Absorbent article having enhanced leakage protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9044356-B2
Application number	US-201113111155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2011
Priority date	May 19, 2011
Publication date	Jun 2, 2015
Grant date	Jun 2, 2015

Abstract

An absorbent article that is capable of inhibiting leakage of a fluid insult is provided. The absorbent article contains a fluid-shrinkable member, topsheet, and a base pad that includes a baffle and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the baffle. The fluid-shrinkable member extends in a longitudinal direction of the article so that at least a portion of the member is located adjacent to an end of the topsheet. At least a portion of the end of the topsheet remains generally unbonded to the baffle. Thus, when the fluid-shrinkable member contracts upon contacting a fluid insult, the end of the topsheet can rise outwardly from the plane of the absorbent article. The raised area creates a barrier to the leakage of fluids from the center of the article towards its end. In certain embodiments, contraction of the fluid-shrinkable member can also cause an outer region of the topsheet to rise outwardly from the plane of the absorbent article to create a barrier to the leakage of fluids from the center of the article towards the side edge. Notably, because such barriers are generally created only after contact with a fluid insult, their effectiveness is not diminished through use of the article prior to the insult.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An absorbent article that generally extends in a plane defined by a longitudinal direction and transverse direction, wherein the article comprises:
a base pad that contains a baffle and an absorbent core;
a topsheet that overlies the base pad so that the absorbent core is positioned between the topsheet and the baffle, wherein the topsheet extends in the longitudinal direction to define a distal end and an opposing proximal end, wherein a cut is made in th…

Assignees

• Ng Meijia
• Lee Sangwook
• Ong Yeinsze
• Kim Doohong
• Goh Priscilla Eng Choo
• Aschenbrenner Fa Franz
• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Ng Meijia
• Lee Sangwook
• Ong Yeinsze
• Kim Doohong
• Goh Priscilla Eng Choo
• Aschenbrenner Franz

Classifications

• A61F13/4752 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61F13/47272

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61F13/51104

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61F13/47263 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61F2013/51195

  Human Necessities · mapped topic