MXPA00000047A - Handling aid for a body applied disposable absorbent article - Google Patents

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article intended for direct application to the user's body, having a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, a longitudinal symmetry plane, a front end edge and a rear end edge, and comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a backsheet joined to said topsheet and an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet. The disposable absorbent article comprises means for holding and applying the article to the user's body. The means are located on the garment facing surface of the absorbent article, and are oriented transversely to allow the insertion of at least one user's finger for holding and applying the absorbent article.

Description

HANDLING HELP FOR A DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT ARTICLE APPLIED TO THE BODY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles. Disposable absorbent articles are considered as absorbent devices designed to be used externally of the body by a user and to receive fluids discharged from the body. body. In particular, the present invention relates to disposable absorbent sanitary napkins, menstruation pads, incontinence inserts, and panty liners intended for direct application to the wearer's body, and provided with means for such application and, preferably, for a successive removal of article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.

In its basic form, absorbent articles Disposables comprise an absorbent core interposed between a permeable element that contacts the body (alternatively referred to as a top sheet or an envelope) and an impermeable protective barrier (alternatively referred to as a back sheet). Of course, the absorbent element must receive and contain the fluids discharged from the body. The element that makes contact with the body must provide comfortable contact and dry feeling with the body surfaces, while allowing free passage of fluids in the absorbent element. The lining barrier must prevent fluids, which are expelled or escaping from the absorbent element, from soiling the user's garment. Most of the known absorbent articles are intended to be applied to the panty, and typically fixed to it by means of an adhesive, before using the panty with the applied absorbent article, and this does not facilitate a good fit with anatomy of the body since the absorbent article has to adapt first to the surface of the garment, and also due to differences in the habits of use and in the styles of the panties. The main disadvantages of the known disposable absorbent articles intended to be carried externally to the body after being previously applied to the panty, for example, leakage, wet / dirty feeling, discomfort, are in fact related to the adjustment to the poor body achieved. for these items. It has therefore been recognized that the direct application of a disposable absorbent article to the user's body can greatly improve the operation of the product, since the product itself, and hence the absorbent material comprised therein, is placed directly adjacent to the source of the fluid that has to be absorbed, without adhering to the less exact placement achieved by wearing a panty garment having a disposable absorbent article already applied thereon.

The application of a disposable absorbent article directly to the wearer's body may be particularly advantageous in the case of the absorbent articles formed, in order to have an even better fit to the body by more accurate placement of the article capable of being achieved with direct application to the body. body. Disposable absorbent articles intended to be applied directly to the body normally do not need traditional systems that are firm enough to hold the article of the garment after application to the body, particularly those items that are formed to achieve a better fit to the body, due to its increased capacity to stay in place without the need for preference for a panty restraint system. A problem with body applied disposable absorbent articles is that the handling / manipulation of the article during at least the first application to the body, and possibly, for the articles without the restraint system of the panty, during subsequent removals and re applications, until the final removal to discard it, it must be done directly on the article itself, while the traditional disposable absorbent articles can be manipulated more easily by means of the pantyhose to which they are initially placed and adhere, which is why the pant is really used as a handling aid. This disadvantage is particularly evident when the article has to be removed from the body when it is dirty, which is almost always the case when the article has to be discarded, and also for a temporary removal for example in the case of toilet use, or by an intermediate verification. The disposable absorbent article applied possibly dirty body has in fact to be touched by the user with his hands, for example along the edges where it is presumably still clean, in order to remove it and possibly put it back on, and on the other hand to be maintained anywhere while for example the user uses the toilet. This naturally involves an uncomfortable and unreliable handling of the absorbent article. The handling aids for the disposable absorbent articles intended to be directly applied to the wearer's body, such as for example the cord in a tampon, have been described in the prior art. However, the cord in a tampon simply provides a link between the user and the product and is typically used only as an aid to removal of the product, since it does not give any help for the application of the product, nor a guide to control its proper placement. U.S. Patent No. 5,618,282 discloses a sanitary napkin adapted to be secured to the wearer's body by means of an adhesive, which also comprises a removal aid for detaching the absorbent article from the body when removal is desired.; The removal aid comprises a strip of material longitudinally oriented and secured at its ends to, for example, the surface that gives the garment of the sanitary napkin, with its removable middle portion. Therefore the aunt can be grabbed in her middle portion for the hygienic removal of the sanitary napkin. Although this device provides the sanitary towel applied to the body with a device for removing it from the body, this does not constitute any operating aid to apply and / or to properly position the sanitary napkin. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disposable absorbent article intended for direct application to a user's body, particularly a sanitary napkin, with a handling aid for holding and applying the absorbent article to the wearer's body, and preferably for its successive removal. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide the disposable absorbent article with a handling aid adapted for the insertion of at least one finger of the user to hold and apply the absorbent article. * It is a further object of the present invention to provide the disposable absorbent article with a handling aid intended to facilitate the correct positioning of the article in the user's body, thereby ensuring a better fit and comfort, particularly in the case of the article Disposable absorbent having a three-dimensional shape to equalize the surface and contour of the wearer's body in the pudendal region. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional disposable absorbent article for direct application to the user's body with a manipulation device that contributes to maintaining said three-dimensional shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles for the direct application to the body of a user, having a surface that gives the body and a surface that gives the garment, a plane of longitudinal symmetry, and comprising a top sheet liquid permeable, a liquid impermeable back sheet attached to the top sheet, and an intermediate absorbent element to the top sheet and the back sheet. The disposable absorbent articles further comprise means for holding the article and for applying it directly to the wearer's body, the means being located on the surface that gives the garment and is transversely oriented for the insertion of at least one finger of a user , or of a person who takes care of the user, to hold and apply the absorbent article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the specification is based on rele- vations that are indicative of the pa- tient and the current invention is rec- ommended, it is believed that the pre- vention will be better understood as of next The following description is given with the following drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a modality of a sanitary napkin according to the present invention, seen from the side thereof that faces the user during use; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary napkin of Figure 1 on line 2-2; Figure 3 is a top view of the sanitary napkin of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a curve taken from an anatomical section of the body of a user, schematically representing the central non-linear groove of the female anatomy as seen in the lateral direction; Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are cross-sectional views of the sanitary napkin of Figure 1 on lines 5a-5a, 5b-5b and 5c-5c, respectively; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sanitary napkin of Figure 1, seen from the side that is away from the user during use; Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a sanitary napkin according to the present invention, seen from the side that is away from the user in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to disposable absorbent articles for direct application to the user's body, which exhibit absorption for body fluids, protection of the user's garments from soiling, and improved physical comfort for the user, which are also easy to produce and package and that are provided with means to maintain the absorbent article and apply it to the body of the user, and preferably to remove it successively. Disposable absorbent articles are described below with reference to a sanitary napkin or menstruation pad. The term "sanitary napkin", as used herein, refers to an article that women use externally of the body and adjacent to the pudendal region and that must absorb and contain various body fluids that are discharged from the body (eg, example, vaginal discharges, menstruation and / or urine) and that should be discarded after a single use. However, it should be understood that the present invention is also applicable to other feminine hygiene or menstruation products such as panty liners, or other absorbent articles such as incontinence pads, and the like. The term "use", as used herein, refers to the period that begins when the absorbent article actually comes into contact with the user's anatomy. The terms "attached" or "fixed", as used herein, encompass configurations by which a first member is directly connected to a second member and configurations by which a first member indirectly connects to a second member by connecting the first member to intermediate members who in turn connect to the second member. As used herein, the term "pudendo (a)" refers to the externally visible female genitalia and is limited to the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, and vestibule.

