Thong pantiliner with improved wicking characteristics

Details Thong pantiliner with improved wicking characteristics Thong pantiliner with improved wicking characteristics

2001-02-20

2003-02-25

Ruhl, Dennis (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material

Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...

C604S385101

Reexamination Certificate

active

06525239

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to disposable absorbent articles and more specifically to disposable absorbent articles, e.g., thong pantiliners, that are comfortable and exhibit enhanced resistance to peripheral or side leakage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disposable absorbent sanitary articles, e.g., such as pantiliner pads, frequently make use of one or more lines or grooves to deter the egress of liquid out of the article. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,365 (Luceri) discloses a disposable shield of a generally dog-bone shape comprising a thin, highly absorbent pad having a body-contacting surface, an absorbent layer, a liquid barrier, a positioning adhesive for attaching the pad to an undergarment, and a release layer to protect the adhesive prior to use. The pad further comprises densified areas forming unbroken concentric rings having the same general shape as the shield itself. These rings are made by fusing all pad layers together in a pattern embosser to create densified areas resistant to the flow of liquid therethrough. The densified areas are made contiguous such that fluid, when introduced or deposited on the pad, will be prevented or hindered from flowing to the edges of the pad. Moreover, the concentric rings serve to separate, or compartmentalize, the pad into distinct absorbing areas which are isolated from each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,344 (Chappell) discloses an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin having a cover, a baffle and an absorbent between the cover and baffle and includes a single, unbroken embossed channel positioned inward from the peripheral edge of the article. The channel impedes the flow of fluid toward the edges of the absorbent article and increases absorbent utilization in the absorbent article. The channel can be produced various ways, such as by application of heat, including hot calendar embossing or by using ultrasonic means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,118 (Toyoshima et al) discloses elongated absorbent articles that includes an antileakage groove formed along each longitudinal side portion of the article. The antileakage groove may be continuous or discontinuous and only extends partially into the thickness of the article.
Other United States Letters Patents disclosing absorbent articles or pads with channels, grooves or embossed or debossed lines are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,666 (DeRossett et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,240 (Glassman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,396 (Oatleyetal), U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,506 (Lindquist), U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,442 (Pieniak et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,960 (Mizutani). Various United States Design Patents also disclose absorbent articles or pads with channels, grooves or embossed or debossed lines, such as U.S. Design Pat. No. 272,189 (Sneider) and U.S. Design Pat. No. 272,190 (Sneider),
Pantiliners or other sanitary disposable absorbent articles or pads are also commercially available that make use of at least one barrier line to prevent the egress of liquid from a peripheral portion of the article. For example, a “regular maxipad” sold under the trademark FRESH TIMES® by The Kendall Confab Retail Group, a division of the assignee of this invention, basically comprises an hour-glass shaped pad having an outer sheet or cover formed of a fluid-impervious, e.g., plastic, material, an inner liner formed of a fluid-pervious, e.g., non-woven, material, and an absorbent core, e.g., fluff and/or SAP, etc., interposed therebetween. In order to prevent leakage of the liquid which is absorbed through the inner liner into the core, the FRESH TIMES® pad is embossed, e.g., heat sealed, along a broken line generally conforming to the periphery of the pad. The breaks or gaps in the line are provided in the interest of maintaining flexibility of the pad so that it can conform to the crotch area of the wearer. To that end, the embossed line is broken at two points along both of the long sides of the pad spaced from the center of those sides and just at the interface with the ends of the line. The unbroken portions of the embossed line serve as a barrier to prevent the migration of liquid through it and out of either marginal side edge of the pad or out of either marginal end edge of the pad.
While all of the foregoing absorbent articles are suitable for their intended purposes, they never the less leave something to be desired from the standpoint of retention of fluid, (e.g., resistance to leakage) flexibility and conformability to the body of the wearer.
In U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/624,088 filed on Jul. 24, 2000, entitled Light Incontinent Product, which is assigned to the same assignee as this invention, and whose invention is incorporated by reference herein, there is disclosed and claimed a pantiliner or other absorbent pad, arranged to be worn by a wearer to trap and collect fluid waste products of the wearer and a method of making the absorbent article. The pad is an elongated generally planar member having a periphery, e.g., a general hour-glass shape, including a pair of longitudinal extending, e.g., concave, sides interconnecting respective ones of a pair of ends, e.g., convex ends. The pad basically comprising a top-sheet, a fluid absorbent core, and a cover sheet. The top sheet is formed of a fluid pervious material, e.g., a non-woven material, and is disposed over the absorbent core. The absorbent core comprises a fluid absorbing material, e.g., cellulosic fluff and super-absorbent particles, and is disposed over the cover sheet. The cover sheet is formed of a fluid impervious material, e.g., a plastic film. The top-sheet, the fluid absorbent core and the cover sheet are bonded together along plural concentric lines located adjacent the sides and plural concentric lines adjacent the ends, e.g., plural concentric lines which are themselves concentric with the periphery of the pad. The plural concentric lines form a barrier resistant to the egress of fluid out of the periphery of the pad and include at least one gap therein to facilitate the bending of the pad.
While the invention of the aforementioned patent application is generally suitable for its intended purposes it never the less leaves something to be desired from the standpoint of suitability for use under a thong.
The prior art does include various pantiliners for use with thong shaped garments. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 366,524 (Chung) discloses a thong pantiliner that has one bulbous end that tapers down to a narrower, slightly arced end. The width of the bulbous end is approximately two and one half times that of the narrow end. The bottom view has a pattern of four undulating lines on its surface.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 424,195 (Talon) discloses a thong pantiliner that is generally heart shaped with a top having two lobes separated by a distinct point and two substantially straight sides angling down to an end. The end has a rounded point having a radius less than half of the radius of the lobes. The top view has a “quilting” pattern of diamonds with flowers at the corners of the diamonds.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 392,736 (Erickson) discloses a pantiliner somewhat similar in overall shape (in the top view) to that of U.S. Design Pat. No. 366,524 (Chung). Here, however, the corners are somewhat sharper and the bottom is not arced, but is straight. The top view has a pattern of undulating lines (different than that of the Chung patent). The side views (
FIGS. 4 and 5
) indicate a two-step surface where a bottom layer is longer than a top layer.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 431,293 (Finkle et al.) discloses a feminine hygiene sanitary pad that is thong shaped with an overall shape (in the top view) similar to that of U.S. Des. Pat. No. 366,524 (Chung) and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 392,736 (Erickson). Here, however, the top surface slopes downwardly adjacent the edges as can be seen in FIGS.
1
and
2
-
5
.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,373 (Darby) discloses a sanitary napkin shaped for use with a thong garment. The pad is v-shaped in plan view, bulbous at first top end having a predetermined width, and tapering therefrom longitudinally to a midportio

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