Absorbent article having a graphic visible through body contacting surface

Abstract

The invention is directed to an absorbent article, which is preferably a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner, comprising: a body contacting layer; a garment contacting layer; and an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer. The absorbent core has a core edge. The core edge defines a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region. The body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extend outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region. In one aspect of the invention, the garment contacting layer has a graphic printed on the body facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region. In another aspect of the invention, the body contacting layer has a graphic printed on the garment facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region. The body contacting layer has a first light transmittance so that the graphic can be seen through the body contacting layer in the outer region. Since users (or women) can see the graphic through the body contacting layer, the absorbent article can provide an emotional benefit to women before uses, and thus decrease women's melancholic mood.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An absorbent article, comprising: 
 a body contacting layer;    a garment contacting layer; and    an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer, the absorbent core having a core edge;    the core edge defining a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region;    the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extending outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region;    the garment contacting layer having a graphic printed on the body facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region;    the body contacting layer having a first light transmittance so that the graphic printed on the body facing surface of the garment contacting layer can be seen through the body contacting layer in the outer region.    
     
     
         2 . An absorbent article, comprising: 
 a body contacting layer;    a garment contacting layer; and    an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer, the absorbent core having a core edge;    the core edge defining a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region;    the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extending outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region;    the body contacting layer having a graphic printed on the garment facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region;    the body contacting layer having a first light transmittance so that the graphic printed on the garment facing surface of the body contacting layer can be seen through the body contacting layer in the outer region.    
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the garment contacting layer has a second light transmittance so that the graphic on the body facing surface can be seen through the garment contacting layer.  
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the first light transmittance is at least about 10%.  
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of the  claim 4 , wherein the second light transmittance is at least about 10%.  
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of the  claim 5 , wherein the difference between the first and second light transmittances is less than about 70%.  
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of the  claim 5 , wherein the difference between the first and second light transmittances is greater than about 10%.  
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the absorbent article has the Hunter Lab Total Color Difference between the outer region and the core region of about 0.5-73.  
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of the  claim 2 , wherein the body contacting layer includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer disposed in the core region, and a graphic protection layer disposed in the outer region, 
 the graphic protection layer has the graphic printed on the garment facing surface, and    the graphic protection layer has the first light transmittance so that the graphic printed on the garment facing surface of the graphic protection layer can be seen through the graphic protection layer in the outer region.    
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the core edge of the absorbent core includes longitudinal side edges and lateral end edges, and the outer region is disposed outside the longitudinal side edges of the absorbent core.  
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the core edge of the absorbent core includes longitudinal side edges and lateral end edges, and the outer region is disposed outside the lateral end edges of the absorbent core.  
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of the  claim 10 , wherein the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extending outward into the outer region to form a flap (i.e., wing).  
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1 , wherein the body contacting layer includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer disposed in the core region, and a graphic protection layer disposed in the outer region.  
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of the  claim 1  or 2, wherein the graphic-protection layer has a hydrophobic nature to prevent body fluids discharged at the topsheet layer from wicking therethrough.