Thin, curved absorbent article having elasticized edges

• US 5,613,961 A
• Filed: 12/30/1994
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Anjur, Sowmya S., DiPalma, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/366,845
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 604/369, 604/387, 604/386, 604/385.2
• US Class Current: 604/369
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4752 the means being an upstanding barrier

Abstract

An absorbent article is provided having a liquid-permeable cover, a liquid-impermeable baffle, an absorbent therebetween, and a resilient member positioned along at least one longitudinal side of the absorbent article. The absorbent article further includes a tensioning means which imparts an arcuate shape to the absorbent article. The tensioning device can be positioned along a portion of the upper most surface of the resilient member.

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a longitudinal side, an outer perimeter, a bodyfacing surface and a garment-facing surface, said absorbent article comprising:

a) a liquid-permeable cover disposed proximate said bodyfacing surface;

b) a liquid-impermeable baffle disposed proximate said garment-facing surface;

c) an absorbent positioned intermediate said cover and said baffle, said absorbent having an outer periphery disposed inward from said outer perimeter;

d) a resilient member encircling said absorbent and positioned immediately adjacent to said outer periphery; and

e) tensioning means for imparting an arcuate configuration to said absorbent article, said tensioning means being secured to a portion of said resilient member, wherein said tensioning member produces at least one fold in said bodyfacing surface.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a polyolefin foam.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a compressed cellulosic sponge.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said resilient member has a Gurley stiffness ranging from about 1000 to about 11,000.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said resilient member has a Gurley stiffness of from about 1500 to about 9,000.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said resilient member has a width ranging from about 3 millimeters to about 12 millimeters and a height of about 0.5 millimeters to about 8 millimeters.

7. The absorbent article of claim 6 wherein said resilient member has a width ranging from about 1 millimeters to about 6 millimeters.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said tensioning means is an elastomeric material.

9. The absorbent article of claim 8 wherein said elastomeric material is an elastic strip having a width ranging from about 1.5 millimeters to about 8 millimeters.

10. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said elastic strip is superposed over a portion of said resilient member.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a flexure-resistance of less than about 700 grams.

12. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a flexure-resistance of less than about 400 grams.

13. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a caliper of less than about 5 millimeters.

14. An absorbent article having a longitudinal side, an outer perimeter, a bodyfacing surface and a garment-facing surface, said absorbent article comprising:

a) a liquid-permeable cover disposed proximate said bodyfacing surface;

b) a liquid-impermeable baffle disposed proximate said garment-facing surface;

c) an absorbent positioned intermediate said cover and said baffle, said absorbent having an outer periphery disposed inward from said outer perimeter;

d) a resilient member encircling said absorbent and positioned between said outer perimeter and said outer periphery; and

e) tensioning means for imparting an arcuate configuration to said absorbent article, said tensioning means being secured to a portion of said resilient member, and said absorbent article having a flexure-resistance of less than about 700 grams and a caliper of less than about 5 millimeters.

15. The absorbent article of claim 14 wherein said resilient member is a polyolefin foam having a resiliency of from about 15 percent to about 60 percent.

16. The absorbent article of claim 15 wherein said polyolefin foam has a width ranging from about 3 millimeters to about 8 millimeters.

17. The absorbent article of claim 14 wherein said tensioning means is an elastic strip having a width ranging from about 1.5 millimeters to about 8 millimeters.

18. A sanitary napkin having a longitudinal side, an outer perimeter, a bodyfacing surface and a garment-facing surface, said sanitary napkin comprising:

a) a liquid-permeable cover disposed proximate said bodyfacing surface;

b) a liquid-impermeable baffle disposed proximate said garment-facing surface;

c) an absorbent positioned intermediate said cover and said baffle, said absorbent having an outer periphery disposed inward from said outer perimeter;

d) a polyolefin foam resilient member encircling said absorbent; and

e) tensioning means for imparting an arcuate configuration to said sanitary napkin, said tensioning means including an elastic strip secured to said resilient member, said absorbent article having a flexure-resistance of less than about 300 grams and a caliper of less than about 5 millimeters, wherein said tensioning member produces at least one fold in said bodyfacing surface.