Title of Invention

AN ELASTOMERIC BAND

Abstract The present invention relates to an elastomeric band (15) comprising at least one first elastomeric segment (16) and at least one second elastomeric segment (17) in series; the first (16) and second (17) elastomeric segments being of different polymer compositions; at least one of the first (16) and second (17) elastomeric segments comprising a plurality of spaced oapart elastic elements.
Full Text EFFICIENT ZONED ELASTIC LAMINATE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to an elastic laminate material having an elastomeric
element comprising at least two different elastomeric materials in series. In one
embodiment, this invention is directed to an elastomeric element comprised of a high
performance elastomer, for example LYCRA* polyurethane, and a lower performance
elastomer, for example a metallocene-catalyzed polymer, in series. The elastomeric element
exhibits high performance elastic properties at reduced material costs. In another
embodiment, this invention is directed to a garment utilizing the elastomeric element to
provide improved comfort, fit and appearance of the product
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Elastic laminates are useful in many personal care products including diapers
and undergarments. High performance elastomers, such as Lycra* spandex, are particularly
useful because the laminates produced using these elastomers provide good product fit over
an extended use period. However, such high performance elastomers are expensive. Further,
the Lycra* polyurethane type laminates may provide a feminine or ruffled appearance that
does not provide a flat or smooth surface that is discreet and invisible underneath clothing.
Lower performance elastomers, including metallocene-catalyzed olefin polymers, have also
been useful because of their low cost and clothlike appearance. Unfortunately, these less
expensive elastomers do not necessarily provide high performance elastic properties and the
thermoplastic laminates produced with these elastomers do not typically provide a good fit
over an extended use period. As a result, products using these elastomers exhibit waist sag
and poor leg fit Generally, there is a need for an elastic laminate for personal care products
that provides high performance elastic properties at a low material cost.
Related art alters or modifies the decitex, elongation or strand spacing of
elastic elements in order to vary the tension across elasticized regions. In the present
invention, the elastic properties of different elastomers are utilized to provide an elastic band
that can be "tuned" to any particular area of a given product This invention combines the
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polyurethane, with the less expensive, lower performance elastomers, such as metallocene catalyzed olefin polymers, to provide a material with high performance elastic properties an improved comfort, fit and appearance at a reduced material cost
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a multi-segment elastomeric band an The elastic band may be bonded to one or two nonwoven webs, preferably spunbonded, to provide a multi-segment elastic laminate material. The elastomeric material may be in the form of an elastomeric nonwoven web, for example, a spunbonded web, meltblown web, a bonded carded web, or a combination thereof; a filament array; a film o a foam; or a laminate including one or more of the foregoing. The elastomeric materials ma; be permeable or impermeable to moisture vapor and/or liquid water, or have specif* permeabilities.
Elastic polymers suitable for preparing the elastomeric band include, withou limitation, elastomers made from block copolymers such as polyurethanes, copolyetheresters polyamide polyether block copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetates (EVA) and the like; includinj polyurethanes available from EX Du Pont de Nemours Co., under the trade name LYCRA" (also known as "spandex"); elastomeric styrene-butadiene copolymers including the* known as KRATON* materials which are available from Shell Chemical Company o

