Disposable sanitary napkin

Dec. 17, 1935. G. S. MATHEY ET AL 2,024,976

DISPOSABLE SANITARY NAPKIN

Filed June 15, 1932

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Patented Dec. 17, 1935

2,024,976

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,024,976

DISPOSABLE SANITARY NAPKIN

Gustave S. Mathey, Elizabeth, and Harry J.

Schaeffer, New Brunswick, N. J., assignors to

Johnson &amp; Johnson, New Brunswick, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey

Application June 15, 1932, Serial No. 617,454

Claims. (Cl. 128—290)

The invention relates to sanitary napkins of the disposable type and was devised to obviate certain disadvantageous conditions attendant on the use of all classes of sanitary napkins but 5 which peculiarly are associated with disintegratable or disposable napkins; namely, tendency to seepage or creeping of the flow along the sides of the napkins to the thighs with consequent soiling of lingerie, not to mention irritation, dis10 comfort, and a sense of insecurity.

Objects of the invention are to provide an all cellulosic napkin, the components of which are all disintegratable or readily disposable in the usual way and via the usual facilities; to pro15 vide a napkin which has greater retentive powers than other disposable napkins, so that it is effective for longer periods of time and, hence, is a boon and great convenience under conditions in which it is neither convenient nor pos20 sible to change napkins; to provide a napkin that is proof against seepage and consequent irritation and soiling tendency and which lends a feeling of security making for the ease and comfort of the wearer.

Heretofore, and before our invention, it has been proposed to encase napkins or their components in oiled silk, rubber, and the like waterproof fabrics, but, aside from the expense involved in their use, such expedients are not de30 sirable and are not practicable because they are not sanitary for the reason that they are intended to be and are usable over and over again with replacements of other napkins or their components. Moreover, they make for bulk and are 35 a source of constant irritation and other discomfort. With them our invention is in nowise concerned for, as premised, it is addressed to napkins of the throwaway or all disposable type and in the achievement of its ultimate purpose it provides a 40 wholly disposable napkin that is inclusive of a fluid repellent wrapper or casing.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention more readily will be understood from the following description taken in. connec45 tion with the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, wherein

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved napkin with the gauze casing thrown back to display the component structure.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the complete assembly.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are plan views of the fluid repellent wrapper, showing varied details thereof.

In the drawing, numeral 5 represents the absorbent pad or filling; 6 represents the fluid re pellent wrapper; and 7 represents the gauze casing. The latter and the filling may well follow the standard or conventional practice but by preference the filling is embodied of cellulosic material of fluffy characteristics in order that it may be completely conformable to the end of promoting ease and comfort. In any event, and regardless of its composition and structure, the filling, according to the essential features of our invention, is wholly encased by the fluid re- 3 pellent wrapper 6. The latter essentially embodies a disintegratable material, disintegratable in the sense that it is readily disposable along with the other components of the used napkin Under the preferred practice, the wrapper or casing 6 is constituted of sheet wadding comprising bibulous or cellulosic paper that is inherently soft and conformable and naturally permeable and absorbent but which, by impregnation with proper and well known materials, 20 is modified to repel fluids. The impregnation is accomplished in such way as not appreciably to stiffen the paper and, if there is any manifestation of stiffness, it is readily eradicated by rumpling, as it were, to the end that the fluid 25 repellent casing will be soft to the touch and completely responsive to the conforming action of the filling.

The sheet wadding, if desired, may be present in the form of a single sheet or layer but our 30 preference is to use several plies or laminae as indicated at 8 in Fig. 2.

The wadding, after treatment to render it fluid repellent is blanked out by appropriate dies to casing form, as shown, for example, in Figs. 3, 35 4, and 5; the dotted lines indicating the lines of fold to establish a top face 9 and wings 10 which latter embrace the sides and bottom of the filling and have arcuate ends in conformity with the rounded corners of the filling. The 40 top face is ported, for fluid entry, as by perforations I ί or transverse slots 12 or a longitudinally ranging slot i3, or otherwise as may be expedient or desirable. The relative arrangement of the fluid repellent disposable casing and the 45 filling aptly is shown in Fig. 2.

Coming now to the gauze casing we are mindful that the general practice is to use a material of relatively small thread count. Gauze of such nature, strictly speaking, is not absorbent, never- 50 theless, it or its equivalent may be used with advantage in the assembly of our invention. However, under our preferred practice, we strike a happy medium between fully absorbent and nonabsorbent gauze and thereby reduce the capillary 55

2,024,076 phenomenon to a point where it will permit the flow to pass through the gauze without the hazard of overflow and creepage to the sides. In a measure this desirable regulation is accomplished by 5 varying the thread count of the gauze and principally by using a film of fibrous cotton which may be applied directly to the ported area of the fluid repellent casing, for example, as at 14 in Fig. 3 and be punched out contemporaneously 10 with the casing or it may be applied, as at 15, Fig. 1, through the medium of the gauze itself. Aside from this regulating function the surgical cotton softens all abrasive surfaces, for example, any roughness apparent on the ported area of 15 the fluid repellent casing.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that we have eliminated certain hazards of the old practice, particularly tendency of seepage or creepage beyond the limits of the napkin, and 20 have accomplished all of these desirable things in a structure that is completely and readily disposable.