Compact folded absorbent article

• US 8,162,911 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Pateras, Carrie Nicole, Woltman, Garry Roland, Ruman, Marcille Faye, Heck, Angela Rae, Schroeder, Karyn Clare
• Primary Examiner(s): Kidwell, Michele M
• Application Number:
  US11/242,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,395 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.02, 604/385.01, 604/385.201, 604/385.04
• US Class Current: 604/385.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/00 Surgical drapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5514 each item packaged single

Abstract

A personal care article (20) has a longitudinal-direction (22), a relatively shorter, lateral cross-direction (24), a first end-section (72), a second end-section (72a), and an intermediate-section (76) which is contiguous with and interposed between the first end-section (72) and the second end-section (72a). The article includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer (26), and a backsheet layer (28) which is operatively connected to the topsheet layer (26). At least a portion of the first end-section (72) has been folded along or otherwise includes a first end-fold-region (58) which is substantially convex along a topsheet-side of the article (20). Additionally, the first end-fold-region (58) is substantially concave along a backsheet-side of the article. At least a portion of the second end-section (72a) has been folded along or otherwise includes a second end-fold-region (62) which is substantially convex along the topsheet-side of the article (20).

Claims

1. A composite-folded article comprising

a personal care article having a longitudinal-direction;

a relatively shorter lateral cross-direction, a first end-section;

a second end-section; and

an intermediate-section which is interposed between said first end-section and said second end-section;

said personal, care article comprising;

a liquid permeable topsheet layer, and

a backsheet layer operatively connected to the topsheet layer;

wherein

the personal care article has been folded about a first, laterally extending supplemental-fold-line positioned along a portion of the first end-section which is proximally adjacent the intermediate-section of the personal care article, the first supplemental-fold-line operatively arranged to provide a folded-over first end-section which is positioned onto the intermediate-section;

the personal care article has been folded about a second, laterally extending supplemental-fold-line positioned along a portion of the second end-section which is proximally adjacent the intermediate-section of the personal care article, the second supplemental-fold-line operatively arranged to provide a folded-over second end-section which is positioned onto the folded-over first end-section, thereby providing a preliminary-folded article; and

the preliminary-folded article has been folded along a third, laterally extending, composite fold-line, thereby providing the composite-folded article; and

the personal-care article further includes a garment-attachment mechanism operatively connected to a garment side of the backsheet layer.

2. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein

the first, laterally extending supplemental-fold-line is spaced from a first terminal end edge of the personal care article by a first spacing distance that is approximately one-third of an overall, longitudinal length of the personal care article;

and

the second, laterally extending supplemental-fold-line is spaced from a longitudinally-opposed, second terminal end edge of the personal care article by a second spacing distance that is approximately one-third of the overall, longitudinal length of the personal care article.

3. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein

said first end-section has been folded about a first supplemental-fold-line to provide a first supplemental-fold-region which is substantially convex along a backsheet-side of the personal care article;

said second end-section has been folded along a second supplemental-fold-line to provide a second supplemental-fold-region which is substantially convex along a backsheet-side of the personal care article; and

the preliminary-folded article has been folded along said third, laterally extending, composite fold-line to provide a composite fold region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the intermediate section of the personal care article.

4. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein

the article further includes a pair of laterally extending and laterally opposed wing portions;

said first end-section has been folded along the first supplemental-fold-line to provide a first supplemental-fold-region which is substantially convex along a topsheet-side of the personal care article;

said second end-section has been folded along the second fold-line to provide a second supplemental-fold-region which is substantially convex along a topsheet-side of the personal care article;

the wing portions have been arranged in a storage position which is adjacent a selected outer surface of the personal care article;

the preliminary-folded article has been folded along said third, laterally extending, composite fold-line to provide a composite fold region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the of the intermediate section of the personal care article; and

which not more than one laterally-extending fold-line or fold-region has been positioned to extend through each individual wing portion.

5. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second end sections of the personal care article are operatively sandwiched between folded-over sections of the intermediate-section of the personal care article.

6. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein the personal-care article has been folded along a third, laterally extending, composite fold-line which is operatively arranged to approximately bisect the preliminary-folded article.

7. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, further including an absorbent body operatively held between the topsheet layer and backsheet layer.

8. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein a first, topsheet portion in the folded-over first end-section has been positioned onto an intermediate topsheet portion in the intermediate-section of the personal care article.

9. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein a second, topsheet portion in the folded-over second end-section has been positioned onto a first, backsheet portion in the folded-over first end-section.

10. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein the personal care article has been folded along the third, composite fold-line in a configuration which positions an intermediate backsheet portion in the intermediate-section of the personal care article along an outward-facing, substantially convex side of the composite fold-region.

11. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein the first fold-line and the second fold-line have been configured to approximately trisect a longitudinal length of the personal care article.

12. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein the composite-folded article has included a girth which is less than about 15 cm.

13. A composite-folded article as recited in claim 1, wherein the composite-folded article has included a composite-folded girth which is less than about 15 cm and a composite-folded length which is less than about 10 cm.