Absorbent article

• US 20070043330A1
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Kondo, Masahiro, Iwata, Toshiyuki, Heki, Yukio, Bullock, Steven, Hollenberg, Niels, Lankhof, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,123,920 B2
• 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 13/51394 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 13/531 having a homogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/535 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad, e.g. core absorbent layers being of different sizes A61F13/5323, A61F13/537 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53713 the layer having a promotional function on liquid propagation in the vertical direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53756 the layer facing the back-sheet
• 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 2013/1539 being expandable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51026 being in thermoplastic material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5315 with a tissue-wrapped core
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/28 Polysaccharides or their derivatives A61L15/225 takes precedence

Abstract

An absorbent article for wearing about the lower torso of a wearer includes a topsheet, a backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core includes a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is disposed in fluid communication with the second layer. The first layer has a first shape and the second layer has a second shape. The first shape is different from the second shape. Each of the first layer and second layer comprise less than about 20 percent airfelt.

Claims

1. An absorbent article for wearing about the lower torso of a wearer, the absorbent article having a first region, a second region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and the second region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the absorbent article further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core comprises a first storage layer and a second storage layer, wherein the first storage layer has a first shape and the second storage layer has a second shape, wherein the first shape is different from the second shape, and wherein each of the first storage layer and second storage layer comprise less than about 20 percent airfelt.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the first storage layer has a first width in the second region, and the second storage layer has a second width in the second region, and wherein-the first width is less than the second width.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the first storage layer has a first surface area and the second storage layer has a second surface area, and wherein the first surface area is less than the second surface area.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1 further comprising a fold structure capable of unfolding to accommodate the expansion of the absorbent core and further comprising a core cover at least partially surrounding the first storage layer and/or the second storage layer, wherein the core cover comprises the fold structure.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein the fold structure includes a proximal area and a distal area, wherein the proximal area is disposed adjacent to the first storage layer and/or second storage layer and the distal area is disposed between the core cover and the backsheet.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 further comprising a fold structure capable of unfolding to accommodate the expansion of the absorbent core, and wherein the backsheet comprises the fold structure.

7. An absorbent article for wearing about the lower torso of a wearer, the absorbent article having a first region, a second region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and the second region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the absorbent article further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core comprises;

a first acquisition layer having a first acquisition shape;

a storage layer having a storage layer shape; and

a core cover at least partially surrounding the storage layer,

wherein the storage layer comprises less than about 20 percent airfelt, wherein the first acquisition shape is asymmetric about the lateral axis, and wherein the first acquisition shape is different from the storage layer shape.

8. The absorbent article of claim 7 wherein a surface area of the first acquisition layer is greater than at least 50% of a surface area of the storage layer.

9. The absorbent article of claim 7 wherein the first acquisition layer has a first width in the first region and a second width in the second region, and wherein the first width is less than the second width.

10. The absorbent article of claim 7 further comprising a second acquisition layer having a second acquisition shape, wherein the second acquisition layer is in fluid communication with the first acquisition layer.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein a surface area of the first acquisition layer and/or a surface area of the second acquisition layer is at least as much as a surface area of the storage layer.

12. The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the first acquisition shape and the second acquisition shape are different.

13. The absorbent article of claim 7 further comprising a fold structure capable of unfolding to accommodate the expansion of the storage layer. and wherein the core cover comprises the fold structure.

14. The absorbent article of claim 13 wherein the fold structure includes a proximal area and a distal area, wherein the proximal area is disposed adjacent to the first storage layer and/or second storage layer and the distal area is disposed between the core cover and the backsheet.

15. The absorbent article of claim 7 further comprising a fold structure capable of unfolding to accommodate the expansion of the storage layer, and wherein the backsheet comprises the fold structure.

16. An incontinence pad for wearing about the lower torso of a wearer, the incontinence pad having a first region, a second region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and the second region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the incontinence pad further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet;

a barrier leg cuff joined to the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the barrier leg cuff comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the topsheet and the first layer and the backsheet; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core comprises;

an acquisition layer;

a storage layer; and

a core cover surrounding at least a portion of the storage layer, wherein the storage layer comprises less than about 20 percent airfelt, wherein the incontinence pad has a first width in the first region and a second width in the second region, and wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

17. An absorbent article for wearing about the lower torso of a wearer, the absorbent article having a first region, a second region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and the second region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the absorbent article further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet;

a recovery element capable of stiffening a portion of the absorbent article;

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core comprises;

an acquisition layer;

a storage layer; and

a core cover at least partially surrounding the storage layer, wherein the storage layer comprises less than about 20 percent airfelt.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein the recovery element is disposed between the storage layer and the backsheet or wherein the recovery element is disposed between the topsheet and the storage layer.

19. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein the recovery element is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene teraphthalate, rubber, polyurethane, and cellulose.

20. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein the recovery element comprises a polyethylene teraphthalate nonwoven with resin bonding.

21. The absorbent article of claim 17 further comprising a first fold line and a second fold line, wherein the first fold line and the second fold line are generally parallel to the lateral axis of the absorbent article, and wherein the recovery element is disposed within an area bounded by the first fold line and the second fold line.

22. An incontinence pad for wearing about the lower torso of a wearer, the absorbent article having a first region, a second region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and the second region, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the incontinence pad further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core comprises;

a first acquisition layer having a first acquisition shape, wherein the first acquisition layer has a first width in the first region and a second width in the second region, wherein the first width is less than the second width; and

;

a second acquisition layer having a second acquisition shape, wherein the second acquisition layer is in fluid communication with the first acquisition layer;

wherein the first acquisition shape and the second acquisition shape are different;

a storage layer having a storage layer shape, wherein a surface area of the first acquisition layer and/or a surface area of the second acquisition layer is at least as much as a surface area of the storage layer; and

a core cover at least partially surrounding the storage layer, wherein the storage layer comprises less than about 20 percent airfelt.

23. The incontinence pad of claim 22 wherein the core cover comprises a fold structure capable of unfolding to accommodate the expansion of the storage layer, wherein the fold structure includes a proximal and a distal area, and wherein the proximal area is disposed adjacent to the first storage layer and/or second storage layer and the distal area is disposed between the core cover and the backsheet.