BRAZING SYSTEM FOR USE WITH PERSONAL CARE ITEMSREFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTSNot applicableDECLARATION IN RELATION TO RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTFEDERALLY SUPPORTEDNot applicableFIELD OF THE INVENTIONPersonal care items such as infant diapers, training underpants, adult incontinence products and the like are well known. Such personal care articles have a wide acceptance achieved due to their ability to receive and absorb exudates from the body, either in large or small amounts, and may or may not include a core or absorbent pad there.
This invention relates to fastener systems for such articles. Such fastener systems include fastening appendages having fastening zones and friction zones. The fastener system secures the item for personal care to a user's body. In one embodiment, a pair of fastening appendages extend outwardly from opposite sides of a back part of the personal care article for selective securing to the front of the article.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn general, personal care items should comfortably fit a user's body. However, personal care items must also contain the designated amount of body exudates and therefore adjust appropriately. Personal care items usually have appendages on the back of the personal care item that extend outward and are secured to a front of the item. Such appendages can employ flexible micro-hook fasteners. When securely fastened to a user's body, some known fastener appendages can be placed relatively tightly against the wearer's body. During normal use, including normal user movements, the micro-hooks on the appendix can make contact with the user's skin and can respectively irritate the user's skin. This occurs largely at the edges of the fastener appendix when the appendix is exposed to the skin when the front panel and back panel of the personal care article do not completely cover the skin, or when the user lifts a leg, moving the panels of the item for separate personal care, so that the user's skin makes contact with the micro-hooks. The closer the micro-hooks are placed to the lateral edges of the personal care article, the more likely it is that said micro-hooks make contact with the user's skin, thereby effecting the described irritation. Therefore, some hooks of the secured attachment appendices cause red marks on the skin of a user. This invention overcomes this problem and improves the relative assurance and comfort of the personal care article in relation to the body of a user.
SYNTHESIS OF THE DESCRIPTIONIn the present invention, the fastening tabs for securing the back to the front of a personal care article include a friction zone to prevent radial change of the front part with respect to the clamping tab during normal use. The friction zone is formed by a friction element that has a sufficient softness to provide a comfort when it makes contact with the skin of a user.
In one embodiment, the fastening tab has the first and second sides, a length and a width, the first side of the fastening tab comprises a first surface, an assurance zone for securing the fastening tab, as part of an article for Personal care, to an outer cover, and a friction zone, the first surface in the friction zone essentially has no assurance properties, and has a kinetic coefficient of friction of at least about 1.5 when measured against a bonded laminate of polypropylene spun yarn, the spin-bonded laminate comprises the first and second polypropylene spun bonded layers having a weighing about 0.65 to about 0.70 ounces per square yard after narrowing, and a fiber size of about 2 to about 2.5 denier, the laminate bonded with narrow yarn includes a core of elastomeric film in a surface ratio of surface with the layers bonded with yarn, the coefficient of friction measured at a temperature between about 22 degrees and about 24 degrees Celsius, when the friction zone is secured to a cart or sled of 100 grams and the laminate bonded with yarn Narrow polypropylene is secured to a moving plate, the coefficient of friction between the friction zone and the outer cover is sufficient to avoid the radial change from surface to surface of the front part with respect to the retaining tab during normal use.
In most modifications, the clamping tab includes an appendage substrate positioned towards the second side of the clamping tab and thus underlining the securing zone of the friction zone. The appendage substrate preferably comprises a nonwoven material.
In most embodiments, the securing zone comprises an securing element mounted in a surface-to-surface relationship for the appendage substrate in the securing zone. The securing element preferably comprises hooks or micro-hooks. However, the securing element may comprise loops of a hook and loop fastener system to releasably secure the appendage to the front of a personal care article. The securing element can be permanently secured to the appendage substrate with adhesive.
In most embodiments, the friction zone comprises a friction element, mounted in a surface-to-surface ratio to a friction surface area, which corresponds to the friction zone, on the first side of the appendage substrate. The friction element preferably comprises a foam material, such as a flexible open cell polyurethane foam. The foam material has a non-compressed thickness of less than about 10 millimeters, preferably less than about 5 millimeters, and more preferably less than about 2 millimeters.
In another embodiment, the friction element extends essentially to the full length and width of the fastening tab. Therefore, the friction element also functions as the appendage substrate. The securing zone comprises a securing element fastened in a surface-to-surface relationship with a part of a first surface of the friction element. The friction element is secured to an article for personal care thereby forming a holding appendix.
The friction zone is preferably free of functional amounts of adhesive agents. Therefore, the friction zone provides a friction against relative movement of the front part of the personal care item in relation to the fastening tab.
In some embodiments, especially those having a non-extendable outer cover and a non-stretchable side-to-body liner, the fastening tab may not be extendable.
Another family of embodiments includes a personal care article having a front part, a back part and a crotch part, the personal article comprising a body substrate, including an outer cover, and a side-to-body lining in a relationship facing the other cover, and the first and second fastening appendages, secured and extending outward from the substrate on the opposite sides of the top of the personal use article. The fastening appendages include the securing zones located near the outer ends of the appendages and the friction zones located inward of the securing zones, said friction zones not providing an assurance of the appendages to the article for personal care . The securing areas of the fastening appendages ensure the appendages to the outer cover on the front of the personal care article and the friction zone stabilize the front part with respect to the back by resisting movement from surface to surface relative to the front part of the outer cover with respect to the fastening appendices.
In some embodiments, the personal care article includes an absorbent body located between the side-to-body liner and the outer cover, the personal care article thus further comprises an absorbent article for receiving the exudates.
In some embodiments, the friction elements comprise foam materials that are sufficiently smooth to prevent red marking of a pierced leg from a user in the leg openings by the respective holding appendages.
In some embodiments, the friction zones extend inwardly over the respective clamping appendages so that the friction zones extend inwardly over the respective clamping appendages so that the friction zones extend over part of the substrate in the clamping regions. opposite sides of the back of the article.
In some embodiments, the outer cover comprises a material having an extensibility in at least one direction. The body side liner comprises a material having an extensibility in at least one direction.
In some embodiments, the first and second fastening appendages are secured to the liner from side to body on opposite sides of the back of the personal care article by the ultrasonic joint.
In some embodiments, the friction elements define friction zones on opposite sides of the front of the personal use article, the friction elements being permanently secured to the outer cover on opposite sides. The friction elements do not provide securing of the front part to the fastening appendages or to the rear, the securing area of the fastening appendages securing the appendages to the outer cover on the front of the personal care article. The securing zones are positioned inwardly of the friction elements when they are secured to the body of a user. The friction elements stabilize the front part with respect to the back by contacting the respective holding appendages or the back of the personal use article, and resisting the relative surface-to-surface movement of the fastening appendices with respect to the front part .
In other embodiments of the invention, the personal care article has a body substrate, including an outer cover, and a side-to-body liner, and first and second fastening appendages on opposite sides of the back of the article. for personal use, the fastening appendages including the friction zones comprising the friction elements, said friction elements essentially do not provide an assurance of the fastening appendages to the personal care article, the friction elements have a kinetic coefficient friction of at least about 1.5 when measured against the outer shell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFigure 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of the articles for personal care of the invention.
Figure 2 shows a cross section of a first appendix of the personal care article of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows the first embodiment having the fastening appendages secured to the front of the article for personal care.
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of an appendix for use with the personal care article of Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the appendix of Figure 4.
Figure 6 shows a top view of a third embodiment of the personal care articles of the invention.
Figure 7 shows a cross section of a first appendix of the personal care article of Figure 6.
Figure 8 shows a top view of a fourth embodiment of the articles for personal care of the invention.
The invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction or arrangement of the compounds set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of further incorporations or of being practiced or carried out in various forms. It is also understood that the terminology and phraseology used herein is for the purpose of description and illustration and should not be viewed as limiting. Equal reference numbers are used to indicate equal components. The drawings are for illustration purposes, and are not necessarily drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED INCORPORATIONSThe various embodiments of the present invention will be described in a relationship to their use in disposable personal care articles, but it should be understood that the potential uses of the structures of the present invention do not need to be limited to the context of the articles for care. disposable staff. Other uses for the present invention include other articles, such as capes, suits, shoe covers, feminine care articles, incontinence garments or the like.
As used herein and in the claims that follow, the phrase "personal care item" is intended to include diapers, training underpants, adult incontinence articles, feminine hygiene products, and the like. Such articles may not have a significant absorbent function, but may receive and / or store urine and / or fecal matter, or may have a significant absorbent function, and may receive and / or store urine and / or fecal matter.
The personal care article 8, shown in Figures 1 and 2, includes a front part 10 having a front edge 12, a back part 14 having the trailing edge 16 and a crotch portion 18 between the front part 10 and the back 14. The personal care article 8 includes a body substrate 20 formed, in combination by an outer cover 22 and a side-to-body liner 24. The absorbent body 26 is preferably located between the side-to-body lining 24 and the outer cover 22. The absorbent body 26 receives and retains the exudates which pass through the liner from side to body 24. The leg cuffs 28 provide support to the crotch portion.
Figure 1 is a representative plan view of the personal care article 8 in its non-contracted state (for example all the withdrawal and contraction induced by the elastic have been removed). The upper left corner of the article 8 is cut to better show the outer cover 22 and the absorbent body 26. The fastening appendages 30A and 30B are secured to the side-to-body liner 24 by an ultrasonic joint on the opposite sides of the back 14 of the personal care article 8. The fastening appendages 30A and 30B extend outward from the edges of the back 14. The waist elastics 31A and 31B are located near the front edge 12 and the trailing edge 16, respectively , of the article for personal care 8.
Each fastening tab 30A and 30B include an assurance zone 32 and a friction zone 34. In use on a user, the securing zone 32 is used to secure the fastening tab 30A to the front portion 10 of the article for the personal care 8, thus maintaining the article properly mounted on the user. The securing zone 32 is located near the distant edge of the respective appendix, therefore outside the friction zone 34. The securing element 32 does not extend to the distant edge of the substrate. At least a portion of the distal edge can be used as a grasping appendage part (not shown) allowing a user to grip comfortably and locate the fastening tab 30A in a suitable mounting position.
The friction zone 34 provides the friction between the outer surface of the friction zone and the outer mounting surface for example in the outer cover 22 on the front part 10 of the substrate body 20 so that a relative surface to surface movement between the holding tab 30A and the body substrate is resisted. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, when the friction zone 34 makes contact with the outer cover 22 in a surface-to-surface ratio, the higher coefficient of friction strongly inhibits the relative movement of the holding tab 30A with respect to the outer cover 22. Thus the friction zone 34 prevents the radial change or twist of the fastening appendages 30A and 30B in relation to the outer cover 22 about the axis A in response to the forces of a user's body carrying the article for personal care 8. Rather, the friction zone 34 helps to inhibit the radial change or the relative surface-to-surface movement of the front part 10 with respect to the fastening appendages 30A and 30B during the normal movements of the user. The arrows "R" in Figure 3 illustrate the various directions to which it may be desired to move or rotate the front part 10 in relation to the attachment lugs 30A and 30B. Similarly, the front portion 10 of the personal care article 8, under certain conditions, may wish to change in the directions shown by the arrow "R" in relation to the fastening appendages 30A and 30B. In this manner, the friction zone 34 indirectly helps to secure the zone 32 in resisting the release of the fastening tab 30A due to the forces transferred from the front 10 of a personal care article 8 through the fastening appendices. , and through the back 14. However, the friction zone 34 has no securing properties by defining an adhesive-type joint between the clamping tab 30A and the outer cover 22. Thus the friction zone 34 does not provide any securing the fastening tab 30A to the front part 10 of the body substrate 20.
In other less preferred embodiments, the shaft"A" may comprise two axes (not shown) not parallel to the front edge 12 of the personal care article 8. Thus, the axes may be at oblique angles with respect to the front edge 12 of the personal care article 8.
As shown representatively, the body side liner 24 and the outer cover 22 may be generally coextensive and may have length and width dimensions which are generally longer than the dimensions of the absorbent body 26. The lining from side to body 24 is associated with and generally over tax on the entire surface of the outer cover 22, thereby defining the periphery of the personal care article 8. The absorbent body 26 is optionally positioned between the outer cover 22 and the side liner to the body 24 inward of the periphery of article 8.
The outer cover 22 preferably comprises a material which is configured to be essentially impermeable to liquids. For example, a typical outer cover 22 can be made of a thin plastic film or other material impervious to flexible liquid.
In some additions, the outer cover22 is a polyethylene film having a thickness of from about 0.012 millimeters to about 0.051 millimeters. The alternate constructions of the outer cover 22 may comprise a non woven or woven fibrous fabric layer which has been partially or completely constructed or treated to impart the desired levels of liquid impermeability to the selected regions thereof, such as regions that are adjacent to or close to the absorbent body 26. Optionally, in some embodiments, an additional outer cover can cover the outer cover 22.
The outer cover 22 can optionally be comprised of a microporous breathable material that allows the vapors to escape from the absorbent article while preventing liquid exudates from passing therethrough. For example, a suitable microporous film is a material known as PMP-1, which is available from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., a company having offices in Tokyo Japan: or a polyolefin film known as XKO-8044 and available from 3M Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In another embodiment of the invention, the outer cover 22 can be a woven and non-woven polypropylene fabric. The fabric can be creped or stretched so that it is stretchable in at least one of the "x" and "y" directions or both in the transverse direction and in the machine direction. Other materials having other advantageous features are also useful as the outer cover 22. For example, the outer cover 22 may comprise a bonded and stretched laminate. The methods for making such materials will be known to those skilled in the art.
The body side liner 24 includes a skin facing surface which is compliant, soft feeling, and non-irritating to the er's skin. In addition, the side-to-body liner 24 may be sufficiently porous to be impervious to the liquid, allowing the liquid to penetrate through its thickness.
A suitable body side liner 24 can be manufactured from a wide selection of fabric materials, such as porous foams, cross-linked foams, perforated plastic films, natural woven and non-woven fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. The body side liner 24 is typically employed to help isolate the user's skin from liquids maintained in the absorbent body 26. Various woven and non-woven fabrics may be used for the side-to-body liner 24. For example, the Body side liner 24 may be composed of a fabric spun or blown with polyolefin fiber melt. The body side liner 24 may also be a bonded and carded fabric composed of natural and / or synthetic fibers.
The body side liner 24 may be composed of an essentially hydrophobic and essentially non-wettable material, with a hydrophobic material optionally being treated with a surfactant or being processed in another manner to impart a desired level of wettability and hydrophilicity.
In another embodiment of the invention, the body side liner 24 can be a polypropylene fabric bonded with non-woven yarn. The fabric can be creped or tapered so that it is stretchable in at least one or both of the "x" and "y" directions (in the machine direction and / or in the transverse direction).
The body side liner 24 may comprise a multiplicity of components, layers, or partial layers, which correspond to any of the materials described therein, as well as others known in the art. The fabric can be treated with a selected amount of surfactant, such as about 0.28 percent Triton X-102 surfactant available from Rohm and Haas Corporation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The surfactant can be applied by any conventional means such as spraying, printing, brushing or the like.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the body side liner 24 may comprise a stretched-attached laminate having an appropriate resilience and an appropriate width to create a general surface contact between the personal care article 8 and the body. of a user. A stretched-attached laminate comprises at least one two-layer composite in which one layer is a foldable layer and the other layer is a stretchable layer. The layers are joined together when the stretchable layer is in a stretched condition so that, with the loosening of the composite of the bonded layers, the recoverable layer is folded. The stretchable layer may be a film of a stretchable material, such as a layer of styrene ethylene butylene styrene or other elastomeric polymer, or a plurality of yarns of a stretchable material such as latex. Other materials with similar properties can be provided integral with or attached to the liner from side to body 24. Such materials should not interfere with the smooth texture of the side-to-body liner 24 against the skin of a wearer.
The absorbent body 26 can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular, trapezoidal, T-shaped, I-shaped, hourglass-shaped, etc.) and a wide variety of materials. The size and absorbent capacity of the absorbent body 26 must be compatible with the size of the intended user and the anticipated liquid load imparted by the intended use of the absorbent body.
The absorbent body 26 suitably comprises a matrix of hydrophilic fibers, such as a cellulose fluff fabric, preferably in combination with a high absorbency material commonly known as a super absorbent material. In a preferred embodiment, the absorbent body 26 comprises a mixture of a super absorbent hydrogel-forming material and wood pulp fluff. Instead of wood pulp fluff, one can use melt blown fibers, synthetic polymer or a combination of blown fibers. fusion and natural fibers. The super absorbent material can be mixed in an essentially homogeneous way with the hydrophilic fibers or it can be combined in another way in the absorbent core.
Alternatively, the absorbent body 26 may comprise a laminate of fibrous wovens and super absorbent material or other suitable means for keeping the super absorbent material in a localized area.
The high-absorbency material in the absorbent body 26 can be selected from polymers and natural, synthetic and modified natural materials. High-absorbency materials can be inorganic materials, such as silica gels, or organic compounds, such as polymers cross-linked. The term "cross-linked" refers to any means for effectively making the materials normally water-soluble essentially insoluble but swellable in water, therefore the absorbent materials are available but the swollen material is essentially immobile after absorbing the liquids based on Water. Such media may include, for example, a physical entanglement, crystalline domains, covalent bonds, complexes and ionic associations, hydrophilic associations such as hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic associations or Van der aals forces.
The leg cuffs 28 may be formed of separate materials, preferably leg elastics which are attached to the outer cover 22 and / or the side-to-body liner 24. Suitable materials for forming the leg elastics include the LYCRA yarns. ®, the tapes, or one or more layers of a polymeric and / or elastomeric material which can be adhered to the article for personal care8 forming the leg cuff 28 while in a stretched position. Alternatively, the material can be fastened, in a relaxed condition, to a personal care article 8 while the article is folded, so that the elastic constriction forces imparted to the leg cuff 28 when the leg cuff is elongated to along the length of article 8.
In some embodiments where the outer cover 22 and / or the side-to-body liner 24 are formed of stretchable materials, the extendable leg cuffs need not be included in the personal care article 8.
The waist elastics 31A and 31B generally extend around the waist of the personal care article 8. The front waist elastics 31A and the rear waist elastics 31A and the rear waist elastics 3IB generally comprise the threads, the straps or one or more layers of a polymeric and / or elastomeric material which can adhere to the personal care article 8 while in a stretched condition. The front waist elastics 31A and the rear waist elastics 3IB may comprise one or more individual threads of elastomeric material, preferably in a generally parallel and spatially separate arrangement.
The waist elastics 31A, 3IB are preferably adhesively secured to a body side liner 24, or other outer cover 22, and are placed between the body side liner and the outer cover. In the alternative, the waist elastics 31A and 3IB can be secured to both the outer cover 22 and the side-to-body liner 24. In other embodiments, the waist elastics 31A and 3IB can be secured to the side facing outwards of the outer cover 22 or side facing the body of the liner from side to body 24. The placement of the waist elastics 31A and 31E with respect to the layer or layers forming the substrate of the body 20 is not critical. However, the waist elastics 31A and 31B should be located near the respective edges 12 and 16.
In the incorporations comprising the stretchable outer covers 22 and / or the stretchable side-to-body liners 24, the waist elastics 31A and 3IB may be omitted. Thus, in some embodiments, the stretchable body substrate 20 obviates the need for the waist elastics 31A and 31B while retaining the respective stretching function.
In some embodiments, the opposing left and right spaced containment flaps (not shown) may extend longitudinally along the length of a personal care article 8 into the respective side edges of the personal care article. In such embodiments, the containment fins are typically secured to the side-to-body liner 24. Some examples of containment fins are set forth in U.S. Patent No. 4,704,116 issued November 3, 1987 to K Enloe, whose description is incorporated herein by reference in a manner that is consistent (not contradictory) with it.
The containment fins can, for example, be constructed of a fibrous material which is similar to the material comprising the outer cover 22 or the side-to-body liner 24. Other suitable conventional materials, such as polymer films, can also be be employedAs best illustrated in Figure 2, the friction zone 34 is formed by a friction element 36 having a high coefficient of friction against the front 10. The friction element 36 may comprise a foam or other material soft material that has a high coefficient of friction. An example of the friction element 36 is an open cell flexible polyurethane foam. The foam material has a sufficient softness so that, when it makes contact with the user's skin, the material does not mark the skin red during normal use. Such materials also have a coefficient of friction large enough to resist surface to surface movement of the holding tab 30 against the front 10 of the personal care article 8.
Other materials having similar properties and a higher coefficient of friction can also be used. be used. For example, a melt blown nonwoven with fiber sizes of less than 10 microns, having a basis weight of from 10 grams per square meter to 100 grams per square meter, formed of elastomeric polyethylene, such as Affinity 52800.02, manufactured by Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Michigan, can also be used for the friction element 36.
