Extensible absorbent articles
First Claim
1. An extensible absorbent article for wearing in the crotch region of an undergarment and extending with the crotch region of said undergarment, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, an initial length, a liquid pervious side, a liquid impervious side, and an absorbent component positioned between said liquid pervious side and said liquid impervious side said absorbent component having end edges, wherein said absorbent article is capable of extension along said longitudinal centerline of greater than or equal to about 110% of its initial length when subjected to a force of less than or equal to about 1,000 grams and at least a portion of the extension is provided by at least a portion of the absorbent article located longitudinally inboard of the end edges of the absorbent component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins worn by women. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent articles, such as thin sanitary napkins, that are extensible, especially in the longitudinal direction.
199 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An extensible absorbent article for wearing in the crotch region of an undergarment and extending with the crotch region of said undergarment, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, an initial length, a liquid pervious side, a liquid impervious side, and an absorbent component positioned between said liquid pervious side and said liquid impervious side said absorbent component having end edges, wherein said absorbent article is capable of extension along said longitudinal centerline of greater than or equal to about 110% of its initial length when subjected to a force of less than or equal to about 1,000 grams and at least a portion of the extension is provided by at least a portion of the absorbent article located longitudinally inboard of the end edges of the absorbent component.
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2. An extensible absorbent article for wearing in the crotch region of an undergarment and extending with the crotch region of said undergarment, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, an initial length, a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side margins, a liquid pervious side, a liquid impervious side, and an absorbent component positioned between said liquid pervious side and said liquid impervious side, said absorbent component having end edges, wherein said absorbent article is free of elastic strands in its longitudinal side margins, and is capable of extension along said longitudinal centerline of greater than or equal to about 110% of its initial length when subjected to a force of less than or equal to about 1,000 grams and at least a portion of the extension is provided by at least a portion of the absorbent article located longitudinally inboard of the end edges of the absorbent component.
- 3. An extensible absorbent article for attaching to and wearing in the crotch region of an undergarment and extending with the crotch region of said undergarment, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, an initial length, a liquid pervious side, a liquid impervious side, and an absorbent component positioned between said liquid pervious side and said liquid impervious side said absorbent component having end edges, wherein said absorbent article is capable of extension along said longitudinal centerline of greater than or equal to about 110% of its initial length when subjected to a force of less than or equal to about 1,000 grams and at least a portion of the extension is provided by at least a portion of the absorbent article located longitudinally inboard of the end edges of the absorbent component.
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22. An extensible absorbent article for wearing in the crotch region of an undergarment and extending with the crotch region of said undergarment, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, an original length, a maximum extended length along said longitudinal centerline when subjected to 1,000 grams of tensile forces, a recovered length, a liquid pervious side, a liquid impervious side, and an absorbent component positioned between said liquid pervious side and said liquid impervious side, said absorbent component having end edges, said absorbent article being capable of extending at least about 120% of its original length, wherein when said absorbent article is subjected to tensile forces to extend said absorbent article along its longitudinal centerline to:
- (a) its maximum extended length at 1,000 grams, or (b) 120% of its original length, whichever is greater, and said tensile forces are removed, said absorbent article, if extended to its maximum extended length, recovers from (a)(i) its maximum extended length toward its recovered length (a)(ii) a distance of its maximum extended length less 10% its original length, or if extended to 120% of its original length, recovers to 110% of its original length at a rate of recovery of less than or equal to about 40 cm./second, and at least a portion of the extension is provided by at least a portion of the absorbent article located longitudinally inboard of the end edges of the absorbent component.
- View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
Specification