Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
364 words
A device (10) for absorbing bodily fluids comprising a fluid pervious cover forming a topsheet (11) having an inner surface and an outer body-contacting surface (21) having an impact zone (18), said fluid porous topsheet being provided with a large number of small apertures (31) and on the part of said topsheet forming said body-contacting surface, a smaller number of larger apertures (32), an absorbent layer (14) underlying said cover, a fluid impervious layer (15) underlying said absorbent layer such that said absorbent layer is disposed between said fluid impervious layer and said body-contacting surface of said cover, adhesive garment attachment means (16, 17) secured to the outer surface of said device on the surface thereof opposed to said body-contacting surface and an intermediate layer (13) disposed between said cover and said absorbent layer, characterised in that: said topsheet (11) is an apertured, formed, thermoplastic film; the small apertures (31) comprise fine foramina distributed over a major proportion of said body contacting surface, each of said fine foramina having an equivalent hydraulic diameter, defined as 4A/P where A is the area and P the perimetric dimension of the foramen, of from 0.12 to 1.25 mm; the large apertures (32) comprise gross foramina disposed in at least said impact zone (18) and each having an equivalent hydraulic diameter of from 1.25 to 9.5 mm; wherein the ratio of the number of said gross foramina to said fine foramina is less than 0.25 and the ratio of the equivalent hydraulic diameters of said gross foramina to said fine foramina is greater than 2; the intermediate layer (13) comprises a resilient layer of uniformly low density that is capable of recovery to at least 80% of its original volume after it is compressed to 20% of its original volume and the comprising forces are removed, said resilient layer being absorbent, at least as hydrophilic as said apertured topsheet, and unattached thereto; and a wicking layer (12) disposed between said intermediate layer (13) and said topsheet (11), adjacent the inner surface of said topsheet, and being non extant in register with the gross foramina (32) thereof, said wicking layer (12) being more hydrophilic than said apertured topsheet (11).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
364 words
A device (10) for absorbing bodily fluids comprising a fluid pervious cover forming a topsheet (11) having an inner surface and an outer body-contacting surface (21) having an impact zone (18), said fluid porous topsheet being provided with a large number of small apertures (31) and on the part of said topsheet forming said body-contacting surface, a smaller number of larger apertures (32), an absorbent layer (14) underlying said cover, a fluid impervious layer (15) underlying said absorbent layer such that said absorbent layer is disposed between said fluid impervious layer and said body-contacting surface of said cover, adhesive garment attachment means (16, 17) secured to the outer surface of said device on the surface thereof opposed to said body-contacting surface and an intermediate layer (13) disposed between said cover and said absorbent layer, characterised in that: said topsheet (11) is an apertured, formed, thermoplastic film; the small apertures (31) comprise fine foramina distributed over a major proportion of said body contacting surface, each of said fine foramina having an equivalent hydraulic diameter, defined as 4A/P where A is the area and P the perimetric dimension of the foramen, of from 0.12 to 1.25 mm; the large apertures (32) comprise gross foramina disposed in at least said impact zone (18) and each having an equivalent hydraulic diameter of from 1.25 to 9.5 mm; wherein the ratio of the number of said gross foramina to said fine foramina is less than 0.25 and the ratio of the equivalent hydraulic diameters of said gross foramina to said fine foramina is greater than 2; the intermediate layer (13) comprises a resilient layer of uniformly low density that is capable of recovery to at least 80% of its original volume after it is compressed to 20% of its original volume and the comprising forces are removed, said resilient layer being absorbent, at least as hydrophilic as said apertured topsheet, and unattached thereto; and a wicking layer (12) disposed between said intermediate layer (13) and said topsheet (11), adjacent the inner surface of said topsheet, and being non extant in register with the gross foramina (32) thereof, said wicking layer (12) being more hydrophilic than said apertured topsheet (11).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the equivalent hydraulic diameters of the gross (32) and fine (31) foramina is greater than 3.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
30 words
A device according to either one of claims 1 and 2 wherein the equivalent hydraulic diameters of said fine foramina (31) are in the range from 0.25 to 0.90 mm.