Patent Description:
Urine incontinence pads are well known articles of commerce. Such articles may be absorbent pads for heavier bladder leakage or thinner liners for light bladder leakage.

For example, <CIT> discloses an absorbent product, comprising a liquid-permeable top layer, a liquid-impermeable bottom layer and an absorbent core arranged between the top layer and the bottom layer. The absorbent product has a head product portion, an intermediate product portion and a rear product portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent product. The absorbent product has an outer contour having a shape resembling an hourglass, wherein the intermediate product portion comprises an area with a smaller width than any area in the head product portion and rear product portion, respectively, and wherein the core extends in the longitudinal direction and transverse direction of the absorbent product and has an outer contour that is asymmetrical with the outer contour of the absorbent product.

Incontinence pads are generally provided with an absorbent core to receive and retain body liquids. For incontinence pads intended for heavier bladder leakage to function efficiently, the absorbent core must quickly acquire body liquids into the structure from the point of application and subsequently distribute the body liquids within and throughout the absorbent core to provide maximum leakage containment. It is also desirable that such pads are comfortable and have a good fit, i.e. to be sized and configured to fit the limited space available in the crotch portion of the underwear while providing the wearer with a feeling of security. Additionally, there is desire that such articles are discreet, thin and not visible even if the user wears tighter clothes, which may be seen as being in contradiction with the above objects.

When an incontinence pad is used by a wearer, it is exposed to pressure, which tends to compress the article in a thickness direction. Such pressures are typically about <NUM>-<NUM> kPa when standing or walking, about <NUM>-<NUM> kPa when sitting, <NUM> kPa when sitting and leaning forward, and up to <NUM> kPa when bicycling, in the centre of an absorbent pad. In order to maintain excellent liquid distribution properties in the absorbent article, it is important that the absorbent core can withstand pressures and not collapse when exposed to higher pressures.

A further desire is that the pads should be neat and easily foldable to obtain individual package sizes for easy bring along of the article in a bag or pocket and for easy disposal after use. Hereto <CIT> discloses an absorbent article that is easy to fold due to the thickness of the rear portion of the absorbent core being <NUM>-<NUM>%, or <NUM>-<NUM>%, or <NUM>- <NUM>% of the thickness of the intermediate portion of the core.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved urine incontinence pad which may receive larger urine insults, is comfortable and gives the user a sense of high security throughout the daily activities, while still being discreet and thin. There is also an aim to improve the folding and packaging solution for such incontinence pads.

One or more of the above objects may be achieved with a urine incontinence pad in accordance with claim <NUM>, an individually wrapped urine incontinence pad according to claim <NUM> and a stack of folded incontinence pads according to claim <NUM>. Further embodiments are set out in the dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.

The urine incontinence pad as disclosed herein and according to a first aspect has longitudinal side edges and transverse end edges. The urine incontinence pad further comprises a fluid permeable topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core being located between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core has a core front edge, a core rear edge, a core first longitudinal side edge and a core second longitudinal side edge. The absorbent core comprises a first core layer and a fluid control layer. The absorbent core has in its longitudinal direction a front portion, a rear portion and an intermediate portion located between the front portion and the rear portion. The front portion and the rear portion each have a length of about <NUM>% of the total length of the absorbent core. The intermediate portion has a length of about <NUM>% of the total length of the absorbent core. The first core layer extends over the front portion, the intermediate portion and the rear portion. The fluid control layer is shorter than the first core layer and extends in the front portion and the intermediate portion. The first core layer comprises <NUM> gsm superabsorbent material or more. The absorbent core has a varying thickness profile as seen in the longitudinal direction (L), with the intermediate portion having a first thickness (T1<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa and a first compressed thickness (T1<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa, said rear and front portions having a second thickness (T2<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa and a second compressed thickness (T2<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa wherein. Said second thickness (T2<NUM>) is from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of said first thickness (T1<NUM>) and said second compressed thickness (T2<NUM>) is from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of said first compressed thickness (T1<NUM>) and that a ratio (T1<NUM>/ T2<NUM>) between said first and said second compressed thickness is equal or greater than a ratio (T1<NUM>/ T2<NUM>) between said first and said second thickness.

