MXPA96005631A - Sanitary towel that has a member peripheral deployment, permeable to the flui - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin having a periphery, said sanitary napkin characterized by: (a) a fluid-permeable topsheet, (b) a fluid-impermeable backsheet attached to said topsheet; an absorbent core having a periphery positioned between said top sheet and said backsheet, and (d) a fluid permeable concealment member positioned between said top sheet and said absorbent core, said concealment member disposed along the periphery of said sanitary napkin, the concealing member in this manner defining an open area centrally arranged

Description

OUE SANITARY TOWEL HAS A MEMBER OF PERIPHERAL HIDING. PERMEABLE TO FLUIDS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners, adult incontinence briefs, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to sanitary napkins having a peripheral, fluid-permeable concealment member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Well-known, of course, sanitary napkins configured for the absorption of bodily fluids are well known. In their simplest forms, these comprise an absorbent element or core interposed between a liquid-permeable element that contacts the body and a protective barrier impervious to liquids. The absorbent element (sometimes called the absorbent core) is, of course, meant to receive and contain menstruation and other vaginal discharges. The element that makes contact with the body (sometimes called the top sheet) is intended to provide more or less comfortable contact and dry sensation with the surfaces of the body, while allowing the free passage of fluids through and to the absorbent core. The protective barrier (sometimes called the back sheet) is intended to prevent menstruation or other vaginal discharges from being expelled or escaping the absorbent core, staining the wearer's undergarments. Recently, improvements in the absorbent cores have increased their total absorbent capacity. To increase the absorbency capacity of the absorbent cores, improvements have been made in their ability to conduct fluids. As the fluid enters the absorbent core, it is preferably able to conduct in all directions toward the peripheral edges of the absorbent core. Although an increase in total absorption capacity has proven to be beneficial for the wearer in the prevention of soiling of underwear and the like, the user's visual impression is that the absorbent core has reached its capacity and that it is close to failure due in the presence of body fluids adjacent to or in the peripheral areas of the absorbent core. However, in most cases this is not the case since the absorbent core is able to maintain more fluid before reaching its capacity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin. More particularly, the present invention provides a sanitary napkin having a periphery. The sanitary napkin comprises a fluid-permeable topsheet and a fluid-impermeable backsheet attached to the topsheet. The top sheet can be made from a wide variety of materials, including non-woven materials and films formed with openings. An absorbent core, having a periphery, is placed between the top sheet and the back sheet. A fluid permeable concealment member is placed between said top sheet and said absorbent core. The concealing member is disposed along the periphery of said sanitary napkin to define a centrally disposed open area. Preferably, the concealment member is placed such that it covers the periphery of the absorbent core. The concealment member may be made from a wide variety of materials including non-woven materials and films formed with openings. In a preferred embodiment, the topsheet, the backsheet and the concealing member are secured together along their common periphery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims that particularly state and clearly claim the present invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers identify identical elements and where: Figure 1 is a plan view of a sanitary napkin embodiment of the present invention with portions of the sanitary napkin sectioned to more clearly show the construction of the sanitary napkin; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary napkin of Figure 1 taken along section line 2-2; and Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective illustration partially segmented of a three-dimensional, macroscopically expanded, apertured formed film web of the type generally described in the commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,342,314, issued to Radel et al. which is suitable to be used as the concealment member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As used in the present invention, the term "absorbent article" refers to devices that absorb and contain body exudates, and, more specifically, refers to devices that are placed against or in proximity to the body of the user to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body. The term "disposable" is used in the present invention to describe absorbent articles that are not intended to be washed or otherwise restored or reused as an absorbent article (ie, are intended to be discarded after a single use, and , preferably, be recycled, composted or otherwise disposed of in a manner compatible with the environment). A "unitary" absorbent article refers to absorbent articles that are formed of separate parts joined together to form a coordinated entity so that they do not require separate manipulated parts such as a separate support and pad. A preferred embodiment of a unitary disposable absorbent article of the present invention is the catamenial pad, the sanitary napkin 20, which is shown in Figure 1. As used in the present invention, the term "sanitary napkin" refers to an article Absorbent that is used by females adjacent to the pubic region, generally external to the urogenital region, and that has the purpose of absorbing and containing the menstrual fluids and other vaginal secretions of the wearer's body (eg, blood, menstruation, urine) ). Interlabial devices that reside partially within and partially outside the wearer's vestibule are also within the scope of this invention.

