Absorbent article having a body-accommodating absorbent core
First Claim
1. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:
- a liquid permeable cover;
a liquid impermeable baffle; and
an absorbent core having a predetermined length along said Y-axis and a predetermined thickness along said Z-axis, wherein said absorbent core is positioned between said cover and said baffle, and wherein said absorbent core includes a first flexure axis which is vertically oriented along said Y-axis and which runs longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core, said central portion comprising a relatively lower density region of said absorbent core, extending alone and outwardly from the y-axis toward a relatively higher density region of said absorbent core, said relatively lower density region having a density of from about 20 percent to about 75 percent of the density of the relatively higher density region;
at least one slit in said absorbent core along said first flexure axis, wherein said at least one slit extends along said predetermined length of said absorbent core, and extends through at least about 3% up to no more than 99% of said predetermined thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said at least one slit forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of said Z-axis of said absorbent article to allow for rapid absorption of such body fluids;
said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending from the first flexure axis, wherein said first portion has a second flexure axis which runs longitudinally along said absorbent core, and wherein said second portion has a third flexure axis which runs longitudinally along said absorbent core, said second and third flexure axes being positioned laterally adjacent and spaced from said first flexure axis, whereby said first, second, and third flexural axes allow said absorbent core to preferentially bend upwardly, in a convex configuration toward said cover, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, substantially forming an inverted V-shaped configuration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An absorbent article for absorbing body fluids is provided having an absorbent core positioned between a fluid-permeable cover and a fluid-impermeable baffle. The absorbent core includes a central, longitudinal flexure axis which substantially extends the length of the absorbent core. The central, longitudinal axis generally divides the absorbent core into first and second longitudinal members having an outer boundary and wherein the first member has a second flexure axis and the second member has a third flexure axis. Flanking the outer boundary of the first and second members are a third and a fourth longitudinal absorbent member, respectively. The third and fourth absorbent members are positioned so that, when said absorbent article is subjected to lateral compressive forces, the first and second members preferentially bend convexly upward, and said absorbent core generally acquires a "W" shaped configuration.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:
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a liquid permeable cover; a liquid impermeable baffle; and an absorbent core having a predetermined length along said Y-axis and a predetermined thickness along said Z-axis, wherein said absorbent core is positioned between said cover and said baffle, and wherein said absorbent core includes a first flexure axis which is vertically oriented along said Y-axis and which runs longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core, said central portion comprising a relatively lower density region of said absorbent core, extending alone and outwardly from the y-axis toward a relatively higher density region of said absorbent core, said relatively lower density region having a density of from about 20 percent to about 75 percent of the density of the relatively higher density region; at least one slit in said absorbent core along said first flexure axis, wherein said at least one slit extends along said predetermined length of said absorbent core, and extends through at least about 3% up to no more than 99% of said predetermined thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said at least one slit forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of said Z-axis of said absorbent article to allow for rapid absorption of such body fluids; said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending from the first flexure axis, wherein said first portion has a second flexure axis which runs longitudinally along said absorbent core, and wherein said second portion has a third flexure axis which runs longitudinally along said absorbent core, said second and third flexure axes being positioned laterally adjacent and spaced from said first flexure axis, whereby said first, second, and third flexural axes allow said absorbent core to preferentially bend upwardly, in a convex configuration toward said cover, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, substantially forming an inverted V-shaped configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:
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a liquid-permeable cover, a liquid-impermeable baffle; and an absorbent core having a predetermined length and a predetermined thickness and being positioned between said cover and said baffle, wherein said absorbent core includes a first flexure axis vertically oriented and extending longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core; a slit extending along said first flexure axis, wherein said slit extends along said predetermined length of said absorbent core, and extends through at least about 3% up to no more than 99% of said predetermined thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said slit forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of said Z-axis of said absorbent article to allow for rapid absorption of such body fluids; said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending from the first flexure axis, wherein each of said first and second portions has a longitudinal outer boundary, said first portion having a second flexure axis which runs longitudinally of said absorbent core, and said second portion having a third flexure axis which runs longitudinally of said absorbent core, said second and third flexure axes being positioned laterally adjacent and spaced from the first flexure axis; in combination, a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits extending along said second and third flexure axes, and uncut portions of said absorbent core between respective ones of said slits, wherein each slit of said plurality of slits on said second flexure axis is spaced from an adjacent slit by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters whereby said first and second portions of said absorbent core have unslit regions thereof which extend from said first flexure axis to respective said longitudinal outer boundaries, which unslit regions have relatively uniform thicknesses, and wherein when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said first and second portions preferentially bend convexly upwardly. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An absorbent core having a body-facing surface, a predetermined length, and a predetermined thickness, wherein said absorbent core is oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent core comprising:
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a first flexure axis which is vertically oriented along said Y-axis and extending longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core; a slit along said first flexure axis, wherein said slit extends along said predetermined length of said absorbent core, and extends through at least about 3% up to no more than 99% of said predetermined thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said slit forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of said Z-axis of said absorbent article to allow for rapid absorption of such body fluids; said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending from the first flexure axis, wherein said first and second portions each have a longitudinal outer boundary, said first portion having a second flexure axis which is vertically oriented, and said second portion having a third flexure axis which is vertically oriented, said second and third flexure axes each including a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits in combination with uncut portions of said absorbent core between respective ones of the slits, each slit of said plurality of slits along said second flexure axis being spaced from an adjacent slit along a length of said second flexure axis by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters whereby said first and second portions of said absorbent core have unslit regions thereof which extend from said first flexure axis to respective said longitudinal outer boundaries, which unslit regions have relatively uniform thicknesses, and wherein when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said absorbent core generally acquires a generally W-shaped configuration. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axis, said absorbent article comprising:
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liquid-permeable cover, a liquid-impermeable baffle; and an absorbent core having a predetermined length and a predetermined thickness and being positioned between said cover and said baffle, wherein said absorbent core includes a first flexure axis which is vertically oriented and which extends longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core; a slit extending along said first flexure axis, wherein said slit extends along said predetermined length of said absorbent core, and extends through about 3% up to no more than 99% of said predetermined thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said slit forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of said Z-axis of said absorbent article to allow for rapid absorption of such body fluids; said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending from the first flexure axis, wherein each of said first and second portions has a longitudinal outer boundary, said first portion has a second flexure axis which runs in a direction of said Y-axis, and said second portion has a third flexure axis which runs in a direction of said Y-axis, said second and third flexure axes being positioned laterally adjacent and spaced from the first flexure axis; second and third distinct absorbent members laterally spaced from respective said longitudinal outer boundaries of said first and second portions while said article is at rest, by a distance ranging from about 3 millimeters to about 25 millimeters such that when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said first and second members preferentially bend convexly upwardly. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification