KR20030068880A - Sanitary napkin with intergluteal strip and front flap - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin having a dislocation flap adhesively attached to the user's undergarment and a tail strip extending backward for retention at a site between the user's buttocks. Such sanitary napkins are more comfortable to wear on the user's body. In addition, because the strip provides improved body contact, a similar sanitary effect is obtained with a small sanitary napkin, providing freedom of action.

Description

Sanitary napkin with intergluteal strip and front flap}

The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin having a strip material extending backward to be present at the site between the buttocks. This arrangement allows the pad portion of the sanitary napkin to be worn more snugly on the body, providing an improved protective effect.

The protective effect of external sanitary napkins is known to depend greatly on the proximity of the sanitary napkin to the perineum. A tightly worn sanitary napkin can collect fluid near the body's source of fluid and minimizes fluid along the body. However, despite the importance of tight fit for hygienic protection, prior art sanitary napkins that are adhesively secured to the crotch of a garment rely on within a relatively loosely worn user. Panties worn during menstruation are often old and worn clothing that is worn poorly. New panties are difficult to hold and maintain enough to close the sanitary pads unless they are specifically designed. Many women, even specially designed innerwear, feel restrained and feel uncomfortable.

In addition, the dependence on the adhesive system for securing the sanitary napkin to the garment necessarily requires that the fixing means of the sanitary napkin always adhere strongly to the garment. Thus, the adhesion system must withstand the frictional shear forces exerted by moisture, sudden torsion caused by body movement, and the movement of various layers of clothing worn by the user. It is not surprising that the actual performance of a sanitary napkin does not satisfy these conditions satisfactorily.

One prior art solution to the wearing problem has been to use sanitary belts that independently support sanitary napkins. Sanitary napkins with long tab ends worn using a sanitary belt provide the body with the necessary adhesion but often cause an unpleasant, uncomfortable, and hateful appearance that women dislike. Moreover, the belt is hung on the sanitary napkin in such a way that it can be moved and twisted, greatly reducing its effectiveness.

Another solution contemplated in the prior art is to attach the distal end of the product to the skin. There are several patents relating to devices for collecting body fluids that use adhesive adhesion to the skin. Zamist, US Pat. No. 3,906,952, discloses anatomically curved sanitary napkins with adhesive patches that adhere to the wearer's skin. The patch here has a die cut non-disposable gripper that receives the distal end of the sanitary napkin. Levine US Pat. No. 4,702,151 describes a long full-size sanitary napkin provided with adhesive strips for attachment to the body at the longitudinal ends. Sohn's US Pat. No. 4,484,919 teaches rectal rectal dressings. This rectoperineal device has a pressure sensitive adhesive on an elongate absorbent pad and an extended distal end member that adheres to the skin surface.

While these inventions are generally worn close to the wearer's body, many women refuse to use body adhesives. In addition, the adhesive used in the prior art does not extend in the longitudinal direction to adjust according to the size control requirements of the individual wearer. Moreover, the device is not flexible enough to allow the sanitary napkin to move with the body and return to its original position during bending and torsion. This can make the bonding and twisting of the sanitary napkin uncomfortable. In addition, the site of attachment of such a product, which is sensitive to sudden torsional and shear forces, is not always reliable in securing the position of the product.

The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin comprising a strip between buttocks as a fastening means. Although application of sanitary napkins between buttocks has been described in the prior art, their use has been to increase the absorbency of body fluids present at those sites. Examples of documents in which this technique is disclosed are U.S. Patent No. 5,520,675 to Knox-Sigh, U.S. Patent No. 4,900,319 to Richwine, PCT Publication No. WO90 / 04956 to Muller and Flanders ( Flanders, U.S. Application No. 24,385.

The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin that uses a portion between the buttocks of the wearer to assist in fixing the sanitary napkin, including a strip between the buttocks as an anchoring means. The present invention utilizes the wearer's body in this manner to reduce many of the sudden torsional and shear forces associated with the prior art. The invention is also made in such a way that no adhesive is required on the strip between the buttocks. Also, in the present invention, the strip between the buttocks is flexible. As a result, improved wearability of the sanitary napkin is obtained.

1 is a top view of the sanitary napkin of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a cross-sectional view of another aspect of the present invention illustrating a barrier material forming a tail and a flap.

4 is a bottom view of another embodiment in which a continuous piece of material forming the tail and flap is attached to the barrier layer.