According to the present invention, the means for holding and applying the disposable absorbent articles can be incorporated substantially into any known type of disposable absorbent articles intended to be applied directly to the wearer's body and carried externally. Therefore, said means may be comprised in the disposable absorbent articles which are, for example, thin or thick, rectangular or anatomically formed in the plan view, flat or three-dimensionally formed before use, or also intended to be provided with the means to hold and apply it, or furthermore to achieve a three-dimensional shape during use, for example, under the forces acting on the article during use. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, which will be described hereinafter, the means for holding and applying the disposable absorbent articles are comprised in a thin disposable absorbent article, more specifically in a sanitary napkin, which is intended for direct application to the body of the user, and having also a three-dimensional structure before use capable of shaping the various complex body shapes of the female anatomy comprising non-linear grooves and non-planar surfaces, in order to provide increased body fit and comfort , and reduced leakage or runoff. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin 20 of the present invention with its three-dimensional structure before use, with most of the portion of the sanitary napkin 20 facing or contacting the user, facing towards the observer. By saying "before use", it is meant that the preferred sanitary napkin of the present invention is provided with a three-dimensional structure before it is actually used. However, the sanitary napkin can be packaged in a folded planar configuration, subsequently unfolded to obtain the three-dimensional shape just before use. As best shown in Figure 2, the sanitary napkin 20 comprises a liquid permeable upper sheet 22, a liquid impermeable backsheet 23 joined with the upper sheet 22, and an absorbent core 24 positioned between the upper sheet 22 and the sheet rear 23. The sanitary napkin 20 has two surfaces, a surface that faces or makes contact with the body 20a and a surface that faces or makes contact with the garment 20b. The surface contacting the body 20a should be used adjacent the user's body, while the garment surface 20b is on the opposite side and should be directed towards the underwear when the sanitary napkin 20 is used, for example, against the same. Corresponding body and garment facing surfaces can also be identified in each individual layer constituting the sanitary napkin 20, for example, in the absorbent core 24. The sanitary napkin 20 has a plane of longitudinal symmetry S. The term "longitudinal", as used herein, it refers to a line, axis or direction in the sanitary napkin 20 that is generally aligned with (eg, approximately parallel to) a vertical plane that divides a user standing in halves of the left body and right when using the sanitary napkin 20. The plane of symmetry S of the sanitary napkin 20 substantially corresponds to this vertical plane that divides the user standing up. Although it is preferred that the sanitary napkin 20 be divided exactly by the plane of longitudinal symmetry S into two symmetrically equal halves, it is not excluded that the two halves are not specular. The term "transverse", as used herein, refers to a direction that is generally perpendicular to the plane of longitudinal symmetry S. the term "longitudinally oriented" refers to a direction, as seen in Plan view, included within +45 degrees, of the plane of longitudinal symmetry S; the term "transversely oriented" refers similarly to any other direction, as seen in plan view. The terms "front" and "rear", as used herein, refer to portions that face the front and back of the user's body, respectively, when the sanitary napkin 20 is used. The sanitary napkin 20 has a periphery 30, which is defined by the outer edges of the sanitary napkin 20. The longitudinal edges 31 of the sanitary napkin 20 are aligned with the longitudinal symmetry plane S, and the end edges of the sanitary napkin 20 comprise a front end edge 32a and a rear end edge 32b. The absorbent core 24 of the sanitary napkin has a front portion 40, a central portion 42 and a rear portion 44, each preferably corresponding to approximately one third of the total length of the absorbent core 24. Also the front, middle and rear portions , corresponding, can be respectively identified in the sanitary napkin 20. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the sanitary napkin 20 is three-dimensional, since it is provided before being used with a three-dimensional structure that must match the complex shapes of the body of the anatomy feminine The three-dimensional structure preferably has a structural three-dimensionality, by "structural three-dimensionality" it is meant that the structure can not be completely flattened on a flat surface while maintaining its integrity, that is, without crushing or crushing in any case. In other words, the three-dimensional structure can not be achieved by simply folding or folding an initially flat article, but it is inherently due to the absorbent article in accordance with the present invention. The three-dimensional sanitary towel 20 of the present invention preferably has a substantially constant thickness, which is more preferably less than 5 mm; therefore, the sanitary napkin can be considered the thin type. While the topsheet, backsheet and absorbent core can be assembled in a variety of well-known configurations (including so-called "tube" products or side flap products), Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the sanitary napkin. wherein the topsheet 22 and the backsheet 23 have dimensions of length and width generally larger than those of the absorbent core 24. The topsheet 22 and the backsheet 23 extend beyond the edges of the absorbent core 24 to thus forming the periphery 30 of the sanitary napkin 20. The upper sheet 22 is comfortable, soft and non-irritating to the wearer's skin. In addition, the topsheet 22 is permeable to liquid, which allows the liquid (eg, menstruation and / or urine) to penetrate through its thickness. A suitable top sheet 22 can be manufactured from a wide scale of materials such as woven and nonwoven materials; polymeric materials such as open formed thermoplastic films, open plastic films, and hydroformed thermoplastic films; porous foams; cross-linked foams; crosslinked thermoplastic films; and thermoplastic fabrics. Suitable woven and nonwoven materials may be comprised of natural fibers (e.g., wood or 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 top sheet comprises an open formed film. Open-formed films for the topsheet are preferred as they are permeable to body fluids and not yet absorbent and have a reduced tendency to allow liquids to re-pass and re-wet the wearer's skin. In this way, the surface of the formed film that is in contact with the body, remains dry, thus reducing dirt from the body and creating a more comfortable feeling for the user.