As used in the present invention, the term "pudenda" refers to externally visible female genitalia. However, it should be understood that the present invention can also be applied to other feminine or catamenial hygiene pads such as pantiliners, and other absorbent articles such as incontinence briefs, and the like. Figure 1 is a plan view of the sanitary size 20 of the present invention in its flattened state with portions of the structure being sectioned to more clearly show the construction of the sanitary napkin 20 and with the portion of the sanitary napkin 20 that is in front or in contact with the user, oriented towards the observer. As shown in Figure 1, the sanitary napkin 20 preferably comprises a fluid-permeable upper sheet 24, a fluid-impermeable backsheet 26 attached to the topsheet 24, an absorbent core 28 positioned between the topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26, and a fluid permeable concealment member 29 positioned between the topsheet 24 and the absorbent core 28 and adjacent the periphery 30 of the sanitary napkin. The sanitary napkin 20 has two surfaces, a surface that contacts the body or "body surface" and a surface of the garment. The sanitary napkin 20 is shown in Figure 1 as seen from the body surface. The surface of the body is intended to be used adjacent to the wearer's body while the surface of the garment is on the opposite side and is intended to be placed adjacent to the wearer's undergarments when the sanitary napkin 20 It's in use. The sanitary napkin 20 has two center lines, a longitudinal center line "1" and a transverse center line "t". The term "longitudinal", as used in the present invention, refers to a line, axis or direction in the plane of the sanitary napkin 20 that is generally aligned with (e.g., approximately parallel to) a vertical plane that bisects a user standing in left and right body halves when the sanitary napkin 20 is in use. The term "transverse" or "lateral", as used in the present invention, are interchangeable, and refer to a line, axis or direction within the plane of the sanitary napkin 20 that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Figure 1 also shows that the sanitary napkin has a periphery 30 which is defined by the outer edges of the sanitary napkin 20 in which the longitudinal edges are designated 32 and the end edges are designated 34. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary napkin 20 taken at along the line of section 2-2 of figure 1. As can be seen in figure 2, the sanitary napkin 20 preferably includes an adhesive fixing means 36 for fixing the sanitary napkin 20 to the wearer's undergarment. Releasable release liners 37 cover the adhesive attachment means 36 to prevent the adhesive from sticking to a surface other than the crotch portion of the undergarment prior to use. Although the topsheet, the backsheet and the absorbent core can be assembled in a variety of well-known configurations (including so-called "tube" products or side wing products), sanitary napkin configurations are preferred as generally described in U.S. Patent 4,950,264, issued to Osborn on August 21, 1990, U.S. Patent No. 4,321,924, issued to Ahr on March 30, 1982; and U.S. Patent No. 4,589,876 issued to Van Tilburg on August 18, 1987. Each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference. Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the sanitary napkin 20, in which the topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 have width and length dimensions generally larger than those of the absorbent core 28. The topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 they extend beyond the edges of the absorbent core 28 to thereby form a portion of the periphery of the sanitary napkin. The absorbent core 28 may be any absorbent means that is capable of absorbing and retaining liquids (e.g., menstruation and / or urine). As shown in Figure 1, the absorbent core 28 has a body facing surface, a face facing the garment, and a periphery 62. The periphery 62 is defined by the outer edges of the absorbent core 28 in which longitudinal edges are designated 64 and the end edges are designated 66. The absorbent core 28 can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes (eg, rectangular, oval, hourglass, dog bone, asymmetric, etc.) and of a wide variety of materials that absorb liquids commonly used in sanitary napkins and other absorbent articles such as shredded wood pulp generally referred to as air felt. Examples of other suitable absorbent materials include creped cellulose wadding; melt blown polymers including coforms; chemically hardened modified or crosslinked cellulosic fibers; synthetic fibers such as cut polyester fibers; peat; tissue including woven wraps and laminated fabric materials; absorbent foams; absorbent sponges; superabsorbent polymers; absorbent gelation materials; or any equivalent material or combinations