Disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants and a process of making the same

Abstract

A disposable absorbent garment includes a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The topsheet, the backsheet, and the absorbent core form a layered assembly including a front region, a back region, and a crotch region disposed between the front region and the back region. The garment is characterized by a vertical longitudinal plane that extends substantially centrally through the front, back and crotch regions. Each of the front and back regions includes a pair of ear portions extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to the longitudinal plane. Each ear portion is a breathable stretchable layer assembly having a plurality of vent sites. Further, each ear portion includes an outer layer that is an extension of the backsheet and which extends laterally to the side edge of the ear portion, and an inner layer that is an extension of the topsheet and which also extends laterally to the side edge of the ear portion. The ear portion also includes a stretchable material layer secured between the inner layer and the outer layer. The topsheet includes a central section that is generally disposed in a center section of the garment and over the core. Each of a pair of side sections of the topsheet extends laterally and forms the inner layer of two of the ear portions. The side section also forms an outer wall section of a leg cuff that extends longitudinally along the lateral side of the core. An inner wall section of the leg cuff is a portion of a substantially impervious material that extends below the leg cuff to sealingly engage the side edge of a polymeric film barrier disposed underneath the core. The substantially impervious material and the polymeric film barrier combine to form a substantially impervious containment structure about the sides and bottom of the core.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A disposable absorbent garment, comprising: 
 a topsheet;    a backsheet; and    an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, wherein said topsheet, said backsheet, and said core together form a front region, a back region, and a crotch region disposed between said front region and said back region, and wherein a vertical longitudinal plane extends substantially centrally through said front, back, and crotch regions; and    wherein each of said front and back regions includes a pair of ear portions extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to said longitudinal plane, each of said ear portions being a breathable, stretchable layer assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein each of said ear portions includes: 
 an outer material layer that is an extension of said backsheet, said outer material layer extending laterally up to a lateral edge of said ear portion;    an inner material layer that is an extension of said topsheet, said inner layer extending laterally up to a lateral edge of said ear portion; and    a stretchable material layer secured between said inner layer and said outer layer.    
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said topsheet consists of: 
 a central section including a portion generally disposed over the core, and    a pair of side sections, each said side section forming said inner layers of two of said ear portions and being separate from said central section.    
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said stretchable layer assembly of each said ear portion includes a plurality of vent sites.  
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein said stretchable layer assembly includes an inner material layer, an outer material layer and a stretchable material layer disposed therebetween and wherein, at said vent sites, said outer material layer is bonded to said inner material layer.  
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 5 , wherein, at said vent sites, said outer layer and said inner layer are bonded by ultrasonic bonding, thereby forming a breathable passage through said stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein said vent sites are spaced laterally and longitudinally from one another so as to form a staggered pattern on said ear portion.  
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of longitudinally extending leg cuffs, each leg cuff being spaced in general parallel relation to a lateral side of said core, said leg cuff having, at least, a first layer and a second layer, said first layer being formed from a substantially impervious material and said second layer being formed from said topsheet.  
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 8 , further comprising a polymeric layer disposed generally beneath said core, said first layer of said leg cuff being part of a polymeric side section extending from said leg cuff to sealingly engage said polymeric layer.  
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 9 , wherein said side section and said polymeric layer form a substantially impervious containment structure extending continuously from adjacent one lateral side of said core to an opposite lateral side of said core.  
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said stretchable layer assembly of said ear portion includes an inner material layer, an outer material layer, and a stretchable material layer disposed therebetween, said stretchable material layer being extendible between a contracted configuration and an extended configuration, and said stretchable material layer being secured to said outer layer when said stretchable material layer is disposed in an extended configuration such that said outer material layer is subsequently contractible then extendible with said stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         12 . A disposable absorbent garment, comprising: 
 a topsheet;    a backsheet; and    an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, wherein said topsheet, said backsheet, and said absorbent core form a front region, a back region, and a crotch region disposed between said front region and said back region, and wherein a longitudinal plane extends substantially centrally through said, front, back and crotch regions;    wherein each of said front and back regions includes a pair of ear portions extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to said longitudinal plane, and wherein each said ear portion includes a stretchable layer assembly having, an outer material layer that is an extension of said backsheet, said outer material layer extending laterally to form, at least partially, a side edge of said ear portion, 
 an inner layer that is an extension of said topsheet, said inner layer extending laterally to form, at least partially, a side edge of said ear portion, and  
 a stretchable material layer secured between said inner layer and said outer layer.  
   