Suitable formed films are described in the U.S. Patent. No. 3,929,135, issued to Thompson on December 30, 1975; Patent of E.U.A. No. 4,324,246, issued to Mullane et al. On April 13, 1982; Patent of E.U.A. No. 4,342,314, issued to Radel et al. On August 3, 1982; Patent of E.U.A. No. 4,463,045, issued to Ahr et al. On July 31, 1984; and Patent of E.U.A. No. 5,006,394, issued to Baird on April 9, 1991. A preferred top sheet for the absorbent article of the present invention is a formed film described in one or more of the above patents and marketed in sanitary napkins by The Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio as "DRI-WEAVE". In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the exposed body or surface of the formed top sheet of film is hydrophilic in order to aid in liquid transfer through the upper sheet faster than if the body surface were not hydrophilic, for thus decreasing the likelihood that the menstrual fluid will flow out of the upper sheet instead of flowing in and absorbed by the absorbent core. In a preferred embodiment, surfactant is incorporated into the polymeric materials of the formed film topsheet as described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07 / 794,745, Aziz et al., Filed November 19, 1991. Alternatively, the body surface of the top sheet can be made hydrophilic by treating it with a surfactant such as described in the US Patent. 4,950,254.

The absorbent core 24 may be any absorbent means that is capable of absorbing and retaining liquids (e.g., menstruation and / or urine). The absorbent core 24 can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular, oval, hourglass, asymmetric, etc.) and a wide variety of liquid absorbent materials commonly used in sanitary napkins and other articles. absorbers such as wood pulp which is generally referred to as air felt. Examples of other suitable absorbent materials include cellulose filler, modified intertwined cellulose fibers (such as those described in US Patent No. 5,217,445, issued to Young et al. On June 8, 1993), capillary channel fibers (ie. , fibers having intrafiber capillary channels such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 5,200,248, issued to Thompson et al. on April 6, 1993), absorbent foams (such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 5,260,345, issued to DesMarais et al. on November 9, 1993 and U.S. Patent No. 5,268,244, issued to DesMarais et al. on December 7, 1993), thermally bonded air-laid materials (such as those described in the US Patent Application). United States Serial Number 08 / 141,156, entitled "Catamenial Absorbent Structures Having Thermally Bonded Layers for Improved Handiing of Menstrual Fluids and Their Use in Catamenial Pads Having Im proved Fit and Comfort "presented on behalf of Richards and others, October 21, 1993), absorbent sponges, synthetic fibers, polymer fibers, solidifying agents in polymer gel forming hydrogel, swamp moss, tissue including wraps and sheets of fabric, or any equivalent material or combinations of materials. Suitable absorbent cores comprising foams are described in European applications 0 598 833, 0 598 823 and 0 598 834. Suitable absorbent cores comprising sheets of tissue with particles of solidifying agents in a hydrogel-forming polymer gel comprised therein, describe in international patent applications WO 94/01069 and WO 95/17868. The configuration and construction of the absorbent core can also vary (for example, the absorbent core may have gauge zones that vary, for example, that are thicker in the center), hydrophilic gradients, superabsorbent gradients, or base weight acquisition zones of lower density and lower average; or may comprise one or more layers or structures. However, the total absorbent capacity of the absorbent core must be compatible with the leading design and the intended 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, pant liners, regular sanitary napkins, or sanitary napkins for the night. Preferably, the absorbent articles of the present invention are sanitary napkins that are uniform in thickness. The backsheet 23 and the topsheet 22 are positioned adjacent to the garment facing surfaces 20b and the body facing surface 20a, respectively, of the absorbent core 24 and are preferably attached thereto and to each other by means of fixation (not shown) such as those well known in the art. For example, the backsheet 23 and / or the topsheet 22 can be secured to the absorbent core 24 or to each other by a uniform continuous layer of adhesive, a patterned adhesive layer, or an array of separate lines, spirals or patches of adhesive. adhesive. The adhesives that have been discovered are satisfactory, they are manufactured by H.B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minnesota under the designation HL-1258 or H-2031. The attachment means will preferably comprise an open-pattern network of filaments of adhesive as described in US Pat. No. 4,573,986, entitled "Disposable Waste-Containment Garment", which was issued to Minetola et al. On March 4, 1986. A fixing means as an example of an open-pattern network of adhesive filaments comprises several lines of adhesive filaments wound in a spiral pattern as illustrated by the apparatus and methods shown in the US Patent 3,911,173, issued to Sprague, Jr., on October 7, 1975; the Patent of E.U.A. 4,785,996, issued to Zieker et al. On November 22, 1978; and the U.S. Patent. 4,842,666, issued to Werenicz on June 27, 1989. Alternatively, the fixing means may comprise heat links, pressure links, ultrasonic links, dynamic mechanical links, or any other suitable means of attachment or combinations of these fixing means as they are known in the art. The backsheet 23 is impervious to liquids (e.g., menstruation and / or urine) and is preferably fabricated from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid impervious materials may also be used. In use, the backsheet 23 is interposed between the absorbent core 24 and the wearer's underwear. The function of the backsheet 23 is to prevent exudates that can be expelled from or inadvertently passing the absorbent core 24, contacting or soiling the wearer's underwear. In this way, the backsheet 23 may comprise a woven or non-woven material, polymeric films such as polyethylene or polypropylene thermoplastic films, or mixed-body materials such as a film-coated nonwoven material. Preferably, the backsheet is a polyethylene film having a thickness of about 0.012 mm to about 0.015 mm. Exemplary 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 23 is preferably embossed and / or mat finished to provide an appearance more to the type of clothing. In addition, the backsheet 23 can allow vapors from the absorbent core 24 to escape (i.e., can breathe) even preventing the exudates from passing through the backsheet 23. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the sanitary napkin 20 in its preferred embodiment it has beforehand a three-dimensional structure with a longitudinal oriented seam 50 in the central and rear portions 42, 44 of the absorbent core 24, so that the intersection line 46 of the longitudinal symmetry plane S with the body-facing surface 20a has a slope that slopes backwards, ie towards the rear end edge 32b, in the portion central 42 and in the rear portion 44 of the absorbent core 24. This can be seen more clearly in Figure 2, where the longitudinal sectional view of the sanitary napkin 20 shows the intersecting line 46 with its declining slope at the central and rear end portions 42, 44. The downward slope of said intersection line 46 can be expressed mathematically if said intersection line 46 is considered in a Cartesian system x and in the plane of symmetry S, where the x-axis is defined by the two points of intersection of the longitudinal symmetry plane S with the front end edge 32a and the rear end edge 32b of the sanitary napkin 20, which corresponds substantially to the points indicated by the numerals 32a and 32b in the cross-sectional view of the sanitary napkin 20 illustrated in FIG. 2, and in which the body-facing surface 20a faces positive values y. With respect to this system of axes, one can form the first derivative of the line of intersection 46. According to the present invention, the first derivative of this line 46 in the longitudinal direction has at least one value that is larger in the central portion 42 of the absorbent core 24 having at least one value at the rear portion 44 of the absorbent core 24. This includes the preferred case, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the intersection line 46 is always inclined towards the rear end edge 32b with two different slopes in the central portion 42 and in the rear portion 44, and also alternative embodiments wherein, for example, the intersection line 46 slopes upward in the central portion 42 and downward in the portion rear 44. The consecutive values of the first derivative of the intersecting line 46 can fall continuously towards the rear end edge 32b, which implies that the line of interest section 46 has a curved profile with a continuously declining slope, or, alternatively, the first derivative may assume different discrete values over the length of intersecting line 46. For example, it may be constant in the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the line of intersection 46 is formed by two substantially rectilinear portions having constant slopes, with a change in slope at a point 48 of the intersection line 46 placed where the central portion 42 of the absorbent core 24 fuses the back portion 44. An intersecting line 46 with the profile described above, provides the sanitary napkin 20 of the present invention with a longitudinally oriented seam 50 in the central and rear portions 42, 44 of the absorbent core 24 having a longitudinal non-linear profile that must match in use the central non-linear groove of the female anatomy that extends from the lips ores to the perineum and in the gluteal groove, and with approximately the shape schematically indicated in the corresponding central and rear portions 42 ', 44' of the curve G illustrated in figure 4, where the equalization profile of a intersecting line 46 in a sanitary napkin illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

The profile of the longitudinally oriented seam 50 as defined by the intersecting line 46 with its slope going down backwards, can provide the sanitary napkin 20 with an adjustment to the improved user's body. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, when going from front to back, the front portion of the seam 50, with a substantially constant slope, must fit the groove between the labia majora. The subsequent portion of the seam 50 that fills the central and rear portions 42, 44 of the absorbent core 24, with its change in slope, has a profile that is capable of equalizing in use the concave portion downwardly of the central nonlinear slot of the female anatomy in the region that goes from the back of the labia to the perineum, in order to achieve continuous contact with the body. This provides better comfort and more effective interception of fluids as the body releases them. Finally, the rear portion of the longitudinally oriented seam 50, still belonging to the rear portion 44 of the absorbent core 24 and with a constant slope in the embodiment of Fig. 1, should extend between the buttocks, but due to its further decline light, compared to the front portion of the seam, is able to make contact with the body without causing any tension between the anatomy and this portion of the sanitary napkin, which in turn would cause discomfort, and / or prevent contact substantially continuous desired between the seam 50 and the user's anatomy over the entire length of the non-linear groove extending from the labia majora to the gluteal groove.

In other words, a seam 50 with a profile having a slope that slopes backwards, can obtain more in its non-linear groove, as indicated schematically in Figure 4. The seam 50 with the profile indicated by the line 46 in fact it is able to follow the profile of the groove, indicated by the curve G, by extending beyond the line, indicated by the dotted line in figure 4, which connects two points on the central groove of the surface of the body where the Sanitary towel makes contact with the anatomy, for example, the two points where the sanitary napkin makes contact with the body in correspondence of the front and rear portions of the seam. A seam formed with a linear profile as those known in the art can not extend beyond this line, since said seam corresponds substantially to this line, and thus can not provide continuous contact with the body over the entire length of the line. sewing In the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the three-dimensional sanitary towel 20 preferably has a low constant thickness that is less than 5 mm, wherein the three-dimensional structure is provided without the use of humps or regions of different thickness, and is an inherent aspect of the sanitary napkin 20, rather than an aggregate aspect, achieved, for example, by bending or joining an initially planar structure. As shown in the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front portion 40 of the absorbent core 24 is preferably concave upward, in order to better conform to the user's anatomy in the pubic region.

The sanitary napkin 20 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 shows a particularly preferred configuration for the front, central and rear regions 40, 42 and 44 of the absorbent core 24. As seen in cross-section, the front, middle and rear regions of the absorbent core 24 respectively have a V-shape, a W-shape, and an inverted V-shape, as best shown in Figures 5a, 5b and 5c, are illustrated in Figure 1 5b-5b and 5c-5c, respectively . These different shapes provide the sanitary napkin 20 with more capacity to conform to the user's anatomy in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of symmetry S already defined. The V shape of the front portion 40 and the inverted V shape of the rear portion 44 are fused together gradually in the central portion 42., where the resulting W shape is predisposed to fit in the area of the labia majora and the perineum. In use, the longitudinally oriented seam 50 must adjust the longitudinal central groove as described above, while the side portions 52 bent upward may equal the thigh wrinkles, ie, the two grooves that are formed between the body and the body. the legs, typically in the area where the elastic of the panties makes contact with the body. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the sanitary napkin 20 is provided with an increased capacity to conform to the anatomy of the user than that given simply by the known differentiated transverse shape of the different portions of the absorbent core. 24 The three-dimensional structure of the sanitary napkin 20 before being used, is such that the width of the angle? of the inverted V-shaped portion increases towards the trailing end edge 32b of the sanitary napkin 20 starting from a minimum preferred value to a position corresponding to the fusion of the rear portion 44 with the central portion 42 of the absorbent core 24, in where it substantially corresponds to the angle ß of the central inverted V-shaped part of the W-shaped central portion 42, which in turn is substantially constant over the entire length of this portion 42. Therefore, the rear portion of the seam 50, typically placed in use between the buttocks, its inverted V shape can be more easily extended during the use of the product without being restricted, in order to provide the sanitary napkin with a better adaptation to the user's configuration. A similar feature is preferably provided in the V-shaped front portion 40 of the absorbent core 24, wherein the angle A of the V increases its width toward the front end edge 32a of the sanitary napkin 20 from a minimum preferred value in a point corresponding to the fusion of the front portion 40 with the central portion 42. This would allow the portion of the sanitary napkin 20 that is closer to the front end edge 32a to be more easily flattened in the transverse direction during use, in order to accommodate the relatively flat front of the pubis, at the same time providing a global concave shape to effectively follow the surface of the pubis.