of materials, or mixtures thereof. The configuration and construction of the absorbent core can also be varied (eg, the absorbent core can have zones of variable gauge (eg, profiled to be thicker in the center), hydrophilic gradients, superabsorbent gradients, or lower density acquisition zones or lower average basis weight, or may comprise one or more layers or structures). However, the total absorbent capacity of the absorbent core must be compatible with the design load and the proposed use of the sanitary napkin. In addition, the size and absorbent capacity of the absorbent core can be varied to accommodate different uses such as incontinence pads, pantiliners, regular sanitary napkins, or sanitary napkins for overnight use. Examples of absorbent structures to be used as the absorbent core 28 of the present invention are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,950,264, issued to Osborn, on August 21, 1990.; U.S. Patent No. 4,610,678, issued to Weisman and others, September 9, 1986; U.S. Patent No. 4,834,735, issued to Alemany et al., May 30, 1989; and European Patent Application No. 0 198 683, The Procter & Gamble Company, published on October 22, 1986, in the name of Duenk, et al. All of these patents are incorporated by reference in the present invention. The backsheet 26 and the topsheet 24 are positioned adjacent the garment facing surface and the body facing surface, respectively, of the absorbent core 28, and are preferably attached to it and the concealing member 29 or to each other by fixing means (not shown) such as those well known in the art. For example, the backsheet 26 and / or the topsheet 24 can be secured to the absorbent core 28, the concealing member 29, or to each other by means of a uniform continuous layer of adhesive, a shaped layer of adhesive, or a series of lines, spirals, or separate points of adhesive. The adhesives that have been found satisfactory are manufactured by H. B. Fuller Company, of St. Paul, Minnesota, under the designation HL-1258 or H-2031. The fixing means will preferably comprise an open shaped network of filaments of adhesive as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,573,986, issued to Minetola et al., March 4, 1986, and "incorporated herein by reference. as reference. An example of an attachment means of an open shaped network of filaments comprises several strands of swirling adhesive filaments in a spiral configuration as illustrated by the apparatus and method shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,911,173 , issued to Sprague, Jr., on October 7, 1975; U.S. Patent No. 4,785,996, issued to Zieker et al., November 22, 1978; and U.S. Patent No. 4,842,666, issued to Werenicz, June 27, 1989. All of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, the fixation means may comprise heat bonds, pressure bonds, ultrasonic bonds, dynamic mechanical joints, or any other means of attachment or combinations of these fixation means as are known in the art. The back sheet 26 is impervious to liquids (e.g., menstruation and / or urine) and is preferably manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other liquid impervious materials may also be used. As used in the present invention, the term "flexible" refers to materials that are docile and readily conform to the shape and general contours of the human body. The backsheet 26 prevents the exudates absorbed and contained in the absorbent core 28 from wetting the articles coming into contact with the sanitary towel 20 such as pants, pajamas and undergarments. The backsheet 26 may thus comprise a woven or non-woven material, polymeric films such as polyethylene or polypropylene thermoplastic films, or composite materials such as a film-coated nonwoven material. Preferably, the backsheet is a polyethylene film having a thickness of 0.012 mm (0.5 mil) to 0.051 mm (2.0 mil), approximately. Examples of polyethylene films are manufactured by Clopay Corporation, of Cincinnati, Ohio, under the designation P18-0401, and by Ethyl Corporation, Visqueen Division, of Terre Haute, Indiana, under the designation XP-39385. The backsheet is preferably embossed and / or dull finished to provide a more fabric-like appearance. In addition, the backsheet 26 can allow the vapors to escape from the absorbent core 28 (ie, breathable) while still preventing exudates from passing through the backsheet 26. The topsheet 24 is docile, soft-feeling and non-slip. irritant to the user's skin. In addition, the topsheet 24 is permeable to fluids allowing fluids (eg, menstruation and / or urine) to easily penetrate through their thickness. A suitable top sheet 24 can be manufactured from a wide variety of materials including, but not limited to woven and nonwoven materials, polymeric materials such as thermoplastic films formed with openings, apertured plastic films, hydroformed films, foams porous, reticulated foams, reticulated