Disposable menstrual Panty

• US 6,240,569 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Gompel, Paul Theodore, Suprise, Jody Dorothy, Gross, Jacqueline Ann, Rajala, Gregory John, Suke, Paul Daniel, Rasmussen, Shelley Rae, Mitchler, Patricia Ann, Schrading, Mark Scott, Damico, Joyce Ann, Lingnowski, Veronica Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Hale, Gloria M.
• Application Number:
  US08/745,303
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 211/1, 211/2, 240/0, 240/1, 240/2, 240/3, 240/4, 240/5, 240/6, 240/7, 240/8, 604/385.1, 604/385.2, 604/395, 604/396
• US Class Current: 2/400
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/496 in the form of pants or briefs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/505 with separable parts, e.g. combination of disposable and reusable parts, A61F13/20, A61F13/49003 take precedence; supporting or fastening means A61F13/56; belts or the like A61F13/64
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/72 with endless waist encircling band, e.g. panty type

Abstract

A three dimensional disposable panty for holding a sanitary pad. The panty may have elasticized leg and waist openings and be stretchable about the hip and stomach regions of a user. The panty provides backup leakage protection to the sanitary pad. The panty includes an absorbent barrier composite positioned in the crotch area and extending into the body of the disposable panty front and back and over the leg elastics to trap pad leakage inside the pant and prevent liquid strike through onto outer clothing and bed linen.

Claims

1. A disposable panty, comprising:

(a) an outer cover having front and back body portions connected by a crotch portion, a transverse centerline extending between said front and back body portions, said front and back body portions being joined to thereby form first and second leg openings, each leg opening having an edge thereabout, including a front edge portion defining the respective leg opening along the front body portion and a first part of the crotch portion, and a back edge portion defining the respective leg opening along the back body portion and a second part of the crotch portion, said back edge portion having a length, and, in a flat blank therefore, extending rearwardly from said crotch portion, along an essentially linear path over a majority of the length of the back edge portion; and

(b) an absorbent barrier composite mounted to overlie said crotch portion.

2. The disposable panty of claim 1 wherein said absorbent barrier composite is generally confined to said crotch portion, and areas extending generally longitudinally from said crotch portion toward said front and back body portions.

3. The disposable panty of claim 1, said crotch portion having a width, said absorbent barrier composite comprising an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, and being mounted to said outer cover across the width of said crotch portion.

4. The disposable panty of claim 3 wherein said secondary absorbent comprises a support layer and an absorbent rich layer.

5. The disposable panty of claim 3, the thickness of said secondary absorbent at a center portion of said crotch being substantially the same as corresponding thicknesses of said secondary absorbent at opposing outer edges of said crotch portion.

6. The disposable panty of claim 2 wherein said absorbent barrier composite covers portions of at least one of said front and back body portions.

7. The disposable panty of claim 3 wherein said secondary absorbent has a total absorbent capacity of less than about 6 grams of liquidous exudates.

8. The disposable panty of claim 1, said crotch portion having a width, said absorbent barrier composite comprising a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent having an essentially uniform thickness across the width of said crotch portion.

9. The disposable panty of claim 8, said absorbent barrier composite including an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, and having a stiffness of less than about 400 grams.

10. The disposable panty of claim 1, said length comprising a first length, the front edge portion having a second length, a majority of the second length of the front edge portion being essentially linear.

11. The disposable panty of claim 10, said outer cover carrying at least one waist elastic around said waist opening and thereby forming a gather around the waist, said outer cover further carrying at least one body elastic around said front and back body portions such that said body elastic can stretch in the circumferential direction when said disposable panty is put on, and retract about the body of the wearer when released, to thereby closely conform said body elastic to the shape of the body of the wearer.

12. The disposable panty of claim 11, said body elastic about said disposable panty providing retractive forces, effective about the circumference of said disposable panty, between said waist opening and said leg openings, to thereby provide retractive forces distributed generally uniformly about said disposable panty between said waist opening and said leg openings effective to conform said front and back body portions to the shape of the body of the wearer between said waist elastic and said leg openings.

13. A disposable panty as in claim 1, said length of said back edge portion comprising a first length, each said front edge portion of the respective leg openings having a second length, a majority of the second length of the respective said front edge portion being linear.

14. The disposable panty of claim 13, said crotch portion having a width, said absorbent barrier composite being mounted to said outer cover across the width of said crotch portion, and generally overlying the entirety of said crotch portion.

15. The disposable panty of claim 13, said absorbent barrier composite having an essentially uniform thickness, and a flexibility of less than about 400 grams.

16. A disposable panty as in claim 1, said linear portion of said back edge portion forming an angle of about 50 degrees to about 65 degrees to a longitudinal centerline running through said disposable panty.

17. A disposable panty as in claim 16, said front edge portion having a second length, a substantial part of the length of said front edge portion being linear, said linear portion forming an angle with the longitudinal centerline of said panty of from about 75 degrees to about 110 degrees.

19. The disposable panty of claim 17 wherein the linear part of said front edge portion of said leg opening is essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of said disposable panty.

20. The disposable panty of claim 1 wherein said secondary absorbent comprises a support layer and an absorbent rich layer.

21. The disposable panty of claim 16, said absorbent barrier composite having a flexibility of less than about 400 grams, said absorbent barrier composite including an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent.

