U.S. patent number 3,654,929 [Application Number 04/681,706] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-11 for body-fluid absorption article.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget. Invention is credited to Marit Gunnel Matilda Nilsson, Per Edward Carl Udden, Ruth Gunvor Anna Britt Udden, Bengt Axel Wennerblom.
United States Patent |
3,654,929 |
Nilsson , et al. |
April 11, 1972 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
BODY-FLUID ABSORPTION ARTICLE
Abstract
The invention resides in a body-fluid absorption article which
comprises at least two elongated and substantially flat members
which, in use of the article, are relatively superimposed with
opposed flat surfaces, said members being physically separated
throughout, or over a substantial portion of, their interface. The
article is further characterized in that its inner member, i.e.,
the member adapted to be worn next to the skin, mainly consists of
a liquid-absorbent material, whereas its outer member comprises one
or a plurality of fluid-barrier layers of a water-soluble polymer,
such as carboxy-methyl cellulose, capable of preventing any passage
of body fluids, at least for the time of use of the article.
Inventors: |
Nilsson; Marit Gunnel Matilda
(Kalarne, SW), Udden; Ruth Gunvor Anna Britt (Timra,
SW), Udden; Per Edward Carl (Timra, SW),
Wennerblom; Bengt Axel (Sundsvall, SW) |
Assignee: |
Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget
(Sundsvall, SW)
|
Family
ID: |
27354876 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/681,706 |
Filed: |
November 9, 1967 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 15, 1966 [SW] |
|
|
15634/66 |
Nov 21, 1966 [SW] |
|
|
15870/66 |
Oct 10, 1967 [SW] |
|
|
14792/67 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/364; 604/368;
604/370; 604/372; 604/373; 604/376; 604/378; 604/387 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
13/15211 (20130101); A61F 13/535 (20130101); A61F
13/534 (20130101); A61F 13/5611 (20130101); A61F
2013/583 (20130101); A61F 2013/4708 (20130101); A61F
13/58 (20130101); A61F 2013/51441 (20130101); A61F
13/53409 (20130101); A61F 2013/51443 (20130101); A61F
2013/15821 (20130101); A61F 13/551 (20130101); A61F
2013/53445 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
13/15 (20060101); A61F 13/56 (20060101); A61f
013/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/284-290,296 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
832,709 |
|
Apr 1960 |
|
GB |
|
632,783 |
|
Dec 1949 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Apley; Richard J.
Claims
We claim:
1. A body-fluid absorbing article comprising at least two elongated
and substantially flat members which, in use of the article, are
placed with opposed flat surfaces in contact with each other, said
members being physically separated over the predominant portion of
their interface and joined together only at a limited area of said
interface, one of said members, the inner member which is to be
worn next to the skin, mainly consisting of a liquid-absorbent
material which is easily disintegratable in water, whereas another
of said members, the outer member, consisting essentially of (1) a
liquid-absorbent material which is easily disintegratable in water
and (2) at least one liquid-barrier layer of a water-soluble
polymer, said liquid-barrier layer of polymer material being
disposed at two zones or levels, at least, between which a fluid
absorbent material layer for substantial fluid dispersion therein
is disposed, said zones or levels acting to prevent any passage
through said liquid barrier of fluid passing from said inner member
and reaching said liquid-barrier, and further being adapted to
permit said outer member to be readily disintegrated after soaking
in water.
2. An article according to claim 1, in the form of a sanitary
napkin, wherein said inner member is smaller than said outer
member.
3. An article according to claim 2, wherein said members are
interconnected only at the short end of said inner member.
4. An article according to claim 1, in which said liquid-barrier is
made of a polymer material adapted to render the article highly
pervious to water vapor.
5. An article according to claim 1, wherein said water-soluble
polymer is the sodium salt of carboxy-methyl cellulose.
6. An article according to claim 1, wherein said liquid-barrier
consists of two layers of polymer material contacting each
other.
7. An article according to claim 1, in the form of an elongated
sanitary napkin wherein a portion of the external surface of the
napkin facing the clothing of the wearer is provided with a layer
of a pressure-sensitive adhesive capable of adhering to the
material of the clothing, said pressure-sensitive adhesive being
applied at one short end only of the napkin.
8. An article according to claim 7, wherein said pressure-sensitive
adhesive is applied to a surface of said napkin, having a
substantially larger extent in the longitudinal than in the
transverse direction of said napkin.
Description
The present invention relates to articles adapted for use in
absorbing body fluids. Although the invention is applicable
primarily to sanitary napkins or towels and will be described
hereinafter in connection with such an application, it is
applicable, to advantage, to other similar articles, as well, such
as diapers and the like.
Conventional sanitary napkins or towels of various constructions
suffer from one or more drawbacks, as follows: Thus there are
sanitary napkins which are not safe against blood-soaking,
particularly in cases where the blood quantity is great and under
special circumstances the napkin will have to be used for an
abnormally long period of time. Further, conventional sanitary
napkins, as a rule, cannot be flushed down through ordinary sewage
disposal systems but will have to be collected and disposed of in
other ways. Among conventional sanitary napkins, certain types are
so designed that, due to their thickness, they are readily
discernible through the clothes, as well as being clumsy. Finally,
it may be mentioned that conventional sanitary napkins of the type
comprising a fluid-barrier layer often have this layer formed of a
material which is also impervious to water vapor, which is an
inconveniency since discomforts may arise if the normal gas
interchange with the ambient athmosphere be prevented during
extended periods of time.
One object of the present invention resides in overcoming,
completely or partially, all or most of the drawbacks just referred
to.
Another object of the invention is to make provision for a simple
and commercially and industrially advantageous design of a sanitary
napkin or towel having the characteristics aimed at according to
the invention.
A further object of the invention resides in the provision of
simple means for applying the sanitary napkin in use.
According to the invention, a body-fluid absorption article
comprises at least two elongated and substantially flat members
which, in use of the article, are relatively superimposed with
opposed flat surfaces, said members being physically separated
throughout or over a substantial portion of their interface, the
article being further characterized in that its inner member, being
adapted to be worn next to the skin, mainly consists of a liquid
absorbent material, whereas its outer member comprises one or a
plurality of fluid-barrier layers capable of preventing any passage
of body fluids, at least for the time of use of the article.
According to a further feature of the invention, the article is
suitably so designed that its two members are separate or readily
separable from each other. This will result in the advantage, inter
alia, that the members can be used separately in cases where the
amount of body fluid secreted is small.
According to an embodiment of the invention which is particularly
applicable to sanitary napkins or towels, the member thereof to be
worn next to the skin when in use is made narrower, and preferably
also shorter than the outer member thereof. This will further
reduce the possibility of body fluid passing over the edges of the
article to its outside, and, in addition, the article can be
accomodated still better to the body and will be less discernible
through the clothes of the wearer.
A sanitary napkin or the like according to the invention is
suitably provided with a layer which is capable of preventing any
fluid passage to the outside of the napkin during the entire time
of use of the same. Such layer need not, and preferably should not,
act as a permanent fluid barrier but may suitably be formed from a
material of a nature which will enable the layer to be dissolved or
disintegrated a short time after fluid has been applied to both
sides of the fluid-barrier layer. In this case, the material making
up the layer is a water-soluble polymer, for instance a cellulose
derivative, such as sodium carboxy-methyl cellulose (CMC). The
layer may consist of a continuous foil of said material, although
it may also be composed of a more or less thick layer of polymer
particles deposited on, or embedded in a liquid absorbent layer of
cellulosic material which can be easily disintegrated in water.
Such an article after use may be flushed down into a sewerage
without any risk of clogging the latter.
The invention will now be described in detail in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an article according to the
invention in the form of a sanitary napkin or towel, as seen in end
view;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the napkin;
FIG. 3 is a side or edge view of the napkin;
FIG. 4 shows the napkin or towel of FIGS. 1 to 3 in cross section
and with the absorbent materials contained in its two members
marked out;
FIGS. 5-12 inclusive serially disclose successive stages of a
method of manufacturing the outer member of the article according
to the invention, in which series:
FIG. 5 illustrates in end view a sheet material having deposited on
it a fluid-sealing substance and serving for the production of the
outer member of a sanitary napkin or a portion thereof in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 6 shows the material of FIG. 5 after a first folding step;
FIG. 7 shows the material of FIG. 5 after a second and final
folding step;
FIGS. 8 to 11 illustrate alternative embodiments of a sanitary
napkin or a portion thereof;
FIG. 12 diagrammatically illustrates a method of embossing or
pinching and severing sanitary napkins in the course of a
production process;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin or towel as bent
approximately into the curvature thereof in use and having applied
to it adhesive means serving for fixing the napkin;
FIG. 14 shows an end portion of the napkin of FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 shows an end portion of a napkin having projecting
therefrom an adhesive-coated strip or tape;
FIG. 16 shows an end portion of a napkin provided with an an
adhesive and a protective foil covering the latter; and
FIG. 17 diagrammatically illustrates in vertical cross section a
sanitary napkin or towel and surrounding drawers, as well as layers
of an adhesive as applied to the end portions of the napkin and
serving for fixing the napkin in accordance with the present
invention.
The napkin shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises two members 1 and 5
which are elongated and substantially flat in shape and which, in
use of the napkin, are disposed with opposed flat surfaces against
each other. The members are physically separated from each other
throughout their common interface 7, except within a narrow zone 6
adjacent one end of the members at which zone the members are
interconnected, such as by an adhesive or by an embossment, or
pinch. The member 1 is intended in use of the napkin to be disposed
remote from the skin, while the member 5 is intended to be worn
next to the body in contact therewith.
The member 1 has an inner core 25 of a fluid-absorbent material
which can readily disintegrate in water, for instance shred
cellulose or the like, this core being surrounded by one or more
layers 23 which can also readily disintegrate in water and consist
of a soft fibrous material which is pleasant to the skin, for
instance a thin creped paper, so-called crinkled tissue. Numeral 3
designates an inner layer within member 1, this layer being
constituted by, or containing, a material which will cause the
layer, at least temporarily, to act as a fluid barrier. Preferably,
however, the layer 3 is designed to act as a fluid barrier
throughout the normal period of use of the sanitary napkin, but to
readily dissolve or disintegrate when the napkin is soaked in
water. As a result, the napkin can be flushed down directly into
ordinary sewage or waste water systems.
Member 5 comprises an inner core 21 of a fluid absorbent material
of the same kind as the material 25 comprised in member 1 and is
surrounded by one or more layers of crinkled tissue or the like.
Member 5, as shown, contains no fluid barrier layer, it being
possible, however, to provide therein a fluid barrier similar to
the fluid barrier 3 of member 1, in which case it may be suitable
to arrange the fluid barrier of member 5 to be active only for a
relatively short period, being shorter than the normal period of
use of the sanitary napkin or towel. Such fluid barrier may result
in that the absorbent material of member 5 will be utilized to its
maximum extent before the absorbent material contained in member 1
is taken into use.
Member 1 suitably has a width A of 50 to 100 mm. Member 5 has a
width B which is less than the width A and may be of the order of
30 to 80 mm. Owing to the member 5 being narrower than member 1,
the napkin will be narrower next to the skin and thus more easily
accomodated as well as less discernible through the clothes, owing
to the fact, inter alia, that the wider outer member will create an
outer contour of the composite napkin which will conform more
closely to the skin.
A further advantage of having the napkin composed of two easily
separable members of different widths resides in the possibility of
using one only of the two members of the napkin during periods when
smaller amounts of body fluids are secreted, which will result,
inter alia, in an increased feeling of comfort.
The length 11 of member 1 may be, for example, 200 to 500 mm.,
whereas the length L2 of member 5 is less. As shown in FIGS. 2 and
3, the difference between the lengths L1 and L2, in the flat
position of the napkin, is so chosen that, even in the position of
use of the napkin, the outer member 1 will also project beyond
member 5 at its end edge whereby the outer contour of the composite
napkin will maintain a softly rounded shape.