Houston, Texas; tetrablock copolymers, including styrene-poly(ethylene-propylene elastomeric block copolymers available from the Shell Chemical Company of Houston Texas under the trade designation KRATON8; polyamides, including polyether block amide! available from Ato Chemical Company, under the trade name PEBAX*; polyesters, such ai those available from E.I. Du Pont de Nemours Co., under the trade name HYTREL*; single-site or metallocene-catalyzed polymers, including single-site or metallocene-catalyzec polyolefins having a density less than about 0.89 grams/cc available from Dow Chemical Co under the trade name AFFINITY*; and natural and synthetic rubbers.
The adj acent elastomeric materials may be connected with a layer of adhesive or by another bonding process known in the art, such as thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, chemical crosslinking, and mechanical lamination. The adjacent materials may be bonded together at edges which overlap each other. The elastomeric band can be elongated and bonded to an upper sheet and/or a lower sheet using any of the foregoing bonding technologies, to form the multi-segment elastic laminate. The resulting laminate exhibits hybrid properties of the adjacent elastomeric materials.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of this invention tc provide an elastomeric band and an elastic laminate material having high performance elastic properties and a more clothlike appearance while reducing material cost
It is also a feature and advantage of this invention to provide a garment with improved fit, comfort and appearance having an elastomeric band comprising at least twc different elastomeric materials adjacent to each other.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side view of an exemplary dual elastic laminate materia comprising an elastomeric band bonded to an upper sheet and a lower sheet The elastic band includes two elastic materials in series with each omer.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the exemplary elastomeric band of Fig. 1 (with uppa sheet removed) comprising a first elastomeric material connected in series to a second different elastomeric material.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary pant-like absorbent garmenl having elastic bands in the waist elastic regions and the leg elastic regions of the pant-like absorbent garment
DEFINITIONS The terms "elastic" and "elastomeric" and "elastic properties" are used interchangeably herein to mean any material which, upon application of a biasing force, is stretchable to a stretched, biased length which is at least about 125 percent, that is about one and one quarter, of its relaxed, unbiased length, and which will recover at least 40 percent of its elongation upon release of the stretching, elongating force. A hypothetical example which will satisfy this definition of an elastomeric material would be a one (1) inch sample of a material which is elongatable to at least 1.25 inches and which, upon being elongated to 1.25 inches and released, will recover to a length of not more than 1.15 inches. Many elastic materials may be stretched to much more than 125 percent of their relaxed length (suitably, to at least 150 percent of their relaxed length), and many of these will recover to substantially their original relaxed length upon release of the stretching, elongating force and this latter class of materials is generally preferred for purposes of the present invention.
As used herein, the term "nonelastic" refers to any material which does not fall within the definition of "elastic," above.
As used herein, the term "in series" means any two elastic materials that are laterally adj acent with each other, including materials whose edges touch, but do not overlap; materials whose edges overlap each other, but which otherwise do not overlap; and materials spaced at a distance in the same plane.
As used herein, the term "nonwoven web" means a web that has a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in an identifiable, repeating manner. Nonwoven webs have been, in the past, formed by a variety of processes such as, for example, melt-blowing processes, spunbonding processes and bonded carded web

As used herein, the term "*microfibers" means small diameter fibers bavin an average diameter not greater than about 100 microns, for example, having a diameter c from about 0.5 microns to about 50 microns, more particularly, microfibers may have a average diameter of from about 4 microns to about 40 microns.
As used herein, the term "meltblown fibers"* means fibers formed b extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, di capillaries as molten threads or filaments into a high velocity gas (e.g., air) stream whicl attenuates the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which ma; be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocit gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly disburse meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclose4 for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,849,2411 As used herein, the term "spunbonded fibers" refers to small diameter fiber which are formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a pluralit of fine, usually circular, capillaries of a spinnerette with the diameter of the extrude* filaments then being rapidly reduced as by, for example, eductive drawing or other well known spunbonding mechanisms. The production of spunbonded nonwoven webs ii illustrated in patents such as, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,340,563 to Appel et al.; U.S PatentNo. 3,692,618 toDorschneretal. and U.S. Patent No. 3,802,817 to Matsukietal. Th As used herein, the term "film" refers to polymeric sheets formed using i blown film or cast film extrusion process, or another film extrusion process, and does no! include nonwoven webs as defined above.
Unless specifically set forth and defined or otherwise limited, the term! "polymer" or "polymer resin" as used herein generally include, but are not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as, for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc. and blends and modifications thereof. Further, unless otherwise specifically limited, the terms "polymer" or "polymer resin" shall include all possible geometrical configurations of the material. These configurations include, but are
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As used herein, the terms "single-site catalyzed polymer" and "metaHocene catalyzed polymer" refer to a polymer having a particular range of stretch and recover characteristics produced by the single-site (e.g. metallocene-catalyzed) process. Thes polymers have the unique advantage of having a very narrow molecular rangs Polydispersity numbers (Mw/Mn) of below 4 and even below 2 are possible for single-sit catalyzed polymers. These polymers have a controlled short chain branching distributioi when compared to otherwise similar non-single site catalyzed polymers.
As used herein, the term "hysteresis" is a measure of how well an elasti material retains its elastic properties over a number of stretches. The loss of the hysteresi over a number of stretch cycles should desirably be minimal. For example, a material bavin; no hysteresis loss will show the same force measured at 30 percent elongation during tb retraction in the second cycle as the force of extension at 30 percent elongation during tb first cycle. Dividing the first cycle force of extension by the second cycle force of retractioi shows that such a material will have a hysteresis of 1.0.
The term "polydispersity number" or "polydispersity index" is defined a weight average molecular weight divided by the number average molecular weight (Mw/Mn). Elastomers with a very low or narrow polydispersity number, e.g. 4 or less, ar As used herein the term "garment" means any type of apparel which may b worn. This includes industrial workwear like coveralls, undergarments, pants, shirts, jackets gloves, socks, and the like, as well as medical protective garments.
As used herein the term "personal care product" means diapers, training pants absorbent underpants, adult incontinence products, and feminine hygiene products. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows a side view of an exemplary dual elastic laminate material 10 Dual elastic laminate material 10 comprises an elastomeric band 15 comprised of at least on HictriJiiirinric H(*ncitif"c anH"nr rmrniMriH ThamFnr*. *!«»««««"/• Mm™i" 1 ^ n ..l.....

