US Patent No.: 8,277,428 B2
Inventor(s): Antonio Carlos Ribeiro Carvalho, Taubate, Brazil; Marcia Helena Teixeira Fajolli, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil; and Flavia Guimaraes Guaragna, Pindamonhangaba, Brazil.
Company: Johnson & Johnson Ind. E Com. Ltda, Brazil.
Filed: 11/1/01
Issued: 10/2/12

A sanitary napkin comprising: a central absorbent pad, the central absorbent pad having a liquid pervious cover layer, a liquid impervious barrier layer and an absorbent core between the cover layer and barrier layer, a longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, a pair of opposite longitudinal side edges, a first distal end and an opposite second distal end, a flap extending laterally outward from each longitudinal side edge along a line of juncture, each flap extending substantially along the lateral centerline and adapted to fold over a crotch portion of an undergarment in use, said core being continuously tapered from the second end towards the first end, the barrier and the cover extending beyond the core, the central absorbent pad further comprising two preferential bending axes, each preferential bending axis being defined by a respective edge of the core, each axis being inward from and adjacent to a respective longitudinal side edge and extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal centerline, the axes converging towards the longitudinal centerline in the first distal end of the central absorbent pad, wherein the central absorbent pad has a pair of opposite side margins, each side margin being adjacent a respective preferential bending line and adapted to fold along said respective preferential bending line, each side margin being capable of being folded over an edge of a wearer’s undergarment in use, and wherein said napkin has a first configuration wherein said napkin is structured and arranged to be used with a brief style undergarment and a second configuration wherein said side margins are in a folded condition such that said napkin is structured and arranged to be used with a thong style undergarment.