CA2261836A1 - Personal care article with aperture aligned for receiving fecal material - Google Patents

Personal care article with aperture aligned for receiving fecal material Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2261836A1
CA2261836A1 CA002261836A CA2261836A CA2261836A1 CA 2261836 A1 CA2261836 A1 CA 2261836A1 CA 002261836 A CA002261836 A CA 002261836A CA 2261836 A CA2261836 A CA 2261836A CA 2261836 A1 CA2261836 A1 CA 2261836A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
personal care
care article
aperture
length
exudate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002261836A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Paul John Serbiak
Barbara Oakley Sauer
Robert Eugene Vogt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Original Assignee
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Paul John Serbiak
Barbara Oakley Sauer
Robert Eugene Vogt
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Paul John Serbiak, Barbara Oakley Sauer, Robert Eugene Vogt filed Critical Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Publication of CA2261836A1 publication Critical patent/CA2261836A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/45Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators characterised by the shape
    • A61F13/49Absorbent articles specially adapted to be worn around the waist, e.g. diapers
    • A61F13/495Absorbent articles specially adapted to be worn around the waist, e.g. diapers with faecal cavity

Abstract

A personal care article for preventing exudates from contacting the body of a user comprises a substrate including an extensible bodyside liner layer, and an aperture support structure limiting extensibility of the bodyside liner layer along the length of the aperture support structure. One support band of an aperture support structure runs through the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user. The aperture support structure positions an aperture in the bodyside liner layer in the gluteal fold of a user, in alignment with the anus, so that fecal material enters a containment receptacle upon leaving the anus. In another embodiment, the personal care article can include a comfort stretch layer comprising an elastomeric, hot melt, pressure-sensitive adhesive located between a bodyside liner layer and an outer layer. Elastomeric elements can follow the outside edges along the length of the personal care article and then curve inwardly at the crotch portion and cross each other at a cooperative location frontward of the aperture and corresponding to the perineum of a user. The personal care article can also have a first length at rest, and a second length when secured to the body of a user, the second length being at least 30 % greater than the first length.

Description

WO g8/0847C PCI/US97/lS261 -F~.~SONAL CARE ARTICLE WITH APERTURE ALIC-NE3 FOR RECEIVINC~ FcCAL
MATEi~lAL

5 FiE~ D OF THE INVENTION
Absorbent articles suc~ as infant diapers, training p2n;s. adult incontinence prcducts.
and the like are well known. Such aric!es have achie~Jed a wide ac~sptance due to their abiiity to rec~ive and absorb ~gdy PYurlatr. s.

10 This inventicn pertains to a perscnal care artic'e fcr ccn~aining body exudates. This invention utiliz_s an aperture mounted in the slute31 fcld of a user to minimize contzc or fecal materiat with the skin of a user. The aper~ur. trcnsrers fecal material to an exudate c-ntainment receptacle formed by an ex~ldatP panel mcunted on ~he subs-~rete.

1 C EACKGROUN~ OF THE INVENT~ON
In seneral, bcdy exudates of urine and t'ec~l matenal should be recPived anc canrêined by .he abscrbent article. However, leakaçe prcblems are common, especi211y cf recal material. Furthermore, even if exudates ~o not leak, the~J can have an adverse impac;
on ;he skin af a user cf an absarbent artic'e bec~use cf contâc: between exu~ates ar;c~
20 the buttocks ~nd other areas af the body within the atscrbent ar~ic!e.

Ccnventional absarbent artic'es inc~ude a bodyside liner an absorbent core. and an outer cover, made as a laminate composite anb wrapr~ed araund the body of a user as a unifled s:ructure. Ta the extent known, holes in the bocyside liner have not been 2c c~mpletely satisfac~ory to remove fecal material. rne matenals of the absorbent ar~ic'e.
in c.," ~ ion, act to pull the bodyside liner away frcm the body of the user, fomling a gap between the anus of the user and the bodyside liner. This gap allows fecal matenal to spread bath lengthwise of the abso,bent article and transve-sely, between thebodyside liner and the body of the user. Such spreading l;Crl ces the fecal material ~0 from alignment with any such hales in the todyside liner. Tnus, even if fec~l material receiYing holes exist in the bodyside liner of known aDscrbent ar~ic!es, the fecal material is nat efficiently and effec,ively c-aptured throu~h such hole and removed from contac~

W O 98/08476 PCT~US97tl5261 with the skin of the user. At times, this gap even allows fecal material to leak from the absorbent article.

U.S. Patent 5,207,663 discloses a urinary and bowel incontinency control underg2rment S having an elasticized double panel pouc.~ that is suspended from a waistband. A rear elastic seam 36 assists in drawing the inner panel 16 of the pouch between the buttoc~s of the wearer. However, the elasticity of such structure precludes enhanced positioning Ot the aperture with respect to a specific body element of the user. An aperture 30 is surrounded by eiastic matenal. No aperture supporting structure or other aperture 10 positioning struc'ure extends front~vardly from the ape!ture. A separate urinary pad, unrelated to the pouch formed in the rear of the absorrent article, is used to store unne.

U.S. Patent 4,950,262 disc!oses a bellows type stor2ge member which expands outwardly to store excretions. There is no disc!osure cr placing the aperture for the 1~ storage member in the gluteal fold bet~veen the buttoc,~s of a user.

CUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In the present invention, a personal c~re article for receiving exudates isolates and minimizes contact of exudate matenal with the skin of the user through improved 20 positioning of an aperture, in the bodyside line!, in the gluteal fold between the buttocks.
I his improved positioning prevents signlfic_nt amounts cf exudates from reac,'ling cr spreading on the buttocks, and from generally spreading between the bodyside liner and the s~in of the user, and thus reaching other orsans.
2~ In one embodiment, the personal care artic'e has a leng~h and a width. The personal care article ccmpnses a surbstrate, including an extensible bodyside liner, at least one aperture in the substrate positioned to receive fecal matenal, and aperture suppor;
s-ructure effective to reduce extensibility of the substrate along the aperture support s;ructure The aperture support struc-ure positions and seats the aperture in the gluteal 30 fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material.

In most emhodiments, the personal care article includes an exudate panel secured to the substrate and defining an exudate containment receptacle between the exudate panel 35 and the substrate. The exudate panel is positioned over the aperture such that the exudate containment receptacle receives exudates through the aperture. The exudate W 098/08476 PCTnUS97115261 - panel preferably has a second len5th substantially aligned with the first length of the personal care article. An indentation ~xtends across the first lenath of the personal care article and inwardly toward the subs;rate at le~st about 30% of the thermoformed depth of the receptac!e such that the effective second length of the exudate panel inc, eases when the containment receptacle is bent cr filled with exudates In some embodiments the exudate panel is secured over a second partial length of the substrate and defines an exudate containment receptacle between the exudate panel and the substrate. The aperture support structure can extend substantially the full 10 amount of the second partial length cf the substrate.

In some embodiments, undulations extQnd ac. oss the exudate panel such that the effective length of the exudate panel inc. e~-c2s when the containment receptac'e is bent or filled with exudates.
In another embodiment~ the personal care article includes an exudate panel secured to the substrate and defining front and rear containment receptacles having depths between the exudate panel and the subs;rate. The exudate panel is positioned cver at least one aperture such that the rear containment rec=ptacle receives exudates through 20 the aperture. The front and rear containment receptac'es can be connected by at leasL
one passageway to allow the transfer of exudates therebetween.

In some embodiments, the aperture support s.ruc~ure is extensible by about 5~h '~rom the length thereof at res..
In most preferred embodiments, the bodyside liner comprises an elastomeric matenal extensible in both "x" and "y" direc.ions. The odyside liner has a stretch-to-stop extensibility from about 20~,'o to about 200~,'o of its lensth at rest in both directions. The bodyside liner generally is substantially impermeable to liquid.
In one embodiment, the aperture support struc~ure comprises portions of the extensible bodyside liner treated with adhesives to thereby reduce extensibility.

In another embodiment, the aperture support structure comprises one or more separate
3~ pieces of material, the separate material being secured to the extensible bodyside liner.

CA 0226l836 l999-0l-22 W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 In yet another embodiment, the aperture support structure comprises portions of the extensible bodyside liner treated with heat to thereby reduce extensibility.

In most preferred embodiments, the aperture support stnucture includes at least one 5 support band. The support band extends between the aperture- and preferably the front edge of the personal care article. The aperture supporr structure has a support band which positions and seats the aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user ~ at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material.

10 In preferred embodiments, a second suppcrt band of the aperture support structure e,Ytends betv~een the aperture and preferably the front edge of the personal care arricle.
The personal care article has a lonsitudincl axis extending between the front portion and the rear portion along the length of the persGnal c~re article. The longitudinal axis is centered across the wldth of the personal care article. The first and second support 1~ bands of the aperture support structure each form an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 40 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis and corresponding angles with e~ch other.

In preterred embodiments, the first and second suppcr; bands define a spac~
20 therebetween, and inc!ude a licuid transfer s.ruc~ure in the space between the first and second support bands. The li~uid transfer structure allcws body exudate liquids to pass therethrough and into a containment receptac!e.

In most preferred embodiments, a third suppcr~ band cr the aperture support struc'ure ,5 extends between the aperture and preferably the rear _dse of the personal care article.

Ir. scme embodiments. the aperture supporl structure _rfec'ively surrounds the aperture.

In some embodiments the aperture suppor~ structure extends the length of the personal 30 care article.

In another embodiment, the personal care article has a substrate inc~uding an exudate panel. The substrate inc!udes a bodyside liner. The bcdyside liner includes an aperture.
The exudate panel has a rear wall, and inwardly folded front edges defining a front wall.
35 The front wall is secured to the substrate, thereby securing the exudate panel to the substrate and defining an exudate containment receptac!e between the substrate and the WO 98/08476 PCT/US97/1~261 exudate panel. The aperture opens into the exudate containment receptacle. At least part of the front wall of the exudate panei conforms to the substrate, and thus to the body of .he user. The effective length of at ~east the re~r wall increas2s in response to forces urging in~,rease in length.

In some embodiments. the exudate panel has undulations extending across substantially the entire width, and disposed along substantially the ontire length, of the exudate panel such that the rear wall of the panel is extensible Peak-to- peak lengths of the undulations increase the effective length of at least the rear wall of the exudate panel in 10 response to forces urging elongation of the re~~r wall.

The undul2tions can comprise creping formed in the e,Yudate panel.

In some embodiments, the fron~ wall of the exudate panel is open along a length thereof 15 and, together with the rear wall, defines a rec.angular shape to the exudate panel. I he ends of the exudate panel can be crimped and secured to the substrate.

In some embodiments. the personal care artic!e inc'udes an outer cover sec! ~red to the substrate and over the exudate panel.
In most embodiments. the surface area derined within ;he aperture is at least arout 2.4 square centimeters. The aperture befines an cpening abcut 0.25 inch to about 0.38 inch wide and about 1.5 inches to arcut 2 inches long.

2~ In another embodiment, the personal care arricle has z front portion and a rear porticn, 2 substrate, including a bodyside liner, an aperture in the substrate positioned to receive fecal matenal and an aperture suppcr; structure positioning and seating the aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttoc~s of a user to receive fecal material. This embodiment includes a liquid transf2r structure in the front portion of the personal care 30 article which allows urine to pass therethrougn. An exudate containment pane! is secured to the substrate and defines in parl an exudate containment receptacle. The exudate containment receptacle receives and contains fecal material passing through the aperture and unne passing through the liquid transfer structure.

35 In some embodiments, the liquid transfer stnucture compnses a portion of the bodyside liner treated with surfactant to enable unne to pass therethrough.

W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 In some embodiments. the exudate containment receptacle includes superabsorbent material to receive and retain liquid. The exudate containment receptacle preferably has a capacity of between about 300 millilite!s and about 500 milliliters. The exudate containment receptacle has a slippery inner surfcce such that exudates flow easily 5 throughout the containment receptacle.

In most embodiments, the personal care article is free from containment flaps and leg cuffs.

10 In another family of embodiments, the personal care article has a length and a width, the personal care article compnses a-,ubs.rate! including (i) an inner bodyside liner layer, (ii) an outer layer, and (iii) a comfort stretch layer between the inner bodyside liner and the outer layer, at least one aperture in the subs.rate; and aperture support structure secured to the substrate, the aperture support structure pos~tioning and seating the at least one 15 aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttoc.~s or a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal matenal from the anus, the comfort stretch layer assisting in the subs.rate maintaining effec'ive c~ntact with the body of the user.

In most embodiments, the substrate inclucing the comfort stretch layer can be extensible 20 in both "x" and "y" direc.ions. The comfor~ stretch layer can have a maximum stretch-to-stop extensibility in both the "x" and "y" direc~icns of at least 300Ch of the length at rest.
A first side of the comfort stretch layer is in surrace-;o-aurface relationship with the inner bodyside liner layer. A second opposing side of the c.,mfort stretch layer is in surrace-to-surface relationship with the outer layer. The comfor~ s;retch Iayer can be secured to the 25 inner bodyside liner layer and the outer layer such that full extended dimensions of at least one of the inner bodyside liner layer and the outer layer represent a stretched dimension of the comfort stretch Iayer. The portion or the personal care artic'e which includes the comfort stretch layer therein thereby has greater extensibility from a res;
condition than portions of the personal care artic'e which do not include the comfort 30 s~retch Iayer therein. The comfort stretch layer can compnse a stress/strain relatianship of 0.75 grams per 1.0% elongation per inch width. The comfort stretch layer can be symmetnc about lonsitudinal axis.

In some embodiments, the comfort stretch layer can have a width about one- third as 35 great as the width of the personal care article. In other embodiments, the comfort stretch layer can have a width approximating the width of the personal care article.

W O 98/08476 PCT~US97tl5261 In some embodiments, the aperture support stnucture can be located between the inner bodyside liner layer and the outer layer.

In some embodimentS, the aperture support structure c3mprises first and second suppor;
5 bands extending from the rear porbon frontwardly along respective first and second spaced paths, the first and second support bands extending inwardly toward each other at the crotch portion of the personal care artic~e, and effectively meeting one another at a cooperative location proximate the penneum of the body of a user, the support bands assisting in positioning and seating the at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between 10 the buttocks of the user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal matenal from the anus.

The spaced paths of the first and second support bands preferably extend substantially along first and second opposing outside edges in the re3r portion of the personal care 1 5 article.

In some embodiments, the firs. and second support bands, after effectively meering at a cocperative location, cross eac.~ other and exlend thererrom in ou~wardly and frontwardiy disposed curves, toward the front edge of the front portion of the personal care article.
20 The first and second support bands can extend along respective second and firs~
cpposing outside edges in the front portion of the perscnal care artic!e.

In some embodiments, a third support band effectively extends about the penmeter of the at least one aperture and extends subs~antially along the longitudinal axis to the rear 25 edge of the personal care article. Thus the third support band assists in posltioning and se3ting the at least one aperture in the glute-l fold betv~een the buttoc~s of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material from the anus.

In some embodiments. the support bands comprise a multiplicity of elastomeric e~ements, 30 the elastomeric elements being stretched when secured to the substrate.

In most embodiments, the first and second support Dands have less strain elongation per unit of stressing force than the comfort stretch layer W O 98/08476 PCTnUS97/1~261 - In some embodiments, the substrate includes a multiplicity of apertures therethrough in the front portion of the personal care article to allow body exudate liquid to pass therethrough .

5 In some embodiments, the bodyside liner layer, the outer layer, and the comfort stretch layer have a first elongation per unit of force applied thereto greater than a second elongation per unit of force applied to the aperture support stnucture.

In most embodiments, the comfort stretch Iayer comprises an elastomeric, hot melt 10 adhesive. The comfort stretch layer can comprise an elastomeric, pressure- sensitive adhesive.

In another family of embodiments, the personal care article has a front portion and a front edge, a crotch portion, a rear portion and a rear edge, a length and a width, the personal 1 c care artic!e comprising: a substrate, including an extensible bodyside liner layer; at least one aperture in the substrate; and aperture support structure secured to the substrate and compnsing first and second bands meeting one another at a cooperative location along a central axis in the crotch portion, frontwardly of the aperture, the cooperative Iccation being proximate the perineum of the body of a user, the aperture support 20 structure assisting in positionlng and seating the at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttoc~s of the user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus. to receive fecal material from the anus.

In most embodiments, the extensible bodyside liner layer has a first elongation per unit of 25 force applied thereto greater than a second elongaticn per unit of force applied ;o the aper~ure support structure.

In another family of embodiments, the personal care article has a front portion and a front edge, a crotch portion, a rear portion and a rear edge, a length and a width, a 30 longitudinal axis extending through the front portion, crotch portion, and rear portion, the personal care artic!e compnsing a substrate, inc!uding a comfort stretch layer, the substrate being extensible at least along the longitudinal axis, the personal care article having a first length between the front edge and the rear edge when the personal care article is relaxed, the personal care article having a second length between the front edge and the rear edge when stretched an amount recuired for application to the body of a user, the second length being at least 3C~,~o greater than the first length. The second W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261length can be at least 40%, 50%,60~/o,70%, 80% or 90% greater than the first length, depending on the design of the personal care article.

In most embodiments, the comfort stretch layer comprises a unitary sheet of material.
The unitary sheet preferably has a thickness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.05 inch.

FRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TllE I~RAWINGS
FIGURE 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of personal care articles of theinvention.
FIGURE 2A shows a cross sectio~ of a first exudate panel of the personal care artic!e of FiGURE 1.

FIGURE 2B shows a cross section of a second embodiment of an exudate panel or ;he 15 personal care artic!e of FIGURE 1.

FiGURE 2C shows a cross-sec.ion ~Jiew of a third embodiment of a containment receptacle of the personal care article.

20 FIGURE 3 shows the personal care artic!e of FIGURE 1 applied to the body of a user.

FIC-URE 4 shows a cross-s2c~ion view or ;he personal care article taken at ~-4 of FiGURE 3.

25 FIGURE 5 shows a top view of a second embodiment of personal care artic!es Ot the invention having center portions Ot the bodyside liner c~t-away.

FIGURE 6 shows an angled top vie~N of the exudate panel of FIGURE 5.

30 FiGURE 7 shows a cross section of the exudate panel of the embodiment of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8A shows a cross-section view of the personal care article taken at 8A-8A of FIGURE 5 with the bodyside liner no longer cut-away.

FIGURE 8E3 shows a cross-section view as in FIGURE 8A, and incorporating an outer cover.

FIC-URE 9 shows a top view of a third embodiment of personal care articles of the invention .

FIGURE 10 shows a cross-section view of the personal care article taken at 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FiGURE 11 shows a top view of a fourth embodiment of personal care articles of the invention with the bodyside liner layer removed.

FIC-URE 12 shows an exudate panel containing an absorbent pad having a surge layer.

FIGURE 13 shows a cross-section view taken at 13-13 of FIGURE 1Z showing the relationship betvveen the exuaate panel, 2bsorbent pad, and surge layer.

FIGURE 14 shows the absorbent pad including a surge layerfor use in the exudate panel of FIGURE 12.

The invention is not limited in its applic~ticn to the details or the construction and the anrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practic~d or carried out in vanous ways. Also, it is to be unders.ood that the terminology and phraseology employed herein is for purpose of descnption and illustration and should not be regarded as limiting. Like reference numerals are used to indicate like components. The drawings are for purposes of illustration, and are nct necessariiy drawn to scale.
DE I A!LED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILI uc I RATE~ E,~AEODIMENTS
Tne personal care article 8 shown in FIGURE 1 includes a front portion 10 having a front edge 12, a rear portion 14 having a rear edge 16. A longitudinal axis 20, centered across the width of personal care article 8, extends through front portion 10 and rear portion 14.
Personal care article 8 includes a substrate 18 having a bodyside liner 2Z, an aperture 24, and aperture support structure 25 supporting the aperture. Aperture 24 allows fecal matenal to pass through bodyside liner 22 and liquid transfer stnucture 2a allows urine to pass through bodyside liner 22, both to exudate containment receptacle 30 (FIC-URE 4).
Exudate containment receptacie 30 is defined in general by substrate 18 and exudate panel 31. Front waistband 32, rear waistband 34, and leg cut-outs 36 enhance mounting of personal care article 8 using fasteners 38 or the like and an attachment surface (not W O 98/08476 PCT~US97/15261 shown) secured to front portion 10 of the personal care article. In the embodiment of FIGURE 2A, exudate panel 31 includes an indentation 40. Flange 41 of exudate panel 31 is secured to bodyside liner 22. Indentation 40 allows expansion of rear wall 44 when personal care article 8 is bent as it is mounted on a user.

Bcdyside liner 22 preferably comprises a material having a stretch-to-stop extensibility in both the "x" and "y" directions, from about 20~'~ to about 200% of its length at rest. The "x" and "y" directions represent the width direction and the lensth direction, respectively, or bodyside liner 22. The length direction corresponds to the direction of longitudinal axis 20. ~odyside liner 22 is preferably imperme3ble to body exudate liquids, although in some embodiments, some or all ~r the bodyside liner may be penmeable to body exudate liquids. In embodiments where bodyside liner 2'2 is impermeable to liquids, the bodyside liner can permit the passage or air ar other gases therethrough.

