Body Conforming Disposable Absorbent Article Having Leg Wraps and Internal Topsheet and Method of Making Same

Abstract

A secondary internal topsheet and leg wrap structure is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The leg wrap structure has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed inbetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart elastic elements that are aligned in a generally in generally parallel relation. The leg wrap structure and secondary topsheet provides for the efficient formation of a reservoir and a plurality of fluid dams each capable of capturing a quantity of fluid to minimize the occurrence of fluid leaks from the absorbent article. Methods of forming such absorbent articles are disclosed.

1 . A disposable absorbent article comprising:
 an absorbent core disposed between a liquid pervious top sheet and a liquid impervious back sheet;   a topsheet spanning an internal topsheet gap that is narrower than a backsheet gap wherein a difference between the topsheet gap and the backsheet gap results in formation of a reservoir between the absorbent core and a wearer, said reservoir adapted to capture bodily exudates; and   a pair of flexible leg wraps extending outwardly from and along side edges of said absorbent core, said leg wraps each including a plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands separated from the absorbent core by an inelastic zone, wherein the leg wraps and absorbent core form the reservoir and a plurality of fluid dams are defined at least in part by the plurality of elastic strands during use of the absorbent article, with each fluid dam capable of capturing a volume of liquid waste from passing between the leg wrap and the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein with the absorbent article disposed in a generally flat, open condition, the distance between the absorbent core and the nearest strand of elastic is between 19 mm to 64 mm, the number of elastic strands per side panel region is between 4 and 10 strands, and a distance between the individual elastic strands is between 4 mm to 30 mm and wherein the distance between individual elastic strands is between 6 mm to 8 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the distance between the absorbent core and the nearest strand of elastic is between 25 mm to 40 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the inelastic zone is capable of being folded over to define portions of the reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 4  wherein portions of the inelastic zone are adhered together in one or more locations of the absorbent article. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein a distance between adjacent pairs of elastic strand is nonuniform so that the elastic strands are not equally spaced apart. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the top sheet has zones of differing hydrophilic properties. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 6  wherein the elastic strands are provided with a plurality of different diameters. 
     
     
         9 . A disposable absorbent article comprising:
 an absorbent core being disposed between a liquid pervious top sheet and a liquid impervious back sheet;   a top sheet spanning a topsheet gap that is narrower than a backsheet gap wherein a difference between the topsheet gap and the backsheet gap results in formation of a reservoir between the absorbent core and a wearer that is capable of capturing bodily exudates; and   a pair of elasticized leg wraps extending longitudinally adjacent opposite lateral sides of said absorbent core, said leg wraps including a plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands, wherein the reservoir is defined between the absorbent core and folded portions of the leg wrap during use, and a plurality of fluid dams are defined in part by the plurality of spaced-apart elastic strands during use, with each of the plurality of fluid dams capable of retaining a fluid volume against leakage from the leg wraps.   
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 9  wherein with the absorbent article provided in a generally flat, opened orientation, the distance between the absorbent core and the nearest strand of elastic is between 25 mm to 51 mm, the number of elastic strands is between 5 and 10, and the distance between the individual strands is between 5 mm to 10 mm and wherein the distance between the central absorbent core and the nearest strand of elastic is between 30 mm to 44 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 9  wherein the number of elastic strands is between 6 and 8 strands. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 9  wherein the distance between the individual strands is between 6 mm to 9 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 9  wherein the distance between the absorbent core and the nearest elastic strand is between 10 mm to 100 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 13  wherein the distance between the absorbent core and the nearest elastic strand is between 42 mm to 50 mm. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a disposable absorbent article method comprising:
 providing a central body with an absorbent core;   forming a topsheet gap that is narrower than the backsheet gap;   spanning the topsheet gap with a topsheet;   securing lateral ends of the topsheet to the central body; and   providing a pair of elasticized leg wraps extending longitudinally adjacent opposite lateral sides of said central body, each said leg wrap having a plurality of elastic strands extending generally along a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein with the absorbent article provided in a flat, opened orientation, the distance between the central absorbent core and the elastic strand nearest to the central body is between 10 mm to 100 mm, and the spacing between said elastic strand nearest to the central body and the elastic strand furthest from the central body is greater than 38 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the distance between individual elastic strands is between 6 mm to 8 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the distance between the absorbent core and the nearest strand of elastic is between 25 mm to 40 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the inelastic zone is capable of being folded over to define portions of the reservoir. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein portions of the inelastic zone are adhered together in one or more locations of the absorbent article.