Sanitary napkin

• US 20060142724A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hitoshi, Yoshimasa, Wataru, Fujikawa, Shinobu, Kuroda, Kenichiro, Tanio, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,465,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.40
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4702 having a reinforcing member
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4758 the means preventing fluid flow in a longitudinal direction

Abstract

A sanitary napkin includes: a napkin body having a liquid-absorbent layer for absorbing and retaining liquid; and a projection projecting from a body surface of the napkin body. The projection has an apex and a pair of side wall portions formed of a liquid-permeable material. The apex is spaced apart from the body surface of the napkin body and extends along a longitudinal centerline of the napkin body. The side wall portions connect at the apex and diverge toward the body surface of the napkin body. The apex and the side wall portions are different in stiffness. The side wall portions have a space therebetween and are permitted to deform and approach each other.

Claims

1. A sanitary napkin comprising:

a napkin body having a liquid-absorbent layer for absorbing and retaining liquid; and

a projection projecting from a body surface of the napkin body, the projection having an apex and a pair of side wall portions formed of a liquid-permeable material, the apex being spaced apart from the body surface of the napkin body and extending along a longitudinal centerline of the napkin body, the side wall portions connecting at the apex and diverging toward the body surface of the napkin body,

wherein the apex and the side wall portions are different in stiffness, and the side wall portions have a space therebetween and are permitted to deform and approach each other.

2. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the side wall portions first diverge and subsequently converge from the apex toward the body surface of the napkin body.

3. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the side wall portions are adapted to return to an opening angle of 20 degrees or more after removal of a compressive force of 2 kg per 10 cm×

10 cm, which is laterally applied to the projection for 30 seconds to bring the side wall portions into contact with each other.

4. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the projection is adapted to deform in accordance with deformation of the napkin body when front and rear ends of the napkin body approach each other to concavely curve the body surface of the napkin body.

5. The sanitary napkin of claim 4, wherein the apex of the projection includes a longitudinally-extending central elastic member whose both ends are secured on the napkin body to exert a tension for causing deformation of the napkin body.

6. The sanitary napkin of claim 5, wherein the projection further includes longitudinally-extending side elastic members on both sides of the central elastic member, the central elastic member is spaced farther from the napkin body than the side elastic members, and the side wall portions extend between the central elastic member and the respective side elastic members.

7. The sanitary napkin of claim 6, wherein the central elastic member exerts a greater elastic tension than the individual side elastic members.

8. The sanitary napkin of claim 6, wherein the individual central and side elastic members have front and rear connection points between which the elastic member remains unsecured on the napkin body, the front connection point of the individual side elastic members is located behind the front connection point of the central elastic member, and the rear connection point of the individual side elastic members is located forward of the rear connection point of the central elastic member.

9. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the projection is fusion-bonded, compressed, or cut along the apex to make a difference in stiffness between the apex and the side wall portions.

10. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the side wall portions have reinforcing members to make a difference in stiffness between the apex and the side wall portions.

11. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein in a natural state where no external force is exerted on the napkin body, a height of the projection from the body surface of the napkin body is maximized at a location behind a vagina-facing part of the sanitary napkin.