15 In one embodiment of the present invention, bodyside liner 22 can comprise a stretch-bonded laminate having appropnate elastic:ty and width to create a surface contac~ with the body of a user. A stretch-bonded laminate compnses at least a two layered composite in which one layer is a gatherable layer and the other layer a stretchable layer.
The layers are joined together when the stretchable layer is in a stretched condition so 20 that, upon relaxing the layers, the gatherable layer is sathered. The stretchable layer can be a film of stretchable material, such as a layer of styrene ethylene butylene styrene or other elastomeric polymer, or a plurality of strands or a s.retchable material such as latex Other matenals with similar properoes may also be provided integral with or attached to bodyside liner 2~. Such materials should not interfere with the soft texture of 2c bodyside liner 22 against the s~in or a user.

Examples of matenals suitable for bodyside liner 22 include a wide selection of web matenals, such as foams. plas;ic films or natural ar synthetic fibers. Other possible materials are webs maoe from synthetic fibers, such as polyester or polypropylene fibers, 30 or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. For example, neckbonded spunbond matenal can be used for bodyside liner 22. Par~ of bodyside liner 22 within the outline of exudate panel 31 shown in FIGURE 1 is suitably utilized to help isolate the liquids held in exudate containment receptacle 30 Eodyside liner 22 may be composed of a substantially hydrophobic material. I he matenals must be necXed or creped or otherwise 35 formed to provide extensibility in at least one direction. Further, bodyside liner ~2 may aptionaily be composed of a micro-porous material which permits vapors to escapethrough bodyside liner while preventing liquid exudates from passing through.

In another embodiment of the present invention, bodyside liner 22 may comprise a5 spunbonded polypropylene fabric composed of about 2.8-3.2 denier fibers formed into a web having a basis weight of about 22 grams per square meter and a density of about 0.06 grams per cubic centimeter which has been creped or necl<ed such that it isextensible in at least one of the "x" and y directions. ~odyside liner 22 may comprlse a multiplicity of components, layers, or partial layers, whic.'l correspond to any of the 10 matenals disciosed herein, as well as others known in the art.

Substrate 1~ includes bodys;de liner 22, and can include other elements, such asaperture support structure 26,'front waist~and 32, rear ~Naistband 34, fasteners 3~ or the like. Substrate 18 can inciude additional layers or partial layers. Substrate 13 c~n 15 inciude outer cover 50 (FIGUF~E 8B), at least in recions where outer cover ~ is secured to bodyside liner 22.

Aperture 24 extends through and is preferably cut out or otherwise fommed in, bodyside liner 22. With bodyside liner 22 laid out flat at rest, aperture 24 preferably encompasses 20 within its outer perimeter a surface area of at least about 2.4 square centimeters. A
preferred shape for aperture 24 comprises a siot about 0.25 inch to about 0.38 incll wide and about 1.5 inches to about 2 inches in length. For example, aperture 24 may vary in length and width, preferably having a length- to-width ratio of from between about 4:1 for a relatively wide aperture and a length-to-width ratio of about 10 1 for a longer aperture.
2~ The length direction of ape~;ure 24 corresponds to the length of personal care articie along longitudinal axis 20. Other aperture shapes, such as rectangular, slit, oval or elliptical, can also be used effectively. A slit can have 2 V-cut or X-cut type shape such that tension causes lines of force that open the slit.

Aperture support structure 26 surrounds aperture 24 as shown in FIGURE 1. A vanety of mechanisms can be used to create aperture support structure 26. For example, aperture support structure 26 can be created by adhesively treating portians of bodyside liner 22 at selected locations, for example the locations shown. The adhesive reduces theelasticity of badyside liner 22 and thus prevents or deaeases expansibility of the bodyside liner along and ad~acent the adhesively treated portions.

W O 98/08476 PCT~US97115261 In a second family of embodiments, aperture support structure 26 is created by heat treating portions of bodyside liner 22. Heat treating reduces the elasticity of bodyside liner 22 in the treated region and thus prevents or decreases extensibility of the bodyside liner along and adjacent the heat treated portions. Application of ultrasonic energy, suc,b as ultrasonic bonding is one method of reducing the elasticity by such heat treatment.

In a third famiiy of embodiments, aperture support structure 26 comprises cords of spandex material having expansibility moduli higher than respective expansibility moduli of bodyside liner 22, secured preferably to the outer surface of the bodyside liner, away from the body of the user. Other possible materials include twisted cord such as thread, yarn or any other eiongate maten~l secured to bodyside liner 22, which limits longitudinal expansibility of substrate 18 along aperture support structure 26. Aperture support structure 26 can be secured ~ the inner surface or bodyside liner 2~. However, in such instances, the matenal of aperture suppor; structure 26 should be soft and comfortable 1~ for contacting the bo~y of the user When aperture support structure 26 compnses separate e.g. elongate elements in addition to bodyside liner 22~ the separate elements can be glued, thermaily bonded, sewn or otherwise secured to substrate 18. Othermethods well known to one or ordinary skill in the art can be utilized to form aperture support structure 26.
However aperture support structure 26 is formed. the aperture support structure is less extensible than the po,rtion of the bodyside liner to which it is applied. Preferred stretch-to-stop extensibility for aperture support s;ructure 26 is from about 1% to about 10C/o of its length at rest, and mos. preferably about 5~,'0, compared to, for example, about 20~b to about 200% extensibility for bodyside liner 22.

Aperture support structure 26 generally surrounds aperture 24. In one embodiment. a rear support band 26A of the aperture support struc~ure generally extends from the aperture substantially along longitudinal axis 20 toward rear edge 16 of personal care a,rticle 8 as shown in FlGiJRES 1 and 5. Rear support band 26A can extend to rear edge 16 or can terrninate closer to e.g. the inward side 35 of rear waistband 34.

Two front support bands 26~, 26C of aperture support structure 26 may extend from aperture 24 frontwardly toward front edge 12 of personal care artic~e 8. These two support bands 26~, 26C can extend to front edge 12 or can terminate cZoser to e.g. the CA 0226l836 l999-0l-22 W 098/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 inward side 33 of front waistband 32. Each of support bands 268, 26C forrrls an angle à
of between about 10 and about 40 degrees with respect to longitudinal axis 2C.

Optionally, a suppart band (not shown) may span aperture 24 in order to assist in maintaining the aperture in an open position. In a preferred option, the support band (not shown) follows the direction of longitudinal axis 20 through the center of aperture 24.
Such an arrangement may be considered as creating two apertures.

While support bands 26A, 26B, 26C are shown as continuous, discontinuities are contemplated. Similarly, a variety of lengths are contemplated for each of support bands 26A, 26B, 26C. The longer the support bands, and the less the collective effective lengths of any discontinuities, generally the more erfec.ive is aperture support struc-ure 26 in positioning aperture 24 ~n alignment with the anus of the user. By contrast, the shorter the support banding and the greater the effective lengths of any discontinuities, 1~ generally the less effective is aperture support struc.ure 26 in positioning the aperture in a!ignment with the anus of the user.

Liquid transfer structure 28 of personal care ar~icle 3 can comprise a liquid permeable region that allows unne to pass therethrough. Liquid transfer structure 28 can be fon~ed by a portion of bodyside liner 22 which has been treated with surfactant or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of hydrophilicity and wettability. One suitable surractant is TRITON X-102 available from Union Carbide, a business having offices in Oanbury, Connecticut. The surfac;ant can be applied by any conventional means, such as spraying, printing, brush coating or the like.
Ins.ead of being part of, or an extension cf, or a material like that of bodyside liner 22, liquid transfer structure 28 can comprise a separate and different sheet material such as screen, mesh, apertured film, wo~en or non-woven material or the like, secured to substrate 18, and preferably secured to aperture support structure 26 andlor bodyside liner 22 of substrate 18. Liquid transfer structure 28 preferably allows passage of liquids in only one direction. The matenal of liquid transfer structure 28 preferably has a soft clcthlike feel for contacting the body of the user.

E,Yudate panel 31 preferably has an hourglass shape as outlined in FIGURE 1. Flange 41 of exudate panel 31 can follow the hourglass shape. Flange 41 preferably extends outwardly about the entire circumference of exudate panel 31. In FlGURES 2A and 2B, W O 98/08476 PCT~US97/15261 flange 41 is most visible on the top and bottom ends. While flange 41 is shown extendin~ outwardly about the circumference of exudate panel 31, flange 41 can also extend inwardly about par; or all of the circumference of the exudate panel.

5 Exudate panel 31 is preferably a thermoformed flexible material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, vinyl or the like. Aitematively, exudate panel 31 can comprise a liquid impermeable non-woven or woven matenal that has been creped. Exudate panel 31 has a rear wall 44 inc!uding an indentation 40, and side walls 45 as shown in FIGURE 2A.
Indentation 40 preferably crosses the full width of exudate panel 31. When exudate panel 31 is bent, as when personal care artic!e 8 is installed on a user, indentation 40 decreas?s in depth, thereby incre~sing the eKective length "L" of rear wall 44. While FIGURE 2A shows indentation 40 substantially centered along the length of exudate panel 31, the indentation can be located toward the tcp or bottom areas of the panei as desired. Similarly, a multiplicity or such indentations can be used as desirable.
FIC-URE 2B shows a further extension of the concept of multiple indentations wherein regular undulations 46 extend the full length "L'' or exudate panel 31. These undulations formed in the therrnoplastic matenal allow fur~her expansion of rear wall 44 of exudate panel 31. While FIGURE 29 shows undulations 46 having a regular wavelike pattem,the pattem can be irregular. For example, the peak-to- peak distances between undulations 46 and the amplitudes of the undulations can va~y. The undulations preferably extend across the entire length of exudate panel 31, but undulations 46 can also extend across only a portion of rear wall 44. Undulations 46 are but general examples of multiple indentations 4C.
2~
Exudate containment rec~ptac'e 30 has a thermoformed depth "d" as shown in FIGURE
2.~ preferably from about 3/8 inch to about 1/2 inch. Indentation 40 preferably extends inwardly at least about 30~,'0, and most preferably from about 30~/0 to about 50~,h or the thermoformed depth "d" of containment receptacle 3û. Exudate containment recsptacle 30 preferably has a capacity to receive and hold about 300 milliliters to about 500 milliliters of exudates, and preferably about 350 miililiters.

In general, indentations 40 and undulations 46 extend only transverse to the length "L" of exudate panel 31. Thus, in preferred embodiments, and where the undulations or indentations extend inwardly between the preferred depth "d" of about 30~,'0 to about 50%
for exudate panel 31, the undulations or indentations do not extend lon9itudinally along , W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 the length of exudate panel 31. Thus, indentation 40 and undulations 46 do not generally participate in enabling a significant increase in depth ''d" when fecal material is received in containment receptacle 30. However, to the extent the indentations and/or undulaticns extend inwardly at least about 30~'o of deFth "d", and preferably from about 30~~O to about 50% of depth "d", one or more generaily longitudinally aligned indentations or undulations may be indicated in the invention.

Without limitation, exudate panel 31 typically has a thickness of about 0.5 mil to about 3 mils, and preferably about 2 miis. Exudate panel 31 is impermeable to liquids passing 1 0 therethrough.

Exudate panel 31 generally is secured to the outer surace of bodyside liner 22 along fiange 41 by adhesive or the'fike. Flange 41 has a suiricient width to secure exudate panel 31 to substrate 18, including securement agains; leakage of fluids from receptacle 30 about flange 31. Adhesive preferably secures flance 41 to substrate 18 such that neither the flange nor the substrate, including bodyside liner 22, can expand appreciably at the region of contact. The length of exudate pane! 31 is generally aligned with the length of personal care article 8 as shown in FiGUREC 1 and 5.

Exudate containment receptac!e 30 is typically formed by the combination of bodyside liner Z2 of substrate 18. and exudate panel 31. As seen in FIGURES 1, 2A, 2P, and 2C, exudate panel 31 comprises the outer w211. and the side walls, of exudate containment receptac!e 30, and substrate 18 compnses the inner w211 of the containment receptacle.
Exudate panel 31 is positioned over aper~ure 24 so that exudate containment receptacle 30 receives exudates therethrough. Both bcdyside liner 22 and exudate panel 31 are generally impermeable to liquids. The pnmary exception is front portion 10 at the liquid transfer structure 28 where bodyside liner 22 is typically treated to allow unne to pass through bodyside liner 22 into exudate containment receptac'e 30. To that end, liquid transfer structure 28 can comprise a separate element, which may utilize a matenal 3C different from the material used for bodyside liner 22.

Fasteners 38 can comprise a mechanical fastener sucn as the hooks of a hook and loop fastening system. An attachment surface (not shown) then comprises a corresponding loop material in front portion 10, adapted to re!easably engage with the hook material to hold personal care article a on the body of the user. Other well known fasteningapparatus can also be used to support perscnal care artic!e 8 on the user. For example, W O 98/08476 PCT~US97/15261 a cohesive system, an adhesive fastener system, belt, or the like may also be utilized to support personal care article 8 on the user.

Fasteners 38 can be secured to bodyside liner 22, outer cover 50, or a location 5 therebet\,veen. Securement of fasteners 3a can be by adhesives, ultrasonic bonding or any other well known method.

Front waist band 32 and rear waistband 34 generally compnse elastics, such as strands, nbbons or one or more layers of a polymeric andlor eiastomeric material which can be 10 adhered in personal care article 8 while in a stretched condition. Front waist band 32 and rear waistband 34 can comprise Qne or more individual strands of elastomenc matenal, preferably in a spatially separated, generally parallel arrangement. Waistbands 32, 34 preferably are adhesively secured to bodyside liner 2~.

While FIGURE 1 shows waistbands 32, 34 secured to ihe inner surface of bodyside liner 2~, the waistbands can be secured to the outer sunace of the bodyside liner instead.
Furthermore, waistbands 32, 34 can be secured to outer cover 50, or at least in part to exudate panel 31. The placement of waistbands 32, 34 with respect to the layer or layers forrning substrate 18 is not critical.
FIGURE 3 shows personal care article 8 applied to the body of a user who is Iying down.
FIGURE 4 shows a cross-sec.ion view of FIGURE 3 desicting the relationship berween exudate panel 31, bodyside liner 22, aper;ure 24 and anus 5O of the user. In this illustrated embodiment, aperture support s~nuc-ure 25 extends the length of personal care 25 articie ~3, and thus assuredly positions aperture 24 at or adjacent, and in alignment with, anus 5c. Exudate containment receptacle 30 prererably extends about both the front and bac~ of the body of a user to collect both liquid exudates and fecal material.
Exudate panel 31, having expandable rear wall 44, and in combination with bodyside liner 22, forms exudate containment receptacle 30.
FIGURE 4 illustrates personal care article 3 bent as anticipated for mounting on a user.
Accordingly, any gentle indentation 40 or undulations 46 have been absorbed by the general expansion of the length "L" of exudate panel 31, and are thus not visible in the depiction of FIGURE 4. The embodiment of FIGURE 4 does not show an outer cover 50.

W O 98/08476 PCTnUS97/15261 In operation, personal care article 8 of FIGURE 1 is applied to the body of a user by bending the personal care article and securing fasteners 38 to a corresponding outer surrace of front portion 10 to thus mount the personal care article on the user. Aperture support structure 26 surrounding aperture 24, shown by dashed lines in FIGUR~ 3, and extending frontwardly and rearwardly from aperture 24, assists in maintaining the size and shape of the aperture despite the presence of diverse forces urging otherwise when the personal care article is in use. In this illustrated embodiment, rear support band 26A
of aperture support structure 26 extends rearwardly toward rear waistband 34 along longitudinal axis 20. Such a rear support band 26A, when applied to the body of the user, resides in the gluteal fold between the buttoc~s. Thus rear support band 26A
positions and seats aperture 24 in the gluteal fold between the buttoc~s of the user generally along the innermost line of skin in the gluteal fold, to receive fecal matenal.
Aperture support structure 20'also may extend frontwardly from aperture 24 toward front edge 12 and assists in properly supporting the aper;ure adjacent the anus 56 of the user, from front portion 10 of personal care artic!e 8. In the i!lustrated embodiment, front support bands 26B, 26C extend frontwardly from aperture 24, each at angle a respectively with respect to longitudinal axis 20 as shown in FIGURE 1. In combination with rear support band 26A, front support bands 25a, 25C position or seat aperture 24 at or adjacent, and in alignment with, anus 56 of the user as shown in FIGURE 4. Eyextending support bands 26B, 25C at angle à outwardly in the frontward direction, aperture support structure 25 avoids significantly inteffering with the comrort of, or injuring the organs of the user. Further, the angles à of support bands 268, 25C provide transverse support at aperture 24, resisting transverse movement of aperture 24 out of its central location in the giuteal fold. Thus personal care article 8 will receive and retain signiricant amounts of fecal material direc~ly from anus C6 without the fecal material contacting the skin of the user at areas away from the anus.

Substrate 18, including bodys;de iiner 22 about exudate panel 31, can generally expand greatly for tight securement of personal care article 8 to the body of the user. Substrate 18, including bodyside liner 2Z within the outline of exudate panel 31 (FEGUR~ 1) can expand inwardly toward, and following the contours of, the body of the user in response to aperture support stnucture 26 seating aperture 24 adiacent anus 56 of the user.

Inward bending of personal care article 8 and corresponding placement of the personal care article on the body of the user also bends exudate panel 31. Instead of the bend greatly reducing the volume capacity by collapsing exudate panel 31 of exudate W O 98/08476 PCTAUS97/lS261 containment receptacle 30, indentation 40 shown in FiGURE 2A (or undulations 46 of FIGURE 2B) allows rear wall 44 to effectively lengthen and thus retain much of the volume capacity exhibited in the thermofcrmed position shown in FIGURES 2A, 2B.
During normal usage, when a ulser sits down, containment receptacle 30 will collapse to 5 the extent it conforms to the body oF the user where pressure is applied. However, since aperture 24 is in physical contact with, or in close proximity to the anus of the user, there remains a substantial volume, betvveen the buttocks, for exudates to enter and move a~out in, exudate containment receptacle 30. Further, areas of containment receptacle 30 not under pressure can expand to recêive and retain exudates.
When exudates enter exudate ccntainment receptacie 30, where and if not already in contact with the s~cin, areas of bodyside liner 22 within the outline of containment panei 31 can expand inwardly agair~st the body cf the us~êr to create more storage space.
I\/lore importantly, areas of ccntainment panel 31 that are partially collapsed can also 1~ move outwardly to provide more volume. F~ear wall 4 . effectively lengthens, as descnbed earlier, allowing for storage of exudates.

Exudate containment receptacle 30 desirably has a s'ippery inner surface that allows exudates to enter and flow easily throughout. Ac-ordingiy, as body forces are exerted on 20 containment receptacle 30 from differing directions, exudates already in the receptacle easily move about the receptacle as the receptac!e dynamically changes shape in response to such forces.

Optionally, exudate containment receptac'e 30 can include superabsorbent material. for 25 example, loosely contained within, or sec:lred to the walls forming the containment receptacle. Such superabsorbent material can absorb urine passing through liquidtransfer structure 28 and into containment receptacle 30 and liquids from fecal matenal.
In use, containment receptacle 30 can receive and retain both fecal matenal via aper~ure 24 and urine via liquid transfer structure 28.
In operation, the embodiment of FIGURE 2B works like the embodiment of FIGURE 2A.
Undulations 46 of containment receptacle 30 straignten and increase the effective length of rear wall 44. Undulations 46 extend across the entire width of rear wall 44 and can also include at least part of the side wal1s 45 of exudate panel 31.

~ ~ . .. .

W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 Another embodiment of the inVentiQn is contemplated where personal care article 8 can contain first and second front and rear containment recsptacles 30F, 30R as shown in FiGURE 2C. Front receptacle 30F receives unne-type exudates. Rear receptacle 30Rreceives fecal exudates. Such front and rear containment receptacles 30F, 30R have respective different exudate retention properties adapted to maximize retention and control of the respective exudates to be received. One or more optional communications passages ''P" beh,veen the front and rear receptacles 30F, 30R provide for ovefflow of exudates from either such receptacle to the other, to thus provide overflow or back-up capacity. Optionally, front containment receptacle 30F can include superabsorbent material, for example, loosely contained within, or secured to the walls forming the containment receptacle. Rear containment receptacle 30R can also include superabsorbent material. Whiie FiGURE 2C shows a single exudate panel 31 centrally bonded to bodyside liner 22'r3f the subs'rate adjacent a passage "P" and assisting in forming containment receptacles 30F, 30R, multiple exudate panels can also be utili~ed.
FIGURES 5 and 6 show a secend embodiment of an exudate panel 31. The cutaway view of a central portion of the drawing shows personal care article 8 without bodyside liner 22. Aperture support structure 26 comprislng an elongate matenal separate from bodyside liner 22 remains in FIGURE 5 to show the relationship between aperture 24 and exudate panel 31. Other than exudate panel 31, the e!ements in FIGURE 3 are the same as the corresponding elements shown in FIGURE 5. While aperture support s'ruc~ure 26, including support bands 26A, 25a. 2~C, is shown as a separate element in FI~URE 4, the aperture support structure can comprisc heat treated or adhesive!ytreated portions of bodyside liner 2~ of substrzte 18 as disc'osed earlier. Further, the depth and length of exudate containment panel 31 of the second embodiment can substantlally correspond to the values disclos2d eariier in the first embodiment of the invention .

The structure of the second embodiment of exudate panel 31 is better shown in FIC-URE
6. As seen there, exudate panel 31 includes front edges 42. Front edges 42 are folded inwardly defining front wall 43. Ends 54 of exudate panel 31 preferably are crimped and sealed when forming the panel to provide impemleable end seals that retain exudates therein. Seaiing can be accomplished by cnmping, adhesive bonding, ultrasonic bonding or other methods well known to one having ordinary skill in the art.

CA 0226l836 l999-0l-22 W 098/08476 PCTnUS9~/15261 FIGURE 7 shows a cross section of exudate panel 31 of FIGURES 5 and 6. Instead of having an indentation 4~, exudate panel 31 has a greater number of lesser amplitude linear cross-direction undulations 46 extending across the entire width and length of the exudate panel 31. Undulations 46 are substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axis 2C.
5 Undulations 46 allow rear wall 44 to change its effective length in resDonse to changes in - the position of the personal care article or the amount of exudates in containment receptac!e 30. Undulations 46 can compnse, for example, creping formed in exudate panel 31 durins manufactunng. The creping expands the potential effective length of rear wall 44 when the personal care a ticle is bent as in FIGURE 4. Undulations 46 preferably extend about the entire rectangular U-shaped exudate panel 31 as shown in FIGURE 6.

EYudate panel 31 can be fonmed of thermoplastic matenals such as vinyl, polypropylene and polyethylene. Exudate panel 31 preferably has a clothlike feel, especially on its outer suRace. Exudate panel 31 can also be formed from sheets of material simiiar to the material of outer cover 50 described herein.

Front wali ~3 is secured to substrate 18, for example, by lines 52 of adhesive extending along the length of exudate panel 31 outwardly from front edges 42. Placing adhesive on ends 54 assists in secunng exudate panel 31 to substrate 1~3, thus defining exudate containment receptacle 30. Adhesive lines 52 and adhesive placed on ends 54 of exudate panel 31 provide a liquid-tisht seal for exudate containment in exudate containment receptac!e 30.

In operation, undulations 46 can expand rear wall 4~ along its entire length, and iront wall 43 in areas away from adhesive lines 52. Further, the in-Folding of front wall 43 provides for additional volumetric capacity in exudate containment receptacle 30. Thus, for a given plan view outline of exudate containment receptacle 30, the volumetnc capacity of receptacle 30 is greater than that set forth for the single indentation 4~ in the first embodiment, and enables containment receptacle 30 to receive and retain larger quantities of body exudates.

The embodiments of FIGVRES 1-4 and the embodiment of FIGURES 5-7 can be modified to include an outer cover. FIGURE aA is a cross section view of FIGURE 5 having bodyside liner 22 no longer cut-away, and without an outer cover. Only bodyside liner 22 of substrate 18 and e:<udate panel 31 are shown. Outer cover 50 is not W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 necessary where bodyside liner 22 and exudate containment receptacle 30 have enough structural strength to provide a reliable personal care artic!e 8.

Optionally, outer cover 50 can be secured to bodyside liner 22 of substrate 18 and rear wall 44 of exudate panel 31 as shown in FIGURE 8E. This arrangement creates a product that appears more like a conventional personal care artic!e 8 to the eye of a potential user. In embodiments utilizing outer cover ~0, the outer cover preferably is formed from a matenal which is substantially impermeable to liquid. A typical outer cover 50 may be manufactured from a thin plastic film or other flexible liquid-impermeable matenal. For e:<ampie, outer cover 50 can be formed from a polyethylene film. When it is desirable that outer cover 50 have a more c!othlike feeling, it may comprise, for example, a polypropylene film having then~ally or otherwise laminated thereto a spunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. Furthef, outer cover 50 can be formed of a woven or nonwoven fibrous web which has been totally or partially constnucted or treated to impart a desired level of liquid imperrneability to selec:ed regions, or to all regions. Still further, outer cover 50 may optionally be composed of a micro-porous material which perrnits vapors to escape through outer cover 50 while preventing liquid exudates from passing through the outer cover.

Outer cover 50 is typically secured to the outer surface of bodyside liner 22 and may or may not be secured to the outer surface of exudate panel 31. Securement to exudate pane! 31 is generally not continuous. and preferably is at selected spaced locations. In the region of exudate panel 31, outer cover 50 can be pleated or loose during securement. Such securement allows exudate panel 31 to increase its effective length dunng usage. The use of adhesives, ultrasonic bonding, sewing, and other known methods of securing outer cover 5a to bodyslde liner 22 and exudate panel 31 arecontemplated herein.

FIGURE 9 iliustrates a third embodiment of the inventicn. Like numerals represent elements like those descnbed in the earlier embodiments, with addition of the prerix ''1".
Dashed lines indicate elements located below the surface of bodyside liner layer 122.
Personai care article 108, as shown in FIGURE 9, inc!udes a front portion 110 having a front edge 112, a crotch portion 113, and a rear portion 114 having a rear edge 116. A
longitudinal axis 120, centered across the width of personal care article 108, extends through front portion 1 10, crotch portion 113, and rear portion 114. Personal care article 108 includes leg cut-outs 136 and fasteners 138 for securement to the body of a user.

W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 Dashed outline 131 represents exudate panel 131 in FIGURE 9. Personal care artic!e 108 includes a substrate 118 having a badyside liner layer 122, an aperture 124, and outer layer 176. In some embodiments substrate 118 includes comfort stretc'l layer 174 An aperture support structure is defined by elastomeric elements 164, 168. Aperture 124 allaws fecal matenai to pass through substrate 118 and into a contalnment receptac!e located between the substrate and exudate panel 131 (See FIGURES 12 and 13). Front portion 110 and crotch portion 113 include a plurality of apertures 162, which allow urine to pass through substrate 118 Elastomeric elements 164, in combination, compnse a first support band of the apenure support structure. Elastomeric elements 164 extend from rear edge 116 in a path along outside edge 166 of personal care article 108. Elastomeric e!ements 164 extend inwardly at crotch portion 11 ~. Elastomeric elements 168, in combination, compnse a second support band. Elastomenc elements 168 extend from rear edge 116 along opposing outside edge 1 / 0 Ot personal care article 108. Elastomeric elements 16a extend inwardly at crotch portion 113. Elastomeric elements 164 effectively meetelastomenc elements 168 in crotch portion 113 at a c-cperative location 172 front~,vard of aperture 124. Cooperative location 1 / 2 is proximate the perineum of the body of a user wnen personal care article 108 is placed thereon. After effectively meeting, elastomeric elements 164, 168 cross each other, and extend therefrom in outwardly and frontwardly disposed curves toward front edge 112 Ot front portion 110 of personal care arTicle 108.
Thus elastomeric elements 164 traverse a path adjacent outside edge 166 in rear portion 114 and adjacent outside edge 170 in front poruon 110 of personal care artic'e 108.
Like~vise elastomeric elements 168 traverse a path adjacent outside edge 170 in rear por~ion 114 and adjacent outside edge 166 in front portion 110 of personal care article 108. Other arrangements are contemplated. For example, elastomeric elements 164,16a can meet at cooperative location 172 and then follcw a path in the front portion out~ardly adjacent the same outside edge the respective elastomeric elements were adjacent in rear portion 114 of the personal care article. Further, elastomeric elements 164, 168 need not extend to front edge 112 or rear edse 116 of personal care article 108 for the embcdiment to function properly.

Eiastomenc elements 164, 168 position and seat aperture 124 in the gluteal fold bet~Neen the buttoc~s of a user at or adjacent, and in alisnment ~Mth the anus, to receive fecal matenal The proper mounting location for aperture 124 is greatly assisted by elastomeric elements 164, 168, meeting each other. and respectively crossing laterally at ... . .

CA 0226l836 l999-0l-22 W O 98/08476 PCT~US97/15261 cooperative location 172 whereby the strztegic placement of elastomeric elements 164, 168, cooperates with respective body structure of the user to stabilize the personal care ar~icle on the body of the user, against side-to-side movement of the personal care article with respect to the body of the user. The limited elongation of elastomeric elements 164, 5 168, in combination with strategic placements thereof, including crossing cooperative location 172, assists in stabilizing aperture 124 both laterally and longitudinaliy.

When personal care articie 108 is placed on the body cf a user, elastomeric elements 16~,168 are proximate the perineum of the body of the user and maintain a position 10 relative thereto. Thus aperture 124 is centered adjacent the anus of the body of the user due to the designed spacing between the aperture and elastomeric elements 164,168 at c_operative location 172 and is laterally and longiiudinaily stabiiized there by elastomeric e!ements 164,16~3.

15 Substrate 118, having greater extensibility per unit of force than elastomenc elements 1~4,168, retractively expands to cover the body of the user in a s~in tight fashion. Tnus substrate 118 becomes the equivaient of a sec~nd skin layer on the body of the user.
Fecal matenal is then recetved through aperture 124 adjacent the anus of the user.
Since fec~l matenal passes direc.ly throush aperture 12~, less fecal material contac~s the 20 s~in of the user. Therefore comfort and c!eanliness of the user are enhanced by personal care articie 108.

While elastomenc elements 164, 16~ are shown as grcups of three elastomeric elements, other numbers of elements greater or less than three can be utilized.
2~ Eiastomeric eiements 164, 16a can c~mpnse LYCrcA elastomeric thread available from Dupont located in Wiimington, Delaware.

Other aperture support structures, such as those disc'osed earlier in the application may be utilized to provide the characteristics of lines of force. For example, the support 30 bands can compnse lines of force generated by an adhesive or by heat treating bodyside liner layer 122.

Elastomeric elements 164, 168 preferably are located between bodyside liner layer 122 and outer layer 176 as shown in FiGURE 10. Where comfort stretch layer 174 is 3~ present, elastomeric elements can be located between comfort stretch layer 174 and bcdyside liner layer 122. Elastomeric elements 164, 168 can also be located be~ween W O 98/08476 PCT~US97/15261 comfort stretch layer 174 and outer layer 176 in any event, all the elastomeric e!ements are preferably located on a single side of comfort stretch layer 174 Elastomericelements 164, 168 can be intermittently secured to substrate 118 or secured along the entirety of the respective paths of traverse along the substrate.

Whiie FIGURES 9-11 show the support bands being secured at preferred paths between bodyside liner layer 122 and outer layer 176, other arrangements are contemplated. For example~ the support bands comprising elastomeric e!ements 164, 168 in FIGURE 9 can be secured to the outer surface of bodyside liner layer 122 or to the outer surface of outer layer 176. Eiastomenc elements 164, 168 can be secured continuously or at intermittent lacations along their length.

Comfort stretch layer 174 is ii~ustrated by dashed lines in FIGURE 9 and shown in the c.oss sectional view in FIGURE 10. Comfort stretch layer 174 is deposited between bodyside liner layer 122 and outer layer 1 /6. Thus opposing sides of comfort stretch layer 174 are in surface-to-surrace relatlonship with respective surfaces of bodyside liner layer 122 and outer layer 176. Substrate 118 compnses the combination of bodyside liner layer 122, outer layer 176, and comfort stretch layer 124. Elastomenc elements 164, 168 generally are also located between bodyside liner layer 122 and outer .ayer 20 1~6.

Comfort stretch layer 174 preferably comprises an elastomeric, hot melt, pressure-sensitive adhesive. The comfort stretch layer has a stretch-to-stop extensibility or at least 3C0% from the res. dimensions in both the "x" and "y" directions. The "y" direction, of 25 course, represents the direc.ion of longitudinal axis 120 and the "x" axis represents the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. Comfort stretch layer 174 compnses a stress/strain relabonship of 0.75 grarns average stress per 1.0% elongation per inch width. Comfort stretch layer 1 /4 generally is an impermeable barrier preventing passage of liquids therethrough. Comrort stretch layer 174 can compnse a unitary sheet of 30 matenal. The unitary sheet or film of matenal preferably has a thicl<ness from about C.001 inch to about 0.05 inch. Such elastomeric, hot melt, pressure sensitive, adhesives are available from Findley Adhesives, Inc., Wauwatosa, Wl, under the trade designation Findley H2~03 and H2504. U.S. Patent Application 08/55~,011, filed November 9, 199~, the disciosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, descnbes such 35 adhesives fo- use in a personal care artic'e. Other products, such as KRATON- G, or the like, can be used in comfort stretch layer 174.

.

- As shown in FIGURE 9, comfort stretch layer 174 can have a width of about one third the width of personal care artic!e 108. The width of personal care article 10~ is measured at the widest location across the personal care article, exc!uding fasteners 138. Thus comfort stretch layer 174 can have a width of about 4 inches. Ccmfort stretch 12yer 174 5 is generally symmetric with respect to longitudinal axis 120. In some embodiments, c~mfort stretch layer 174 can extend other distances across personal care article 103.
For example, comfort stretch layer 174 can extend substantially the entire width and length of personal care artic!e 103.

eodyside liner layer 122 and outer layer 1/6 of FiGURE 10 can compnse matenals descnbed in earlier embodiments-descnbing bodyside liner 22. Bodyside liner layer 122 and outer layer 1~6 preferably each have stretch-to-stop extensibility in both the "x" and "y" directions of from about 20~~/o to about 200~/o of the respective rest dimensions.

At least outer layer 176 is generally impemmeable. ~obyside liner layer 122 can also be impermeable. Bodyside liner layer 122 preferably is not wettable. Thus bodyside liner layer does not wick fluid contacting thereon. Thererore more exudates pass through aperture 124 and plurality or apertures 1~i2, respective!y, because bodyside liner layer 122 does not wic~ away exudates.

Likewise, fasteners 138, front waistband ~not shown in FIGUR~S 9 and 1 1), and rear waisLband (not shown in FIGURES 9 and 11) can be similarto like elements described in e--rlier embodiments of the invention.

Aperture 124 has an oval shape in FIGURE 9. Aper~ure 124 can have a wide variety of shapes and dimensions such as those described earlier with respect to the aperture of FIGURES 1,4, and 5. Aperture 124 is positioned and seated in the gluteal fold adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus to receive fecal material.

Flural apertures 162 are located in front portion 110 and crotch portion 113 of personal care article 108. Any number from one to a multiplicity of apertures can be utilized. The size of plural apertures 162 can be vaned depending, for example, on the number of apertures in the embodiment.

Piural apertures 162, allowing unne to pass therethrough, can have any desired shape.
While circular shapes are disclosed, rectangular, elliptical, and slit shapes can, for W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 example, be utilized. The only requirement of the shapes is that they permit urine to effectively flow into the containment rec~ptacle.

The embodiment of FIGURE~ 9 and 10 thus compnses a final product having at leastabout 30% stretch-to-stop extensibility in the 'y direction along longitudinal axis 120 of the personal care article taken with respect to the length of the article at rest. The finai product includes substrate 118 compnsing bodyside liner layer 122, comfort stretch layer 174, and outer layer 176. Support bands preferably compnsing elastomenc e!ements164, 168 are, of course, also a part of the final product. The amount of stretch of the 10 overall personal care article can vary depending, for example, on whether absorbent pad 180 is utilized, and whether such pad is secured to exudate panel 131.

Depending on the amount of stretch in comfort stretch layer 174 when the c~mfor; stretch layer is secured to substrate 118, the amount of stretch in elastomeric elements 164, 15 168~ when szcured to substrate 118, and other factors, the overall stretch-to-s.op length of personal care article 108 c3n be at least about 40~~o ~reater in length than the length at rest in the "y" direction. In other embodiments, the overall stretch-to-stop length for article 108 can be about 50~'c greater than the length of the article at rest. In other embodiments, the overall stretch-to-stop length for artic'e 108 can be 60~,/o greater than 20 the length of the article at rest. In other embodiments, the overall stretch-to-s.cp length for article 10~ can be about 70~'a greater than the length of the personal care ar-icle at res.. An overall stretch-to-stop length for ar;lc!e 108 preferably is at least about 80%
greater, and more preferably at least about 90~'0 greater, than the length of the ar icle at rest.
2~
In US2, personal care article 108 conforms to the anatomy of the wearer. The front of cooperative location 172 where elas.omeric elements 164, 16a cross overtends to seat itself on the perineum which ac~s as an effective locator on the body of the user. In this way aperture 124 and the anus of the body of a user are registered and aligned with 30 each other to allow transfer of exudates.

FIG~JRE 11 shows a modified embodiment of FlGURE 9 having bodyside liner layer 122 temporanly removed to better view the elements. FIGURE 11 compnses essentially the same invention as shown in FIGURE 9 except for an additional support element in the 3~ support structure. Further, the embodiment of FIGURE 11 does not necessanly include comfort stretch layer 174. In this embodiment, elastomeric elements 178 provide a third W 098/08476 PCTrUS97tl5261 - support element extending at least from aperture 124 toward rear portion 114. Elements 178 optionally extend about the perimeter of aperture 124, optionally to cooperative location 172. Elastomeric elements 178 can follow elastomenc elements 164, 168 frontwardly into front portion and thus extend along the full length of personal care article 108. The third support element assists in seating and positioning aperture 124 in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of the user at or adjacent the anus, to receive fecal material from the user. Thus, the embodiment of FIGURE 11 functions like the embodiment of FIGURES 9 and 10, except for third elastomenc elements 178 comprising a line of force positioned in the gluteal fo!d of the body of a user. Therefore personal care article 108 compensates for less stretch cf the skin or substrate 118 due to the absence of comfort stretch laye~ ~74.

FiGURE 12 shows exudate panel 131 containing an absorbent pad 180 (see FIGURE
14). Exudate panel 131 can be formed of therrrloplastic materials such as vinyl,polypropylene or polyethylene. EYudate panel 131 prererably has a ciothlike feel, especially on its outersurface. EYudate panel 131 can also be formed from sheets of matenal similar to the matenal or outer cover 50 descnbed earlier Exudate panel 131 is secured to substrate 118 by adhesives or the like, as descnbed earlier, to form a personal care article 108 including a containment receptacle.
FIGURE 13 shows a cross-sec.ion view or exudate panel 131, absorbent pad 180, and surge iayer 182 taken at 13-13 of FIGURE 12. Absorbent pad 180 can be loosely placed, or adhesively secured to exudate panel 131. Surge layer 18Z is secured to absorbent pad 180. Thus FIGURE 12 shows the arrangement of the elements before securement of the combination of exudate panel 131, absorbent pad 180, and surgelayer 182, to substrate 118. Securement can be made by adhesive or the like.

Securement of exudate panel 131 to substrate 118 forms the containment receptacle for personal care article 108. As described eariier, elastomeric elements 164, 168 have less extensibility than substrate 118. Thus elastomeric elements 164, 168 form support bands defining lines of force positioning and seating personal care article 108 on the body of the user.

Absorbent pad 180, shown in FIGURE 14, can comprise a matnx of hydrophilic fibers, 3~ such as a web of cellulosic fluff. In some embodiments, the matnx can be combined with a high-absorbency material commonly known as superabsorbent material. In a particular W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 embodiment, absorbent pad 180 comprises a mixture of superabsorbent hydrogel-forming particles and wood pulp Fluff. In place of the wood pulp fluff, one may use synthetic, polymeric, meltblown fibers or a combination of meltblown fibers and natural fibers. The superabsarbent material may be substantially homogeneously mixed with the 5 hydrophilic fibers or may be otherwise combined into the absorbent pad 180.

Altematively, absorbent pad 180 may comprise a laminate of fibrous webs and superabsorbent material or other suitable me3ns for maintaining a superabsorbentmaterial in a localized area.
The absorbent pad 180 may have any or a number of shapes. For example, the absorbent pad may be rectangular, I-shaped crT-shaDed. As shown in FIGURE 1~, it is generally preferred that absorbent pad 180 be narrower in crotch portion 113 than rear portion 1 14 or front portion 1 10.
The high-absorbency matenal in the abscrbent pad 180 can be selected from natural, synthetic and modified natural polymers and matenais. The high absorbency materials can be inorganic materials, such as silica ge!s, or organic compounds, such as crosslinked polymers. The term crosslinked refers to any means for effec.ively rendering 20 norrnally water-soluble matenals substantiaily water insoluble but swellable, whereby zbsorbent properties are available but the swe!led matenal is substantially immabile after absorbing wzter-based liquids. Such me_ns can include, for example~ physical entanglement, crystalline dcmains, covalent bonds. ionic complexes and associations, hybrophilic associations such as hydrogen bcnding, and hydrophobic associations or Van Z5 der Waals forces.

As shown in FtGURES 13 and 1~, absorbent pad 1aO can include a surge layer 182.
Surge layer 182 assists in containing a sucden, large amount of exudates. Thus surge layer 182 improves performance of personal care artic!e 108.
Surge layer 182 can compnse materials set forth in U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
206,986 by C. Eilis and D. ~ishopl entitled, "Fibrous Nonwoven Web Surge Layer for Personal Care Absorbent Articies and the Like", filed March 4, 1594; and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2061069 by C. Ellis and R. Everett, entitled, "Improved Surge 3~ Management Fibrous Nonwoven Web for Personal Care Absorbent Articles and the CA 0226l836 l999-0l-22 W O 98108476 PCT~US97/15261 - Like", filed March 4, 1994, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference Fur;her, other surge layer materials known in the art can also be utilized.

In the embodiments of FIGURES 9-14, personal care article 108, including substrate 118 5 and exudate panel 131, can utilize an outer cover, as shown in FIGURE 8B, to create a product that appears more like a conventlonal personal care article to the eye of a potential user.

In all of the embodiments descnbed, personal care article 8, 108 preferably is free from containment flaps. As indicated, aperture 24, 124 is Iccated adjacent the anus when in use, and bodyside liner 22, and b~dyside liner layer 122 are generally impermeable to liquid. Fecal material generally passes direc'ly from the anus through aperture 24, 124 and into exudate containment receptac!e 30. Small amounts of fecal material may collec~
near anus 56. However! because of the alignment between anus 5B and aperture 2~,15 124, the amount of fecal marerial collecting is so small that fecal material generally does nct spread far from the anus. Thus personal care article 8, 108 receives and retains exudates without any need for containment flaps. Optionally, containment flaps can be pro~ided to reassure the wearer of the ability of the personal care article to contain exudates .
Fersonal care articie 8, 108 generally does not require leg cuffs, but may require reinforang perimeter seams or extra material for s~rength and gasketing. In the embodiment of FIGURES 9-11, the aperture support s.ructure tends to be adjacent the outer edge of personal care artic'e 108 and somewhat function as leg cuffs. Substrate 2~ 18, 118 inciuding bodyside liner Z2, or bodyside liner layer 122, respectively have enough extensibility to mount personal care article 8, 108 to the body of a userwith leg c.,t-outs 36, 136 helping conronm the article to the body.

In the embodiments of FIGVRES 1-8 of the invention, aperture support structure 26, 30 when mounted on a user, may generally follow the area of the minimum arc skin lines in the gluteal fold, and in the groin between the trunk and legs. Secause the~ skin in those areas is so sensitive, the materials of aperture support structure 26, including support bands 26A, 26B, 26C is selected for its balance of properties of both (a) limiting stretch of substrate 18 along structure 26 and (b~ being soft and supple, and thus gentle on the 35 skin of the user.

W O 98/08476 PCTrUS97/15261 - As used herein and in the claims that follow, the phrase "thermofonmed depth" refers to the depth of the exudate panel when first formed. "Thermoformed" is meant to include both highly flexible plastic matenals and somewhat rigid plastic materials and inc!udes both exudate panels fon~ed by a thermoforming process and exudate panels formed by 5 other processes. The phrase is not limited to exudate pane!s formed by what are conventionally known as themloforming processes.

As used herein and in the claims that follow, the phrase personal care article" is meant to inc!ude adult incontinence articles. feminine hygiene products, articles stonng unne 10 and/or fecal material that have no absorbent material, and absorbent articles stonng unne and/or fecal matenal that have absorbent material.

As used herein and in the claims that follow, the tenm "layer" is meant to include an element compnsing a single sheet or film of unitary matenal, a composite of multiple 15 layers of material, or other known arrangements compnsing a sheet of material, or the like .

~ifferent personal care artic'e sizes are re~ulred fcr infants, adults, or other users of the prcduct.
T hose skilled in the art will now see that certain modifications can be made to the invention herein disclosed with respect to the illustrated embodiments, without departing from the spirit of the instant invention. And whiie the invention has been described above with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention 25 is abapted to numerous rearrangements. mocifications. and alterations, all such arrangements, modifications, and alterations are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.

To the extent the following claims use means plus func ion language, it is not meant to 30 inc!ude there, or in the instant specification, anything not structurally equivalent to what is shown in the embodiments disclosed in the specification.

Claims (98)

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
1. A personal care article for receiving exudates having a length and a width, said personal care article comprising:
(a) a substrate, including an extensible bodyside liner;
(b) at least one aperture in said substrate, positioned to receive fecal material;
and (c) aperture support structure effective to reduce extensibility of said substrate along said aperture support structure, said aperture support structure positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material.
2. A personal care article as in claim 1, said personal care article including an exudate panel secured to said substrate and defining an exudate containment receptacle between said exudate panel and said substrate, said exudate panel being positioned over said aperture such that said exudate containment receptacle receives exudates through said aperture.
3. A personal care article as in claim 2, the length comprising a first length, said exudate panel having a second length substantially aligned with the first length, a thermoformed depth, and an indentation extending across at least the second length of said exudate panel and inwardly toward said substrate at least about 30% of the thermoformed depth of said receptacle such that the effective second length or said exudate panel increases when said containment receptacle is bent or filled with exudates.
4. A personal care article as in claim 2, the length comprising a first length, said exudate panel having a second length substantially aligned with the first length, and having undulations extending across at least the second length of said exudate panel such that the effective second length of at least said exudate panel increases when said containment receptacle is bent or filled with exudates.
5. A personal care article as in claim 1, said aperture support structure being extensible by from about 1% to about 10% of the length thereof at rest.
6. A personal care article as in claim 1, the length comprising a first length, said personal care article including an exudate panel secured over a second partial length of said substrate and defining an exudate containment receptacle between said exudate panel and said substrate, said aperture support structure extending substantially the full amount of the second partial length of said substrate.
7. A personal care article as in claim 1, said bodyside liner comprising an elastomeric material extensible in both "x" and "y" directions.
8. A personal care article as in claim 7, said bodyside liner having a stretch-to-stop extensibility from about 20% to about 200% of the length at rest in both directions.
9. A personal care article as in claim 1, said aperture support structure comprising portions of said extensible bodyside liner treated with adhesives to thereby reduce extensibility.
10. A personal care article as in claim 1, said aperture support structure comprising a separate piece of material, said separate piece of material being secured to said extensible bodyside liner.
11. A personal care article as in claim 1, said aperture support structure comprising portions or said extensible bodyside liner treated with heat to thereby reduce extensibility.
12. A personal care article as in claim 1, said extensible bodyside liner being substantially impermeable to liquid.
13. A personal care article as in claim 1, said personal care article including an exudate panel secured to said substrate and defining front and rear containment receptacles having a depth between said exudate panel and said substrate, said exudate panel being positioned over said aperture such that said rear containment receptacle receives exudates through said aperture.
14. A personal care article for receiving exudates, and having a front portion including a front edge, and a rear portion including a rear edge, said personal care article comprising:
(a) a substrate, including a bodyside liner, (b) at least one aperture in said substrate, positioned to receive fecal material;
and (c) aperture support structure, including at least one support band, said at least one support band extending between said at least one aperture and said front edge, said aperture support structure positioning and seating said aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material.
15. A personal care article as in claim 14, said personal care article having a longitudinal axis extending between said front portion and said rear portion along a length of said personal care article, said longitudinal axis being centered across a width of said personal care article, a second support band of said aperture support structure extending between said aperture and said front edge, said first and second support bands of said aperture support structure each forming an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 40 degrees with respect to said longitudinal axis.
16. A personal care article as in claim 15, said first and second support bands defining a space therebetween, and including a liquid transfer structure in the space between said first and second support bands, said liquid transfer structure allowing body exudate liquids to pass therethrough and into a containment receptacle.
17. A personal care article as in claim 16, a third support band of said aperture support structure extending between said aperture and said rear edge.
18. A personal care article as in claim 16, said liquid transfer structure comprising a portion of said bodyside liner treated with surfacant to enable urine to pass therethrough.
19. A personal care article as in claim 14, said aperture support structure effectively surrounding said aperture.
20. A personal care article as in claim 14, said aperture support structure reducing extensibility of said substrate along said aperture support structure,
21. A personal care article as in claim 14, said aperture support structure extending a length of said personal care article.
22. A personal care article as in claim 14, said personal care article including an exudate panel secured to said substrate and defining front and rear containment receptacles between said exudate panel and said substrate, said exudate panel being positioned over said aperture such that said rear containment receptacle receives exudates through said aperture.
23. A personal care article as in claim 22, said front and rear containment receptacles being connected by at least one passageway allowing the transfer of exudates therebetween.
24. A personal care article for receiving exudates and having a length and a width, said personal care article comprising:
(a) a substrate, including a bodyside liner;
(b) at least one aperture in said substrate, positioned to receive fecal material;
(c) aperture support structure, said aperture support structure positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus. to receive fecal material; and (d) an exudate panel having a rear wall, and inwardly folded front edges defining a front wall, said front wall being secured to said substrate, thereby securing said exudate panel to said substrate and defining an exudate containment receptacle between said substrate and said exudate panel, said at least one aperture opening into said exudate containment receptacle, at least part of said front wall of said exudate panel conforming to said substrate, and thus to the body of a user, the effective length of at least said rear wall increasing in response to forces urging increase in length.
25. A personal care article as in claim 24, said exudate panel having undulations extending across substantially the entire width and length of said exudate panel such that said rear wall is extensible, peak-to-peak lengths of said undulations increasing, thereby increasing the effective length of at least said rear wall of said exudate panel, in response to forces urging elongation of said rear wall.
26. A personal care article as in claim 25, said undulations comprising creping formed in said exudate panel.
27. A personal care article as in claim 24, said exudate containment receptacle having a slippery inner surface such that exudates flow easily throughout said containment receptacle.
28. A personal care article as in claim 24, said front wall of said exudate panel being open along a length thereof and, together with said rear wall, defining a rectangular shape to said exudate panel.
29. A personal care article as in claim 28, ends of said exudate panel being crimped and secured to said substrate.
30. A personal care article as in claim 24, including an outer cover secured to said substrate and over said exudate panel.
31. A personal care article as in claim 24, the surface area defined within saidaperture being at least about 2.4 square centimeters.
32. A personal care article as in claim 24, said aperture having a length- to-width ratio of from between about 4:1 and about 10:1.
33. A personal care article as in claim 24, said exudate containment receptacle including superabsorbent material to receive and retain liquid.
34. A personal care article as in claim 24, said exudate containment receptacle having a capacity of between about 300 milliliters and about 500 milliliters.
35. A personal care article as in claim 24, said personal care article being free from containment flaps.
36. A personal care article for receiving exudates and having a front portion and a rear portion, said personal care article comprising:
(a) an impermeable bodyside liner, (b) at least one aperture in said bodyside liner, positioned and seated in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user to receive fecal material;
(c) a liquid transfer structure in the front portion of said personal care article, said liquid transfer structure allowing urine to pass therethrough; and (e) an exudate containment panel secured to said bodyside liner and at least in part defining an exudate containment receptacle, said exudate containment receptacle receiving and containing fecal material passing through said at least one aperture and urine passing through said liquid transfer structure.
37. A personal care article as in claim 36, said bodyside liner permitting vapors to escape therethrough.
38. A personal care article having a length and a width, said personal care article comprising:
(a) a substrate, including (i) an inner bodyside liner layer, (ii) an outer layer, and (iii) a comfort stretch layer between said inner bodyside liner and said outer layer;
(b) at least one aperture in said substrate; and (c) aperture support structure secured to said substrate, said aperture support structure positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material from the anus, said comfort stretch layer assisting in said substrate maintaining effective contact with the body of the user.
39. A personal care article as in claim 38, said substrate including said comfort stretch layer being extensible in both "x" and "y" directions.
40. A personal care article as in claim 39, said comfort stretch layer having a maximum stretch-to-stop extensibility in both the "x" and "y" directions of at least 300% of the length at rest.
41. A personal care article as in claim 38, a first side of said comfort stretch layer being in surface-to-surface relationship with said inner bodyside liner layer.
42. A personal care article as in claim 41, a second opposing side of said comfort stretch layer being in surface-to-surface relationship with said outer layer.
43. A personal care article as in claim 42, said comfort stretch layer being secured to said inner bodyside liner layer and said outer layer, respectively, such that full extended dimensions of at least one of said inner bodyside liner layer and said outer layer represent a stretched dimension of said comfort stretch layer, the portion of said personal care article which includes said comfort stretch layer therein thereby having greater extensibility from a rest condition than portions or said personal care article which do not include said comfort stretch layer therein.
44. A personal care article as in claim 38 said comfort stretch layer comprising a stress/strain relationship of 0.75 grams average stress per 1.0% elongation per inch width.
45. A personal care article as in claim 38 a longitudinal axis dividing the center of said personal care article said comfort stretch layer being symmetric about the longitudinal axis.
46. A personal care article as in claim 32 said width of said personal care article comprising a first width said comfort stretch layer having a second width about one-third as great as the first width.
47. A personal care article as in claim 38 said comfort stretch layer having a second width approximating the first width.
48. A personal care article as in claim 38. said bodyside liner layer comprising an elastomeric material extensible in both x and y directions.
49. A personal care article as in c aim 48 said bodyside liner layer having a stretch-to-stop extensibility in both x and y directions of from about 20% to about 200% of the rest dimensions.
50. A personal care article as in claim 38 said outer layer comprising an elastomeric material extensible in both x and y directions.
51. A personal care article as in claim 50 said outer layer having a stretch to stop extensibility in both x and y directions of from about 20% to about 200% of the rest dimensions .
52. A personal care article as in claim 38 said aperture support structure beinglocated between said inner bodyside liner layer and said outer layer.
53. A personal care article as in claim 38, said substrate having greater extensibility than said aperture support structure.
54. A personal care article as in claim 38, said personal care article having a rear portion having a rear edge, a crotch portion, and a front portion having a front edge, said aperture support structure comprising first and second support bands extending from said rear portion frontwardly along respective first and second spaced paths, said first and second support bands extending inwardly toward each other at the crotch portion of said personal care article, and effectively meeting one another at a cooperative location proximate the perineum of the body of a user, said support bands assisting in positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of the user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus. to receive fecal material from the anus.
55. A personal care article as in claim 54, said first and second support bands extending substantially along first and second opposing outside edges in said rear portion of said personal care article.
56. A personal care article as in claim 54, said first and second support bands, after effectively meeting at said cooperative location, crossing each other and extending therefrom in outwardly and frontwardly disposed curves, toward said front edge or said front portion of said personal care article.
57. A personal care article as in claim 56, said first and second support bands extending along respective second and first opposing outside edges in said front portion of said personal care article.
58. A personal care article as in claim 57, a longitudinal axis dividing the center of said personal care article, said aperture having a perimeter thereabout, said aperture support structure including a third support band effectively extending about the perimeter of said at least one aperture and extending substantially along the longitudinal axis to said rear edge of said personal care article, said third support band assisting in positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material from the anus.
59. A personal care article as in claim 54, each of said first and second support bands comprising a multiplicity of elastomeric elements, said elastomeric elements being stretched when secured to said substrate.
60. A personal care article as in claim 54, said first and second support bands having less strain elongation per unit of stressing force than said comfort stretch layer.
61. A personal care article as in claim 38, said substrate including a multiplicity of apertures therethrough in said front portion of said personal care article, said multiplicity of apertures allowing body exudate liquid to pass therethrough
62. A personal care article as in claim 38, the length comprising a first length, said personal care article including an exudate panel secured over a second partial length of said substrate and defining an exudate containment receptacle between said exuciate panel and said substrate.
63. A personal care article as in claim 38, said bodyside liner layer, said outer layer, and said comfort stretch layer, in combination, having a first elongation per unit of force applied thereto greater than a second elongation per unit of force applied to said aperture support structure.
64. A personal care article as in claim 38, said comfort stretch layer comprising an elastomeric, hot melt adhesive
65. A personal care article as in claim 38, said comfort stretch layer comprising an elastomeric, pressure-sensitive adhesive.
66. A personal care article as in claim 38, said substrate maintaining effective contact with the body of the user over substantially the entirety of said substrate.
67. A personal care article having a front portion and a front edge, a crotch portion, a rear portion and a rear edge, a length and a width, said personal care article comprising (a) a substrate, including an extensible bodyside liner layer (b) at least one aperture in said substrate; and (c) aperture support structure secured to said substrate, said aperture support structure comprising first and second bands meeting one another at a cooperative location along a central axis in the crotch portion, frontwardly of said at least one aperture, the cooperative location being proximate the perineum of the body of a user, said aperture support structure assisting in positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of the user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material from the anus.
68. A personal care article as in claim 67, each of said first and second bands crossing one another at the cooperative location in the crotch portion corresponding to the perineum of the body of the user.
69. A personal care article as in claim 68, said first band extending along a first outside edge from said rear portion of said personal care article and then curving inwardly at the crotch portion toward the cooperative location.
70. A personal care article as in claim 69, said second band extending along a second opposing outside edge from said rear portion of said personal care article and then curving inwardly at the crotch portion toward the cooperative location.
71. A personal care article as in claim 70, said first and second bands, after crossing at the cooperative location, extending therefrom in outwardly and frontwardly disposed curves toward said front edge of said front portion of said personal care article.
72. A personal care article as in claim 71, said first and second bands, after crossing at the cooperative location, extending therefrom in outwardly and frontwardly disposed curves along opposing third and fourth outside edges of said personal care article.
73. A personal care article as in claim 67, each of said first and second bands comprising a multiplicity of elastomeric elements, said elastomeric elements being stretched when secured to said substrate.
74. A personal care article as in claim 67, said substrate including an outer layer, and a comfort stretch layer positioned between said bodyside liner layer and said outer layer.
75. A personal care article as in claim 74, said aperture support structure being located between said bodyside liner layer and said outer layer.
76. A personal care article as in claim 67, said extensible bodyside liner layer having a first elongation per unit of force applied thereto greater than a second elongation per unit of force applied to said aperture support structure.
77. A personal care article having a front portion and a front edge, a crotch portion, a rear portion and a rear edge, a length and a width, a longitudinal axis extending through said front portion, crotch portion, and rear portion, said personal care article comprising a substrate, including a comfort stretch layer, said substrate being extensible at least along the longitudinal axis, said personal care article having a first length between said front edge and said rear edge when said personal care article is relaxed, said personal care article having a second length between said front edge and said rear edge when said personal carearticle is stretched an amount required for application to the body or a user, said second length being at least 30% greater than said first length.
78. A personal care article as in claim 77, said second length being at least 40%
greater than said first length.
79 A personal care article as in claim 77, said second length being at least 50%greater than said first length.
80. A personal care article as in claim 77, said second length being at least 60%
greater than said first length.
81. A personal care article as in claim 77, said second length being at least 70%
greater than said first length.
82. A personal care article as in claim 77, said second length being at least 80%
greater than said first length.
83. A personal care article as in claim 77, said second length being at least 90%
greater than said first length.
84. A personal care article as in claim 77, said personal care article including at least one aperture in said substrate.
85. A personal care article as in claim 77, said comfort stretch layer comprising a unitary sheet of material.
86. A personal care article as in claim 85, said unitary sheet having a thickness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.05 inch.
87. A personal care article as in claim 77, said substrate including an outer layer, and an inner bodyside liner layer, said comfort stretch layer being disposed between said inner bodyside liner and said outer layer.
88. A personal care article as in claim 87, said comfort stretch layer having been extended at least 300% from a rest length dimension when secured to said inner bodyside liner layer and said outer layer.
89. A personal care article as in claim 87, said comfort stretch layer having been extended at least 300% from a rest width dimension when secured to said inner bodyside liner layer and said outer layer.
90. A personal care article as in claim 87, said second length being at least 50%
greater than said first length.
°1. A personal care article as in claim 87, said second length being at least 70%
greater than said first length.
92. A personal care article as in claim 87, said personal care article including at least one aperture in said substrate.
93. A personal care article as in claim 92, said second length being at least 60%
greater than said first length.
94. A personal care article as in claim 92, said second length being at least 80%
greater than said first length.
95. A personal care article as in claim 92, the length comprising a first length, said personal care article including an exudate panel secured over a second partial length of said substrate and defining an exudate containment receptacle between said exudate panel and said substrate.
96. A personal care article as in claim 92, said personal care article including aperture support structure secured to said substrate, said aperture support structure positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material from the anus.
said comfort stretch layer assisting said substrate in maintaining effective contact with the body of the user.
97. A personal care article as in claim 96, said aperture support structure comprising firs; and second support bands extending from said rear portion frontwardly along respective first and second spaced paths, said first and second support bands extending inwardly toward each other at the crotch portion of said personal care article, and effectively meeting one another at a cooperative location proximate the perineum of the body of a user, said support bands assisting in positioning and seating said at least one aperture in the gluteal fold between the buttocks of a user at or adjacent, and in alignment with, the anus, to receive fecal material from the anus.
98. A personal care article as in claim 97, each of said first and second support bands comprising a multiplicity of elastomeric elements, said elastomeric elements being stretched when secured to said substrate.
CA002261836A 1996-08-29 1997-08-29 Personal care article with aperture aligned for receiving fecal material Abandoned CA2261836A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US70537496A 1996-08-29 1996-08-29
US08/705,374 1996-08-29
US08/862,458 1997-05-23
US08/862,458 US6132409A (en) 1996-08-29 1997-05-23 Personal care article with aperture aligned for receiving fecal material
PCT/US1997/015261 WO1998008476A1 (en) 1996-08-29 1997-08-29 Personal care article with aperture aligned for receiving fecal material

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2261836A1 true CA2261836A1 (en) 1998-03-05

Family

ID=27107497

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CA002261836A Abandoned CA2261836A1 (en) 1996-08-29 1997-08-29 Personal care article with aperture aligned for receiving fecal material

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Country Link
US (3) US6132409A (en)
AU (1) AU4241197A (en)
CA (1) CA2261836A1 (en)
WO (1) WO1998008476A1 (en)

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Also Published As

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US6454750B1 (en) 2002-09-24
US6132409A (en) 2000-10-17
US20020111598A1 (en) 2002-08-15
US6595975B2 (en) 2003-07-22
WO1998008476A1 (en) 1998-03-05
AU4241197A (en) 1998-03-19

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