Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-29
2003-02-11
Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S385010, C604S387000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06517525
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an absorbent product such as a sanitary towel, an incontinence protector or a panty protector, which product has an essentially elongated shape with two long sides, two short sides, two end parts and a center part between the end parts having an absorption body. The product has elongated, curved compressions in the longitudinal direction of the product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional absorbent products such as sanitary napkins, panty liners and protectors for mildly incontinent women normally have a planar, essentially rectangular shape with two long sides and two short sides. A planar shape has advantages, first and foremost because a product with a planar shape is easy to pack and distribute. However, a planar shaped absorbent product corresponds badly with the human anatomy. An absorbent product in the longitudinal direction can be roughly divided into a center part and two end parts. One of the end parts is intended to fit in the groin part of the user and the other end part is intended to fit in against the buttocks of the user. The center part should fit against the genitals in the crotch of the user and should initially receive the menstrual fluid or urine which is eliminated from the body of the user. The fit against the body is important in order to prevent leakage past the product.
Considering the different parts of the body which the parts of the product should fit against it is advantageous that the product has, or during use takes up, a bowl shape in the longitudinal direction. To shape a product so that it has a bowl shape in the longitudinal direction, EP 155 515 describes the use of, for example, elastic threads in the long sides of the product.
An alternative to preforming a product is to manufacture a product which is shaped during use. This can be achieved for example through compression lines arranged in the product. Such a product is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,759. This solution has the advantage that the product is flat in the packaging. A further advantage with compression lines is that an absorbent product is normally rather soft and pliable and can nevertheless be deformed during use when it is subjected to forces from the thighs and abdomen of the user. A controlled deformation is better than the random creases, diagonally or straight across the product, which spontaneously can occur in a product during the compression between the thighs of the user and which can lead to leakage.
A problem with the above-mentioned product comprising compressions is that they solely are adapted to be effective as leakage barriers, that is to say to prevent fluid from flowing over the longitudinal side edges of the product. No adaptation to the anatomy of the user has been made.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to remedy the above-mentioned problem and produce an absorbent product which adapts itself well to the body and which product is leakproof.
A product of the type mentioned in the introduction with which the problems associated with earlier known products are substantially avoided is characterized by compressions having a bending radius of 300-450 mm, preferably 320-360 mm.
According to one embodiment of the invention the product has longitudinally a center line around which two curved compressions are arranged so that the end parts of the curved compressions are at a greater distance from the center line than the middle parts of the compressions. The distance between the compressions is 25-35 mm, preferably the distance is 27.5-32.5 mm. The distance between the compressions is the shortest distance between the compressions measured in the transverse direction of the product.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the minimum distance between a compression and the nearest adjacent long side of the product is 5-20 mm, preferably the distance is 10-15 mm.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the length of the compressions are at least 50% of the length of the absorption body. According to one embodiment of the invention the compressions are 50-75% of the length of the absorption body. Alternatively the compressions are 60-85% of the length of the absorption body. The invention can be further characterized in that the compressions are joined to form a continuous compression running around the product.
Through the present invention the above-mentioned problems with bad fitting and leakage over the side edges of the products are solved. This is achieved through the compressions having a bending radius of 300-450 mm. With a bending radius of 300-450 mm a good leakage barrier is obtained at the same time as a good fit to the body is obtained. The length of the absorbent product is decisive as to how large the bending radius could be. In order to obtain an evenly controlled deformation the bending radius should increase when the length of the product increases. Because larger, and therefore longer products, are used with larger menstrual flows, it is also important for the function of the compressions as leakage barriers that the bending radius increases with increasing length of the product. The most advantageous bending radius from a body fitting point of view is however 320-360 mm.
In the case where the length of the product is 240 mm the bending radius from the compression is suitably 320-360 mm, preferably 340 mm. When the length of the product is 270 mm the bending radius for the compressions is suitably 400-450 mm, preferably 450 mm.
Because the center part of an absorbent product is the part which initially receives the considerably largest amount of menstrual fluid or urine, it is desirable that the center part has a large amount of absorption material. An easy way of producing this is to make the product wider in the center part than at the end parts. This would however be disadvantageous from the comfort and attachment point of view. Because the narrowest passage between the legs of the user corresponds to a large degree with the region where the body fluid is emitted, the product with a wider central part, which would be advantageous from the absorption point of view, will move itself forward when the user walks. From an attachment point of view it is consequently advantageous to have a narrower central part than end parts, that is to say an absorbent product which has the shape of an hourglass. The narrowest place between the user's legs is where the group of muscles passes which have its origins on the inside of the base of the pelvis and its attachment along the thigh. This group of muscles consists of the muscles Adductor Bre'vis, Adductor Lo'ngus, Gra'cilis and Adductor Ma'gnus.
Measurements have indicated that the distance in the crotch region of the user between these Adductor muscle groups on the right and left side is surprisingly similar for all people and lies around 30 mm. Fat naturally influences the width between the thighs but the width between the muscle groups in the crotch region is the same and it is this width which makes the user of a product experience chafing. The fat tissue lies on the outside of the muscles but does not contribute to the possible feeling of discomfort. If the product is constructed in an extremely stiff material the width of the center part therefore, at least in the region which passes between the muscle groups of each leg, should not be greater than 35 mm. The center part is the longitudinal center part, that is to say the part of the product which in the longitudinal direction of the product lies between the end parts of the product. The distance between the muscles of each leg is surprisingly similar for different individuals and is the distance which determines the comfort of the user. Certain people are more plump than others but the comfort is determined by the width of the product of the part which is to fit between the above-mentioned groups of muscles not being greater than the distance between these muscles. Fat tissue yields.
How
Andresen Anne Guri
Berthou Thomas
Fredriksson Richard
Osterdahl Eje
Utas Hansson Marie
Lewis Aaron J.
Reichle K. M.
SCA Hygiene Products AB
Young & Thompson
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