Patent US3881490A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3881490A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thin, flexible absorbent pads
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
•
Filing: 1973-12-20
•
Granted: 1975-05-06
•
Expires: 1993-12-20
Abstract
Abstract Thin, absorbent pads with soft, flexible edges. The pad structure comprises a fluid pervious non-woven cover sheet, a central absorbent batt of comminuted wood pulp fibers, and a fluid-impervious backing element. Each element is coextensive with the others. The integrity of the central absorbent batt is maintained in the x and y directions by adhering the cover sheet and fluid impervious backing element to the respective top and bottom surfaces of the central batt by light applications of flexible adhesive, and in the z direction by hydrogen bonding of the wood pulp fibers in selected areas. The selected areas of hydrogen bonding comprise a spaced pattern of embossment lines which extend generally longitudinally of the pad and intersect the edges and ends of the pad at spaced intervals. The pad may be adapted for secure placement on a suitable support such as a snug-fitting undergarment by the use of pressure sensitive adhesive on the backing element or by increasing the frictional properties of the bottom side by the use of flexible foam or other friction increasing materials.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard A Whitehead
- 👤 Ralph V Braun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/53; A61F13/531; A61F13/532; A61F13/533; A61F13/51; A61F13/511; A61F13/51104; A61F13/51108; A61F13/513; A61F13/539; A61F13/56; A61F13/58; A61F13/45; A61F13/47; A61F2013/4708; A61F2013/51097; A61F13/514; A61F13/51401; A61F2013/51409; A61F2013/530131; A61F2013/530802; A61F2013/53908; A61F2013/582
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
AN ELONGATE THIN ABSORBENT PAD WITH SOFT FLEXIBLE EDGES, SAID PAD COMPRISING A FLUID PERVIOUS COVER SHEET OF NON-WOVEN FIBERS, A CENTRAL ABSORBENT BATT OF COMMINUTED WOOD PULP FIBERS, AND A FLUID IMPERVIOUS BACKING ELEMENT; SAID COVER SHEET, ABSORBENT BATT, AND BACKING ELEMENT BEING COEXTENSIVE; THE ENTIRE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID COVER SHEET BEING SECURED TO SAID BATT BY A LIGHT OVERALL LAYER OF FLEXIBLE ADHESIVE WHICH DOES NOT PENETRATE INTO THE BATT; SAID COVER SHEET AND SAID BATT HAVING A SPACED PATTERN OF LINE EMBOSSMENTS IMPRESSED THEREIN; SAID LINE EMBOSSMENTS EXTENDING PRIMARILY IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAD PAD AND INTERSECTING THE EDGES AND ENDS OF SAID PAD AT SPACED INTERVALS; SAID LINE EMBOSSMENTS DEFINING AREAS OF SAID BATT IN WHICH THE FIBERS HAVE BEEN MOISTURE CONDITIONED AND SUFFICIENTLY COMPACTED IN THE Z DIRECTION TO FORM HYDROGEN BONDS BETWEEN THOSE FIBERS DISPOSED IN SAID LINE EMBOSSMENT AREAS; SAID BACKING ELEMENT BEING SECURED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID BATT BY DISCRETE ADHESIVE SEGMENTS DISPOSED IN A SPACED PATTERN; THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN SAID COVER SHEET AND SAID BACKING ELEMENT RESPECTIVELY SERVING TO ATTACH ONLY RESPECTIVE SURFACE FIBERS OF THE BATT TO SAID COVER SHEET AND BACKING ELEMENT IN THE ADHESIVE AREAS; THE INTEGRITY OF SAID BATT IN THE Z DIRECTION BETWEEN COVER SHEET AND BACKING SHEET BEING PROVIDED SOLELY BY SAID HYDROGEN BONDING; AND THE FIBERS IN THE ENDS AND EDGES OF SAID BATT BEING FREE OF Z-DIRECTION BONDING EXCEPT WHERE INTERSECTED BY SAID LINE EMBOSSMENTS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
AN ELONGATE THIN ABSORBENT PAD WITH SOFT FLEXIBLE EDGES, SAID PAD COMPRISING A FLUID PERVIOUS COVER SHEET OF NON-WOVEN FIBERS, A CENTRAL ABSORBENT BATT OF COMMINUTED WOOD PULP FIBERS, AND A FLUID IMPERVIOUS BACKING ELEMENT; SAID COVER SHEET, ABSORBENT BATT, AND BACKING ELEMENT BEING COEXTENSIVE; THE ENTIRE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID COVER SHEET BEING SECURED TO SAID BATT BY A LIGHT OVERALL LAYER OF FLEXIBLE ADHESIVE WHICH DOES NOT PENETRATE INTO THE BATT; SAID COVER SHEET AND SAID BATT HAVING A SPACED PATTERN OF LINE EMBOSSMENTS IMPRESSED THEREIN; SAID LINE EMBOSSMENTS EXTENDING PRIMARILY IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAD PAD AND INTERSECTING THE EDGES AND ENDS OF SAID PAD AT SPACED INTERVALS; SAID LINE EMBOSSMENTS DEFINING AREAS OF SAID BATT IN WHICH THE FIBERS HAVE BEEN MOISTURE CONDITIONED AND SUFFICIENTLY COMPACTED IN THE Z DIRECTION TO FORM HYDROGEN BONDS BETWEEN THOSE FIBERS DISPOSED IN SAID LINE EMBOSSMENT AREAS; SAID BACKING ELEMENT BEING SECURED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID BATT BY DISCRETE ADHESIVE SEGMENTS DISPOSED IN A SPACED PATTERN; THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN SAID COVER SHEET AND SAID BACKING ELEMENT RESPECTIVELY SERVING TO ATTACH ONLY RESPECTIVE SURFACE FIBERS OF THE BATT TO SAID COVER SHEET AND BACKING ELEMENT IN THE ADHESIVE AREAS; THE INTEGRITY OF SAID BATT IN THE Z DIRECTION BETWEEN COVER SHEET AND BACKING SHEET BEING PROVIDED SOLELY BY SAID HYDROGEN BONDING; AND THE FIBERS IN THE ENDS AND EDGES OF SAID BATT BEING FREE OF Z-DIRECTION BONDING EXCEPT WHERE INTERSECTED BY SAID LINE EMBOSSMENTS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The absorbent pad of claim 1 wherein said batt has a thickness in the range of about 1/16 inch to about 1/4 inch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The absorbent pad of claim 1 wherein said line embossments have an undulating configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The absorbent pad of claim 1 wherein the density of said batt in the area of said line embossments is in the range of about 0.4 grams per cubic centimeter to about 1.0 grams per cubic centimeter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The absorbent pad of claim 4 wherein the density of said batt in the area between said line embossments is in the range of about 0.03 grams per cubic centimeter to about 0.15 grams per cubic centimeter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The absorbent pad of claim 1 wherein said fluid impervious backing element is a thin plastic film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The absorbent pad of claim 1 wherein said backing element has an area of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to the lower surface thereof and wherein said area of adhesive is covered with a removable protective sheet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The absorbent pad of claim 1 wherein said backing element has applied to its lower surface a friction-increasing material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The absorbent pad of claim 8 wherein said friction increasing material is a thin layer of flexible plastic foam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-05 | 1978-11-04 | 1979-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-05 | 1982-11-04 | 1983-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-05 | 1986-11-04 | 1987-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |