Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-29
2004-05-04
Dawson, Glenn K. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S359000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06730819
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to articles, such as absorbent articles comprising an oxidising agent as described herein together with a hemolytic agent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Articles like absorbent articles for example are designed to be worn by humans to absorb bodily fluids, such as menstrual fluid. Examples of absorbent articles include sanitary napkins, pantiliners, tampons, interlabial devices, and the like.
In use, these absorbent articles are known to acquire a variety of malodours compounds, for example volatile fatty acids (e.g. isovaleric acid), ammonia, amines (e.g. triethylamine), sulphur containing compounds (e.g. mercaptans, sulphides), alcohols, ketones and aldehydes (e.g., furaldehyde) which release unpleasant odours. These compounds may be present in the bodily fluid or may be developed by chemical reactions and/or any fluid degradation mechanisms once the bodily fluid is absorbed into the absorbent article like for example a feminine pad. In addition bodily fluids usually contain microorganisms and/or enzymes that can also generate malodorous by products as a result of degradation mechanisms like putrefactive degradation, acid degradation, proteins degradation, fat degradation and the like. Unpleasant odours which emanate from absorbent pads when in use may make the wearer feel self conscious.
Another drawback associated with such absorbent articles is that the bodily fluid like menstruation which comes into contact with the absorbent articles may make the wearer feel unclean.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article that delivers a better feeling and more acceptable cleanness level for the person wearing it when it comes into con t act with bodily fluids like menstruation/blood. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide both outstanding cleanness level and outstanding odour control over a wide range of malodorous compounds.
It has now been found that the above needs can be addressed by combining an oxidising agent having a reduction potential higher than the reduction potential of the reaction Fe2+ to Fe3+, preferably a peroxyacid like &egr;-phtalimido peroxyhexanoic acid (PAP), or a diacyl peroxide like dibenzoyl peroxide, benzoyl lauroyl peroxide and/or dilauroyl peroxide, together with a hemolytic agent, preferably a zwitterionic surfactant like a quaternary ammonium surfactant, in an article coming into contact with bodily fluid like menstruation, preferably a disposable absorbent article.
Indeed, the present invention due to the presence of the oxidizing agent as described herein and the hemolytic agent provides an absorbent article capable of changing the color of the menstruation (red blood color) to a pale red color and even to a whitish color. Without to be bounded by theory, it is speculated that the blood bleaching is due to the oxidation by means of the oxidizing agent as defined herein, of the hemoglobin Fe
2+
to Fe
3+
with formation of methemoglobin (brown color) followed by protein denaturation resulting in a whitening of the brown color. The hemolytic agent has been found to enhance the iron oxidation by facilitating the access of the oxidizing agent to the hemoglobin. Indeed, the hemolytic agent is able to disrupt the erythrocyte membrane, thereby facilitating the oxidation reaction of the hemoglobin iron by the oxidizing agent.
In other words, the presence of the hemolytic agent allows instantaneous oxidizing of the menstruation as soon as it comes into contact with both the hemolytic agent and the oxidizing agent present in an absorbent article as well as the desired bleaching effect with reduced level of oxidizing agent, as compared to the use of the same absorbent article containing only the oxidizing agent without the hemolytic agent.
It has further been surprisingly discovered that the combination of a oxidising agent having a reduction potential higher than of the reaction Fe
2+
to Fe
3+
, preferably a peroxyacid like &egr;-phtalimido peroxyhexanoic acid (PAP), or a diacyl peroxide like dibenzoyl peroxide, benzoyl lauroyl peroxide and/or dilauroyl peroxide, together with an hemolytic agent, preferably a zwitterionic surfactant like a quaternary ammonium surfactant, in an article, like an absorbent article coming into contact with bodily fluids, results in significantly improved odour control as compared to the odour control obtained with the same article comprising only the oxidising agent without the hemolytic agent. Indeed, this combination gives effective odour control over a broader malodorous range.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the peroxyacids and diacyl peroxides as described herein are used as the oxidising agent. These oxidising agents are particularly preferred herein as they deliver the outstanding benefits described herein (blood bleaching and odour control) without the generation of malodorous smelling by products like chlorine derivatives and ammonium derivatives, when they come into contact with bodily fluids. Also these oxidising agents do not interfere with the decoloration obtained according to the present invention as their own color is white. Finally these oxidising agents have an excellent safety profile.
Whereas the present invention is preferably directed to absorbent articles like pantiliners, feminine napkins, tampons, interlabial pads and the like, other articles may include the two essential agents described herein too for the purpose of effective blood bleaching and effective odour control when in contact with blood containing bodily fluids. Indeed, other applications include other articles designed to be worn in contact with the body such as clothing, bandages, thermal pads, acne pads, cold pads, compresses, surgical pads/dressings and the like, body cleansing articles like impregnated wipes (e.g. baby wipes, wipes for feminine intimate hygiene), impregnated tissues, towels and the like.
BACKGROUND ART OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,322 discloses deodorising and disinfecting liquid-absorbing products such as a sanitary napkin, a compress or a diaper, comprising a liquid absorbing material and inside the product at a distance from its outer edges a substance which gives off oxygen in contact with moisture like peroxides, ozonides, superoxides, oxo-ozonides and the like.
EP-A-268 459 discloses a body fluid absorbing article provided with one absorbent member comprising 50% to 99% by weight of a fibrous material and 50% to 1% by weight of an absorbent polymer, which absorbent member contains at least one compound selected from sulphur-containing reducing agents, antioxidants and oxidising agents.
Other odour control agents are known in the art. Examples of these types of compounds include activated carbons, clays, zeolites, silicates, starches, cyclodextrine, ion exchange resins and various mixture thereof as for example described in EP-A-348 978, EP-A-510 619, WO 91/12029, WO 91/11977, WO89/02698, and/or WO 91/12030.
None of these references disclose absorbent articles with an oxidising agent as defined herein in combination with a hemolytic agent for improving the wearing comfort of such articles by both controlling the odour emanating from the bodily fluid like menstruation and diminishing the red color of the menstruation to pale red or even whitish color. This color change allows to decrease and even eliminate the fear and embarrassment that accompanies bleeding.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an article, preferably a disposable absorbent article, comprising at least one oxidising agent having a reduction potential higher than that of the reaction of Fe
2+
to Fe
3+
, and at least one hemolytic agent. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the article also comprises an additional odour control agent, preferably at least an absorbing gelling material.
The present invention also encompasses the use, as an odour control system, of an oxidising agent having a reduction potential higher than that of the reaction of Fe
2+
Dawson Glenn K.
Johnson Kevin C.
Kidwell Michele
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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