Compound absorbent article with improved body contact
View Patent ↗A personal care absorbent article has compound construction, a pad connected to an anchor. In use, the anchor is associated with a wearer's undergarment. The pad is attached to the anchor by a tether system, which allows the pad to at least partially decouple from the anchor.
1. A method of maintaining contact between an absorbent pad having a body-facing surface, and a perineal-region orifice of the human body, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an absorbent pad comprising,
a liquid-permeable topsheet adapted to be oriented towards and in contact with the body of a wearer,
a liquid-impermeable back sheet oriented away from the body of the wearer, and
an absorbent body located between the topsheet and the back sheet, the absorbent body comprising,
a surge layer, a meltblown layer, and an absorbent layer wherein the topsheet includes a portal, the surge layer includes a portal aligned with the portal in the topsheet, and the meltblown layer includes a portal aligned with the portal in the topsheet;
providing a flexible and liquid-impermeable anchor member adapted to be oriented towards and in contact with an undergarment of the wearer,
connecting the absorbent pad to the anchor member by at least two connectors that allow the absorbent pad to move in a longitudinal, lateral, and vertical direction with respect to the anchor member;
folding the absorbent pad along a longitudinal axis such that the bodyfacing surface faces outward, and maintaining a folded configuration in a package prior to use; and
providing instructions to align the absorbent pad with the perineal-region.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least two connectors are flaccid connectors.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the topsheet is treated with a surfactant or menses modifier.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the anchor is adapted to fasten to the underwear of the wearer in a sliding association.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the absorbent pad includes the step of positioning the surge layer immediately underneath and in contact with the topsheet.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of providing the absorbent pad includes the step of positioning the meltblown layer directly underneath and in contact with the surge layer.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of providing the absorbent pad includes the step of positioning the absorbent layer directly underneath the meltblown layer.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the anchor member includes a body-facing layer and a garment-facing layer.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing the anchor member includes the step of treating the garment-facing layer with a coating composition having low coefficient of friction properties.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least two connectors have a flexible barbell configuration.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the portal of the meltblown layer defines an edge with petals around the circumference of the portal.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the absorbent pad further includes a hydrophobic member positioned directly underneath the meltblown layer and above the absorbent layer.
13. A method of maintaining contact between an absorbent pad having a body-facing surface, and a perineal-region orifice of the human body, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an absorbent pad comprising,
a liquid-permeable topsheet adapted to be oriented towards and in contact with the body of a wearer,
a liquid-impermeable back sheet oriented away from the body of the wearer, and
an absorbent body located between the topsheet and the back sheet, the absorbent body comprising,
a surge layer, a meltblown layer, a hydrophobic member, and an absorbent layer, wherein the topsheet includes a portal, the surge layer includes a portal aligned with the portal in the topsheet, and the meltblown layer includes a portal aligned with the portal in the topsheet, wherein the portal of the meltblown layer defines an edge with petals, and wherein the surge layer is positioned immediately underneath and in contact with the topsheet, the meltblown layer is positioned directly underneath and in contact with the surge layer, the hydrophobic member is positioned directly underneath the meltblown layer and above the absorbent layer;
providing a flexible and liquid-impermeable anchor member adapted to be oriented towards and in contact with an undergarment of the wearer,
connecting the absorbent pad to the anchor member by at least one connector that allows the absorbent pad to move in a longitudinal, lateral, and vertical direction with respect to the anchor member; and
folding the absorbent pad along a longitudinal axis such that the body-facing surface faces outward, and maintaining a folded configuration in a package prior to use.