thermoplastic films, and thermoplastic liners. Suitable woven and nonwoven materials may be composed of natural fibers (eg, wood or cotton fibers), synthetic natural fibers (e.g., polymeric fibers, such as polyester fibers, polypropylene fibers, and fibers). polyethylene), or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. A preferred top sheet comprises a film formed with openings. Films formed with apertures for the topsheet are preferred, since they are permeable to body exudates and, still not absorbent and have a reduced tendency to allow liquids to pass through and re-moisten the wearer's skin. In this way, the surface of the formed film that is in contact with the body remains dry, thereby reducing staining and creating a more comfortable feeling for the wearer. Films formed with apertures, suitable, are described in U.S. Patent 3,929,135 issued to Thompson on December 30, 1975; U.S. Patent 4,324,426 issued to Mullane et al. on April 13, 1982; U.S. Patent 4,342,314 issued to Radel et al. on August 3, 1982; U.S. Patent 4,463,045 issued to Ahr et al. on July 31, 1984; and U.S. Patent 5,006,394 issued to Baird on April 9, 1991. Each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference. The preferred top sheet for the present invention is the formed film described in one or more of the above patents and marketed in sanitary napkins as "DRI-WEAVE", by The Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati. In a preferred embodiment, the body surface of the formed film topsheet is hydrophilic to help the liquid to be transferred through the upper sheet faster than if the body surface were not hydrophilic to decrease the likelihood that the Menstrual fluid flows out of the upper sheet instead of flowing into and being absorbed by the absorbent core. In a preferred embodiment, the surfactant is incorporated into the polymeric materials of the formed film topsheet as described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07 / 794,745, "Absorbent Article Having a Nonwoven and Apertured Film Coversheet". absorbent having an apertured and non-woven film cover sheet ", filed November 19, 1991 by Azis et al. Alternatively, the body surface of the top sheet can be made hydrophilic by treating it with a surfactant such as described in U.S. Patent 4,950,254, issued to Osborn, incorporated herein by reference, the fluid permeable concealment member 29 is positioned between the topsheet 34 and the backsheet 26, and preferably forms a portion thereof. from the periphery 30 of the sanitary napkin 20. The concealment member 29 is preferably placed on the surface facing the body of the absorbent core. 28 and covers the periphery 62 of the absorbent core 28. An occlusion member 28 can be manufactured from a wide variety of materials such as woven and non-woven materials; polymeric material such as thermoplastic films formed with apertures, apertured plastic films, and hydroformed thermoplastic films: porous foams, crosslinked foams, crosslinked thermoplastic films, and thermoplastic liners. Suitable woven and nonwoven materials may be comprised of natural fibers (e.g., wood and cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (e.g., polymer fibers such as polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene fibers) or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. A preferred concealment member comprises a film formed with openings. Films formed with openings are preferred for concealment members 29, because they are permeable to body exudates and are still non-absorbent, and have a reduced tendency to allow liquids to pass back through and into the wearer's skin. . Suitable formed films are described in the aforementioned US Patents Nos. 3,929,135, issued to Thompson; 4,324,246 issued to Mullane et al., 4,342,314 issued to Radel et al., 4,463,045 issued to Arh et al., And 5,006,394 issued to Baird, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Figure 3 is an enlarged, partially segmented, perspective illustration of a particularly preferred embodiment of a fluid-permeable, fluid-permeable, three-dimensional, macroscopically expanded polymeric fabric 39 that has been found suitable for use as a concealing member. in the sanitary napkin 20. The term "macroscopically expanded", when used to describe the three-dimensional plastic fabrics of the present invention, refers to fabrics, ribbons and films that have been caused to conform to the surface of a three-dimensional forming structure. so that both surfaces of these exhibit a three-dimensional shaping configuration of surface aberrations corresponding to the macroscopic cross section of the forming structure, the surface aberrations comprising the configuration can be discerned individually with normal naked eye, ie, a normal eye that t It has a 20/20 vision without the aid of an instrument that changes the apparent size or distance of an object or that