The portion of the core comprising the fluid control layer has the thickness T1 and the portions of the core outside the fluid control layer has the thickness T2.

The region having the second thickness extends from the first longitudinal side of the absorbent core to the second longitudinal side of the absorbent core.

The region in the rear portion having the second thickness may extend <NUM> or more from the core rear end edge and towards the core front edge.

The superabsorbent material may for example be substantially homogenously mixed in the first core layer or be provided as a sub-layer in the first core layer.

The urine incontinence pad according to the present disclosure has a relatively thick intermediate portion giving the wearer a sense of comfort and leakage security. The fit will also be improved as the pad conforms well to the wearer's anatomy. The pad comes into close body contact with the wearer in the crotch region due to the thicker intermediate portion, thereby allowing excreted liquid to be directly absorbed into the absorbent core and reducing the risk of side leakage. However, the solution according to the present disclosure also provides a highly discreet urine incontinence pad as the rear and front portions of the absorbent core are from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of the first thickness compared to the thickness in the intermediate portion, under a low-compressed condition and wherein this difference in thickness is maintained or is increased under higher pressure. Such varying thickness profile with a considerably greater thickness, also maintained when exerted to higher pressures, in the intermediate portion than in the rear portion has been found by the present inventors to improve the leakage security and the perception by the wearer of comfort and good leakage perception during different types of activities during the day, while at the same time giving a highly discreet urine incontinence pad which is almost invisible when worn by the wearer as the front and rear portions are so thin.

The absorbent core may have a third thickness under a load of <NUM> kPa, and a third compressed thickness under a load of <NUM> kPa, in the rear portion or in a transitional region comprising a part of the intermediate portion and a part of the rear portion, with the third thickness being from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of the first thickness under a load of <NUM> kPa and the third compressed thickness being from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of the first compressed thickness.

Such third thickness, being an intermediate thickness compared to the first and the second thickness, may increase the comfort of the incontinence pad by providing a softer transition between the first and the second thickness regions.

The third thickness may also facilitate the folding of the articles when provided in a stack, if the folding line is in this region of the core instead of the thickest region.

The second thickness may be <NUM> or less, such as from <NUM> to <NUM> or from <NUM> to <NUM>.

The first thickness may be from <NUM> or more, such as from <NUM> to <NUM>, or from <NUM> to <NUM>.

The absorbent core may comprise from <NUM> gsm to <NUM> gsm superabsorbent material at least in a part of the absorbent core having the first thickness, providing the intermediate portion with a high absorbency in region of the pad arranged in the crotch region of the wearer.

The superabsorbent material may be homogenously mixed within the layers making up the absorbent core, but it may be unevenly distributed between the different layers. The superabsorbent material may also for example be provided as sub-layers within the layers making up the absorbent core.

The first core layer may comprise between <NUM> and <NUM> gsm superabsorbent material allowing the absorbent core to have a fairly high absorbency also in the rear and/or front portions.

The absorbent core may have the first thickness in from <NUM> to <NUM>% of the total longitudinal length of the absorbent core in the front portion, in a portion extending from the intermediate portion and towards the core front edge.

Hence, the portion of the absorbent core having the first thickness may be relatively large, with a portion in the front region and a portion in the rear region being very thin. Such configuration will lead to a feeling of high leakage security while at the same time offering a very discreet incontinence pad.

The first core layer may have a waist portion located in the front portion or between the front portion and the intermediate portion. A width of the waist portion may be from <NUM> to <NUM>% of a widest transverse width of the front portion of the first absorbent layer. The narrower waist portion located in the front portion or between the front portion and the intermediate portion may further ensure that the article has a proper fit in a wearer's groin and stays in place during use. That the incontinence pad stays in place during use ensure high leakage prevention and the discretion of the incontinence pad according to the present disclosure as forward or rear displacement of the incontinence pad could lead to that the thicker region becomes more exposed and that the discretion is compromised.

The first core layer may be arranged between the fluid control layer and the fluid permeable topsheet and thus be an upper core layer.

