the non-woven web is a non-woven web linked by twist obtainable from Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. The nonwoven web is made of two-component fibers of a polyethylene (PE) and a polypropylene (PP). The PE / PP ratio is approximately 80/20. The PE / PP two-component fiber has a thickness of approximately 2.3d. The backsheet 26 is preferably positioned adjacent the outer surface of the absorbent core 28 and is preferably attached thereto by any Suitable fixation means known in the art For example, the back sheet 26 can be secured to the absorbent core 28 by a continuous uniform adhesive layer, a patterned adhesive layer, or an array of separate lines, spirals or adhesive spots. that have been found to be satisfactory are manufactured by HB Fuller Company of St Paul, Minnesota and marketed as HL-1258 An example of a suitable fixation means comprising a network of open-pattern adhesive filaments is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,573,986 entitled "Disposable Garment, Waste Containment", issued to Minetola et al. March 1986 Another suitable fixation means comprising several lines of adhesive filaments twisted in a spiral pattern is illustrated by the apparatus and methods shown in United States Patent No. 3,911,173 issued to Sprague, Jr. on October 7, 1975, U.S. Patent No. 4,785,996 issued to Ziecker et al. on November 22, 1978, and in U.S. Patent No. 4,842,666 issued to Werenicz on June 27, 1989. Alternatively, the attachment means may comprise connections with heat, pressure joints, ultrasonic joints, dynamic mechanical joints or any other suitable fixing means or combination of these fixing means as are Other embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated wherein the absorbent core is not attached to the backsheet 26, and / or to the supeper sheet 24 so as to provide greater extension capacity in the front waist region 46 in the rear waist region 44 Alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein an additional member, such as a liquid impervious barrier material or materials (not shown), is placed between the surface facing the outside of the absorbent core 28 and the back sheet 26 Any The barrier member may or may not be attached to the absorbent core 28 In addition, the backsheet 26 may or may not be attached to any material or barrier materials that are placed between the backsheet 26 and the absorbent core 28. The embodiments disclosed herein have many advantages. For example, these may provide better breathability and softness in the ear regions of the absorbent article without compromising the strength of the article in these regions, and may also provide cost savings, since the amount of non-woven material needed per article is reduced. The comfort for the user is also believed to be increased with the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein. All references cited are incorporated herein by reference in their totalities. The citation of any reference is not an admission with respect to any determination as to its availability as a prior art for the claimed invention. It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes will be suggested in the light thereof by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. An absorbent article having a longitudinal center line and a lateral center line, comprising: (a) a containment assembly having a posterior waist region, a crotch region, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, surface that gives the body and a surface that gives the garment opposite the surface that it gives to the body, the containment assembly comprising an upper sheet, a back sheet attached to the upper sheet, an absorbent core placed between the upper sheet and the backsheet, and a pair of leg barrier folds having a proximal edge and a distant edge and which are positioned adjacent the longitudinal edges of the containment assembly; (b) a pair of posterior ear panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the leg barrier fold in the posterior waist region; (c) a pair of ear front panels extending laterally outwardly from the proximal edges of the leg barrier fold in the front waist region; and (d) a reinforcing nonwoven material bonded to at least one of any of the ear rear panels or the ear front panels, the reinforcing nonwoven material does not substantially overlap the containment assembly.

The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the non-woven reinforcing material is a part of the surface that gives the garment of the absorbent article.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein the ear posterior panels comprise extensions of the leg barrier fold in the posterior waist region. The article according to claim 3, wherein the front ear panels comprise extensions of the leg barrier fold in the front waist region. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the non-woven reinforcing material is bonded to both the rear ear panels and the ear front panels. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein the reinforcement nonwoven material further comprises a strip that is attached to the longitudinal edges of the containment assembly in the crotch region. The absorbent article according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcing nonwoven material and the strip are a piece of continuous material. The absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the reinforcing nonwoven material has a proximal edge, the proximal edge of the reinforcing nonwoven material being attached to the leg barrier fold between the back sheet and the fold of leg barrier. The absorbent article according to claim 8, wherein the strip has a distal edge extending more distally away from the longitudinal center line than the proximal edge of the leg barrier fold. The absorbent article according to claim 9, wherein both the leg barrier fold and the reinforcement nonwoven material comprise a hydrophobic nonwoven material.