otherwise alters the visual powers of the eye, when the perpendicular distance between the eye of the observer and the plane of the fabric is about 12 inches. The term "fiber-like", as used in the present invention to describe the appearance of plastic fabrics of the present invention, generally refers to any fine-scale configuration of openings, random or not, cross-linked or not, which suggest a appearance and total impression of a woven or non-woven fibrous fabric when observed by the human eye. As can be seen in Figure 3, the fiber-like appearance of the fabric is composed of a continuous material of fiber-like elements, the opposite ends of each of the fiber-like elements are interconnected to at least one of the fibers. other elements similar to fibers. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the interconnected fibrous-like elements form a network formed of pentagonal-shaped capillaries 40. The fabric 39, which exhibits a fiber-like appearance, represents a three-dimensional microstructure extending from the most lifted from the fabric facing the body or contacting the user 41 in the plane 42 to its lower surface or facing the garment 43 in the plane 44 to promote rapid transport of fluid from the higher surface 41 to the surface lower 43 of the fabric without lateral fluid transmission between adjacent capillaries 40. As used in the present invention, the term "microstructure" refers to a structure of such fine scale that its precise detail is easily perceived by low magnification by microscope or another means well known in the art. The openings 45 in the body surface 41 are formed by a multiplicity of fiber-like elements intersecting, e.g., the elements 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 interconnected with each other on the surface facing the body of the fabric. Each fiber-like element comprises a base portion, e.g., the base portion 53, located in the plane 42. Each base portion has a side wall portion, e.g., the sidewall portions 53. , fixed to each edge of it. The side wall portions 53 extend generally in the direction of the second surface 43 of the fabric. The intersecting side wall portions of the fiber-like elements interconnect with each other in an intermediate position of the first and second surfaces of the fabric and terminate substantially concurrently with one another in the plane 44 of the second surface. In the particularly preferred embodiment, the interconnected side wall portions terminate substantially concurrently with one another in the plane of the second surface 44 to form openings 55 in the second surface 43 of the fabric. The network of capillaries 40 formed by the interconnected side wall portions allows free transfer of fluids from the face surface to the body of the fabric directly to the fabric facing surface of the fabric without lateral transmission of the fluid between adjacent capillaries. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the concealment member 29 defines a centrally disposed open area 60. As the fluid collides with the topsheet 24, it easily penetrates the topsheet 24 and transfers to the absorbent core 28. Then , the fluid within the absorbent core 28 moves or is conducted in the transverse and lateral directions towards the end and side edges, i.e., the periphery, of the absorbent core. As the fluid approaches the end and side edges of the absorbent core, the concealment member 29 helps to conceal the fluid contained within the end and side portions of the absorbent core. In addition, the concealment member 29 also helps prevent end and side failure by providing an additional barrier to the escape of fluids along the end and side edges of the sanitary napkin 20. Referring now to Figure 2 , the concealing member 29 is shown secured to both the upper sheet 24 and the back sheet 26 to form a portion of the periphery 30. Alternatively, the concealing member 29 may be secured to the upper sheet only, to the sheet posterior only, or to absorbent core 28 only. The concealment member may also be secured to any combination of the topsheet, the backsheet or the absorbent core. Although, concealment member 29 is shown as a single piece of material, the concealment member may be made of multiple pieces and counted in a variety of ways. In use, the sanitary napkin 20 can be held in place by any well-known means of support or attachment means for such purposes. Preferably, the sanitary napkin is placed on the wearer's underpants or panties and secured thereto by means of a fixer such as an adhesive. The adhesive provides a means for securing the sanitary napkin 20 to the crotch portion of the pantyhose. In this way, a portion or all of the outer surface 64 of the backsheet 26 is coated with adhesive. Any adhesive or glue used in the art for such purposes can be used for the adhesive in the present invention, with self-adhesive adhesives being preferred. Suitable