Labial pad having a tab

• US 6,890,325 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Sorebo, Heather A., Weyenberg, Susan M., McDaniel, Mary L., Reeves, William G., Keely, Laura J., Keenan, Thomas P., Little, Sylvia B., Nunn, Stephen L., Edens, Ronald L., Hlaban, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIDWELL, MICHELE M
• Application Number:
  US10/036,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.01, 604/385.03, 604/385.04, 604/385.101, 604/385.17, 604386-387, 604389-390
• US Class Current: 604/385.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47209 having only interlabial part, i.e. with no extralabial parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47245 with asymmetry around the x or y axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5323 having absorbent material located in discrete regions, e.g. pockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/84 Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads

Abstract

An absorbent article (40) such as a labial pad configured for disposition within the vestibule (42) of a female wearer. The labial pad may be worn by females for catamenial purposes, incontinence protection, or both, and has at least one tab (94) extending from the periphery thereof.

Claims

1. An absorbent article (40) comprising a fluid permeable cover (62), a liquid impermeable baffle (64) and an absorbent (66) situated between the cover and the baffle, the absorbent article being configured to provide a labial pad for disposition within the vestibule of a female wearer, the absorbent article further having a principal longitudinal axis, a principal transverse axis, a body-facing surface, a surface opposed to the body-facing surface, a length, a width, a thickness, first (80) and second (82) spaced apart longitudinal sides and at least one tab (94) extending outward from each longitudinal side;

wherein

the absorbent (66) has a maximum length (L_max) which is no greater than about 100 mm, measured along a line laying generally parallel to the principal longitudinal axis;

the absorbent (66) has a maximum width (W_max) which is no greater than about 50 mm, measured along a line laying generally parallel to the principal transverse axis;

each tab (94) has a width (w) which is no greater than about 50 mm;

the tabs (94) are configured to be grasped between the wearers index finger and thumb, and between the wearer'"'"'s middle finger and index finger;

to hold the absorbent article (40) in a configuration folded along an axis lying on or positioned parallel to the principal longitudinal axis (L) prior to disposition within the vestibule (42), and

to exert a force with a finger or fingers positioned in a recess (92) formed by the folded absorbent article, to dispose the folded article within the vestibule (42) by the wearer.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein said recess (92) protects a finger of the wearer from soiling when the absorbent article is disposed within the vestibule (42).

3. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises a fluid permeable material.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the fluid permeable cover extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises an absorbent material.

6. The absorbent article of claim 5, wherein the absorbent material of the tab further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

8. The absorbent article of claim 7, wherein the absorbent further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises a liquid impermeable material.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the liquid impermeable baffle extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

12. An absorbent article (40) comprising a liquid impermeable baffle (64) and an absorbent (66), the absorbent article being configured to provide a labial pad for disposition within the vestibule of a female wearer, the absorbent article further having a principal longitudinal axis, a principal transverse axis, a body-facing surface, a surface opposed to the body-facing surface, a length, a width, a thickness, first (80) and second (82) spaced apart longitudinal sides and at least one tab (94) extending outward from each longitudinal side;

wherein

the absorbent (66) has a maximum length (L_max) which is no greater than about 100 mm, measured along a line laying generally parallel to the principal longitudinal axis;

the absorbent (66) has a maximum width (W_max) which is no greater than about 50 mm, measured along a line laying generally parallel to the principal transverse axis;

each tab (94) has a width (w) which is no greater than about 50 mm;

the tabs (94) are configured to be grasped between the wearers fingers;

to hold the absorbent article (40) in a configuration folded along an axis lying on or positioned parallel to the principal longitudinal axis (L) prior to disposition within the vestibule (42), and

to exert a force with a finger or fingers positioned in a recess (92) formed by the folded absorbent article, to dispose the folded article within the vestibule (42) by the wearer.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein said recess (92) protects a finger of the wearer from soiling when the absorbent article is disposed within the vestibule (42).

14. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the tab comprises a fluid permeable material.

15. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a fluid permeable cover (62), and the fluid permeable cover extends outward from the longitudinal sides to form the tabs.

16. The absorbent article of claim 12 wherein the tabs (94) are configured to be grasped between the wearer'"'"'s index finger and thumb, and between the wearer'"'"'s middle finger and index finger.

17. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the tab comprises an absorbent material.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17, wherein the absorbent material of the tab further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

19. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the absorbent extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

20. The absorbent article of claim 19, wherein the absorbent further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

21. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the tab comprises a liquid impermeable material.

22. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the liquid impermeable baffle extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

23. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the absorbent further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

24. An absorbent article (40) comprising an absorbent (66), the absorbent article being configured to provide a labial pad for disposition within the vestibule of a female wearer, the absorbent article further having a principal longitudinal axis, a principal transverse axis, a body-facing surface, a surface opposed to the body-facing surface, a length, a width, a thickness, first (80) and second (82) spaced apart longitudinal sides and at least one tab (94) extending outward from each longitudinal side;

wherein

the absorbent (66) has a maximum length (L_max) which is no greater than about 100 mm, measured along a line laying generally parallel to the principal longitudinal axis;

the absorbent (66) has a maximum width (W_max) which is no greater than about 50 mm, measured along a line laying generally parallel to the principal transverse axis;

each tab (94) has a width (w) which is no greater than about 50 mm;

the tabs (94) are configured to be grasped between the wearer'"'"'s fingers;

to hold the absorbent article (40) in a configuration folded along an axis lying on or positioned parallel to the principal longitudinal axis (L) prior to disposition within the vestibule (42), and

to exert a force with a finger or fingers positioned in a recess (92) formed by the folded absorbent article, to dispose the folded article within the vestibule (42) by the wearer.

25. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein;

said recess (92) protects a finger of the wearer from soiling when the absorbent article is disposed within the vestibule (42).

26. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the tab comprises a fluid permeable material.

27. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the absorbent further comprises a fluid permeable cover (62).

28. The absorbent article of claim 27, wherein the fluid permeable cover extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

29. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the tab comprises an absorbent material.

30. The absorbent article of claim 29, wherein the absorbent material of the tab further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

31. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the absorbent extends outward from at least one of the longitudinal sides to form the tab.

32. The absorbent article of claim 31, wherein the absorbent further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

33. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the tab comprises a liquid impermeable material.

34. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the absorbent article further comprises a liquid impermeable baffle (64);

and the liquid impermeable baffle extends outward from the longitudinal sides to form the tabs.

35. The absorbent article of claim 24 wherein the tabs (94) are configured to be grasped between the wearer'"'"'s index finger and thumb, and between the wearer'"'"'s middle finger and index finger.

36. The absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the absorbent further comprises a superabsorbent polymer.