ELASTICATED PAD FOR BODY CONTACT INCONTINENCE PRODUCT

SERVIETTE ELASTIQUEE POUR ARTICLE D'INCONTINENCE EN CONTACT AVEC LE CORPS

English Abstract

An elongate sanitary pad comprises a fluid-permeable topsheet (1), a core (4),
a secondary topsheet (5) located between the topsheet (1) and the core (4),
and elastication means in the form of at least one longitudinally extending
thread (7) located between the core and the secondary topsheet. At least one
transverse elastic thread may also be provided.

French Abstract

Serviette hygiénique allongée comprenant une feuille supérieure (1) perméable aux liquides, une âme, une feuille supérieure secondaire (5) située entre la feuille (1) et l'âme (4), et un système d'élastique sous forme d'un ou plusieurs fils (7) s'étendant longitudinalement situés entre l'âme et la feuille supérieure secondaire. La serviette peut également comporter au moins un fil élastique transversal.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. An elongate absorbent article which comprises a fluid-permeable topsheet,
a core for providing fluid-storage, a fluid-receiving layer located between the topsheet
and the core for transferring to the core fluid which passes through the topsheet, and
elastication means located between the core and the fluid-receiving layer, the elastication
means being in tension when the article is in a generally flat condition.
2. An article according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid-impermeable
backsheet on the opposite side of the core to the fluid-receiving layer.
3. An article according to either preceding claim, wherein the elastication
means comprises at least one elastic thread running substantially along at least a major
portion of the longitudinal centre line of the article.
4. An article according to claim 3, wherein the or each said thread is attached
at its ends to at least one of the fluid-receiving layer and the core.
5. An article according to claim 3, wherein the or each said thread is attached
at selected points along its length to at least one of the fluid-receiving layer and the core.
6. An article according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least
one further elastic thread extending transversely of the article and attached at its ends to
at least one of the topsheet ant the fluid-receiving layer.
7. An article according to any preceding claim which is in the form of a
sanitary pad.

Description

CA 02229651 1998-02-16
W O 97/07764 PCT~US96/13450
ELASTICATED PAD FOR BODY CONTACT
INCONTINENCE PRODUCT
S This invention relates to an ab~ article It is particularly cGnc~.--cd with an
abso.l,_n~ articl4 for ~ Fle in the form of a sanitary pad, which can be used by women
suffering from light and moderate ;~co~ ncc The invention will be so des_.il)ed
below Ho..~,-er, the invention is of more general appiir~bility in relation to the
absorption of body fluids, either urine or menstrua
One problem ~cso~ with such articles is that urine may not go directly into
the article, and be abso-lJet therein, but may flow along the user's body in a rc~.l
direction and escapc without ever e.ll~.i ng the abso-b~ material of the article This is
particularly true in the case of gushes of urine which are of low volume or low fiow rate
It is an objcct of the present i,.~e.~ion to provide an absG.l,_nl article which is so
shaped that the above p~bl~m is c1;~ n-~cA~ or at least reduced
AccG.di..~3 to the present invention there is provided an P~O~gP~e ~S~ IJ_n~ article
which cG.~.IJ.iscs a fluid-p_. ~'e top~h~ a core for providing fluid-storage, a fluid-
receiving layer located bcl- _en the topsheet and the core for ~1~ ar~ g to the core fluid
which passes through the toFs~, and c~ ;c~îion means located b_l- _cn the core and
the fluid-~cc,~ . Iayer, the rl~l;r l;o~ means being in tension when the article is in a
generally flat co,~ n
The fluid-receiving layer is r~f~ d to below as a ~:cQ~A~-~ topshe_l
The u.~,_-.~n will now be further dc~.ibed with l_f;-~,nCC to the ~ p~nying
d~a~u~,a, in which:
Figure I is a p_.a~c_Lve view of an cmho~iimpnt ofthe inv_..lion,
Figure 2 is a lo~tu~in~l section through the ~mho~imPnt of Flgure 1, taken alongthe lon~ytu~lin~l centrc line ll._r~r,
Figure 3 is a transverse section ~Lull~h the embodim~nt of Figure 1, taken on the
transverse centre line IL_.eor, and

CA 022296~1 1998-02-16
W O 97/07764 PCT~US96/13450
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a modified embodiment.
The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 is an abso-b~ sanitary pad for use by a
woman suffering from light in~o~ f l~çe It comprises a fluid-permeable topsheet 1, a
fluid-i...~.,.l..eable b~ L ~he~ l 2 which is sealed thereto, by a seal 3 at the pe~ ,h~,.y of the
article, for example by heat sealing or adhesive. The article further co~ ises an
absorbent core 4, for e,~.-ple one which colllai-ls an absorbent gelling material (AGM),
and a secondary topsllc~,t S which serves to receive fluid and Ll~ns~, it to the core.
The materials used for the topsl.eet, b~ chloet and absorbent core may be those
which are convçntion~lly used for abso.l,e.lL sanitary products. However, attention is
directed to Intern~tion~l Patent Publication W094/28838 which describes an absoll,e,lt
product having a secondary topsheet of high blllkin~c~, and to WO94/01069 and
PCT/EP94/04215 which describe cores inrl~ ing AGM~s, for further details of somesuitable materials.
The article further comprises an el~ctic~tion system which serves to cause the
article to curve in a way which enables it to conform closely to the user's body and at least
s~s~llially prevent, or reduce, the risk of urine e sc~ .g past it. In Figures 1 to 3 this
~l~ctir~tion system comprises an elastic thread 6 which runs along at least a major portion
of the leng,th of the article, preferably s~lbst~nfi~lly the whole length of the article, beneath
the secc-n~ry topslle~,L 5, and is ~tt~ched at its ends, or along its whole length, or at
sple~led points along its length, to the secon~ry topsheet and/or to the core. As can be
seen, this causes the pad to assume a co~fi~lration which is u~wal~ly concave as seen in
longitudin~l section (~igure 2), and upwardly convex as seen in transverse section ~Figure
3). The pad is thus resiliently raised towards the body of the user and held in close
contact with it, so providing a better fit and a better ability to acquire even the lightest
release of urine. The core is relatively stiff, and stays subst~nti~lly flat as view in
ll~r.~vel~c section, thus enabling it to ,,,~ good contact with the user's panty.
Figure 4 shows a modified embodiment which comprises in addition an elastic
thread 7 which runs transversely above the core 2, and below the secondary topslle.l 5

CA 02229651 1998-02-16
W O 97/07764 PCT~US96/13450
with its longitu~in~l elastic thread 6. The transverse elastic thread 7 is shown fixed to the
secon~l~ry topsl.e_L 5, though if it were slightly longer it could alternatively, or
~d~1ifiQn~lly~ be fixed to the plhlla.y top;,l.e_L 1. In any event, it is p.~fe-~bly fixed only at
its ends. By pulling the sides of the secon~ y topshee~ and/or primary topsheet inwards,
the transverse elastic thread assists in giving the article, as seen in transverse section, the
desired upwardly convex shape.
Various other mo~ific~tions are also possible. For e~ le, or a plurality of
transverse threads could be provided, the plurality being arranged close to one another or
spaced along the length of the article, and the single lo~lgitu~lin~l thread may be replaced
by a plurality of longit~l-lin~l threads al-~-ged close to one another.

Representative Drawing