5 is a front view of the sanitary napkin of the present invention in a state worn by the wearer.

FIG. 6 is a top view of another embodiment of the present invention showing a garment-adhesive region present at the distal end of a tail for attaching to the back of a user's panties. FIG.

7 is a top view of another embodiment of the present invention showing the body adhesive area present at the distal end of the tail to secure the tail to the user's body.

8A and 8B show another embodiment of the present invention in which the stabilization region of the tail is shown.

9A, 9B and 9C are rear views showing the user buttocks and the area therebetween, while FIG. 9B also shows the placement of the tails between the buttocks in one embodiment of the invention where the tails do not include stabilizing regions. 9C shows the placement of the tail between the buttocks in an embodiment where there is a stabilization region.

10 and 11 illustrate other aspects of the invention in which the stabilization region has a different shape.

12 is a cross sectional view illustrating an exemplary non-planar tail.

The present invention provides a sanitary napkin that achieves dynamic body wearability. The pads of these sanitary napkins are in close contact with the user's body by means including a strip between the buttocks. As the user moves, the panties of the user can also move, but the sanitary napkin can be kept comfortable with the body due to the attachment means.

More specifically, according to one aspect of the present invention,

Absorbent core system disposed between the cover material of the sanitary napkin and the barrier layer, a posterior distal end positioned proximal to the wearer's buttock in use and a distal distal end opposite it, a first side adapted to contact the wearer's body and the opposite side A sanitary napkin body having a second side adapted to face inwardly of the wearer, wherein the sanitary napkin body has a thickness defined as the dimension of the sanitary napkin body from the first side to the second side and is close to the wearer's vagina. Adjusted to wear,

And further comprising a flexible dislocation flap extending dislocation from the distal distal end of the sanitary napkin body and terminating at the distal distal end, the dislocation flap being adapted to assist in maintaining the sanitary napkin body adjacent to the wearer's vagina,

The distal distal end of the dislocation flap comprises an adhesive region adapted to attach the distal distal end to the wearer's intestine,

Adds a tail that is relatively thin relative to the thickness of the sanitary napkin body and extends posteriorly from the posterior end of the sanitary napkin body and terminates at the distal end and is received between the buttocks of the wearer to easily maintain the sanitary napkin body adjacent to the wearer's vagina. Provides a sanitary napkin for women to include.

These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following description of the drawings.

The same numerals used during the description are to identify like elements in other figures illustrating the invention.

1 illustrates one aspect of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a corresponding cross sectional view. The sanitary napkin 1 shown has a central longitudinal axis 16. As shown in these figures, the sanitary napkin body 17 of the sanitary napkin 1 extends from point P ₂ to point P ₃ on the longitudinal axis 16 and between the sanitary napkin cover material 4 and the barrier layer 6. The absorbent core system 2. The sanitary napkin body has a dislocation end portion 18 located adjacent to point P ₃ and a rear end portion 19 located adjacent to point P ₂ . In the illustrated embodiment the cover 4 and the barrier layer 6 are slightly larger than the absorbent system and have space to be heat sealed along the circumference of the sanitary napkin.

In this embodiment the tail 8 between the buttocks is disposed below the absorbent core system so as to connect to the sanitary napkin body and not interfere with the absorbency. Examples of means for attaching the tail 8 to the sanitary napkin body include structural as well as heat. In a preferred embodiment, the tail consists of a polyester knit fabric such as manufactured under the trade name AQ7500 by Tomen Corporation. The present invention is not limited to these materials, and alternative materials including stretchable or absorbent materials have been considered by the present inventors.

Moreover, the present invention is not limited to disposing the tail between the buttocks between the cover material 4 and the blocking layer 6. In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the barrier layer material itself extends to form both the tail and dislocation flap 10. In another embodiment, the barrier layer may be extended to form only one of the tail and the dislocation flap and the other may be composed of an attached material. Thus, the materials used to make the tails and / or dislocation flaps may be chosen to best match the desired physical properties (eg, elasticity, absorbency, etc.), minimize costs, or simplify manufacturing.

Another aspect of the sanitary napkin (not shown) may include channeling or embossing on the cover material. Such channeling is well known in the sanitary napkin industry.

FIG. 4 shows a side facing the garment of another embodiment of the present invention in which the tail 8 between the buttocks and the dislocation flap are one continuous piece of material attached to the barrier layer 6. Attachment means are for example thermal and structural adhesives. The fabrication of the sanitary napkin is simple in this embodiment, but is not limited to the barrier layer consisting of the same material as the tail and dislocation flap.

As shown in FIG. 2, the dislocation flap 10 located at the distal end portion 18 of the sanitary napkin body 17 includes a positioning adhesive 12 and a release paper 14 on the side facing the garment. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dislocation flap is sandwiched between the cover 4 and the barrier layer 6 and is attached by a structural adhesive as well as heat. In this preferred embodiment, the dislocation flap can be made of an extensible material to aid in comfort and wearability of the sanitary napkin.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the tail between the buttocks extends back to the space region between the buttocks of the wearer. Thus, the placement of the tail between the buttocks in this position provides another means of fixation for the sanitary napkin.

As a result, in this embodiment, the sanitary napkin of the present invention secures the distal end of the sanitary napkin to the body through the use of only one point of attachment to the panty to provide dynamic wearability. The sanitary napkin hangs closely to the body through the tail between the buttocks. Once placed, the sanitary napkin moves with the body, not the panties. Thus, dynamic wearability is obtained. This optimal wearability allows the user to achieve the same protective effect by smaller and more suitable sanitary napkins.

In a preferred embodiment, the tail does not contain an adhesive for its distal end. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the tail between the buttocks is disposed at the site between the buttocks by the wearer. The placement of the tail into this region is sufficient to fix the tail end of the sanitary napkin. It is also conceivable in another embodiment that the tail between the buttocks is of sufficient length to utilize the adhesive on the distal end. As shown in FIG. 6, this adhesive area 40 may be placed on the side facing the garment for attachment to the user's undergarment. Alternatively, the body adhesive area 50 of the face facing the body may be used to secure the distal end of the tail as shown in FIG. 7. Sanitary napkins containing such adhesive regions are preferably used with adhesive release paper to facilitate packaging and handling of the sanitary napkins prior to use.

In the following description the length dimension corresponds to the distance present along the central longitudinal axis 16 of the sanitary napkin as shown in FIG. 1. The width dimension corresponds to the distance present along the corresponding horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Thus, the length of the tail 8 between the buttocks is the distance from point P ₁ to P ₂ which exists along the longitudinal axis 16. Similarly, the sanitary napkin body extends along this axis in the longitudinal direction from point P ₂ to point P ₃ . Finally, the length of the dislocation flap is the dimension from point P ₃ to point P ₄ .

In a preferred embodiment, the dislocation flap is preferably rounded off the contour of the sanitary napkin body as shown in FIG. 1. Its width varies along the length of the flap. The widest part is adjacent to the sanitary napkin body, the narrowest part is located at the distal distal end and ends at the round point. The widest part is 7 cm wide, but may vary from 7 to 10 cm depending on the width of the sanitary napkin body. The flap extends 4 cm more than the distal end of the sanitary napkin body. The length of the flap may range from 3 to 7 cm.

The tail extends 15 cm from the rear end 19 of the sanitary napkin body. The acceptable length range is 10 to 30 cm. Preferably the length of the tail is 12 to 18 cm. The width of the tail can vary from 0.5 to 2.5 cm. Preferably the width of the tail is 1.5 to 2 cm. The thickness of the tail is preferably less than 1 cm, most preferably less than 5 mm. This thickness range is an important feature of the present invention with regard to user comfort. In a preferred embodiment, the tail is preferably wrinkle-free before use. The distal end of the tail between the buttocks may retain the adhesive in a range of patterns, including the entire tail contour, strips, dots, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the sanitary napkin body is adjusted to be worn close to the outside of the vagina of the wearer. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sanitary napkin body is substantially planar with respect to the surface facing the body. In another embodiment it may also be planar but with some taper in the posterior direction at the dislocation, side to side or both directions. However, the present invention is not limited to wearing only outside the vagina. As another alternative embodiment, it is contemplated that the sanitary napkin body includes a raised area to be inserted into the vagina. This aspect of insertion of the sanitary napkin body into the vagina provides several advantages, including assisting in proper placement of the sanitary napkin and / or allowing the absorbent material to concentrate at the bodily fluid release location.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the absorbent core system is of sufficient length to cover the length of the labia of the user, i.e. in the range of 8.0 to 13.1 cm. The length of the sanitary napkin body is preferably longer than the length of the absorbent core system 2 so that the perimeter of the barrier layer 6 and the cover material 4 surrounds the absorbent core. The width of the circumference may range from 0.5 to 2 cm. This means that the length of the sanitary napkin body can range from 9.0 to 17.1 cm. Most preferably, the circumference is 1 cm in width. The most preferable length of an absorber being 11.5 cm means that the most preferable length of a sanitary napkin body is 13.5 cm.