adhesives are Century A-305-1V, manufactured by Century Adhesives Corporation, of Columbus, Ohio; and Instant Lock 34-2823, manufactured by National Starch and Chemical Company, of Bridgewater, NJ. Suitable adhesive fixers are also disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,917,697. Prior to placing the sanitary napkin in use, the pressure sensitive adhesive is typically covered with a release release liner in order to prevent the adhesive from drying or adhering to a surface other than the crotch portion of the pantyhose before to use Suitable release release liners are also described in the aforementioned United States Patent 4,917,697. Any of the commercially available release release liners that are commonly used for such purposes can be used in the present invention. Non-limiting examples of release liners are BL30MG-A Silox El / 0 and BL30MG-A Silox 4P / 0 both manufactured by Akrosil Corporation, of Menasha, Wl. The sanitary napkin of the present invention is used by removing the release liner and then placing the sanitary napkin 20 so that the adhesive contacts the panty. The adhesive holds the sanitary napkin in its position inside the pant during use. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sanitary napkin has two wings each of which is adjacent to and extends laterally from the lateral edge of the absorbent core. The wings are configured to hang from the edges of the wearer's panties in the crotch region so that the wings are placed between the edges of the wearer's panties and thighs. The wings serve at least two purposes. First, the wings help prevent the wearer's body and panties from being stained by the menstrual fluid, preferably by forming a double-walled barrier along the edges of the pantyhose. Second, the wings are preferably provided with fastening means on the garment surface so that the wings are folded back under the panty and fastened to the side in front of the garment of the panty. In this way, the wings serve to keep the sanitary napkin properly placed in the pantyhose. The wings can be made of different materials including materials similar to the upper sheet, back sheet, fabric, or combinations of these materials. In addition, the wings can be a separate element fixed to the main body of the towel or can comprise extensions of the upper sheet and back sheet (i.e., unitary). Many sanitary napkins having suitable or adaptable wings for use with the sanitary napkins of the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,687,478, issued to Van Tilburg, August 18, 1987; the Patent of the States No. 4,589,876, issued to Van Tilburg, May 20, 1986; and U.S. Patent No. 4,608,047, issued to Mattingly, August 26, 1986. All of these patents are incorporated by reference in the present invention. Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is the purpose to cover in the appended claims all those changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims (7)

1. A sanitary napkin having a periphery, said sanitary napkin characterized by: (a) a fluid-permeable topsheet, (b) a fluid-impermeable backsheet attached to said topsheet; (c) an absorbent core having a periphery positioned between said top sheet and said back sheet, and (d) a fluid permeable concealment member positioned between said top sheet and said absorbent core, said concealment member being disposed at along the periphery of said sanitary napkin, the concealing member in this manner defining a centrally disposed open area. A sanitary napkin according to claim 1, further characterized in that said upper sheet, said back sheet and said concealing member are secured together along their common periphery. 3. A sanitary napkin according to any of claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that said upper sheet is a film formed with openings. 4. A sanitary napkin according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said concealing member is a film formed with openings. 5. A sanitary napkin according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said concealing member is a non-woven material. 6. A sanitary napkin according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said upper sheet is a nonwoven material. 7. A sanitary napkin according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said concealing member is positioned such that it covers the periphery of said absorbent core. ABSTRACT A sanitary napkin having a periphery and including a fluid-permeable topsheet, a fluid-impermeable backsheet attached to said topsheet, and an absorbent core having a periphery positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet. The sanitary napkin also includes a fluid permeable concealment member positioned between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The concealment member is positioned along the periphery of the sanitary napkin and covers the periphery of the absorbent core.