The first core layer may have an opening extending there through from a body-facing side of the first absorbent layer to a garment facing side of the first absorbent layer, the opening being arranged in the front portion and the intermediate portion. The absorbent core may further or alternatively comprise at least one underlying core layer in the form of a fluid storage layer. The fluid storage layer(s) may be located between the first core layer and the backsheet or between the fluid flow control layer and the backsheet. The opening in the first core layer may extend completely through the layer, thereby forming a cavity in the article. The opening may be arranged such that <NUM>-<NUM>% or <NUM>-<NUM>% of the longitudinal extension of the opening is located in the front and the intermediate portion of the first core layer in order to ensure a proper placement of the opening in relation to the wetting point of the article. About <NUM> to <NUM> % of the longitudinal extension of the opening may be located in the front portion of the first core layer. The longitudinal extension of the opening in the first core layer may be <NUM>-<NUM>% of the longitudinal extension of the first core layer in order to ensure fluid flow into the opening and not on the outside of the topsheet. The transverse dimension of the opening may be larger in the front portion of the first core layer than the transverse dimension of the opening in the intermediate portion of the first core layer in order to improve the fluid intake rate through the opening and further into the fluid flow control structure. Thereby an absorbent article is achieved which ensures that liquid will be directed to the opening and pass into the fluid flow control structure and the core. The first core layer may have one opening only for both leakage security and improved feeling of safety for the user.

A widest transverse width of the rear portion of the absorbent core may be from <NUM>-<NUM>. This has been shown to improve comfort and leakage protection.

An elastic member may be arranged along each longitudinal side edge of the article, at least laterally outside of the core in the area of the transition between the front portion and the intermediate portion of the core. The elastic members may be located between the topsheet and the backsheet. The article may have an interspace which is free from absorbent material and which is located between the elastic member and the core in the area of the transition between the front portion and the intermediate portion of the core, more specifically in an area between the elastics, located at the periphery of the article, and the periphery of the first core layer. Each elastic member may have an extension at least to a lateral edge of a widest part of the front portion of the absorbent core to facilitate and promote folding of the first end portion of the article. Correspondingly, the elastic member may be arranged such that it does not extend in the longitudinal direction beyond the rear transversal edge of the rear part of the shorter underlying core layer in order to facilitate and promote folding of the first end portion of the incontinence pad. The elastic members may not extend beyond the first fold line of the article to facilitate fold about the fold line.

The incontinence pad may further include fastening means for fastening of the incontinence pad inside a supporting pant garment, such as a pair of underpants. The fastening means may be any conventional fastening means including adhesive and mechanical fasteners and may be covered by a releasable protective layer.

The fluid control layer which is shorter than the first core layer may be arranged not to extend into the rear portion of the absorbent core.

The absorbent core may further comprise at least one underlying core layer in the form of a fluid storage layer. The fluid storage layer(s) may be located between the fluid flow control layer and the backsheet.

The fluid storage layer may be shorter than the first core layer in each of the front portion and the rear portion and longer than the fluid control layer in each of the front portion and the rear portion.

The portion(s) of the core outside the fluid control layer which comprises the first core layer and also the fluid storage layer may have the thickness T3.

The fluid flow control structure may for example be a layered structure comprising a non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer and a first perforated polymeric layer, wherein the polymers in the first perforated polymeric layer are selected from polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides and blends and combinations thereof. The first perforated polymeric layer may have a basis weight of from <NUM>/m2 to150 g/m2, or a basis weight of from <NUM>/m2 to <NUM>/m2. The first perforated polymeric layer may be a nonwoven, a film or a film/nonwoven laminate. The first perforated polymeric layer may for example be a three-dimensionally formed layer having penetrating apertures. The non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer may be a high loft material of <NUM>/m2 to150 g/m2 or a basis weight of from <NUM>/m2 to <NUM>. The polymer for the non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer may be polyester. The fluid flow control structure may also be a three layer structure consisting of the non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer, the first perforated polymeric layer and a second perforated polymeric layer. The non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer may be sandwiched between the first perforated polymeric layer and the second perforated polymeric layer. The second perforated polymeric layer may also be a three-dimensionally formed layer having apertures extending from a first surface of the web towards a second surface of the web and forming protrusions on the second surface.

The fluid flow control structure may have relatively high bending stiffness. A high bending stiffness provides the absorbent article with an improved ability of resisting transverse compression between the thighs of a wearer of the article and counteracts unwanted deformation of the article during wear. The bending stiffness or flexure resistance of the laminate material in the fluid flow control structure may be <NUM> -<NUM> N, preferably <NUM>-<NUM> N, as measured by the modified ASTM D <NUM>-<NUM> CIRCULAR BEND PROCEDURE.

Disclosed herein and according to a second aspect is an individually wrapped urine incontinence pad, comprising a urine incontinence pad and a wrapping sheet. The urine incontinence pad is a urine incontinence pad according to the first aspect. The incontinence pad has a length extending in the longitudinal direction and a width extending in a transverse direction. The wrapping sheet has a length extending in said longitudinal direction (L) and a width extending in the transverse direction. The wrapping sheet is arranged to cover the backsheet of the incontinence pad of from <NUM> to <NUM> % of the length of the incontinence pad such that a first end portion, corresponding to a rear end portion of the incontinence pad, has a portion being free from the wrapping sheet. The incontinence pad is folded about a first transverse fold line with the first end portion overlying a central portion, with a second end portion being folded about a second transverse fold line and overlying the first end portion.

The incontinence pad is thus folded with a incontinence pad rear end portion first and with the front end portion overlaying the pad rear end portion such that the topsheet in the front end portion is in contact with the backsheet in the portion being free from the wrapping sheet and with the wrapping sheet covering the remaining portion of the pad rear end portion.

The wrapping sheet may also be provided with adhesive, for example, at a front edge portion for sealing against the wrapping sheet covering the incontinence pad rear end portion.

Disclosed herein and according to a third aspect is also a stack of folded incontinence pads according to the first or the second aspect. The stack comprises a plurality of urine incontinence pads wherein each of the folded incontinence pads of the plurality of folded incontinence pads is folded about a first transverse fold line with a first end portion overlying a central portion, with a second end portion being folded about a second transverse fold line and overlying the first end portion. At one of the first or the second transverse fold line, the absorbent core has the second thickness or the third thickness and at the other one of the first or second transverse fold line, the absorbent core has the first thickness. The folded incontinence pads are stacked in a head-to-toe relationship.

The first end portion may either correspond to the incontinence pad front end portion or to the incontinence pad rear end portion and the second end portion then corresponds to the other one of the front or the rear end portion.

The first end portion and the second end portion may each correspond to about <NUM>% of the total length of the incontinence pad and the central portion may correspond to about <NUM>% of the total length of the incontinence pad.

The fact that the absorbent core has different thicknesses at the first and the second transverse fold line may cause an unstable and uneven stack due to an uneven thickness at two of the opposing edges of the folded article. This may also lead to difficulties when packaging the folded articles in packages and non-optimal space usage within the outer packaging and unattractive packages. By stacking the folded incontinence pads in a head-to-toe relationship this problem with stacking of incontinence pads according to the present disclosure is overcome.

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.

<FIG> schematically shows an incontinence pad <NUM> seen from the side that is intended to be facing towards a wearer's body when the pad <NUM> is being worn. The pad <NUM> has two longitudinal side edges <NUM>, <NUM> having equal length and extending generally in the same direction. Front and rear end edges <NUM>, <NUM> extend transversely at the ends of the pad <NUM>. The rear end edge <NUM> is intended to be oriented rearwards, towards the buttocks of the wearer during use of the pad <NUM>, and the front-end edge <NUM> is intended to be facing forwards towards the abdomen of the wearer. The pad <NUM> comprises a fluid permeable topsheet <NUM>, a fluid impermeable backsheet <NUM> and an absorbent core <NUM> having a core front edge 10a, a core rear edge 10b, a core first longitudinal side edge 10c and a core second longitudinal side edge 10d. The absorbent core <NUM> comprises three core layers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. A first core layer <NUM> is located between the topsheet <NUM> and an underlying core layer in the form of a fluid flow control structure <NUM>. The fluid flow control structure <NUM> is located between the first core layer <NUM> and an underlying core layer in the form of a fluid storage structure <NUM> located between the fluid flow control structure <NUM> and the backsheet <NUM>. The absorbent core <NUM> is in its longitudinal direction divided into a front portion <NUM>, an intermediate portion <NUM> and a rear portion <NUM>. The front portion <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM> each have a length of about <NUM>% of the total length of the absorbent core <NUM>. The intermediate portion <NUM> has a length of about <NUM>% of the total length of the absorbent core <NUM>. The absorbent core <NUM> has a first thickness T1 in the intermediate portion <NUM> and a second thickness T2 in the front and rear portion <NUM>,<NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>. The second thickness T2, as measured under a load of <NUM> kPa is from <NUM> to <NUM>% of the first thickness T1, as measured under a load of <NUM> kPa. When measuring the first and second thicknesses T1,T2 under compressed conditions and under a load of <NUM> kPa, the second thickness is still from <NUM> to <NUM>% of the first thickness T1 and the ratio of the first to the second compressed thicknesses is equal or greater than a ratio between the first to the second thicknesses, as measured under a load of <NUM> kPa. This meaning that the intermediate portion, despite its higher thickness maintains its structure comparably well when exposed to higher pressures.

