Absorbent article

• US 6,471,682 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• 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): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grayson, Angela J
• Application Number:
  US09/791,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.27, 604/385.16, 604/385.01, 604/378, 604/385.31
• US Class Current: 604/385.27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47263 with activating means, e.g. elastic, heat or chemical activatable means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49019 the elastic means being placed longitudinally, transversely or diagonally over the article

Abstract

There is disclosed an absorbent article including: a liquid absorbing member having an absorbent core; a support body positioned on the lower side of the liquid absorbing member; and an elastic member for supporting the liquid absorbing member. The elastic member extends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article and is fixed at its front and rear end portions on the support body. The elastic member is positioned at the widthwise central portion of the absorbent article. The support body is bent in the longitudinal direction by the tension of the elastic member, and the liquid absorbing member is deformed to bulge at its widthwise central portion away from the support body by the central elastic member.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a liquid absorbing member including an absorbent core and a liquid-permeable sheet covering a liquid-receiving side of said absorbent core;

a support body positioned on a lower side of said liquid absorbing member; and

at least three elastic members for supporting said liquid absorbing member, each extending in a longitudinal direction of said absorbent article and being fixed at its front and rear end portions on said support body, one of said three elastic members being positioned at a widthwise central portion of said absorbent article, and

wherein the front and rear fixed portions between said central elastic member and said support body are positioned longitudinally outwardly of those between remaining elastic members and said support body,

whereby said support body is bent in the longitudinal direction by tensions of said elastic members, and said liquid absorbing member is deformed to bulge at its widthwise central portion away from said support body by said central elastic member.

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

wherein said absorbent core is supported by said central elastic member and said remaining elastic members.

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

wherein said absorbent core is supported by said central elastic member whereas said liquid-permeable sheet is supported by said remaining elastic members.

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

wherein said central elastic member has a higher shrinking tension than that of said remaining elastic members.

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

wherein said support body includes a second absorbent core positioned on the lower side of said absorbent core of said liquid absorbing member.

6. An absorbent article comprising:

a support body;

an absorbent core positioned on the liquid-receiving side of said support body;

an elastic member for supporting a widthwise central portion of said absorbent core, the elastic member extending in a longitudinal direction of said absorbent article having front and rear end portions which are fixed on said support body; and

a liquid-permeable sheet covering said absorbent core and extended outwardly of said absorbent core in a widthwise direction, extended portions of which are attached to said support body directly or through an auxiliary sheet rising from said support body,

whereby said support body is bent in the longitudinal direction by a tension of said elastic member, and said absorbent core is deformed to bulge at its widthwise central portion away from said support body by said elastic member.

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

wherein elastic members extending in the longitudinal direction of said absorbent article are attached to the extended portions of said liquid-permeable sheet and/or said auxiliary sheet, and fixed at their front and rear end portions to said support body.

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

wherein the extended portions of said liquid-permeable sheet and/or said-auxiliary sheet are given an elastically shrinking force in the widthwise direction of said absorbent article.

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

wherein said support body includes a second absorbent core positioned below said absorbent core supported by said elastic member.

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

wherein the front and rear fixed portions between said elastic member supporting the widthwise central portion of said absorbent core and said support body are positioned longitudinally outwardly of those between said elastic members attached to the extended portions of said liquid-permeable sheet and/or said auxiliary sheet and said support body.

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

wherein said elastic member supporting the widthwise central portion of said absorbent core has a higher shrinking tension than that of said elastic members attached to the extended portions of said liquid-permeable sheet and/or said auxiliary sheet.