Absorbent article having a pair of fringes

• US 6,936,038 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Amanda Lee, Krueger, Chad, Wegner, Wendy Jean, Kolasinski, Stephen Alan, Tears, Denise Crites, Mayer, Russell Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, CATHARINE L
• Application Number:
  US10/081,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 60438503-38504, 604/385.101, 604/385.28, 604/368
• US Class Current: 604/385.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4752 the means being an upstanding barrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/505 with separable parts, e.g. combination of disposable and reusable parts, A61F13/20, A61F13/49003 take precedence; supporting or fastening means A61F13/56; belts or the like A61F13/64

Abstract

An absorbent article is disclosed having an absorbent with first and second longitudinal sides. A liquid permeable wrapper encloses the absorbent. The wrapper extending laterally outward from each of the first and second longitudinal sides a distance of at least about 10 millimeters to form a pair of fringes. The pair of fringes are capable of being biased upward to form a pair of upstanding side walls when the absorbent article is placed in an undergarment. The upstanding side walls form a pair of reservoirs located adjacent to the absorbent. The reservoirs are capable of retaining body fluid that has run off of the wrapper until the body fluid can be absorbed by the absorbent.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a) in absorbent having first and second longitudinal sides; and

b) a liquid permeable wrapper enclosing said absorbent, said wrapper extending laterally outward from each of said first and second longitudinal sides a distance of at least about 10 millimeters to form a pair of fringes capable of being biased upward to form a pair of upstanding side walls when placed in an undergarment, said upstanding wide wails forming a pair of reservoirs located adjacent to sold absorbent which retain body fluid that has run off of said wrapper until said body fluid can be absorbed by said absorbent;

wherein

each of said pair of fringes runs the entire length of said article;

each of the fringes is provided by doubled regions of maid wrapper;

each doubled region of sold wrapper provides a fringe width which extends beyond its corresponding first or second longitudinal side of said absorbent;

each doubled region of said wrapper is attached together across its fringe width with construction adhesive; and

both of said fringes are entirely void of any elastics.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein each of said pair of fringes extends from about 10 mm to about 30 mm beyond said first and second longitudinal sides of said absorbent.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 further comprising an impediment layer positioned below said absorbent and between said absorbent and maid wrapper;

wherein

said impediment layer includes a liquid-impermeable film; and

said film has a width that is less than a width of said absorbent.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said wrapper has first and second side edges and is C-folded around said absorbent such that said second side edge overlaps said first side edge.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said wrapper has first and second side edges and is C-folded around said absorbent such that said second side edge abuts said first side edge.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said wrapper is spunbond and has a basis weight of from about 0.3 osy to about 1.0 osy.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said wrapper has first and second spaced apart ends which extend beyond said absorbent and each end is sealed to further enclose said absorbent.

20. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said wrapper has a lower exterior surface;

an attachment means is secured to the exterior surface of said wrapper; and

said attachment means is configured to attach said absorbent article to a crotch portion of a primary absorbent undergarment.

8. An absorbent article comprising:

a) an absorbent having first and second longitudinal sides; and

b) a liquid permeable wrapper enclosing said absorbent, said wrapper extending laterally outward from each of said first and second longitudinal sides a distance of at least about 10 milliliters to from a pair of fringes capable of being biased upward to from a pair of upstanding side walls when placed in an undergarment, said upstanding side walls forming a pair of reservoirs located adjacent to said absorbent which retain body fluid that has run off of said wrapper until said body fluid can be absorbed by said absorbent;

wherein

each of said pair of fringes runs the entire length of said article;

each of the fringes is provided by doubled regions of said wrapper;

each doubled region of said wrapper provides a fringe width which extends beyond its corresponding first or second longitudinal side of said absorbent;

each doubled region of said wrapper is attached together across its fringe width with construction adhesive; and

said absorbent has a height of at least about 10 mm and said each of said pair of upstanding side walls extend above the height of said absorbent when placed in an undergarment.

9. An absorbent article comprising:

a) an absorbent having first and second longitudinal sides; and

b) a liquid permeable wrapper having first and second side edges, said wrapper being C-folded around said absorbent such that said wrapper encloses the absorbent, said wrapper extending laterally outward from each of said first and second longitudinal sides a distance of at least about 10 millimeters to form a pair of fringes capable of being biased upward to form a pair of upstanding side walls when placed in an undergarment, both of said fringes entirely void of any elastics, and said upstanding side walls forming a pair of reservoirs located adjacent to said absorbent which retain body fluid that has run off of said wrapper until said body fluid can be absorbed by said absorbent.

10. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said absorbent has a height of at least about 10 mm and each of said pair of upstanding side walls extend above the height of said absorbent when placed in an undergarment.

11. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein a liquid-impermeable impediment layer is positioned between said absorbent and said liquid permeable wrapper and is formed from an adhesive.

12. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein a liquid-impermeable impediment layer is positioned between said absorbent and said liquid permeable wrapper and is a polyethylene sheet.

13. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said wrapper has en exterior surface;

a hook fastener is secured to the exterior surface of said wrapper; and

said hook fastener is configured to attach said absorbent article to a crotch portion of a primary absorbent undergarment.

14. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said wrapper has an exterior surface;

an adhesive attachment means is secured to the exterior surface of said wrapper; and

said adhesive attachment means is configured to attach said absorbent article to a crotch portion of a primary absorbent undergarment.

15. An absorbent article comprising:

a) an absorbent having first and second longitudinal sides;

b) a liquid permeable wrapper having first and second spaced apart ends and first and second side edges, said wrapper being C-folded around said absorbent such that said second side edge overlaps said first side edge and said first and second spaced apart ends extend beyond said absorbent and each end is sealed to enclose said absorbent, said wrapper extending laterally outward from each of said first and second longitudinal sides a distance of at least about 10 millimeters to form a pair of fringes capable of being biased upward to form a pair of upstanding side wails when placed in an undergarment, said upstanding side walls forming a pair of reservoirs located adjacent to said absorbent which retain body fluid that has run off of said wrapper until said body fluid can be absorbed by said absorbent; and

c) an attachment means secured to a lower exterior surface of sold wrapper, said attachment means configured to attach said absorbent article to a crotch portion of a primary absorbent undergarment;

wherein both of said fringes are entirely void of any elastic.

16. The absorbent article of claim 15 further comprising an impediment layer positioned below said absorbent and enclosed by said wrapper, said impediment layer being capable of slowing the downward movement of body fluid from said absorbent and including a liquid-impermeable film;

and said film having a width that is less than a width of said absorbent.

17. The absorbent article of claim 15 wherein said absorbent includes at least two absorbent layers.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein each of said absorbent layers contains a superabsorbent.

19. The absorbent article of claim 15 wherein said absorbent includes first and second absorbent layers and said first absorbent layer contains a higher percentage of superabsorbent than said second absorbent layer.