In the embodiments thus described, the sanitary napkin or towel is
composed of two elements or members which are physically separated
from each other over a substantial portion, at least, of their
common interface. However, the napkin may consist of more than two
members, in which case the outermost member may be largest in
width, and the innermost member may be the narrowest one. Further,
the constituent members of the article need not be rectangular in
shape, as seen in plan view, although this is the case in the
embodiments shown, but can be given any other shape, in particular
where such articles as diapers and the like are concerned. The
rectangular shape, however, is advantageous from the point of view
of production and will most often give an entirely satisfactory
result, not least where sanitary napkins or towels are
concerned.
Normally, the element or member to be worn next to the skin should
have a substantial thickness and comprise a core presenting a
satisfactory fluid absorptiveness. On the other hand, the member to
be worn remote from the skin need not, of necessity, contain any
fluid-absorptive material, or in any case need only contain small
amounts of such material in cases where the member to be worn next
to the skin of the user has been given a sufficient thickness to be
capable substantially alone to be responsible for the total
fluid-absorption capacity of the composite napkin or towel.
A body-fluid absorption article, in particular a sanitary napkin or
towel, or an element or member forming part thereof, according to
the present invention may also consist of one single material
comprising one or more layers or sheets of a highly fluid absorbent
paper, such as, for example, crinkled tissue, and having deposited
thereon a temporarily active fluid-barrier layer of a water-soluble
polymer, for example. When applying said fluid-barrier layer in a
coating machine, it has been found that the backing of tissue or
the like, because of its low mechanical strength, cannot be coated
with a polymer layer of any thickness. The coating operation will
be effected with a maximum of reliability if only a relatively thin
layer of the polymer material is applied, however such thin layer
often will prove to be too thin to be capable of fulfilling its
aimed function of effecting a temporary water-imperviousness of the
coated material. This problem, according to the present invention,
is solved by the features of forming the sanitary napkin or towel
from a strip or web material consisting of one or more, preferably
two or three, layers of a fluid-absorbent fibrous material, such as
crepe paper of the crinkled-tissue type, said strip material being
provided adjacent one side thereof with a temporarily active
fluid-barrier layer of a polymer material or any suitable other
substance, and folding over or severing and superimposing the
portions of such assembly to form a napkin or towel, or a member or
element thereof, in such a way as to cause polymer layers in
contact with each other to appear within one zone or at one level,
at least, of the napkin or towel.
The two polymer layers thus contacting each other will cooperate to
form a fluid-barrier which is substantially more effective than
that provided by one single layer of the polymer material.
According to the invention, such double layers of the polymer
material are arranged at two zones or levels, at least, within the
napkin or towel.
Further, according to the invention, it is possible to effect said
folding over or superposition of the severed portions in a manner
to cause the external surfaces of the finished sanitary napkin to
be constituted by non-coated surfaces of said strip material.
Owing to the use of an easily disintegrating paper of the
tissue-type, and a coating material in the form of a water soluble
polymer, the entire napkin or towel of the invention will readily
disintegrate as a whole in water and thus can be flushed out
through ordinary sewers.
Since the tissue material is relatively fragile, and because of
this fact the coating material of the napkin or towel will
sometimes tend to tear off (crumble), this is preferably prevented
according to the invention by effecting a slight wet strengthening
of the tissue material, however, only to a limited extent so that
the material will still be easily disintegrated in water so that it
can be flushed down through sewers.
FIG. 5 illustrates in end view a strip material having a width four
times the width of the sanitary napkin to be produced therefrom and
having a length corresponding to that of said napkin. The strip
material consists of a two-layer crinkled tissue 31 being combined
on one side thereof with a layer 33 of a water soluble polymer, for
instance the sodium salt of carboxy-methyl cellulose (CMC), or any
other substance adapted to render the combined material temporarily
impervious to water. The material is folded over in its
longitudinal direction at the points designated by 35 and 37,
thereby assuming the shape as illustrated in FIG. 6, with the
polymer layers of the folded-over portions 41 and 43 in contact
with the polymer layer of the intervening portion of the strip
material 31. Then a second folding step is carried out at the point
designated by 39 whereby the article will be formed into its final
shape as shown in FIG. 7. In this form, the article may be used as
a sanitary napkin or towel, or may form part thereof. As shown in
FIG. 7, the napkin or towel comprises two double-layers of a
substance acting as a temporary fluid barrier, these double-layers
being relatively separated by four layers of tissue. Such build-up
of the napkin will enable simplicity and economy of production, and
at the same time the napkin will show satisfactory characteristics
as regards its capability of preventing any penetration of
body-fluid therethrough for the time period of use of the
napkin.
To produce such articles, a continuous web of crinkled tissue may
be coated on one side face with a water-soluble polymer or the like
in a manner known per se, after which the web is severed in widths
each corresponding to four times the width of design of the napkin,
and each such severed portion is then folded over twice as
illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Thereafter, the portions of the
napkin thus superimposed may be interconnected along zones
extending across the same by a simple embossment or pinching
operation by means of jaws 61, as shown in FIG. 12, the distance
between adjacent embossment or pinching zones being equal to the
length of the napkin to be produced. The material is then severed
at the center line of each embossment or pinching zone by means of
a cutting device 63, thereby forming individual napkins 34.
FIG. 8 illustrates a method of folding the napkin, this method
being analog to that of FIGS. 5 to 7 as regards its final result.
The napkin of FIG. 8, however, suffers from the slight
inconveniency that the edges of the tissue material will remain
exposed along one longitudinal edge of the napkin.
FIG. 9 shows a form of sanitary napkin or towel which has been
obtained by a double folding-over of a polymer coated, double-layer
tissue 49, only three layers of double-layer tissue being comprised
in the napkin. Two of the layers are so disposed that their polymer
layers 50 are facing each other.
A sanitary napkin or towel consisting of three double-layer tissue
is also illustrated in FIG. 10, according to which all the polymer
layers are separated from each other by intervening tissue
material.
FIG. 11 illustrates a sanitary napkin or towel produced by
multiple-folding of a material 51 consisting of one single crinkled
paper tissue layer, unilaterally coated with a water-soluble
polymer 52 or the like. The napkin is provided with an envelope 53
of double-layer, uncoated tissue.
The forms of sanitary napkin or tissue illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 11
have been tested as to their capability of preventing the passage
of body-fluids therethrough. The tissue used was of a grade having
a surface weight of 17.5 g./m..sup.2 The substance serving to
prevent any fluid passage through the napkins was the sodium salt
of carboxy-methyl cellulose (CMC) of a refined, highly viscous
quality, milled and sieved through a screen having a mesh width of
0.05 mm. The uncoated tissue layer was coated by conventional
techniques with CMC by passing the same through the nip between two
horizontally disposed rubber coated rolls of a so-called size-press
while supplying a coating paste to the nip between the rolls. The
coated material was dried and then reeled up.
The coating paste was prepared as follows: 2 parts by weight of
hydroxy-propyl cellulose of quality "Klucel G" from the Hercules
Powder Company, U.S.A., were dissolved in 83 parts of ethanol by
weight. Then, while stirring vigorously, 15 parts of CMC by weight
were admixed. Because this will increase the viscosity of the
liquid phase, i.e. the alcohol, the tendency of sedimentation of
the CMC particles will be reduced. In addition, the liquid
penetration into the paper during the coating operation will be
reduced. Finally, the hydroxy-propyl cellulose will act as a binder
for the CMC particles in the dried product, whereby they are
prevented from detaching too easily.
The coating machine employed comprised as its coating unit a
so-called glue press having horizontally lying pressure rolls. The
paste was pumped into the glue-press nip between the pressure
rolls. A certain recirculation or reflux of paste through outlets
at the ends of the nip was provided for. Such recirculation proved
necessary in order to prevent the paste from thickening by solvent
vaporization, which would result in a too irregular coating.
The drying was carried out in hot air at a temperature of
160.degree. C.
The coating contained about 10 g. net weight of solids per square
meter.
Sanitary napkins or towels produced from the material thus obtained
according to embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 13 were tested,
for comparative break-through prevention periods in the following
manner:
Napkins sampled in random order were placed on a glass plate
whereby any break-through of testing fluid could be observed
conveniently and quickly by means of a mirror. The testing fluid
was 50 percent blood and 50 percent water. Two milliliters thereof
were poured over each napkin to be tested, and the time elapsing
until the first break-through spot appeared was measured. The
arithmetic mean from 10 tests of the same form of napkin was noted.
The testing showed that said time interval until the first
break-through spot occurred was 5 min. for the napkins according to
FIGS. 7 and 8; 16 sec. for the napkin according to FIG. 9; 8 sec.
for the napkin according to FIG. 10, and 33 sec. for the napkin
according to FIG. 11.
The times measured in the testing operation just described
obviously are substantially shorter than the break-through times
during normal use of the sanitary napkins or towels, not least
because for such use the napkin, as a rule, will have been combined
with further absorbent material adapted to disperse fluid over a
larger area, thereby counter-acting the occurrence of break-through
spots. It may be concluded from the test results that a napkin
comprising exclusively single, thin polymer layers which do not
contact each other but are separated by absorbent material, such as
that according to the embodiment of FIG. 10, is relatively easily
pervious to fluids. If the napkin incorporates polymer layers in
contact with each other, as is the case in the embodiments shown in
FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 11, the total fluid-barrier capacity of the two
polymer layers will be substantially increased. The embodiments of
FIGS. 7 and 8, being the most favorable ones from a
breaking-through point of view, comprise two double-layers of
polymer material separated from each other by a plurality of layers
of absorbent material, such separating layers involving the
advantage of effecting a dispersion and distribution of the fluid
penetrating through the first double-layer of polymer material,
thereby counter-acting the breaking-through of the underlying layer
of polymer material. The occurrence of this effect is indicated by
the less favorable test result in respect of the napkin of FIG. 11,
this napkin incorporating, as well, two double-layers of polymer
material, which double-layers, however, are not separated by thick
layers of absorbent material. Instead, additional absorbent
material is included as an envelope around the fluid-barrier
layers.
An article produced according to the invention, for instance of the
embodiments thereof shown in FIGS. 7, 8, or 9, has external
surfaces which all consist of uncoated crinkled tissue, this being
an advantage which will be attained automatically in response to
the particular folding or superimposing method practiced according
to the invention. The product according to such embodiments may be
used either as a finished sanitary napkin or as a member or element
forming part of a napkin, for instance as the outermost member of a
napkin composed of two or more superimposed flat members, although,
in different dimensions, it may be used for other purposes, as
well, for instance as a diaper or the like.
A further aspect of the present invention resides in the provision
of means adapted in a simple way to enable a sanitary napkin or
towel, a diaper or the like to be retained in a proper position of
use without the necessity of wearing a girdle or special sanitary
undergarment. The invention according to this aspect is
particularly applicable to sanitary napkins or towels and therefore
will be described hereinafter in connection with such
application.
According to this aspect of the invention, the napkin is provided
with an element having applied to it a so-called pressure sensitive
adhesive which is capable of adhering to the textile material of
the clothing. The napkin or towel proper may be of any type and may
be provided, according to the invention, with an adhesive-carrying
strip, i.e. a length of adhesive tape, having a portion thereof
projecting outwardly from the napkin and serving to fix the napkin
to the clothing. Alternatively, a portion of the napkin itself may
have applied to it a pressure sensitive adhesive, in which case
this adhesive is preferably applied adjacent the ends of the
napkin, for instance adjacent the end of the napkin to be disposed
at the front of the wearer's body, and on the surface of the napkin
remote from the skin.
As the pressure sensitive adhesive, any of the polymeric adhesives
well-known to those skilled in the art concerned may be employed.
Examples which may be mentioned are styrene-butadiene rubber,
adhesives marketed under the trade name of "Buna-N," polyvinyl
ethers, polyesters of acrylic acid, and polyisobutylene.
The adhesion to the undergarment accomplished by the pressure
sensitive adhesive, quite surprisingly, has been found to be
entirely sufficient for fixing the napkin in proper position when
in use, even if the area of the adhesive coated surface is as small
as about 2 to 5 cm..sup.2, and particularly if this surface is
disposed very near the front end of the napkin. The surface to be
coated with adhesive should have an extent of at least 20 mm.,
preferably at least 30 mm., for instance 40 mm., in the
longitudinal direction of the napkin, in which case the width of
the surface in the transverse direction of the napkin need not be
larger than about 5 to 20 mm., for instance 10 mm.
During storage of the napkin before use, its adhesive coating, in a
well-known manner, may be protected by a strippable foil or gauze
element. Since the napkins are very light of weight and, during
storage, are very loosely packed, a protective gauze applied to the
adhesive layer may have sufficiently wide meshes to enable adhesion
to the textile material of the drawers to be accomplished simply by
applying a forceful hand-pressure through said gauze, i.e. without
any necessity of removing the latter.
This arrangement according to the invention will now be described
in detail in conjunction with FIGS. 13 to 17 of the accompanying
drawings illustrating the same in a couple of embodiments by way of
example.
The sanitary napkin or towel of FIG. 13 may be of any type
comprising one single layer 71 of absorbent material, or of a type
comprising an outer member 71 and an inner member 71a, the latter
being either entirely separate from the outer member 71, or
connected thereto, for instance at one end portion, 73 or 75, of
the outer member, as described hereinbefore. Of these end portions,
that designated by 73 is the rear end portion and that designated
by 75 is the front end portion. According to the present invention,
there is applied to a limited surface area of the front end portion
75 a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 77 capable of adhering to
the material of the enveloping drawers 83, as shown in FIG. 17. As
illustrated in FIG. 17 -- in which the elastic waistband of the
drawers is designated by 85, their front portion by 87 and their
back portion by 89 -- the adhesive is applied both to the front end
75 and to the rear end 73 of the napkin 71. As a rule, it will be
sufficient, however, to apply adhesive to the front-end portion 75
of the napkin. Adhesion to the drawers is readily accomplished by a
manual pressure exerted externally on the adhesive-carrying
portion.
According to FIGS. 13, 14, 16 and 17, the adhesive is applied to
the napkin proper. According to FIG. 15 the adhesive is applied to
an outwardly projection portion of a separate strip element 79
fastened to the end portion of the napkin in any conventional
way.
The surface accomodating the adhesive may suitably be dimensioned
so as to have a larger dimension in the longitudinal direction than
in the transverse direction of the napkin, as illustrated in FIGS.
14, 15 and 16, in which case its extent A in the transverse
direction of the napkin may be from 5 to 20 mm., suitably about 10
mm., while its extent B in the longitudinal direction of the napkin
may be at least 20 mm., preferably at least 30 mm., for instance
about 40 mm.
As shown in FIG. 16, the adhesive layer 77 may be covered by a
protective foil 81 intended to be stripped off immediately before
use of the napkin. Such foil will prevent sticking together of
adjacent napkins in a package and may be in the form of an
imperforate foil, a piece of gauze or the like. When using pieces
of gauze, the mesh width of the latter could be chosen to be of a
size sufficient to enable adhesion to the textile material of the
drawers to be accomplished by manually exerting a forceful pressure
through the gauze when fixing the napkin to the drawers, i.e.
without any need of removing the gauze before the napkin is taken
into use. Pressures of such order of magnitude, and inter-adhesion
caused thereby, will not occur between adjacent napkins in a
package.
It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the
embodiments described hereinbefore and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, since many modifications and variations are
possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
* * * * *