US3183909A

US3183909A - Convertible sanitary napkin

Info

Publication number: US3183909A
Application number: US225783A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roehr Walter Glynn
Original assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
Priority date: 1962-09-24
Filing date: 1962-09-24
Publication date: 1965-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-18

Description

W. G. ROEHR CONVERTIBLE SANITARY NAPKIN May 1s, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept, 24, 1962 May 18, 1965 w. G. ROEHR 3,183,909

CONVERTIBLE SANITARY NAPKIN Filed Sept. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 amm.

i United States Patent Ofi ice aisance Patented May 18, 1965 Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 225,783 Claims. (Cl. 12S-290) This invention relates to improvements in sanitary napkins.

A primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a sanitary napkin of an improved structure permitting use thereof either as a conventional externally Worn type or alternately as a semi-internal or vestibule type.

Another object is to provide an improved sanitary napkin which includes in addition to a main fluid absorbent element a secondary absorbent element which may easily be converted by a user from a planar configuration adapted for external use into `a rib-like configuration adapted for semi-internal use.

Another object is to provide an improved sanitary napkin of the vestibule type which may be shipped at and converted by the user.

Another object is to` provide an improved sanitary napkin of the vestibule type having improved absorbency of the rib-like element. K

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon` examination of the specilication and drawings.

In `the drawings, in which like the same reference numerals,

FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective a sanitarynapkin ncorporating the inventionshowing an auxiliary pad in flat configuration.

FIG. 2 fragmentarily illustrates in perspective the sanitary napkin of FIG. 1 with the auxiliary pad converted for internal use. 1

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the sanitary napkin of FIG. 1 taken along 3-3 thereof.

parts are identified by FIG. 4 is a sectional View `of a sanitary napkin similar to that shown'in FIG. 1 but incorporating an alternate embodiment of the invention. p

FIG. 5 illustrates a Vsanitary napkin incorporating still another embodiment of the invention.

While a large percentage of the current users of sani` amnapkins of a configuration adapted for partial insertion Within the vestibule. The semi-internal form of napkin is well-known as exemplified by U.S. Patent Re. 24,137,

sorbent pad 14, also of planar configuration, is disposed closely adjacent pad 12, both pads being enclosed in a fluid pervious wrapping material 16 which extends beyond opposite ends of pad 12 in a known manner to form tab ends for securing the napkin in position during use.

As best shown in FIG. 3, wrapper 16 eneloses the outermost face of auxiliarypad 14 and is drawn inwardly along opposite side margins of both pads to form a pair ofV

pleats

18, 20 enclosing the side edges of each pad and overlapped Ialong the central area as shown at 22.

A line of sewing 26 extends through both pads 12, 14 and through all of the centrally disposed layers of the wrapper material 16 securely bonding both pads together, and also bonding the wrapper material thereto along the medial area of the pads. Pads 12, 14, shown slightly spaced apart in FIG. 3 to best illustrate the construction, are actually contiguously engaged through central portions thereof.

Wrapper pleats

18, 26 while disposed intermediate the contiguous pads and overlapped through a medial area cause no appreciable inter-pad spacing, since the wrapper is of `a very light weight material. Wrapper 16 thereafter extends outwardly of

Vpleats

18, 20 and downwardly as shown to enclose the remainder of pad 12. Portions of wrapper 16 are overlapped centrally of the bottom surface of pad 12 as shown at 24, and those overlapped portions are interconnected by the above mentioned stitching 26 which thus maintains the wrapper and the enclosed pads 12, 14 in unitary assembly.

In the alternate construction of FIG. 4 both the major .absorbent pad 12a and the auxiliary pad 14a are individually `wrapped in a known manner with the wrapping materialbeing longitudinally overlapped along central portions'of the bottom pad surfaces. The enclosed pads are symmetrically disposed in respect to their center lines as in the structure of FIGS, 1 and 3, and are also maintained in unitary assembly by a similar line of sewing 26a or the like extending along a-common medial plane.

A further embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 5, resembles somewhat the construction of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 3 except that the common wrapper material 16b is only partially inpleated intermediate the primary absorbent pad 12b and the yauxiliary pad 1411 with a centrally disposed space extending longitudinally between the margins of inpleated portions. While the inpleated pad material may be lightly bonded either -to the upper surface of pad 12b or to the lower surface of pad 14b or to both said surfaces, such bonding is not essential y in all instances and may be omitted if both the pad and issued on April 3, 1956,'to W. G. Jacks. The semi-intery nal or vestibule type napkin is often preferred by users who experience heavy ow or by users who may prefer the semi-internal type only during a period of heavy flow and who prefer thev externally worn type during the remainder ofthe menstrual period. Since the same users v may thus alternate between the external and the semiinternal types of sanitary napkins, the advantages attendant an improved napkin readily converted from an exter-y nal to a semi-internal type become obvious.

The present invention fills the above need by providing 'a sanitary napkin of Very simple construction which though primarily designed and initially fabricated and sold as the externally worn type, may quickly and easily be converted by the ultimate user into a semi-internally worn type.

