Interlabial pad

• US 7,195,620 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Noda, Yuki, Mizutani, Satoshi, Yoshimasa, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva; Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craig; Paula L.
• Application Number:
  US11/007,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.17, 604/384, 604/377, 428/903, 428/902, 442/340, 442/414
• US Class Current: 604/385.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47209 having only interlabial part, i.e. with no extralabial parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/902 High modulus filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/614 Strand or fiber material specified as having microdimensions [i.e., microfiber]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/696 Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an interlabial pad, with which a wearer will hardly feel a sensation of using the interlabial pad, even when a wearer moves and pressure from the exterior is applied to the interlabial pad. An interlabial pad 10, with which a wearer will hardly feel a sensation of using the interlabial pad, can be provided by equipping a crease-spanning region 2 of the interlabial pad 10 with a pressure dispersion means 11, which, in repulsion to pressures that are applied from the vestibular floor to the crease-spanning region 2 of the interlabial pad 10 in accompaniment to movements of the wearer, prevents the direct transmission of the pressures to the vestibular floor.

Claims

1. An interlabial pad, comprising, in a fitted state:

a body side face facing a body side; and

an opposite body side face facing a side opposite to the body side face, and being formed to a longitudinal shape having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction;

wherein the interlabial pad is fitted by being folded in two so that the opposite body side face faces itself in the lateral direction, and is held between the labia such that at least a part of a portion along a crease contacts a vestibular floor in the labia, the crease being formed by folding the interlabial pad along a folding axis,

wherein the interlabial pad is equipped, at a crease-spanning region spanning the crease, with a pressure dispersion means which, in response to a pressure that is applied to the interlabial pad when a wearer moves, prevents the pressure from being directly transmitted to the vestibular floor,

wherein the interlabial pad has a fiber aggregate equipped at the crease-spanning region,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has fibers oriented so as to cross the crease in order to control a repulsion against the pressure,

wherein the pressure dispersion means exhibits a ratio of a maximum tensile strength in a machine direction of the fiber aggregate to a maximum tensile strength in a crosswise direction of the fiber aggregate that is between 0.5 and 2.5,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has a Young'"'"'s modulus which is between 300 kg/mm² and 1000 kg/mm², and

wherein the pressure dispersion means has a fineness which is between 1.1 detex and 6.6 detex.

2. The interlabial pad according to claim 1, wherein flexible lines that serve as bending axes are provided at sides parallel to the longitudinal direction of the interlabial pad in order to bend toward the body side face to reduce the pressure applied to the interlabial pad when the wearer moves.

5. An interlabial pad wrapping body, in which the interlabial pad according to claim 1 is enclosed and sealed in an individual wrapping container.

3. An interlabial pad, comprising, in a fitted state:

a body side face facing a body side; and

an opposite body side face facing a side opposite to the body side face, and being formed to a longitudinal shape having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction;

wherein the interlabial pad is fitted by being folded in two so that the opposite body side face faces itself in the lateral direction, and is held between the labia such that at least a part of a portion along a crease contacts a vestibular floor in the labia, the crease being formed by folding the interlabial pad along a folding axis,

wherein the interlabial pad is equipped, at a crease-spanning region spanning the crease, with a pressure dispersion means which, in response to a pressure that is applied to the interlabial pad when a wearer moves, prevents the pressure from being directly transmitted to the vestibular floor,

wherein the interlabial pad has a fiber aggregate equipped at the crease spanning region,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has fibers oriented so as to cross the crease in order to control a repulsion against the pressure,

wherein the pressure dispersion means exhibits a ratio of a maximum tensile strength in a machine direction of the fiber aggregate to a maximum tensile strength in a crosswise direction of the fiber aggregate that is between 0.5 and 2.5,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has a Young'"'"'s modulus which is between 300 kg/mm² and 1000 kg/mm²,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has a fineness which is between 1.1 detex and 6.6 detex, and

wherein the interlabial pad is an interlabial pad for urinary incontinence.

4. An interlabial pad, comprising, in a fitted state:

a body side face facing a body side; and

an opposite body side face facing a side opposite to the body side face, and being formed to a longitudinal shape having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction;

wherein the interlabial pad is fitted by being folded in two so that the opposite body side face faces itself in the lateral direction, and is held between the labia such that at least a part of a portion along a crease contacts a vestibular floor in the labia, the crease being formed by folding the interlabial pad along a folding axis,

wherein the interlabial pad is equipped, at a crease-spanning region spanning the crease, with a pressure dispersion means which, in response to a pressure that is applied to the interlabial pad when a wearer moves, prevents the pressure from being directly transmitted to the vestibular floor,

wherein the interlabial pad has a fiber aggregate equipped at the crease spanning region,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has fibers oriented so as to cross the crease in order to control a repulsion against the pressure,

wherein the pressure dispersion means exhibits a ratio of a maximum tensile strength in a machine direction of the fiber aggregate to a maximum tensile strength in a crosswise direction of the fiber aggregate that is between 0.5 and 2.5,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has a Young'"'"'s modulus which is between 300 kg/mm² and 1000 kg/mm²,

wherein the pressure dispersion means has a fineness which is between 1.1 detex and 6.6 detex, and

wherein the interlabial pad is an interlabial pad for absorbing vaginal discharge.