elastic properties substantially different from one another. In one embodiment, ont elastomeric segment 16 or 17 may be stretchable to at least 200% of its initial relaxed lengtl while the other elastomeric segment 17 or 16 may be stretchable only to 125% to less thai about 200% of its initial relaxed length. In one embodiment, elastomeric segment If comprises a single-site (e.g. metallocene) catalyzed olefin polymer having a density less thai about 0.89 grams/cc, and elastomeric segment 17 comprises a LYCRA* polyurethene. Ii another embodiment, elastomeric segment 16 comprises a single-site catalyzed polymer anc elastomeric segment 17 comprises another, Ziegler-Natta polymer.
Elastic segments 16, 17 may each be an elastomeric nonwoven web, foi example, a spunbonded web, a meltblown web, a bonded carded web, or a combinatior thereof. If the segment is a web of meltblown fibers, it may include meltblown microfibers The elastic nonwoven webs may be formed using conventional processes, including th« spunbond and meltblowing processes described in the above "DEFINITIONS." Elastomeric segments 16, 17 may also be filament arrays, films, foams and ribbons, produced b> conventional extrusion processes.
Suitable elastic polymers for producing elastomeric segments 16,17include. without limitation, elastomers made fipm block copolymers such as polyurethanes; copolyetheresters, polyamide polyether block copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetates (EVA); block copolymers having the general formula A-B-A* or A-B like copoly(styrene/ethylene-butylene), styrene-poly(ethyIene-propylene)-styrene, styrene-poly(ethylene-butylene> styrene, (polystyrene/fK)ly(ethylene-butylene)^)olystyrene, poly(styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene) and the like. Examples of suitable polyurethanes include those available from E.I. Du Pont de Nemours Co., under the trade name LYCRA* polyurethane.
Suitable elastomeric resins include block copolymers having general formula A-B-A" or A-B, where A and A" are each a thermoplastic polymer end block which contains a styrenic moiety such as a poly (vinyl arene) and where B is an elastomeric polynia midblock such as a conjugated diene or a lower alkene polymer. Block copolymers of the A-B-A" type can have different or the same thermoplastic block copolymers for the A and A" blocks, and the present block copolymers are intended to embrace linear, branched and

as KRATON* materials which are available from Shell Chemical Company of Houston, Texas. An elastomeric nonwoven web may be formed from, for example, elastomeric ^lystyrcne/poly(emylene-butyleneypolystyrene)block copolymers available from the Shell Chemical Company of Houston, Texas under the trade name KRATON* G. KRATON* block copolymers are available in several different formulations, a number of which are identified in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,663,220 and 5,304,599, hereby incorporated by reference.
Polymers composed of an elastomeric A-B-A-B tetrablock copolymer may also be used in the practice of this invention. Such polymers are discussed in U.S. Patent No. 5,332,613 to Taylor et al. In such polymers, A is a thermoplastic polymer block and B is an isoprene monomer unit hydrogenated to substantially a poly(ethylene-propylene) monomer unit. An example of such a tetrablock copolymer is a styrene-poly(ethylene-propylene> styrene-poly(ethylene-propylene) or SEPSEP elastomeric block copolymer available from the Shell Chemical Company of Houston, Texas under the trade designation KRATON*.
Other suitable materials include polyamide elastomeric materials, including polyether block amides available from Ato Chemical Company, under the trade name PEBAX*; polyester elastomeric materials, such as those available from E.I. Du Pont de Nemours Co., under the trade name HYTREL*; single-site or metallocene-catalyzed polyolefins having a density less than about 0.89 grams/cc, available from Dow Chemical Co. under the trade name AFFINITY*; and natural and synthetic rubbers.
Processing aids may be added to the elastomeric polymers to assist in producing films and meltblown fibers from these elastomers. For example, a polyolefin processing aid may be blended with the elastomeric polymer to improve the processability of the composition. Useful blending polyolefin materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutene, including ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers and butene copolymers. However, these processing aids have a negative effect on the hysteresis of the base elastomer. Hysteresis is a measure of how well an elastic material retains its elastic properties over a number of stretch cycles.
The processability of the elastomers can be improved by adding a metallocene polyolefin, without negatively affecting the hysteresis of the base polymer. Such polymers have a very low or narrow polydispersity number, e.g. Mw/Mn of 4 or less, and may be made

