Absorbent article with center fill performance
First Claim
1. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and traverse directions, a pair of longitudinal ends, 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 body side surface and a central absorbent member, the outer absorbent member having a central void open toward the body side of the absorbent article, the central absorbent member having an average thickness, the central absorbent member disposed over and extending into the central void; and
b) a wicking barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the wicking barrier having a vertical component and a horizontal component, the vertical component spanning a vertical distance between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member of at least about 20 percent of the average thickness of the central absorbent member, and the horizontal component spanning a horizontal distance on the body side surface of the absorbent core and covering at least a portion of the body side surface of the outer absorbent member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An absorbent article comprising a central absorbent member and a lateral wicking barrier for inhibition of wicking from the central regions of the article to an outlying outer absorbent member. The wicking barrier has a vertical component for prevention of radial wicking in the plane of the article and thus promotes center filling of the article with fluid and reduces the likelihood of leaks from the sides of the article. The wicking barrier can also have a horizontal component to prevent leakage, redirect fluid flow, and improve fit and performance of the article. In one embodiment, the central absorbent member is a concentric absorbent structure having alternating rings of barrier material and absorbent material, including a spiral wound composite formed from a layer of barrier material wound with a layer of absorbent material and then sliced to provide a thin absorbent layer having high permeability in the thickness direction but low permeability in the plane due to the barrier material.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and traverse directions, a pair of longitudinal ends, and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:
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a) an absorbent core having a body side surface, the absorbent core comprising an outer absorbent member having a body side surface and a central absorbent member, the outer absorbent member having a central void open toward the body side of the absorbent article, the central absorbent member having an average thickness, the central absorbent member disposed over and extending into the central void; and
b) a wicking barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the wicking barrier having a vertical component and a horizontal component, the vertical component spanning a vertical distance between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member of at least about 20 percent of the average thickness of the central absorbent member, and the horizontal component spanning a horizontal distance on the body side surface of the absorbent core and covering at least a portion of the body side surface of the outer absorbent member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, a pair of longitudinal ends, and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:
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a) an absorbent core having a body side surface, the absorbent core comprising an outer absorbent member and a central absorbent member having a body side surface and a garment side surface opposite the body side surface, the outer absorbent member having a central void, the central void having a depth, the central void open toward the body side of the absorbent article, the central absorbent member disposed over and extending into the central void; and
b) a wicking barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member and a portion of the wicking barrier disposed on the garment side surface of the central absorbent member, the wicking barrier having a vertical component and a horizontal component, the vertical component comprising spanning a vertical distance between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member of at least about 50 percent of the depth of the central void, and the horizontal component spanning a horizontal distance on the body side surface of the absorbent core. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a transverse axis, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, a pair of longitudinal ends, and a body side, the absorbent article comprising:
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a) an absorbent core having a body side surface, the absorbent core comprising an outer absorbent member and a central absorbent member, the outer absorbent member having a body side surface and a central void open toward the body side of the absorbent article, the central absorbent member disposed over and extending into the central void; and
b) a wicking barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the wicking barrier having a vertical component and a horizontal component, the vertical component spanning a vertical distance between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the horizontal component covering at least about 30 percent of the body side surface of the outer absorbent member along the transverse axis. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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45. An absorbent article having a transverse axis, a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a vertical direction substantially normal to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, a pair of longitudinal ends, and a body side, the absorbent article comprising;
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a) an absorbent core having a body side, the absorbent core including an outer absorbent member and a central absorbent member, the outer absorbent member having a body side surface and a central void open to the body side of the absorbent article, the central absorbent member having an average thickness, the central absorbent member disposed over and extending into the central void; and
b) a liquid impervious single ply film barrier disposed between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member, the barrier having a vertical component and a horizontal component, the vertical component spanning a vertical distance of between the outer absorbent member and the central absorbent member of at least about 20 percent of the average thickness of the central member, and the horizontal component covering at least about 30 percent of the body side surface of the outer absorbent member along the transverse axis. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification