# US 11,813,149 B2 · Feminine hygiene pad with nonwoven topsheet having enhanced skin feel

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- Number: US 11,813,149 B2
- Document ID: US11813149B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/789,516
- Filed: 2020-02-13
- Published: 2020-08-13
- Granted: 2023-11-14
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-13
- Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Inventors: Digvijay Rawat
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11813149B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/472: specially adapted for female use
- A61F 13/51121: {characterised by the material}
- A61F 13/47: Sanitary towels, incontinence pads or napkins (A61F13/49 takes precedence)
- A61F 13/531: having a homogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad (A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence)
- A61F 13/539: characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers
- A61F 2013/51019: {being cellulosic material}
- A61F 2013/51021: {being chemically modified}
- A61F 2013/51026: {being in thermoplastic material}
- A61F 2013/51033: {being hydrophilic}
- A61F 2013/51038: {being a mixture of fibres}
- A61F 2013/530802: {characterized by the foam or sponge other than superabsorbent (A61F2013/530649 takes precedence)}
- A61F 2013/530817: {being open cells}
- A61F 2013/53908: {with adhesive}
- 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

A feminine hygiene pad having a topsheet including a fibrous nonwoven web material having hydrophilic fibers, and an absorbent layer including an open-celled foam formed through polymerization of a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) is disclosed. The topsheet and the absorbent layer are disposed in direct face-to-face relationship with each other, and attached to each other within a bonding region. Within the bonding region, each first identifiable point of attachment between the topsheet and the absorbent layer has a neighboring second identifiable point of attachment between the topsheet and the absorbent layer within a 6 mm radius of the first identifiable point of attachment.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A feminine hygiene pad comprising a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent layer disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet,
wherein the topsheet comprises a fibrous nonwoven web material comprising hydrophilic fibers;
wherein the absorbent layer comprises a layer of open-celled foam formed through polymerization of a HIPE, the foam comprising a wearer-facing sublayer having a first average cell size, disposed in contact with an outward-facing sublayer having a second average cell size that is smaller than the first average cell size;
wherein the topsheet and the open-celled foam layer are disposed in direct face-to-face relationship with each other, and attached to each other within a bonding region of at least 15 cm2, wherein within the bonding region, each first identifiable point of attachment between the topsheet and the absorbent layer has a neighboring second identifiable point of attachment between the topsheet and the absorbent layer within a 6 mm radius of the first identifiable point of attachment;
wherein the bonding region overlies an intersection of longitudinal and lateral axes of the pad;
wherein attachment within the bonding region is effected by adhesive discontinuously or intermittently deposited so as to form bonded areas while leaving interspersed unbonded areas between the topsheet and the absorbent layer within the bonding region; and
wherein the topsheet is unapertured.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein the nonwoven web material comprises cotton fibers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 2 wherein the nonwoven web material comprises predominately cotton fibers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 3 wherein the fibrous nonwoven web material has a basis weight of 20 gsm to 50 gsm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 4 wherein the fibrous nonwoven web material has a caliper of 0.20 mm to 0.60 mm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 3 wherein the absorbent layer comprises an arrangement of perforations present in at least the bonding region.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 2 wherein the nonwoven web material also comprises fibers spun from thermoplastic polymeric resin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 2 wherein the nonwoven web material has been hydroentangled.

### Claim 9

A feminine hygiene pad comprising a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent layer disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet,
wherein the topsheet comprises a fibrous nonwoven web material comprising cotton fibers and having a capillary work potential in desorption mode (CWPD);
wherein the absorbent layer comprises a layer of open-celled foam formed through polymerization of a HIPE, the foam comprising a wearer-facing sublayer having a first average cell size, disposed in contact with an outward-facing sublayer having a second average cell size that is smaller than the first average cell size;
wherein the absorbent layer has a capillary work potential in absorption mode (CWPA) greater than the CWPD, and has a caliper (prior to wetting) of 1 mm to 5 mm;
wherein the topsheet and the open-celled foam layer are disposed in direct face-to-face relationship with each other, and attached to each other within a bonding region of at least 15 cm2, wherein within the bonding region, each first identifiable point of attachment between the topsheet and the absorbent layer has a neighboring second identifiable point of attachment between the topsheet and the absorbent layer within a 6 mm radius of the first identifiable point of attachment;
wherein the bonding region overlies an intersection of longitudinal and lateral axes of the pad;
wherein attachment within the bonding region is effected by adhesive discontinuously or intermittently deposited so as to form bonded areas while leaving interspersed unbonded areas between the topsheet and the absorbent layer within the bonding region; and
wherein the topsheet is unapertured.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the nonwoven web material comprises predominately cotton fibers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the nonwoven web material also comprises fibers spun from thermoplastic polymeric resin.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the nonwoven web material has been hydroentangled.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the fibrous nonwoven web material has a basis weight of 20 gsm to 50 gsm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 13 wherein the fibrous nonwoven web material has a caliper of 0.20 mm to 0.60 mm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the absorbent layer comprises an arrangement of perforations present in at least the bonding region.