Disposable Absorbent Article With Substantially Continuously Distributed Absorbent Particulate Polymer Material And Method

• US 20080312617A1
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Dziezok, Peter, Schmidt, Mattias, Beruda, Holger, Krause, Axel, Hundorf, Harald Hermann, Blessing, Horst, Stelzig, Lutz
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/366
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15658 Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15699 Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5323 having absorbent material located in discrete regions, e.g. pockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/535 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad, e.g. core absorbent layers being of different sizes A61F13/5323, A61F13/537 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/536 having discontinuous areas of compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/539 characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530547 positioned in a separate layer or layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530562 being arranged in discontinuous pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5395 with thermoplastic agent, i.e. softened by heat
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/08 Dimensions, e.g. volume
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/024 Peltier effect
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2555/02 Diapers or napkins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/144 using layers with different mechanical or chemical conditions or properties, e.g. layers with different thermal shrinkage, layers under tension during bonding constructional features for tensioning B32B38/1825
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

A disposable absorbent core comprises first and second absorbent layers each comprising an absorbent particulate polymer material such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is substantially continuously distributed across an absorbent particulate polymer material area. A disposable absorbent article and method for making the absorbent core are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A disposable absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet; and

a substantially cellulose free absorbent core located between the topsheet and the backsheet and including first and second absorbent layers, the first absorbent layer including a first substrate and the second absorbent layer including a second substrate, the first and second absorbent layers further including superabsorbent particulate polymer material deposited on said first and second substrates and thermoplastic adhesive material covering the absorbent particulate polymer material on the respective first and second substrates, said first and second absorbent layers combined together such that at least a portion of said thermoplastic adhesive material of said first absorbent layer contacts at least a portion of the thermoplastic adhesive material of said second absorbent layer, the absorbent particulate polymer material is disposed between the first and second substrates in an absorbent particulate polymer material area, and the absorbent particulate polymer material is substantially continuously distributed across the absorbent particulate polymer material area.

2. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein:

the absorbent particulate polymer material is deposited on the first and second substrates in respective patterns of land areas and junction areas between the land areas such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is discontinuously distributed on the first and second substrates; and

the first and second absorbent layers are combined together such the respective patterns of absorbent particulate polymer material are offset from one another.

3. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent particulate polymer material area extends substantially entirely across the absorbent core.

4. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent particulate polymer material area extends substantially entirely from front to back of the absorbent core.

5. The disposable absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the respective patterns are substantially the same.

6. The disposable absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the respective patterns are different.

7. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core consists essentially of the first and second substrates, the absorbent particulate polymer material, and the thermoplastic adhesive material.

8. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the backsheet has a water vapor transmission rate of greater than about 3000 g/24 h/m² according to the test described herein.

9. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 having an absorbent particulate polymer material loss of no more than about 70% according to the Wet Immobilization Test herein.

10. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent particulate polymer material is present in the absorbent core in an amount greater than about 80% by weight of the absorbent core.

11. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has a front end and a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending from the rear end to the front end and a plurality of absorbent zones, each of the plurality of absorbent zones having absorbent particulate polymer material present in differing amounts.

12. The disposable absorbent article of claim 11, wherein there is a gradual transition in amount of absorbent particulate polymer material form one of the plurality of absorbent zones to another.

13. The disposable absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the absorbent core has a front end and a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending from the rear end to the front end and the land areas of the respective patterns are arranged in a grid which is positioned at an angle from about 5 to about 85 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the absorbent core.

14. The disposable absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the absorbent core has a length extending from a rear end to a front end, and a width extending from a first edge to a second edge and perpendicularly to the length, and the respective patterns are offset from one another in both a direction parallel to the length and a direction parallel to the width.

15. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a diaper comprising a re-closable fastening system joined to the chassis for securing the diaper to a wearer.

16. The disposable absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a pant-type diaper comprising at least two side panels joined to the chassis and to each other to form a pant.

17. An absorbent core comprising first and second absorbent layers, the first absorbent layer including a first substrate and the second absorbent layer including a second substrate, the first and second absorbent layers further including absorbent particulate polymer material deposited on said first and second substrates and thermoplastic adhesive material covering the absorbent particulate polymer material on the respective first and second substrates, said first and second absorbent layers combined together such that at least a portion of said thermoplastic adhesive material of said first absorbent layer contacts at least a portion of the thermoplastic adhesive material of said second absorbent layer, the absorbent particulate polymer material is disposed between the first and second substrates in an absorbent particulate polymer material area, and the absorbent particulate polymer material is substantially continuously distributed across the absorbent particulate polymer material area, wherein the absorbent core is substantially cellulose free.

18. The absorbent core of claim 17, wherein:

the absorbent particulate polymer material is deposited on the first and second substrates in respective patterns of land areas and junction areas between the land areas such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is discontinuously distributed on the first and second substrates; and

the first and second absorbent layers are combined together such the respective patterns of absorbent particulate polymer material are offset from one another.

19. A method of making a disposable absorbent article comprising:

depositing absorbent particulate polymer material on a first substrate in a first pattern to form a first absorbent layer such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is discontinuously distributed on the first substrate;

depositing absorbent particulate polymer material on a second substrate in a second pattern to form a second absorbent layer such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is discontinuously distributed on the second substrate;

depositing a thermoplastic adhesive material on the absorbent particulate polymer material and the first and second substrates to cover the absorbent particulate polymer material on the first and second substrates; and

combining said first and second absorbent layers together such that at least a portion of said thermoplastic adhesive material of said first absorbent layer contacts at least a portion of the thermoplastic adhesive material of said second absorbent layer, the absorbent particulate polymer material is disposed between the first and second substrates in an absorbent particulate polymer material area, and the absorbent particulate polymer material is substantially continuously distributed across the absorbent particulate polymer material area.

20. The method claim 19, wherein:

the step of depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the first substrate comprises depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the first substrate in a first pattern of land areas and junction areas between the land areas;

the step of depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the second substrate comprises depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the second substrate in a second pattern of land areas and junction areas between the land areas; and

the step of combining the first and second absorbent layers comprises combining the first and second absorbent layers together such the first and second patterns of absorbent particulate polymer material are offset from one another.

21. The method claim 20, wherein:

the step of depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the first substrate further comprises depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the first substrate with a rotating drum having a plurality of conical recesses arranged in a first pattern corresponding to the first pattern of land areas and junction areas for delivering the absorbent particulate polymer material to the first substrate; and

the step of depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the second substrate further comprises depositing the absorbent particulate polymer material on the second substrate with a rotating drum having a plurality of conical recesses arranged in a second pattern corresponding to the second pattern of land areas and junction areas for delivering the absorbent particulate polymer material to the second substrate.