ABSORBENT ARTICLES HAVING CHANNEL-FORMING AREAS AND WETNESS INDICATOR

• US 20180008479A1
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: JOSEPH, Laveeta
• Granted Patent: US 10,675,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/532 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5323 having absorbent material located in discrete regions, e.g. pockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/533 having discontinuous areas of compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/535 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad, e.g. core absorbent layers being of different sizes A61F13/5323, A61F13/537 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/536 having discontinuous areas of compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/422 the alarm being a colour change
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/427 pH indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/428 for articles with superabsorbent materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/4587 with channels or deep spot depressions on the upper surface A61F13/4704 and A61F13/49001 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53051 being only in particular parts or specially arranged
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530562 being arranged in discontinuous pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5307 characterized by the quantity or ratio of superabsorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530927 having longitudinal barriers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5349 being a tissue-wrapped core

Abstract

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core having at least two longitudinally extending channel-forming areas and a wetness indicator. The core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side, which are attached to each other through areas substantially free of absorbent material, so that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material. The wetness indicator is placed between the channel-forming areas or between at least one channel-forming area and at least one longitudinally extending side edge of the article, as seen for the exterior of the article.

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinally extending side edges,

the absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and backsheet, and

the absorbent core comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymer particles;

wherein the core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side;

wherein the absorbent core comprises at least two longitudinally extending channel-forming areas substantially free of absorbent material through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap, such that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid, the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material; and

wherein the absorbent article further comprises a wetness indicator placed between the two channel-forming areas and/or between any of the channel-forming areas and any of the longitudinally extending side edges of the article,

wherein the wetness indicator comprises a composition that changes appearance when contacted with urine, the composition comprising a stabilizer, a colorant, and a matrix.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the wetness indicator comprises an appearing signal.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the wetness indicator comprises a disappearing signal.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the wetness indicator comprise a color change signal.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a pH indicator and/or a water soluble dye.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the wetness indicator is placed between the bottom side of the core wrap and the inner surface of the backsheet.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material comprises about 70% or more of superabsorbent polymer particles by weight of the absorbent material.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article comprises from about 2 g to about 50 g of superabsorbent polymer particles.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the at least two channel-forming areas are symmetrically disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the absorbent article.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the at least two channel-forming areas each have a length projected on the longitudinal axis of the article which is about 10% or more of the length (L) of the absorbent article.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the at least two channel-forming areas each have a width in at least in some part of the channel-forming areas of about 2 mm or wider.

12. An absorbent article having a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinally extending side edges,

the absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and backsheet, and

the absorbent core comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymer particles;

wherein the core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side;

wherein the absorbent core comprises at least two longitudinally extending channel-forming areas substantially free of absorbent material through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap, such that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid, the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material; and

wherein the absorbent article further comprises a wetness indicator placed between the bottom side of the core wrap and the inner surface of the backsheet,

wherein the absorbent article has a caliper measured at the core'"'"'s crotch point of from about 0.2 to about 4 mm.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12 wherein the wetness indicator comprises a composition having a pH indicator and/or a water soluble dye.

14. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the wetness indicator comprises an appearing signal.

15. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the wetness indicator comprises a disappearing signal.

16. The absorbent article of claim 12, wherein the wetness indicator comprise a color change signal.

17. An absorbent article having a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinally extending side edges,

the absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and backsheet, and

the absorbent core comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymer particles;

wherein the core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side;

wherein the absorbent core comprises at least two longitudinally extending channel-forming areas substantially free of absorbent material through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap, such that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid, the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material; and

wherein the absorbent article further comprises a wetness indicator, and wherein the wetness indicator comprises a composition that changes appearance when contacted with urine, the composition comprising a pH indicator and/or a water soluble dye.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17, wherein the wetness indicator comprises an appearing signal.

19. The absorbent article of claim 17, wherein the wetness indicator comprises a disappearing signal.

20. The absorbent article of claim 17, wherein the wetness indicator comprise a color change signal.