Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Wearing apparel – fabric – or cloth
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-04-17
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Wearing apparel, fabric, or cloth
C424S402000, C604S360000, C604S367000, C604S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217890
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent article for absorbing body fluids and exudates, such as urine. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent garments, such as disposable diapers and adult incontinence garments, which are configured to absorb body exudates while maintaining or improving the health of the wearer's skin.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many known absorbent article configurations employ absorbent materials located between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impermeable backsheet. Such backsheets are well suited to prevent the migration of liquid waste from the absorbent materials to the outer garments of a wearer. Unfortunately, the use of such articles and , in particular, such articles which include a liquid and vapor impermeable backsheet can result in a high degree of humidity within the diaper when in use which may increase the temperature of the wearer's skin and result in relatively high skin hydration levels. Such conditions can lead to a reduction in the health of the wearer's skin. For example, the occlusive, moist environment inside absorbent articles incorporating such backsheets can promote the viability of microorganisms, including
Candida albicans
, which can undesirably lead to the onset of dermatitis such as what is commonly referred to as diaper rash.
Moreover, the liquid pervious topsheets on such articles have typically been constructed of nonwoven materials such as spunbond polyolefin materials. Unfortunately, such materials do not always provide a soft, nonabrasive contact with the skin. In particular, during continuous use of absorbent articles containing such topsheets, the wearer's skin can become quite irritated and red particularly in the presence of urine and feces. The abrasion resulting from such topsheets and the presence of urine and feces can also undesirably lead to the onset of dermatitis.
Diaper dermatitis can afflict almost every infant at some time during the diaper wearing years. The most severe form of this condition is usually caused by secondary infection with the fungi
Candida albicans
. Although other factors influence the pathogenesis of this fungi, one critical factor is the relative humidity within the diaper which is directly related to the occlusion or semi-occlusion of the diaper area.
In order to reduce the humidity level within diapers, breathable polymer films have been employed as outer covers for absorbent garments, such as disposable diapers. The breathable films are typically constructed with micropores to provide desired levels of liquid impermeability and air permeability. Other disposable diaper designs have been arranged to provide breathable regions in the form of breathable panels or perforated regions in otherwise vapor-impermeable backsheets to help ventilate the garment.
Moreover, to prevent body exudates from contacting the wearer's skin, the caregiver often applies skin protective products directly to the skin of the wearer before positioning the article on the wearer. Such products have included petrolatum, mineral oil, talc, corn starch, or various other commercially available rash creams or lotions. This procedure typically involves the caregiver applying the products to their hand and then transferring the products to the wearer's skin.
To eliminate the caregiver from contacting the products and to reduce skin abrasion and improve skin health, some conventional absorbent articles have included lotion formulations applied to the topsheet such that, in use, the formulations transfer to the skin or provide lubricity thereby reducing the friction between the topsheet and the skin. However, conventional lotion formulations have been unstable and tended to migrate away from the surface of the topsheet into the topsheet and absorbent core of the absorbent articles leaving less on the surface to transfer to the skin or provide the reduced abrasion. This migration problem is particularly evident at higher temperatures such as those at the skin surface in use or those in typical storage conditions in warm climates.
Conventional absorbent articles, such as those described above, have not been completely satisfactory. For example, articles which employ perforated films or breathable panels can exhibit excessive leakage of liquids from the article and can excessively soil the wearer's outer garments in the regions of the perforations or panels. In addition, when the absorbent material of the article becomes loaded with liquid, the wet absorbent can block the escape of moisture from the wearer's skin. Such absorbent garment designs have not been able to maintain a high level of breathability when wet to sufficiently reduce the hydration of the wearer's skin.
Moreover, lotions which have been incorporated on the topsheets of such articles have migrated such that a less effective amount has been applied to the wearer's skin or been located between the skin and the topsheet in use. Thus, large amounts of such lotions have been required to be added to the topsheet to deliver the skin benefit. As a result, the wearer's skin has remained susceptible to rashes, abrasion and irritation. Accordingly, there remains a need for absorbent articles which maintain or improve skin health.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In response to the difficulties and problems discussed above, new disposable absorbent articles which maintain or improve the health of the wearer's skin have been discovered. Such absorbent articles may have a high air exchange rate when wet, maintain skin temperature when wet, have reduced levels of skin hydration, include a lotion formulation or treatment composition which provides a skin health benefit, and/or have a reduced viability of microorganisms.
When employed in the present disclosure, the terms “comprises”, “comprising” and other derivatives from the root term “comprise” are intended to be open-ended terms that specify the presence of any stated features, elements, integers, steps, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof.
As used herein, reference to “air exchange” refers to the transfer of air and, in particular, humid air from the interior of an absorbent article, when in use on a wearer, to the exterior of the absorbent article (ambient atmosphere) which allows drier ambient air to move into the absorbent article.
As used herein, a substantially liquid impermeable material is constructed to provide a hydrohead of at least about 60 cm (centimeters), desirably at least about 80 cm, and more desirably at least about 100 cm. A suitable technique for determining the hydrohead value is the Hydrostatic Pressure Test which is described in further detail herein below.
As used herein, a substantially vapor permeable material is constructed to provide a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of at least about 100 g/sq.m/24 hr, desirably at least about 250 g/sq.m/24 hr, and more desirably at least about 500 g/sq.m/24 hr. A suitable technique for determining the WVTR value is the Water Vapor Transmission Rate Test which is described in further detail herein below.
As used herein, the term “viscosity” refers to the viscosity in centipoise determined according to ASTM D3236, entitled “Standard Test Method for Apparent Viscosity of Hot Melt Adhesives and Coating Materials.”
As used herein, the phrase “melting point” refers to the temperature at which the majority of the melting occurs, it being recognized that melting actually occurs over a range of temperatures.
As used herein, the phrase “melt point viscosity” refers to the viscosity of the formulation at the temperature at which the majority of the melting occurs, it being recognized that melting actually occurs over a range of temperatures.
As used herein, the phrase “penetration hardness” refers to the needle penetration in millimeters according to ASTM D 1321, “Needle Penetration of Petroleum Waxes.” Low
Akin Frank Jerrel
Di Luccio Robert Cosmo
Everhart Dennis Stein
Faulks Michael John
Gadsby Elizabeth Deibler
Curtin Jeffrey B.
Page Thurman K.
Tran S.
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