The friction element 36 may also comprise films or coatings. For example, the friction element 36 may comprise a co-extruded film with a thickness of about 0.75 mils. The coextruded film can be composed of about 75 percent by weight of the polyethylene layer and about 25 percent by weight of the polyolefin layer. A suitable coextruded film is identified with the identification number XC2-21-826.1 and is available from the Consolidated Thermoplastics Company of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
A slip-resistant coating can form the friction element 36. Such a coating can be formed from the following groups of materials: ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers applied as a hot melt or as a water-based coating having at least 28 per cent. vinyl acetate cent; polyvinyl acetate in water-based emulsions; butadiene-styrene in an emulsion or as a hot melt: cellulose acetate butyrate in a hot melt; ethyl cellulose mixed with a plasticizer and a resin; acrylics in an emulsion system that are not mixed; synthetic rubber (KRATON® block copolymers having elastomeric and styrenic blocks), rubber, resin, plasticizer mixtures and hot melts including polyethylene (only or mixed) and polyamides among others.
Another embodiment of the friction element 36 may comprise bristles (not shown) that are similar to the hook components 40 of a hook and loop fastening system. However, the bristles simply point straight, similar to a brush without a hook, mushroom or other shape, which could trap the front 10. The bristles do not result in essentially an assurance. In this way, the bristles provide a cutting resistance to prevent radial change of the clamping tab 30A without a significant securing to the front part 10.
The key features in the compositions mentioned above are sufficiently soft when they make contact with the skin of the user, and a high coefficient of friction to prevent radial change of the front part 10 of the personal care article 8 with respect to the fastening appendages 30A and 30B. Therefore, the relative movement of the front part 10 with respect to the rear part 14 is minimized. By eliminating or reducing the radial change of the front part 10 with respect to the back 14, the sagging or dropping of the personal care item 8 is decreased and the operation of the article is improved.
PROOF PROCEDUREThe following tests were carried out to determine the coefficient of friction between two materials. The procedure determined sustained sliding friction(kinetic) of a material when it slides on another material.
A sled or cart, which has the test specimen attached to it, is pulled on a movable plate (table) that has other test material attached thereto. The test specimen and the material on the plate are in contact "from surface to surface with each other.
The "coefficient of friction" is defined as the measure of relative difficulty when the surface of a material slides on an adjacent surface of any the same or another material. The coefficient of friction "static" is described as the highest instantaneous value obtained to begin the movement between the surfaces. The coefficient of friction "kinetic" is the average of the values obtained during the 60 seconds of the test (displacement distance of 6 inches).
The cart used for the test has a weight of 100 grams. The test occurs in a room having a temperature between about 22 degrees Celsius and about 24 degrees Celsius and at a relative humidity of about 50 percent.
The test table may be a moving plate known as TMI model 3206 manufactured by Testing Machines, Inc., of Amityville, New York. The test plate is capable of traveling at a speed of 6 inches per minute.
The test material mounted on the plate preferably has a length of about 305 millimeters and a width of about 102-127 millimeters. The test material can be mounted to the plate (table) using a contact adhesive or a double-sided tape.
The test material mounted on the carriage preferably has a length of about 120 millimeters and a width of about 67 millimeters. The test material is mounted on the carriage using a contact adhesive or double-sided tape.
The carriage is placed very lightly and gently on the surface of the moving plate to avoid any unnatural connection. The length of the carriage, the length of the connecting wire, and the length dimension of the material mounted on the plane are parallel.
The moving plate is then set in motion at a speed of 6 inches per minute. After the movement of the plate the loosening is removed from a connecting wire to a DFI Chatilion meter, the meter takes readings and continues doing this for about 60 seconds (6 inches of displacement).
The meter measures and stores the "static" value for the highest instantaneous coefficient of friction value obtained to begin movement between the surfaces within the first inch of pulling. The "kinetic" value obtained and stored is the average of the values obtained during the 60 seconds of the test (6 inches of displacement distance).
The calculation for the friction "kinetic" coefficient was obtained by the meter using the following equation μk = Aj / B, where μk = the kinetic coefficient of the friction value, = the average gram value obtained during the test period of 60 seconds and B = the weight of the car of around 100 grams.
The calculation for the "static" coefficient of friction was obtained by the meter using the following equation μs = Aj / B, where μs = the static coefficient of the friction value, As = the initially maximum gram value obtained within the first inch of milestone, and B = weight of the car of around 100 grams.
TEST DATA / RESULTSThe following table shows the test results including the "static" values and the "kinetic" values for the coefficient of friction for several test groups. The values listed in Table 1 are based on fifteen tests for Test Groups 1, 2 and 4 and the values listed for Test Group 3 are based on 5 tests.
Test Groups 1-4 all result from running tests on the stretching ears, the outer cover, the outer front surface of the diaper, the inner back surface of the diaper, and the lining material on the side of the diaper body HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® made by Kimberly-Clark Corporation of Dallas, Texas, for the United States trade in 1997.
Test Group 1 is defined as a test using the tapered-bonded laminate corresponding to the stretched ears of the aforementioned diaper mounted on the test carriage. The material mounted on the table constitutes the front exterior of the same diaper mentioned above. The HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper includes an intermittently fastened curl patch or an area of placement on the front outer diaper cover for securing the fastening appendages.
Test Group 2 includes the elements of the same HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper made by Kimberly-ClarkCorporation. However, in Test Group 2, the Table has the outer cover of the diaper mounted on it, rather than the full front part of the diaper.
Test Group 3 includes the front outer side of the same HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper as in Test Group 1, mounted on the movable plate (table). The car receives the rear interior surface of the same diaper. Therefore during the test the inner back surface of the diaper is in surface-to-surface contact with the front outer surface.
