Patent Description:
The present invention also relates to a method for producing absorbent sanitary articles.

Absorbent sanitary articles typically have a central body or chassis having a rear section, a front section and a crotch section extending between the rear section and the front section, and which extends between the user's legs in the condition in which the absorbent sanitary article is worn. The chassis normally comprises a topsheet of liquid-permeable material intended to come into contact with the user's skin when the article is worn, a backsheet of impermeable material and an absorbent core sandwiched between the topsheet and the backsheet. The rear section and front section of the chassis are normally closed around the waist of the user by at least one pair of side panels which project laterally beyond the side edges of the chassis. The side panels may be elastically extensible in the transverse direction.

One of the most common problems with absorbent sanitary articles is the possibility that body exudates may leak from the rear or front waist section of the absorbent article. The risk of leakage is higher in the case of semi-solid fecal material that is not absorbed by the absorbent core and that may leak from the space between the waistband of the absorbent sanitary article and the user's skin.

Various solutions have already been proposed in the state of the art, which tend to limit the risk of leakage of solid or semi-solid body exudates from the front or rear waist sections of an absorbent sanitary article. One such solution is described in <CIT>. This document discloses an absorbent sanitary article including a chassis and at least one gasketing element applied to the topsheet and having an outer transverse edge attached to the topsheet and an inner transverse edge detached from the topsheet so that, during use, it forms a pocket facing the crotch section of the chassis that may receive and contain solid or semi-solid exudates.

The known solutions that envisage the use of a gasketing element as described in <CIT> do not work correctly if the gasketing element remains adherent to the surface of the topsheet in the condition in which the absorbent sanitary article is worn. Indeed, in this case the pocket formed between the gasketing element and the topsheet remains closed, and the gasketing element is not in a condition to receive and contain solid or semi-solid exudates. Absorbent articles with gasketing elements are also known from <CIT> and <CIT>.

The known solutions often have problems in ensuring the correct detachment of the inner transverse edge of the gasketing element from the surface of the topsheet in the condition wherein the absorbent sanitary article is worn.

The object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent sanitary article that solves the problems of the prior art.

In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent sanitary article provided with at least one gasketing element capable of forming a pocket for receiving solid or semi-solid exudates which, in the condition wherein the absorbent sanitary article is worn is open and in the best condition to receive such exudates.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by an absorbent sanitary article having the characteristics forming the subject of claim <NUM>.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing absorbent sanitary articles having the characteristics forming the subject of claim <NUM>.

Preferred embodiments of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims.

The claims form an integral part of the disclosure provided here in relation to the invention.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:.

It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are schematic and that - in certain figures - some components may not be shown to assist in understanding the Figures. It will be appreciated that the various figures may also not be represented on the same scale.

With reference to <FIG>, numeral <NUM> indicates an absorbent sanitary article according to the present invention. <FIG> shows the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> in an extended configuration and <FIG> shows the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> in a configuration in which it is about to be worn.

The absorbent sanitary article <NUM> comprises a chassis <NUM> extended along a longitudinal axis X. The chassis <NUM> has two side edges <NUM> and two transverse edges <NUM>, <NUM>, which extend along a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X.

The chassis <NUM> has a rear waist section <NUM>, a front waist section <NUM> and a crotch section <NUM>, which extends between the rear waist section <NUM> and the front waist section <NUM>. In a configuration of use, the rear and front waist sections <NUM>, <NUM> are closed around the waist of the user, and the crotch section <NUM> extends between the legs of the user. The rear and front waist sections <NUM>, <NUM> may be non-elastic, i.e. lacking the possibility of elastically extending in the transverse direction Y.

The chassis <NUM> may have a rectangular shape as illustrated in <FIG>, in which the two side edges <NUM> are straight and parallel to the longitudinal axis X. In a possible embodiment, the side edges <NUM> may be curved and shaped so as to conform to the user's legs in the configuration wherein the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> is worn. In this case, the chassis <NUM> may have substantially an hourglass shape.

The chassis <NUM> comprises a topsheet <NUM> constituted by a sheet of liquid-permeable material and having an outer surface which - during use - is in contact with the user's skin. The chassis <NUM> also comprises an impermeable backsheet <NUM> (<FIG>) and an absorbent core <NUM> which is sandwiched between the topsheet <NUM> and the backsheet <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> comprises at least one pair of side panels <NUM>, <NUM> extending laterally outwards from respective side edges <NUM> of the chassis <NUM> in at least one of the rear and/or front waist sections <NUM>, <NUM>. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> comprises a pair of rear side panels <NUM> extending laterally outwards from the rear waist section <NUM> and a pair of front side panels <NUM> extending laterally outwards from the front waist section <NUM>.

Closure formations <NUM>, for example micro-hook closure formations, may be attached to the distal ends of at least one pair of side panels, in the example illustrated to the pair of rear side panels <NUM>. The front side panels <NUM> may have an outer surface of micro-loop material (e.g. a non-woven fabric) to establish a surface connection with the micro-hook closure formations <NUM> of the rear side panels <NUM>. In the case in which the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> has only one pair of side panels (usually a pair of rear side panels) the waist section opposite to the one carrying the pair of side panels may have a micro-loop panel on its outer surface for establishing surface closure with the micro-hook closure formations <NUM>.

The side panels <NUM>, <NUM> have respective proximal edges <NUM> attached along respective side edges <NUM> of the chassis <NUM> at the rear waist section <NUM> or at the front waist section <NUM>. At least one pair of side panels <NUM>, <NUM> has an elastic portion <NUM> that can be elastically extended along the transversal direction Y.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the rear side panels <NUM> are elastic and the front side panels <NUM> may be non-elastic. The rear side panels <NUM> may comprise elastic elements such as elastic threads or films sandwiched between two non-woven webs. The front side panels <NUM> may be formed from one or more non-woven layers. In a possible embodiment, both the rear side panels <NUM> and the front side panels <NUM> may have respective elastic portions <NUM>.

The absorbent sanitary article <NUM> may comprise two leg cuffs <NUM>. The two leg cuffs <NUM> may be formed by respective strips elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis X and located along respective side edges <NUM> of the chassis <NUM>. The leg cuffs <NUM> have respective outer edges attached to the chassis <NUM> and respective inner edges <NUM> detached from the inner surface of the topsheet <NUM> and elastically tensioned, so that the inner edges <NUM> of the leg cuffs <NUM> in the configuration of use are elastically held in contact with the user's legs, and form barriers that help to reduce the leakage of liquid, solid or semi-solid bodily exudates in the crotch section <NUM> of the chassis <NUM>.

The leg cuffs <NUM> may be configured in various ways. In one possible embodiment, the leg cuffs <NUM> may be formed separately from the topsheet <NUM> and may comprise a plurality of elastic threads arranged between two non-woven layers. The elastic threads may be anchored to the two non-woven layers in discrete points, for example, by glue dots or by anchor welding, for example, as described in <CIT> and <CIT>. Between the discrete anchor points spaced apart in the longitudinal direction the elastic threads are free to contract so that the two non-woven layers assume a pleated shape when the elastic threads are at rest.

The leg cuffs <NUM> may also be formed by folding side portions of the topsheet <NUM> inwards, i.e. towards the longitudinal axis X, so as to enclose the elastic threads tensioned in the longitudinal direction between two layers of topsheet superimposed on each other. In another example, the leg cuffs <NUM> may be formed by applying additional non-woven strips to the topsheet <NUM> at the side edges <NUM> of the chassis <NUM> so as to enclose elastic threads tensioned in the longitudinal direction between the topsheet and the additional non-woven strips.

The elastic leg cuffs <NUM> generally have end portions <NUM> in which the inner edge <NUM> of the leg cuffs <NUM> is also attached to the topsheet <NUM>. The leg cuffs <NUM> have respective central portions <NUM> comprised between the end portions <NUM> in which the respective inner edges <NUM> are detached from the topsheet <NUM>. The end portions <NUM> of the leg cuffs <NUM> are not elastically extensible while the inner edges of the central portions <NUM> are elastically extensible in the longitudinal direction X.

With reference to <FIG>, the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> comprises at least one gasketing element <NUM> applied to the outer surface of the topsheet <NUM> in at least one of the rear and front waist sections <NUM>, <NUM>. In the embodiment illustrated by way of example in the figures, the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> comprises a single gasketing element <NUM> located in the rear waist section <NUM>. In possible embodiments, the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> could comprise a rear gasketing element located in the rear waist section <NUM> and a front gasketing element located in the front waist section <NUM>.

The gasketing element <NUM> is a separate component with respect to the topsheet <NUM> and with respect to the side panels <NUM>. The gasketing element <NUM> may have the shape of a rectangular strip elongated in the transverse direction Y. The gasketing element <NUM> may have an elastic portion that can be stretched elastically in the transverse direction Y or it can be made of non-elastic material (for example, from one or more non-woven layers).

The gasketing element <NUM> comprises an outer transverse edge <NUM>, an inner transverse edge <NUM> and two side edges <NUM>. In a possible embodiment, the outer transverse edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> is attached to the topsheet <NUM> along a continuous transverse attachment line <NUM> and is attached to the leg cuffs <NUM> along longitudinal attachment lines <NUM>. The attachment lines <NUM> and <NUM> form an attachment area having a substantially C shape facing the crotch section <NUM> of the chassis <NUM>.

The inner transverse edge <NUM> is detached from the outer surface of the topsheet <NUM> so as to form a pocket <NUM> open towards the crotch section <NUM> of the chassis <NUM>. The pocket <NUM> is closed on three sides by the attachment lines <NUM>, <NUM>. The attachment lines <NUM>, <NUM> may be made by glue or welding (thermal or ultrasonic). In a possible embodiment, the attachment lines <NUM> between the gasketing element <NUM> and the leg cuffs <NUM> extend over portions of the leg cuffs <NUM> that are detached from the topsheet <NUM>.

At least one of the side edges <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> extends in the transverse direction beyond the respective side edge <NUM> of the chassis <NUM> and is attached to a respective elastic portion <NUM> of a respective side panel <NUM>.

At least part of the elastic portion <NUM> of a respective side panel <NUM> is arranged between the side edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> and the proximal edge <NUM> of the respective side panel <NUM>.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, both side edges <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> extend in the transverse direction Y beyond the respective side edges <NUM> of the chassis <NUM>, and are attached to respective elastic portions <NUM> of the respective side panels <NUM>. The attachment areas between the side edges <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> and the elastic portions <NUM> of the side panels <NUM> are indicated by <NUM>. This attachment may be done by glue or welding (thermal or ultrasonic). The attachment areas <NUM> may be adjacent to the inner edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> and may extend in the direction of the X axis only for a small part of the length of the side edges <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, discontinuity regions <NUM> are arranged between the attachment areas <NUM> in which the gasketing element <NUM> is attached to the side panels <NUM> and the attachment areas <NUM>, <NUM> in which the gasketing element <NUM> is fixed to the chassis <NUM>, so that in these discontinuity regions <NUM> the gasketing element <NUM> is detached from the chassis <NUM> and from the side panels <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may consist of a single layer of an elastic film.

In a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may consist of an elastic composite material.

In a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may be formed of an elastic laminate including an elastic film sandwiched between two non-woven layers anchored to each other and to the elastic film by means of a pattern of connecting points formed by glue or welding (thermal or ultrasonic).

In a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may comprise a plurality of elastic threads or a plurality of elastic tapes sandwiched between two non-woven layers anchored to each other and to the elastic threads or elastic tapes by a pattern of connecting points formed by glue or welding (thermal or ultrasonic).

With reference to <FIG>, in a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may comprise an elastic element <NUM> having a smaller dimension than the gasketing element <NUM> in the longitudinal direction X, and the same dimension as the gasketing element <NUM> in the transverse direction Y, so that the gasketing element <NUM> has two non-elastic transverse portions <NUM> located on opposite sides of the elastic element <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, in a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may comprise an elastic element <NUM> having a smaller dimension than the gasketing element <NUM> in the transverse direction Y and the same length as the gasketing element <NUM> in the longitudinal direction X, so that the gasketing element <NUM> has two non-elastic longitudinal portions <NUM> located on opposite sides of the elastic element <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, in a possible embodiment, the elastic element <NUM> may have a smaller size than the gasketing element <NUM> both in the longitudinal direction X and in the transversal direction Y, so that the gasketing element <NUM> has two non-elastic transverse portions <NUM> and two non-elastic longitudinal portions <NUM> forming a non-elastic frame that surrounds the elastic element <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may consist of a non-elastic element. For example, the gasketing element <NUM> could consist of one or more non-woven layers.

Both when the gasketing element <NUM> is elastically extensible in the transverse direction Y and when the gasketing element <NUM> is not elastically extensible, the gasketing element <NUM> may have at least one fold <NUM> (<FIG>) parallel to the longitudinal axis X. In a possible embodiment, the gasketing element <NUM> may have two longitudinal folds <NUM>, each having an S or Z shape, so that the gasketing element <NUM> is folded according to a general Ω configuration. The longitudinal folds <NUM> may be located inside the attachment lines <NUM> that attach the gasketing element <NUM> to the leg cuffs <NUM>. The edges of the folds <NUM> may be attached together by welding points <NUM> adjacent to the outer transverse edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM>.

When the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> is worn, the rear side panels <NUM> are elastically stretched in the transverse direction Y before connecting the micro-hook closure formations <NUM> with micro-loop surfaces provided on the front side panels <NUM> or on a front panel applied to the outer surface of the front waist section <NUM>. During the elastic stretching in the transverse direction of the side panels <NUM>, the inner transverse edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> is pulled in the transverse direction Y. The extension in the transverse direction Y of the inner transverse edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> is made possible by the elasticity in the transverse direction of the gasketing element <NUM> or the opening of the folds <NUM>, or a combination thereof. The extension in the transverse direction of the inner transverse edge <NUM> of the gasketing element <NUM> causes the detachment of the inner transverse edge <NUM> from the topsheet <NUM> and the opening of the pocket <NUM> along the inner transverse edge <NUM>. This ensures that when the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> is worn the pocket <NUM> formed between the gasketing element <NUM> and the topsheet <NUM> is open and is in the best conditions for receiving and containing solid or semi-solid bodily exudates remaining between the skin of the user and the topsheet <NUM>.

During the transverse stretching of the elastic panels <NUM>, the gasketing element <NUM>, being attached to the portions <NUM> of the leg cuffs <NUM> detached from the topsheet <NUM>, lifts the inner edges <NUM> of the leg cuffs <NUM>, thus forming a containment volume between the topsheet <NUM>, the leg cuffs <NUM> and the gasketing element <NUM>, which is effective in receiving and retaining solid and semi-solid bodily exudates.

As indicated above, the absorbent sanitary article <NUM> may have a single gasketing element <NUM> located in only one of the waist sections (for example, the rear waist section <NUM>, which is the one most exposed to receiving solid or semi-solid bodily exudates) or it may comprise two gasketing elements <NUM>, each configured as previously described and located, respectively, in the rear waist section <NUM> and in the front waist section <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, numeral <NUM> schematically indicates an apparatus for producing absorbent sanitary articles according to the present invention.

A continuous chassis chain <NUM> travels in the machine direction MD. The continuous chassis chain <NUM> may be in the form of a continuous composite web or may be formed of discrete elements. The continuous chassis chain <NUM> may be produced with apparatuses known in the sector for producing absorbent sanitary articles. On the continuous chassis chain <NUM>, elastic side panels <NUM> and, possibly, <NUM> are applied at regular intervals by techniques known per se in the sector.

The apparatus <NUM> comprises a feed unit <NUM>, which feeds a continuous sheet <NUM>. The continuous sheet <NUM> may be an elastic laminate that is elastically extensible in the transverse direction, or it may be a non-elastic sheet. The apparatus <NUM> may comprise a folding device <NUM> configured for forming continuous longitudinal folds on the continuous sheet <NUM> parallel to the direction of movement. Downstream of the folding device <NUM>, a welding device <NUM> may be provided, configured to carry out weldings between the folded edges of the continuous sheet <NUM> at predetermined positions and spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. An edge alignment device <NUM> may be provided downstream of the welding device <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> comprises a cut-and-slip unit <NUM> configured to transversely cut the sheet <NUM> to form individual gasketing elements <NUM>, which are applied with a predetermined phase relationship onto the continuous chassis chain <NUM> as it advances in the machine direction MD. Upstream of the cut-and-slip unit <NUM>, a glue applicator device <NUM> may be arranged, which is configured to apply glue patterns onto the continuous sheet <NUM> with a predetermined phase relationship. The glue applied by the glue applicator device <NUM> serves to attach the gasketing elements <NUM> onto the continuous chassis chain <NUM> along the attachment areas <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, as previously described. Alternatively, instead of the glue applicator device <NUM>, a welding device could be provided located downstream of the cut-and-slip unit <NUM> and configured to weld the individual gasketing elements <NUM> onto the continuous chassis chain <NUM> so as to produce - by welding - the previously described attachment areas <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

When the continuous chassis chain <NUM> is made in the form of a continuous composite web, after attachment of the gasketing element, the continuous composite web is transversely cut to form individual absorbent sanitary articles <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, the method may envisage attachment of the individual gasketing elements <NUM> (by glue or welding) onto a continuous backsheet and, subsequently, the application and attachment of the continuous topsheet onto the continuous chassis chain <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> implements a method comprising:.

Claim 1:
An absorbent sanitary article comprising:
- a chassis (<NUM>) having a longitudinal axis (X), two side edges (<NUM>), a rear waist section (<NUM>), a front waist section (<NUM>) and a crotch section (<NUM>) intermediate between the rear waist section (<NUM>) and the front waist section (<NUM>), wherein the chassis (<NUM>) comprises a topsheet (<NUM>) having an outer surface which, during use, faces the user's body, a backsheet (<NUM>) and an absorbent core (<NUM>) interposed between the topsheet (<NUM>) and the backsheet (<NUM>),
- at least one pair of side panels (<NUM>, <NUM>) extending laterally outwards from the respective side edges (<NUM>) of the chassis (<NUM>) in at least one of the rear and front waist sections (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein said side panels (<NUM>, <NUM>) have respective proximal edges (<NUM>) fixed to the chassis (<NUM>) and respective elastic portions (<NUM>) elastically extendable along a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (X), and
- at least one gasketing element (<NUM>) applied to the outer surface of the topsheet (<NUM>) in at least one of said rear and front waist sections (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein said at least one gasketing element (<NUM>) has an outer transverse edge (<NUM>), an inner transverse edge (<NUM>) and two side edges (<NUM>), wherein the outer transverse edge (<NUM>) is attached to the chassis (<NUM>) and the inner transverse edge (<NUM>) is detached from the outer surface of the topsheet (<NUM>) to form a pocket (<NUM>) open towards said crotch section (<NUM>), and wherein at least one of said side edges (<NUM>) of the gasketing element (<NUM>) extends in a transverse direction beyond the respective side edge (<NUM>) of the chassis (<NUM>), and is fixed to a respective side panel (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein at least part of the elastic portion (<NUM>) is arranged between said side edge (<NUM>) of the gasketing element (<NUM>) and said proximal edge (<NUM>) of said respective side panel (<NUM>, <NUM>) .