The absorbent core in this figure furthermore has a third thickness T3 in a transitional region comprising a part of the intermediate portion <NUM> and a part of the rear portion, the third thickness T3 measured under a load of <NUM> kPa being from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of the first thickness T1, measured under the same load and conditions. The third thickness T3 measured under a load of <NUM> kPa is from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of the first thickness T1, measured under the same load and conditions.

The first core layer <NUM> extends over the front <NUM>, the intermediate <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>. The flow control structure <NUM> partly extends over the front portion <NUM> and extends over the intermediate portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>. A rear end edge of the flow control structure <NUM> is located at the transition between the intermediate portion <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM>. The fluid storage layer <NUM> extends over the intermediate portion <NUM> and partly over the rear portion <NUM> and the front portion <NUM>. The first core layer <NUM> and the fluid storage layer <NUM> may, for example, comprise a mixture of superabsorbent particles and pulp fibers. The fluid flow control structure may for example be a three layer structure consisting of a non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer, a first perforated polymeric layer and a second perforated polymeric layer. The non-perforated fibrous polymeric layer may be sandwiched between the first perforated polymeric layer and the second perforated polymeric layer. The first and second perforated polymeric layer may also be a three-dimensionally formed layer having apertures extending from a first surface of the web towards a second surface of the web and forming protrusions on the second surface.

The topsheet <NUM> and the backsheet <NUM> extend together laterally outside the absorbent core <NUM> along the whole periphery of the absorbent core <NUM> and are connected to each other in an edge join along the periphery of the pad <NUM>. The edge join may be formed in any suitable manner as known in the art such as by adhesive, ultrasonic bonding, thermo-bonding etc. The topsheet <NUM> and the backsheet <NUM> may consist of any material suitable for the purpose as disclosed herein, such as nonwoven or film material.

Elastic members <NUM>, <NUM>', such as bands or strings of elastic material, e.g. foam elastics, are arranged between the topsheet <NUM> and the backsheet <NUM> and along the longitudinal side edges <NUM>, <NUM> of the pad <NUM>. The article has an interspace which is free from absorbent material and which is located laterally between the elastic member <NUM>, <NUM>' and the absorbent core <NUM> in the transition between the front portion <NUM> and the intermediate portion <NUM> of the core <NUM>. Each elastic member <NUM>, <NUM>' extend to a lateral edge of the widest part of the front portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>.

An example of an article of the present disclosure is the incontinence pad of <FIG> having a core according to the invention, a topsheet of <NUM> gsm spunbonded thermoplastic nonwoven material, and a backsheet of <NUM> gsm laminate of a plastic film and a thermoplastic nonwoven material. The components of the article are connected to each other by means of adhesive and welding.

