Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Patent
1997-06-02
1999-06-22
Weiss, John G.
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
604370, A61F 1315
Patent
active
059138505
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an absorbent article. It is particularly concerned with an absorbent article, for example in the form of a pad, which can be used by women suffering from light and moderate incontinence. The invention will be so described below. However, the invention is of more general applicability in relation to the absorption of body fluids, either urine or menstrua. It can therefore be used, for example, in the manufacture of infant diapers, and in incontinence products for adults, in addition to the incontinence product specifically identified above.
A condition of light incontinence exists in many women. An absorbent pad, or other article, for use by those with this condition should desirably discretion when worn under normal clothing. can occur from women who have this condition, and maintain this capability even through multiple gushes.
Research indicates that 10-20% of the female population suffer from light involuntary urine losses. The magnitude of the problem varies from losing just a few dribbles in special situations (coughing, sneezing, during sports) to a more serious, permanent problem (after menopause or in conjunction with gynaecological operations). The product selected by such women, and the usage frequency, depends on the seriousness of the problem: pantiliner usage with 1-2 changes per day for occasional urine losses moving to a higher change frequency (2-8 pantiliners/day) for higher loadings and/or more frequent bladder weakness. For those at the upper end of the problem range, pantiliners are not sufficiently absorbent, besides being prone to bunching and to disintegration during use, and such women use 2-3 catamenial pads per day.
Existing products for light incontinence are similar to oversized thick catamenial pads. Most are very thick, about 15 mm thick, and this does not provide the degree of discretion the user desires. Furthermore, these products have absorbent cores that typically collapse when wetted, thus making them deficient in fluid absorption rate for subsequent loadings.
For the lightest conditions of light incontinence, many women use standard pantiliners. These products provide the desired level of discretion under clothing; however, they are totally inadequate in absorbency. Part of this deficiency is in absorbent capacity, but more important is the deficiency in absorbent rate.
One object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article for dealing with light and moderate incontinence, which is discrete, has the absorbent capacity required, and has the necessary gush handling ability.
Our International Patent Application No. PCT/EP94/01814 provides, in one aspect thereof, an article for absorbing fluid, which comprises a fluid-storage region and a fluid-receiving region adapted to release fluid to the fluid-storage region, the fluid-receiving region being formed of a dry laid, for example an airlaid, web of staple fibers, the web having a bulkiness, as measured under a pressure of 2 kPa, of at least 15 cm.sup.3 /g, preferably at least 20 cm.sup.3 /g. The article described there preferably further comprises a water-permeable topsheet in face-to-face relationship with the said fluid-receiving sheet, on the opposite side thereof to the fluid-storage sheet, and a water-impermeable backsheet in face-to-face relationship with the fluid-storage sheet, on the opposite side thereof to the fluid-receiving sheet. The topsheet and backsheet are preferably sealed to one another, and the article shaped to form a pad suitable for incontinent females.
By "staple fibers" we mean fibers which are not continuous, and which may be synthetic fibers, natural fibers, or a mixture of synthetic and natural fibers.
It is believed that the high bulkiness of the fluid-receiving region is such that the fluid is free to flow with very little impedance by the fibers defining the region. This is in contrast to the approach adopted in known products dealing with incontinence, where any fluid-receiving region serves as a wick to transfer fluid received at one part of the reg
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Carlucci Giovanni
D'Alessio Nicola
Cummings Theodore P.
Miller Steven W.
Rasser Jacobus C.
Ruhl Dennis
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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