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Sanitary napkin including body-facing protrusions and arcuately arranged embossed channels

  • US 7,942,858 B2
  • Filed: 07/03/2007
  • Issued: 05/17/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A sanitary napkin comprising:

  • a cover layer;

    a barrier layer;

    an absorbent core arranged between the cover layer and the barrier layer, the absorbent core including first and second longitudinally extending edges and first and second transversely extending edges;

    a longitudinally extending centerline;

    a transversely extending centerline;

    a first and second longitudinal edge;

    a first and second transverse edge;

    a first end region and a second end region,a central region arranged between the first and second end regions;

    a first embossing pattern extending from the first end region towards the center region, the first embossing pattern including a first plurality of arcuate channels and a second plurality of arcuate channels, each one of the channels having a distal end point and a proximal end point, each one of the first plurality of arcuate channels shaped such that the channel arcs in a clockwise direction from its distal end point to its proximal end point, and each one of the second plurality of channels shaped such that the channel arcs in a counter-clockwise direction from its distal end point to its proximal end point, each one of the channels of the first plurality of channels being arranged such that it intersects a plurality of channels of the second plurality of channels and each one of the channels of the second plurality of channels being arranged such that it intersects a plurality of channels of the first plurality of channels,the first plurality of channels being arranged such that adjacent channels of the first plurality of channels cooperate with a plurality of channels of the second plurality of channels to define a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the channels, a spacing between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points, the spacing changing from the distal to proximal end points at a rate of between about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm per 1 millimeter length of distance traveled along the path of the channel, a size of each of the protrusions defined between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points,the second plurality of channels being arranged such that adjacent channels of the second plurality of channels cooperate with a plurality of channels of the first plurality of channels to define a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the channels, a spacing between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points, the spacing changing from the distal to proximal end points at a rate of between about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm per 1 millimeter length of distance traveled along the path of the channel, a size of each of the protrusions defined between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points,a second embossing pattern extending from the second end region towards the center region, the second embossing pattern including a third plurality of arcuate channels and a fourth plurality of arcuate channels, each one of the channels having a distal end point and a proximal end point, each one of the third plurality of arcuate channels shaped such that the channel arcs in a clockwise direction from its distal end point to its proximal end point, and each one of the fourth plurality of channels shaped such that the channel arcs in a counter-clockwise direction from its distal end point to its proximal end point, each one of the channels of the third plurality of channels being arranged such that it intersects a plurality of channels of the fourth plurality of channels and each one of the channels of the fourth plurality of channels being arranged such that it intersects a plurality of channels of the third plurality of channels,the third plurality of channels being arranged such that adjacent channels of the third plurality of channels cooperate with a plurality of channels of the fourth plurality of channels to define a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the channels, a spacing between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points, the spacing changing from the distal to proximal end points at a rate of between about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm per 1 millimeter length of distance traveled along the path of the channel, a size of each of the protrusions defined between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points,the fourth plurality of channels being arranged such that adjacent channels of the fourth plurality of channels cooperate with a plurality of channels of the third plurality of channels to define a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the channels, a spacing between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points, the spacing changing from the distal to proximal end points at a rate of between about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm per 1 millimeter length of distance traveled along the path of the channel, a size of each of the protrusions defined between adjacent channels decreasing as the adjacent channels travel from their respective distal end points to their respective proximal end points,wherein the second embossing pattern is a mirror image of the first embossing pattern,a third embossing pattern located in the central region, the third embossing pattern including a plurality of channels extending radially outward from a intersection of the longitudinally extending centerline and the transversely extending centerline, the channels of the third embossing pattern cooperating to define a plurality of protrusions extending radially outward from the intersection, and the channels of the third embossing pattern cooperating to define a central protrusion, the central protrusion having a center located at the intersection of the longitudinally extending centerline and the transversely extending centerline,each of the first and second plurality of channels having a width in the range of between about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm and a depth in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm,each of the third and fourth plurality of channels having a width in the range of between about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm and a depth in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm,each of the channels of the third embossing pattern having a width in the range of between about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm and a depth in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm,an outer embossing ring surrounding each of the first, second and third embossing patterns, the outer embossing ring being spaced inwardly relative to the first and second longitudinally extending edges and the first and second transversely extending edges of the core by a distance in the range of about 3 mm to about 20 mm, each of the distal end points of the first, second, third and fourth plurality of channels intersecting the outer embossing ring,the outer embossing ring having a width in the range of between about 0.5 mm and 5 mm and a depth in the range of between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.

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