Absorbent article having good body fit under dynamic conditions

• US 6,503,233 B1
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindsay, Jeffrey D., Chen, Fung-jou, DiPalma, Joseph, Bednarz, Julie M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOGART, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US09/165,871
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.01, 604/378, 604/385.23, 604/379, 604/380, 604/381
• US Class Current: 604/385.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47218 with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47227 for interlabial use
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47263 with activating means, e.g. elastic, heat or chemical activatable means

Abstract

An absorbent article with improved body fit wherein a combination of downward-deflecting crease lines and an upward-deflecting shaping line are used in outer and central absorbent members, respectively, to achieve a form-fitting geometry in the crotch region while also enhancing control over fluid flow in the article. Embodiments with wicking barriers between the outer and central absorbent members are especially useful in achieving leakage reduction.

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a crotch region and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:

a) a liquid impervious backsheet;

b) a liquid pervious topsheet attached to the backsheet;

c) an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core comprising;

a central absorbent member having a width in the crotch region and including a shaping line, and

an outer absorbent member having a width in the crotch region greater than the width of the central absorbent member in the crotch region,

the absorbent core further comprising at least two crease lines in the outer absorbent member or along the boundary between the central absorbent member and the outer absorbent member,

wherein the at least two crease lines and the shaping line each define a sudden change in material properties of the absorbent core so that e absorbent article is adapted to deflect in a direction away from the body along that least two crease lines and deflect in a direction toward the body side along the shaping line upon application of compressive forces laterally to the crotch region,

the absorbent article further comprising a wicking barrier between the central absorbent member and the outer absorbent member.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the wicking barrier comprises a flexible polymeric film between the central absorbent member and the outer absorbent member, the wicking barrier spanning a vertical distance in the absorbent core.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the wicking barrier comprises a horizontal component.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the wicking barrier comprises a vertical component along the crease lines.

5. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, a crotch region, and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:

a) an absorbent core having a body side surface, the absorbent core comprising;

an outer absorbent member having a central void open toward the body side of the article, and

a central absorbent member disposed over the central void of the outer absorbent member and extending at least partially into the void, the central absorbent member comprising a shaping line,

wherein the shaping line defines a sudden change in material properties of the absorbent core so that the absorbent article is adapted to deflect in a direction toward the body side along the shaping line upon application of compressive forces laterally to the crotch region; and

b) a wicking barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the wicking barrier comprising a vertical component spanning a vertical distance between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member.

6. The absorbent article of claim 5, the absorbent article further comprising a backsheet attached to the absorbent core.

7. The absorbent article of claim 5, the absorbent article further comprising a topsheet attached to the backsheet.

8. The absorbent article of claim 5, wherein the wicking barrier further comprises a horizontal component spanning a horizontal distance on the body side surface of the absorbent core.

9. The absorbent article of claim 5, wherein the central absorbent member further comprises longitudinal sides and the shaping line comprises a central longitudinal line and outward spanning lines extending from near the longitudinal centerline toward the longitudinal sides of the central absorbent member.

10. An absorbent article with a crotch region, a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal an d transverse directions, the absorbent article comprising:

a) art absorbent core comprising;

a central absorbent member, the central absorbent member comprising a shaping line, wherein the shaping line defines a sudden change in material properties of the absorbent core so that the absorbent article is adapted to deflect in a direction toward the body side along the shaping line upon application of compressive forces laterally to the crotch region, and

an outer shaping member, the outer shaping member having a central void defined therein for receiving at least a portion of the central absorbent member, whereby an interface is defined between the central absorbent member and the outer shaping member, the interface spanning a vertical distance, and

b) a wicking barrier disposed along the interface between the central absorbent member and the outer shaping member.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10, wherein the wicking barrier further comprises a horizontal component spanning a horizontal distance on the absorbent core.

12. An absorbent article having a crotch region and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:

a) a liquid impervious backsheet;

b) a liquid pervious topsheet attached to the backsheet;

c) an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core comprising;

a central absorbent member having a width in the crotch region and including a shaping line, and

an outer absorbent member having a width in the crotch region greater than the width of the central absorbent member in the crotch region,

the absorbent core further comprising at least to crease lines in the outer absorbent member or along the boundary between the central absorbent member and the outer absorbent member,

wherein the at least two crease lines and the shaping line each define a sudden change in material properties of the absorbent core so that the absorbent article is adapted to deflect in a direction away from the body along the at least two crease lines and deflect in a direction toward the body side along the shaping line upon application of compressive forces laterally to the crotch region, and

wherein the central absorbent member and the outer absorbent member define a vertical interface therebetween and wherein the absorbent article further comprises a wicking barrier disposed along at least a portion of the vertical interface.

13. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, a crotch region, and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:

a) an absorbent core having a body side surface, the absorbent core comprising;

an outer absorbent member having a central void open toward the body side of the article, and

a central absorbent member disposed over the central void of the outer absorbent member and extending at least partially into the void to define a vertical interface between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the central absorbent member comprising a shaping line,

wherein the shaping line defines a sudden change in material properties of the absorbent core so that the absorbent article is adapted to deflect in a direction toward the body side along the shaping line upon application of compressive forces laterally to the crotch region; and

b) a wicking barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the wicking barrier disposed at least in part along the vertical interface between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member.

14. An absorbent article with a crotch region, a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, the absorbent article comprising:

a) an absorbent core comprising;

a central absorbent member, the central absorbent member comprising a shaping line, wherein the shaping line defines a sudden change in material properties of the absorbent core so that the absorbent article is adapted to deflect in a direction toward the body side along the shaping line upon application of compressive forces laterally to the crotch region, and

an outer shaping member, the outer shaping member having a central void defined therein for receiving at least a portion of the central absorbent member to define a vertical interface between the central absorbent member and the outer shaping member, and

b) a wicking barrier disposed along at least a portion of the vertical interface between the central absorbent member and the outer shaping member.