Absorbent article having a body-accommodating absorbent core

• US 6,521,811 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2000
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lassen, Frederich Oma, Anton, Jane Marilyn, Chmielewski-Larsen, Linda Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIDWELL, MICHELE M
• Application Number:
  US09/668,725
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 604/358, 604/365, 604/367, 604/374, 604/377, 604/378, 604/379, 604/380, 604/385.01, 604/382, 604/385.03, 604/385.101
• US Class Current: 604/378
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47218 with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47245 with asymmetry around the x or y axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/532 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/455 having a "W" shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4568 three-dimensional; with split absorbent core
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4581 with absorbent core in separated pieces

Abstract

An absorbent article for absorbing body fluids is provided having an absorbent core positioned between a fluid-permeable cover and a fluid-impermeable baffle. The absorbent core includes a central, longitudinal flexure axis which substantially extends the length of the absorbent core. The central, longitudinal axis generally divides the absorbent core into first and second longitudinal members having an outer boundary and wherein the first member has a second flexure axis and the second member has a third flexure axis. Flanking the outer boundary of the first and second members are a third and a fourth longitudinal absorbent members, respectively. The third and fourth absorbent members are positioned so that, when said absorbent article is subjected to lateral compressive forces, the first and second members preferentially bend convexly upward, and said absorbent core generally acquires a “W” shaped configuration.

Claims

1. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:

(a) a liquid-permeable cover,

(b) a liquid-impermeable baffle;

(c) an absorbent core having a length and a thickness and being positioned between said cover and said baffle, wherein said absorbent core includes a first flexure axis which extends longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core along the Y-axis;

(d) a channel extending along the first flexure axis, along the length of said absorbent core, and extending through at least about 3% up to no more than 99% of the thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said channel forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of the Z-axis of said absorbent article to facilitate rapid absorption of such body fluids;

(e) said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending laterally from the first flexure axis, along the X-axis, wherein each of said first and second portions has a longitudinally-extending outer boundary, said first portion having a second flexure axis which extends longitudinally along said absorbent core, said second portion having a third flexure axis which extends longitudinally along said absorbent core, the second and third flexure axes being spaced from the first flexure axis; and

(f) in combination, a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits extending along the second and third flexure axes, and uncut portions of said absorbent core between respective ones of said slits, wherein ones of said slits on the second flexure axis are spaced from adjacent slits on the second flexure axis by distances of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters whereby said first and second portions of said absorbent core comprise unslit regions thereof which extend from the first flexure axis to respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second portions, and wherein, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said first and second portions preferentially bend convexly upwardly toward said cover, at the first flexure axis.

2. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said first and second portions preferentially bend convexly upwardly toward said cover at the first flexure axis, downwardly between the first flexure axis and the second and third flexure axes, and upwardly between the second and third flexure axes and the respective longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said absorbent core.

3. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein said absorbent core further includes second and third distinct absorbent members oriented longitudinally of said absorbent article along the Y-axis and positioned laterally adjacent, but spaced from, respective ones of said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second portions of said absorbent core, said second and third members each having an inner surface laterally adjacent, and spaced from, a respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundary of a respective said first or second portion, respectively, by a distance of about 3 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

4. An absorbent article as in claim 3 wherein said second and third members have corresponding first and second thicknesses and wherein said second and third members are spaced from respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second portions by distances at least equal to the respective first or second thickness of the respective one of said second and third members.

5. An absorbent article as in claim 3 wherein, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces during use of said absorbent article, said absorbent core preferentially bends upwardly at the first flexure axis.

6. An absorbent article as in claim 5 wherein said absorbent core preferentially bends downwardly away from the first flexure axis, whereby said absorbent core is characterized by a W-shaped configuration.

7. An absorbent article as in claim 5 wherein said absorbent core preferentially bends downwardly away from the first flexure axis, said absorbent core being characterized by W-shaped anterior and posterior regions, and a central region having said first and second portions bent upwardly along said first flexure axis toward a body of a wearer to form a convex configuration having an apex and wherein said second and third absorbent members remain substantially flat.

8. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein said absorbent core further includes second and third distinct absorbent members oriented longitudinally of said absorbent article along the Y-axis, said second and third members each having an inner surface laterally adjacent, and spaced from, a respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundary of a respective said first or second portion, respectively, by a distance of about 3 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

9. An absorbent article as in claim 1, further including a second absorbent layer positioned between said absorbent core and said baffle.

10. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of slits along the second and third flexure axes are spaced laterally from the first flexure axis by a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

11. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein said absorbent core has a central region and a posterior region, and wherein, when said absorbent article is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said central region preferentially bends upwardly toward said cover forming an inverted V-shaped configuration having an apex, said apex being adapted to fit a gluteal groove of a wearer.

12. An absorbent article as in claim 1, further comprising a transfer layer positioned intermediate said cover and said absorbent core.

13. An absorbent core having a body-facing surface, a predetermined length, and a predetermined thickness, said absorbent core having imaginary X-, Y-, and Z-axes, and comprising:

(a) a first flexure axis extending along the Y-axis and extending longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core;

(b) a channel extending along the first flexure axis, along the length of said absorbent core, and extending through at least about 3% up to no more than 99% of the thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said channel forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of the Z-axis of said absorbent article to facilitate rapid absorption of such body fluids; and

(c) said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending laterally from the first flexure axis, along the X-axis, wherein each of said first and second portions has a longitudinally-extending outer boundary, said first portion having a second flexure axis, said second portion having a third flexure axis, the second and third flexure axes each including a line defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits in combination with uncut portions of said absorbent core between respective ones of the slits, ones of said slits along said second flexure axis being spaced from adjacent slits on the second flexure axis along a length of said second flexure axis, by distances of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters whereby said first and second portions of said absorbent core comprise unslit regions thereof which extend from the first flexure axis to respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second portions, and wherein, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said absorbent core generally acquires a generally W-shaped configuration.

14. An absorbent core as in claim 13 wherein said plurality of slits are spaced laterally from said first flexure axis by distances of about 5 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

15. An absorbent core as in claim 13 wherein said slits extend through at least about 75 percent of respective said first and second portions.

16. An absorbent core as in claim 13 wherein said channel defines a pocket extending in a direction along the Z-axis to receive body fluids.

17. An absorbent core as in claim 16 wherein said pocket has an U-shaped configuration.

18. An absorbent article oriented along X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:

(a) a liquid-permeable cover,

(b) a liquid-impermeable baffle; and

(c) an absorbent core having a length and a thickness, and being positioned between said cover and said baffle, wherein said absorbent core includes a first flexure axis which extends longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core along the Y-axis;

(d) a channel extending along the first flexure axis, whereby said channel extends along the length of said absorbent core, and extends through about 3% up to no more than 99% of the thickness of said absorbent core, and wherein said channel forms a pocket for receiving body fluids in a direction of the Z-axis of said absorbent article to facilitate rapid absorption of such body fluids;

(e) said absorbent core comprising first and second portions thereof extending laterally from the first flexure axis, along the X-axis, wherein each of said first and second portions has a longitudinally-extending outer boundary, said first portion having a second flexure axis which extends in a direction corresponding to the Y-axis, said second portion having a third flexure axis which extends in a direction corresponding to the Y-axis, the second and third flexure axes being spaced from the first flexure axis; and

(f) second and third distinct absorbent members laterally spaced from respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second portions while said article is at rest, by a distance ranging from about 3 millimeters to about 25 millimeters such that, when said absorbent core is subjected to lateral compressive forces, said first and second portions preferentially bend convexly upwardly about the first flexure axis.

19. An absorbent article as in claim 18 wherein said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second portions are spaced from said second and third members, respectively, by distances at least substantially equal to the thickness of said absorbent core.

20. An absorbent article as in claim 18 wherein the second flexure axis includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits.

21. An absorbent article as in claim 20 wherein said slits along the second flexure axis are spaced from adjacent such slits along a length of the second flexure