<FIG> are plan view of incontinence pads according to the present disclosure, and are both seen from the side that is intended to be facing towards a wearer's body when the pad <NUM> is being worn. The pad <NUM> has two longitudinal side edges <NUM>,<NUM> having equal length and extending generally in the same direction. Front and rear end edges <NUM>,<NUM> extend transversely at the ends of the pad <NUM>. The rear end edge <NUM> is intended to be oriented rearwards during use of the pad <NUM>, and the front-end edge <NUM> is intended to be facing forwards towards the abdomen of the wearer. The pad <NUM> comprises a fluid permeable topsheet <NUM>, a fluid impermeable backsheet <NUM> and an absorbent core <NUM> comprising three core layers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. A first core layer <NUM> is located between the topsheet <NUM> and a fluid flow control structure <NUM>. The fluid flow control structure <NUM> is located between the first core layer <NUM> and a fluid storage structure <NUM>. The absorbent core <NUM> is in its longitudinal direction divided into a front portion <NUM>, an intermediate portion <NUM> and a rear portion <NUM>. The first core layer <NUM> extends over the front <NUM>, the intermediate <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>. The flow control structure <NUM> extends over a part of the front portion <NUM> and over the intermediate portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>. The absorbent core <NUM> has a narrow transversal width <NUM> between the front portion <NUM> and the intermediate portion <NUM> of the absorbent core <NUM>.

Elastic members <NUM>, <NUM>' are arranged between the topsheet <NUM> and the backsheet <NUM> and along the longitudinal side edges <NUM>, <NUM> of the pad <NUM>. The article has an interspace free from absorbent material located laterally between the elastic members <NUM>, <NUM>'.

As illustrated in <FIG> by the arrow in the rear portion <NUM> marked T2, the region having the second thickness T2 extends at least <NUM> or more from the core rear edge 10b and toward the core front edge 10a, such as to about in from <NUM> to <NUM>% of the total longitudinal length of the absorbent core <NUM>. The region in the front portion <NUM> having the second thickness T2 extends from the core front edge 10a and towards the core rear edge 10b and is illustrated by the arrow in the front portion <NUM> marked T2. This region extends from about <NUM> or more from the core front edge and toward the core rear edge 10b, such as to about in from <NUM> to <NUM>% of the total longitudinal length of the absorbent core <NUM>.

The region within the arrow marked with T1 corresponds to the region of the absorbent core <NUM> having a thickness T1. The absorbent core has the first thickness T1 in the intermediate region <NUM> and in from <NUM> to <NUM>% of the total longitudinal length of the absorbent core <NUM> in the front portion <NUM>, in a portion extending from the intermediate portion <NUM> and towards the core front edge 10a.

<FIG> illustrate the successive folding steps of the incontinence pad <NUM> according to <FIG>. In <FIG> a first end portion <NUM> of the pad <NUM> is folded in a first folding step about the first transversal fold line <NUM> coinciding with a part of the absorbent core <NUM> having the second thickness T2 or the third thickness T3 until the first end portion <NUM> is in contact with the central area <NUM> of the article <NUM>, i.e. folding until topsheet <NUM> of the first end portion <NUM> is in contact with the topsheet <NUM> of the central area <NUM>. In this example, the first end portion <NUM> and the second end portion <NUM> correspond to about <NUM>% of the total length of the incontinence pad <NUM> and the central portion <NUM> corresponds to about <NUM>% of the total length of the incontinence pad <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the second folding step, wherein a second end portion <NUM> of the incontinence pad <NUM> is folded about the second transversal fold line <NUM> coinciding with a part of the absorbent core <NUM> having the first thickness T1 until it is in contact with the portion <NUM> of the incontinence pad <NUM> already folded, i.e. the topsheet <NUM> of second end portion <NUM> facing the backsheet <NUM> of the first end portion <NUM>. <FIG> shows the final folded incontinence pad <NUM>. By folding the second end portion <NUM> onto the first end portion <NUM> the second transverse folding line <NUM> becomes softer and less distinct and the front part of the incontinence pad <NUM> adopts more easily a cup-shape after unfolding and during use of the incontinence pad <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a stack <NUM> of incontinence pads <NUM> according to the present disclosure. The incontinence pads <NUM> are stacked in a head-to-toe relationship in a head-to-toe stack <NUM>. Due to the fact that the incontinence pad <NUM> has different thicknesses at the first and second transverse fold lines a head-head relationship in a stack of several such incontinence pads would lead to uneven heights at each transverse fold line and consequently unstable stacks of folded incontinence pads <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a plan top view of an unfolded incontinence pad <NUM> with an attached wrapping sheet <NUM>. The urine incontinence pad <NUM> is a urine incontinence pad according the previous figures. The incontinence pad <NUM> has a length lp extending in the longitudinal direction L and a width wp extending in a transverse direction T. The wrapping sheet <NUM> has a length Iws extending in the longitudinal direction L and a width wws extending in the transverse direction T, with the width wws of the wrapping sheet being greater than the width wp of the incontinence pad <NUM>. As may be seen in <FIG>, the wrapping sheet <NUM> is arranged to cover the backsheet <NUM> of the incontinence pad <NUM> of from <NUM> to <NUM> % of the length lp of the incontinence pad such that a first end portion <NUM>, corresponding to a rear end portion of the incontinence pad <NUM> in this figure, has a portion <NUM> being free from the wrapping sheet <NUM>. The wrapping sheet <NUM> thus covers the second end portion <NUM> and the central portion <NUM> completely, but does not cover the first end portion <NUM> completely leaving a portion <NUM> in the rear end of the incontinence pad <NUM> free from the wrapping sheet <NUM>. The length lws of the wrapping sheet <NUM> may thus be equal to or slightly shorter than then the length lp of the incontinence pad <NUM>.

The incontinence pad <NUM> is intended to be folded about a first transverse fold line <NUM> with the first end portion <NUM> overlying the central portion <NUM>, with a second end portion <NUM> being folded about a second transverse fold line <NUM> and overlying the first end portion <NUM>. The wrapping sheet <NUM> is provided with adhesive <NUM> in a top edge region for sealing against the wrapping sheet <NUM> covering the first end portion <NUM> of the incontinence pad <NUM> once the incontinence pad <NUM> and the wrapping sheet <NUM> has been folded.

The incontinence pad will thus be folded with an incontinence pad rear end portion first and with the front end portion overlaying the rear end portion such that the topsheet in the front end portion is in contact with the backsheet in the portion being free from the wrapping sheet and with the wrapping sheet covering the remaining portion of the incontinence pad rear end portion.

Claim 1:
A urine incontinence pad (<NUM>) having first and second longitudinal side edges (<NUM>,<NUM>) and front and rear end edges (<NUM>,<NUM>), and comprising a fluid permeable topsheet (<NUM>), a backsheet (<NUM>) and an absorbent core (<NUM>) being located between said topsheet (<NUM>) and said backsheet (<NUM>), said core (<NUM>) in its longitudinal direction (L) having a front portion (<NUM>), a rear portion (<NUM>) and an intermediate portion (<NUM>) located between said front portion (<NUM>) and said rear portion (<NUM>), said front portion (<NUM>) and said rear portion (<NUM>) each having a length of about <NUM>% of the total length of said absorbent core (<NUM>) and said intermediate portion (<NUM>) having a length of about <NUM>% of the total length of said absorbent core (<NUM>), said absorbent core (<NUM>) having a varying thickness profile as seen in said longitudinal direction (L), with said intermediate portion (<NUM>) having a first thickness (T1<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa and a first compressed thickness (T1<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa, said rear and front portions (<NUM>,<NUM>) having a second thickness (T2<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa and a second compressed thickness (T2<NUM>) under a load of <NUM> kPa, each thickness being measured in accordance with the description, characterized in that said second thickness (T2<NUM>) is from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of said first thickness (T1<NUM>), that said second compressed thickness (T2<NUM>) is from <NUM>% to <NUM>% of said first compressed thickness (Tl<NUM>) and that a ratio (T1<NUM>/ T2<NUM>) between said first and said second compressed thickness is equal or greater than a ratio (T1<NUM>/ T2<NUM>) between said first and said second thickness, and wherein said absorbent core (<NUM>) comprises a first core layer (<NUM>) and a fluid control layer (<NUM>), said first core layer (<NUM>) extending over said front portion (<NUM>), said intermediate portion (<NUM>) and said rear portion (<NUM>), wherein said first core layer (<NUM>) comprises <NUM>/m<NUM> superabsorbent material or more and wherein the fluid control layer (<NUM>) is shorter than the first core layer (<NUM>), and wherein a region of the absorbent core (<NUM>) corresponding to a portion of the absorbent core comprising the fluid control layer (<NUM>) has the first thickness (T1<NUM>, T1<NUM>) and a region of the absorbent core (<NUM>) outside the portion comprising the fluid control layer (<NUM>) has the second thickness (T2<NUM>, T2<NUM>).