Dark colored absorbent articles

• US 20030109839A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Pretz, Kathrin, Carlucci, Giovanni, Gagliardi, Ivano, Costea, Helene Karin, DʼAddario, Roberto
• Granted Patent: US 8,251,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/358
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47254 with a tanga shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/512 characterised by its apertures, e.g. perforations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51394 creating a visual effect, e.g. having a printed or coloured topsheet, printed or coloured sub-layer but being visible from the topsheet, other than embossing for purposes of bonding, wicking, acquisition, leakage-prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51496 having visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15243 printed or coloured, e.g. to match skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51377 having decoration properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8497 having decorations or indicia means

Abstract

The present invention relates to dark colored absorbent articles, such as pantiliners or sanitary napkins. More specifically, dark colored absorbent articles are disclosed comprising an apertured topsheet, an underlying layer visible through the apertures of the topsheet and a backsheet, wherein both the topsheet and underlying layer have a L Hunter value of less than 60. Preferably the topsheet, the backsheet and the underlying layer have the same color (e.g., black).

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising an apertured topsheet, an underlying layer visible through the apertures of the topsheet and a backsheet, wherein the topsheet and the underlying layer independently have a L Hunter value of less than about 60.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the topsheet and the underlying layer independently have a L Hunter value of less than about 30.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the difference of L Hunter value Δ

L between the underlying layer and the topsheet is less than about 20, preferably less than about 8.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the L Hunter value of the underlying layer is equal or less than the L Hunter value of the topsheet.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the difference in color value Δ

E between the topsheet and the underlying layer is less than about 40.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the topsheet and the underlying layer have the same color.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein the topsheet comprises apertures having a pore size of 0.0001 mm to 5 mm.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the topsheet is a nonwoven and/or an apertured polymeric film.

9. The absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein the backsheet has a L Hunter value of less than about 60.

10. The absorbent article according to claim 9, wherein the backsheet has the same color as the topsheet.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the underlying layer is provided by at least a portion of a secondary layer.

12. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the underlying layer is provided by at least a portion of an absorbent core.

13. The absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein the underlying layer is provided by at least a portion of the backsheet and/or at least a portion of an intermediate layer positioned between the absorbent core and the backsheet.

14. The absorbent article according to claim 12 wherein the underlying layer is provided by the absorbent core and by the backsheet extending beyond the periphery of said absorbent core.

15. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said article is a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner.