(IO)  Patent No.:  US 8,927,801 B2  Jan.6,2015  (45)  Date of Patent:  c12)  United States Patent  Klofta  (54)  ABSORBENT ARTICLES COMPRISING  WETNESS INDICATORS  (75)  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 308 days.  (21)  Appl. No.:  12/758,165  (22)  Filed:  Apr. 12, 2010  (60)  Provisional application No. 61/168,756, filed on Apr.  13, 2009.  (51)  Int. Cl.  A61F 13115  A61F 13/42  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (52)  U.S. Cl.  USPC .............  604/361;  604/360; 604/35; 604/366;  604/367  ( 58)  Field of Classification Search  USPC .......................... 604/360, 361,359, 366, 367  See application file for complete search history.  FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS  OTHER PUBLICATIONS  (57)  ABSTRACT  21 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet  (56)  References Cited  U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS  (65)  Prior Publication Data  Related U.S. Application Data  4,334,920  A  4,342,314 A  4,463,045 A  4,573,986  A  4,609,518 A  4,610,678  A  4,623,340  A  4,629,643  A  4,636,207  A  4,673,402  A  6/1982 Mori et al.  8/1982 Radel et al.  7/1984 Ahr et al.  3/1986 Minetola et al.  9/1986 Curro et al.  9/1986 Weisman et al.  11/1986 Luceri  12/1986 Curro et al.  1/1987 Buell  6/1987 Weisman et  al.  EP  EP  148115 Al  0818569 A2  7 /1985  1/1998  3,563,243  A  2/1971 Lindquist  3,860,003  A  1/1975 Buell  3,911,173 A  10/1975 Sprague, Jr.  3,929,135  A  12/1975 Thompson  4,324,246  A  4/1982 Mullane et al.  US 2010/0262099 Al  Oct. 14, 2010  (Continued)  US008927801B2  (Continued)  PCT International Search Report, PCT/US2010/030791 date of mail› ing Jul. 29, 2010.  Written Opinion, PCT/US2010/030791, date of mailing Jul. 29,  2010.  (Continued)  Primary Examiner  - Jacqueline F. 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 absorbent  core. The wetness indicator composition may comprise a  stabilizer, a colorant, and a matrix. The absorbent core may  comprise a nonwoven layer and a complex of absorbent poly› mer material and thermoplastic adhesive material. The wet› ness indicator composition may be in direct contact with an  inner surface of the backsheet and an outer surface of the  nonwoven layer. And, the complex of absorbent polymer  material and thermoplastic adhesive material may be in direct  contact with an inner surface of the nonwoven. Further, the  absorbent core may be cellulose free.  20  12 