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein said topsheet consists of: 
 a central section including a portion generally disposed over the core, and    a pair of side sections, each said side section forming said inner layers of two of said ear portions, each said side section being separate from said central section.    
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein each said ear portion is a breathable layer assembly having a plurality of vent sites.  
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein, at each said vent site, said outer layer is ultrasonically bonded to said inner layer to form a breathable passage through said stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein said vent sites are spaced laterally and longitudinally from one another so as to form a staggered pattern on said ear portion.  
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 12 , further comprising a longitudinally extending leg cuff spaced, in generally parallel relation to a lateral side of said core, said leg cuff having at least a first layer and a second layer, said first layer being formed from a substantially impervious material and said second layer being formed from said topsheet.  
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 17 , further comprising a polymeric layer disposed generally below said core, said first layer being formed from a polymeric material and extending from said leg cuff to sealingly engage said polymeric layer.  
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said topsheet and said backsheet extend to said side edge of said ear portion to form a seamless stretchable ear portion.  
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein said stretchable material layer is an elastic material that is extendible from a contracted configuration to an extended configuration, said stretchable material layer being secured to said outer layer when said stretchable material layer is disposed in an extended configuration such that said outer material layer is subsequently contractible then extendible with said stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         21 . A disposable absorbent garment, comprising: 
 a topsheet;    a backsheet;    an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, wherein said topsheet, said backsheet, and said absorbent core form a front region, a back region, and a crotch region disposed between said front region and said back region, and wherein a vertical longitudinal plane extends substantially centrally through said front, back, and crotch regions;    wherein each of said front and back regions includes a pair of ear portions extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to said longitudinal plane; and    a pair of longitudinally extending leg cuffs spaced in generally parallel relation from a lateral side of said core, each said leg cuff having a first layer and a second layer, said first layer being formed from a substantially impervious material and said second layer being formed from said topsheet.    
     
     
         22 . The garment of  claim 21 , wherein each of said front and back regions includes a pair of ear portions extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to said longitudinal plane, each of said ear portions being a stretchable layer assembly including an outer material layer, an inner material layer, and stretchable material layer secured therebetween.  
     
     
         23 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein said outer material layer is an extension of said backsheet, said outer material layer extending laterally to form, at least partially, a side edge of said ear portion, and wherein said inner material layer is an extension of said topsheet, said inner layer extending laterally to form, at least partially, a side edge of said ear portion.  
     
     
         24 . The garment of  claim 21 , wherein said topsheet consists of: 
 a central section including a portion generally disposed over the core, and    a pair of side sections, each said side section forming said inner material layers of two of said ear portions and being separate from said central section.    
     
     
         25 . The garment of  claim 21 , wherein said stretchable layer assembly is a breathable layer assembly including a plurality of vent sites.  
     
     
         26 . The garment of  claim 25 , wherein, at said vent sites, said outer layer is ultrasonically bonded to said inner layer to form a breathable passage through said stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         27 . The garment of  claim 25 , wherein said vent sites are spaced laterally and longitudinally from one another so as to form a staggered pattern on said ear portion.  
     
     
         28 . The garment of  claim 21 , further comprising a polymeric layer disposed generally beneath said core, each of said first layers of said leg cuffs being formed from a polymeric sidewall extending from said leg cuff to sealingly engage said polymeric layer.  
     
     
         29 . The garment of  claim 28 , wherein said sidewalls and said polymeric layer form a substantially impervious barrier extending continuously from adjacent one lateral side of said core to an opposite lateral side of said core.  
     
     
         30 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein said stretchable layer assembly of said ear portion includes an inner material layer, an outer material layer, and a stretchable material layer disposed therebetween, said stretchable material layer being extendible between a contracted configuration and an extended configuration, and said stretchable material layer being secured to said outer material layer when said stretchable material layer is disposed in an extended configuration such that said outer material layer is subsequently contractible then extendible with said stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         31 . A disposable absorbent garment, comprising: 
 a topsheet;    a backsheet;    an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet;    a polymeric layer disposed adjacent said backsheet, wherein said topsheet, said backsheet, said polymeric layer, and said absorbent core together form a front region, a back region, and a crotch region disposed between said front region and said back region, and wherein a longitudinal plane extends substantially centrally through said, front, back and crotch regions;    wherein each of said front and back regions includes at least a pair of ear portions extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to said longitudinal plane;    a pair of longitudinally extending leg cuffs, each said leg cuff being spaced in generally parallel relation from a lateral side of said core; and    a pair of side containment sections each extending from one of said leg cuffs to sealingly engage said polymeric layer, so as to form, with said polymeric layer, a substantially impervious containment structure about said core.    
     
     
         32 . The garment of  claim 31 , wherein each of said leg cuffs has as an outer layer and an inner layer, said inner layer being a portion of one of said side containment sections.  
     
     
         33 . The garment of  claim 32 , wherein said inner layer is formed from a polymeric material.  
     
     
         34 . The garment of  claim 32 , wherein said side containment sections and said polymeric layer form a barrier extending continuously from adjacent one lateral side of said core to an opposite lateral side of said core.  
     
     
         35 . The garment of  claim 32 , wherein each of said ear portions is a stretchable layer assembly including 
 an outer material layer that is an extension of said backsheet, said outer material layer extending laterally to form, at least partially, a side edge of said ear portion,    an inner material layer that is an extension of said topsheet, said inner material layer extending laterally to form, at least partially, a side edge of said ear portion, and    a stretchable material layer secured between said inner material layer and said outer material layer, said stretchable material layer being extendible between a contracted configuration and an extended configuration, and said stretchable material layer being secured to said outer material layer when said stretchable material layer is disposed in an extended configuration such that said outer material layer is subsequently contractible then extendible with said stretchable material layer and returnable to substantially smooth and planar configuration.    
     
     
         36 . The garment of  claim 32 , wherein said topsheet consists of: 
 a central section including a portion generally disposed over the core, and    a pair of side topsheet sections, said side topsheet section forming said inner material layers of two of said ear portions and said outer layer of said leg cuff, and wherein each said side topsheet section is separate from said central section.    
     
     
         37 . The garment of  claim 31 , wherein said stretchable layer assembly is breathable layer assembly including an inner material layer, an outer material layer and a stretchable material layer disposed therebetween, said layer assembly having plurality of vent sites wherein, at said vent sites, said outer material layer is ultrasonically bonded to said inner layer to create a breathable passage through said stretchable material layer and wherein said vent sites are spaced laterally and longitudinally from one another so as to form a staggered pattern on said ear portion.  
     
     
         38 . A method of forming a breathable, stretchable section of a disposable absorbent garment, said method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a first material for a first material layer and a second material for a second material layer, whereby said first and second material layers are bondable by an ultrasonic bonding process;    selecting an elastic material for a stretchable material layer;    positioning the stretchable material layer between the first and second material layers to form a layer assembly;    targeting one or more bond sites on the layer assembly for bonding one or more of the material layers together; and    securing the first, second, and stretchable layers together by ultrasonically bonding the first material layer with the second material layer at the one or more sites, whereby an aperture is formed through the stretchable material and whereby the first material layer and the second material layer bond through the aperture, and such that the aperture provides a breathable passage therethrough.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the step of selecting the first and second material includes selecting a topsheet material and a backsheet material layer, respectively.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the step of selecting the first and second material includes selecting a first non-woven material and a second non-woven material, respectively.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of stretching the stretchable material layer to an extended configuration and performing the securing step when the stretchable material layer is in the extended configuration such that the first and second material layers are subsequently contractible and then extendible with the stretchable material layer.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the targeting step includes longitudinally and laterally spacing the bond sites so as to create a staggered pattern of breathable bond sites on the stretchable section of the garment.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the steps of selecting the first and second materials and the positioning step includes positioning the first, second, and stretchable material layers so as to form a stretchable side waist region of the garment after the securing step.