Absorbent article having a pocket for receiving and storing faeces and method for its manufacture

• US 20070255245A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Industrivärden AB)
• Inventors: Asp, Fredrik, Johansson, Marie, Jansson, Filip
• Granted Patent: US 7,993,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.190
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/496 in the form of pants or briefs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/532 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad

Abstract

An absorbent article, such as an incontinence shield, diaper, pant-diaper, belt diaper or the like, includes a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core placed therebetween. The absorbent core has two longitudinal edges, and a front and a rear transverse edge, wherein the rear transverse edge possesses a recess with at least one pair of opposing edges. The recess forms a pocket for receiving and storing faeces, wherein the pocket'"'"'s extension is defined by the edges of the recess. The article provides a simple, practical and cheap solution for handling of faeces without obviously compromising the liquid absorption properties.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprises a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core placed therebetween, a front and a rear transverse edge, two longitudinal edges, a transverse center-line, which divides the article into a front end portion adapted to lie adjacent to or in contact with the wearer'"'"'s abdomen when in use, and a rear end portion adapted to lie adjacent to or in contact with the wearer'"'"'s backside when in use, said absorbent core having two longitudinal edges, a front, and a rear transverse edge, wherein the rear transverse edge possesses a recess with at least one pair of opposing edges, and the recess forms a pocket for receiving and storing of faeces deposited in the article'"'"'s rear end portion, wherein the pocket'"'"'s extension is defined by the edges of the recess.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the pocket for receiving and storing of faeces is further defined by an elastic element.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein the elastic element is arranged to extend substantially across the recess between its opposing edges.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the recess is V-shaped when the article is in its extended state.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein a base of the V-shaped recess lies in direct connection with the rear transverse edge and a tip of the V-shaped recess points in a direction of the article'"'"'s transverse center-line.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein an angle between the recesses'"'"' edges is ≧

30° and

a length of the recesses'"'"' edges is ≧

5 cm.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein the elastic element comprises at least one elastic thread.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein the elastic element is connected to the transverse rear edge of the absorbent core.

9. The absorbent article according to claim 8, wherein the elastic element is located within 0.1-10 mm from the transverse rear edge of the absorbent core.

10. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a waist elastic system connected to at least one of the article'"'"'s transverse edges.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 10, wherein the waist elastic system is located in the rear end portion of the article.

12. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the recess has a substantially convex shape when the article is in its stretched-out state.

13. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the recess has a substantially rectangular shape when the article is in its extended state.

14. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the recess has a substantially circular shape when the article is in its extended state.

15. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has two or more layers, wherein the recess extends through at least one of said layers.

16. The absorbent article according to claim 15, wherein the recess extends through at least one of said layers, and the recess has the same or different dimensions in each layer.

17. A method for producing an absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core placed therebetween, wherein the method comprises:

i. providing a taut backsheet;

ii. an absorbent core having a recess is placed on the backsheet;

iii. joining parts of the recesses of the absorbent core so that a pocket for receiving and storage of faeces is constructed.

18. The method for producing an absorbent article according to claim 17, wherein a topsheet is placed on the absorbent core, whereby the absorbent core is located between the backsheet and the topsheet.

19. The method for producing an absorbent article according to claim 17, wherein the absorbent core is glued to said backsheet.

20. The method for producing an absorbent article according to claim 17, wherein a part of the recess of the absorbent core is brought together by an elastic element connected to the two rear transverse edges of the absorbent core and directly across the recess so as to bring together parts of the recess of the absorbent core for construction of said pocket.