Absorbent article having a body-accommodating absorbent core

• US 6,160,197 A
• Filed: 10/16/1996
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lassen, Frederich Oma, Anton, Jane Marilyn, Chmielewski-Larsen, Linda Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Polutta, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US08/733,090
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 604/358, 604/378, 604/385.1, 604/385.2, 604/394, 604/396, 604/386, 604/387, 604/379, 604/380, 604/385.01, 604/385.03
• US Class Current: 604/358
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47218 with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47245 with asymmetry around the x or y axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/532 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/455 having a "W" shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4568 three-dimensional; with split absorbent core
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4581 with absorbent core in separated pieces

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.

Claims

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.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein said first, second, and third flexure 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 a W-shared configuration.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein said first axis comprises a channel forming a pocket in a direction of said Z-axis to receive body fluids.

4. The absorbent article of claim 3, wherein said channel forming said pocket has an U-shaped configuration.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1, further comprising a transfer layer positioned intermediate said cover and said absorbent core.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein said second and third flexure axes are laterally spaced from said first flexure axis a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

7. The absorbent article of claim 6, wherein said second flexure axis has a plurality of slits therealong, wherein each slit of said plurality of slits along said second flexure axis is spaced apart from an adjacent slit of said plurality of slits along said second flexure axis by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters.

8. 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 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.

9. The absorbent article of claim 8, wherein when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces during use of said absorbent article, said absorbent core preferentially bends upwardly along said first flexure axis, and said absorbent core being characterized by W-shaped anterior and posterior regions and a central region having said first and second portions bent upwardly along said first flexure axis toward a body of a wearer to form a convex configuration having an apex and wherein said second and third absorbent members remain substantially flat.

10. The absorbent article of claim 8, wherein said absorbent core has a central region and a posterior region, and when said absorbent article is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said central region preferentially bends upwardly toward said cover forming an inverted V-shaped configuration with an apex, said apex being adapted to fit a gluteal groove of a wearer when said absorbent article is worn by the wearer thereof.

11. The absorbent article of claim 8, further comprising a transfer layer positioned intermediate said cover and said absorbent core.

12. The absorbent article of claim 8, wherein said absorbent core further includes second and third distinct absorbent members oriented longitudinally of said absorbent article and positioned laterally adjacent, but spaced from, respective ones of said longitudinal outer boundaries of said first and second portions of said absorbent core, said second and third members each having an inner surface spaced from a respective said longitudinal outer boundary of said first and second portions, respectively, by a distance of about 3 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein said second and third members have predetermined thicknesses and are spaced from respective said longitudinal outer boundaries of said first and second portions by distances at least equal to said predetermined thickness of any one of said second and third members.

14. The absorbent article of claim 11, further including a second absorbent layer positioned between said absorbent core and said baffle.

15. The absorbent article of claim 8, wherein said plurality of slits along said second and third flexure axes are spaced laterally from said first flexure axis by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

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:

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.

17. The absorbent core of claim 16, wherein each slit of said plurality of slits is spaced laterally from said first flexure axis by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

18. The absorbent core of claim 16, wherein said slits extend through about 75 percent of respective said first and second portions.

19. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axis, said absorbent article comprising:

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.

20. The absorbent article of claim 19, wherein said longitudinal outer boundaries of said first and second portions are spaced from said second and third members, respectively, by a distance substantially equal to said predetermined thickness of said absorbent core.

21. The absorbent article of claim 19, wherein said second flexure axis includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits.

22. The absorbent article of claim 21, wherein each slit of said plurality of slits along said second flexure axis is spaced from an adjacent slit along a length of said second flexure axis by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters.