Absorbent article including a temperature change member

Abstract

An absorbent article has a liquid impermeable outercover, a liquid permeable bodyside liner, and an absorbent assembly. The absorbent assembly has a front portion, a rear portion, and a central portion extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front portion and rear portion. The central portion has an opening therein to define a gap between the front portion and the rear portion. The absorbent assembly front portion is disposed intermediate the outercover and the liner in a front region of the article. The absorbent assembly rear portion is disposed intermediate the outercover and the liner in a rear region of the article. A temperature change member containing a temperature change substance is disposed in the opening of the central portion of the assembly.

1 . An absorbent article having a front region, a rear region, and a crotch region extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front and rear regions, the absorbent article comprising: 
 a liquid impermeable outercover;    a liquid permeable bodyside liner;    an absorbent assembly having a front portion, a rear portion, and a central portion extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front portion and rear portion, the central portion having an opening therein to define a gap between the front portion and the rear portion;    the absorbent assembly front portion being disposed intermediate the outercover and the liner in the front region of the article;    the absorbent assembly rear portion being disposed intermediate the outercover and the liner in the rear region of the article; and    a temperature change member containing a temperature change substance, said temperature change substance being disposed in the opening of the central portion of the assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising a front waist edge and a rear waist edge, the absorbent assembly front portion being spaced from the front waist edge by a second gap, and the absorbent assembly rear portion being spaced from the rear waist edge by a third gap.  
   
   
       3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further defining a front waist edge and a rear waist edge and wherein the length of the absorbent assembly front portion is the same as the length of the absorbent assembly rear portion, and the length of the first gap between the absorbent assembly front portion and the absorbent assembly rear portion is the same as the sum of: 
 (a) the length of a second gap between the absorbent assembly front portion and the front waist edge; and    (b) the length of a third gap between the absorbent assembly rear portion and the rear waist edge.    
   
   
       4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change member is spaced from the absorbent assembly front portion and the absorbent assembly rear portion.  
   
   
       5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change member provides the article with a temperature change of at least about 5° C.  
   
   
       6 . The absorbent article of  claim 5 , wherein the temperature change member provides the article with a temperature change of at least about 10° C.  
   
   
       7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change substance is an endothermic material.  
   
   
       8 . The absorbent article of  claim 7 , wherein the endothermic material is Xylitol.  
   
   
       9 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change substance is an exothermic material.  
   
   
       10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change substance is contained within a holder that is formed from a liquid permeable material in at least a portion thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The absorbent article of  claim 10 , wherein the holder is formed from a wettable, non-woven material.  
   
   
       12 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the wettable non-woven material is a co-form.  
   
   
       13 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of containment flaps.  
   
   
       14 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a disposable training pant.  
   
   
       15 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change member is free from contact with the absorbent assembly front portion and the absorbent assembly rear portion, said temperature change member being spaced longitudinally from each of the absorbent assembly front portion and the absorbent assembly rear portion.