US3477433A - Sanitary napkin - Google Patents

Description

- Nov. 11, 1969' R- A. DILLON 3,477,433

SANITARY NAPKIN Filed Dec. 25, 1966 INVENTOR. ROSEMARY A. D/LAON any/Z0 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,477,433 SANITARY NAPKIN Rosemary A. Dillon, 9622 Mohawk Drive, Shawnee Mission, Kans. 66206 Filed Dec. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 604,311 Int. Cl. A61f 13/20; A61m 15/00 US. Cl. 128--290 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A very thin sanitary napkin particularly designed for very light flow periods is formed of a plurality of absorbent tissue paper sheets with a liquid impervious sheet therebeneath. A bottom sheet of tissue paper lies beneath the impervious sheet, presenting substantial surface friction, and thereby avoids unwanted relative movement of the napkin with respect to the underclothes of the wearer.

background of the invention Summary of the invention This invention contemplates the formation of a very thin sanitary napkin which may be worn without belts due to friction produced between an undergarment and the napkin when the napkin is pressed against the body of the wearer. It is the principal objects of the present invention to provide such a thin napkin which may be comfortably worn without the use of belts; to provide such a napkin which offers protection against fluids traveling therethrough onto the undergarments of the wearer; to provide such a device which exhibits a friction layer on the underside thereof to reduce the tendency to move with respect to the undergarment of the wearer; and to provide such a napkin which presents little bulk and is thus easily carried in purse or pocket.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a napkin embodying this invention, shown greatly exaggerated in thickness and with a portion broken away to better illustrate internal construction.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional end view of a modified form of napkin wherein tissue paper layers are doubled around one edge, the vertical dimension also being greatly exaggerated.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 2, with a portion 'broken away showing an adhesive strip used to maintain the layers together.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further modified form of this invention which includes a soft mesh bag containing the pad.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a sanitary napkin for absorbing body fluids during light flow periods. The napkin comprises a plurality of adjacent overlaping elon- 3,477,433 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 gated absorbent tissue paper sheets 2 forming an elongated pad 3 with an upper surface 4 and a lower surface 5. A fluid impervious, thin, flexible film or sheet 6 of a suitable synthetic material such as polyethylene is coextensive with the tissue paper sheets 2 and positioned in contact with the lower surface 5.

A layer or sheet 7 of tissue paper similar to the sheets 2 is positioned beneath the impervious sheet 6 and is coextensive therewith. The sheets 2, 6 and 7 forming the napkin in the embodiment of FIG. 1, are maintained together in overlapping relation by suitable edge crimping 8 around the adjacent peripheries of the various sheets.

The sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 1 and described above is quite thin and may be comfortably worn between the body and a tight undergarment during periods of light flow. Since the bottom layer or sheet 7 is of tissue paper, it presents a relatively high friction surface which engages the undergarment, thus resisting relative movement therebetween and normally eliminating the need for the belt commonly worn with a conventional sanitary napkin. The impervious sheet 6 prevents liquid flow from passing entirely through the napkin and onto the clothes of the wearer.

A second embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the tissue paper sheets 9 corresponding to the sheets 2 in FIG. 1 are substantially twice the width of the finished pad 10 and are doubled or folded along a common edge 11 eliminating the need for fastening the sheets together along the edge 11. An impervious sheet 12, corresponding to the sheet 6, is placed between a selected pair of adjacent sheets 9 near the underside 13 of the pad 10. Thus, the bottom sheet 14 is formed of tissue paper so as to provide the downwardly directed frictional surface described above. The remaining edge-s 15 of the sheets 9 and impervious sheets 12 are joined together, by way of example, with adhesive strips 16.

A further modified form of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein a soft mesh bag 17 of fibrous material, such as paper, encases a pad 18 similar to those described in connection with FIGS. 1 or 2. However, the various sheets forming the pad 18 need not be joined, since the bag 17 may function to physically hold all the sheets in overlapping aligned relation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the underside 19 of the mesh bag 17 presents a downwardly directed surface having the desired high frictional characteristics and thus the impervious sheet 20 of the pad 18 may be on the bottom of the pad (within the bag) rather than between the various layers thereof.

In some instances it may be desirable to extend portions of the bag 17 forming forwardly and rearwardly directed tabs 21 and 22-which can 'be pinned or otherwise seured tc the undergarment, for example, in cases of high physical activity of the wearer.

It is to be understood that, although certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sanitary napkin for absorbing body fluids during light flow periods comprising:

(a) a plurality of adjacent overlapping and engaging elongated absorbent tissue paper sheets forming an elongated pad with an upper surface and a lower surface;

(b) a fluid impervious sheet engaging and coextensive with said tissue paper sheets and positioned in contact with said lower surface;

(c) at least one tissue paper bottom sheet beneath and engaging said impervious sheet and coextensive therewith;

(d) maintaining means associated with each of said tissue paper sheets and said impervious sheet and said bottom sheet for holding same in parallel overlapping engagement;

(e) said tissue paper sheets and said bottom sheet each having at least twice the width of said pad;

(f) said tissue paper sheets and said bottom sheets each being folded to form upper and lower parallel portion; and

(g) said impervious sheet being substantially a single width sheet positioned between the lower portions adjacent tissue paper sheets.

2. The sanitary napkin as set forth in claim 1 where- (a) said maintaining means comprises crimping together the peripheral edges of each of said tissue paper sheets and said impervious sheet and said bottom sheet.

3. The "sanitary napkin as :set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said maintaining means is a continuous adhesive strip adjacent the peripheral edges of each of said tissue paper sheets and said impervious sheet and said bottom sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Makela 128290 Harwood 128290 Campall 128-290 Wolterding et al. 128296 Testa 128290 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain. Great Britain.

CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner

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