Multi-layer absorbent composite

• US 5,294,478 A
• Filed: 12/18/1992
• Issued: 03/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Abuto, Frank P., Sawyer, Lawrence H., Ribble, Brendon F., Matthews, Billie J., Werner, Edward E., Georger, William A., Wanek, Mary C., Van Den Bogart, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANNON, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US07/993,245
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 428/218, 428/283, 428/286, 428/287, 428/340, 604/378
• US Class Current: 428/218
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49009 with elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/537 characterised by a layer facilitating or inhibiting flow in one direction or plane, e.g. a wicking layer A61F13/538 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53747 the layer is facing the topsheet layer is part of the topsheet A61F13/511
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53756 the layer facing the back-sheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15308 in wet conditions, i.e. wet strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15317 Wet compressibility, i.e. void volume/gr
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15406 Basis weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15422 Density
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15447 Fibre dimension, e.g. denier or tex
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15821 characterized by the apparatus for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15878 by thermal bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15951 by wet-laid technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15959 by spunbond technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15967 by meltblown technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530007 being made from pulp
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530145 being short
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530153 being long
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530226 with polymeric fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530299 being hydrophilic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53035 of cotton
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530357 : of wool
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530372 : of ramie or jute or linen
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53043 : with different ratio of components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530445 : by defining a target or acquisition or vulnerability zone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530481 : having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530569 : characterized by the particle size
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530583 : characterized by the form
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5307 : characterized by the quantity or ratio of superabsorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530744 : by the absorbency under load
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530875 : having holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530934 : having a density gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53445 : from several sheets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53726 : on the top layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/5373 : on the bottom layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8402 : including disposal means A61F13/5512, A61F13/5515, A61F13/5517, A61F13/5518 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8491 : including test methods
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/02 : Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24992 : Density or compression of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/27 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified weight per unit area [e.g., gms/sq cm, lbs/sq ft, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/66 : Additional nonwoven fabric is a spun-bonded fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/668 : Separate nonwoven fabric layers comprise chemically different strand or fiber material

Abstract

Disclosed is an absorbent structure comprising first and second surge management layers and an absorbent layer located between said first and second surge management layers. The first surge management layer comprises synthetic polymeric fibers and the second surge management layer comprises hydrophilic fibers. The density of the absorbent layer is greater than the density of the first and second surge management layers.

Claims

1. An absorbent structure, said absorbent structure comprising:

a first surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said web comprising synthetic polymeric fibers, said first surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 20 to about 200 grams per square meter, and a density of from about 0.01 to about 0.12 gram per cubic centimeter;

a second surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said web comprising hydrophilic fibers, said second surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 20 to about 200 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.04 to about 0.2 gram per cubic centimeter; and

an absorbent layer located between and in liquid communication with said first and second surge management layers, said absorbent layer comprising means for containing a high-absorbency material and from about 50 to about 100 weight percent, based on total weight of said absorbent layer, of a high-absorbency material contained by said means for containing a high-absorbency material, said absorbent layer having a basis weight of from about 200 to about 1000 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.06 to about 0.4 gram per cubic centimeter wherein the density of said absorbent layer is greater than the density of said first and second surge management layers and the density of the first surge management layer is different than the density of said second surge management layer.

2. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said first surge management layer is, in use, located between the body of a wearer and the absorbent layer.

3. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said first surge management layer comprises from about 10 to 100 weight percent synthetic polymeric fibers.

4. The absorbent structure according to claim 3 wherein said first surge management layer is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of meltblowing, spunbonding, carding, and airlaying.

5. The absorbent structure according to claim 4 wherein said synthetic polymeric fibers are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, and acrylics.

6. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said first surge management layer has a basis weight of from about 30 to about 150 grams per square meter.

7. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said second surge management layer comprises from 10 to 100 weight percent of hydrophilic fibers.

8. The absorbent structure according to claim 7 wherein said second surge management layer comprises 100 weight percent of cellulosic fibers.

9. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said second surge management layer has a basis weight of about 50 to about 150 grams per square meter.

10. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer comprises from about 60 to about 95 weight percent of a high-absorbency material contained by said means for containing a high-absorbency material.

