Hygiene product in underpants form

Abstract

A hygiene product in underpants form comprising a front part, a rear part, and a crotch region connecting the front part to the rear part, the front and rear parts defining a hip opening at the upper edge, the front and rear parts and crotch region defining leg openings at two lateral edges, an absorbent core being arranged in the crotch region, and the front and rear parts comprising elastication means extending in parallel with the upper edge, causing the upper edge to bunch up when slack, wherein a label is attached near the elastication means on at least one side of the rear and/or front parts, the label being connected at two lateral edges, which extend perpendicularly to the upper edge, to the rear and/or front parts, the label lying flat against the side of the rear and/or front parts in the tightened state.

Claims

1. A hygiene product in underpants form comprising: a front part (1) and a rear part (2) as well as a crotch region (3) connecting the front part (1) to the rear part (2), the front part (1) and rear part (2) defining a hip opening (28) at the upper edge (30) and the front part (1), rear part (2) and crotch region (3) defining leg openings (29, 30) at two lateral edges (32, 33), an absorbent core (20) being arranged in the crotch region (3) and the front part (1) and rear part (2) comprising elastication means (11, 12) that extend in parallel with the upper edge (30) and that cause the upper edge to bunch up when slack, wherein a label (21) is arranged in the region of the elastication means (11, 12) on at least one side of the rear part (2) and/or front part (1), which label is only connected at the two lateral edges thereof (22, 23), which extend perpendicularly to the upper edge (30), to the rear part (2) and/or front part (1), the label (21) lying flat against the side of the rear part (2) and/or front part (1) in the tightened state thereof.

2. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is arranged on the inside of the rear part (2) and/or front part (1).

3. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is arranged on one side of the rear part (2).

4. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is arranged below an elastic hip band arranged in the upper edge region of the rear part (2) and/or front part (1).

5. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is manufactured from a textile material.

6. The hygiene product according to claim 5, wherein the label (21) is manufactured from a nonwoven fabric.

7. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is manufactured from an elastic material that is applied stretched to the tightened rear part (2) and/or front part (1) such that it lies flat against the side of the rear part (2) and/or front part (1) in the bunched-up state thereof.

8. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is printed.

9. The hygiene product according to claim 8, wherein the label (21) is printed with one color or a plurality of colors.

10. The hygiene product according to claim 8, wherein the label (21) is printed by means of at least one inkjet print head.

11. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) is connected at the lateral edges (22, 23) to the rear part and/or front part by means of ultrasound or holt-melt adhesive.

12. The hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the label (21) comprises one or more of the following markings: size, absorption strength, style, fit, gender of wearer, directions for use, disposal instructions, manufacturer, brand, logo or other image.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a hygiene product in underpants form spread out flat in a plan view of the inside;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the same hygiene product in the tightened state in a perspective view obliquely from above;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the same hygiene product in the same state in a section along the line II-II from FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows the same hygiene product having a label made of elastic material in the bunched-up state in the same section as in FIG. 3;

[0030] FIG. 5 shows the same hygiene product having a label made of non-elastic, flexible material in the bunched-up state in the same section as in FIG. 3; and

[0031] FIG. 6 shows the same hygiene product as in FIG. 5 in the bunched-up state in an enlarged plan view of the label and the inside of the rear part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] In the present application, the terms upper and lower as well as front part and rear part relate to the position of use of the hygiene product on the body of a user standing upright.

[0033] According to FIG. 1, the hygiene product comprises a front part 1, a rear part 2 and a crotch region 3 that connects the front part 2 to the rear part 3.

[0034] The front part 1 is rectangular with an upper edge 4 and a lower edge 5 that extends in parallel therewith.

[0035] The rear part 2 has a rectangular upper portion 6 with an upper edge 7 and a substantially trapezoidal lower portion 8 with lower edges 9, 10, which are arranged at an acute angle to the upper edge 7 and the distance of which from the lower edge increases as they approach the crotch region 3.

[0036] The front part 1 and the rear part 2 are in each case laminates having a protective film on the outside and a nonwoven fabric on the inside. First elastication means 11, 12 are arranged next to the upper edges 4, 7 and in parallel therewith. Second elastication means 13, 14 are arranged next to the lower edges 5, 9, 10 and in parallel therewith.

