US3411504A - Sanitary napkins - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 1. A. GLAssMAN SANITARY NAPKINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi led June 24, 1965 INVENTOR Jacob A. Glassman BY ttom e u.

Nov. 19, 1968 .1. A. GLAssMAN 3,411,504

SANITARY NAPKINS Filed June 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jacob A. Glclssrrum.v

United States Patent O 3,411,504 SANITARY NAPKINS Jacob A. Glassman, 1680 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33139 Filed June 24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,710 2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-290) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A sanitary napkin including a moisture barrier on one face and iiow channels on its other face which is formed into a sharp or tight U-shape to a degree requiring it to be spread apart when worn so as to eliminate lateral wrinkles, creases and folds.

This invention relates to improvements in sanitary napkins and is more particularly concerned with the novel construction and assembly of a sanitary napkin embodying novel features that increase its capacity to absorb menstrual wastes, insure total usage of all absorbent portions thereof, and eliminate the danger of lateral spill over of waste uids.

Sanitary napkins embodying conventional structures comprise a substantially rectangular pad of highly absorbent material such as cotton, crepe wadding or other fibrous material, having an enclosing wrapper of gauze and, in some cases, they are provided with a moisture proof barrier to prevent strike through of menstrual wastes. Such napkins are made and furnished to the user in a flat condition or may be arched Very slightly. However, because of the substantially flat condition of the napkin, there is generated on its effective top surface a multitude of lateral creases, wrinkles or grooves when the napkin is curved upwardly longitudinally and fitted to the contour of the human body. These lateral grooves appear not only in the pad per se; the gauze covering also becomes wrinkled laterally. The presence of such grooves or wrinkles causes menstrual wastes to be diverted laterally over the sides of the napkin before they can be absorbed into the body thereof. This results in an extremely uncomfortable situation because when the pad is in a position of use between the thighs its longitudinal side margins are folded downwardly on a longitudinal axis and come into direct contactwith the thighs. Thus, when lateral flow of Waste material is generated and aided by the presence of lateral wrinkles or creases, the side margins of the napkin become excessively wet in a relatively short time with resultant wetting of the thighs. Further, when such conditions permitting spill over are present, the maximum absorptive capacity of the pad is not utilized.

The present invention overcomes the objectionable characteristics of known. types of sanitary napkins by being pre-contoured at the time of manufacture in such a manner and to such extent that there is no generation of objectionable lateral grooves or wrinkles when the napkin is being worn. To this end the napkin is curved sharply in a longitudinal direction, at the time of manufactureand to such degree that when applied to the human body, it must be opened up or spread apart thus causing its effective top surface to stretch or become substantially taut. There are therefore no lateral grooves, creases or wrinkles along which menstrual wastes can be 3,41 1,504 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 conducted to the longitudinal side margins of the napkin. Further, total usage of the absorptive capacity of the napkin is enhanced by providing, in the top effective surface thereof, at least two longitudinal grooves or channels that lie in the mid-portion thereof and extend towards but terminate short of the extreme end portions of the napkin. These longitudinal channels are formed not only in the fibrous material body or .pad but the gauze covering is also longitudinally channeled by being press fitted into the longitudinal channels in the pad. These longitudinal channels also generate a longitudinal peak portion in the longitudinal center of the pad which ts snuggly into the vaginal cleft.

Thus it is evident that menstrual wastes are collected in the longitudinal grooves or, channels and are directed in `a longitudinal direction for total absorption throughout a substantial length of the napkin rather than being directed outwardly laterally toward the sides.. Strike through is prevented by providing the napkin with a moisture impervious layer on its bottom side which preferably extends upwardly over the side edges and overlies the outer longitudinal margins of the top surface. When the napkin is folded between the thighs it assumes an inverted U- shape laterally so as to locate the moisture impervious layer in contact with the thighs thus further assuring absolute comfort.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a sanitary napkin embodying the structural and functional characteristics outlined hereinabove.

Another object is to provide a sanitary napkin having the shape of a sharp U prior to use.

Another object is to provide an excessively curved sanitary napkin with longitudinal grooves in its effective top surface.

Another object is to provide, in a sanitary napkin, a structure that insures maximum `absorption qualities to the napkin.

Another object is to provide a sanitary napkin which is entirely devoid of lateral channels, grooves or wrinkles when in place on the body of a wearer.

Another object is to provide a gauze covered sanitary napkin in which the gauze is prevented from wrinkling laterally when the pad is positioned on the body of a wearer. ,v

Another object of the invention is to provide a precontoured sanitary napkin which is capable of being expanded while being fitted in place so as to properly fit the anatomy of various types of persons without generating lateral wrinkles.

Another object is to provide a sanitary napkin of the character which will assure total absorption of menstrual waste throughout the depth and length of the napkin and without strike through or spill over.

The structure by means of which the above noted and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specilication, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing preferred illustrative embodiments of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an exemplary form of sanitary napkin, prior to being tted in place.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a portion of the human body, showing the napkin expanded and fitted in place, the napkin being shown in section in part.

FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of the fitted napkin,

3 illustrating schematically, related portions of the human body.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the napkin prior to being fitted in place.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of sanitary napkin.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the napkin of FIG. 6, showing it in place on a human body.

FIG. 8 is a lateral sectional perspective view of the napkin shown in FIG. 6.

The sanitary napkin, illustrated in one embodiment in FIGS. l to 5, of the accompanying drawings, is comprised generally of a substantially rectangular body 11 of highly absorbent material, such as cotton, crepe wadding or other fibrous material. This body may be of one piece or it may comprise superimposed layers of such materials. The body is partially enclosed within a moisture impervious shield 12 (FIG. 5) which may comprise a sheet of plastic or other waterproof material, or if preferred, may be provided in the form of a spray-on coating of a water-proof substance. The moisture impervious shield 12 is provided across the entire bottom surface of body 11, over both longitudinal sides thereof, as at 12a, and over the longitudinal margins only of the top surface, as at 12b. It is intended that the top marginal areas covered by said shield ,12 constitute not more than one-third of the width of pad 11 leaving the top longitudinal central area of the pad uncovered.

The Abody 11 with its attached moisture impervious shield 12 is enclosed in a thin open mesh fabric 13, such as gauze, which is extended beyond the ends of the body so as to provide end portions 14 useful for attaching the napkin to a support belt 15 or the like.

This assemblage of pad, shield and gauze is pre-formed in a suitable die assembly at the time of manufacture so as to assume normally, the substantially sharp U-shaped configuration best shown in FIG` l. This forming is accomplished by applied pressure and is effective to form the napkin into its desired U-shape without the generation of any creases, ridges, 4grooves or wrinkles extending laterally over the top surface of the napkin. During this curvature formation there is formed, preferably by cornpression, at least two longitudinal grooves or channels 16 in the top surface of the napkin. These grooves or channels 16 are preferably relatively deep and they are provided in the open central area of the body and gauze covering and they preferably terminate short of the ends of the napkin.

When such a napkin is placed in an in-use position on the body of a wearer, its end portions are spread apart to increase the curvature to that of the human body. Such spreading draws the gauge and top surface of the napkin more taut hence there is no generation of lateral folds, creases or wrinkles in said top surface such as occurs when a conventional at pad is curved around the body.

When the napkin is in in-use position, its longitudinal side margins fold downwardly to adapt it to the spacing between the thighs of the wearer. This is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, where it will be observed that the upper marginal surfaces of the napkin which are protected by the shield, are in contact with the thighs 17 hence there is no likelihood of the feeling of wetness when the napkinhas absorbed a large quantity of menstrual waste. Such folding is enhanced by providing in the bottom surface of the napkin, a central longitudinal groove 18. It should be noted further that the presence of the two spaced apart channels or grooves 16 in the top surface defines a central ridge or longitudinal peak 19 when the pad is folded between the thighs, which peak nests snugly against the vaginal cleft to insure maximum absorption in the central area of the napkin. When the napkin is thus fitted into place there is also generated on its top effective surface a pair of longitudinal shoulders 21 (FIG. 4) that fit snugly against the labia thus providing a further barrier to lateral tiow of menstrual waste.

Waste fluid will follow the channels 16 in a generally longitudinal direction thus insuring maximum distribution of such fluids over substantially the entire length of the napkin. There is therefore total initial uid absorption in the entire upper region of the napkin, following which the waste fluids ow downwardly into and are absorbed within the interior of the napkin and into the lower regions thereof. Because there are no lateral grooves or wrinkles in the effective surface of the napkin and its gauze covering, there is no tendency for the waste nid to ow in a lateral direction as occurs with prior known napkins.

Utilization of the full -absorptive capacity of the napkin, without spill over or strike through at the effective sides, greatly increases the useful life of the napkin and increases wearer satisfaction. Such full capacity absorption has been established by in-vivo tests which clearly demonstrated that menstrual fluids deposited on the central one-third of the longitudinal channeled top surface of the napkin dispersed in a longitudinal direction along the channels and is thus absorbed over the entire length of the napkin and into the total mass of the pad.

The sanitary napkin disclosed in FIGS. 6 to 8, embodies all of the advantageous characteristics of the napkin described hereinabove. In this instance the napkin which includes a -pad 11, a moisture impervious shield 12 and a gauze covering 13 terminating in end portions 14, is initially formed sharply arcuate with its end portions 11a folded over lupon the sharply curved medial portion 11b to facilitate packaging. The medial portion is formed on its upper surface with a pair of longitudinal channels 16a and on its bottom surface with longitudinal groove 18a. Also formed in said top surface outwardly of the ends of the longitudinal channels, are two pairs of lateral creases 22. These creases facilitate initial folding of the napkin in the manner shown in FIG. 6 without the generation of lateral creases, folds or wrinkles in the top surface of the medial portion 11b. Because they lie outwardly of the effective medial portion of the napkin they do not directly receive menstrual fiuid waste. Owing to the normal sharp curvature of the medial portion there is no generation of lateral grooves or wrinkles in said medial portion when the napkin is opened up and spread for application into a position of use.

In both structures illustrated, the formation of the longitudinal grooves or channels 16-16a is accomplished by a compression process which increases the wick-like action of the compressed areas and hence increases the absorptive quality of the napkin in the critical area.

Although I have described preferred embodiments of the invention, in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction shown and described.

I claim:

1. A sanitary napkin comprising an elongated body of tiuid absorbent material sharply curved in a lengthwise direction to give said napkin a tight U-shape prior to its being expanded when worn to prevent formation of and eliminate transverse creases and wrinkles in the body, a covering of loosely woven material on said body, laterally spaced apart longitudinal grooves in the upper concave surface of the body detning a longitudinal ridge between them for entering the vaginal cleft when worn, a central longitudinal groove on the convex bottom surface of the body, said top and bottom grooves initially receiving the loosely woven material therein to resist generation of lateral wrinkles therein and releasing said material when the body is spread to fit the crotch, and a fluid resistant barrier beneath said loosely woven material overlying the convex bottom surface, the side surfaces and the longitudinal margins of the concave top surface.

2. The napkin recited in claim 1, in which lateral References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,693,439 11/1954 Blanchard et al 128--290 2,964,039 12/1960 `lOhnsOn et al. 128--290 Ashton et al 12S-290 Morse 128-290 Strongson 12S-290 Mercer 12S-290 Burgeni 128-290 De Woskin 12S-290 Harwood 128-290 Morse 1128-290 10 CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner.

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