GB2081102A - Sanitary napkin with pressure sensitive adhesive stripes - Google Patents

Abstract

A sanitary napkin with an absorbent matrix 3 and a fluid impervious baffle 9 having pressure sensitive adhesive means 2a-i attached to the garment-facing side thereof deployed in a series of at least three stripes (nine in this case) extending transversely across the width of the napkin and underlying the absorbent component thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sanitary napkin with pressure sensitive adhesive stripes This invention relates to sanitary napkins having pressure sensitive adhesive means for attachment to undergarments.

Sanitary napkins utilising pressure sensitive adhesive means for attachment of the napkin to under garments have gained increasing acceptance recently. These napkins utilise pressure sensitive adhesive stripes deployed on the garment-facing side of the fluid impervious baffle component of the sanitary napkin to attach the napkin to undergar ments. Attachment capabilities vary, however, with the positioning of the adhesive. One typical adhesive deployment utilises pressure sensitive adhesive at the so-called tab ends of a sanitary napkin. These are the ends which extend beyond the absorbent matrix and are formed by the attachment of the fluid imper vious baffle with a fluid pervious flexible covering or outer wrap. This particular approach has encoun tered several difficulties due to the flexibility of the tabs.The tab ends due to their flexibility are easily removed when mounted on the undergarments and may fold back and adhere either to other portions of the napkin or even more unpleasantly, to the wearer.

Another approach utilises the placement of longitud inal lines spaced between the central axis and the outer napkin edge. The placement is under the absorbent pad and therefore prevents the problems resulting from the placement in the flexible tab ends but during periods of extreme activity the napkin has, on occasion, become unfastened from the panty. It is theorised the reason for this is that the longitudinally oriented stripes located either peripherally or centrally or in various combinations thereof, do not provide sufficient resistance to twist ing and torque forces applied in the area by exten sive movement by the wearer.

A sanitary napkin in accordance with the invention which is highly resistant to twisting and torque forces has adhesive stripes nearthetransverse edges of the absorbent matrix on the garment-facing side of the baffle with at least one other stripe located between these stripes. All of the adhesive portion of these adhesive stripes are located under the absorbent matrix and therefore are highly resis tant to the twisting and torque forces associated with conventional movement. By applying at least one additional central stripe, twisting in the central por tion of the napkin is further minimused and the risk of dislodgement of the napkin is substantially decreased.

It is necessary for purposes of this invention that adhesive stripes be inset at least fs from the longitud inal edges of the pad to prevent accidental attach ment to the flesh of the wearer. It is, in addition, preferred that the edges of the adhesive stripes at either end of the napkin be no greater than 1" from the end of the absorbent matrix underlying the baf fle. It is in fact especially preferred that the trans verse stripes be located as closely as possible to the transverse edge of the absorbent component of the napkin, a distance of no more than 1/8" to l" gener- ally, depending upon the specific construction of the napkin.

A stripe is normally to be considered as an adhesive strip in which the transverse side of the stripe extending across the width of the napkin is at least 1.5 times that of the side of the stripe paralleling the longitudinal side.

Examples of the product of this invention can be seen by reference to the drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are bottom plan views partially in crosssection of the napkins of the subject invention showing examples of adhesive configurations.

As shown in Figure 1, nine separate adhesive lines 2a through 2i are located transversely across the width of a sanitary napkin terminating approximately at the edge 5 of the absorbent batt 3. The edge is partially shown in phantom lines. As can be seen there is a flap 6 extending beyond the edge of the absorbent batt 5 and a sealed end 4 in which the fluid pervious cover material 7 completely overwraps the batt and a fluid impervious baffle 9 producing undergarment facing surface 8 in which the adhesive stripes are deployed. The cover material overwrap may be sealed at least in part by the adhesive stripes. The cover material is sealed to itself in the flap area 6 by adhesive means or by fusing and the baffle, shown to be coterminous with the absorbent batt, may be fused or adhered to the wrap or the batt or both. The baffle 9 may also be extended into the flap area.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment with only three adhesive lines, one located in the centre and the others spaced inward from the edge of the absorbent batt 5. While both of these configurations are within the teachings of the invention, it is currently preferred to use the configuration at Figure 1 in which substantially more stripes are utilised and the outer stripe is essentially adjacent the edge of the absorbent pad. It is felt that this configuration offers the greatest resistance to twisting and torque forces. Advantages inherent in the napkin represented by Figure 2 however, relate to the ease and simplicity of manufacture. While these figures are meant to be illustrative of two of the variants of the concept of this invention, obviously an intermediate number of stripes of varying dimensions can be used.In any event, the edges of the stripes parallel to the longitudinal axis inset from 4"to preferably no more than 1". If the inset is greater, resistance to rotational forces is minimised substantially and the advantages inherent in the placing of transverse stripes is substantially defeated.

It has been found generally that as long as at least three stripes are present and at least 10% of the bottom surface of the napkin is covered by adhesive stripes with the limits of configuration described above, resistance to dislodgment is obtained.

Depending upon the configuration, it is not necessary to utilise more than 50% of the surface of the baffle for covering with adhesive stripes. For purposes of this invention, the surface is defined as that portion of the baffle underlying the absorbent batt.

It should be noted that the pad may be constructed with a fluid pervious top cover which is adhered or fused to the fluid impervious baffle at the pad extremities. The adhesive lines would then be on the baffle itself.

Claims (6)

1. A sanitary napkin having an absorbent matrix and a fluid impervious baffle, and having a pressure sensitive adhesive attachment means attached to the garment-facing side of the baffle, the adhesive attachment means consisting of at least three adhesive stripes essentially equidistant from each other extending essentially transversely across the garment-facing side of said baffle and terminating at least r from the longitudinal edges of said baffle, said strips being disposed under said absorbent matrix.

2. A napkin as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each strip is in the form of a stripe at least 1.5 times as long as it is wide.

3. A napkin as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 wherein the stripes cover from 10% to 50% of the surface area.

4. A napkin as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the end of each adhesive strip terminates at a distance of no more than 1" from the longitudinal edges of the baffle.

5. A napkin as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the stripes are inset no more than 1" from the transverse edges of the absorbent matrix at the pad ends.

6. A napkin substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying draw ings.