Absorbent article having leakage-resistant dual cuffs

A unitary disposable absorbent article comprising:

• an absorbent core having edges, a garment surface and a body surface;
• a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;
• a gasketing flap extending outwardly from and along each of a pair of oppositely disposed edges of said absorbent core;
• a flap elastic member operatively associated with each of said gasketing flaps to thereby form gasketing cuffs;
• a hydrophobic barrier cuff positioned adjacent each of said gasketing cuffs, said barrier cuff having a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge;
• spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuff for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receiving surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;
• seal means positioned along said proximal edge for adjoining said proximal edge to said gasketing flap so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along said proximal edge;
• and
• a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of said proximal edge,
• whereby liquids are generally prevented from wicking underneath and beyond said barrier cuff to the edges of the absorbent article.

A unitary disposable absorbent article having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region, said absorbent article comprising:

• an absorbent core having side edges, a garment surface, and a body surface;
• a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;
• a gasketing flap extending outwardly from and along each side edge of said absorbent core in at least the crotch region;
• a flap elastic member operatively associated with each of said gasketing flaps to thereby form gasketing cuffs;
• a hydrophobic barrier cuff disposed adjacent each of said gasketing cuffs, said barrier cuffs each having a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge, each of said proximal edges being positioned inboard of said flap elastic member in at least the crotch region;
• spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuff for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receiving surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;
• seal means positioned along each of said proximal edges for adjoining each of said proximal edges to said gasketing flaps so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along said proximal edges;
• and
• a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of each of said proximal edges,
• wherby liquids are generally prevented from wicking underneath and beyond said barrier cuff to the edges of the absorbent article.

A unitary disposable absorbent article comprising:

• an absorbent core having a garment surface and a body surface;
• a liquid impervious backsheet positioned adjacent said garment surface of said absorbent core;
• an elastically contractible gasketing cuff disposed adjacent to a pair of oppositely disposed edges of the absorbent article, each of said gasketing cuffs comprising a gasketing flap and a flap elastic member;
• a hydrophobic barrier cuff having a flap portion and a channel portion comprising a proximal edge and a distal edge, said barrier cuff disposed adjacent said gasketing cuff;
• spacing means operatively associated with said barrier cuff for spacing said distal edge away from the liquid-receiving surface of the absorbent article so as to cause said barrier cuff to stand up;
• attachment means positioned adjacent the edge of the absorbent article for associating said flap portion of said barrier cuff with said gasketing flap so as to provide a leakage-resistant seal along the edge of the absorbent article;
• and
• a liquid pervious topsheet positioned adjacent said body surface of said absorbent core, said topsheet extending outwardly toward and terminating inwardly of the oppositely disposed pair of edges of the absorbent article,
• whereby liquids are generally prevented from wicking beyond the edges of the absorbent article.