Absorbent article having a functional enhancement indicator

• US 20060129114A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Carlucci, Giovanni, Hughes, Jeanne Marie, Weisman, Paul Thomas, Schlueter, Folke, Visscher, Ronald Bosman, Mason, Peter Charles Jr., Somma, Emma
• Granted Patent: US 8,039,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/472 specially adapted for female use A61F13/474, A61F13/475, A61F13/476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47245 with asymmetry around the x or y axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47254 with a tanga shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5146 having apertures of perforations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53 characterised by the absorbing medium A61F13/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/551 Packaging before or after use general packaging of absorbent pads B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5514 each item packaged single
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/8405 Additives, e.g. for odour, disinfectant or pH control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15243 printed or coloured, e.g. to match skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8497 having decorations or indicia means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4204 Inspection openings or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/522 Inspection openings or windows

Abstract

A feminine hygiene article having a body-facing surface, a first end region and a second end region. The feminine hygiene article is for placement in an undergarment having a crotch portion bounded on opposite sides by portions of curved leg openings, the feminine hygiene article comprising at least one functional enhancement indicator visible from said body-facing surface, the functional enhancement indicator corresponding to at least one functionally-enhanced portion of the feminine hygiene article. The feminine hygiene article can be a sanitary napkin, a pantiliner, or an incontinence pad.

Claims

1. A feminine hygiene article having a body-facing surface, a first end region and a second end region, said feminine hygiene article for placement in an undergarment having a crotch portion bounded on opposite sides by portions of curved leg openings, said feminine hygiene article comprising at least one functional enhancement indicator visible from said body-facing surface, said functional enhancement indicator corresponding to at least one functionally-enhanced portion of said feminine hygiene article.

2. The feminine hygiene article of claim 1 wherein said feminine hygiene article comprises an outer periphery and said functional enhancement indicator is distinct from said outer periphery.

3. The feminine hygiene article of claim 1, wherein said functional enhancement indicator is chosen from the group consisting of printed marks, colored marks, visible indicia or texture, and combinations thereof.

4. The feminine hygiene article of claim 1, wherein said feminine hygiene article comprises an absorbent core having a thickness of less than about 10 mm.

5. The feminine hygiene article of claim 1, wherein said feminine hygiene article comprises a longitudinal centerline and a transverse centerline perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline, and wherein said feminine hygiene article is asymmetrically-shaped about said transverse centerline.

6. The feminine hygiene article of claim 5, wherein said functional enhancement indicator comprises visually-perceptible colors, said visually-perceptible colors being more intense in proportion to an increased distance measured from said transverse centerline longitudinally toward said first end region.

7. The feminine hygiene article of claim 5, wherein said functional enhancement indicator comprises a plurality of visually-perceptible discrete colors, said plurality of visually-perceptible discrete colors being in a pattern of increasing density in proportion to an increased distance measured from said transverse centerline longitudinally toward said first end region.

8. The feminine hygiene article of claim 1, wherein said functional enhancement indicator is nearer said first end than said second end of said feminine hygiene article.

9. The feminine hygiene article of claim 1, wherein said functional enhancement indicator comprises additional material chosen from the group consisting of nonwoven material, film material, adhesive, ink, colorants, and combinations thereof.

10. A urinary incontinence pad having a shape defining an outer periphery, a first end region and a second end region, a topsheet joined about at least a portion of said outer periphery to a backsheet with an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, pressure-sensitive adhesive on said backsheet for attachment in an undergarment having a crotch portion bounded on opposite sides by portions of curved leg openings, said urinary incontinence pad comprising at least one functional enhancement indicator visible from said body-facing surface, said functional enhancement indicator providing a distinct visual emphasis to said first end region of said urinary incontinence device.

11. The incontinence pad of claim 10 wherein said functional enhancement indicator is distinct from said outer periphery.

12. The incontinence pad of claim 10, wherein said functional enhancement indicator is chosen from the group consisting of printed marks, colored marks, visible indicia, visible line segments, and combinations thereof.

13. The incontinence pad of claim 10, wherein said incontinence pad comprises an absorbent core having a thickness of less than about 10 mm.

14. The incontinence pad of claim 10, wherein said incontinence pad comprises a longitudinal centerline and a transverse centerline perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline, and wherein said incontinence pad is asymmetrically-shaped about said transverse centerline.

15. The incontinence pad of claim 14, wherein said functional enhancement indicator comprises visually-perceptible colors, said visually-perceptible colors being more intense in proportion to an increased distance measured from said transverse centerline longitudinally toward said first end region.

16. An incontinence pad of claim 14, wherein said functional enhancement indicator comprises a plurality of visually-perceptible discrete marks, said plurality of visually-perceptible discrete marks being in a pattern of increasing density in proportion to an increased distance measured from said transverse centerline longitudinally toward said first end region.

17. The incontinence pad of claim 10, wherein said functional enhancement indicator is nearer said first end than said second end of said incontinence pad.

18. The absorbent article of claim 10, wherein said functional enhancement indicator is applied by a printing process and is only visually perceptible and provides a distinct visual emphasis to said first end region of said sanitary napkin.

20. The sanitary napkin of claim 10, wherein said sanitary napkin comprises a longitudinal centerline and a transverse centerline perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline, and wherein said sanitary napkin is asymmetrically-shaped about said transverse centerline.

19. A sanitary napkin having a shape defining an outer periphery, a first end region and a second end region, a topsheet joined about at least a portion of said outer periphery to a backsheet with an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, pressure-sensitive adhesive on said backsheet for attachment in an undergarment having a crotch portion bounded on opposite sides by portions of curved leg openings, said sanitary napkin comprising at least one functional enhancement indicator visible from said body-facing surface, said functional enhancement indicator applied by a printing process and being only visually perceptible and providing a distinct visual emphasis to said first end region of said sanitary napkin.