Underwear abstract
An absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin, a panty liner and
an incontinence napkin for the absorption of urine or faeces and
intended to be carried inside the crotch part of the wearer's underwear,
wherein said article has two long sides (15, 16), a first short
side (17), a second short side (18), a liquid-permeable casing sheet
(3) intended to lie proximal to the wearer in use, a liquid-impermeable
casing sheet (2) intended to lie distal from the wearer in use,
an absorbent core (4) between said sheets (2, 3), said core comprising
one or more layers of material, an adhesive fastener means (6) which
functions to affix the article to the wearer's underwear and which
is disposed on that side of the liquid-impermeable casing sheet
(2) that lies distal from the wearer in use, and a removable protective
layer (40) which covers the adhesive fastener means (6) and which
has a first short side that faces towards the first short side of
said article and a second short side which faces towards the second
short side of said article. According to the invention a grip flap
(50) is joined to the first short side of the protective layer (40)
and extends towards and beyond the second short side of said protective
layer on that side of said protective layer (40) which faces away
from the liquid-impermeable casing sheet (2).
Underwear claims
What is claimed is:
1. An absorbent article selected from the group consisting of a
sanitary napkin, a panty liner and an incontinence napkin for the
absorption of urine or faeces and intended to be carried inside
the crotch part of a wearer's underwear, the article comprising:
two long sides; a first short side; a second short side; two end
parts; a central part located between said end parts; a liquid-permeable
casing sheet intended to lie proximal to the wearer in use; a liquid-impermeable
casing sheet intended to lie distal from the wearer in use; an absorbent
core between said sheets; said core comprising one or more layers
of material; an adhesive fastener means which functions to affix
the article to the wearer's underwear, and which is disposed on
a side of the liquid-impermeable casing sheet that lies distal from
the wearer in use; a removable protective layer which covers the
adhesive fastener means, and which has a first short side that faces
towards the first short side of said article, and a second short
side which faces towards the second short side of said article;
and a grip flap joined to the first short side of the protective
layer for facilitating removal of the protective layer; said grip
flap extending towards and beyond the second short side of said
protective layer on a side of said protective layer which faces
away from the liquid-impermeable casing sheet.
2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the grip
flap is an extension of the protective layer.
3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the grip
flap is a separate part that is affixed to the protective layer
at the first short side of said protective layer facing towards
the first short side of said article.
4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, further comprising
a further fastener means disposed on the side of the liquid-impermeable
casing sheet that lies distal from the wearer in use.
5. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein said further
fastener means is placed in one of the end parts of said article.
6. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the further
fastener means is made of a high friction material.
7. The absorbent article according to claim 6, wherein the high
friction material comprises a foam material or a touch-and-close
material.
8. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the further
fastener means is made of an adhesive material that has low adhesion.
9. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein the further
fastener means is made of a high friction material.
10. The absorbent article according to claim 9, wherein the high
friction material comprises a foam material or a touch-and-close
material.
11. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein the further
fastener means is made of an adhesive material that has low adhesion.
Underwear description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to an absorbent article, such as
a sanitary napkin, a panty liner, an incontinence napkin for the
absorption of urine and excrement or faeces and intended to be carried
in the crotch region inside the wearer's underwear, wherein the
article has two long sides, a first short side, a second short side,
a liquid-permeable casing sheet which is intended to lie proximal
to the wearer in use, a liquid-impermeable casing sheet intended
to lie distal from the wearer in use, an absorbent core comprising
one or more material layers and disposed between said sheets, an
adhesive fastener means for fixing the articles in the wearer's
underwear and disposed on that side of the liquid-impermeable casing
sheet which lies distal from the wearer in use, and a removable
protective layer that covers the adhesive fastener device and which
has a first short side that faces towards the first short side of
the article and a second short side that faces towards the second
short side of said article.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
Conventional absorbent articles of the aforesaid kind traditionally
have a relatively large surface area, in other words they cover
the whole of the crotch region and then often all body orifices
of the wearer in that region. A contributory factor to the size
of the article is the amount of body liquid or fluid that the article
must be capable of absorbing over a determined time period, and
also the material from which the article is constructed and its
method of construction. The size of the article is also adapted
to whether or not it shall be used for the absorption of more than
one type of body fluid at one and the same time. Another reason
for the size of the article is that it shall present a surface of
sufficiently large area to minimise the risk of positioning the
article incorrectly in the panties of the wearer. Incorrect positioning
of the absorbent article will cause the liquid to land on the edge
regions of the article so as to make optimum absorption of liquid
into the article impossible, said liquid then either running over
said edge regions or failing to land on the article at all, resulting
in soiling of the wearer's underwear.
