Absorbent article with resilient portion and method for manufacturing the same

• US 7,550,646 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Tamura, Tatsuya, Mizutani, Satoshi, Suekane, Makoto, Komatsu, Shimpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco; Patricia M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craig; Paula L
• Application Number:
  US11/059,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20050148973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 604/379, 604/378, 604/380, 604/381, 604/385.31
• US Class Current: 604/380
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4756 the means consisting of grooves, e.g. channels, depressions or embossments, resulting in a heterogeneous surface level
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/532 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad

Abstract

Disclosed is an absorbent article including: a liquid-permeable topsheet on its skin surface; a backsheet on its garment surface; and an absorbent layer therebetween. First compressed portions and second compressed portions, in which the absorbent layer is compressed together with at least the topsheet, extend longitudinally of the absorbent article. The first compressed portions are disposed symmetrically about a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article to define a central absorbent portion having the absorbent layer therebetween. The second compressed portions are disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal centerline and spaced outwardly apart from the first compressed portions. When the central absorbent portion is laterally compressed by an external force, resilient portions each defined between each adjacent pair of first and second compressed portions are permitted to exert a resilience against compression on the central absorbent portion.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a liquid-permeable topsheet on a skin surface;

a backsheet on a garment surface;

an absorbent layer between the topsheet and the backsheet;

first compressed portions and second compressed portions, in which the absorbent layer is compressed together with at least the topsheet, extend longitudinally of the absorbent article, the first compressed portions being disposed symmetrically about a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article to define a central absorbent portion having a first portion of the absorbent layer therebetween, the second compressed portions being disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal centerline and spaced outwardly apart from the first compressed portions; and

resilient portions defined between each adjacent pair of first and second compressed portions and including a second portion of the absorbent layer between said first and second compressed portions having a higher density than the first portion of the absorbent layer in the central absorbent portion;

wherein;

the first compressed portions are inwardly curved toward the longitudinal centerline within a region disposed about a lateral centerline of the absorbent article, said region extending along less than an entire length of the absorbent article along the longitudinal centerline,

the second compressed portions are each shorter than corresponding first compressed portions and extend only within said region disposed about the lateral centerline,

each of the first compressed portions and the second compressed portions comprising compressed grooves most substantially recessed toward the backsheet, and

when the central absorbent portion is laterally compressed by an external force, the resilient portions defined between each adjacent pair of first and second compressed portions are permitted to exert a resilience against compression on the central absorbent portion.

2. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the individual resilient portions, the absorbent layer is compressed due to formation of the first and second compressed portions.

3. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the individual resilient portions, the absorbent layer of hydrophilic fibers is compressed together with a nonwoven fabric of synthetic fibers due to formation of the first and second compressed portions.

4. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 3, wherein also in the individual first compressed portions, the absorbent layer is compressed together with the nonwoven fabric.

5. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 3, wherein the nonwoven fabric is a through-air bonded nonwoven fabric.

6. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein between the topsheet and the backsheet, the individual resilient portions have a resilient reinforcing member alone or in combination with the absorbent layer that is compressed due to formation of the first and second compressed portions.

7. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resilient portions approach each other the nearest at a lateral reference line of the absorbent article, and extend gradually away from the centerline as they extend away from the lateral reference line toward longitudinally opposed ends of the absorbent article.

8. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the individual resilient portions are in the shape of a line curved toward the centerline.

9. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the individual resilient portions have a portion of constant width, over which the first and second compressed portions are spaced a constant distance apart from each other.

10. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein side portions are each defined between each second compressed portion and a corresponding longitudinally extending side edge of the absorbent article, and an elastic shrinkage force is longitudinally exerted on the side portions.

11. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 10, wherein longitudinally extending sheets are disposed on the skin surface with the central absorbent portion externally exposed therebetween, the individual sheets being fixed on the skin surface at front and rear portions thereof while being raised from the skin surface at an intermediate portion thereof to form a leakage preventing wall, wherein at least one of front and rear rising points of the leakage preventing wall is in proximity to the second compressed portion.

12. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 11, wherein the rising points are in proximity to ends of the second compressed portion.

13. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 11, wherein the proximity means that a distance is 45 mm or less.

14. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 10, wherein first rear compressed portions are disposed to gradually approach each other as they extend continuously from the first compressed portions toward a rear edge of the absorbent article, and second rear compressed portions are each disposed between each first rear compressed portion and corresponding one of the side edges and spaced apart from the first rear compressed portions, wherein

longitudinally extending sheets are disposed on the skin surface with the central absorbent portions externally exposed therebetween, the individual sheets being fixed on the skin surface at front and rear portions thereof while being raised from the skin surface at front and rear portions thereof while being raised from the skin surface at an intermediate portion thereof to form a leakage preventing wall, wherein

a front rising point of the leakage preventing wall is in proximity to the first compressed portions while a rear rising point of the leakage preventing wall is in proximity to the second rear compressed portion.

15. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 14, wherein the rear rising point of the leakage preventing wall is in proximity to a front end of the second rear compressed portion.

16. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 10, wherein the second portion of the absorbent layer in each individual resilient portion located between said first and second compressed portions has a higher basis weight than a third portion of the absorbent layer in a corresponding side portion defined between a corresponding second compressed portion and a corresponding longitudinally extending side edge of the absorbent article.

17. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 10, wherein the second portion of the absorbent layer in each individual resilient portion comprises two absorbent layers, and

a third portion of the absorbent layer in a corresponding side portion defined between a corresponding second compressed portion and a corresponding longitudinally extending side edge of the absorbent article comprises only a single absorbent layer.

18. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, which is a sanitary napkin.

19. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the absorbent layer in each individual resilient portion located between said first and second compressed portions is compressed to have a higher density than the first portion of the absorbent layer in the central absorbent portion.

20. An absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the absorbent layer in each individual resilient portion located between said first and second compressed portions has a higher basis weight than the first portion of the absorbent layer in the central absorbent portion.