Highly efficient absorbent articles, such as feminine sanitary napkins, are claimed in US Patent 6 899 701 by Procter & Gamble. The devices, which are substantially smaller than conventional sanitary napkins, are designed for use with a supporting garment, such as a menstrual pant or panty.
In use, the cup-shaped absorbent articles maintain contact with and cover at least part of the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia (the lip-like external female genitalia), the exterior surfaces of the wearer's labia and the supporting garment.
The company of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, says this arrangement provides superior leakage protection and maintains the wearer's body in a clean condition, free of menses. It adds that this comforting fit is present regardless of whether the wearer's legs are apart or together.
Procter & Gamble explains that the absorbent article and menstrual panty functions in a manner similar to a bandage covering a wound. Body fluids are captured at or near their source by using close body contact and comfortable forces to hold the absorbent article in place. This contrasts with using an overly-sized sanitary napkin in a loose-fitting pair of panties, the company says.
[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]
The menstrual pad (20) is sufficiently small such that it covers only the wearer's pudendal region and immediately adjacent regions, and in particular, covers the vaginal introitus (entrance) and the surfaces of the labia majora.
The absorbent article cups the labia from front to back. It may cover the wearer's perineum, but does not extend forward beyond the mons pubis or rearward to contact the wearer's anus.
This provides a more comfortable, and less noticeable, absorbent article since it covers less of the crotch region of the wearer's body allowing air to circulate, Procter & Gamble comments.
Further, the edges (22) of the menstrual pad do not contact the inside surfaces of the wearer's thighs when walking or moving about.
The cup-shaped device may have, for instance, an overall curved length of 15 cm, a width of 7. 6 cm and a flat surface area of as little as 65 [cm.sup.2]. The product is also highly flexible with a flexure resistance of less than or equal to 100 g (preferably 30-50 g), which allows it to conform closely to the wearer's body. The menstrual pad will also have a total capacity of at least 25 g of liquid.
The topsheet (28) of the absorbent article comprises a high-loft fibrous material, which allows the device to fit all women and adjust to the individual's body contours.
The high-loft material is composed of fine, slightly hydrophobic polymeric fibres (34), such as a thermally bonded carded polyester nonwoven with a basis weight of 50 g/[m.sup.2]. The high-loft topsheet also breaks the flow of menses and allows such body exudates to be absorbed into the absorbent core.
The absorbent core can be manufactured from a wide range of liquid absorbing materials commonly used in sanitary napkins and other absorbent articles. Particularly suitable is a high-loft needlepunched material with a basis weight of 90 g/[m.sup.2], comprising lyocell fibres (available from Lenzing) and fibrous superabsorbent hydrogel-forming polymeric material, such as Fiberdri from Camelot Technologies.
Optionally, the absorbent article includes elastic members (36) that are wrapped around the longitudinal edges. These form the pad into the desired cup-shaped configuration and provide soft, longitudinal edges in the event that they contact the wearer during use.
The elastic members are composed of an elastomeric laminate comprising an elastomeric layer and a coverstock layer, with the latter being on the outside of the product.
The garment-facing surface (20B) of the absorbent article features a mechanical fastening material, such as hair-like projections, that is suitable for engaging the knitted fabric of the supporting undergarment.
Procter & Gamble says the menstrual pad disclosed in the Patent has an overall absorbent capacity greater than or equal to an ultra-thin sanitary napkin, such as its Always Ultra brand, while being roughly half the size.
For further information, see US Patent 6 899 701, or contact: The Procter & Gamble Company, One Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, OH 45202, USA; tel: +1-513-983-1100; fax: +1-513-983-9369; Internet: www.pg.com
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