The width of the sanitary napkin body is most preferably dependent on the length and begins to narrower at the posterior end 19 of the sanitary napkin body. In addition, the width may be kept relatively constant. In a preferred embodiment with variable width, the maximum width appears near the distal end 18. The width here is in the range of 8 cm to 10 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the sanitary napkin body is narrowest at the posterior distal end 19 near the tail to provide a more comfortable fit. Therefore, the width is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 4 cm. Most preferably, the width is 2 cm. Further, in a preferred embodiment, the narrowest portion of the sanitary napkin body should be approximately equal to the width of the tail 8 between the buttocks and may vary from 0.5 to 2.5 cm.

According to an alternative embodiment, the present invention relates to a full-size sanitary napkin with a length of 200 cm to 250 cm and a sanitary napkin for overnight with a length of 250 cm to 350 cm. In addition, a sanitary napkin with one or more wings extending from each side of the sanitary napkin body may be considered as an alternative embodiment, where the wings are used to further secure the sanitary napkin to the user's undergarment. Such wings are well known in the sanitary napkin industry.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the widened distal end of the tail, which forms the stabilization region 60 of the tail. 8A and 8B show an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the width of the stabilization region 60 (w and w ', respectively) is greater than the width of the tail 8 between the buttocks. This arrangement provides a larger attachment area that laterally distributes and distributes the force acting on the tail to help stabilize the tail. As illustrated in these figures, the surface area of the stabilization region 60 is measured by combining the width of the stabilization region and the stabilization angle β.

Such stabilization zones may include adhesive 64 areas. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive will be covered with release paper (not shown) prior to use. 8A and 8B, panty adhesive is shown on the side facing the garment of the tail. In a preferred embodiment, a body adhesive may be used to attach the tail directly to the user's body. 8A and 8B also illustrate that the adhesive region takes substantially the same shape as the stabilization region, but this is not essential. Non-limiting, any number of adhesive pattern region shapes, including square, rectangular, circular or even straight, can be contemplated through the present invention.

9A, 9B and 9C show rear views of the user buttocks, respectively. 9A illustrates the area 65 between the buttocks of the user. 9B illustrates the buttock tail 8 with no stabilization area disposed at the buttock site 65. 9C illustrates a user wearing a buttock tail 8 having a stabilization area 60. This stabilization region not only stabilizes the force acting on the tail but also serves to assist the tail not to be present in a position where the user may feel uncomfortable because it is too far from the area between the buttocks.

9C illustrates how the width W and stabilization angle β of the stabilization region add together to affect the surface area of the stabilization region. The lower limit of these variables is affected by the stability of the materials used. The upper limit of these variables is at discretion as the stabilization zone is outside of the site between the buttocks when the tail is in place as illustrated in FIG. 9C. In a preferred embodiment the stabilization angle β can range from 5 ° to 80 °. In the case of a 20 mm wide tail, the preferred w range is 30 to 120 mm.

10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the stabilization region 60. In this embodiment, the height h is preferably in the range of 6 mm to 40 mm, and in the case of a tail having a width of 20 mm, the width w is preferably in the range of 30 to 120 mm. 11 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the shape of the stabilization region 60. The invention is not limited to this exemplified form so long as all significant broadening of the distal end of the buttock tail 8 acts as a stabilizing region and assists the tail to not be too far away from the site between the buttock.

In addition, in situations where the adhesive is required at the distal end of the buttock tail, the surface area of the stabilization region must be widened before the adhesive can be placed there. Finally, the stabilization area provides a convenient tab to assist the wearer's tail placement in use.

The description of the stabilization region thus far has been mainly in the region where the tail material is widened at the distal end of the tail. The present invention is not limited to this, and a separate stabilizing strip material may also be considered that attaches to the distal end of the buttock tail to form a stabilizing region. In a preferred embodiment, such stabilizing strips are ones that are easily stretchable. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include LYCRA XA Q-3 (two-layer laminate of spunbond PP sandwich lycra strands with a low basis weight, manufactured by DuPont Corporation); AQ3005 (polyester / polyurethane knitted fabric laminate) and AQ7500 (polyester knitted fabric) (both commercially available from Tomen Corporation); FABRIFLEX 102 (a laminate of PP nonwoven and highly extensible elastic film, manufactured by Tredagar Corporation); And cotton / rayon bandage materials (trade name ARTICLE 207, manufactured by Conco) made of mechanically braided yarn to give extensibility.