Test Group 4 includes the body-facing liner of the same HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper described above, mounted on the carriage. The outer cover mounted on the movable plate of Test Group 4 comprises the outer cover of a HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper as described above. During the test, the body-side liner on the carriage is in surface-to-surface contact with the outer cover.
TABLE 1Item Value Deviation Value Deviation of Static Sample Standard Kinetic StandardGroup of 1. 215 0. 259 0. 754 0. 025 Test 1Group of 0. 689 0. 053 0. 614 0. 044 Test 2Group of 0.926 0.070 0.606 0.025 Test 3Group of 0.458 0.049 0.401 0.019 Test 4The Tables given above show a "kinetic" coefficient of friction value of much less than one for the various diaper elements tested. The "static" values were higher for the group 1 and group 3 tests. However, these higher values occurred when the car passed over an unrestrained curl patch edge on the diaper cover. The car catching the diaper in front of the curl patch caused an increase in the coefficient of static friction. Therefore, the static friction coefficient values for Test Group 1 and for Test Group 3 are not representative of the results where a placement zone or a curl patch edge is not present. In normal cases, for a diaper that does not have a curl patch edge, the static coefficient of friction would be of a lower value as seen in Test Groups 2 and 4 of Table 1.
Table 2 represents the data collected from the test of an embodiment of the invention. The test results include the static values and the kinetic values for the coefficient of friction for several test groups. The values listed in Table 2 are based on fifteen tests for Test Groups 5, 6 and 8, and the values listed for Test Group 7 are based on 5 tests attempted.
Test Groups 5-8 include Woodbridge SM-64 polyurethane foam made by Woodbridge Foam Fabricating, Inc., of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 2 mm thick foam material is mounted on the test carriage. This foam material can be used as a friction element 36 in the holding tab 30A of the illustrated embodiments of the invention. In Test Groups 5, 7 and 8, the polyurethane foam includes the appendage substrate 42 backing the foam material comprising the spunbond-melt-spunbonded material. The results between Test Groups 5 and 6 do not vary significantly. As expected, the presence or absence of the appendix substrate 42 does not have a significant effect on the coefficient of friction of the surface of the friction element 36. This is so because the appendix substrate 42 has no contact to act on the outer cover material or the front part of the diaper.
In Test Groups 5 and 6, the material mounted on the movable plate (table) is a narrow-bonded laminate. The tapered and joined laminate is formed by two sheets of a narrow material joined by spinning secured in a front relation on opposite sides of the elastomeric film core. The yarn-bonded material comprises a polypropylene from 2 to about 2.5 deniers spun and bonded to reduce its width to about 45 percent before being secured to the elastomeric film core. Spunbonded material has a starting weight of 0.5 ounces per square yard. After narrowing, the yarn-bound material has a weight of about 0.65 to about 0.70 ounces per square yard. The tapered and joined laminate comprises an outer, stretchable cover 22 for the personal care article 8.
In Test Group 7 the outer front part of a HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper as mentioned in previous tests, is mounted on the movable plate. In Test Groups 7 and 8, the polyurethane foam SM-64 is secured to the car. In Test Group 8 the outer cover of a HUGGIES ULTRATRIM® diaper is mounted on the movable plate (table).
TABLE 2Article Value Deviation Value Deviation of Static Sample Standard Kinetic Standard Group of 8.027 1. 191 5.690 0.666 Test 5 Group of 7.077 0. 703 5,617 0.468 Proof 6 Major Deacon Group - Senior Deacon Test 7 15 Cido 15 Group 12,828 1. 371 7,542 8,114 Test 8As clearly shown by the coefficient of friction values measured in Test Groups 5-8, the coefficient of friction for the Woodbridge polyurethane foam SM-64 is greater than the coefficient of friction for the diaper of the Test Groups. 1-4.
No data were reported for Test Group 7. The reason that no data was reported is because the coefficient of friction was so large (at least greater than 15) that the test meter and the car could not measure the value. The coefficients of friction established in the Examples given above clearly prevent the radial change of the clamping tab.
In view of the information given above, the invention contemplates the use of the friction elements 36 which have a coefficient of at least about 1.5, preferably of at least about 3, more preferably at least about 5, and more preferably of at least about 5.6.
The friction element 36 comprises a material having a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.5 when it is secured to a 100 gram cart and tested in contact with a bonded and tapered laminate secured to a moving plate by being operated on. a speed of 6 inches per minute. The coefficient of friction is preferably greater than about 3, preferably is greater than about 5, and more preferably is greater than about 5.6 under the test conditions described above and mentioned with respect to Table 2.
In embodiments where the friction element 36 comprises a foam material, the foam material generally has a non-compressed thickness of less than about 10 millimeters, preferably less than about 5 millimeters, and more preferably less than about of 2 mm.
The friction element 36 may have sufficient elasticity or elevation so that a person perceives the element as having a cushioned effect when it contacts the user's skin. Therefore, the friction element 36 is configured to reduce the irritation of the user's skin, even when it is in direct contact with the user's skin. The friction element 36 does not fasten or otherwise engage or join the outer cover 22 such as through the use of adhesives, cohesive adhesives, and other natural or synthetic binding agents. The friction element 36 helps to maintain the original secured position of the front part 10 of the personal care article 8 purely through a surface to surface friction or shearing forces, when in contact with the outer cover 22.
Importantly, the friction element 36 nc has an adhesive tack and does not include securing elements providing a securing function for the attachment tab 30A against the front portion 10 of ur. article for personal care 8. The friction zone 34 nc contains a functional amount of tackifiers. Therefore, the friction element 36 does not provide a fastening of the appendages 30A and 30B to the body substrate 20 when making contact with the front part 10. However, the frictional force existing between the front surfaces of the friction element 36 and the outer cover 22 maintains the relative positions of the front part 10 and the holding tab 30A, with respect to each other, when they are assured to the body of ur, user. The adhesive agents are described in serial application number 777,997 filed on January 2, 1997 as a continuation of serial application number 576,418 filed December 21, 1995, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in a manner that is consistent (not contradictory; with the same.As shown in Figure 2, the securing zone 32 may include a securing element 38. The securing element 38 may comprise the hook components 40, such as the known micro-hooks, of a hook and loop fastening system. The components of hooks 40 sor. employed to secure the fastening tab 30A to the front portion 10 of the personal care article 8. The front portion 10 may include the curl elements (not shown) mounted on the positioning areas for securing the hook components 40 Preferably, the outer cover 22 comprises a material having a crimped construction so that the hook components 40 are secured directly to the outer cover. Such an arrangement reduces the number of items that must be formed, placed and secured to the personal care item 8. Therefore, such an arrangement reduces the cost to produce the personal care item 8.
As shown in Figure 2, the appendix substrate 42 lies beneath the friction element 36 and the securing element 38. The friction element 36 is mounted in a surface-to-surface relationship with the appendix substrate 42 in an area friction 34. Similarly, the securing element 38 is mounted in a surface-to-surface relationship with the appendix substrate 42 in the securing zone 32.
The securing element 38 may include the components of flexible hooks 40, mounted in a surface-to-surface relationship with the appendix substrate 42 using the adhesive layer 44 as shown in Figure 2. The layer 44 of the adhesive is shown having a relatively large thickness for illustration purposes. However, layer 44 may comprise a thin coating. Similarly, Figure 2 shows the layer 44 of the adhesive permanently mounting the friction element 36 on the appendix substrate 42. Other known methods for mounting the securing element 38 and the friction element 36 on the appendix substrate 42 They can also be used.
As shown in Figure 2, the securing element 38 fits the contour of the appendage substrate 42, especially on the outer edge 46 of the fastening tab 30A. The rectangular shaped friction element 36 also conforms to the shape of the friction zone 34 on which the friction element is mounted. Other forms are, of course, contemplated for securing the holding tab 30A. The shape of the fastening tab shown in Figures 1 and 2 is merely for purposes of illustration, and other shapes are possible and are attempted.
The appendix substrate 42 preferably comprises a non-woven material such as a spunbond-melt-spunbond (SMS) -bonded material. Spunbond-melt-spunbonded material comprises a layer of melt blown material located between and in asurface to surface ratio with the layers joined by spinning. Such SMS material generally forms a holding tab 30A that is essentially non-stretchable during normal use.
Other materials having suitable characteristics can be replaced by the appendage substrates described above. For example, extendable materials can be used for the appendix substrate. Examples of the stretchable materials are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,226,992 issued July 13, 1993 to Morman, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in a manner that is consistent (not inconsistent) with the sameAlthough Figure 2 illustrates the securing element 38 as being close to the friction element 36 as being preferred, such an arrangement is not required. The holding tab 30A may include an opening or space (not shown) along the length of and between the friction element 36 and the securing element 38 for holding the tab 30A where the appendix substrate 42 comprises a surface exposed by a distance between the friction element and the securing element. So, in some embodiments, the friction zone 34 and the securing zone 32 can be spaced from each other, so that the edges thereof are not physically in contact with each other. An example of the spaced apart elements for an appendage of 44 extends inwardly from the securing zone 32 on the respective fastening appendages 30A and 30B. In this arrangement, the friction zones 34 therefore extend over part of the side liner 24 to the body 24 on opposite sides of the back 14 of the personal care article 8.
Figures 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the thickness of the friction element 36 may be greater than in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. The thickness of the friction element 36 may be greater in the embodiment of Figure 4 because the friction element provides the function carried out by the appendix substrate 42 in the above embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. The securing element 38 is mounted in a surface-to-surface relationship with a part of the friction element 36. Therefore, the thickness of the friction element 36 is not limited by being adjacent to the securing element 38.
In Figures 4 and 5, the friction element 36 extends to the full length and full width of the fastening tab 30A. Thus, the friction element 36 also functions as the underlying substrate for the securing element 38. The friction zone 36 and the securing zone 32 are located and operate in a manner similar to the respective zones described in FIGS. 2.
As best shown in Figure 5, the securing element 38, including the components of flexible hooks 40 is mounted on one end of the friction element 36. The layer 44 of the adhesive secures the rear side of the securing element 38 to the element friction 36 in a surface to surface relationship therewith. As shown in Figure 4, the securing element 38 follows the contour of the outer edge 46 of the holding tab 30A. In this manner, the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5 omit the appendix substrate 42. Therefore, the cost and number of steps necessary to build a fastening tab 30A, according to Figures 4 and 5, is reduced.
Figure 5 shows the securing element 38 extending to the outer edge 46 of the friction element36. However, in other embodiments (not shown) the securing element 38 may extend outwardly beyond the outer edge 46 of the fastening tab 30A. Therefore, the securing element 38 does not need to be supported on its full length and width by an underlying element.
Similarly, in the embodiment of Figure 2, the securing element 38 can extend outwardly beyond the outer edge 46 of the holding tab 30A.
Other types of securing elements 38 in addition to the flexible hook components 40 can be used to releasably secure the holding tab 30A to the front portion 10 of the personal care article 8. For example, the securing element 38 may comprise a mechanical fastener, such as curls, instead of the hooks of a hook and loop fastener system. A clamping surface (not shown) on the outer cover 22 then comprises a corresponding hook material in the front part 10, adapted to engage releasably with the curl material of the securing element 38 to hold and retain the article for personal care 8 on the user's body.
Figures 6 and 7 show an embodiment of the invention having a body substrate 20 formed by the outer cover 22 and the side-to-body liner 24 acting as an appendage substrate. The adhesive 48 secures the outer cover 22 to the liner from side to body 24. Thus in this embodiment the separate ear elements or the ear materials are not secured to the personal care article 8.
As shown in Figure 7, the friction element 36 and the securing element 38 are secured to and essentially lie on the entire body substrate 20. The adhesive 44 permanently secures the friction element 36 and the securing element 38 to the lining on the side to the body 24. As shown in Figure 6, the securing zone 32 and the friction zone 34 follow the contours of the substrate to the body 20. Thus the friction element 36 and the securing element 38 do not They have rectangular shapes in this embodiment.
The embodiment of Figure 6 functions in a manner similar to the embodiment of Figure 1. However, in Figures 6 and 7, no sedient requires a separate appendix substrate 42 because the body substrate 20 performs the function of the appendix substrate. Therefore the modality of Figure 6 requires fewer elements to build.
Figure 8 shows a top view of an outer cover side of another embodiment of the personal care article 8. As in the embodiment of Figure 1, the personal care item 8 includes the leg cuffs28, the waist elastics 31A and 31B, the absorbent body 26 and the fastening appendages 30A and 30B secured to the back 14 of the personal care article. The securing zones 32 and the securing elements 38 are located at the outer ends of the fastening appendages 30A and 30B. However, the friction zones 34, including the friction elements 36 are located at opposite ends of the front part 10 of the personal care article 8. Even when Figure 8 shows the 48 friction elements 36 that entirely cover the outer cover 22, the friction elements may also extend outwards on the opposite edges of the front part 10 or internally from the opposite edges.
The embodiment of Figure 8 functions in a manner different from the embodiment of Figure 1. When the attachment lugs 30A and 30B are secured to the front part 10, the securing elements 38 are positioned inwardly of the friction elements 36. The friction elements 36 are then in a surface-to-surface contact with the respective portions of the fastening appendages 30A and 30B inwardly of the respective securing elements 38 and / or in contact with the body-side facing 24 of the body. body substrate 20. Thus, even when the friction elements 36 are not located on the fastening appendages 30A and 30B, the result of using the personal care article of Figure 8 is similar to the results of Figure 1 .
In the embodiment of Figure 8, the friction elements 36 and the securing elements 38 can comprise any of the elements described therein. In addition, the securing element 38 may comprise the rims of a hook and loop fastening system, and the hooks may be secured to the outer cover 22 on the front portion of the personal care article 8. Such an arrangement does not changes the basic securing and radial change resistance functions of the securing elements 38 and the friction elements 36.
In a modification to the embodiment of Figure 8, the securing zones 32 can be secured to the front part 10 of the personal care article 8. the securing zones 32 comprise the securing elements 38 secured to the front part 10 inwards of the friction elements 36. This incorporation works like the other embodiments, except that, the fastening appendages 30A and 30B include the elements of curls such as, for example, the securing of the securing elements 38 mounted on the front part 10 of the article for personal care 8.
In another embodiment (not shown), the fastening appendages 30A and 30B can be permanently secured to opposite sides of the front portion 10 of the personal care article 8. In such cases, the fastening appendages 30A and 30B are then selectively secured to the back 14 of the personal care item 8. Thus, the attachment appendages are completely reversed with respect to the embodiment shown in Figure 1.50 Other well-known clamping devices can be used. instead of this being used to hold the article for personal care 8 about the user. For example, a cohesive system, an adhesive fastener, a mechanical system, or the like can be used as securing elements 38 with suitable cooperating elements on the front 10 as necessary, to hold the personal care article 8 on the user.
In operation, the item for personal care8 of Figure 1 is secured to the outer cover 22 on the front part 10 using the first fastening tab 30A and the second opposing fastening tab 30B. The second clamping tab 30B has elements of the same character as the first clamping tab 30A shown in Figure 2. Thus the second clamping tab 30B has a third side, a third surface on the third side having a second friction zone 34, and a second securing zone 32 on the third side adjacent to the friction zone 34. In use, the first and second securing zones 32, located at the outer ends of the appendages 30A and 30B are secured to the cover outer 22 on the front 10. The respective friction zones 34 are located inwardly from the respective outer edges 46 of the fastening appendages 30A and 30B, and thus generally inwardly of the fastening zones 32.
Those skilled in the art will now see that certain modifications can be made to the invention described herein with respect to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. And even though the invention has been described above with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is adapted to numerous rearrangements, modifications and alterations, all such arrangements, modifications and alterations are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.
To the extent that the following claims use media language plus function does not mean that there is included there or in the present description, nothing that is not structurally equivalent to what is shown in the embodiments described in the description.