The angles of the V-shaped central portion 40 and / or the inverted V-shaped rear portion 44 of the absorbent core 24, and consequently of the entire sanitary napkin 20, can therefore increase towards respective end edges 32a and / or 32b to values of about 180 °, in order to better accommodate the user's anatomy without inducing any substantial tension in the structure, thus providing a better fit and comfort. The preferred aspect of the angles increasing toward respective end edges in the inverted V and V-shaped portions is achieved by giving the front portion 40 and / or the rear portion 44 of the absorbent core 24 a bowl-shaped structure with any means known to one skilled in the art. For example, in the sanitary napkin 20 of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, this is achieved by cutting a narrow V-shaped portion of material centered on the longitudinal centerline of the initially flat front portion 40 and back portion. 44 of the absorbent core 24, and of the topsheet 22 and the backsheet 23, and with substantially the same length of the front portion 40 and the rear portion 44, and then join the cut edges with known means, for example, by thermal link, on the connecting lines identified as 52 and 54 in Figure 3. The final three-dimensional structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is then achieved by properly folding the non-planar sanitary napkin 20, for example, over the lines of preferential bending, formed in the absorbent core 24 by means of, for example, partial enhancements or cuts, such as the highlights 56 in Figure 3, as can be determined by the person skilled in the art. AC. The presence of this preferred aspect in the sanitary napkin of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, can be ensured by transversally folding the sanitary napkin 20 in order to over impose the front portion 40 or the rear portion 44 of the absorbent core on the central portion 42 on a bent line that approximately in the unfolded sanitary napkin corresponds to a line separating, respectively, the front portion 40 or the rear portion 44 of the central portion 42; in both cases, the fold line will show an angle instead of being rectilinear. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a three-dimensional shape similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 to 5c can also be achieved., having in an disposable absorbent article an elastic insert with the desired shape, for example, between the backsheet and the absorbent core. The insert may comprise, for example, only in the central and rear portions of the absorbent core, where the seam with the desired profile must be provided, or it may extend over the entire length of the absorbent article, in order to provide its full shape . The elastic insert can be made of any suitable known material, for example, absorbent or non-absorbent material, and can be produced, for example, by thermofixing to obtain the desired three-dimensional shape, preferably with a constant thickness. The insert can completely provide the three-dimensional structure, or it can alternatively contribute to create and maintain said structure in an already formed absorbent article. The sanitary napkin 20 of the present invention having the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 5c and described hereinafter is intended to be applied by the user directly to the body, and comprises the means 58 for holding and applying it located on the surface which looks at the garment 20b and which is transversely oriented, as illustrated in Figure 6, which shows a perspective view of the sanitary napkin 20 of Figure 1, seen from the side that is away from the user during use, is say, with the surface facing the garment 20b towards the wearer. The means 58 for holding and applying the sanitary napkin 20 are also referred to as a handling aid. Of course, the means 58 for supporting and applying the sanitary napkin 20 of the present invention should also be used by a person caring for the user, for example, a nurse, who handles the sanitary napkin 20 and applies it to the user's body. In the preferred alternative embodiment of Figure 6, the means 58 for supporting and applying the sanitary napkin 20 comprises a strip of elongated elastic film material 58, oriented perpendicular to the plane of longitudinal symmetry S and located on the garment facing surface. 20b of the sanitary napkin 20, in correspondence of the central portion 42 of the absorbent core 24, in an approximately intermediate position longitudinally between the front end edge 32a and the rear end edge 32b of the sanitary napkin 20. The strip 58 is fixed to the backsheet 23 at its two separate ends 60 arranged on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry S, with an intermediate portion 62 that is not attached to said garment facing surface 20b and defining a space 64, as best shown in FIG. Figure 5c, intended for the insertion of at least one finger of the user to hold and apply the sanitary napkin 20. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein the sanitary napkin 20 has the preferred three-dimensional shape before being used, the space 64 is actually comprised between the intermediate portion 62 of the sanitary napkin, which is concave on its garment facing surface 20b, since corresponds to the seam 50 on the surface facing the body 32a. Typically, the separated ends 60 of the strip 58 are fixed by known means, for example, with an adhesive, or by thermobonding, to the garment facing surface 20b of the backsheet 23 at intermediate locations between each folded line corresponding to the highlights 56, and the respective longitudinal edge 31, as can also be seen in Figure 5b. The user may place the sanitary napkin 20 in the palm of his hand with the garment facing surface 20b making contact with the hand and with the front end edge 32a facing the wrist, at the same time typically inserting one of his fingers , for example, the middle finger, in the space 64 between the intermediate portion 62 of the strip 58 and the back sheet 23. Therefore, the user can hold the sanitary towel 20 in his open hand without exerting any force, also due to the elasticity of the preferred material constituting the strip 58, with substantially the front portion of the sanitary napkin 20 in its palm. The application to the body can then be easily performed by the user with a simple movement of his open hand, which is simple and understandable as putting an empty hand in the body. In addition, the movements of the hand and fingers allow the user to completely control the manipulation of the sanitary napkin 20 during its application to the body, using the sensitivity of the touch of the fingers to find the correct position for the sanitary napkin 20. In In particular, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the finger inserted into the space 64 is substantially aligned with the