[0037] The crotch region 3 comprises a rectangular support strip 15, which is also a laminate having a protective film on the outside and a nonwoven fabric on the inside. Two additional elastication means 18, 19 are arranged in parallel with the outer edges 16, 17 of the support strip 15 between the protective film and the nonwoven fabric.

[0038] The first elastication means 11, 12 and the second elastication means 13, 14, 18, 19 are in each case formed of threads made of an elastomeric material, for example threads made of spandex (Lycra). The threads extend in parallel with the respective edges, next to which the relevant elastication means are arranged.

[0039] An absorbent core 20 for absorbing liquid from a wearer is arranged on the inside of the support strip 15, which absorbent core is dumbbell-shaped in the example in the plan view. The absorbent core 20 comprises an absorbent material that contains cellulose and that also contains a superabsorbent. The material containing cellulose is preferably covered by an acquisition and distribution layer on the inside and wrapped in at least one layer of nonwoven fabric, which preferably only covers the lateral edge regions of the acquisition layer.

[0040] A label 21 is secured on the inside of the rear part 3 next to the first elastication means 12. According to FIG. 2, the label 21 is secured to the rear part 2 exclusively at the two lateral edges 22, 23, which extend perpendicularly to the upper edge 7 of the rear part 3. The securing is carried out, for example, by means of hot-melt adhesive or ultrasound.

[0041] The label 21 is provided on the inside with an imprint, which for example comprises information about the size, strength and style as well as the gender of the intended user.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a semi-finished product of the hygiene product. In order to complete the hygiene product, the adjoining outer edges 24 and 25 as well as 26 and 27 of the front part 1 and rear part 2 have to be connected to one another. The connection is carried out for example by laying the adjoining outer edges 24 and 25 as well as 26 and 27 of the front part 1 and rear part 2 one on top of the other and fusing said edges together by means of ultrasound.

[0043] According to FIG. 2, in the finished hygiene product, the upper edges 4, 7 of the front part 1 and rear part 2 define a hip opening 28 and the lower edges 5, 9, 10 of the front part 1 and rear part 2 and the relevant outer edge 16, 17 of the support strip 15 connecting same define leg openings 29, 30. Taken together, the upper edges 4, 7 of the front part 1 and rear part 2 thus form the upper edge 31 of the hygiene product that defines the hip opening 28 and the lower edges 5, 9, 10 of the front part 1 and rear part 2 as well as the outer edges 16, 17 of the support strip connecting same form lateral edges 32, 33 of the hygiene product that define the leg openings 29, 30.

[0044] When the rear part 2 is tightened, the label 21 is also tightened and lies flat against the inside of the rear part 2. Consequently, the information on the label 21 is easy to read. This is demonstrated in FIG. 3.

[0045] When the hygiene product is slack, the first elastication means 11, 12, in particular, contract such that the hygiene product is bunched up, in particular at the upper edge 31.

[0046] In the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 4, the label 21 consists of an elastic material that has been elastically stretched onto the hygiene product in the tightened state according to FIG. 1. Consequently, when the upper edge 31 of the hygiene product is bunched up, the label 21 remains tight and the imprint is still easy to read.

[0047] In the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5, the label 21 consists of a flexible, but non-elastic or substantially non-elastic, material. The label 21 is applied so as to lie flat against the inside of the hygiene product according to FIG. 1 in the tightened state thereof and is fastened thereto. Consequently, when the hygiene product is bunched up, said label bulges out inward slightly, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Nevertheless, the imprint on the label is easy to read.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 1 Front part [0049] 2 Rear part [0050] 3 Crotch region [0051] 4 Upper edge [0052] 5 Lower edge [0053] 6 Upper portion [0054] 7 Upper edge [0055] 8 Lower portion [0056] 9, 10 Lower edge [0057] 11, 12 First elastication means [0058] 13, 14 Second elastication means [0059] 15 Support strip [0060] 16, 17 Outer edge [0061] 18, 19 Second elastication means [0062] 20 Absorbent core [0063] 21 Label [0064] 22, 23 Lateral edge [0065] 24 to 27 Outer edge [0066] 28 Hip opening [0067] 29, 30 Leg opening [0068] 31 Upper edge [0069] 32, 33 Lateral edge