Abstract: An absorbent garment that includes a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis. The absorbent garment also includes a front region, a back region and a crotch region, with the crotch region being disposed between the front region and the back region. The crotch region includes an absorbent assembly. The absorbent garment further includes a front panel in the front region, wherein the front panel includes an inner layer, an outer layer and a front longitudinal end; a back panel in the back region, wherein the back panel includes an inner layer, an outer layer and a back longitudinal end. The front panel and the back panel each include a stranded elastic area between their inner and outer layers. The front panel also includes a stretch banded area disposed between the inner and outer layers. The stretch banded area is disposed adjacent the front longitudinal end.

Abstract: A system comprising a plurality of dispensers each configured to dispense a respective hygienic consumable product during a dispense operation and each including a processor and memory; a distributed computing program configured to receive data defining a computational task comprising work streams and generate data assigning the work streams to at least two of the plurality of dispensers, wherein each of the at least two of the plurality of dispensers are configured to use their respective processor and memory to work on their respective work streams; and a data processing apparatus configured to run the distributed computing program.

Abstract: A multi-layered web is disclosed that is resilient and/or elastic in the Z-direction. Thus, when the web is compressed, the web assumes a compacted state and then expands to an expanded state when the compressive forces are removed. In one embodiment, the multi-layered web includes a middle layer made from a resilient blend of fibers positioned inbetween two outer layers. The middle layer, for instance, can contain elastomeric fibers, three-dimensional fibers, and/or debonded fibers.

Abstract: An absorbent article comprising an absorbent member positioned between a topsheet and a backsheet is provided. The absorbent member contains at least one layer that comprises porous superabsorbent particles, wherein the particles exhibit a relative humidity microclimate of about 67% or less after being exposed to an atmosphere having a temperature of about 23° C. and relative humidity of 80% for a time period of 20 minutes.

Abstract: A system comprising a pulper configured to (i) accept surfactant, a liquid and fiber stock and (ii) generate a foam that suspends the fiber stock, wherein the foam has a half-life; a headbox configured to receive the foam-suspended fiber stock from the pulper and displace the foam-suspended fiber stock onto a forming wire, wherein a time it takes the foam-suspended fiber stock to move from the pulper to the headbox is less than the half-life; and a foam return device that removes at least some of the foam from the forming wire and returns the at least some of the foam to the pulper.

Abstract: A feminine care absorbent article comprising an absorbent member positioned between a topsheet and a baffle is provided. The absorbent member contains at least one layer that comprises superabsorbent particles containing nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for actively cooling a fluid, particularly a foamed fluid. The foamed fluid may comprise a foamed suspension of fibers that is used to form a web. The foamed suspension of fibers is fed around a recirculation loop and actively cooled using a heat exchanger.

Abstract: A dispensing system for dispensing consumable product comprising a dispenser including a body comprising a front side and aback side, and a product holding area defined by the front side and the back side, wherein the product storage area is configured to store the consumable product within the dispenser; a dispensing mechanism operatively coupled to the consumable product through a consumable product holder in the product storage area, and wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to facilitate a dispensing cycle to dispense a portion of the consumable product; a first impact sensor configured to sense a first impact to the dispenser; a dispenser event sensor configured to sense an operational status of the dispenser; and a data processing device configured to store impact data describing the first impact and operational status data describing the operational status and associate the first impact data and the operational status data.

Abstract: A thong-style absorbent article can have a waist region, a back extension extending from a back waist portion of the waist region, and a chassis extending between a front waist portion of the waist region and the back extension. The chassis can have a generally triangular shape and a pair of containment features positioned at the longitudinal direction side edges of the chassis. An exudate management system can be positioned between the pair of containment features and can have a first exudate management component and a second exudate management component. In various embodiments, the absorbent article can be adjustable in size and positioning about the wearer to provide for improved fit of the absorbent article and reduced leakage of exudate from the absorbent article.

Abstract: A method for making a high topography nonwoven substrate includes generating a foam including water and synthetic binder fibers; depositing the foam on a planar surface; disposing a template form on the foam opposite the planar surface to create a foam/form assembly; heating the foam/form assembly to dry the foam and bind the synthetic binder fibers; and removing the template from the substrate after heating the foam/form assembly, wherein the substrate includes a planar base layer having an X-Y surface and a backside surface opposite the X-Y surface; and a plurality of projection elements integral with and protruding in a Z-direction from the X-Y surface, wherein the projection elements are distributed in both the X- and Y-directions, and wherein the density of a projection element is the same as the density of the base layer.