seam 50 on the surface facing the body 20a of the sanitary napkin 20, and can therefore provide guidance to control the placement of the towel 20 in the anatomy of the body, that is, with the seam 50 appropriately registered with the longitudinal non-linear groove of the female anatomy extending from the labia majora to the gluteal groove. The front portion of the seam can be easily identified by the user with his finger inserted into the space 64, and used as a reference to direct the sanitary napkin in an optimal position on the body. The operating aid constituted by the strip 58 also allows easy removal of the hand once the sanitary napkin 20 is in place, without disturbing or modifying the position of the towel 20. As in the preferred embodiment of the present invention described so far, the three-dimensional sanitary napkin 20 does not comprise a system that is secured to the panty, the operating aid of the present invention illustrated in Figures 5b and 6 also preferably allows easy removal and, possibly, a subsequent reapplication of the sanitary towel 20 of the body in order to use the bath, or to make a product revision, or in any case in order to finally discard the product. In fact, the wearer can easily grasp the sanitary napkin 20 while using it by placing his hand in substantially the same manner as for the application, with one of his fingers inserted into the space 64 between the unattached portion 62 of the strip 58 and the back sheet 23. Therefore, the sanitary napkin 20 can be removed from the body and safely held by the user; The driving aid can also be used to temporarily store the sanitary towel, for example, when using the bath, in the user's hand, without the need to actually hold it with the fingers, or to exert any force on it. The operating aid constituted by the strip 58 allows in any case the user to handle / manipulate the sanitary napkin 20 when making contact with its surface facing the garment 20b only, thus protecting the user's hand from a surface facing the body 20a possibly dirty. In preferred absorbent articles having a three-dimensional shape before use, such as the sanitary napkin 20 in the preferred embodiment described above, the operating aid may also preferably contribute to maintaining the three-dimensional shape of the article during use, for example, in case of body movements that can damage the proper fit of the product, or when in general there is a risk of changing the three-dimensional shape that fits the body. Otherwise, the operating aid, for example, constituted by the strip 58 illustrated in FIGS. 5b and 6, remains aligned or bent or loose on the surface facing the garment 20b of the product and does not impair the operation of the product. . In alterve embodiments of the present invention, the handling aid may be constituted by more than one strip of material, or by one or more threads, while the material may also be non-elastic. The operating aid can also be constituted by a strip arranged as a loop and applied to the surface facing the garment 20b of the article, or by a series of loops, which must allow the insertion of at least one finger of the user. The operating aid can also be activated by the user, for example, by being applied to the garment facing surface of the absorbent article just before use; altervely, a handling aid, for example, constituted by a strip 58 can be detached, for example, at one of its ends from the garment-facing surface of the absorbent article and then replaced in a different place, in order of, for example, controlling or partially adapting a three-dimensional shape already provided in the absorbent article, or to modify the available space 64 for the insertion of at least one finger of the user. Therefore, a handling aid preferably constituted by a strip 58 can be attached to the garment facing surface 20b of the absorbent article, either at one or both ends 62, for example, by means of a releasable adhesive, or of a hook or loop type mechanical insurance, such as that manufactured under the trade name VELCRO. A handling aid in the form of a loop can be modified by the user in order to change the diameter of the loop, and thus the space available for the insertion of the finger. In a further alterve embodiment of the present invention, the disposable absorbent article may comprise a release cover releasably attached to the garment-facing surface of the absorbent article, wherein the handling aid is located on the cover of the absorbent article. detachment In use, after the application of the absorbent article to the body by means of the handling aid, the release cover can be detached from the surface that gives the garment of the article, leaving the adhesive exposed, which can serve in this way as a panty fastening adhesive as is known in the art. The successive removal of the absorbent article would be carried out for example by a known method, using the panty, with the absorbent article now fixed, as a handling aid. Altervely, in a less preferred embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent article may also be provided with a panty fastening means, which provides the means to secure the article to the undergarment after it has been applied to the body. This would later allow the removal of the body article in a traditional way instead, that is to say by means of the panties to which the article adheres. The fastening means of the panty can be located on a limited part of the surface that gives the article of clothing of the absorbent article, in order to avoid the risk of sticking to the hand of the user during the handling and application of the absorbent article, or, alternatively, this can be activated by the user after the absorbent article has been actually applied to the body, for example by removing a release paper. In any case, the fastening means of the pant may comprise a mechanical fastener such as the hook and curl fasteners as sold under the trade name VELCRO, snaps or fasteners, which would have the advantage that they do not stick to the fastener. user's hand. Alternatively, the absorbent article can be attached to the undergarment by means of the panty fastening adhesive on the backsheet 23. The panty fastening adhesive would provide a means for securing the absorbent article to the pantyhose and preferably a means for securing the absorbent article when staining for the fold and wrapping of the package for convenient disposal. Any adhesive or glue used in the art for these purposes can be used for the fastening adhesive of the pantyhose herein. Pressure sensitive adhesives are more preferred. Suitable adhesives include Centrury A-305-IV manufactured by Century Adhesives Corporation of Columbus, Ohio, and I nstant LOK 34-2823 manufactured by National Starch and Chemical Company of Bridgewater, New Jersey, 3 Sigma 3153, manufactured by 3 Sigma and Fuller H-2238ZP manufactured by H: B. Fuller Co.

