Stretchable absorbent articles
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsThomas W. Osborn, III, Kazuko Sugahara, Charles W. Chappell, Letha M. Hines
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins worn by women. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent articles, such as thin sanitary napkins, that are stretchable, especially in the longitudinal direction.
Claims19
An extensible sanitary napkin for wearing in a crotch region of a pair of panties, said sanitary napkin having a body surface, a garment surface, a longitudinal dimension, a transverse dimension that is less than said longitudinal dimension, a longitudinal centerline extending in said longitudinal dimension, a transverse centerline extending in said transverse dimension, an initial dimension measured along each of said centerlines, and an extended dimension measured along at least one of said centerlines, said sanitary napkin comprising:
- an extensible liquid pervious topsheet;
- an extensible liquid impervious backsheet joined to said topsheet;
- an extensible absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet;
- and
- an extensible adhesive fastener on said garment surface for removably attaching said sanitary napkin to the crotch region of the pair of panties, wherein
- when said sanitary napkin is subjected to outwardly-oriented stretching forces of between about 50 grams and about 1,500 grams along one of said centerlines, said sanitary napkin extends to an extended dimension along said centerline that is greater than or equal to 105% and less than 150% of its initial dimension measured along the same centerline.
An extensible absorbent article for attaching to and wearing in an undergarment, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, two end edges, a liquid pervious side, a liquid impervious side, an absorbent component positioned between said liquid pervious side and said liquid impervious side, and a fastener for attaching said absorbent article to an undergarment, said fastener having two ends, wherein said absorbent article has an initial dimension measured when the absorbent article is subjected to a force of 50 grams, and the portion of said absorbent article containing said absorbent component will extend to a dimension that is between greater than or equal to about 120% of its initial dimension and less than about 150% of its initial dimension before the absorbent article shears from a cotton fabric.
An extensible sanitary napkin for wearing in a crotch region of a pair of panties, said sanitary napkin having a body surface, a garment surface, a longitudinal dimension, a transverse dimension that is less than said longitudinal dimension, a longitudinal centerline extending in said longitudinal dimension, a transverse centerline extending in said transverse dimension, an initial dimension measured along each of said centerlines, and an extended dimension measured along at least one of said centerlines, said sanitary napkin comprising:
- an extensible liquid pervious topsheet;
- an extensible liquid impervious backsheet joined to said topsheet;
- an extensible absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet;
- and
- an extensible adhesive fastener on said garment surface for removably attaching said sanitary napkin to the crotch region of the pair of panties, wherein
- when said sanitary napkin is subjected to outwardly-oriented stretching forces of between about 50 grams and about 800 grams along one of said centerlines, said sanitary napkin extends to an extended dimension along said centerline that is greater than or equal to 110% and less than 150% of its initial dimension measured along the same centerline.
A sanitary napkin having an initial dimension, said sanitary napkin being extensible at least about 105% of its initial dimension in response to stretching forces of between about 50 grams and about 1,500 grams, said sanitary napkin having a specific extended dimension at increasing increments of stretching force, wherein said extended dimension of said sanitary napkin and said stretching force can be plotted on a graph with the extended dimension of said sanitary napkin on the x axis and the stretching force on the y axis so that a series of points are formed on the graph for each force, and said series of points form a curve, and said sanitary napkin comprises:
- a structure that provides said sanitary napkin with a force wall wherein said sanitary napkin has an extended dimension at said force wall, and said force wall prevents said sanitary napkin from extending beyond said extended dimension at said force wall without the application of an substantial additional force, wherein said force wall is activated at the force where said graph has an inflection point.
An extensible sanitary napkin for wearing in a crotch region of a pair of panties, said sanitary napkin having a body surface, a garment surface, a longitudinal dimension, a transverse dimension that is less than said longitudinal dimension, a longitudinal centerline extending in said longitudinal dimension, a transverse centerline extending in said transverse dimension, an initial dimension measured along each of said centerlines, and an extended dimension measured in a direction parallel to at least one of said centerlines, said sanitary napkin comprising:
- an extensible liquid pervious topsheet;
- an extensible liquid impervious backsheet joined to said topsheet;
- an extensible absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet;
- and
- an extensible fastener on said garment surface for removably attaching said sanitary napkin to the crotch region of the pair of panties, wherein
- when said sanitary napkin is subjected to outwardly-oriented stretching forces of between about 50 grams and about 1,500 grams parallel to one of said centerlines, said sanitary napkin extends to an extended dimension along said centerline that is greater than or equal to 105% and less than 150% of its initial dimension measured parallel to the same centerline.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.