Topsheet for contacting hydrous body tissues and absorbent...

Details Topsheet for contacting hydrous body tissues and absorbent... Topsheet for contacting hydrous body tissues and absorbent...

2000-08-11

2003-10-21

Lo, Weilun (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material

Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...

C604S385101, C604S385170

Reexamination Certificate

active

06635799

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved body-contacting surface or topsheet for absorbent articles, bandages, or other such devices, and more particularly to a topsheet that is comfortable when it is placed in contact with hydrous body tissues. The present invention also relates to absorbent devices such as sanitary napkins, tampons, pantiliners, interlabial devices, incontinence devices, and bandages, which have such a topsheet. An improved absorbent structure for an absorbent article is also disclosed. The present invention further relates to a method of capturing discharges from a source of discharges on a wearer's body in which at least a portion of the source of discharges is located within hydrous membranes having irregular surfaces (e.g., a female wearer's interlabial or intervaginal space).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
All manner and variety of absorbent articles configured for the absorption of body fluids such as menses, urine and feces are well known. With respect to feminine protection devices, the art has offered two basic types; sanitary napkins have been developed for external wear about the pudendal region while tampons have been developed for internal wear within the vaginal cavity for interruption of menstrual flow therefrom. Such tampon devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,833, entitled “Tampon Applicator”, issued to Weigner, et al. on Nov. 1, 1983, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,986, entitled “Tampon Assembly With Means For Sterile Insertion”, issued to Jacobs on Nov. 8, 1983.
Hybrid devices which attempt to merge the structural features of the sanitary napkins and the tampons into a single device have also been proposed. Such hybrid devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,092,346, entitled “Catamenial Pad”, issued to Arone on Sep. 7, 1937, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,372, entitled “Feminine Hygiene Protective Shield”, issued to Denkinger on Sep. 16, 1975. Other less intrusive hybrid devices are known as labial or interlabial sanitary napkins and are characterized by having a portion which at least partially resides within the wearer's vestibule and a portion which at least partially resides external of the wearer's vestibule. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,527, entitled “Sanitary Pad”, issued to Jacks on Dec. 15, 1953; U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,062, entitled “Labial Sanitary Pad”, issued to Lassen, et al. on Dec. 23, 1986; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,403, entitled “Method and Pad Allowing Improved Placement of Catamenial Devices”, issued to Lassen, et al. on Jun. 16, 1987.
Interlabial pads have the potential to provide even greater freedom from inconvenience because of their small size and reduced risk of leakage. Numerous attempts have been made in the past to produce absorbent devices which would combine the best features of tampons and sanitary napkins while avoiding at least some of the disadvantages associated with each of these types of devices. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,049 issued to Delaney on Dec. 15, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,235 issued to Harmon on Jan. 7, 1969, U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,392 issued to Johnson, et al. on Jun. 17, 1986, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,429 issued to Vukos, et al. on Jan. 16, 1996. A commercially available interlabial device is the INSYNC Miniform interlabial pad which is marketed by A-Fem of Portland, Oreg. and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,983,873 and 4,175,561 issued to Hirschman on Oct. 5, 1976 and Nov. 27, 1979, respectively.
Many of these devices have not met with great commercial success, however. There are drawbacks associated with all of the above products. For example, the device described in the Delaney patent does not appear to be capable of an easy and comfortable insertion, due to the possibility of the layers of absorbent material opening up during insertion. The commercially available IN-SYNC interlabial device suffers from the disadvantage that it may tend to allow by-pass flow around its edges. Such flow can cause body soiling or panty soiling which many consumers find unacceptable.
Improved interlabial devices are described in the following patents assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,762,644; 5,885,265; 5,891,126; 5,895,381; 5,916,205; 5,928,452; 5,951,537; 5,968,026; 6,033,391; and, 6,045,544. The search for improved interlabial devices has, however, continued. In particular, there is a need for improved, more comfortable, topsheets for such devices that contact the wearer's inner labia majora surfaces, and the skin within the vaginal vault.
Products that are to be worn predominantly interlabially are expected to remain in place without any of the usual panty attachment approaches (i.e., adhesives). In order for such products to remain positioned within the labia they are required to adapt to the labial vault and remain fixed via a combination of structural adaptation (i.e. fit) and physical interactions such as friction (i.e. slippage control) or adhesion due to capillary suction.
Products that are worn interlabially are predominantly worn within the labial vault and enclosed by the labia minora and the labia majora. Anatomically speaking, there are striking differences in both physical structure and the properties of the skin within the labia, particularly the labia minora compared to adjacent skin surfaces such as in the perineal groove, buttocks and inner thigh regions that would normally be contacted by a sanitary napkin. It is important to differentiate between external surfaces (such as the buttocks, perineal grove, the outwardly facing labia majora surfaces) and internal surfaces (such as the labia minora, vulva vault, and the vagina). As one progresses from the “external” bodily surfaces of the buttocks or inner thighs, representative of a normal stratum cornea, towards the vulva the stratum cornea begins to change. The vulva majora (externally facing surfaces) still exhibits a stratum cornea but somewhat thickened and in a somewhat immune sensitized state indicative of a greater sensitivity to external influence. Nevertheless, such “external” skin types, macroscopically viewed, are still considered to be relatively smooth and dry to the touch. They are considered to be relatively hydrophobic in nature. They exhibit similar degrees of hydration to other bodily sites, similar friction coefficients (especially when absorbent materials are next to these tissues) and degrees of elasticity and compressibility that are all within a factor of three (see Elsner et al.,
British Journal of Dermatology
(1990). Issue 122, p 607-614, and Elsner et al.,
Dermatologica
(1990). Issue 181, p 88-91). Moving interlabially from the labia majora (moving to the internal bodily surfaces) to the labia minora and then internally (vaginal vault) a fundamental change in the properties of the skin or labial membrane occurs. The inner labial minora surfaces are starting to become more characteristic of a mucosa membrane than a stratum cornea. As one moves from the labial vault into the vaginal vault the transition is complete to a mucosa membrane. Tissues within the labial vault, especially the inward facing surfaces of the labia minora are permanently wet, are believed to have a significantly higher friction coefficient, elasticity, and compressibility. These membranes are highly textured (irregular surface) and are hydrophilic not hydrophobic.
Traditionally, on externally worn absorbent articles (contacting predominantly “external” bodily surfaces) such as sanitary napkins, a hydrophilic topsheet or hydrophobic topsheets treated to be hydrophilic (such as with a surfactant) have been utilized to ensure adequate absorption and transmission of bodily discharges to the absorbent core structure. There has been a significant number of disclosures on approaches to create soft, performing topsheets for use externally and in contact with dry and relatively smooth skin surfaces such as in the perineal groove, buttocks and inner thigh regions.
In the case of internally worn disposable absorbent products (contacting predomina

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