US009468565B2  c12)  United States Patent  Klofta  (IO)  Patent No.:  US 9,468,565 B2  (45)  Date of Patent:  Oct. 18, 2016  (54)  ABSORBENT ARTICLES COMPRISING  WETNESS INDICATORS  (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 74 days.  (21)  Appl. No.:  14/567,021  (22)  Filed:  Dec. 11, 2014  (63)  Continuation of application No. 12/758,165, filed on  Apr. 12, 2010, now Pat. No. 8,927,801.  (60)  Provisional application No. 61/168,756, filed on Apr.  13, 2009.  (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);  A61F 13/49  (2013.01);  A61F  13/514  (2013.01);  A61F 2013/422  (2013.01);  A61F 2013/425  (2013.01);  A61F 2013/427  (2013.01)  21 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet  (57)  ABSTRACT  OTHER PUBLICATIONS  Related U.S. Application Data  (65)  Prior Publication Data  FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS  (56)  References Cited  U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS  (58)  Field of Classification Search  CPC ........ A61F 5/44; A61F 13/49; A61F 13/514;  A61F 13/42  USPC ......................... 604/360, 361, 359, 366, 367  See application file for complete search history.  US 2015/0094676 Al  Apr. 2, 2015  ISR and Written Opinion, PCT/US2010/030791, date of mailing  Jul. 29, 2010.  (Continued)  (Continued)  (Continued)  Primary Examiner  - Jacqueline Stephens  (74)  Attorney, Agent, or Firm  - Richard L. Alexander  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.  A61F 13115  A61F 13/42  A61F 13/532  A61F 13/536  A61F 5/44  A61F 13/49  A61F 13/514  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  EP  EP  148115 Al  7/1985  0818569 A2  1/1998  3,563,243 A  3,860,003 A  2/1971 Lindquist  1/1975 Buell  20  20  12 