Abstract: A waste receptacle comprising a columnar body having a waste bin holding area configured to accept a waste bin, an upper body portion and a lower body portion, wherein the upper portion includes an waste opening through which waste can vertically enter the bin holding area; a front door having top and bottom portions, wherein the bottom portion is pivotally attached to the lower body portion; an opening restraint device connected to the body and the front door and configured to prevent the front door from pivoting away from the body more than about 45 degrees; and wherein the waste receptacle has a height, width and depth and has an omega value that is defined as a ratio of the depth over the height and is between 0.25 and 0.33.

Abstract: Absorbent articles with front and rear opening features are disclosed. An article may comprise an insert comprising an outer cover, a liner, and a core between the outer cover and liner, a first waist panel coupled to the insert throughout a first attachment region, and a second waist panel coupled to the insert throughout a second attachment region, the second panel being coupled to the first panel proximate a first side edge of the article and the second side edge of the article and further comprising a weakened region. The second attachment may comprise a low-strength attachment zone and a high-strength attachment zone, the high-strength attachment zone disposed proximate the attachment region bottom edge. The low-strength attachment zone may further have a first peel strength and the high-strength attachment zone may have a second peel strength, the second peel strength greater than the first.

Abstract: A system and process are disclosed for applying an adhesive composition to a moving web of material. During the process, a web of material is conveyed very rapidly adjacent to a nozzle of an adhesive applicator. A defecting device periodically deflects the web into contact with a surface of the nozzle. An adhesive flow control device is used to control the flow of adhesive through the nozzle. Adhesive flows through the nozzle and is timed with the deflection device. In one embodiment, the flow of adhesive is started prior to contact with the web. In this manner, treated discrete areas of the adhesive composition can be formed on the web. The treated discrete areas can have lengths that are minimized through the process of the present disclosure allowing for adhesive to be applied at extremely fast speeds.

Abstract: Described herein are absorbent composites containing embossed superabsorbent materials and methods of manufacturing absorbent composites containing embossed superabsorbent materials. The absorbent composites have significantly improved rates of intake. Compositions and methods described herein are useful in a variety of absorbent products.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and applying a discrete part to a substrate includes a plurality of transfer puck assemblies, a drive assembly, and a translation mechanism. The plurality of transfer puck assemblies is adapted to convey the discrete part to the substrate, and each transfer puck assembly includes at least one puck segment. The drive assembly is configured to rotate each transfer puck assembly about a drive axis. The translation mechanism is configured to translate the at least one puck segment in an axial direction as the plurality of transfer puck assemblies are being rotated about the drive axis to move the discrete part to a profiled configuration prior to application of the profiled discrete part to the substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an embossed patterned elastic laminate. The elastic laminate has an embossed pattern of at least three surface areas. The current disclosure also includes a process for making an embossed patterned elastic laminate. The embossed patterned elastic laminate provides a permanent change to visual aesthetic without adversely impacting the elastic film.

Abstract: A nonwoven composite that has a dimension in a machine direction and a cross-machine direction is provided. The composite comprises a nonwoven facing positioned adjacent to an elastic film. The nonwoven facing contains a spunbond web that is formed by necking a base spunbond web. The base spunbond web includes a plurality of fibers generally oriented in the machine direction and exhibiting a machine direction tensile strength and cross-machine direction tensile strength. The ratio of the machine direction tensile strength to the cross-machine direction tensile strength is about 4:1 or more.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing consumable product having a consumable product holding area configured to store the consumable product within the dispenser; a dispensing mechanism having a spindle configured to hold and rotate the consumable product to facilitate a dispensing cycle to dispense a portion of the consumable product; and a motor having piezoelectric elements configured to (i) frictionally couple to the spindle to rotate the spindle in a first direction during a first motor state and (ii) uncouple from the spindle during a second motor state to allow the spindle to freely spin.

Abstract: An absorbent article can be configured to adhere to the body of a wearer in the area of the body of the wearer that may need bodily fluids absorbed. The absorbent article can be adhered to the body of the wearer to or around the vulva region of the body. The absorbent article can have an absorbent assembly which has a variable height in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article.