IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,629,315
Granted Patent B2
US 8,629,315 · App. 13/102,697 · Granted Jan 14, 2014

Absorbent article having a graphic visible through body contacting surface

Inventors: Tsunetoshi Miura (Hyogo, JP); Kensuke Ito (Hyogo, JP); Akiko Sasaki (Hyogo, JP); Yoshiko Nakao (Hyogo, JP); Shuri Kondo (Hyogo, JP); Koichi Torni (Hyogo, JP)
Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,629,315
App. No.
13/102,697
Granted
Jan 14, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An absorbent article for feminine hygiene, comprising: a body contacting layer; a garment contacting layer; and an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer. The absorbent core has a core edge. The core edge defines a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region. The body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extend outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region. The garment contacting layer may have a graphic printed on the body facing surface or the body contacting layer may have a graphic printed on the garment facing surface. The body contacting layer has a first light transmittance so that the graphic can be seen through the body contacting layer.

Claims (34)

1. An absorbent article for feminine hygiene, comprising:

a body contacting layer;

a garment contacting layer; and

an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer, the absorbent core having a core edge;

the core edge defining a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region;

the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extending outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region;

the garment contacting layer having a graphic printed on a body facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region; and

the body contacting layer having a first light transmittance so that the graphic printed on the body facing surface of the garment contacting layer can be seen through the body contacting layer in the outer region,

wherein the body contacting layer includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer disposed in the core region, and a graphic protection layer disposed in the outer region.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the garment contacting layer has a second light transmittance so that the graphic on the body facing surface can be seen through the garment contacting layer.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first light transmittance or the second light transmittance is at least about 10%.

4. The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the difference between the first and second light transmittances is greater than about 10% to less than about 70%.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article has a Hunter Lab Total Color Difference between the outer region and the core region of about 0.5-73.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the core edge of the absorbent core includes longitudinal side edges and lateral end edges, and the outer region is disposed outside the longitudinal side edges of the absorbent core.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the core edge of the absorbent core includes longitudinal side edges and lateral end edges, and the outer region is disposed outside the lateral end edges of the absorbent core.

8. The absorbent article of claim 6 , wherein the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extend outward into the outer region to form a flap.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein a graphic protection layer has a hydrophobic nature to prevent body fluids discharged at the topsheet layer from wicking there through.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1 , including a wrapper sheet, wherein the wrapper sheet has a light transmittance, so that the graphic printed on the body facing surface of the garment contacting layer can be seen through the wrapper sheet.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article is at least one of a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner.

12. An absorbent article for feminine hygiene, comprising:

a body contacting layer;

a garment contacting layer; and

an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer, the absorbent core having a core edge;

the core edge defining a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region;

the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extending outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region;

the body contacting layer having a graphic printed on a garment facing surface; and

the body contacting layer having a first light transmittance so that the graphic printed on the garment facing surface of the body contacting layer can be seen through at least a portion of the body contacting layer,

wherein the body contacting layer includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer disposed in the core region, and a graphic protection layer disposed in the outer region,

wherein the graphic protection layer has the graphic printed on the garment facing surface, and

wherein the graphic protection layer has a first light transmittance so that the graphic printed on the garment facing surface of the graphic protection layer can be seen through the graphic protection layer in the outer region.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the absorbent article is at least one of a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner.

14. The absorbent article of claim 12 , including a wrapper sheet, wherein the wrapper sheet has a light transmittance, so that the graphic printed on the garment facing surface of the body contacting layer can be seen through the wrapper sheet.

15. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article is an incontinence pad.

16. The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the absorbent article is an incontinence pad.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2011
From: MIURA, TSUNETOSHI; ITO, KENSUKE; SASAKI, AKIKO; NAKAO, YOSHIKO; KONDO, SHURI; TOMI, KOICHI
To: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 026579/0099 →
Continuity (4)
Division 11894851 · Aug 22, 2007
Continuation 10603522 · Jun 25, 2003
Provisional Application 60396115 · Jul 16, 2002
Related Publication 20110270208A1 · Nov 3, 2011