Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Patent
1996-12-02
1998-03-03
Weiss, John G.
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
604378, 604387, A61F 1315, A61F 1320
Patent
active
057229678
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to sanitary napkin comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet and an absorbent core comprised between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core having a garment facing surface, a body facing surface, a longitudinal center line and two longitudinal sides generally parallel to the longitudinal center line, the absorbent core comprising shaping means for raising a central part of the core's body facing surface upon compression of the core transverse to the longitudinal sides.
Such a sanitary napkin is known from EP Patent No. 0 335 252. In this patent application a sanitary napkin is described that has a flexure resistant deformation element that can be placed at the position of the backsheet. Upon deformation of the element by compression by the user's thighs, the flexure resistant element causes the core to adopt a generally W-shaped configuration. This causes a good contact between the topsheet of the sanitary napkin, a central pan of which is pushed upward, and the body of the wearer during use.
It is an object of the invention to provide a sanitary napkin conforming closely to the body of the wearer during use and being comfortable.
It is another object of the invention to provide a sanitary napkin in which undesirable bunching during use is reduced.
It is again another object of the invention to provide a sanitary napkin comprising shaping means of relatively simple nature, giving a well-defined deformation of the absorbent core during use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a sanitary napkin that relaxes to a generally flattened state when pressure exerted by the user's thighs on the sanitary napkin is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A sanitary napkin according to the invention is characterized in that the shaping means comprise two axes of flexibility of the core, one axis of flexibility extending on each side of the longitudinal center line and generally parallel thereto, the stiffness of the core being reduced along each axis of flexibility, each axis of flexibility forming an axis of inflexion of the core's body facing side upon compression of the core transverse to the core's longitudinal sides.
By reducing the stiffness of the core along the axes of flexibility, for instance by scoring, embossing, perforating or cutting the core along these axes, the central area of the core located between the axes of flexibility will rise upward upon compression of the core in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center line. The deformation of the core is controlled by the axes of flexibility so that undesired bunching and formation of longitudinal channels, along which liquids can be transported to the perimeter of the sanitary napkin, are reduced.
Providing the core with axes of flexibility causes the central part of the core and the topsheet to remain close to the loading point for efficient acquisition of liquids discharged from the user's vestibule, while the areas flanking the central region remain relatively flat for providing a maximum coverage of the undergarment.
The axes of flexibility also reduce the forces necessary for initial deformation (before the napkin is wetted) and hence increase the comfort of the sanitary napkin for the wearer.
In an embodiment of an absorbent article according to the invention, the core comprising an absorption layer and a fluid handling layer located between the absorption layer and the topsheet is characterized in that the shaping means comprise a pair of bond lines, one bond line extending on either side of the longitudinal center line near the axes of flexibility, generally parallel thereto, or coincident with the axes of flexibility, the absorption layer and the fluid handling layer being bonded along the bond lines.
The absorbent core can comprise a number of layers, such as for instance a "laminate" of two fibrous layers between which an absorbent gelling material is comprised, and a wipe acquisition sheet overlying the laminate for lateral distribution of th
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Cummings Theodore P.
Miller Steven W.
O Ki Yong
Rasser Jacobus C.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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