Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Implant or insert
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-09-04
Weddington, Kevin E. (Department: 1614)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Implant or insert
C424S431000, C514S546000, C514S967000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06284261
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a disposable absorbent article containing a fragrant emitting and microbe inhibiting additive, and methods for making the same. The additives are essential oils and/or derivatives thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are two common forms of disposable articles that are designed to absorb menstrual fluids discharged from a female's cervix. The first article is intended to be wholly inserted into the vaginal canal, and positioned near or against the cervical os. These articles are commonly referred to as catemenial tampons, or simply tampons. Some of the disadvantages related to tampons are the following: they can be attributed to excessive vaginal drying, they have been associated with toxic shock syndrome, they can be uncomfortable to insert and remove, especially on light flow days, and they have limited absorbing capacity, due to the regulations set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The second widely known and used article for collecting menstrual fluids is the sanitary napkin. This product is designed to be worn external to the vagina. Sanitary napkins can also be used to absorb urine, due to the size and positioning against the perineum. The product can be attached to the crotch of undergarments, attached directly to the vulvar region with body adhesives, and also worn partially or totally between the labia minora and majora. Many consumers choose to wear external absorbent articles because of their concern of toxic shock syndrome, they have difficulty inserting and removing tampons, they have difficulty wearing tampons, and they have a need for higher absorbing capacity than that available from tampons. As with tampons however, there are disadvantages that have been voiced by consumers who rely on external absorbing articles for their fluid management needs.
One perceived disadvantage of external sanitary napkins is their association with odors. Menstrual fluid contains a variety of substances including proteins and lipids. Microbial action on proteins has been recognized as a source of malodor. Urine is another fluid that can be absorbed by sanitary protection products, and microbial activity can form ammonia from urea in excreted urine. Consumers complain of not feeling “fresh” during their period, and hence seek out products that claim to control odor issues.
There have been a number of technologies developed for controlling odors associated with bodily fluids; particularly those attributed to perspiration, menstrual fluid degradation products, urine degradation products, and miscellaneous urine odors. Nearly all of the technologies can be placed into three main subcategories. The first is the use of added materials to absorb or adsorb volatile odors in an effort to restrict their release to the environment surrounding the consumer. Materials or compositions that adsorb and/or absorb volatile odors include sodium bicarbonate, sodium salts or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), activated carbon, zeolites, and mixtures of sodium bicarbonate, EDTA, and activated carbon. These approaches are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,591 and 5,306,487. The second is the use of masking materials, such as perfumes, and the third is the use of substances to inhibit the production of bodily fluid degradation products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,272 discloses absorbent articles containing compositions of moisture-activated encapsulated perfumes and odor-controlling agents, including anti-microbial compounds.
The discussion thus far has highlighted technologies that are believed to remedy either malodors directly by inhibiting microbial activity, thereby decreasing the level of urine and menses degradation products, or indirectly by suppressing or overcoming the odors as they exist.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to utilize a single additive in disposable absorbent articles to both provide a pleasant aroma, and inhibit microbial growth. The single additive is an essential oil, derivative, or variation therefrom.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there has now been provided a disposable absorbent article containing an essential oil in an amount effective to provide a pleasant aroma and inhibit microbial growth.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention there has been provided a method of making a disposable absorbent article containing an essential oil in an amount effective to provide a pleasant aroma and inhibit microbial growth comprising:
a) providing an absorbent material;
b) providing a liquid permeable material;
c) providing a liquid impermeable material;
d) encasing the absorbent material with the liquid permeable material and liquid impermeable material; and
e) contacting at least one of the absorbent material, the liquid permeable material, the liquid impermeable material, or a combination thereof with an essential oil.
DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a disposable absorbent article containing one or more essential oils. Essential oils are highly concentrated, volatile liquids originating from a single botanical source. A typical essential oil is a complex mixture of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, oxides, phenols and terpenes.
Essential oils can be extracted by steam distillation, and other techniques known in the art, from a variety of plant components, including, but not limited to, roots, leaves, bark, flowers and pulp. The majority of the oil-producing plants are represented by 90 species, and these are derived from about 30 different plant families.
The present invention provides an absorbent article containing one or more essential oils in an amount effective to provide two functions: emit a pleasant aroma, and inhibit microbial growth. Rosemary oil, clove oil, ginger oil, turmeric oil, chamomile oil, lemon grass oil, thyme oil, achillea oil, thulasi oil, clary sage oil, cedar (hinoki) oil, and derivatives, variations, and mixtures thereof, are all suitable for use as the essential oil. Synthetic forms of the oils described above can also be employed in the present invention. The preferred essential oil is rosemary oil, which is commercially available from Lorann Oils.
Malodors attributed to bodily fluids are most likely the result of bacteria degrading components residing in the bodily fluids. Bacteria can transform phospholipids into amines and fatty acids, and urea in urine to ammonia. Rosemary oil, for example, is an effective inhibitor of a number of gram positive and gram negative bacteria, such as, but not limited to
Staphylococcus aureus, Eschericia coli
, and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. Further to its inhibiting affect on bacteria, rosemary oil also has an inhibiting affect on a variety of fungi and yeast. Of particular interest to feminine hygiene, rosemary oil has been seen to inhibit the growth of
Candida albicans.
In addition to its antimicrobial activity, rosemary oil emits a pine-like, camphorous odor. Synergistic odor control is thus achieved in that rosemary oil both inhibits the microbial growth that degrades bodily fluid components and provides a pleasant aroma.
The effectiveness of an essential oil as a fragrance may be determined by gathering organoleptic data from a panel presented with a series of absorbent article samples containing increasing concentrations of essential oil. The samples are then evaluated in a variety of environments, including but not limited to prior to wearing and during wearing. The panelists are asked a series of questions relating to their perceptions of the effectiveness of essential oil, at various add-on amounts, to provide an aroma.
Test methods for determining the amount of essential oil necessary to inhibit microbial growth include the following: analytical methods employed to investigate microbial growth in the presence of essential oil, and analytical/organoleptic methods employed to investigate the level of malodorous degradation products generated by microbial activity on cervical and urethral discharge As used herei
Mc-Neil-PPC, Inc.
Weddington Kevin E.
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