11. The absorbent structure according to claim 10 wherein said absorbent layer comprises from about 70 to about 90 weight percent of a high-absorbency material contained by said means for containing a high-absorbency material.

12. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer has a basis weight of from about 250 to about 750 grams per square meter.

13. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein the density of said absorbent layer is at least about 20 percent greater than the density of both of said first and second surge management layers.

14. The absorbent structure according to claim 13 wherein the density of said absorbent layer is at least about 30 percent greater than the density of both of said first and second surge management layers.

15. The absorbent structure according to claim 2 wherein the density of the first surge management layer is less than the density of the second surge management layer.

16. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein the density of the first and second surge management layers differ by at least about 20 percent of the density of the lowest density layer.

17. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer defines holes.

18. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer comprises areas of reduced basis weight.

19. The absorbent structure according to claim 1 wherein said high absorbency material is in the form of particles or spheres having different maximum cross-sectional dimensions with the larger particles located on the side of the absorbent layer closest to a wearer in use.

20. An absorbent structure, said structure comprising a first surge management layer, said first surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said fibrous web comprising from about 50 to 100 weight percent of synthetic polymeric fibers formed from an inherently hydrophobic polymeric material, said first surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 30 to about 150 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.015 to about 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter;

a second surge management layer, said second surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said fibrous web comprising from about 55 to about 100 weight percent hydrophilic fibers, said second surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 50 to about 150 grams per square meter, and a density of from about 0.06 to about 0.16 grams per cubic centimeter; and

an absorbent layer located between and in liquid communication with said first and second surge management layers, said absorbent layer comprising means for containing a high-absorbency material and from about 50 to about 100 weight percent, based on total weight of the absorbent layer, of a high-absorbency material contained by said means for containing a high-absorbency material, said absorbent layer having a basis weight of from about 250 to about 750 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.12 to about 0.35 gram per cubic centimeter wherein the density of said absorbent layer is greater than the density of both of said first and second surge management layers, and the densities of the first and second surge management layers are different.

21. An absorbent product, said absorbent product comprising:

a liquid-impermeable bodyside liner;

a substantially liquid-impermeable outer cover; and

an absorbent structure located between said liner and outer cover said absorbent structure comprising;

a first surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said web comprising synthetic polymeric fibers, said first surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 20 to about 200 grams per square meter, and a density of from about 0.01 to about 0.12 grams per cubic centimeter;

a second surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said web comprising hydrophilic fibers, said second surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 20 to about 200 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.04 to about 0.2 gram per cubic centimeter; and

an absorbent layer located between and in liquid communication with said first and second surge management layers, said absorbent layer comprising means for containing a high-absorbency material and from about 50 to about 100 weight percent, based on total weight of said absorbent layer, of a high-absorbency material contained by said means for containing a high-absorbency material, said absorbent layer having a basis weight of from about 200 to about 1000 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.06 to about 0.4 gram per cubic centimeter wherein the density of said absorbent layer is greater than the density of said first and second surge management layers and the density of the first surge management layer is different than the density of said second surge management layer.

22. The absorbent product according to claim 21 wherein said first surge management layer is located between said bodyside liner and said absorbent structure.

23. An absorbent structure, said absorbent structure comprising:

a first surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said web comprising synthetic polymeric fibers, said first surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 20 to about 200 grams per square meter, and a density of from about 0.01 to about 0.12 gram per cubic centimeter;

a second surge management layer comprising a fibrous web, said web comprising hydrophilic fibers, said second surge management layer having a basis weight of from about 20 to about 200 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.04 to about 0.2 gram per cubic centimeter; and

an absorbent layer located between and in liquid communication with said first and second surge management layers, said absorbent layer comprising a fibrous web containing from about 50 to about 100 weight percent, based on total weight of said absorbent layer, of a high-absorbency material, said absorbent layer having a basis weight of from about 200 to about 1000 grams per square meter and a density of from about 0.06 to about 0.4 gram per cubic centimeter wherein the density of said absorbent layer is greater than the density of said first and second surge management layers and the density of the first surge management layer is different than the density of said second surge management layer.