Waist elastic system with improved elastic decay properties for a training pant

Abstract

The present invention provides a child's disposable absorbent training pant having an improved waist elastic system. The waist elastic system has a selected maximum magnitude of decay over the first three cycles at a specific extension, thereby providing a substantially uniform low tension over a wide size range, a more comfortable fit, and improved ease of use.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A waist elastic system for a disposable absorbent pant comprising a chassis including a front panel, a back panel, a crotch panel, and an absorbent structure on said crotch panel, said front panel and said back panel being selectively joined to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, said waist elastic system comprising: 
 an elongate sleeve member defining an elongate passage therein, and being generally peripherally disposed about said waist opening, and    an elongate elastic member disposed within said elongate passage,    said waist elastic system having a maximum magnitude of decay of about 125 grams at an extension of about 300 millimeters over the first three cycles.    
     
     
         2 . The waist elastic system of  claim 1  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 76.98 grams.  
     
     
         3 . The waist elastic system of  claim 2  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 59.18 grams.  
     
     
         4 . The waist elastic system of  claim 1  wherein said elongate elastic member comprises an outermost peripheral edge and an innermost peripheral edge, and 
 wherein said absorbent structure comprises an absorbent end edge,  
 said innermost peripheral edge of said elongate elastic member being spaced from said absorbent end edge between about 5 millimeters to about 20 millimeters.  
 
     
     
         5 . The waist elastic system of  claim 1  wherein said chassis is a multi-layer chassis comprising at least two layers, one of said layers having a peripheral edge portion at said waist opening and being folded upon itself to form said elongate sleeve member.  
     
     
         6 . The waist elastic system of  claim 5  wherein said one layer is a nonwoven layer.  
     
     
         7 . A waist elastic system for a disposable absorbent pant comprising a chassis including a front panel, a back panel, a crotch panel, and an absorbent structure on said crotch panel, said front panel and said back panel being selectively joined to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, said waist elastic system comprising: 
 an elongate sleeve member defining an elongate passage therein, and being generally disposed about said waist opening, and    an elongate elastic member disposed within said elongate passage,    said waist elastic system having a maximum magnitude of decay of about 90 grams at an extension of about 250 millimeters over the first three cycles.    
     
     
         8 . The waist elastic system of  claim 7  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 73.42 grams.  
     
     
         9 . The waist elastic system of  claim 8  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 59.63 grams.  
     
     
         10 . The waist elastic system of  claim 7  wherein said elongate elastic member comprises an outermost peripheral edge and an innermost peripheral edge, and 
 wherein said absorbent structure comprises an absorbent end edge,  
 said innermost peripheral edge of said elongate elastic member being spaced from said absorbent end edge between about 5 millimeters to about 20 millimeters.  
 
     
     
         11 . The waist elastic system of  claim 7  wherein said chassis is a multi-layer chassis comprising at least two layers, 
 one of said layers having a peripheral edge portion at said waist opening and being folded upon itself to form said elongate sleeve member.  
 
     
     
         12 . The waist elastic system of  claim 11  wherein said one layer is a nonwoven layer.  
     
     
         13 . A waist elastic system for a disposable absorbent pant comprising a chassis including a front panel, a back panel, a crotch panel, and an absorbent structure on said crotch panel, said front panel and said back panel being selectively joined to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, said waist elastic system comprising: 
 an elongate sleeve member defining an elongate passage therein, and being generally peripherally disposed about said waist opening, and    an elongate elastic member disposed within said elongate passage,    said waist elastic system having a maximum magnitude of decay of about 70 grams at an extension of about 200 millimeters over the first three cycles.    
     
     
         14 . The waist elastic system of  claim 13  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 56.07 grams.  
     
     
         15 . The waist elastic system of  claim 14  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 44.50 grams.  
     
     
         16 . The waist elastic system of  claim 13  wherein said elongate elastic member comprises an outermost peripheral edge and an innermost peripheral edge, and 
 wherein said absorbent structure comprises an absorbent end edge,  
 said innermost peripheral edge of said elongate elastic member being spaced from said absorbent end edge between about 5 millimeters to about 20 millimeters.  
 
     
     
         17 . The waist elastic system of  claim 13  wherein said chassis is a multi-layer chassis comprising at least two layers, 
 one of said layers having a peripheral edge portion at said waist opening and being folded upon itself to form said elongate sleeve member.  
 
     
     
         18 . The waist elastic system of  claim 17  wherein said one layer is a nonwoven layer.  
     
     
         19 . A disposable absorbent pant comprising: 
 a chassis including a front panel, a back panel, a crotch panel, and an absorbent structure on said crotch panel, said front and said back panel being joined together to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings,    said chassis further including a waist border comprising a layer of material generally peripherally disposed about said waist opening, and    a waist elastic system generally peripherally joined to said waist border, said waist elastic system having a maximum magnitude of decay of about 90 grams at an extension of about 250 millimeters over the first three cycles.    
     
     
         20 . The pant of  claim 19  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 73.42 grams.  
     
     
         21 . The pant of  claim 20  wherein said waist elastic system comprises an elongate sleeve member having an elongate passage therein, and an elastic member disposed within said elongate passage.  
     
     
         22 . The pant of  claim 21  wherein said layer of material is a nonwoven material.  
     
     
         23 . The pant of  claim 22  wherein said absorbent structure has an absorbent end edge, and 
 wherein said elastic member has an outermost peripheral edge and an innermost peripheral edge,  
 said innermost peripheral edge being spaced from said absorbent end edge between about 5 millimeters to about 20 millimeters.  
 
     
     
         24 . The pant of  claim 23  wherein said elastic member is a single elastic member.  
     
     
         25 . The pant of  claim 23  wherein said elastic member is a plurality of elastic members.  
     
     
         26 . In a disposable absorbent pant comprising a chassis including a front panel and a back panel joined together to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, a crotch panel, and an absorbent structure disposed on said crotch panel; 
 a waist elastic system having a maximum magnitude of decay of about 150 grams at an extension of about 300 millimeters over the first three cycles.    
     
     
         27 . The pant of  claim 26  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 76.98 grams.  
     
     
         28 . The pant of  claim 27  wherein said maximum magnitude of decay is about 59.18 grams.  
     
     
         29 . The pant of  claim 26  wherein said waist elastic system comprises 
 an elongate sleeve member defining an elongate passage therein, and being generally peripherally joined about said waist opening, and  
 an elongate elastic member disposed within said elongate passage.  
 
     
     
         30 . The pant of  claim 29  wherein said absorbent structure has an absorbent end edge, and 
 wherein said elongate elastic member has an outermost peripheral edge and an innermost peripheral edge,  
 said innermost peripheral edge being spaced from said absorbent end edge between about 5 millimeters to about 20 millimeters.  
 
     
     
         31 . The pant of  claim 30  wherein said elongate elastic member is a single elastic member.  
     
     
         32 . The pant of  claim 30  wherein said elongate elastic member is a plurality of elastic members.