Finger-receiving area for a labial pad

• US 20020193773A1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Sorebo, Heather A., Weyenberg, Susan M., McDaniel, Mary L., Reeves, William G., Keely, Laura J., Keenan, Thomas P., Little, Sylvia B., Nunn, Stephen L., Edens, Ronald L., Hlaban, James J.
• Application Number:
  US10/039,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20020193773A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47209 having only interlabial part, i.e. with no extralabial parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5611 using fastening strips, e.g. adhesive, on the undergarment-facing side
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/84 Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15365 Dimensions

Abstract

An absorbent article (40), such as a labial pad, configured for disposition within the vestibule (42) of a female wearer. The absorbent article (40) may be worn by females for catamenial purposes, incontinence protection, or both, and has a finger-receiving area of dimensions sufficient to receive at least a portion of at least one finger of the female wearer.

Claims

1. An absorbent article (40) comprising an absorbent (66), the absorbent article being configured for disposition within the vestibule (42) of a female wearer and having a lower surface, the lower surface of the absorbent article being adaptable to define a finger-receiving area of dimensions sufficient to at least temporarily receive at least a portion of at least one finger of the wearer in a manner that allows at least that portion of a finger to be positioned substantially parallel to a principal axis of the absorbent article.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a recess (92), the recess formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about a principal axis, such folding resulting in the lower surface of the absorbent article having substantially identical halves facing and opposing each other.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a principal longitudinal axis (L) and a principal transverse axis (T).

4. The absorbent article of claim 3, the recess having been formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about the principal longitudinal axis, the absorbent article further comprising first (70) and second (72) end regions and a central region (74) disposed between the first and second end regions, and at least one point of juncture (96) situated within the recess and located on the lower surface of the absorbent article, the point of juncture at least temporarily joining the opposed and facing halves to define the finger-receiving area in a manner that allows at least a distal portion of at least one finger to be positioned substantially parallel to the principal longitudinal axis.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least one of the end regions of the absorbent article.

6. The absorbent article of claim 5, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

7. The absorbent article of claim 5, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

8. The absorbent article of claim 4, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least the central region of the absorbent article.

9. The absorbent article of claim 8, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

10. The absorbent article of claim 8, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

11. The absorbent article of claim 3, the recess having been formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about the principal transverse axis, the absorbent article further comprising first (70) and second (72) end regions and a central region (74) disposed between the first and second end regions, and at least one point of juncture (96) situated within the recess and located on the lower surface of the absorbent article, the point of juncture at least temporarily joining the opposed and facing halves to define the finger-receiving area in a manner that allows at least a distal portion of at least one finger to be positioned substantially parallel to the principal transverse axis.

12. The absorbent article of claim 11, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least one of the end regions of the absorbent article.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

14. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

15. The absorbent article of claim 11, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least the central region of the absorbent article.

16. The absorbent article of claim 15, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

17. The absorbent article of claim 15, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

19. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a recess (92), the recess formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about a principal axis, such folding resulting in the lower surface of the absorbent article having substantially identical halves facing and opposing each other.

20. The absorbent article of claim 19, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a principal longitudinal axis (L) and a principal transverse axis (T).

21. The absorbent article of claim 20, the recess having been formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about the principal longitudinal axis, the absorbent article further comprising first (70) and second (72) end regions and a central region (74) disposed between the first and second end regions, and at least one point of juncture (96) situated within the recess and located on the lower surface of the absorbent article, the point of juncture at least temporarily joining the opposed and facing halves to define the finger-receiving area in a manner that allows al least a distal portion of at least one finger to be positioned substantially parallel to the principal longitudinal axis.

22. The absorbent article of claim 21, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least one of the end regions of the absorbent article.

23. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

24. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

25. The absorbent article of claim 21, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least the central region of the absorbent article.

26. The absorbent article of claim 25, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

27. The absorbent article of claim 25, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

28. The absorbent article of claim 20, the recess having been formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about the principal transverse axis, the absorbent article further comprising first (70) and second (72) end regions and a central region (74) disposed between the first and second end regions, and at least one point of juncture (96) situated within the recess and located on the lower surface of the absorbent article, the point of juncture at least temporarily joining the opposed and facing halves to define the finger-receiving area in a manner that allows at least a distal portion of at least one finger to be positioned substantially parallel to the principal transverse axis.

29. The absorbent article of claim 28, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least one of the end regions of the absorbent article.

30. The absorbent article of claim 29, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

31. The absorbent article of claim 29, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

32. The absorbent article of claim 28, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least the central region of the absorbent article.

33. The absorbent article of claim 32, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

34. The absorbent article of claim 32, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

36. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a recess (92), the recess formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about a principal axis, such folding resulting in the lower surface of the absorbent article having substantially identical halves facing and opposing each other.

37. The absorbent article of claim 36, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a principal longitudinal axis (L) and a principal transverse axis (T).

38. The absorbent article of claim 37, the recess having been formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about the principal longitudinal axis, the absorbent article further comprising first (70) and second (72) end regions and a central region (74) disposed between the first and second end regions, and at least one point of juncture (96) situated within the recess and located on the lower surface of the absorbent article, the point of juncture at least temporarily joining the opposed and facing halves to define the finger-receiving area in a manner that allows at least a distal portion of at least one finger to be positioned substantially parallel to the principal longitudinal axis.

39. The absorbent article of claim 38, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least one of the end regions of the absorbent article.

40. The absorbent article of claim 39, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

41. The absorbent article of claim 39, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

42. The absorbent article of claim 38, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least the central region of the absorbent article.

43. The absorbent article of claim 42, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

44. The absorbent article of claim 42, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

45. The absorbent article of claim 37, the recess having been formed by folding the absorbent article substantially about the principal transverse axis, the absorbent article further comprising first (70) and second (72) end regions and a central region (74) disposed between the first and second end regions, and at least one point of juncture (96) situated within the recess and located on the lower surface of the absorbent article, the point of juncture at least temporarily joining the opposed and facing halves to define the finger-receiving area in a manner that allows at least a distal portion of at least one finger to be positioned substantially parallel to the principal transverse axis.

46. The absorbent article of claim 45, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least one of the end regions of the absorbent article.

47. The absorbent article of claim 46, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

48. The absorbent article of claim 46, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

49. The absorbent article of claim 45, wherein the point of juncture is located on that portion of the lower surface situated in at least the central region of the absorbent article.

50. The absorbent article of claim 49, wherein the point of juncture comprises a discrete point.

51. The absorbent article of claim 49, wherein the point of juncture comprises a continuous point.

18. An absorbent article (40) comprising an absorbent (66) and a liquid impermeable baffle (64), the absorbent article being configured for disposition within the vestibule (42) of a female wearer and having a lower surface, the baffle forming at least a portion of the lower surface of the absorbent article, the lower surface of the absorbent article being adaptable to define a finger-receiving area of dimensions sufficient to at least temporarily receive at least a portion of at least one finger of the wearer in a manner that allows at least that portion of a finger to be positioned substantially parallel to a principal axis of the absorbent article.

35. An absorbent article (40) comprising an absorbent (66) and a fluid permeable cover (62), the absorbent article being configured for disposition within the vestibule (42) of a female wearer and having a lower surface, the cover forming at least a portion of at least the lower surface of the absorbent article, the lower surface of the absorbent article being adaptable to define a finger-receiving area of dimensions sufficient to at least temporarily receive at least a portion of at least one finger of the wearer in a manner that allows at least that portion of a finger to be positioned substantially parallel to a principal axis of the absorbent article.