Absorbent article having leakage-resistant dual cuffs

• US 4,795,454 A
• Filed: 10/30/1987
• Issued: 01/03/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Dragoo, Jerry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/117,379
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 604/378, 604/385.1, 604/385.2, 604/381, 604/382, 604/389
• US Class Current: 604/385.28
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49009 with elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49017 the elastic means being located at the crotch region
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/494 characterised by edge leakage prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4942 the barrier not being integral with the top- or back-sheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/49031 being elastic in longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/49076 as "I"-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4948 the edge leakage prevention means being elastic

Abstract

An integral disposable absorbent article such as a diaper provided with an absorbent core, a liquid impervious backsheet, an elastically contractible gasketing cuff preferably formed by a gasketing flap and a flap elastic member, a barrier cuff having a flap portion and a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge, and a liquid pervious topsheet. The topsheet extends outwardly toward the edge of the absorbent core and terminates inwardly of the proximal edge. A seal means for adjoining the proximal edge to the gasketing flap is positioned along the proximal edge so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along the proximal edge. The barrier cuffs may be provided with spacing means for spacing the distal edges away from the liquid-receiving surface so as to enhance the containment characteristics of the barrier cuffs. Thus, body exudates which wick through and along the topsheet are prevented from flowing to the edges of the diaper and underneath the barrier cuffs because of the seal formed along the proximal edges and because the topsheet terminates inwardly of the proximal edges.

Claims

1. A unitary disposable absorbent article comprising:

an absorbent core have a garment surface and a body surface;

a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;

an elastically contractible gasketing cuff disposed adjacent to an edge of the absorbent article;

a hydrophobic barrier cuff having a proximal edge and a distal edge, said barrier cuff disposed adjacent said gasketing cuff;

spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuffs for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receivig surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;

seal means positioned along said proximal edge for adjoining said proximal edge to the absorbent article so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along said proximal edge; and

a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of said proximal edge,

whereby liquids are generally prevented from wicking underneath and beyond said barrier cuff to the edge of the absorbent article.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said topsheet is positioned adjacent said proximal edge.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said barrier cuff is liquid impermeable.

4. A unitary disposable absorbent article comprising:

an absorbent core having edges, a garment surface and a body surface;

a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;

a gasketing flap extending outwardly from and along each of a pair of oppositely disposed edges of said absorbent core;

a flap elastic member operatively associated with each of said gasketing flaps to thereby form gasketing cuffs;

a hydrophobic barrier cuff positioned adjacent each of said gasketing cuffs, said barrier cuff having a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge;

spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuff for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receiving surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;

seal means positioned along said proximal edge for adjoining said proximal edge to said gasketing flap so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along said proximal edge; and

a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of said proximal edge,

whereby liquids are generally prevented from wicking underneath and beyond said barrier cuff to the edges of the absorbent article.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said topsheet is positioned adjacent said proximal edge and is secured to said gasketing flap by said seal means.

6. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said barrier cuff additionally comprises a flap portion contiguous with said channel portion, said flap portion extending outwardly from said proximal edge toward the edge of the absorbent article.

7. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said proximal edge is disposed inboard of said flap elastic member.

8. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein at least said channel portion of said barrier cuff is liquid impermeable.

9. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said barrier cuff is integral with said gasketing flap.

10. A unitary disposable absorbent article having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region, said absorbent article comprising:

an absorbent core having side edges, a garment surface, and a body surface;

a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;

a gasketing flap extending outwardly from and along each side edge of said absorbent core in at least the crotch region;

a flap elastic member operatively associated with each of said gasketing flaps to thereby form gasketing cuffs;

a hydrophobic barrier cuff disposed adjacent each of said gasketing cuffs, said barrier cuffs each having a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge, each of said proximal edges being positioned inboard of said flap elastic member in at least the crotch region;

spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuff for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receiving surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;

seal means positioned along each of said proximal edges for adjoining each of said proximal edges to said gasketing flaps so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along said proximal edges; and

a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of each of said proximal edges,

wherby liquids are generally prevented from wicking underneath and beyond said barrier cuff to the edges of the absorbent article.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein said spacing means comprises a spacing elastic member.

12. The absorbent article of claim 11 wherein said backsheet extends beyond each of said side edges of said absorbent core to form said gasketing flaps.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12 wherein each of said barrier cuffs additionally comprises a flap portion contiguous with said channel portion, said flap portion extending outwardly from said proximal edge toward the longitudinal edges of the absorbent article such that said gasketing flaps are formed from the extension of said backsheet and said flap portions.

14. The absorbent article of claim 13 wherein at least said channel portion of said barrier cuffs is liquid impermeable.

15. The absorbent article of claim 14 wherein said barrier cuffs are integral with said gasketing flaps.

16. The absorbent article of claim 15 wherein said topsheet is positioned adjacent each of said proximal edges and is secured to said gasketing flaps by said seal means.

17. A unitary disposable absorbent article comprising:

an absorbent core having a garment surface and a body surface;

a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;

an elastically contractible gasketing cuff disposed adjacent to a pair of oppositely disposed edges of the absorbent article, each of said gasketing cuffs comprising a gasketing flap and a flap elastic member;

a hydrophobic barrier cuff having a flap portion and a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge, said barrier cuff disposed adjacent said gasketing cuff;

spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuff for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receiving surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;

attachment means positioned adjacent the edge of the absorbent article for associating said flap portion of said barrier cuff with said gasketing flap so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along the edge of the absorbent article; and

a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of the oppositely disposed pair of edges of the absorbent article,

whereby liquids are generally prevented from wicking beyond the edges of the absorbent article.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17 additionally comprising a seal means positioned along said proximal edge for adjoining said proximal edge to said gasketing flap.

19. The absorbent article of claim 18 wherein said barrier cuff is integral with said gasketing flaps.

20. The absorbent article of claim 19 wherein said proximal edge is disposed inboard of said flap elastic member.

21. The absorbent article of claim 19 wherein said flap portion is liquid impermeable.