US2965102A - Sanitary napkin - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, 1960 K. J. HARwooD SANITARY NAPKIN Filed April 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Shea?l 1 H g w m @ya m3 M, M

Dec. 20, 1960 K. J. HARwooD 2,965,102

SANITARY NAPKIN Filed April 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 )JWMV @M @MNO/@ Dec. 20, 1960 K, J HARWOOD 2,965,102-

SANITARY NAPKIN Filed April 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fig. z2.

INVENTOR:

jzfefamez dffaf'wood SANITARY NAPKIN Kenneth J. Harwood, Neenah, Wis., assignor to Kimberly- Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 581,093

6 Claims. (Cl. 12S-290) The present invention relates generally to absorbent bandages and the like and is particularly directed to an improved form of sanitary napkin.

The primary problem involved in providing a satisfactory sanitary napkin is in achieving the proper combination of absorbency and comfort. It is important, of course, to provide a pad body which will afford adequate absorbency in the area where most needed, but to do so and still provide a pad which will not be uncomfortable to the wearer during the ordinary period of use is an achievement not fully realized with any of the known types of sanitary napkins.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved form of sanitary napkin having a novel arrangement of absorbent materials so as to afford maximum protection and comfort to the wearer.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent with reference to the disclosure of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. l and omitting the outer wrapper portion of the sanitary napkin.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another modification of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of still another modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the structure in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a further modification of this invention.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views taken along the lines 8 8 and 9 9, respectively, in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the wrapper seen in Fig. 7.

Fig. ll is a top plan view of another modification of the invention.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged bottom plan view of a portion of the sanitary napkin in Fig. 1l.

The primary purpose of a sanitary napkin is, of course, to provide for the absorption of menstrual fluids, and most of the sanitary napkins designed heretofore have been principally concerned with this absorption factor, but in some respects they have failed to give adequate attention to the comfort of the person using the pad. In order to provide adequate absorbency and to prevent staining of clothing etc. it has generally been accepted that a pad of relatively large proportions and bulk is required. Consequently, the greater portions of the sanitary napkins are approximately 23A-3 inches wide, about 9 inches long and 1/2 to 3%: inch in thickness.

While this prior design of sanitary napkin usually affords what is considered an adequate absorbent capacity, it has several serious defects, particularly with respect to the inefficient utilization of the available absorb ent material and the discomfort that it causes the ordinary States Patent O "ice user. In its application to the body, the current form of sanitary napkin is generally either folded lengthwise to thereby provide a generally inverted U-shaped configuration of the portion of the sanitary napkin which extends between the legs, or squeezed transversely a substantial amount to thereby reduce the width so as to fit the anatomy. In either case the resulting disposition of the absorbent material prevents the pad from fitting closely to the body and prevents the full surface area of the pad from being effective to absorb fluid. The downwardly projecting sides of the napkin are not disposed to readily absorb fluid in the first instance, and in both cases the surface of the sanitary napkin facing the body is full of deep corrugations which are uncomfortable and which cause the fiuids to be spread rather quickly to the ends and sides of the pad without being absorbed by the pad.

Then too, prior types of sanitary napkins present rather large and bulky end portions which are generally believed to be necessary in order to provide an adequate area of absorbent material to compensate for the tendency of the pad to slide lengthwise when in use. The presence of such large end portions is generally objectionable both from the standpoint of comfort and of appearance.

The present invention provides a sanitary napkin which overcomes the above deficiencies, generally through a novel disposition of the absorbent material forming the body of the sanitary napkin so as to afford more efficient use of such material and to provide greater comfort t0 the wearer.

One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in Figs. l and 2, wherein there is shown 'a sanitary napkin 10 comprising a fluid-pervious wrapper 12, which may be of gauze or other suitable material, a main pad body 14, and a supplementary pad body 16. The main pad body 14 is in the form of a relatively narrow, elongated pad of suitable fluid-absorbent material, which in tnis instance comprises a plurality of plies of crepe tissue sheets forming a pad body that is substantially thinner than the ordinary sanitary napkin. The creping preferably extends lengthwise of the napkin in order to discourage flow of fluids to the side edges of the pad bodies. The supplementary pad body 16, also of suitable fluid-absorbent material, is substantially shorter than the main pad body, approximately one-half the length, and is disposed on one face of the main pad body intermediate the ends thereof. Preferably, the supplementary pad body is located somewhat nearer one end of the main pad and it is intended that the end thus provided with the shortest length of the main pad will be worn toward the front of the body. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the length of the supplementary pad body may vary with respect to that of the main pad body without departing from the principles of this invention. However, the supplementary pad should be sufficiently short to realize the advantages of the relative thin ends of the main pad body, while having adequate length to perform its function as the main absorbent body. For a main pad body length of about 9 inches it is preferable that the supplementary pad be Within the range of from about 3 to 6 inches in length.

