US009585796B2  c12)  United States Patent  Klofta  (54)  ABSORBENT ARTICLES COMPRISING  WETNESS INDICATORS  (IO)  Patent No.:  US 9,585,796 B2  (45)  Date of Patent:  *Mar. 7, 2017  (71)  Applicant:  The Procter  &  Gamble Company,  Cincinnati, OH (US)  (72)  Inventor:  Thomas James Klofta,  Cincinnati, OH  (US)  (73)  Assignee:  The Procter  &  Gamble Company,  Cincinnati, OH (US)  ( *)  Notice:  Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis  patent is extended or adjusted under 35  U.S.C. 154(b) by  O  days.  This patent is subject to a terminal dis› claimer.  (21)  Appl. No.:  14/943,139  (22)  Filed:  Nov. 17, 2015  (63)  Continuation of application No. 14/567,021, filed on  Dec. 11, 2014, which is a continuation of application  (51)  Int. Cl.  (52)  U.S. Cl.  CPC ............  A61F 13/42  (2013.01);  A61F 13/536  (2013.01);  A61F 13/5323  (2013.01);  A61F  5/44  (2013.01);  (58)  Field of Classification Search  CPC .......... A61F 5/44; A61F 13/49; A61F 13/514;  A61F 13/42  US 2016/0067114 Al  Mar. 10, 2016  (Continued)  (Continued)  (Continued)  An absorbent article of the present invention may comprise  a backsheet, a wetness indicator composition, and an absor› bent core. The wetness indicator composition may comprise  a stabilizer, a colorant, and a matrix. The absorbent core may  comprise a nonwoven layer and an absorbent polymer  material, and optionally, a thermoplastic adhesive material.  The wetness indicator composition may be in direct contact  with an inner surface of the backsheet and an outer surface  of the nonwoven layer. And, the absorbent polymer material,  and optionally, the thermoplastic adhesive material, may be  in direct contact with an inner surface of the nonwoven.  Further, the absorbent core may be substantially cellulose  free and may be oriented in at least one row.  (Continued)  Primary Examiner  - Jacqueline Stephens  (74)  Attorney, Agent, or Firm  - Richard L. Alexander  ISR and Written Opinion, PCT/US2010/030791, date of mailing  Jul. 29, 2010.  (Continued)  (Continued)  (Continued)  (56)  References Cited  (65)  Prior Publication Data  Related U.S. Application Data  20 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet  (57)  ABSTRACT  OTHER PUBLICATIONS  FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS  U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS  A61F 13115  A61F 13/42  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  EP  EP  148115 Al  0818569 A2  7 /1985  1/1998  3,563,243 A  3,860,003 A  2/1971 Lindquist  1/1975 Buell 