Nonlinear, undulating perimeter embossing in an absorbent article
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsShelley R. Rasmussen, Marcus D. Weiher, Teresa M. Zander, Laura J. Walker
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Abstract
An absorbent feminine care article (20) having a longitudinal direction (22), a lateral direction (24), first and second longitudinally opposed end portions (72, 72a), and an intermediate portion (76) located between the end portions. The article (20) comprises an absorbent body structure (30) sandwiched between a cover (26) and a baffle (28). In a particular aspect, the absorbent structure (30) can include one or more distinctively configured embossment regions (34), and the embossment regions can be distributed along the intermediate portion (76) of the article.
Claims15
An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, first and second longitudinally opposed end portions, and an intermediate portion located between the end portions, said article comprising
- a liquid-permeable cover;
- a baffle;
- an absorbent body sandwiched between said cover and baffle, the absorbent body having perimeter side-edges, perimeter end-edges, an intake layer and a shaping layer;
- and
- a nonlinear embossment region formed in at least a portion of said cover and said absorbent body, said embossment region extending longitudinally along said intermediate portion of the article;
- wherein
- the embossment region has a pattern-shape with back-and-forth cycles which traverse back-and-forth along the lateral direction;
- the embossment region is continuous along each back-and-forth cycle of the pattern-shape;
- and the back-and-forth cycles of the embossment region are located proximate to and entirely inboard from the perimeter side-edges and end-edges of the absorbent body, the back-and-forth cycles of the embossment region thereby arranged to not intersect the perimeter edges of the absorbent body;
- and wherein said embossment region extends continuously along at least about 1.5 back-and-forth cycles of the pattern-shape along at least said intermediate portion of the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.