Absorbent article including barrier leg cuff structure and absorbent core with superabsorbent material

• US 20070088308A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Ehrnsperger, Bruno, Roe, Donald, Sauer, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,114,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/385.280
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4942 the barrier not being integral with the top- or back-sheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15365 Dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15373 Calliper, i.e. thickness

Abstract

An absorbent article having opposite longitudinally extending sides and opposite laterally extending ends extending between the longitudinally extending sides is provided. The absorbent article includes a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet joined to the topsheet. The chassis has a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region located between the front waist region and the back waist region, a longitudinal axis extending through the front and back waist regions and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A barrier cuff strip extends in a longitudinal direction from the front waist region to the back waist region along the topsheet. The barrier cuff strip includes a front end at the front waist region, a back end at the back waist region and proximal and distal edges connecting the front end and the back end. The barrier cuff strip distal edge is attached to the topsheet at a cuff end bond region that has an outer bond edge at one of the front and back waist regions and an inner bond edge spaced longitudinally from the outer bond edge. An absorbent core is disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core includes an absorbent layer including an absorbent material comprising a superabsorbent polymer material wherein at least about 60 percent by weight of the absorbent material is the superabsorbent polymer material. A longitudinal distance from the inner bond edge to the laterally extending side at the one of the front and back waist regions is about ½ or more of a longitudinal length of the one of the front and back waist regions.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet joined to the topsheet, the chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region located between the front waist region and the back waist region, a longitudinal axis extending through the front and back waist regions and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a barrier cuff strip extending in a longitudinal direction from the front waist region to the back waist region along the topsheet, the barrier cuff strip including a front end at the front waist region, a back end at the back waist region and proximal and distal edges connecting the front end and the back end, the barrier cuff strip distal edge being attached to the topsheet at a cuff end bond region having an outer bond edge at one of the front and back ends of the barrier cuff strip and an inner bond edge spaced longitudinally from the outer bond edge; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core including an absorbent layer including an absorbent material comprising a superabsorbent polymer material wherein at least about 60 percent by weight of the absorbent material is the superabsorbent polymer material;

wherein the inner bond edge is longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of about ½

or more of a longitudinal length of the waist region at which the outer bond edge is located.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a dry caliper of no more than about 6 mm in the crotch region.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the absorbent layer has a dry caliper of no more than about 5 mm.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core achieves a wet immobilization of about 60 percent or more.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent polymer material is present with an average basis weight of about 50 g/m² or more in the absorbent core.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has a greater absorbent capacity in the crotch region than in a region adjacent the crotch region.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the inner bond edge and the outer bond edge are located at the front waist region.

8. The absorbent article of claim 7, wherein a bond defining the inner bond edge and the outer bond edge extends continuously from the inner bond edge to the outer bond edge.

9. The absorbent article of claim 7, wherein a first bond defines the outer bond edge and a second bond defines the inner bond edge, the second bond being spaced apart longitudinally from the first bond.

10. The absorbent article of claim 9, wherein the second bond is offset laterally from the first bond.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the inner bond edge is longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of about 60 mm or more.

12. The absorbent article of claim 11, wherein the inner bond edge is longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of about 70 mm or more.

13. The absorbent article of claim 11, wherein the inner bond edge is longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of between about 80 mm and 110 mm.

14. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein each barrier cuff strip includes a longitudinally extending elastic gathering member attached adjacent to the distal edge such that when allowed to relax, the elastic gathering member contracts and lifts the distal edge away from the topsheet.

15. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a flexure resistance of about 750 g or less.

16. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a flexure resistance of about 500 g or less.

17. The absorbent article of claim 1 having a flexure resistance of about 250 g or less.

18. An absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet joined to the topsheet, the chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region located between the front waist region and the back waist region, a longitudinal axis extending through the front and back waist regions and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a barrier cuff strip extending in a longitudinal direction from the front waist region to the back waist region along the topsheet, the barrier cuff strip including a front end at the front waist region, a back end at the back waist region and proximal and distal edges connecting the front end and the back end, the barrier cuff strip distal edge being attached to the topsheet at a cuff end bond region having an outer bond edge at one of the front and back ends of the barrier cuff strip and an inner bond edge spaced longitudinally from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of about ½

or more of a longitudinal length of the waist region at which the outer bond edge is located; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core including an absorbent layer including an absorbent material comprising a superabsorbent polymer material wherein the absorbent layer having a dry caliper of no more than about 5 mm.

19. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the absorbent core has a dry caliper of no more than about 6 mm in the crotch region.

20. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the absorbent core achieves a wet immobilization of about 60 percent or more.

21. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the superabsorbent polymer material is present with an average basis weight of about 50 g/m² or more in the absorbent core.

22. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the absorbent core has a greater absorbent capacity in the crotch region than in a region adjacent the crotch region.

23. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the inner bond edge and the outer bond edge are located at the front waist region.

24. The absorbent article of claim 23, wherein a bond defining the inner bond edge and the outer bond edge extends continuously from the inner bond edge to the outer bond edge.

25. The absorbent article of claim 23, wherein a first bond defines the outer bond edge and a second bond defines the inner bond edge, the second bond being spaced apart longitudinally from the first bond.

26. The absorbent article of claim 25, wherein the second bond is offset laterally from the first bond.

27. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the inner bond edge is longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of about 60 mm or more.

28. The absorbent article of claim 27, wherein the inner bond edge is longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of about 70 mm or more.

29. The absorbent article of claim 27, wherein the inner bond edge being longitudinally spaced from the outer bond edge a longitudinal length of between about 80 mm and 110 mm.

30. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein each barrier cuff strip includes a longitudinally extending elastic gathering member attached adjacent to the distal edge such that when allowed to relax, the elastic gathering member contracts and lifts the distal edge away from the topsheet.

31. The absorbent article of claim 18 having a flexure resistance of about 750 g or less.

32. The absorbent article of claim 18 having a flexure resistance of about 500 g or less.

33. The absorbent article of claim 18 having a flexure resistance of about 250 g or less.

34. An absorbent article having opposite longitudinally extending sides and opposite laterally extending ends extending between the longitudinally extending sides, the absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet joined to the topsheet, the chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region located between the front waist region and the back waist region, a longitudinal axis extending through the front and back waist regions and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a barrier cuff strip extending in a longitudinal direction from the front waist region to the back waist region along the topsheet, the barrier cuff strip including a front end at the front waist region, a back end at the back waist region and proximal and distal edges connecting the front end and the back end, the barrier cuff strip distal edge being attached to the topsheet at a cuff end bond region having an outer bond edge at one of the front and back waist regions and an inner bond edge spaced longitudinally from the outer bond edge; and

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core including an absorbent layer including an absorbent material comprising a superabsorbent polymer material wherein at least about 60 percent by weight of the absorbent material is the superabsorbent polymer material;

wherein a longitudinal distance from the inner bond edge to the laterally extending side at the one of the front and back waist regions is about 1/2or more of a longitudinal length of the one of the front and back waist regions.

35. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the absorbent layer has a dry caliper of no more than about 5 mm.

36. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the absorbent core achieves a wet immobilization of about 60 percent or more.

37. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the superabsorbent polymer material is present with an average basis weight of about 50 g/m² or more in the absorbent core.

38. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the absorbent core has a greater absorbent capacity in the crotch region than in a region adjacent the crotch region.

39. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the inner bond edge and the outer bond edge are located at the front waist region.

40. The absorbent article of claim 39, wherein a bond defining the inner bond edge and the outer bond edge extends continuously from the inner bond edge to the outer bond edge.

41. The absorbent article of claim 39, wherein a first bond defines the outer bond edge and a second bond defines the inner bond edge, the second bond being spaced apart longitudinally from the first bond.

42. The absorbent article of claim 41, wherein the second bond is offset laterally from the first bond.

43. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the longitudinal distance from the inner bond edge to the laterally extending side at the one of the front and back waist regions is about 60 mm or more.

44. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the longitudinal distance from the inner bond edge to the laterally extending side at the one of the front and back waist regions is about 70 mm or more.

45. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein the longitudinal distance from the inner bond edge to the laterally extending side at the one of the front and back waist regions is between about 80 mm and 110 mm.

46. The absorbent article of claim 34, wherein each barrier cuff strip includes a longitudinally extending elastic gathering member attached adjacent to the distal edge such that when allowed to relax, the elastic gathering member contracts and lifts the distal edge away from the topsheet.

47. The absorbent article of claim 34 having a flexure resistance of about 750 g or less.

48. The absorbent article of claim 34 having a flexure resistance of about 500 g or less.

49. The absorbent article of claim 34 having a flexure resistance of about 250 g or less.