by a process referred to as the metallocene polymerization process. As taught in U.S. Pate No. 5,853,881 issued to Estey, et al., the description of which is incorporate!] herein 1 reference, the single-site process generally uses a metallocene catalyst which is activated, i, ionized, by a co-catalyst. Single-site catalyzed polymers have the unique advantage having a very narrow molecular range. Polydispersity numbers (Mw/Mn) of below 4 ai even below 2 are possible for metallocene produced polymers. These polymers also ha1 a controlled short chain branching distribution when compared to otherwise similar Ziegle Natta produced polymers.
The single-site catalysts are generally referred to as "single site" "metallocene" catalysts to distinguish them from the conventional Ziegler-Natta catalyj which have multiple reaction sites. Single-site catalyzed polymers have a particular ran] of stretch and recovery characteristics.
The strategic and efficient use of high performance elastic materials, such LYCRA* spandex (polyurethane), in critical areas with lower performance elastomers in i remaining areas of dual elastic laminate material 10 results in a laminate materia] 10 havii high performance elastic properties where needed, at a reduced overall material cost T material has improved comfort, fit and enhanced appearance. Referring again to Fig. elastic segments 16 and 17 may be combined by positioning them adjacent each other shown, and preferably joining them together at their edges. The adjacent edges of segmei 16 and 17 may slightly overlap each other to facilitate bonding. Bonding may accomplished using processes known in the art, including adhesive bonding, thenr bonding, ultrasonic bonding, chemical crosslinking between the layers, ultrasonic bondir mechanical stitching, and the like.
After elastomeric segment 16 is preferably bonded to elastomeric segment to form combined elastomeric band 15, laminate material 10 is formed by elongati elastomeric band 15 and bonding elastomeric band 15 on a first side 18 to an upper sheet and on a second side 19 to a lower sheet 21. This bonding may be accomplished ^ adhesive layers 22 between the elastic band 15 and the sheets 20 and 21. Layers 22 m comprise a meltblown adhesive, for instance. Other bonding means known in the art m be utilized to bond elastomeric band 15 to upper sheet 20 and lower sheet 21 includi

thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, mechanical stitching, and the like. Upper sheet 20 an lower sheet 21 may each be a nonwoven web, for example, a spunbonded web, a meltbiow web, a bonded carded web or a combination thereof Upper sheet 20 and lower sheet 21 ma also each be a filament array, a film or a foam.
Fig. 2 shows a top view of elastomeric band 15, with the layers 20 and 2 removed. Elastomeric band IS comprises a first elastomeric material 16 and a secon elastomeric material 17. In one embodiment, first elastomeric material 16 comprises metallocene-catalyzed olefin polymer (i.e. polyethylene) film 32 and second elastomeri material 17 comprises a LYCRA* polyurethane having a plurality of spandex strands 31 Spandex strands 31 and metallocene-catalyzed polymer film 32 can be attached with a layc of 5 gsm meltblown adhesive along interface 33. Spandex strands 31 and film 32 can als be attached by alternative bonding processes well known in the art, as described above. I an alternative embodiment, film 32 may be replaced with a ribbon or nonwoven web c similar polymer construction.
In another embodiment, first elastomeric segment 16 may be composed of first polymer from the above list, and second elastomeric segment 17 may be composed c a second polymer from the above list Alternatively, first and second elastic segments 16 an 17 in series may be different material types, such as film and nonwoven web, or one type c nonwoven web (e.g. spunbond) versus another type of nonwoven web (e.g. meltblown
I Alternatively, first and second segments 16 and 17 in series may have different thicknesi
shapes, molecular weights, or may differ in more than one of the foregoing respects. Th combined elastomeric band 15 will exhibit hybrid properties of the two segments 16 and 1* often providing the desired properties of the higher cost material where needed, and utilizin the lower cost material where the properties of the higher cost material are not needed.
> The hybrid elastic band 15 can be employed in a wide variety of disposabl
absorbent products including, for instance, diapers, training pants, swim wear, absorber underpants, adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, and medical absorbs garments. The hybrid elastic band is especially useful in absorbent articles requiring elasti in the waist and/or leg regions of a wearer.