The invention is not limited to sanitary napkins having tails that are substantially planar. Non-planar tails with morphologically anatomical cross-sectional profiles help provide a comfortable and intimate fit to the wearer's body when inserted into the area between the user's buttocks. As an example, an alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 12 where the cross section of the tail is nearly triangular, where the triangle has an essentially non-linear face. Such shaped tails can be produced, for example, as extruded foams. Alternative tail-shaped cross sectional views include, but are not limited to, circular, oval or U-shaped in nature.

An alternative aspect of the invention is that the tail comprises a suitable body adhesive along at least a portion of the length. The use of such adhesives, especially when used with anatomically non-planar tails, aids in the formation of an impermeable gasket to minimize the potential leakage to the back of the wearer. Examples of such adhesives include, but are not limited to, hydrogel adhesives, TPE / Oil gel adhesives, and polyethylene glycol / polyacrylate adhesives.

In another aspect, a tail structure can be contemplated where the face of the tail facing the garment is laminated to a cotton or nonwoven fabric. Another aspect of this tail structure is a multi-layer comprising an outer "U-shaped" channel made of a body attachment adhesive and a non-stick inner core made of an absorbent material, such as a hydrogel.

While the invention has been described with reference to the various alternative embodiments described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the structure and function of each part of the system without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as a whole.

The present invention provides a sanitary napkin that is worn more comfortably on the body without leaking fluid, thereby providing an improved protective effect.

Claims (24)

(a) an absorbent core system disposed between the sanitary napkin cover material and the barrier layer, a posterior distal end positioned proximate the wearer's hip in use and a distal distal end opposite it, a first side adapted to contact the wearer's body and A sanitary napkin body having a second side adapted to face towards the wearer's interior located opposite it, the sanitary napkin body having a thickness defined as the dimension of the sanitary napkin body from the first side to the second side; Adjusted to wear close to the vagina, (b) further comprising a flexible dislocation flap extending dislocation from the distal distal end of the sanitary napkin body and terminating at the distal distal end, wherein the dislocation flap is adapted to assist in maintaining the sanitary napkin body adjacent to the wearer's vagina, (c) the distal distal end of the dislocation flap comprises an adhesive region adjusted to attach the distal distal end to the wearer's inside, (d) a tail that is relatively thin relative to the thickness of the sanitary napkin body and extends posteriorly from the posterior end of the sanitary napkin body and terminates at the distal end and is received between the buttocks of the wearer to facilitate maintenance of the sanitary napkin body adjacent to the wearer's vagina. Feminine sanitary napkin further comprising). The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the sanitary napkin body is adapted to be worn outside the vagina of the wearer. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the sanitary napkin body is at least partially held between the perineal part of the wearer when worn. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is substantially free of wrinkles. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is substantially planar. According to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the tail is 0.5 to 10mm, feminine sanitary napkin. According to claim 1, characterized in that the width of the tail is 0.5 to 2.5cm, feminine sanitary napkin. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is 10-30 cm long. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core system is between 8 and 13.1 cm in length. The feminine sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the opposite second surface comprises an adhesive region to assist the sanitary napkin body to remain adjacent to the wearer's vagina. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the dislocation flap is stretchable. The feminine sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein both the dislocation flap and the tail are connected to the sanitary napkin body at a location between the absorbent core system and the barrier layer. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the dislocation flap, tail, or both are formed by extending the barrier layer. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein both the dislocation flap and the tail are formed from one continuous piece of material attached to the second side of the sanitary napkin body. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the sanitary napkin body is substantially planar. The sanitary napkin of claim 15, wherein the sanitary napkin body has a substantially planar central region and narrows toward the distal end. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is flexible. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is stretchable. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail comprises an absorbent material. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is nonabsorbent. The sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail is adjustable in length. The feminine sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail comprises an adhesive region at the distal end and the adhesive is adapted to secure the tail to the wearer's undergarment. The feminine sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail comprises an adhesive region at the distal end and the adhesive is adapted to secure the tail to the wearer's body. The feminine sanitary napkin of claim 1, wherein the tail comprises a body adhesive region along its length.