Sanitary napkin having multiple longitudinal hinges

• US 20010007065A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 07/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: McNeil-PPC Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: McNeil-PPC Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Briggs, Amelie, Wysocki, Theresa, Blanchard, Stephen John, Mancuso, Michele
• Application Number:
  US09/746,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20010007065A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/369
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves

Abstract

A sanitary napkin for use by a woman for feminine hygiene and adapted to be worn in an undergarment having a main body portion including a liquid permeable body faceable cover layer, a liquid impermeable garment faceable barrier layer, an absorbent element therebetween. The main body portion has at least two longitudinally extending hinges in a center region adjacent the longitudinal edges. Each hinge is adapted to provide a longitudinally extending preferential bending axis. The hinges are spaced apart along at least a portion of their length and at least one hinge has a radius of curvature and an adjacent hinge is either substantially straight or has a radius of curvature greater than the other hinge.

Claims

1. A sanitary napkin for use by a woman for feminine hygiene and adapted to be worn in an undergarment, comprising a main body portion having a liquid permeable body faceable cover layer, a liquid impermeable garment faceable barrier layer, an absorbent element therebetween, the main body portion further having first and second longitudinal edges opposite each other defining a width dimension, a central longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal edges, first and second transverse edges opposite each other defining a length dimension;

a central region having first and second distal ends opposite each other defining a length that is sufficient to cover the woman'"'"'s labia majora in use;

a first end region, extending from the first distal end of the central region to the first transverse edge and being adapted to cover at least a portion of the woman'"'"'s mons pubis in use;

a second end region, extending from the second distal end of the central region to the second transverse edge and being adapted to cover at least a portion of the woman'"'"'s posterior perineum in use; and

at least two longitudinally extending hinges located substantially within the center region adjacent each longitudinal edge, each hinge adapted to provide a longitudinally extending preferential bending axis, said hinge being spaced apart along at least a portion of their length, wherein at least one hinge has a radius of curvature and an adjacent hinge is substantially straight.

2. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 1

wherein first hinge has a radius of curvature and is closer to the longitudinal centerline than the second hinge that is substantially straight.

3. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 1

wherein, the first hinge is substantially straight and is closer to the longitudinal centerline than the second hinge that has a radius of curvature.

4. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 1

wherein the first hinge is separated from the second hinge along a substantial portion of their respective lengths but are co-terminous and contact one another at their respective distal ends.

5. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 1

wherein the hinges are formed from include a material in an amount sufficient to impart additional structural rigidity relative to an adjacent region in the absorbent structure, the material being selected from the group consisting of a sphagnum-moss containing insert, a densified channel, a strip of polymeric foam, and combinations thereof.

6. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 5

wherein the hinges are formed as densified channels.

7. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 6

wherein the density of each channel is at least 0.5 g/cc.

8. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 1

further comprising a densified end channel in at least one transverse end.

9. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 8

wherein said densified end channel is spaced apart from said hinges by at least 3 mm.

10. A sanitary napkin for use by a woman for feminine hygiene and adapted to be worn in an undergarment, comprising a main body portion having a liquid permeable body faceable cover layer, a liquid impermeable garment faceable barrier layer, an absorbent element therebetween, the main body portion further having first and second longitudinal edges opposite each other defining a width dimension, a central longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal edges, first and second transverse edges opposite each other defining a length dimension;

a central region having first and second distal ends opposite each other defining a length that is sufficient to cover the woman'"'"'s labia majora in use;

a first end region, extending from the first distal end of the central region to the first transverse edge and being adapted to cover at least a portion of the woman'"'"'s mons pubis in use;

a second end region, extending from the second distal end of the central region to the second transverse edge and being adapted to cover at least a portion of the woman'"'"'s posterior perineum in use; and

at least two longitudinally extending hinges located substantially within the center region adjacent each longitudinal edge, each hinge adapted to provide a longitudinally extending preferential bending axis, said hinge being spaced apart along at least a portion of their length, wherein said at least two hinge each have a radius of curvature and wherein one hinge has a radius of curvature greater than an adjacent hinge and wherein the sanitary napkin preferentially bends along the hinge.

11. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 10

wherein a first hinge has a greater radius of curvature relative to a second hinge and is closer to the longitudinal centerline than the second hinge that has a lower radius of curvature relative to the first hinge.

12. The sanitary napkin according to

claim 10

wherein the first hinge has a lower radius of curvature and is closer to the longitudinal centerline than the second hinge that has a greater radius of curvature relative to the first hinge.