The panty fastening adhesive can typically be applied to the backsheet by slot coating or sprinkling in various distribution patterns, such as for example continuous or discontinuous strips, intermittent dots, spirals with random patterns. The panty fastening adhesive should typically be protected with a removable release paper or film in order to prevent the adhesive from drying or adhering to a different surface of the panty. Any commercially available release paper or film can be used. Suitable examples include BL 30MG-A SILOX El / O and BL 30 MG-A SILOX 4 P / O available from Akrosil Corporation. In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the operating aid may also be comprised in a flat absorbent article, as illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein a type of alternate operating aid is also shown, which is constituted by a cutout. transversely oriented 66 on the garment facing surface 20b of a flat sanitary napkin 20, defining a space 64 for the insertion of at least one finger of the user to hold and apply, and preferably remove, the absorbent article 20, in a substantially equivalent to that described for the preferred three-dimensional absorbent article. A handling aid according to the present invention is particularly advantageous in combination with a flat absorbent article intended for direct application to the body, that operating aid only makes the handling / application easier and preferably the removal of the article, but rather it also provides the user with an indication on how to hold the article and how to place it on the body, which is otherwise typically lacking in a flat absorbent article. The absorbent articles of the present invention, particularly sanitary napkin 20, have a length that preferably varies between the typical values commonly used for the different sizes of said sanitary articles intended for the substantially external arrangement adjacent to the wearer's body. Particularly, the central and rear portions 42 and 44 of the absorbent core 24 preferably do not have a length that is less than the total maximum length of the major lips of an average user. The operating aid of the present invention does not necessarily extend over the entire width of the absorbent article, in order to define a suitable space for the insertion of at least one finger of the user, which is capable of achieving a sufficiently firm fit with said user. at least one finger As illustrated in the preferred embodiment of Figure 6, the operating aid does not extend in the longitudinal direction over a major portion of the length of the disposable absorbent article; preferably, it extends over less than 10% of said length, a narrow strip with a width being more preferably extending in said longitudinal direction of approximately 1 cm.

The absorbent article of the present invention may further comprise an odor control material for controlling unpleasant odors associated with absorbed body fluids. Any known odor control agent or any combination thereof that may be included in a disposable absorbent article, including other materials such as binders and / or substrates, may be comprised in the absorbent article of the present invention as the control material of the present invention. odor. The odor control material can be incorporated into the absorbent article by methods known in the art, for example, laminate or in the absorbent core or mixed with the absorbent core. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent article comprising means for holding and applying the article directly to the wearer's body may have two fins (not shown) each of which is adjacent to and laterally extending from the lateral edge of the article. absorbent core. The fins are configured to cover the edges of the wearer's panties in the crotch region, so that the fins are arranged between the edges of the wearer's panties and the wearer's thighs. The fins serve to prevent the body and the user's panties from becoming soiled by menstrual fluid, preferably by forming a double wall barrier on the edges of the panty. The flaps can also be provided with fixing means on its surface that looks at the garment in such a way that the flaps can fold back under the panty and be fixed to the side that looks at the garment of the panty. The fins can be constructed of various materials including materials used for the topsheet 22, backsheet 23, combinations thereof, and can be a sheet with fabric in the center. In addition, the fins can be an element fixed to the main body of the three-dimensional absorbent article or can comprise extensions of the upper sheet 22 and / or back sheet 23. However, it is recommended that the fins have a liquid-impermeable back sheet to prevent bodily fluids that reach the fins dirty the edges of the user's panties. Preferred fins that are suitable or can be adapted to the three-dimensional absorbent article of the present invention are described in the U.S. Patent. No. 4,687,478, issued to Van Tilburg on August 18, 1987; Patent of E.U.A. No. 4,589,876, issued to Van Tilburg on May 20, 1986; and Patent of E.U.A. No. 4,608,047", issued to Mattingly on August 26, 1986. Optionally, but preferably on the aforementioned fins, the three-dimensional absorbent article may comprise components that naturally surround the sides of a wearer's panties. having components that naturally envelop the sides of a wearer's panties suitable for use with the three-dimensional absorbent article of the present invention in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 096,121 entitled "Absorbent Article having Panty Covering Components that Naturally Wrap the Sides of Panties ", filed on July 22, 1993, in the name of Lavash et al., And US Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 277,733 entitled" Absorbent Articles Having Undergarment Covering Components with Zones of Extensibility ", filed on June 20, 1993. July 1994, in the name of Weinberger and others In other embodiments of the present invention n, the absorbent article can also comprise additional elements, such as an acquisition layer or a secondary topsheet positioned between the topsheet 22 and the absorbent core 24 or, alternatively, in any other suitable position. Although the disposable absorbent article of the present invention has been described with reference to a sanitary napkin, it can be beneficially used in the context of other disposable absorbent articles such as panty-hose and incontinence articles. The absorbent article disposable in this way can have all those characteristics and parts that are typical for products in the context of their intended use.

Claims (10)

RECIPE N DI CAC IO N ES

1 . A disposable absorbent article for direct application to a user's body, said disposable absorbent article having a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface, a plane of longitudinal symmetry, and comprising a liquid pervious top sheet , a liquid impermeable back sheet attached to the upper sheet, and an intermediate absorbent element to the upper sheet and the back sheet, said disposable absorbent article characterized in that it further comprises means for holding the article and for applying it directly to the body of the user, means being located on the surface that gives the garment and is transversely oriented for the insertion of at least one finger to hold and apply the absorbent article. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, further characterized in that said means comprises at least one piece of elongate material attached to two separate ends apart from said garment facing surface and further comprising an intermediate portion not attached to the garment. said surface that looks at the garment. 3. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 2, further characterized in that said means comprises a strip of elongated material. 4. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 2, further characterized in that said separate spaced ends are disposed on opposite sides of said longitudinal symmetry plane. 5. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, further characterized in that said disposable absorbent article has a three dimensional shape prior to application to the wearer's body. 6. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 5, having a front end edge and a rear end edge, said absorbent article having a front portion, a central portion and a rear portion, said surface facing the body defining a line formed by the intersection of said surface that faces the body with said plane of symmetry, the line being present in a Cartesian system XY that is located within said plane of symmetry, with the X axis defined by the two points of intersection of the plane of longitudinal symmetry with said front end edge and said rear end edge, and with the surface facing the body giving towards the positive values of Y, said line having a first derivative with respect to said Cartesian system XY, and the article being characterized in that at least one value of said first derivative of said line in the central portion of the absorbent core is greater than at the a value of said first derivative of said line in said rear portion of the absorbent core. 7. A disposable absorbent article according to claim 5 or 6, further characterized in that said means for supporting and applying the article contribute to maintaining the three-dimensional shape. A disposable absorbent article according to any preceding claim, further characterized in that said means for holding and applying the article are such that they can be repositioned by the user before application to the user's body. A disposable absorbent article according to any preceding claim, further characterized in that said absorbent article comprises a release cover releasably attached to said garment facing surface, wherein said means is located on the surface facing away from the garment. garment of said detachment cover. A disposable absorbent article according to any preceding claim, further characterized in that said means for applying the article also provides means for removing said article directly from the user's body.