Stabilized absorbent article
OwnerCatherine E. Salerno, Tenny Jerschkow +1inventors
InventorsCatherine E. Salerno, Tenny Jerschkow, Michele Gentile
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Abstract
An absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, is disclosed which has a stabilizing element having a length and a width sufficient to conform to the longitudinal dimensions of a wearer's labia majora. The stabilizing element provides the article with enhanced resistance to bunching and inward collapse due to lateral compressive forces imparted by a user's thighs. The stabilizing element is resistant to wet collapse so that a central absorbent portion of the article maintains contact with the perineal area of the user.
Claims20
An absorbent article having longitudinal sides and transverse ends, a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface said article comprising:
- a) a fluid-permeable cover on said body-facing surface;
- b) a fluid-impermeable barrier on said garment-facing surface;
- c) a fluid-absorbent core containing wood pulp fluff between the fluid-permeable cover and the fluid impermeable barrier, said fluid-absorbent core having a central region and transverse ends and a thickness of at least about 0.20 inches, the fluid-absorbent core having two spaced apart bending zones;
- and
- d) a stabilizing absorbent element adjacent an upper portion of the central region of the absorbent core between the two preferential bending zones, wherein the stabilizing element is capable of absorbing fluids and remaining stable when wet and has a length and a width sufficient to conform to the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of a user's labia majora, the stabilizing element having a resistance to wet collapse of less than about 10% at 0.2 psi wherein, in use, the preferential bending zones are adapted to allow the absorbent article to cup at the front and back of a user's body while maintaining an essentially planar configuration in the user's perineal area.
An absorbent article having longitudinal sides and transverse ends, a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface said article comprising:
- a) a fluid-permeable cover on said body-facing surface;
- b) a fluid-impermeable barrier on said garment-facing surface;
- c) a fluid-absorbent core containing wood pulp fluff adjacent said fluid-permeable cover, said fluid-absorbent core having a thickness of at least about 0.20 inches, two spaced apart bending zones, arcuate lateral sides, and an hour-glass shape wherein a central portion located inward of said transverse ends has a narrower lateral width than said transverse ends;
- d) an absorbent, resilient, stabilizing element between the fluid-permeable cover and the central portion of the absorbent core between the two preferential bending zones, the stabilizing element having a length and a width sufficient to conform to the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of a user's labia majora;
- e) at least one attachment tab along a longitudinal side, wherein, in use, the preferential bending zones are adapted to allow the absorbent article to cup at the front and back of a user's body while maintaining an essentially planar configuration in the user's perineal area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.