Articles of smaller sizes have been produced in recent times, partly
to enhance wearer comfort when using the article, and partly in
response to higher user demands for more discrete articles when
wearing tightly fitting clothing. It has been possible to reduce
the size of such articles with the advent of more effective absorption
materials, and the articles have been constructed to fit more closely
to the body of the wearer, so as to obtain contact between the article
and a wearer's body orifice, which enables the liquid to be absorbed
very early in the product, before the liquid is able to run over
an excessively large surface. Articles that present a small surface
are traditionally panty liners, panty liners adapted for string
panties, sanitary napkins that have been given a more body-corresponding
format and therewith need not necessarily extend far beyond the
body orifice concerned, and inter-labial protectors. Articles that
present a three-dimensional surface which is intended to be placed
between labia is normally not difficult to position correctly, as
the elevation on the upper side of the article is adapted to fit
in the labia interspace. Some women, however, prefer a flat absorbent
article to the option of carrying a labium protector. When this
flat article has a small surface, it is difficult to secure the
article in its correct position in the wearer's panties relative
to the body outlet orifice. The traditional procedure adopted when
using articles that include adhesive fastener devices that are covered
with protective layers is to remove the protective layer from the
adhesive fastener, direct the article towards the place in the panty
which is believed to constitute the correct relationship with the
contemplated outlet orifice, and pull up the panties. If the article
is felt to be wrongly positioned, the wearer pulls down her panties
and repositions the article. This irritates many users. Another
drawback that can occur when being forced to reposition the article
in the wearer's panties is that the adhesiveness of the fastener
device may be impaired by virtue of small fibres having fastened
from the panties onto the fastener device so as to impair the adhesiveness
of said device, wherewith the article may crinkle and give rise
to chafing and irritation of the wearer. In some instances, the
adhesiveness of said device may be impaired to such an extent as
to prevent fastening of the article, meaning that a new article
must be used.
It is known, for instance from WO 96/33683, to use a glue-coated
protective device that is adapted to be fastened directly to the
body, with the aim of facilitating placing articles in correct positions
in relation to a particular body orifice. However, some people question
the attachment of articles to their genitals with a skin-adapted
adhesive, and are frightened to do so, because they are afraid that
this will give rise to a greater degree of enclosure/increased humidity
in the region of the article and will be more irritating than articles
that include a more traditional fastening system, i.e. articles
that include adhesive intended to be fastened to the wearer's panties.
The object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent
article of the kind mentioned in the introduction, that can be readily
placed in the correct position in the wearer's underwear and that
will eliminate the risk of impairment of the adhesiveness of the
fastener device in the event of needing to reposition the article
in the wearer's underwear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved with an absorbent article, such as a sanitary
napkin, a panty liner, an incontinence napkin for absorbing urine
or faeces, which is intended to be worn in the crotch region within
the underwear of the wearer, and which includes two long sides,
a first short side, a second short side, a liquid-permeable casing
sheet intended to lie proximal to the wearer in use, a liquid-impermeable
casing sheet intended to lie distal from the wearer in use, an absorbent
core disposed between said sheets and including one or more layers
of material, an adhesive fastener device which functions to affix
the article in said underwear and is disposed on that side of the
liquid-impermeable casing sheet that lies distal from the wearer
in use, and a removable protective layer which covers the adhesive
fastener device and which has a first short side facing towards
the short side of the article and a second short side which faces
between the second short side of the article, wherein said adhesive
article is characterised by a grip flap that is connected to the
first short side of said protective layer and which extends towards
and beyond the second short side of said protective layer on that
side of said layer which faces away from the liquid-impermeable
casing sheet. The grip flap enables the user to remove the protective
layer when the panties have been almost completely pulled up, which
enables the user of the article to determine very easily whether
or not the article has been positioned correctly.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the grip flap is
comprised of an extension of the protective layer. According to
another embodiment, the extension of the protective layer comprises
a separate part that is fastened to the protective layer at the
first short side of said article.
In a further embodiment of the inventive article, said article
is, in addition, also provided with a high friction fastener device,
for instance a touch-and-close fastener or foamed material, or an
adhesive material that has low adhesion. The purpose of this additional
fastener device is to enable the article to be secured to the article
and held in its correct position in the user's underwear during
the time that the user grips the grip flap and pulls the protective
layer away from the adhesive fastener device after having pulled
up her panties.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference
to embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a panty liner according to a first embodiment,
seen from the side which is intended to be fastened to the wearer's
underwear;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the panty liner shown
in FIG. 1, taken on the line II--II in said Figure;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a panty liner,
seen from the side that is intended to be fastened to the wearer's
underwear;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section view of the panty liner shown
in FIG. 3, taken on the line IV--IV in said Figure;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a panty liner, seen
from the side that is intended to be fastened to the wearer's underwear;
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section view of the panty liner shown
in FIG. 5, taken on the line VI--VI in said Figure; and
FIGS. 7-9 show respective examples of how grip flaps comprised
of material other than the protective layer material can be fastened
to said protective layer.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Although the embodiments described below are concerned with an
absorbent article in the form of a panty liner, it will be understood
that said embodiments may also apply to a sanitary napkin, an incontinence
napkin for urine, or a napkin for faeces incontinence.
Shown in FIGS. 1-2 is a panty liner 1 that includes two long sides
15, 16, a first short side 17, a second short side 18, two end portions,
and a centre portion 21 located between said end portions. A liquid-permeable
casing sheet 3 is disposed on that side of the panty liner 1 which
is intended to lie proximal to the wearer in use. The liquid-permeable
casing sheet 3 will suitably consist of a soft skin-friendly material.
Different types of non-woven materials are examples of suitable
liquid-permeable material. Other useable casing sheet materials
are perforated plastic film, net, knitted, crotchet or woven textiles
and combinations and laminates of these types of material.
The panty liner 1 also includes a liquid-impermeable casing sheet
2 on that side of the panty liner 1 which is intended to lie distal
from the wearer in use. The liquid-impermeable casing sheet 2 is
typically comprised of thin plastic film. Alternatively, the liquid-impermeable
casing sheet may consist of a liquid-permeable material that has
been made impervious to liquid in some way or another. In such treatments,
the surface may be coated with a glue that is not permeable to liquid,
or laminating the liquid-permeable sheet with a liquid-impermeable
material, or heat calendering an initially liquid-permeable material
so as to melt the surface of said sheet and therewith obtain a liquid-impermeable
sheet. Alternatively, there may be used other textiles which consist
of hydrophobic fibres and which are so dense that they can be used
as a liquid barrier sheet.
The two casing sheets 2, 3 are joined together and form an outwardly
projecting connection edge 5 around the contour line of the panty
liner. The two sheets may be joined together by any known suitable
technique, such as by gluing, welding or sewing.
A fastener means 6 in the form of a longitudinal, rectangular area
of adhesive glue is disposed on that surface of the liquid-impermeable
casing sheet 2 that lies distal from the wearer in use. The fastener
means 6 extends over the major part of the liquid-impermeable casing
sheet 2, with the exception of a small limited area in at least
one of the regions of the end-parts 19 and 20.
The fastener means 6 is covered by a removable protective layer
40. The protective layer 40 has release properties on at least that
side which faces towards the adhesive fastener means 6, so as to
protect said means against the presence of dirt and dust, and from
preventing the adhesive to adhere to other non-desired surfaces
or against itself until the panty liner shall be used. A grip flap
50 is joined to the protective layer 40, said grip flap extending
from the protective layer 40 at the first short side 17 and also
towards and beyond the second short side 18 on the underside of
the protective layer 40, i.e. on that side which faces away from
the liquid-impermeable casing sheet 2. In the case of the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the grip flap 50 is an extension of
the protective layer 40. That part of the grip flap 50 which extends
beyond the protective layer 40 provides a readily accessible grip
end. The grip end may conveniently also extend beyond the short
side 18 of the panty liner.
In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the grip flap 50 has
the same width as the protective layer 40, although this is not
necessarily so as the flap may, instead, be narrower or wider than
the protective layer. Neither need the grip flap be rectangular
in shape, but may have a shape which narrows from the short side
17 towards the short side 18.
The grip flap 50 enables the user of the article to remove the
protective layer 40 when the wearer's panties have been almost pulled
up around the wearer's buttocks, i.e. to a position in which the
wearer is able to feel the position of the panty liner against her
body with her hand on the outside of her underwear, and hold the
panty liner in position while peeling the protective layer 40 away
from the adhesive fastener means 6. Peeling of the protective layer
successively away from the adhesive surface requires very little
force, which means that the panty liner can be easily held in place
as the protective layer is removed. The panty liner can be placed
with the grip flap facing either forwards or rearwards, depending
on the desired placement of the panty liner against the body. If
the article is intended to absorb vaginal fluid, it is beneficial,
for instance, to place the article in the wearer's panties against
her body with the grip flap facing forwards towards the wearer's
stomach, whereas if the absorbent article is to be used for absorption
of faeces or excrement, the article is positioned so that the grip
flap faces rearwards in the crotch region opposite the anus, so
that the grip flap will point rearwardly towards the wearer's back.
Located between the casing sheet 2, 3 is a thin flexible absorbent
core 4, which may include one or more layers of material. Cellulose
pulp may be a suitable absorbent core material. This material may
be kept in rolls, bales or sheets which are dry-defibred and converted
in a fluffed state to a pulp mat, sometimes with an admixture of
superabsorbents, which are polymers that are capable of absorbing
several times their own weight of water or body fluid. Examples
of other useable materials are different types of foamed material,
for instance compressed foamed material or regenerated cellulose,
e.g. viscose known from SE 9903070-2, natural fibres such as cotton
fibres, peat, or the like. It is, of course, also possible to use
absorbent synthetic fibres, or mixtures of natural fibres and synthetic
fibres.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a second embodiment of the panty liner
and show a panty liner 101 of essentially the same construction
as the panty liner 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The reference numerals
used to identify the various parts of the panty liner in FIG. 3
are therefore analogous with the reference numerals used to identify
the components of the panty liner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, although
with the addition of 100. The panty liner of FIGS. 3 and 4 differ
from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 in so much that the grip flap 150 is
comprised of separate material that has been fastened to the protective
layer 140 with a join 110. The join 110 between the protective layer
140 and the grip flap 150 may, for instance, be made with the aid
of an adhesive medium, or by fusing the materials together by hot
rolling or by ultrasound or by riveting.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a further variant of a panty liner of
essentially the same construction as the panty liner 1 shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2. Consequently, the different components of the panty
liner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 have been identified with the same
reference numerals as those used to identify the components of the
panty liner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, although with the addition of
200. The difference between the panty liner shown in FIGS. 5 and
6 and the panty liner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 reside in the provision
of an additional fastener means 260 placed in the end-part that
lacks adhesive fastener means 206. This additional fastener means
260 may consist in a high friction device, such as touch-and-close
material, foamed material or adhesive material that has low adhesion.
By low adhesion of the adhesive material is meant that the force
required to peel or pull the article with the adhesive material
from a cotton surface (the quality of the cotton shall illustrate
the quality of the panties or underpants) shall be between 1.0-1.9
Newtons. This force is measured with standardised equipment designated
Instron 1122, 4301 or 4464, said equipment being connected to a
printer.
The test samples are prepared by placing a panty liner provided
with said fastener means 260 against a cotton material and fastening
said material by rolling a 2 kilogram heavy and 50 mm wide metal
roller over the materials at a speed of 1500 mm/min. in one cycle.
The sample is placed in the test apparatus, by fastening one end-part
of the material layer in an upper clamp or clip and fastening the
other material part in a bottom clamp or clip. The measuring process
is carried out at a temperature of 23.degree. C. and 50% relative
humidity at a tensile speed of 500 mm/min., a pulling length that
corresponds to the adhesive surface of the sample, and that the
test sample is angled at 90.degree. in relation to the pulling direction.
The force is measured in Newtons (N).
FIGS. 7-9 illustrate examples of how grip flaps that comprise material
other than protective layer material can be joined to one another.
FIG. 7 illustrates an end-part of the protective layer 340 folded
over the grip flap 350 and fastened thereto, which means that the
join 310 will not extend into that part of the protective layer
340 that lies against the adhesive fastener means 306.
In the FIG. 8 embodiment, neither the grip flap 450 nor the protective
layer 440 are folded, but are fastened together at their end-parts
which face towards the short side 417.
In the case of the FIG. 9 embodiment, the end-part of the grip
flap 550 facing towards the short side 517 is folded double and
the inwardly folded end-part is fastened to the protective layer
540 with a join 510.
It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the
illustrated and described embodiments and that all conceivable combinations
and variations of said embodiments are encompassed by the accompanying
claims. |