Arcuately shaped sanitary napkin and method of formation

Claim 1

A longitudinally arcuately shaped sanitary napkin, comprising: a longitudinally arcuately shaped core and an overwrap web, said core having a lower surface which in longitudinal dimension from end-to-end exceeds the corresponding dimension of the top surface thereof, said core being completely enclosed by said overwrap web, said overwrap web being substantially inelastic in both longitudinal and transverse directions, said overwrap web drawn snugly about the central transverse periphery of said core, said overwrap web being also drawn snugly in both longitudinal directions from the central transverse periphery to the respective ends of said core, the transverse snugness preventing movement of said overwrap web outwardly of said central transverse periphery in the absence of compression of said core, said overwrap web extending outwardly beyond the ends of said core and having the portion thereof extending from the top surface of said core secured to the portion thereof extending from the lower surface of said core at each end thereof by fastening means along a transverse line of attachment, each said line of attachment being immediately adjacent its respective end of said core to retain the snugness of longitudinal fit thereon, thereby maintaining the arcuateness of said core.

Claim 7

The method of forming and securing a sanitary napkin in arcuate configuration which comprises: A. transversely enclosing an absorbent core snugly within an overwrap web material which extends longitudinally outwardly beyond the ends of said core; B. bending said enclosed core into a longitudinally arcuate configuration about a support having a radius of curvature in the range of from about 2 to about 4 inches; C. smoothing the concave surface of the overwrap web material by longitudinally directed tension applied across the width of the end portions of the overwrap web material extending from said concave surface; D. smoothing the convex surface of the overwrap web material by longitudinally directed tension applied across the width of the end portions of the overwrap web material extending from said convex surface, said tension being insufficient to cause substantial deformation of the longitudinally central portion of said core; and E. fastening the juxtaposed end portions of the overwrap web material extending from the concave and convex surfaces at each end along transverse lines immediately adjacent each end of said core.

Claim 8

The method of forming and securing a sanitary napkin in arcuate configuration which comprises: A. transversely enclosing an absorbent core snugly within an overwrap web material which extends longitudinally outwardly beyond the ends of said core; B. bending said enclosed core into a longitudinally arcuate configuration about a support having a radius of curvature in the range of from about 2 to about 4 inches; C. smoothing the concave surface of the overwrap web material by longitudinally directed tension applied across the width of the end portions of the overwrap web material extending from said concave surface; D. smoothing the convex surface of the overwrap web material by longitudinally directed tension applied across the width of the end portions of the overwrap web material extending from said convex surface, said tension being insufficient to cause substantial deformation of the longitudinally central portion of said core; and E. fastening the juxtaposed end portions of the overwrap web material extending from the concave and convex surfaces at each end along transverse lines immediately adjacent each end of said core.