SANITARY ARTICLE HAVING ASSYMMETRICAL FASTENING WINGS

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sanitary article (1), such as a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner. The sanitary article (1) has a first fastening wing (9) extending at a first longitudinal side edge (5) and a second fastening wing (10) extending at a second longitudinal side edge (6), the first fastening wing (9) having a first wing maximum width (W.sub.fimax) and the second fastening wing (10) having a second wing maximum width (W.sub.f2mx). The first fastening wing (9) comprises a first adhesive region (12) on a garment facing side thereof and the second fastening wing (10) comprises a second adhesive region (13) on a garment facing side thereof, the first and the second adhesive regions (12,13) having a respective adhesive region maximum width (w.sub.aimax, W.sub.a2max). The first and the second adhesive region (12,13) are covered with a common release paper (14,140), the common release paper (14,140) having a width (w.sub.r), as seen in the transverse direction. The first and the second fastening wings (9,10) are arranged in a folded configuration onto the topsheet (2) in a non-overlapping manner. The first and second fastening wings (9,10) are asymmetrical with respect to any transverse and longitudinal axis and the width of the release paper (w.sub.r) is not more than 7 mm greater than the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths, W.sub.aimax + W.sub.a2max.

Claims

1. A sanitary article, such as a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner, the sanitary article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core arranged between the topsheet and the backsheet, the sanitary article extending in a longitudinal direction (L) and in a transverse direction (T), the sanitary article having a first and a second longitudinal side edge, a front edge and a rear edge, the absorbent core comprises a first longitudinal core side edge, a second longitudinal core side edge, a front core edge and a rear core edge, the sanitary article having a first fastening wing extending at the first longitudinal side edge and a second fastening wing extending at the second longitudinal side edge, the first fastening wing having a first wing maximum width (w.sub.f1max) and the second fastening wing having a second wing maximum width (w.sub.f2max), the first and second wing maximum widths (w.sub.f1max, w.sub.f2max) being measured from the respective first and second longitudinal core side edge and at the widest section of the respective fastening wing, as seen in the transverse direction (T), the first fastening wing comprising a first adhesive region on a garment facing side thereof and the second fastening wing comprising a second adhesive region on a garment facing side thereof, the first and the second adhesive regions having a respective adhesive region maximum width (w.sub.a1max, w.sub.a2max), the adhesive region maximum widths (w.sub.a1max, w.sub.a2max) being measured from the respective first and second longitudinal core side edge and at the widest section of the respective adhesive region, as seen in the transverse direction (T), the first and the second adhesive region being covered with a common release paper, the common release paper having a width (w.sub.r), as seen in the transverse direction (T), the first and the second fastening wings are arranged in a folded configuration onto the topsheet in a non-overlapping manner, characterized in that the first and second fastening wings are asymmetrical with respect to any transverse axis extending in the transverse direction (T) and with respect to each other as seen along any longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction and in that the width of the release paper (w.sub.r) is not more than 7 mm greater than the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths (W.sub.a1max + W.sub.a2max).

2. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the width of the release paper (w.sub.r) is not more than 4 mm greater than the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths (w.sub.a1max + w.sub.a2max).

3. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths (w.sub.a1max + w.sub.a2max) is equal to or greater than that the width of the release paper (w.sub.r).

4. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths (w.sub.a1max + w.sub.a2max) is at least 2 mm greater than that the width of the release paper (w.sub.r).

5. The sanitary article according to claims 1, wherein the sum of the first and the second wing maximum widths (w.sub.f1max + w.sub.f2max) is greater than a width (w.sub.c) of the absorbent core as measured at a transverse centerline (C.sub.T) of the sanitary article.

6. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein a width (w.sub.f1) of the first fastening wing increases over at least 50% of the first fastening wing, as seen from the rear edge and towards the front edge of the sanitary article, optionally over at least 75 % of the first fastening wing.

7. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein a width (w.sub.f2) of the second fastening wing (10) increases over at least 50% of the second fastening wing, as seen from the front edge and towards the rear edge of the sanitary article, optionally over at least 75 % of the second fastening wing.

8. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent core is an essentially rectangular core having a width not varying more than ± 20 mm along a longitudinal length of the absorbent core.

9. The sanitary article according claim 1, wherein the first and second wings are folded directly at and around the first and second longitudinal core edges.

10. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein a length of the release paper (l.sub.r) is less than a combined total length (l.sub.r1 + l.sub.r2) of the first and the second adhesive regions.

11. The sanitary article according claim 1, wherein the first fastening wing has a first wing edge section and the second fastening wing has a second fastening wing edge section, the first and second fastening wing edge sections being arranged opposite and adjacent each other when being folded onto the topsheet of the sanitary article and a distance (d) between the first wing edge section and the second wing edge section is from 0 mm to 10 mm, optionally from 0 mm to 7 mm.

12. The sanitary article according to claim 11, wherein each of the first wing edge section and the second wing edge section has a length (l.sub.9a,l.sub.10a) of 10 mm or more, such as from 15 mm to 80 mm, as measured along a respective edge of the first and second fastening wing.

13. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or the second adhesive regions each has a non-rectangular shape.

14. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second adhesive regions each has a respective portion with a greater width and a respective portion with a smaller width.

15. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second fastening wing are symmetrically disposed with respect to each other along a diagonal axis extending in a direction (D), in the plane of the sanitary article and with an angle within the range of from 10° to 65° to a longitudinal centerline (C.sub.L) of the sanitary article.

16. The sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the release paper has the shape of a rhombus or a parallelogram, having a release paper first and second longitudinal edges and release paper first and second transverse edges, the release paper being arranged on the sanitary article such that the first and second longitudinal edges extend in the longitudinal direction (L) and the release paper first and second transverse edges are inclined with respect to the transverse direction (D).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The present invention will be further explained hereinafter by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates a sanitary article, prior to folding of the sanitary article according to the present invention;

[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates the sanitary article from FIG. 1 in a folded configuration, prior to applying the common release paper according to the present disclosure;

[0046] FIG. 3 illustrates a sanitary article provided with a release paper according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0047] FIG. 4 illustrates a sanitary article provided with a release paper according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The invention will be described more closely below by reference to an exemplary embodiment. The invention may however be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth in the drawings and the description thereto.

[0049] FIG. 1 illustrates a sanitary article 1 comprising a topsheet 2, a backsheet 3 and an absorbent core 4 arranged between the topsheet 2 and the backsheet 3. The sanitary article 1 extends in a longitudinal direction L and in a transverse direction T. A longitudinal centerline C.sub.L of the sanitary article 1 extends in the longitudinal direction L. A transverse centerline C.sub.T of the sanitary article 1 extends in the transverse direction T.

[0050] The sanitary article 1 has a first longitudinal side edge 5 and a second longitudinal side edge 6, a front edge 7 and a rear edge 8. The absorbent core 4 comprises a first longitudinal core side edge 15, a second longitudinal core side edge 16, a front core edge 17 and a rear core edge 18.

[0051] In this figure, the absorbent core 4 is an essentially rectangular core 4 having a width not varying more than ± 10 mm along a longitudinal length of the absorbent core 4. However, the absorbent core may also have a varying width, with for example a wider front and/or rear portion and a narrower waist portion.

[0052] The sanitary article 1 has a first fastening wing 9 extending outboard at the first longitudinal side edge 5 and a second fastening wing 10 extending outboard at the second longitudinal side edge 6. The first fastening wing 9 extends at the first longitudinal side edge 5 from a first front inflection point 9′ to a first rear inflection point 9″ and the second fastening wing 10 extends at the second longitudinal side edge 6 from a second front inflection point 10′ to a second rear inflection point 10″, the inflection points being the point at which a fastening wing curvature occurs and thus a fastening wing point of beginning or end.

[0053] The first fastening wing 9 has a first wing maximum width W.sub.f1max and the second fastening wing 10 has a second wing maximum width W.sub.f2max, the first and the second wing maximum width W.sub.f1max, W.sub.f2max being measured from the respective first and second longitudinal core side edge and at the widest section of the respective fastening wing 9,10 as seen in the transverse direction T. The first and second fastening wings 9,10 are asymmetrical with respect to any transverse axis extending in the transverse direction T and with respect to each other as seen along any longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction, such as with respect to the longitudinal centerline C.sub.L of the sanitary article 1. The first and the second fastening wings 9,10 are furthermore symmetrically disposed with respect to each other along a diagonal axis D extending in a direction, in the plane of the sanitary article and with an angle α within the range of from 10° to 65° with respect to the longitudinal centerline C.sub.L of the sanitary article 1, such as for example within the range of from 30° to 55°. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the first and the second fastening wings 9,10 may be mirror-images of each other if being turned 180° and may arranged to extend outboard at the respective first and second longitudinal side edge 5,6 at a respective location along the respective first and second longitudinal side edge 5,6 such that they are symmetrically disposed with respect to each other.

[0054] The first fastening wing 9 has a width w.sub.f1 continuously increasing over at least 75 % of the first fastening wing 9, as seen from the rear edge 8 and towards the front edge 7 of the sanitary article 1. The second fastening wing 10 has a width w.sub.f2 continuously increasing over at least 75 % of the second fastening wing 10, as seen from the front edge 7 and towards the rear edge 8 of the sanitary article 1. The sum of the first and the second wing maximum widths w.sub.f1max.sup.+ w.sub.f2max is greater than a width w.sub.c of the absorbent core 4 as measured at the sanitary article transverse centerline C.sub.T, however due to the asymmetry of the fastening wings, the fastening wings may be folded narrowly about the longitudinal edges 5,6 of the sanitary articles 1 in a non-overlapping configuration.

[0055] The first fastening wing 9 comprises a first adhesive region 12 on a garment facing side thereof and the second fastening wing 10 comprises a second adhesive region 13 on a garment facing side thereof. The first adhesive region 12 has a first adhesive region maximum width w.sub.a1max and the second adhesive regions 13 has a second adhesive region maximum width w.sub.a2max, the adhesive region maximum widths w.sub.a1max, w.sub.a2max being measured at the widest section of the respective adhesive region 12,13, as seen in the transverse direction T. The first adhesive region 12 and the second adhesive region 13 each has a non-rectangular shape, with a respective zone with a greater width and a respective zone with a smaller width and with a sloping zone linking the zone with a greater width and the zone with a smaller width.

[0056] The first adhesive region 12 has a length I.sub.r1 and the second adhesive region has a length I.sub.r2.

[0057] In FIG. 2, the sanitary article is arranged in a folded configuration according to the present disclosure with the first and the second fastening wings 9,10 being folded on top of the topsheet 2 in a non-overlapping manner. The first fastening wing 9 is folded over a first longitudinal fold line 19 and the second fastening wing 10 is folded over a second longitudinal fold line 20. The first and the second longitudinal fold lines 19,20 are each arranged between 0 and 5 mm from the respective first and longitudinal core side edges 15,16.

[0058] The first fastening wing 9 has a first wing edge section 9a and the second fastening wing 10 has a second fastening wing edge section 10a, the first and second fastening wing edge sections 9a, 10a being arranged opposite and adjacent each other when being folded onto the topsheet 2 of the sanitary article 1. A distance d between the first and the second wing edge sections 9a,10a is from 0 mm to 10 mm. The first wing edge section 9a and the second wing edge section 10a each has a length I.sub.9a,I.sub.10a of from 15 mm to 80 mm, as measured along a respective edge of the first and second fastening wing 9,10.

[0059] In FIG. 3, the sanitary article 1 is illustrated with the first and the second adhesive region 12,13 being covered with a common release paper 14. The common release paper 14 has a width w.sub.r, as seen in the transverse direction T, and the width of the release paper w.sub.r is maximum 7 mm greater than the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths, w.sub.a1max + w.sub.a2max. In this figure, the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths w.sub.a1max + w.sub.a2max is greater than that the width of the release paper W.sub.r. The release paper 14 has a length I.sub.r extending in the longitudinal direction of the sanitary article 1. The length I.sub.r of the release paper 14 is less than a combined length of the adhesive regions 12,13 (see FIG. 1).

[0060] FIG. 4 illustrates a sanitary article 1 according to the present disclosure comprising a topsheet 2, a backsheet 3 and an absorbent core 4 arranged between the topsheet 2 and the backsheet 3. The sanitary article 1 extends in a longitudinal direction L and in a transverse direction T.

[0061] The sanitary article 1 has a first longitudinal side edge 5 and a second longitudinal side edge 6, a front edge 7 and a rear edge 8. The absorbent core 4 comprises a first longitudinal core side edge 15, a second longitudinal core side edge 16, a front core edge 17 and a rear core edge 18. The sanitary article 1 has a first fastening wing 9 extending outboard at the first longitudinal side edge 5 and a second fastening wing 10 extending outboard at the second longitudinal side edge 6. The first fastening wing 9 comprises a first adhesive region 12 on a garment facing side thereof and the second fastening wing 10 comprises a second adhesive region 13 on a garment facing side thereof. The first adhesive region 12 has a first adhesive region maximum width W.sub.a1max and the second adhesive regions 13 has a second adhesive region maximum width w.sub.a2max, the adhesive region maximum widths W.sub.a1max, w.sub.a2max being measured at the widest section of the respective adhesive region 12,13, as seen in the transverse direction T. The first adhesive region 12 and the second adhesive region 13 each has a non-rectangular shape, with a respective zone with a greater width and a respective zone with a tapering width. The first and the second adhesive regions 12,13 are covered with a common release paper 140. The common release paper 140 has a width w.sub.r, as seen in the transverse direction T, and the width of the release paper w.sub.r is maximum 7 mm greater than the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths, W.sub.a1max + w.sub.a2max. In this figure, the sum of the first and the second adhesive region maximum widths W.sub.a1max + W.sub.a2max is greater than that the width of the release paper w.sub.r.

[0062] The release paper 140 has the shape of a rhombus. The release paper 140 has a release paper first longitudinal edge 140a, a release paper second longitudinal edge 140b, a release paper first transverse edge 140c and a release paper second transverse edge 140d. The release paper 140 covers the first and second adhesive regions 12,13 on the first and second fastening wings 9,10 respectively. The release paper 140 is arranged on the sanitary article 1 such that the release paper first and second longitudinal edges 140a, 140b extend in the longitudinal direction L and such that the release paper first and second transverse edges 140c, 140d are inclined with respect to the transverse direction T.