As shown in FIG. 1, a sanitary napkinV 10 includes a primary fluid absorbent element 12 such as `an elongate pad of flu or a combination of uif and creped wadding of generally planar configuration. A secondary fluid abthe wrapper materials are such that the wrapper clings to the pad surfaces. For example, with pads 12b and 14b formed of a cotton fluff and the wrapper material formed of light weight scrim upon which is deposited an applique of cotton fibers, adherence between the wrapper material and the pad surfaces is suicient to maintain the pleated wrapper portions between the pads both prior to use and during conversion of the napkin from external to semi-internal use. Y

FIG. 2 illustrates sanitary napkin 10 with pad 14 converted for semi-internal use. Conversion is effected by manually folding upwardly the symmetrically divided half portions of pad 14 about the line of sewing 216 which serves as a folding axis.` The half portions of auxiliary pad 14, when folded upwardly in substantially right angularity to the upper surface of the major absorbent pad 12 del-lne an elongate rib-like element adapted for insertion into the vestibule. The symmetrically tapered ends of pad 14 provide a relieved contour at the forward end of the napkin for improved conformance with the anatomy.

While the FIG. 4 structure is easily converted in a like manner from flat to vestibule type, the structure of FIG. 5,

Y lines by sewing.

since not provided with a fixed medial line of stitching, is manually foldable in a similar manner to effect a like result. Auxiliarypad 1417, since not directly attached to the major pad 12b, may be lifted slightly above pad 12b and is then easily folded along its center line. During use the rnajor and auxiliary pads are maintained in pressure engagement by pressure Iappliedrto the major pad by a users belt or other attachment device which engages the tab ends. WhileFIGS. 1-4 illustrate a preferred embodiment which perhaps is somewhat more rapidly converted for vestibule use than is the FIG. 5 structure, a relative lateral movement is possible between the major and the auxiliary pads of the FIG. 5 structure, even when worn as a semi-internal napkin, and that feature is considered advantageous by some users.

As is well-known, iluid migration within an absorbent element comprising a plurality of sheets of creped wadding progresses more rapidly in planes parallel to the sheets than in planes normal to or obliquely through the sheets.

Accordingly, when pad 14 is folded upwardly for vestibule use, the pad portions are positioned with the edges of the individual sheets of creped wadding directed toward the Huid source, thereby promoting rapid iluid absorption towardpad 12. Upon becoming uid saturated, pad 14 serves as an effective wick through which the menstrual fluids are transferred directly to the major absorbent pad 12. Y v

In the claims:

1. A convertible sanitary napkin comprising a first elongate `absorbent pad, a light weight Wrapper of fluid pervious material enclosing said first pad, a second elongate absorbent pad of lesser thickness than said first pad, a light weight wrapper of fluid pervious material enclosing said Vsecond pad, said pads being maintained Vwith their longitudinal center lines in registered engagement by interbonding extending along the respective center line t pad areas, whereby said second pad may be folded along its longitudinal center line to provide an outwardly extending rib-like vestibule element.

2. The sanitary napkin of claim 1i wherein said iirst and second pads are interbonded along their registered center 3. The sanitary napkin of claim 1 wherein said first and second pads are adhesively interbonded along their second pads, said wrapper being longitudinally inpleated along the entire length of the sides of both said pads to extend inwardly between both pads a suficient distance to permit said second pad to be folded upwardly along its longitudinal center line when desired to convert said sanitary napkin from conventional to vestibule configuration, thereby to provide an elongate rib-like vestibule element extending along the adjacent surfaceof said iirst pad.

5. A convertible sanitary napkin comprising a first elongate absorbent pad of generally planar coniiguration, a second elongate absorbent pad of generally planar conguration positioned in symmetrically juxtaposed relation thereover, said first and second pads being interbonded along their registered center line areas, and a lightweight wrapper of fluid-pervious material, said Wrapper completely enclosing and maintaining in unitary assembly said rst and second pads with portions thereof inpleated marginally of opposite sides of said pads and extending therebetween to enclose the side edges of each pad and to provide reserve wrapper material between said pads adapted to unfold as required when said sanitary napkin is converted from conventional to vestibule configuration by outward folding of said second pad along its longitudinal center line, thereby to provide an elongate rib-like vestibule element extending alongthe adjacent surface of said first pad.

6. The sanitary napkin of claim 5 wherein said iirst and second absorbent pads are sewed along the registered center line areas.

7. The sanitary napkin of claim 5 wherein said iirst and second. absorbent pads are adhesively bonded along the registered center line areas. Y

8. The sanitary napkin of claim 5 wherein said second pad is of lesser width than said iirst pad.

9. The sanitary napkin of claim 5 wherein said second pad is of lesser length than said first pad.

10. The sanitary napkin of claim 5 wherein said second pad is of lesser thickness than said iirst pad.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

YJORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.Y

Claims

1. A CONVERTIBLE SANITARY NAPKIN COMPRISING A FIRST ELONGATED ABSORBENT PAD, A LIGHT WEIGHT WRAPPER OF FLUID PERVIOUS MATERIAL ENCLOSING SAID FIRST PAD, A SECOND ELONGATE ABSORBENT PAD OF LESSER THICKNESS THAN SAID FIRST PAD, A LIGHT WEIGHT WRAPPER OF FLUID PERVIOUS MATERIAL ENCLOSING SAID SECOND PAD, SAID PADS BEING MAINTAINED WITH THEIR LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINES IN REGISTERED ENGAGEMENT BY INTERBONDING EXTENDING ALONG THE RESPECTIVE CENTER LINE PAD AREA, WHEREBY SAID SECOND PAD MAY BE FOLDED ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE TO PROVIDE AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING RIB-LIKE VESTIBULE ELEMENT.