Absorbent article

• US 20030055392A1
• Filed: 09/11/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Nozaki, Satoshi, Tagami, Etsuko
• Application Number:
  US10/241,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055392A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/378
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47245 with asymmetry around the x or y axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47272 with a longitudinal raised end, e.g. cup-shaped gluteal groove for edge leakage prevention A61F13/494
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4758 the means preventing fluid flow in a longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15357 Stiffness, e.g. Taber rigidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4706 enlarged in the anal area

Abstract

Disclosed is an absorbent article including: a main body portion having longitudinally opposed front and rear edges; and a surface structure having an ability to absorb and retain a liquid. The surface structure extends longitudinally of the main body portion and is fixed on a body surface of the main body portion through a bond. The bond extends longitudinally of the main body portion to have longitudinally opposed front and rear edges. The surface structure is longitudinally sectionalized into a front portion having the bond therein and a rear free portion extending beyond the rear edge of the bond toward the rear edge of the main body portion. A width of the rear free portion is smaller than a width of the main body portion and also smaller than a width of the front portion of the surface structure.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a main body portion having longitudinally opposed front and rear edges and transversely opposed side edges; and

a surface structure having an ability to absorb and retain a liquid, the surface structure extending longitudinally of the main body portion and being fixed on a body surface of the main body portion through a bond, the bond extending longitudinally of the main body portion to have longitudinally opposed front and rear edges, wherein

the surface structure is longitudinally sectionalized into a front portion having the bond therein and a rear free portion extending beyond the rear edge of the bond toward the rear edge of the main body portion, wherein

a width of the rear free portion is smaller than a width of the main body portion and also smaller than a width of the front portion of the surface structure.

2. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rear free portion is gradually narrowed toward a rear edge thereof.

3. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the surface structure is formed with a raised portion, which is raised along a longitudinally extending centerline of the main body portion, continuously over the front portion and the rear free portion.

4. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 3, wherein a height from a garment surface of the main body portion to a top of the raised portion is larger in the rear free portion than in the front portion.

5. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front portion of the surface structure is formed with side free portions which are extended transversely outwardly beyond transversely opposed side edges of the bond.

6. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the main body portion is longitudinally sectionalized into a front region and a rear region having the entire rear free portion of the surface structure provided therein, wherein a width of the rear region is larger than a width of the front region.

7. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 6, wherein the main body portion is provided at least in the rear region with an absorbent layer, which is extended beyond a periphery of a region on which the rear free portion is laid.

8. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rear free portion is transversely deformable to such an extent that a line extending between a center of the rear edge of the bond and a center of a rear edge of the rear free portion is allowed to incline at equal to or more than 5 degrees to a longitudinally extending centerline of the main body portion.

9. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a pressure of 4,900 Pa is applied to the rear free portion from above, a compressive recovery is equal to or more than 30% in a dry state.

10. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a pressure of 4,900 Pa is applied to the rear free portion from side, a compressive recovery is equal to or more than 30% in a dry state.

11. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a pressure of 4,900 Pa is applied to the rear free portion from above, a compressive stiffness is equal to or less than 0.6 in a dry state.

12. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a pressure of 4,900 Pa is applied to the rear free portion from side, a compressive stiffness is equal to or less than 0.6 in a dry state.