22. The disposable panty of claim 21 wherein said secondary absorbent has a stiffness of less than about 250 grams.

18. The disposable panty of claim wherein said linear portion of said back edge portion of said leg opening in said back body portion of said disposable panty forms an angle of about 55 degrees with the longitudinal centerline of said panty.

23. A disposable panty, comprising:

(a) an outer cover having front and back body portions connected by a crotch portion, said crotch portion having a width, said front and back body portions being joined to each other to thereby form a waist opening and two leg openings; and

(b) an absorbent barrier composite mounted over said outer cover across the width of said crotch portion, said absorbent barrier composite having a generally uniform thickness, and having a limited capacity for absorbing no more than about 6 grams of liquidous exudates.

24. The disposable panty of claim 23, said absorbent barrier composite having an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent comprising a support layer and an absorbent rich layer.

25. The disposable panty of claim 24 wherein said absorbent rich layer comprises pulp.

26. The disposable panty of claim 23 wherein said absorbent barrier composite is generally confined to an area of said disposable panty in and adjacent said crotch portion.

27. The disposable panty of claim 26 wherein said absorbent barrier composite covers a portion of at least one of said front and back body portions.

28. The disposable panty of claim 23 wherein said absorbent barrier composite is generally confined to said crotch portion, and areas extending generally longitudinally from said crotch portion toward said front and back body portions.

29. The disposable panty of claim 23, said absorbent barrier composite including an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, and having a stiffness of less than about 400 grams.

30. The disposable panty of claim 23, said outer cover carrying at least one waist elastic around said waist opening and thereby forming a gather around the waist, said outer cover further carrying at least one body elastic around said front and back body portions such that said body elastic can stretch in the circumferential direction when said disposable panty is put on, and retract about the body of the wearer when released, said body elastic providing retractive forces, effective about the circumference of said disposable panty, between said waist opening and said leg openings, to thereby conform said body elastic to the shape of the body of the wearer.

31. The disposable panty of claim 23, said crotch portion having a width, said absorbent barrier composite being mounted to said outer cover across the width of said crotch portion, and generally overlying the entirety of said crotch portion.

32. A disposable panty adapted to receive a primary absorbent, said primary absorbent having a liquid permeable inner sheet, a liquid impermeable outer sheet and an absorbent member disposed therebetween, said disposable panty comprising:

a) an outer cover having front and back body portions connected by a crotch portion, said crotch portion having a width, said front and back body portions connected together to form a waist opening and two leg openings;

b) an absorbent barrier composite mounted over said outer cover across the width of said crotch portion, to which said primary absorbent is attached and which, in use, holds said primary absorbent against the body of a user, said absorbent barrier composite having a flexibility of less than about 400 grams as determined by a peak bending stiffness.

33. The disposable panty of claim 32, said absorbent barrier composite including an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent comprising a support layer and an absorbent rich layer.

34. The disposable panty of claim 32, wherein said absorbent barrier composite is generally confined to said crotch portion, and areas extending generally longitudinally from said crotch portion.

35. The disposable panty of claim 32, said absorbent barrier composite including an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, the thickness of said secondary absorbent at a center portion of said crotch portion being substantially the same as corresponding thicknesses of said secondary absorbent at opposing outer edges of said crotch portion.

36. The disposable panty of claim 32, said absorbent barrier composite comprising a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent having an essentially uniform thickness across the width of said crotch portion.

37. A disposable panty, comprising:

(a) an outer cover having front and back body portions connected by a crotch portion, said crotch portion having a width, said front and back body portions being joined to each other to thereby form a waist opening and two leg openings;

(b) leg elastic positioned on said outer cover to form a gather around each said leg opening; and

(c) an absorbent barrier composite mounted over said outer cover and said leg elastic across the width of said crotch portion.

38. The disposable panty of claim 37, said absorbent barrier composite extending to the edge of said crotch portion.

39. The disposable panty of claim 37, said absorbent barrier composite including an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent comprising a support layer and an absorbent rich layer.

40. The disposable panty of claim 37, said absorbent barrier composite comprising a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent having an essentially uniform thickness across the width of said crotch portion.

41. The disposable panty of claim 37, said absorbent barrier composite having a stiffness of less than about 400 grams as determined by a peak bending stiffness.

42. A disposable panty adapted to receive a primary absorbent, said primary absorbent having a liquid permeable inner sheet, a liquid impermeable outer sheet and an absorbent member disposed therebetween, said disposable panty comprising:

a) an outer cover having front and back body portions connected by a crotch portion, said crotch portion having a width, said front and back body portions connected together to form a waist opening and two leg openings;

b) an absorbent barrier composite mounted over said outer cover across the width of said crotch portion, to which said primary absorbent is attached and which, in use, holds said primary absorbent against the body of a user, said absorbent barrier composite having an impervious layer and a secondary absorbent, said secondary absorbent having a uniform thickness over the central portion of said crotch portion.

45. The disposable panty of claim 42, said absorbent barrier composite having a stiffness of less than about 400 grams.

43. The disposable panty of 42, said secondary absorbent comprising a support layer and an absorbent rich layer.

44. The disposable panty of 43, said secondary absorbent being in surface-to-surface relationship with said primary absorbent.