Folded Disposable Absorbent Articles

• US 20190314219A1
• Filed: 04/11/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Hardie, Stephen Lebeuf, Glassmeyer, Ronda Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 11,478,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15658 Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/475 characterised by edge leakage prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/494 characterised by edge leakage prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/511 Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/514 Backsheet, i.e. the impermeable cover or layer furthest from the skin A61F13/15211, A61F13/15252 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/534 having an inhomogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence; homogeneous cores with tissue wrapping A61F13/53
• 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 13/55115 characterized by the features before use, e.g. how are the diapers folded or arranged in a package
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15373 Calliper, i.e. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15569 Adhesivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53024 being bicomponent fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530481 having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530868 characterized by the liquid distribution or transport means other than wicking layer A61F13/537 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530927 having longitudinal barriers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5355 with terraced core
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/60 Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents

Abstract

Disposable absorbent articles are disclosed herein having a first and second fold line. The disposable absorbent articles have a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent system disposed therebetween. The absorbent system has a first absorbent core and a second absorbent core which may be configured in an offset manner. And, the absorbent system and/or the first and second fold lines may be configured with respect to the absorbent article to effect a caliper change in the folded article.

Claims

1. An array of disposable absorbent articles, each of the absorbent articles within the array comprising a front end portion an opposing second end portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the front end portion and the second end portion, the array further comprising:

a first plurality of absorbent articles and a second plurality of absorbent articles, each of the first plurality of absorbent articles and second plurality of absorbent articles comprising;

a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent system disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent system comprising a first absorbent core and a second absorbent core, wherein the first absorbent core and the second absorbent core are disposed offset from one another such that the front end portion comprises only one of the first absorbent core or the second absorbent core and the rear end portion comprises only the other of the first absorbent core or the second absorbent core, wherein a central portion is disposed between the front end portion and the rear end portion;

wherein the absorbent system of the first plurality of absorbent articles comprises the central portion having a first length and the absorbent system of the second plurality of absorbent articles comprises the central portion having a second length, wherein the second length is greater than the first length, and wherein the first plurality of absorbent articles comprises a first folded caliper and the second plurality of absorbent articles comprises a second folded caliper, wherein the second caliper is greater than the first caliper.

2. The array of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of absorbent articles and second plurality of absorbent articles comprise a pair of fold lines, wherein at least one of the fold lines is disposed in the central portion.

3. The array of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 2.0 to 1.0.

4. The array of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.8 to 1.0.

5. The array of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.5 to 1.0.

6. The array of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.4 to 1.0.

7. The array of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.2 to 1.0.

8. The array of claim 7, wherein both fold lines are disposed in the central portion.

9. The array of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of absorbent articles and second plurality of absorbent articles comprise a pair of fold lines, wherein the fold lines are disposed outboard of the central portion.

10. The array of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.6 to 1.0.

11. The array of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.4 to 1.0.

12. The array of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.2 to 1.0.

13. The array of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.1 to 1.0.

14. The array of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of absorbent articles and second plurality of absorbent articles comprise a pair of fold lines, wherein the fold lines for the first plurality of absorbent articles are disposed outboard of the central portion, and wherein the fold lines for the second plurality of absorbent articles are disposed within the central portion.

15. The array of claim 14, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 2.5 to 1.0.

16. The array of claim 14, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 2.0 to 1.0.

17. The array of claim 14, wherein a ratio of the first folded caliper to the second folded caliper can be from about 1.6 to 1.0.

18. The array of claim 14, wherein the second plurality of articles have a higher capacity than the first plurality of articles.

19. A package of disposable absorbent articles comprising a plurality of tri-folded disposable absorbent articles, each of the plurality of disposable absorbent articles comprising a first end region, an opposing second end region, and an intermediate region disposed between the first end region and the second end region, each of the plurality of disposable absorbent articles further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet;

an absorbent system disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent system comprising a first absorbent core and a second absorbent core disposed in an offset configuration with one another, a front end portion comprising the first absorbent core, but not the second absorbent core and an opposing rear end portion comprising the second absorbent core, but not the first absorbent core, a central portion disposed between the front end portion and the rear end portion, the central portion comprising the first absorbent core and the second absorbent core, wherein the front end portion comprises a front end length and the rear end portion comprises a rear end length, wherein the front end length and the rear end length are equal;

a first fold line disposed in the front end portion; and

a second fold line disposed in the second end portion.

20. A package of disposable absorbent articles comprising a plurality of tri-folded disposable absorbent articles, each of the plurality of disposable absorbent articles comprising a first end region, an opposing second end region, and an intermediate region disposed between the first end region and the second end region, each of the plurality of disposable absorbent articles further comprising:

a topsheet;

a backsheet;

an absorbent system disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent system comprising a first absorbent core and a second absorbent core disposed in an offset configuration with one another, a front end portion comprising the first absorbent core, but not the second absorbent core and an opposing rear end portion comprising the second absorbent core, but not the first absorbent core, a central portion disposed between the front end portion and the rear end portion, the central portion comprising the first absorbent core and the second absorbent core, wherein the front end portion comprises a front end length and the rear end portion comprises a rear end length, wherein the front end length and the rear end length are equal;

a first fold line disposed in the central portion; and

a second fold line disposed in the central portion.