Patent ID: 8622982

Claim:
A disposable article for absorbing a liquid, wherein the article consists of (a) an outer packaging surface formed from two layers of liquid impermeable material connected to each other, and optionally fabricated from one uninterrupted piece of material that is folded to form the two layers, said layers defining one compartment between said two layers, said outer packaging surface including (1) an opening or (2) a demarcated lid area, and (b) an absorptive material capable of expanding as a result of absorption of liquid positioned in said compartment, wherein the outer packaging surface surrounds more than one side of the absorptive material, wherein liquid can pass through said opening (i) into the absorptive material, wherein said demarcated lid area (ii) is so formed as to be readily openable prior to use of the article, so as to provide an opening through which liquid can pass into the absorptive material, and (c) optionally, if said opening (i) is present in said outer packaging surface, a liquid impermeable lid which covers or can cover said opening, and thereby protects said absorptive material from liquid, prior to use, and which lid is openable, so liquid can enter such opening, when the device is to be used to absorb liquid, wherein said outer packaging surface is formed as to provide, at least when said absorptive material is unexpanded, a volume space located between said absorptive material and said outer packaging surface such that liquid, which enters the opening (i) or opened demarcated lid area (ii), may be collected in said volume space, and absorbed over time by said absorptive material, without leaking from the article, said article being capable of changing its physical shape as a result of expansion of the absorptive material such that the article increases in at least one physical dimension.