I
Disposable absorbent gaiments having a pant-like configuration are used fi child training pants, adult incontinence garments, diapers, swimsuits and the like. Referrii to Fig. 3, a pant-like absorbent garment 2 includes a waste contamment section 4 and tw side portions 6 and 8 defining a waist opening 110 and a pair of leg openings 112 and 11 The side panel 6 includes stretchable panels 118 and 120 joined together at seam 130. Tl side panels includes stretchable panels 124 and 126 joined together at seam 133. Seams 1: and 133 extend longitudinally from the waist opening 110 to the leg openings 112 and 11 of the garment 2.
The waist containment section 4 includes multiple layers (not show including, for instance, a liquid-permeable inner layer, an absorbent core layer, and a liqui permeable outer cover layer 116 which feces away from me wearer. The waste containmc section 4 also includes elasticized waist portions 122 on the front and back of the garmei The leg opening portion 112 and 114 also include elastic portions 146 which extra substantially around the portion of the leg openings defined by the waste containment secti The disposable garment also includes leak guards in both leg openings, whii help prevent lateral leakage of waste material through the leg openings. The leak guar have commonly been provided by elasticized flap portions 150 which are connected to tl interior of the garment along the lower part of each leg opening. During use, the elasticizi flap portions 150 fit snugly against the wearer and effectively block most spillage of was material from the leg openings.
The hybrid elastic bands 15 of the invention can be used, for instance, in t! waist elastic regions 122 and/or the leg elastic regions 146 of the pant-like absorbent garme 2. The elastic segments 16 and 17 can be selected and provided in any ratio to provide optimum combination of high performance and low cost Elastic bands 15 can be attach to garment 2 using a variety of known techniques including adhesive bonding, ultrasor bonding, thermal bonding, stitch bonding, and the like. If desired, the elastic bands 15m be provided in the form of me laminate 10 described above.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the prese

I
to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be interpreted as limited the specific embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of the invention is indicated in t appended claims, and all changes that mil within the meaning and range of equivalents a intended to be embraced therein.


I claim:
1. A garment having one or more openings at least partially surroundi
by an elastomeric band,
the elastomeric band comprising a first elastomeric segment and a secoi
■"^ elastomeric segment in series,
the first and second elastomeric segments being of different polym compositions.
2. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first and second elastomer
segments each have a relaxed length;
the first elastomeric segment being stretchable to at least 200% of its relax* length;
the second elastomeric segment being stretchable to between 125% and le than 200% of its relaxed length.
3. The garment of Claim 1, wherein one of the first and secoi elastomeric segments comprises a film, and the other of the first and second elastomer segments comprises a nonwoven web.
4. The garment of Claim 1, wherein each of the first and secoi elastomeric segments comprises a different polymer selected from the group consisting polyirrethanes, copolyetheresters, polyamide polyether block copolymers, styrene-ethyleTJ butylene copolymers, styrene-ethylene-propylene copolymers, vinyl arene copolymei metallocene-catalyzed olefin polymers, isoprene polymers, and combinations thereof.
5. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segme comprises polyurethane.
6. The garment of Claim 5, wherein the second elastomeric segme

7. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segmeffl comprises an isoprene polymer.
8. The garment of Claim 7, wherein the second elastomeric segmeffl comprises an elastomeric olefin polymer having a density greater thaii 0.89 grams/cc.
9. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segmeni comprises a styrene-butadiene copolymer.
10. The garment of Claim 9, wherein the second elastomeric segmeni comprises an elastomeric olefin polymer having a density not greater than 0.89 grams/cc.
11. The garment of Claim 4, wherein one of the first and second elastomeric segments comprises a single-site catalyzed olefin polymer.

