# US 10,765,564 B2 · Flexible absorbent article with a lobed absorbent layer

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- Number: US 10,765,564 B2
- Document ID: US10765564B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/575,177
- Filed: 2015-05-29
- Published: 2018-05-24
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-29
- Assignees: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Applicants: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Inventors: JuHyung Lee; SungSu A. Kim; MoonYoung Cho; SeoYeon Son; HyungWoo Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765564B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/4704: {having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves}
- A61F 13/15203: {Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency (chemical aspects A61L15/00)}
- A61F 13/47218: {with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump}
- A61F 13/47236: {characterised by an unusual contour}
- A61F 13/47272: {with a longitudinal raised end, e.g. cup-shaped gluteal groove (for edge leakage prevention A61F13/494)}
- A61F 13/51108: {the top sheet having corrugations or embossments having one axis relatively longer than the other axis, e.g. forming channels or grooves in a longitudinal direction}
- A61F 13/515: characterised by the interconnection of the topsheet and the backsheet
- A61F 13/537: characterised by a layer facilitating or inhibiting flow in one direction or plane, e.g. a wicking layer {(A61F13/538 takes precedence)}
- A61F 13/5611: {using fastening strips, e.g. adhesive, on the undergarment-facing side}
- A61F 13/5616: {using flaps, e.g. adhesive, for attachment to the undergarment (leakage prevention means encirculing the crotch portion A61F13/476)}
- A61F 2013/15292: {Resistance, i.e. modulus or strength}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

An absorbent article can have a chassis which can have a backsheet layer, a topsheet layer, and an absorbent system positioned between the backsheet layer and the topsheet layer. The absorbent system can have at least one absorbent layer which is a lobed absorbent layer. At least one flexure feature can associate with the lobed absorbent layer. A pair of non-integral wings can be bonded to the backsheet layer of the chassis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An absorbent article characterized by comprising:
a. a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a depth direction;
b. a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis wherein the absorbent article is asymmetrical about the transverse axis;
c. a chassis comprising:
i. a first transverse direction end edge and a second transverse direction end edge;
ii. a topsheet layer comprising a first longitudinal direction peripheral edge and a second longitudinal direction peripheral edge;
iii. a backsheet layer comprising a first longitudinal direction peripheral edge and a second longitudinal direction peripheral edge;
iv. an absorbent system positioned between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer, the absorbent system comprising a garment facing surface, a wearer facing surface, a first longitudinal direction peripheral region and a second longitudinal direction peripheral region, and at least two absorbent layers, wherein at least one of the absorbent layers of the absorbent system is a lobed absorbent layer comprising a first lobe and a second lobe wherein the first and second lobe define a longitudinally extending void space in the lobed absorbent layer, and wherein the lobed absorbent layer further comprises a transversely extending void space;
v. a first longitudinal direction bond region wherein the first longitudinal direction peripheral edge of the topsheet layer is bonded to the first longitudinal direction peripheral edge of the backsheet layer; and
vi. a second longitudinal direction bond region wherein the second longitudinal direction peripheral edge of the topsheet layer is bonded to the second longitudinal direction peripheral edge of the backsheet layer;
vii. at least one flexure feature wherein the at least one flexure feature comprises at least one flexure element extending in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and wherein the at least one flexure element is positioned within the void space; and
viii. a secondary flexure feature extending in a direction generally parallel to the transverse axis and positioned within the transversely extending void space; and
d. a first non-integral wing and a second non-integral wing, each of the first and second non-integral wings bonded to the backsheet layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 further comprising a first side cover bonded to the chassis in the region of the first longitudinal direction bond region and a second side cover bonded to the chassis in the region of the second longitudinal direction bond region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein each of the first side cover and the second side cover is bonded to an exterior surface of the backsheet layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein each of the first side cover and the second side cover extend between the first transverse direction end edge and the second transverse direction end edge of the chassis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein each of the first side cover and the second side cover have at least one concave region and at least one convex region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the first non-integral wing and the second non-integral wing are separate components from each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the first non-integral wing and the second non-integral wing are integral with a bridge which is bonded to the backsheet layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first transverse direction end edge and the second transverse direction end edge has at least one concave region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the at least one flexure feature comprises a second flexure element, the second flexure element spaced in the transverse direction outward from the first flexure element and positioned at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein the second flexure element is aligned with an interior side edge of at least one of the lobes of the lobed absorbent layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 further comprising a garment attachment on an exterior surface of the backsheet layer wherein the backsheet layer is substantially free of the garment attachment in an area of the backsheet layer positioned below the flexure feature in the depth direction of the absorbent article.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent system further comprises at least one additional layer selected from a surge layer, a fluid intake layer, a transfer delay layer and a distribution layer.