Mary Jane Meyer

US Patent:

7591810, Sep 22, 2009

Filed:

Dec 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/325456

Inventors:

Michael T. Morman - Alpharetta GA, US
James M. Carr - Kaukauna WI, US
Yung H. Huang - Appleton WI, US
Eric D. Johnson - Larsen WI, US
Jennifer L. Marvin - Greenville WI, US
Mary Jo Meyer - Neenah WI, US
Thomas H. Roessler - Appleton WI, US
Paul T. Van Gompel - Hortonville WI, US

Assignee:

Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. - Neenah WI

International Classification:

A61F 13/15

US Classification:

60438524, 60438527, 60438516, 60438529, 60438501, 604393, 604386

Abstract:

An absorbent garment includes a front body panel having a terminal waist edge and a terminal crotch edge and a rear body panel having a terminal waist edge and a terminal crotch edge. The terminal crotch edge of the rear body panel is longitudinally spaced from and forms a gap with the terminal crotch edge of the front body panel. An absorbent composite bridges the gap between the front and rear body panels with first and second terminal edges overlying and connected to the front and rear body panels respectively. In one embodiment, the terminal edges of the absorbent composite are the only portion of the absorbent composite connected to the front and rear body panels. In another embodiment, the absorbent composite is further connected to the front and rear body panels at first and second attachment locations proximate a longitudinally extending centerline of the absorbent composite and longitudinally spaced from the first and second terminal edges. Methods of using the absorbent garments are also provided.

US Patent:

20040122397, Jun 24, 2004

Filed:

Dec 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/325625

Inventors:

Michael Morman - Alpharetta GA, US
Paul Gompel - Hortonville WI, US
Jennifer Marvin - Greenville WI, US
Thomas Roessler - Appleton WI, US
James Carr - Kaukauna WI, US
Yung Huang - Appleton WI, US
Mary Meyer - Neenah WI, US
Eric Johnson - Larsen WI, US

International Classification:

A61F013/15
A61F013/20

US Classification:

604/385010

Abstract:

An absorbent garment includes a front body panel having a terminal waist edge and a terminal crotch edge and a rear body panel having a terminal waist edge and a terminal crotch edge. A crotch member extends between and is coupled to the front and rear body panels. The crotch member includes a retention element having a trapezoidal shape. In another aspect, a method of manufacturing an absorbent garment includes moving first and second webs of body panel material in a first machine direction, moving a web of absorbent material in a second machine direction, and cutting the web of absorbent material and thereby forming a plurality of trapezoidally shaped retention elements, with each of the plurality of retention elements having non-parallel side edges. The method further includes successively coupling the plurality of retention elements to the first and second webs with the side edges extending in a cross-direction.