Method for evaluating absorbency of an absorbent article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9243986-B2
Application number	US-201314053632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2013
Priority date	Oct 15, 2012
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A method of evaluating the absorbency of an absorbent article comprises the steps of: (i) providing an absorbent article comprising a topsheet and having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end; (ii) disposing the absorbent article in a flat configuration in a plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis of the absorbent article; (iii) twisting the longitudinal ends in opposite directions in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; (iv) twisting the longitudinal ends in directions opposite that of step (iii); (v) applying artificial bodily fluid to the topsheet of said absorbent article during steps (iii) and/or (iv); and (vi) repeating steps (iii) and (iv) after the artificial bodily fluid is applied to the topsheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for evaluating absorbency of an absorbent article, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) providing an apparatus comprising a first clamp and a second clamp;
(ii) providing an absorbent article comprising a topsheet and having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end;
(iii) weighing the absorbent article a first time;
(iv) disposing the absorbent article in a flat configuration in a plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis of the absorbent article;
(v) clamping the first longitudinal end of the article in the first clamp and clamping the second longitudinal end of the article in the second clamp;
(vi) activating the apparatus thereby twisting the first longitudinal end of said article in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the article and simultaneously twisting the second longitudinal end of said article in a direction opposite of the first longitudinal end in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the article;
(vii) twisting the first longitudinal end in a direction opposite that of step
(vi) and simultaneously twisting the second longitudinal end in a direction opposite that of step (vi);
(viii) applying artificial bodily fluid to the topsheet of said absorbent article during steps (vi) and/or (vii);
(ix) repeating steps (vi) and (vii) after said artificial bodily fluid is applied to said topsheet;
(x) stopping the apparatus;
(xi) removing the longitudinal ends from the clamps;
(xii) weighing the absorbent article a second time; and
(xiii) calculating the amount of fluid absorbed by the article using values from steps (iii) and (xii).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article is a feminine hygiene article.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial bodily fluid is artificial menstrual fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of fluid applied to the article is from about 1 milliliter to about 5 milliliters.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is applied to the center of the topsheet of the article.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is colored.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each longitudinal end is twisted within a range of about +45 degrees to about −45 degrees with respect to the plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis of the article.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Agami Sion
• Dunaway Connie Michelle
• Romeu Amanda Marie

Classifications

• A61F2013/8491

  including test methods · CPC title

• A61F13/84 Primary

  Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads · CPC title

• G01N5/02 Primary

  by absorbing or adsorbing components of a material and determining change of weight of the adsorbent, e.g. determining moisture content {(absorption bulbs B01D53/00)} · CPC title

• A61F2013/8473

  for diagnostic purposes · CPC title

• A61F2013/8488

  including testing apparatus · CPC title