Disposable absorbent articles with zones comprising elastomeric components

Abstract

Absorbent articles having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet are disclosed. The absorbent articles include a thermoplastic elastomer joined to or disposed in a stretch zone on at least one component or region of the absorbent article to impart an elastic resistance that provides sizing or shaping capabilities to the article. The absorbent article can be in the form of diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, wipes, bibs, incontinence briefs or inserts.

1 . An absorbent article, said absorbent article having a waist region, a crotch region, a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, said absorbent article comprising at least one stretch zone, said stretch zone comprising a first substrate having a first thermoplastic elastomeric composition disposed thereon in a predetermined geometric pattern defining said stretch zone.  
     
     
         2 . An absorbent article according to  claim 1  wherein said stretch zone comprises at least a portion of a feature selected from the group consisting of a waist feature, an ear, a side panel, a leg cuff, a fastener component and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . An absorbent article according to  claim 2  wherein two of said features are in an abutting relationship and said stretch zone comprises at least a portion of each of said abutting features.  
     
     
         4 . An absorbent article according to  claim 2  wherein said two of said features are said waist feature and said ear.  
     
     
         5 . An absorbent article according to  claim 2  wherein said two of said features are said leg cuff and said ear.  
     
     
         6 . An absorbent article according to  claim 1 , said stretch zone having a property selected from the group consisting of differing width dimensions between said individual stretch zones, differing thickness dimensions between said individual stretch zones, differing spacing between said individual stretch zones, differing mechanical properties between said individual stretch zones, differing visual appearance and differing permeability between said individual stretch zones wherein, when at least one of said properties is measured at each of two points along a line in a direction parallel to said longitudinal centerline, there is a variation between the value of said property.  
     
     
         7 . An absorbent article according to  claim 6  wherein said variation is defined as the absolute value of the measurement of the property at said first point minus the value of said property at said second point divided by the value of said property at said first point and said variation is greater than about 0.1  
     
     
         8 . An absorbent article according to  claim 1 , said stretch zone having a property selected from the group consisting of differing width dimensions between said individual stretch zones, differing thickness dimensions between said individual stretch zones, differing spacing between said individual stretch zones, differing mechanical properties between said individual stretch zones, differing visual appearance and differing permeability between said individual stretch zones wherein when at least one of said properties is measured at each of two points along a line in a direction parallel to said lateral centerline there is a variation between the value of said property.  
     
     
         9 . An absorbent article according to  claim 8  wherein there also is a variation in at least one of said properties in a direction parallel to said longitudinal centerline, said variation being defined as the absolute value of the measurement of the property at a first point minus the value of said property at a second point along a line parallel to said longitudinal centerline divided by the value of said property at said first point.  
     
     
         10 . An absorbent article according to  claim 8  wherein said variation is defined as the absolute value of the measurement of the property at said first point minus the value of said property at said second point divided by the value of said property at said first point and said variation is greater than about 0.1.  
     
     
         11 . An absorbent article according to  claim 1  wherein said stretch zone is used in combination with an elastic element, said elastic element being selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric film an elastomeric strand and an elastomeric fiber.  
     
     
         12 . An absorbent article, said absorbent article having a waist region, a crotch region, a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, said absorbent article comprising at least a first stretch zone and a second stretch zone, at least one of said stretch zones comprising a first substrate having a first elastomeric composition disposed thereon defining said stretch zone such that said elastomeric composition at least partially penetrates said first substrate wherein said first stretch zone differs from said second stretch zone in a property selected from the group consisting of differing width dimensions between said individual stretch zones, differing thickness dimensions between said individual stretch zones, differing spacing between said individual stretch zones, differing mechanical properties between said individual stretch zones, differing visual appearance and differing permeability between said individual stretch zones.  
     
     
         13 . A absorbent article according to  claim 12  wherein said differing stretch zones at least partially overlap.  
     
     
         14 . An absorbent article according to  claim 12  wherein said stretch zones differ in at least one mechanical property, said mechanical property being selected from the list consisting of elastic resistance, percent stress relaxation at 2 minutes, percent set, and available strain.  
     
     
         15 . An absorbent article according to  claim 12  wherein said absorbent article comprises a first array having a first elastic resistance and a second array having a second elastic resistance wherein a ratio of said first elastic resistance to said second elastic resistance is greater than about 1.25:1.  
     
     
         16 . An absorbent article according to  claim 12  wherein said first stretch zone comprises at least a portion of a feature selected from the group consisting of a waist feature, an ear, a side panel, a leg cuff, a fastener component and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         17 . An absorbent article according to  claim 16  wherein two of said features are in an abutting relationship and said stretch zone comprises at least a portion of each of said abutting features.  
     
     
         18 . An absorbent article according to  claim 17  wherein said two of said features are said waist feature and said ear.  
     
     
         19 . An absorbent article according to  claim 17  wherein said two of said features are said leg cuff and said ear.  
     
     
         20 . An absorbent article according to  claim 12  wherein said stretch zone is used in combination with an elastic element, said elastic element being selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric film an elastomeric strand and an elastomeric fiber.