Disposable absorbent article with containment structure

• US 20020151861A1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dsg Technology Holding Limited
• Original Assignee: Associated Hygienic Products LLC (PT Sinar Mas Group)
• Inventors: Ducker, Paul M., Sneed, Scott W., Gardner, Daniel D. Jr., Klemp, Walter V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,602,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.19
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49012 the elastic means being elastic panels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49466 the edge leakage prevention means being at the waist region
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/511 Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5323 having absorbent material located in discrete regions, e.g. pockets

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article defined by a pair of longitudinally extending side edges and a pair of end edges extending between the side edges, has a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region located between the waist regions. The disposable absorbent article also includes a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The topsheet is provided with a plurality of openings which direct bodily exudates received into or by the crotch region to a storage space disposed below the topsheet. The topsheet is spaced generally upward from the core such that the storage space is disposed between the topsheet and the core. The disposable absorbent article further includes at least one or more elongated elastic strands which are attached to the topsheet so as to space or urge the topsheet generally upwardly from the core. Moreover, portions of the topsheet between the elastic strands are tacked down to create depressions between the strands and each of the openings are located generally in one of these depressions.

Claims

1. A disposable absorbent article having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region located between said front and back waist regions, said article comprising:

a backsheet;

an absorbent core disposed above said backsheet and generally in said crotch region; and

a topsheet disposed above said absorbent core, said topsheet having a plurality of openings for directing bodily exudates, which are deposited into said crotch region, to a storage space disposed below said topsheet.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein said topsheet is generally spaced upwardly from said core, such that said storage space is disposed between said topsheet and said core, said storage space being generally adapted for storage of the generally solids portion of the bodily exudates.

3. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one elongated elastic strand attached to said topsheet, said strand being attached so as to space said topsheet generally upwardly from said core.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein said article includes a plurality of said elastic strands, and wherein portions of said topsheet, between said elastic strands, are tacked down to create a depression between said strands, each of said openings being located generally in one of said depressions.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein each of said openings has a lateral width substantially less than the lateral distance between said strands.

6. The article of claim 1, further comprising a material layer between said storage space and said core, said material layer being adapted for receiving liquids and dispersing said liquids across said core.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein said topsheet and said core are arranged such that said storage space is generally located below said core.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a plurality of cores, said cores being generally spaced apart from one another below said topsheet.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein portions of said topsheet are tacked down between said cores and each of said openings is generally located between said cores.

10. The article of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of elongated elastic strands attached to said top sheet, said strands being adapted to bias said topsheet generally upward such that said openings are located in depressions between said strands, and

wherein said storage space is generally located below said core and is adapted for storage of fecal matter.

11. The article of claim 1, further comprising a generally upstanding sidewall structure on each lateral side of said crotch region, said top sheet and said core being disposed between said sidewall structures and said top sheet having side edges extended to and engaging said sidewall structures.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein said topsheet is spaced generally upward from said core to define at least one storage space therebetween, said storage space being adapted for storage of the solids portion of the bodily exudates.

14. The article of claim 13, further comprising a material layer between said storage space and said core, said material layer being adapted for receiving liquids and dispersing said liquids across said core.

15. The article of claim 12, wherein said topsheet includes generally inclined side walls directed downwardly from said ridges to said openings.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein each of said openings has a lateral width substantially less than the lateral distance between said ridges.

17. The article of claim 12, wherein said article comprises a plurality of cores, said cores being generally spaced apart from one another.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein said topsheet is tacked down at locations between said cores and each of said openings is generally located between said cores;

and

wherein said storage space is generally located below each of said cores, said storage space being generally adapted for storage of the solids portion of said bodily exudates.

20. The article of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of elongated elastic strands attached to said topsheet, said strands being adapted to space said topsheet generally upwardly from said core.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein a plurality of portions of said topsheet is tacked down between said elastic strands, at a plurality of tacking points, to create a depression between said strands, each of said openings being located generally in said depression.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein each of said openings has a lateral width substantially less than the lateral distance between said strands.

23. The article of claim 21, further comprising a material layer disposed between said storage space and said core, said material layer being adapted for receiving liquids and dispersing said liquids across said core.

24. The article of claim 21, further comprising a sidewall structure on each lateral side of said crotch region, said topsheet and said core being disposed between said sidewall structures, and said topsheet having side edges extending to and engaging said sidewall structures.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein said containment wall has two elastic end wall sections and two side intermediate wall sections, and

wherein each of said elastic end wall sections has a central portion and oppositely disposed side portions and each of said intermediate wall sections has oppositely disposed end portions, each of said side portions of said elastic wall sections being secured to an end portion of one of said intermediate wall sections such that said intermediate wall sections are biased generally upwardly.

27. The disposable absorbent article of claim 26, further comprising an end strip secured generally to each one of said waist regions, said end strip including an elastic inward section spaced away from said topsheet and said absorbent core, said elastic inward sections forming said elastic wall sections of said containment wall.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein said topsheet is equipped with a plurality of spaced apart elastic strands, said strands being attached to said topsheet to form a plurality of spaced apart ridges and adapted to bias said topsheet upwardly, said openings being located between said ridges, and

wherein portions of said topsheet located between said strands are secured below said topsheet to form depressions between said ridges.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein said topsheet includes generally inclined side walls directed downwardly from said ridges to said openings.

12. A disposable absorbent article having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region located between said front and back waist regions, said article comprising:

a backsheet;

an absorbent core disposed above said backsheet and generally in said crotch region; and

a topsheet disposed above said absorbent core, said topsheet being equipped with a plurality of spaced apart elastic strands which are attached thereto to form a plurality of spaced apart ridges, wherein said strands are adapted to bias said topsheet upwardly and wherein portions of said topsheet located between said strands are tacked down to form depressions between said ridges; and

wherein said topsheet is further equipped with a plurality of openings located between said ridges, said openings being adapted to direct bodily exudates received in said crotch region toward said core.

19. A disposable absorbent article having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region located between said front and back waist regions, said article comprising:

a backsheet layer;

an absorbent core disposed above said backsheet and generally in said crotch region; and

a topsheet disposed above said absorbent core and spaced upwardly therefrom to define a fecal storage space therebetween, said topsheet having a plurality of openings for directing bodily exudates, which are deposited into said crotch region, into said storage space.

25. A disposable absorbent article having a pair of longitudinally extending side edges and a pair of end edges defining a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region located between said front and back waist regions, said article comprising:

a backsheet layer;

an absorbent core disposed above said backsheet and generally in said crotch region;

a topsheet having a plurality of openings and spaced generally upward from said core to define a storage space between said core and said topsheet; and

a containment pocket having a depth dimension, said pocket being disposed generally in said crotch region and bounded by a substantially continuous containment wall that extends generally upwardly from said topsheet;

wherein said openings of said topsheet are disposed inside of said containment wall and adapted to direct exudates received in said containment pocket above said topsheet into said storage space below said topsheet.