CA1057464A - Sanitary napkin - Google Patents

Abstract

SANITARY NAPKIN
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A sanitary napkin having a fluid previous outer cover and an inner absorbent core. The core is formed of a strip or sheet of fibrous material folded to form a three-ply pad, the lower ply being the central portion of the strip and being longer than the middle and upper plies so as to provide for a taper in the thickness of the pad. The pad is also tapered in its width.
The middle ply is provided with embossed ribs for distributing fluid, while the upper ply is provided with holes therethrough for quickly delivering fluid to the middle ply and to prevent puddling. A film or sheet of liquid impervious material is dis-posed below the pad to prevent seepage, should the pad become overloaded.

Description

1~57~
~ihis invention relates to a sanitary napkin having the character-istics of high absorbability and is capable of handling sudden fluid flows without puddling.
Various types of sanitary napkins have been devised in the past having a multi-ply structure such as described in the United States patent to Burgeni, No. 2,952,259, for "Absorbent Product." Other prior United States patents have been granted on sanitary napkins such as the patent to Glassman, No. 3,343,543, and the patent to Jones, No. 3,593,713. A multi-ply sanitary napkin is shown in the patent to Mathey, No. 2,024,976, which is provided with various openings to restrict puddling. However, none of the prior art patents discloses the concept of providing for a multi-ply pad in which the plies themselves are so arranged ~o provide for the ~apering of the pad and wherein an upper ply having holes therein for rapid absorbing of fluid, while the next adjacent ply is embossed preferably with ribs or grooves for facili-ta~ing the rapid distribution of fluid from the upper ply during unexpected large and sudden flows of fluid.
; Accordingly the body fluid absorbent pad of the invention is adapted for contac~ with body areas and comprises a central portion and first and second end portions said portions being longitudinally joined to each other by transverse folds to form a three-ply stacked absorbent means, said first end portion defining an upper body contacting ply having a plurality of ;
~' discreet fluid contacting holes there through, said second end portion defining an intermediate ply having a plurality of fluid directing embossment ribs communicating with said holes, said central portion defining an absorbent bottom ply.
The bottom layer is preferably not worked upon and between the bottom of the pad and the outer covering of fibrous fluid-pervious material -:; ~
is a fluid impervious film or sheet.
The pad as foldedis preferably tapered at its ends and as a result a double sanitary napkin is achieved, which is less revealing and thus more :

: :. . . . . :

:
~L~57464 ~ :
desirable than thick bulky napkins which produce unsightly bulges under wearing apparel.
In the preferred embodiment described herein a sanitary napkin of a double tapered shape is formed in a convenient manner by folding an absorbent pad from a single strip or sheet of absorbent material in such a manner so as not only to achieve a taper, but to achieve an increased absorbability based on a combination or holes in an upper layer forming absorption wells and embossed downwardly extending ribs forming distributing grooves in an inter-mediate layer. The entire pad is protected by use of a barrier shield in -~ 10 the form of a thin film of fluid-impervious plastic which may be either disposed as a sheet below the pad or may encapsulate the pad with the - exception of a suitable opening on the upper face of the pad which faces the ~;
body of the wearer. ~ `
The preferred sanitary napkin described herein is effective in use, simple to manufactura, attractive in appearance and capable of being worn without creating unsightly bulges under wearing apparel.
The invention will be better understood as the following description proceeds. A preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, . . .,i i~ ~:
by way of example only, wherein~

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the pad prior to folding;
. ~ :
- Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the `~
plane of line 2-2 in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane of line ::
3-3 in Figure l;
Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the pad after it has been folded;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the pad with parts thereof being broken away to show other parts in section; and . I .
Figure 6 is a vertical view taken along the plane of line 6-6 in : ~ .
~ 3~ Figure 5. ~

:

- 2 - ~

: ::, : : . .. .... . .. . .. .. .
~;''.':.''-' '. " ''' ':. ' ' ' '' :

~L057~64 With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various view, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the absorbent pad which is formed from a strip or sheet having two end portions 12 and 14 and a ; middle or central portion 16.

:, ': ' ' ' ; ~ .

'`' ~' ~''~ ' ' ''`' '-~ ~ ''' ,, .
: .;. .
"~
.' ~-''' ~' : . ;," '' ~ " ':
' ;. :

3 - ~

.. ::

-: ; - - : : :
. : - ., ,. .. .:. -:.

~ '7~4 . . .
The end portion 12 is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending ribs 18 embossed therein defining .
grooves 20 in the under surface of the section 12. The end section 14 is provided with a plurality of rows of holes 22 therethrough, the rows belng staggered. The :
pad 10 is then folded to a position as shown in FIG. 4 ~ ~
with the unworked upon center section 16 forming the . .
lower layer. ~'he end sections 12 and 14 are of less length .:
than the central section 16. The section 12 is folded .
into overlying relationship on the section 16 with the end 24 thereof terminating well short of the end 26 of the middle section 16, and as a result of the folding the ribs .. .
18 extend downwardly so that the grooves 20 define between - .
thei.r upwardly extending ribs 30. ~ ;
The end section 14 is folded to overlie a portion ;, of the middle section 16 and a portion of the end section ~
12 with the end 32 thereof terminating short of the end ~.
34 of the end section 12 and middle section 16. The holes .~ :
22 therefore communicate with the grooves 20. .~'~` .-As folded and shown in FIG. 4, a three-ply pad is achieved in which the top ply 14 is so arranged that the ,`~
, .. ~. . . :. ::
holes 22 will receive the maximum flow of menstral fluid and .

facilitate that this fluid quickly be absorbed by the pad. ,~

Normally fluid would puddle at the -top and center portions ~, of a pad thereby reducing the efficiency of the pad, but the ~

-~ holes 22 direct the fluid inwardly of the pad -for rapid .~ ; .

.~l distribution in grooves 20. The holes 22 thus form absorp-:~ tion wells and allows fluid to pass downwardly rapidly , and to be absorbed quickly into the center section of the : pad.
,. ~ `
. . . .
~`` ~4~ ~ :

' : -,-~
-i: : :- -: . .

~L~35~4i~4 This will be similar -to a fast flow of water from a garden hose on a lawn. The wa-ter would normally form a pool which would remain until absorbed. However, holes punched into the soil allow water to reach the lower layer of absorbing soil and therfore the water is quickly drawn from the sur-face preventing puddling and formation of a pool.
By use of the embossed center layer, fluid is distrib=
uted over a greater area rapidly thus extending the useful life of -the napkin, namely -the wearing time thereof.
The pad is made of absorbent compressed cellulosic fibers which act as capillaries and fluid migrates quickly ;
along the grooves 20 and these grooves form channels for i receiving quantities of fluid during periods of heavy ;
discharge even before absorption.
After the pad is folded to the configuration as shown in FIG. 4, it will then be cut or shaped so that the ., .~ .
pad achieves a double ogive shape as indicated at 36 and 38 in FIG. 5. This shape, together with -the location of the ends of the middle and upper plies, produce a double taper for the napkin thereby conforming to body contour. As a result, a less revealing napkin is possible which is more il desirable than a thick bulky napkin -that would produce un-: - . :.:
slght~bulges under wearing apparel.

; For maximum stain-through protection a thin sheet ~: ..
or film of synthetic water impervious plastic is used as a barrier shield, which may be in the form of a laminate on the pad and may either be disposed below the pad or prefer ~: ~ :. . :. ..
, ably ~
.~-,j . ' ``! _5_ ~ -., .' '' '.' .

46~ ~
not only below -the pad, but to encapsula-te the pad with the - -exception of an opening 40 facing the body of the wearer, the shielding being designated by -the reference numeral 42. -The opening 40 is directly above the holes 22 and the imper-vious film 42 offers a maximum protection against the staining of the clothes of the wearer.
The entire pad is wrapped in sof-t strong line bonded non-woven fabric 46 generally of a rectangular shape.
A latitude of modification, substitution and change ; ~
is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some .
: . ,: . .
instances some features of the invention may be employed :.~:. . .. .
without a corresponding use of :other features.

. :', '. ~ ' : ' ' :.1 ::. : ~, :.
':, ,', ~' . '1 ,. . .
. 1~ '' "' '~;i , ~. ':.

"`'1 ' -: ~ ~

_6- :~

, , . . : :

. :: , . .. ~, : .:

Claims (9)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A body fluid absorbent pad adapted for contact with body areas comprising a central portion and first and second end portions said portions being longitudinally joined to each other by transverse folds to form a three-ply stacked absorbent means, said first end portion defining an upper body contacting ply having a plurality of discreet fluid contacting holes there through, said second end portion defining an intermediate ply having a plurality of fluid directing embossment ribs communicating with said holes, said central portion defining an absorbent bottom ply.

2. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said end portions are shorter than said central portion.

3. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said pad is vertically and horizontally tapered at the ends thereof.

4. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 further including a fluid impervious sheet around a substantial portion of said pad including said bottom ply.

5. The absorbent pad of claim 1 comprising a baby diaper.

6. The absorbent pad of claim 1 comprising a surgical dressing.

7. The absorbent pad of claim 1 comprising an incontinent pad.

8. The absorbent pad of claim 1 comprising a sanitary napkin.

9. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said embossment ribs are longitudinally disposed.