The supplementary pad body 16 and the main pad body 14 are preferably essentially coextensive in width, to thereby provide a maximum amount of absorbent material in position to receive fluids from the body, and to present a substantial surface area along each side of the center of the sanitary napkin to provide a more effective seal between the edges of the napkin and the thighs.

The supplementary pad body 16, illustrated as comprising a batt of fibers or fluff which is disposed between a pair of crepe tissue sheets 18 and 20, is of substantial thickness and preferably provide greater bulk than the underlying portion of the main body 14. The

body 14 that is opposite the face supporting the supplementary pad body 16, and the gauze Wrapper 12 is wrapped around these component parts of the pad to maintain them in position with respect to each other and to present a pair of extending end portions 12a of the wrapper for attachment to a belt or the like.

The relative sizes of the described components of the sanitary napkin is an important factor in providing the advantages realized with the present invention. As indicated above, it is important that the major portion of the absorbent material be provided along ari area which is less than the length of the pad and in an amount sufcient to accommodate a heavy flow of fluids, and that the ends of the pad be made relatively thin to afford greater comfort. Further, the present invention contemplates the use of main and supplementary pad bodies which are of reduced width, relative to the ordinary sanitary napkin, in order to avoid lengthwise folding of the absorbent material when the sanitary napkin is Worn. In this latter respect, the present invention resists longitudinal folding of the sanitary napkin by providing an intermediate portion, including the supplementary body 16 and the underlying section of the main pad body 14, which is sufciently thick in relation to its width to practically preclude the possibility of substantial lengthwise folding. Consequently, the napkin 10 must be sufliciently narrow, at least across its central portion, to be worn comfortably in the absence of lengthwise folding.

The arrangement of absorbent material as described above is also advantageous in preventing the ilow of uid to the tab ends of the sanitary napkin where it might cause clothing stains, as well as discomfort. The avoidance of this flow of fluids endwise of the pad is largely due to the thickness of the supplementary pad pad body 16 and its termination a substantial distance from the tab ends of the main pad body 14. As the sanitary napkin is applied to the body, it assumes a curved co'nguration lengthwise of the pad, with the relatively thin end portions elevated relative to the thicker inter mediate portion and holding the latter firmly in place. With the described arrangement of the supplementary pad body, there remains a gap between the opposite ends of the supplementary pad body and the adjacent tab ends of the sanitary napkin, which thereby prevents the free flow of fluids to such tab ends in the manner prevalent in pads which are of generally uniform cross section throughout their length. Furthermore, by provrding a pad which lits snugly against the crotch section of the body without folding lengthwise or otherwise becoming distorted to any appreciable extent, and by providing relatively thin end portions which readily conform to the contours of the body and bear against the relatively bulky center portion to hold the latter firmly in place against .the crotch section of the body, the tendency of the isanitary napkin to slide longitudinally is virtually eliminated. Consequently, the end portions of the napkin do not assume a position where any great absorbency is required, as is frequently the case with the ordinary sanitary napkin. This conforming action of the sanitary napkin is also eifective to increase the normal absorbent capacity of the supplementary pad body, in that the main pad tend to compress and densify the supplementary pad and establishes a contact with the crotch section of the body under higher pressures and over a greater percentage of the area of the sanitary napkin. This particular disposition of the sanitary napkin enhances its ability to absorb fluids and thereby affords utilization of a considerably larger percentage of the absorptive ca pacity of the sanitary napkin.

