Package for absorbent articles forming a three-dimensional basin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016235597-A1
Application number	US-201615044183-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A package comprising a stack of absorbent articles which are bi- or tri-folded, and each article comprises a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core comprises an absorbent layer comprising a central portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, a first folding guide between the central portion and the first side portion, and a second folding guide between the central portion and the second side portion. Each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side. Neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides. When the absorbent core is folded along the folding guides, the central portion and the side portions form a three-dimensional basin and the gaps between the winglets decrease, the neighboring sides optionally coming into contact. The articles in the package are either bi-folded along a transversal fold line and are compressed at an In-Bag Compression Rate of from 5% to 50%, or the articles are tri-folded along a first fold line and a second fold line parallel to the transversal direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A package comprising at least one stack of compressed absorbent articles, wherein each article extends in longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and comprises:
a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet,
wherein the absorbent core comprises an absorbent layer in a core wrap, the absorbent layer comprising an absorbent material and having a longitudinally extending central portion, a first side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion and a second side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion on another side of the central portion;
wherein the absorbent core further comprises a first folding guide between the central portion and the first side portion, and a second folding guide between the central portion and the second side portion;
wherein each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side, and wherein neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides;
wherein in the package, the articles are bi-folded along a transversal fold line and are compressed at an In-Bag Compression Rate of from about 5% to about 50%.

2 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent core is substantially free of cellulose fibers.

3 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the articles in the package have an In-Bag Stack Height of from about 84 mm to about 120 mm.

4 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the core wrap comprises a top layer and a bottom layer, and the top layer of the core wrap is bonded to the bottom layer of the core wrap through at least the folding guides and at least some of the gaps between the winglets.

5 . The package of claim 4 , comprising an auxiliary glue between (i) at least one of the top layer or bottom layer of the core wrap and (ii) the absorbent layer.

6 . A package comprising at least one stack of absorbent articles, wherein each article extends in longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and comprises:
a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet,
wherein the absorbent core comprises an absorbent layer in a core wrap, the absorbent layer comprising an absorbent material and having a longitudinally extending central portion, a first side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion and a second side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion on another side of the central portion;
wherein the absorbent core further comprises a first folding guide between the central portion and the first side portion, and a second folding guide between the central portion and the second side portion;
wherein each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side, and wherein neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides;
wherein the articles are tri-folded along a first fold line and a second fold line parallel to the transversal direction.

7 . The package of claim 6 , wherein the absorbent core is substantially free of cellulose fibers.

8 . The package of claim 6 , wherein for each article the first fold line is spaced from the second fold line so as to form a central section, a first end section and a second end section and the first section, central section, and second section are superposed to one another.

9 . The package of claim 8 , wherein for each article the first section, central section and second section are substantially coextensive.

10 . The package of claim 6 , wherein the articles are compressed at an In-Bag Compression Rate of from about 5% to about 50%.

11 . The package of claim 6 , wherein the core wrap comprises a top layer and a bottom layer, and the top layer of the core wrap is bonded to the bottom layer of the core wrap through at least the folding guides and at least some of the gaps between the winglets.

12 . The package of claim 11 , further comprising an auxiliary glue between (i) at least one of the top layer or bottom layer of the core wrap and (ii) the absorbent layer.

13 . A package comprising at least one stack of absorbent articles, wherein each article extends in longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and comprises:
a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet,
wherein the absorbent core comprises an absorbent layer in a core wrap, the absorbent layer comprising an absorbent material and having a longitudinally extending central portion, a first side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion and a second side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion on another side of the central portion;
wherein the absorbent core further comprises a first folding guide between the central portion and the first side portion, and a second folding guide between the central portion and the second side portion;
wherein each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side, and wherein neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides;
wherein the articles are bi-folded along a transversal fold line and have an In-Bag-Stack Height of from about 72 mm to about 120 mm.

14 . The package of claim 13 , wherein the articles are compressed at an In-Bag Compression Rate of from about 5% to about 50%.

15 . The package of claim 13 , wherein the absorbent core is substantially free of cellulose fibers.

16 . The package of claim 13 , wherein the articles in the package have an In-Bag Stack Height of from about 84 mm to about 120 mm.

17 . The package of claim 13 wherein the core wrap comprises a top layer and a bottom layer, and the top layer of the core wrap is bonded to the bottom layer of the core wrap at least through the folding guides and at least some of the gaps between the winglets.

18 . The package of claim 17 , comprising an auxiliary glue between (i) at least one of the top layer or bottom layer of the core wrap and (ii) the absorbent layer.

19 . A method for packaging a plurality of articles, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of absorbent articles, wherein each of the articles extends in longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and comprises:
a topsheet;
a backsheet;
an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet,
wherein the absorbent core comprises an absorbent layer in a core wrap, the absorbent layer comprising an absorbent material and having a longitudinally extending central portion, a first side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion and a second side portion disposed transversally outward of the central portion on another side of the central portion;
wherein the absorbent core further comprises a first folding guide between the central portion and the first side portion, and a second folding guide between the central portion and the second side portion;
wherein each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side, and wherein neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides;
bi-folding the articles

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Ehrnsperger Bruno Johannes
• Jackels Hans Adolf
• Stoelzel Sr Claus Peter
• Zipf Christine Elisabeth
• Engel Roland

Classifications

• A61F13/532

  inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad · CPC title

• A61F13/55115

  characterized by the features before use, e.g. how are the diapers folded or arranged in a package · CPC title

• A61F2013/530883

  having folds · CPC title

• A61F13/49001 Primary

  having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves · CPC title

• A61F13/53

  characterised by the absorbing medium (A61F13/20 takes precedence) · CPC title