12. The garment of Claim l.whereinthe first elastomeric segment and th 13. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segment and th( second elastomeric segment are connected by thermal bonding.
14. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segment and th 15. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected by chemical crosslinking.
16. The garment of Claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric segment and th
17. The garment of Claim 1, wherein one of the elastomenc segment comprises a polyolefin film prepared from a single-site catalyzed olefin polymer having density not greater than 0.89 grams/cc.
18. An elastic laminate material comprising:
an elastomenc band comprising at least one first elastomenc segment in serit with at least one second elastomenc segment, the first elastomenc segment and the secon elastomeric segment comprising different elastomenc polymers;
an upper sheet bonded to a first side of the elastomeric band; and a lower sheet bonded to a second side of the elastomeric band.
19. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the fir
elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected.
20. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein each of the fir: and second elastomeric segments comprises a different polymer selected from the grou consisting of polyurethanes, copolyetheresters, polyamides polyether block copolymer styrene-ethylene-butylene copolymers, styrene-ethylene-propylene copolymers, vinyl arerj copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed olefin polymers, isoprene polymers, and combinatioi thereof.
21. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the fir elastomeric segment comprises polyurethane.
22. The elastic laminate material of Claim 21, wherein the secon elastomeric segment comprises an elastomeric olefin polymer having a density not great* than 0.89 grams/cc.
23. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the fin

24. The elastic laminate material of Claim 23, wherein the second elastomeric segment comprises an elastomeric olefin polymer having a density not greatei than 0.89 grams/cc.
25. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the firsi elastomeric segment comprises a styrene-butadiene copolymer.
26. The elastic laminate material of Claim 25, wherein the second elastomeric segment comprises an elastomeric olefin polymer having a density not greatei than 0.89 grams/cc.
27. The elastic laminate material of Claim 20, wherein one of the first anc second elastomeric segments comprises an elastomeric olefin polymer having a density noi greater man 0.89 grams/cc.

28. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the firs elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected by an adhesive.
29. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the firs elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected by thermal bonding
30. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the firs elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected by ultrasonit bonding.
31. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the firs
elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected by chemica
crosslinking.

32. The elastic laminate material of Claim IS, wherein the fir elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment are connected by mechanic stitching.
33. The elastic laminate material of Claim 18, wherein the fir elastomeric segment overlaps the second elastomeric segment at respective edges thereo;
34. A garment comprising the elastic laminate material of Claim 18.
35. A disposable garment including at least one elastic band, the elast band comprising:
at least one first elastomeric segment; and
at least one second elastomeric segment connected in series with the fir elastomeric segment;
the first elastomeric segment and the second elastomeric segment comprisir different elastomeric polymers.
36. The disposable garment of Daim 35, comprising a diaper.
37. The disposable garment of Claim 35, comprising training pants.
38. The disposable garment of Claim 35, comprising swim wear.
39. The disposable garment of Claim 35, comprising absorb« underpants.
40. The disposable garment of Claim 35, comprising an adult incontinent garment.

41. The disposable gannent of Claim 35, comprising a feminine hygiene product
42. The disposable garment of Claim 35, comprising a medical gannent

43. A garment substantially as herein described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
44. A disposable garment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

in-pct-2001-1831-che abstract-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che abstract.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che claims-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che claims.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che correspondence-others.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che correspondence-po.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che description (complete).pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che drawings-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che drawings.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che form-1.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che form-19.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che form-26.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che form-3.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che form-4.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che form-5.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che others.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che pct.pdf

in-pct-2001-1831-che petition.pdf


Patent Number 211984
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2001/1831/CHE
PG Journal Number 02/2008
Publication Date 11-Jan-2008
Grant Date 13-Nov-2007
Date of Filing 28-Dec-2001
Name of Patentee KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC
Applicant Address 401 North Lake Street Neenah, WI 54956,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 BRUNNER, Michael, Scott 310 Arbor Creek Trail Roswell, GA 30076
PCT International Classification Number A41F 9/02
PCT International Application Number PCT/US2000/017522
PCT International Filing date 2000-06-26
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 09/346,399 1999-06-30 U.S.A.