Disposable Diaper with Improved Leak Prevention Properties: No. 7,520,874; Takao Koyama, Hidekazu Ito, Ken Nemoto and Kenji Ishi

Disposable Diaper with Improved Leak Prevention Properties: No. 7,520,874; Takao Koyama, Hidekazu Ito, Ken Nemoto and Kenji Ishiguro, assignors to Kao Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. Filed 11/20/06. Issued 4/21/09.

Patented is a disposable diaper. The diaper comprises a fluid-permeable topsheet, a fluid-impermeable backsheet and a fluid-retentive absorbent core interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The disposable diaper has a stomach side, a back side and a crotch region positioned between the stomach side and the back side. Leg portion elastic members are located in their stretched states at a pair of leg portions located around the wearer's leg areas. Lengthwise opposite end portions of the leg portion elastic members are located at widthwise outside areas of side edges of the absorbent core. Respectively and central portions of the leg portion elastic members are curved in such a manner as to pass a widthwise inner direction of the side edges of the absorbent core at a crotch region of the diaper. The absorbent core at the crotch region of the diaper is divided into a pair of lateral absorbent cores located at widthwise outside areas of the leg portion elastic members, respectively, and a central absorbent core located between the pair of lateral absorbent cores by the pair of leg portion elastic members. When in wear, the lateral absorbent cores are bent toward the backsheet and elastic members disposed below the lateral absorbent cores along the longitudinal direction of the diaper. The elastic members are disposed at the diaper outer surface side or the lateral absorbent cores along a longitudinal direction of the lateral absorbent cores. The elastic members are lower in elongation stress than the leg portion elastic members.