VIt is seen, therefore, that with the present invention the tab ends of the sanitary napkin remain substantially free of tluids and retain their softness as well as their normally at shape, to thereby provide greater comfort to the wearer while avoiding the formation of any unsightly bulges. In this latter respect, it is, of course, preferable that the main pad body 14 be suiciently thick to avoLd roping or twisting about its longituidnal axis.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Fig. 3, wherein a sanitary napkin 30 includes a main pad body 32, a supplementary pad body 34, and a baille sheet 36. The sanitary napkin 30 also includes a suitable fluidpervious wrapper 38, which may be similar to the wrapper 12 described above with respect to Fig. 1. The absorbent pad bodies are arranged similarly to those described above with respect to Figs. l and 2, with the supplementary pad body 34 being approximately one-half the length of the main pad body 32 and disposed somewhat otf center with respect to the transverse center line of the main pad body.

In the embodiment of Fig. 3, however, there is provided a baille 36 which is disposed approximately vrnidway in the main pad body 32, that is between the two center plies of the crepe tissue forming the pad body. In this way there is provided a sanitary napkin wherein the side including the supplementary pad body 34 is intended for normal use, but the opposite side also provides some absorbency in the event the pad is intentionally or improperly positioned with the body 34 disposed away from the body of the wearer. In the latter respect, it will be noted that the baille 36 does not extend the full length of the main pad 32 and, consequently, iluid can enter the main pad body at the ends.

Still another version of a sanitary napkin embodying the principles of this invention is shown in Fig. 4.. The sanitary napkin 40 comprises a main pad body 42, a pair of supplementary pad bodies 44 and 46 disposed on opposite sides of the main pad body, and a baille 48 coinprising a sheet or coating of huid-repellent material approximately between the two center plies of the main pad body to therebyV provide a two-sided sanitary napkin. A luid-pervious wrapper (not shown) will ordinarily be folded about the pad in the manner seen in Fig. 1.

As in the previous embodiments, the pad bodies 44 and 46 are approximately half the length of the main pad body and are located somewhat olf-center with respect to the transverse center line of the latter. The pad bodies are essentially coextensive in width and are of suitable absorbent material such as crepe wadding, cotton fluff, wood fluff, Various mixtures of pulp, cotton fibers and cotton linters, synthetic fibers etc., or any combination of such materials. It will be apparent that the sanitary napkin 40 in Fig. 4 is symmetrical with respect to the plane passing through the center and parallel to the faces of the napkin. Consequently, it may be worn with either side facing the body and afford full protection.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 wherein a sanitary napkin 50, otherwise generally similar to those perviously described, includes a novel dispositon of ballles. The sanitary napkin 50 comprises an elongated main pad body 52, a supplementary pad body 54, and a wrapper of tluid-pervious material indicated by the broken lines 56 (Fig. 6). The supplementary pad body 54 is disposed centrally of the main body 52 in this instance, and a baille sheet or coating 58 of fluid-repellent material is disposed between the main and supplementary pad bodies and is generally coextensive in area with the latter. The baille S8 may be of any suitable form, such as a wax coating, a fluid-repellent sheet, a single ply sheet coated with fluid-repellent material, and the like, but is prefreably semi-permeable in nature to allow iluid to pass through into the main pad body 52 under pressure. lf desired, the baille 58 may be eliminated in order to provide a satisfactory sanitary napkin having slightly different characteristics.

. An additional pairv of batlles 60 and 62 are provided on the face of the main pad body 52 opposite the supplementary pad body 54. The bales 60 and 62 are preferably uid impermeable and are approximately the same width as the main pad body and about one-fourth the length of such body. They are disposed in underlying relation to the ends of the supplementary pad body 54, so as to provide an exposed, Huid-absorbent region in the central portion of the pad surface, while providing the liuid-repellant surface adjacent each of the ends of the supplementary pad body. Although it is intended that the sanitary napkin 50 be worn normally With the pad 54 next to the body, it does provide absorbent capacity When worn in the reverse manner. The napkin 50 also provides means, in the form of the baffles 60 and 62, so that when the pad is used for very heavy flow, with the supplementary pad 54 facing the body, the fluid that might flow out of the opposite ends of the supplementary pad 54 is prevented from striking through the main pad body 52. In such cases the ow from the supplementary pad body into the main pad body might be quite heavy and concentrated, and the disclosed arrangement of the batlies 60 and 62 is adapted to handle such heavy concentration of fluids and provide for a suitable distribution of the fluids within the main pad body. However, the baffles 60 and 62 might be omitted and the bafiie 58 used alone, in a somewhat modified version of the construction in Fig. 5, with advantageous results.

Still another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein the sanitary napkin 70 comprises an elongated main pad body 72, an auxiliary pad body 74, and a wrapper 76. The auxiliary pad body 74 of suitable absorbent material is disposed along the length of the relatively thinner main pad body 72, somewhat closer Vto one end thereof, and is approximately the same width as the latter. A fluid-repellant baille sheet 78 (Fig. 9) may be disposed along the surface of the main pad 72 opposite that facing the auxiliary pad body 74. In this instance, there is also provided a pair of edge strips 79 which overlie the coextensive edge portions of the supplementary and main pad bodies.

The wrapper 76 is a fluid permeable sheet of material, such as gauze or the like, which is preferably of open mesh in order to prevent capillary flow of fluids between the supplementary pad body 74 and the ends of the sanitary napkin. The wrapper, in this instance, also includes thermoplastic or adhesive particles or fibers throughout, such as the adhesive globules Si) seen in Fig. 10. The adhesive 80 is applied in small accumulations or blobs which partially embrace both crossing portions of the threads 82 which make up the wrapper 76. A light facing or applique 84 of bers, for example cotton fibers, is included in the illustrated embodiment to increase the softness or smoothness of the wrapper. The adhesive 80 may have cohesive characteristics which provide a good bond between the facing portions of the wrapper as well as between the wrapper and the pad bodies, or it may be suitably activated to achieve the bonding of the wrapper to the pad bodies and to itself. In this manner, the component portions of the sanitary napkin 70 are bonded to the wrapper to maintain them in position relative to each other. A suitable wrapper of the type referred to is more fully disclosed in my U.S. Patent No. 2,564,689. It will also be apparent that it will be advantageous in certain instances to limit the described bonding effect of the wrapper on the pad to the seam of the Wrapper. In this way it would be necessary only to heat seal or otherwise bond the overlapping portions of the wrapper and such bonding would be sufficient to hold the entire wrapper in close-fitting relation to the pad bodies.

Since the cross-sectional area of the sanitary napkin 70 varies considerably between the center of the napkin and its end portions, due to the presence of the auxiliary Y pad body 74, the wrapper 76 cannot be folded lengthwise of the pad in the ordinary manner without thereby either producing a biased orl angularfold at the ends of the pad or resulting in an non-uniform gathering of the wrapper material at the end portions. There is thus presented wider and/ or non-uniform end portions of the wrapper which may wrinkle to cause discomfort to the wearer. Furthermore, such end portions interfere with proper folding of the end portions of the wrapper over the absorbent pad bodies as is ordinarily done for packaging.

This folding diiculty with the wrapper has been avoided in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7-9 by folding the ends of the wrapper 76 in a particular manner which results in a uniform width of the wrapper along its entire length. More particularly, the wrapper is folded to provide an overlap of uniform width, indicated by the broken lines 0, and the edges of the wrapper end portions are tucked inwardly between the two faces of the wrapper in an amount sufficient to result in wrapper edges which are straight line continuations of the side edges of the pad bodies 72 and 74. To achieve this result, there is a non-uniform tucking-in of the wrapper material starting at a position adjacent each end of the auxiliary pad 74 and continuing outwardly toward the end of the wrapper where the tucking-in is substantially uniform. The inner edge of the tucked-in portions of the wrapper is indicated in Fig. 7 by the lines marked F, and the position of these edges is again seen in Figs. 8 and 9.

With the described folding of the wrapper and the tucking or pleating of the side edges thereof, there is provided a close t between the wrapper and the pad bodies, as well as providing a pair of tab ends which are substantially uniform in cross section and of the same width as the pad bodies. Consequently, the wrapper ends are readily foldable across the pad bodies for packaging and are easily manipulated for insertion into a buckle or the like. Furthermore, the close lit of the wrapper to the pad bodies results in a more effective bonding of the wrapper to the absorbent pads, since a maximum area of the wrapper is thereby placed in close contact with the absorbent pad bodies.

Another manner of wrapping a sanitary napkin which includes an auxiliary pad body is illustrated in Figs. 1l and l2. The sanitary napkin includes a main pad body 92, an auxiliary pad body 94, and a liuid pervious Wrapper 96 of gauze or the like. The wrapper 96 is folded lengthwise of the pad bodies with the marginal edges 96a of the wrapper preferably overlapping at a position on the back or outer face of the main body and intermediate the side edges thereof.

The wrapper 96 is folded in closely fitting relation to the pad bodies, with the marginal portions uniformly overlapped along the length of the wrapper, as indicated by the lines 96a, and the opposite side edges of the Wrapper ends are then folded lengthwise to reduce the width of the tab ends as indicated at 98. Preferably the length- Wise fold of the wrapper ends, as indicated at 98a, extend from each of the opposite ends 94a of the auxiliary pad body 94, and these folded edges of the wrapper are, therefore, folded into contact with the side edges of the main pad body 92, the bottom or outer face 92a of the main pad body, and with the outer face of the wrapper 96, i.e. the side of the sanitary napkin that is ordinarily worn facing away from the body, as seen particularly in Fig. l2.

It is seen, therefore, that each of the described embodiments provides a form-fitting sanitary napkin, particularly adapted to be worn externally with the central portion pressed firmly against the labia. The highly absorbent portion of the pad is thus positioned to receive the menstrual fluids, while the relatively at tab end portions of the sanitary napkin conform readily to the contour of the body. In this respect, it is also to be noted that the auxiliary pad body is of sufficient depth or thickness to present a clearly defined absorbent body and that the main pad body is suiciently flexible, at least at the endportions thereof, so that the ends of the main pad body can be moved relative to the auxiliary pad and drawn up against the body to thereby iirmly secure the auxiliary pad body against the labia.

Furthermore, the reduced width ofthe pad normally aflfords a proper and confortable iit without any longitudinal folding of the pad body. In this respect one example of a satisfactory sanitary napkin of the type seen in Figs. l and 2 has been made having a width of 2% inches, wherein the main pad body is 8%. inches long and the supplementary pad body is 4%. inches long. The main pad body comprises 16 ply of crepe tissue sheets lhaving a basis weight of 4.7() lbs. per standard ream of 480 sheets each 24 by 36 inches, and a crepe ratio of 2.75. The baie is a polyethylene-faced sheet of crepe tissue and the wrapper is of gauze with a ber applique. The material in the supplementary pad body is Wood pulp fibers or llut weighing approximately 6.0 grams. The iluff is faced with single ply crepe tissue of the above type and has a thickness of approximately 5A: inch in its uncompressed state. The overall, uncompressed thickness of the central portion of the sanitary napkin is about 1.0 inch.

With the described arrangement of pad bodies in a sanitary napkin embodying the principles of this invention, the relationship of the thickness of the central portion of the pad to its width combines with the feature of a reduced width of the pad to overcome the normal tendency of a sanitary napkin to fold lengthwise when applied to the body. With the narrower width there is, of course,

'less necessity :for folding, although the tendency exists.

However, by providing a relatively thick central pad body this tendency is overcome and the generally flat position of the pad is maintained. With the types of absorbent material described herein, it is believed that this resistance to longitudinal folding can be maintained in a pad body wherein the thickness of the central portion of the total pad in its uncompressed state prior to use is at least 25 percent of the width of the pad. Of course, by reducing the width the required thickness is also reduced. However, it will be recognized that for practical purposes a sanitary napkin of this type that is to be worr externally of the body has a minimum and maximum width, probably not much less than 11/2 inches nor much more than 2% inches, if it is to be effective as a uid absorbent pad and not be too uncomfortable. It is also believed that the supplementary pad body should comprise from about 30 to 75 percent of the total absorbent material in the sanitary napkin and should have a thickness at least 1.3 times the thickness of the underlying section of the main pad body, and a length of from 30 to V70 percent of the length of the main pad body.

It should also be noted that the described arrangement of pad bodies utilizes the absorptive capacity of the material much more eiciently than the existing types of sanitary napkins, particularly by placement of additional material where most needed and removing material from those areas where it is not so necessary. In this way it is possible to provide a sanitary napkin having more absorptive capacity than the ordinary sanitary napkin while using a smaller quantity of duid-absorbent material. The reduction in material at the ends of the absorbent pad also makes the napkin more form iitting and, consequently, easier to maintain in position. Furthermore, a napkin of this type afords more freedom of movement and there are no thick ends of the pad which would otherwise be noticeable.

Although shown and described with respect to particular embodiments, it will be recognized that other embodiments might be made without departing from the principles of this invention. Obviously other types of absorbent materials may be used for the pad bodies, as well as other types of wrappers. In the latter respect, it should be understood'that 'the wrapper is not essential tothe broader aspects of this invention and other means may be employed for holding the pad bodies in place and these bodies may include sufcient long fiber material to be selfcontaining with respect to the absorbent material.

Furthermore, although shown as generallyy rectangular bodies, it will be apparent that other configurations of pad bodies may be utilized without departing from the principles of this invention.

I claim:

l. A sanitary napkin comprising an elongated main pad body of absorbent material, a pair of supplementary pad bodies of substantially less length than said main pad body which are disposed on opposite faces of said main pad body at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said supplementary pad bodies and said main pad body being generally ooextensive in width and the width of said pad bodies being related to the combined thickness thereof so as to present a cross-sectional shape which resists longitudinal folding of said sanitary napkin during use, a Huid-repellant baffle sheet disposed in said main paid body at a position substantially midway between the outer faces thereof and between said supplementary pad bodies, and a wrapper of fluid pervious material disposed around said pad bodies to .maintain them in position irelative to each other.

2. A sanitary napkin comprising an elongated main ypad body of absorbent material, a supplementary pad body -of substantially less length than said main pad body which is disposed generally centrally of the length of said main pad body on one face of the latter, a u-id-repellant sheet disposed between said main pad body and said supplementary pad and being generally coextensive with the latter, and an additional pair of iluid-repellant sheets disposed on the other face of said main pad body in spaced-apart relation to each other and generally in the regions of the opposite ends of said supplementary pad, to thereby present an absorbent surface between said additional pair of uid-repellant sheets and generally centrally of said other face.

3. A sanitary napkin comprising an elongated main pad body of absorbent material, a supplementary pad body of substantially less length than said main pad body which is disposed generally centrally of the length of said main pad body on one face of the latter, said supplementary pad body and said main pad body being generally coextensive in width, the width of said pad bodies being related to the combined thickness of these two b-odies so as to present a cross-sectional shape which resists longitudinal folding of said sanitary napkin during use, and a fluid-repe-llant sheet disposed between said main pad body and said supplementary pad and being generally coextensive with the latter.

4. A sanitary nakin comprising an elongated main pad body of absorbent material, a supplementary absorbent pad body of substantially less length than said main pad body and disposed on one face of said main pad body in spaced relation to the ends thereof and in an off-center position with respect to the transverse center line of said main pad body, said supplementary pad body and said maln pad body being substantially coextensive in width along the entire length of said supplementary pad body, a fluid-repellant baie sheet disposed on the other face of said main pad body in essentially covering relation to said other face, and a wrapper disposed around said pad bodies with overlapping marginal portions of the wrapper extending lengthwise of said pad bodies, said Wrapper comprising a loosely Woven, Huid-permeable fabric and including an adhesive material dispersed along the fibers of said Wrapper, said adhesive material being effective to seal the wrapper in position and secure said pad bodies against relative movement.

5. A sanitary napkin comprising an elongated main pad body including a plurality of plies of absorbent sheet material, a supplementary absorbent pad body of substantially less length than said .main `pad body 'anddisposed on one face of said main pad body in spaced relation to the ends thereof and in an otl-center position with respect to the transverse center line of said main pad body, said supplementary pad body and said main pad body being substantially coextensive in width along the entire length of said supplementary pad body, a lluid-repellant baille sheet disposed between the center plies of said main pad body, said baille sheet being generally coextensive in width with said main pad body and extending substantially the entire length thereof, and a duid-permeable wrapper disposed around said pad bodies in conforming relation thereto and with overlapping marginal portions of the wrapper extending lengthwise of said pad bodies.

6. A sanitary napkin comprising a main pad body of fluid absorbent material, a sheet-like baille of tluid impervious material disposed in said main pad body, said baille sheet being of lesser length and width than said main pad body in order to permit fluid migration marginally of the baille, and a supplemental pad body of a thickness substantially equall to or greater but of a length less than the main pad body, said supplemental pad body contingwously engaging one side of the main body and adapted to be placed against a fluid source during use, whereby the supplemental absorbent pad is positioned bev tween the lluid source and baille during proper use, and is partially isolated therefrom by the baille when the pad is worn reversed.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,331,355 Strongson Oct. 12, 1943 2,564,689 Harwood et al Aug. 21, 1951 2,643,656 Atkinson June 30, 1953 2,662,527 Jacks Dec. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,440 Australia June 4, 1951 720,930 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1954

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