Absorbent article

• US 6,458,113 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Kashiwagi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette
• Application Number:
  US09/791,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 604/358, 604/359-385, 604/385.03, 604/385.01, 604/385.04, 604/385-7-3, 604/385.22, 604/385-3-3, 604/397, 604/398-402, 604/317-357, 226/7, 226/8
• US Class Current: 604/385.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47218 with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4753 the barrier being not integral with the topsheet or backsheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/539 characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers

Abstract

There is disclosed an absorbent article including: a support body for confronting an external wear; a liquid absorbing member positioned on the liquid-receiving side of the support body; two side wall sheets disposed on two sides of the support body lying opposite one another in the widthwise direction, the side wall sheets being separated from one another in the widthwise direction and being longitudinally attached at their root ends to the support body; and a connecting sheet connecting the two side wall sheets. The side wall sheets are individually subjected to elastic shrinking forces in the longitudinal direction for shrinking to raise the free ends thereof from the support body to the liquid-receiving side, and the liquid absorbing member is supported by the connecting sheet so that the liquid absorbing member is movable over the support body while being unattached directly to the support body.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a support body for confronting an external wear;

a liquid absorbing member positioned on the liquid-receiving side of said support body;

two side wall sheets disposed on two sides of said support body lying opposite one another in the widthwise direction, the side wall sheets being separated from one another in the widthwise direction and being longitudinally attached at their root ends to said support body; and

a connecting sheet connecting said two side wall sheets,

wherein said side wall sheets are individually subjected to elastic shrinking forces in the longitudinal direction for shrinking to raise the free ends thereof from said support body to the liquid-receiving side, and said liquid absorbing member is supported by said connecting sheet so that said liquid absorbing member is movable over said support body while being unattached directly to said support body.

2. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said connecting sheet has a stretchability in the longitudinal direction.

3. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said liquid absorbing member includes an absorbent core and a liquid-permeable sheet covering at least the liquid-receiving side surface of said absorbent core, and is attached to the liquid-receiving side surface of said connecting sheet.

4. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said connecting sheet is liquid-permeable, and said liquid absorbing member is attached to the support body-facing side surface of said connecting sheet.

5. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein longitudinal front and rear end portions of said side wall sheets are wholly attached to said support body to exert forces to curve said support body in the longitudinal direction so that the liquid-receiving side is recessed.

6. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said side wall sheets are formed with corrugations repeated in the longitudinal direction for exhibiting the elastic shrinking forces in the longitudinal direction.

7. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein elastic members are attached to said side wall sheets for exhibiting the elastic shrinking forces in the longitudinal direction.

8. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 7,

wherein each side wall sheet is provided with a plurality of elastic members extending in the longitudinal direction and arranged at a spacing therebetween from the root end to the free end.

9. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said side wall sheets extend in a zigzag shape or a corrugated shape from the root ends to the free ends.

10. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said connecting sheet is attached to said side wall sheets respectively at a position between the free end and the root end, and

wherein said side wall sheets are extended at their free ends farther toward the liquid-receiving side than the attached portions to said connecting sheet so that leakage preventing cuffs are formed of the extensions of said side wall sheets from said attached portions.

11. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 10,

wherein elastic members are attached to the free ends of said side wall sheets for exhibiting elastic shrinking forces in the longitudinal direction.

12. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1,

wherein another absorbent member is provided on said support body to confront said liquid absorbing member supported by said connecting sheet.

13. An absorbent article comprising:

a support body for confronting an external wear;

a liquid absorbing member positioned on the liquid-receiving side of said support body; and

a side wall sheet having two side portions and a central portion therebetween in the widthwise direction, the side wall sheet connecting two side portions of said support body lying opposite one another in the widthwise direction, with its two side portions being individually attached to the two side portions of said support body but with its central portion being unattached to said support body,

wherein said side wall sheet is subjected to an elastic shrinking force in the longitudinal direction for shrinking to separate its central portion from said support body to the liquid-receiving side, and said liquid absorbing member is supported by the central portion of said side wall sheet so that said liquid absorbing member is movable over said support body while being unattached directly to said support body.

14. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein said side wall sheet has a stretchability in the longitudinal direction.

15. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein said liquid absorbing member includes an absorbent core and a liquid-permeable sheet covering at least the liquid-receiving side surface of said absorbent core, and is attached to the liquid-receiving side surface of the central portion of said side wall sheet.

16. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein said side wall sheet is liquid-permeable, and said liquid absorbing member is attached to the support body-facing side surface of the central portion of said side wall sheet.

17. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein longitudinal front and rear end portions of said side wall sheet are wholly attached to said support body to exert a force to curve said support body in the longitudinal direction so that the liquid-receiving side is recessed.

18. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein said side wall sheet is formed with corrugations repeated in the longitudinal direction for exhibiting the elastic shrinking force in the longitudinal direction.

19. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein elastic members are attached to said side wall sheet for exhibiting. the elastic shrinking force in the longitudinal direction.

20. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 19,

wherein each side portion of the side wall sheet is provided with a plurality of elastic members extending in the longitudinal direction and arranged at a spacing therebetween toward the central portion of the side wall sheet.

21. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein the side portions of said side wall sheet extend in a zigzag shape or a corrugated shape toward the central portion of the side wall sheet.

22. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein leakage preventing cuffs are provided on two widthwise sides of said liquid absorbing member to rise toward the liquid-receiving side.

23. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 13,

wherein another absorbent member is provided on said support body to confront said liquid absorbing member supported by the central portion of said side wall sheet.