Patent US4940462A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4940462A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sanitary napkin with expandable flaps
Assignee: Personal Products Co
•
Filing: 1988-02-26
•
Granted: 1990-07-10
•
Expires: 2008-02-26
Abstract
Abstract Sanitary napkins are disclosed which include at least one flap having a portion that may be expanded longitudinally for permitting the flap to expand when folded over a side of an undergarment. This enables the flap to fold outwardly to the back of the undergarment and conform to the contour along the curved line of the crotch. Thus, an improved sanitary product is provided that provides side-protection along the entire longitudinal edges of the napkin.
Inventors
- 👤 Catherine E. Salerno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/45; A61F13/47; A61F13/476; A61F13/56; A61F13/5605; A61F13/5616
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A sanitary napkin comprising (a) an absorbent element having longitudinally extending sides, transverse ends, a body-facing side and an undergarment facing side; (b) stretchable, longitudinally resilient flaps extending outwardly along said longitudinally extending sides, said flaps expanding longitudinally when folded over a side of a crotch portion of an undergarment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
A sanitary napkin comprising (a) an absorbent element having longitudinally extending sides, transverse ends, a body-facing side and an undergarment facing side; (b) stretchable, longitudinally resilient flaps extending outwardly along said longitudinally extending sides, said flaps expanding longitudinally when folded over a side of a crotch portion of an undergarment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The sanitary napkin of claim 1 wherein said flaps are disposed substantially along the entire longitudinally extending sides of said napkin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The sanitary napkin of claim 2 wherein said flaps comprise outwardly extending concave sides.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The sanitary napkin of claim 3 wherein said flaps are expandable to 110% to 200% of their original length.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The sanitary napkin of claim 3 wherein said flaps are expandable to 130% to 175% of their original length.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sanitary napkin of claim 3 wherein said flaps are expandable to about 150% of their original length.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
A sanitary napkin comprising: (a) an absorbent element having longitudinally extending sides, transverse ends, a body-facing side, and an undergarment facing side; and (b) flaps extending laterally from and substantially along the entire length of each of said longitudinal sides of said absorbent element, said flaps having longitudinally expandable portions therein, whereby said flaps can be expanded to fold over a crotch portion of an undergarment to provide sanitary protection substantially along said entire length of each of said longitudinal sides.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
A sanitary napkin comprising: (a) an absorbent element having longitudinally extending sides, transverse ends, a body-facing side, and an undergarment facing side; and (b) flaps extending laterally from and substantially along the entire length of each of said longitudinal sides of said absorbent element, said flaps having longitudinally expandable portions therein, whereby said flaps can be expanded to fold over a crotch portion of an undergarment to provide sanitary protection substantially along said entire length of each of said longitudinal sides.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3397697A
Cited
US4285343A
Cited
US4589876A
Cited
US4589876B1
Cited
US4687478A
Cited
US4579556A
Cited
US4692163A
Cited
US4608047A
Cited
US4701177A
Cited
US4690679A
Cited
EP0249924A1
Cited
EP0301491A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-07-09 | 1994-01-08 | 1994-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-09 | 1998-01-08 | 1998-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-09 | 2002-01-08 | 2002-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |