Claims
- 1. A body tissue-contacting topsheet for an absorbent article that is to be placed in contact with a wearer's hydrous body tissues, said topsheet comprising a non-absorbent, moderately hydrophilic to substantially hydrophobic material having an extensibility in at least one direction of greater than or equal to about 30% under a force of 50 grams, said topsheet having a critical surface tension of less than or equal to about 45, and said topsheet undergoing a caliper change of greater than or equal to about 30% when tested according to the Thickness Change Test.
- 2. A body tissue-contacting topsheet according to claim 1 which is three-dimensionally shaped.
- 3. A body tissue-contacting topsheet according to claim 1 which has a body-contacting surface, said body-contacting surface having areas of varying height, and a plane can be placed adjacent the highest points of the body-contacting surface, said topsheet having a depth, wherein the amount of surface area of said topsheet that lies above a plane that passes through said topsheet at a depth of 300 microns below the plane that passes through the highest points of the body-contacting surface is less than or equal to about 15% of the surface area of the topsheet as defined by the Bearing Ratio.
- 4. The body tissue-contacting topsheet of claim 2 in which the amount of surface area that lies above a plane that passes through said topsheet at a depth of 400 microns is less than or equal to about 40%.
- 5. The body tissue-contacting topsheet of claim 2 which comprises a nonwoven web having at least one irregular surface structure.
- 6. The body tissue-contacting topsheet of claim 3 comprising a mechanically altered nonwoven web.
- 7. The body tissue-contacting topsheet of claim 4 comprising a nonwoven web having a plurality of corrugations loosely formed therein.
- 8. An absorbent device insertable into the interlabial space of a female wearer comprising the body tissue-contacting topsheet of claim 1.
- 9. The absorbent device of claim 6 further comprising an acquisition zone with at least one aperture therein.
- 10. A tampon comprising the body tissue-contacting topsheet of claim 1.
- 11. A body tissue-contacting topsheet for an absorbent article that is to be placed in contact with a wearer's hydrous body tissues, said topsheet comprising a non-absorbent, moderately hydrophilic to substantially hydrophobic material having an extensibility in at least one direction of greater than or equal to about 20% under a force of 50 grams, said topsheet undergoing a caliper change of greater than or equal to about 40% when tested according to the Thickness Change Test.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/071,425 filed May 1, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,486.
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Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/071425 |
May 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/637440 |
|
US |