Body exudates absorbent article having exposed zone of alternating troughs or crests

• US 6,375,644 B2
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Mizutani, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIDWELL, MICHELE M
• Application Number:
  US09/324,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 604/378, 604/385.01, 604/379, 604/385.101, 604/395, 604/380, 604/358, 604/385.17, 604/385.21, 604/385.22, 604/385.23, 604/386, 604/387
• US Class Current: 604/385.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51104 the top sheet having a three-dimensional cross-section, e.g. corrugations, embossments, recesses or projections

Abstract

A body exudates absorbent article including a liquid-absorbent core having transversely opposite side edges extending in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction of the article, a liquid-pervious topsheet covering an upper surface of the core and a liquid-impervious backsheet covering a lower surface of the core, the topsheet being formed in a zone covering the core with a plurality of alternating troughs and crests continuously undulating in a transverse direction of the article and these troughs and the crests extending in the longitudinal direction, and thereby maintaining an initial soft elasity of the topsheet.

Claims

1. A body exudates absorbent article comprising:

a liquid-absorbent core having transversely opposite side edges extending in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction;

a liquid-pervious topsheet covering an upper surface of said liquid-absorbent core; and

a liquid-impervious backsheet covering a lower surface of said liquid-absorbent core,

said liquid-pervious topsheet and said liquid-impervious backsheet having inner surfaces that are bonded to one another along portions thereof that extend outward beyond longitudinally opposite ends of said liquid-absorbent core and outward beyond opposite side edges of said liquid-absorbent core,

said liquid-pervious topsheet being formed in a zone covering said liquid-absorbent core with a plurality of alternating troughs and hollow crests continuously undulating in a transverse direction of said article and said troughs and hollow crests extending in said longitudinal direction,

said liquid-absorbent core and said liquid-pervious topsheet being bonded to each other along a pair of compressed grooves which extend in said longitudinal direction in proximity to said transversely opposite side edges of said liquid-absorbent core,

an upper surface of said liquid-pervious topsheet being covered with a barrier cover sheet which is formed in a zone corresponding to a central zone of said liquid-absorbent core with a longitudinal larger opening through which said troughs and said hollow crests of said liquid-pervious topsheet are exposed, said pair of compressed grooves lying in proximity to lateral side edges of said opening.

2. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein a height as measured from a bottom of each said troughs to an apex of each said hollow crests is in a range of about 1.5 to about 10.0 mm and a distance between pairs of adjacent ones of said hollow crests is in a range of about 1.0 to 15.0 mm.

3. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein a transversely middle zone of said liquid-absorbent core is configured to be higher than a peripheral zone of said liquid-absorbent core.

4. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein transversely opposite side edges of said barrier cover sheet are folded back onto said liquid-impervious backsheet and bonded to an outer surface of said liquid-impervious backsheet.

5. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein a pocket is formed between said liquid-pervious topsheet and said barrier cover sheet along a periphery of said opening.

6. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said pair of compressed grooves lie inside the lateral side edges of said opening.

7. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said pair of compressed grooves and the lateral side edges of said opening are convexly curved toward a middle of said liquid-absorbent core.

8. A body exudates absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein said troughs and said hollow crests are formed only in said transversely middle zone of said liquid-absorbent core which is configured to be higher than the peripheral zone of said liquid-absorbent core.