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EP-4736824-A2 - ABSORBENT ARTICLE HAVING A WAIST GASKETING ELEMENT

EP4736824A2EP 4736824 A2EP4736824 A2EP 4736824A2EP-4736824-A2

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article (100, 200) comprising: a front waist region (116), a back waist region (118), and a crotch region (119) disposed between the front and back waist regions (116, 118); a longitudinal axis (124) and a lateral axis (126); a front waist edge (120), a back waist edge (122), a first side edge (128) extending longitudinally and a second side edge (130) extending longitudinally; a chassis (102, 202) comprising a top sheet (138), a backsheet (136), and an absorbent core (140) disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; a waist gasketing element (158) joined to the chassis and comprising a first nonwoven (516), an elastic film (520) and a plurality of ultrasonic bonds (575); wherein the absorbent article comprises a Waistband Breathability of at least 200 g/m 2 /24hrs, wherein Waistband Breathability is measured according to the WTVR test as disclosed herein.

Inventors

  • RAYCHECK, JEROMY THOMAS
  • RINNERT, THORSTEN
  • DALAL, URMISH POPATLAL
  • WILLHAUS, KEITH RICHARD
  • NAYLOR, JASON EDWARD
  • QUADE, MICHAEL BRIAN
  • SCHNEIDER, UWE
  • GROSS, THOMAS F.
  • GOAD, DARREN LEE

Assignees

  • The Procter & Gamble Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200923

Claims (14)

  1. A disposable absorbent article (100, 200) comprising: a front waist region (116), a back waist region (118), and a crotch region (119) disposed between the front and back waist regions (116, 118); a longitudinal axis (124) and a lateral axis (126); a front waist edge (120), a back waist edge (122), a first side edge (128) extending longitudinally and a second side edge (130) extending longitudinally; a chassis (102, 202) comprising a top sheet (138), a backsheet (136), and an absorbent core (140) disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; a waist gasketing element (158) joined to the chassis and comprising a first nonwoven (516), an elastic film (520) and a plurality of ultrasonic bonds (575); wherein the absorbent article comprises a Waistband Breathability of at least 200 g/m 2 /24hrs, wherein Waistband Breathability is measured according to the WTVR test as disclosed herein.
  2. A disposable absorbent article (100) according to claim 1, wherein the Waistband Breathability is of at least 300 g/m 2 /24hrs.
  3. A disposable absorbent article (100) according to claim 1, wherein the Waistband Breathability in the range of from 200 g/m 2 /24hrs to 3500 g/m 2 /24hrs.
  4. A disposable absorbent article (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the waist gasketing element is a laminate of the first nonwoven (116), the elastic film (520) and a second nonwoven (518), that is formed through ultrasonic bonds (575).
  5. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the bond sites create a plurality of longitudinal channels (580) that are defined between the first nonwoven (516) and the elastic film (520).
  6. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein another plurality of longitudinal channels (582) are defined between the elastic film (520) and the second nonwoven (518).
  7. A disposable absorbent article according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a central portion of the waist (258) is joined to the chassis (202) via an adhesive zone (271) of adhesive (270) on the surface of the waist gasketing element (258).
  8. A disposable absorbent article according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a first grouping of mechanical bonds (172, 272) are positioned within a first adhesive-free zone (173, 273) and a second grouping of mechanical bonds (172, 272) are positioned within a second adhesive-free zone (175, 275).
  9. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 8, wherein the waist gasketing element (258) further defines a third adhesive-free zone (277) positioned between the adhesive zone (271) and a proximal end edge (274) of the waist gasketing element (258), thereby forming a pocket between the waist gasketing element (258) and the chassis (202).
  10. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the mechanical bonds (172) comprises a region of solidified material (172a) and a grommet region (172b), and wherein a ratio of a width (Bw) of the grommet region (172b) to a depth (Bd) of the solidified material (172a) is 1:1 or less.
  11. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 8, wherein absorbent article comprises a leg gasketing element (156), and the mechanical bonds (172) bond the waist gasketing element with the leg gasketing element (156).
  12. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic bonds (675) form a repeating wavy pattern having peaks (680) and valleys (682).
  13. A disposable absorbent article according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a distal end edge (276) of the waist gasketing element (258) is coterminous with the back waist edge (222) of the article.
  14. A disposable absorbent article according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein a distal end edge (376) of the waist gasketing element (358) is offset from the back waist edge (322) of the article by an offset distance (OD) of between 1 mm and 50 mm.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to disposable absorbent articles having a waist gasketing element, and more specifically to waist gasketing elements having an adhesive free-zone and an adhesive zone. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of articles, such as for example, diapers and other absorbent articles, have components that include elastic parts, such as for example, waistbands. In some configurations, waistbands may be provided as a single layer of elastic material, such as an elastic film. In some configurations, the waistbands may be provided as an elastic laminate that may include elastic material bonded to one or more substrates such as nonwovens, wherein the elastic material may include an elastic film and/or elastic strands. Providing an elasticated waistband at the top edge of the disposable absorbent article can have improved fit and containment. An elasticated waistband can help contain exudates by providing increased pressure between the skin and the article to form a seal that helps to prevent exudates from exiting the product in the waist area. Additionally, elasticated waistbands can physically close gaps that may otherwise be formed when the wearer moves into positions, such as bending forward at the waist. Waistbands can be located at one or both of the front and back edges of absorbent articles, and in closed form "pant" articles, they can be continuously formed to provide a waistband around the entire top edge of the article. In some articles, a waistband can be provided on the back only and spaced down from the edge of the article to close gaps in the rear part of the article. Articles providing a waistband that is spaced down from the edge typically exhibit larger ruffles at the top edge of the product as compared to articles having a waistband that is coterminous with the edge of the article. These ruffles can appear to caregivers as gaps from which exudates could leak even though the waist may close the gaps just below this region. Therefore, articles with waistbands that are coterminous with the edge of the article are may be preferred. However, some caregivers perceive waistbands that are spaced down from the edge of the article as being better leakage barriers. Elasticated waistbands can comprise a variety of elastic materials such as stranded elastics, films, elastic nonwovens materials, elastic glues, and so forth. These materials can have a high coefficient of friction and/or can be tacky. Such elastic portions of the materials can be laminated to another material with a lower coefficient of friction, such as a polypropylene nonwoven, to protect the wearer from direct contact with the elastic material. The materials can be laminated together with a variety of means, including adhesively bonding, mechanically bonding, thermally bonding, or other suitable techniques. For some absorbent articles the material laminated with the elastic material is material already existing for another reason in an absorbent article, such as a topsheet, or for other absorbent articles it could be a material specifically designed to cover the elastic in the waistband region only. Therefore, with regard to waistbands that are externally attached to the inside surface (i.e., body-facing side) of the article, a material specifically designed to cover the elastic material can be used. Therefore, it can be beneficial to provide a waistband that is both covered with a material and provided at the longitudinal edges of the article. Waistbands that are attached to the external, inside surface of the article can be attached using a variety of means, including mechanically attached, adhesively attached, thermally attached, co-formed, and so forth. The most typical way in the industry to attach a waistband to the external surface is adhesive bonding. Adhesive equipment applications typically cost less than comparable mechanical applications, are readily known in the industry, and perform well on most waistband applications, particularly for waistbands that are positioned on an internal surface of the diaper (i.e. sandwiched) by existing materials such as topsheet and or backsheet. Sandwiching the waistband ensures that any of the adhesive applied to attach the waistband is covered and is not in direct contact with the user. With externally applied waistbands, however, problems can occur that are detrimental to the efficacy of the absorbent article and have not been resolved completely within high speed absorbent article manufacturing applications. Most predominantly, a portion of the adhesive can become exposed to the user surface of the article and stick to the user during use and removal of the product, or otherwise make it difficult for the product to be prepared for application to the user. The adhesive can become exposed through a variety of ways. For instance, variations in the waistband attachment can lead to the lateral edges (i.e., left and right side edges) folding over or