Personal hygiene articles for absorbing fluids

• US 5,766,159 A
• Filed: 07/06/1995
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Paper Company
• Original Assignee: International Paper Company
• Inventors: Martin, Bruce D., Wiesemann, Thomas L., Shoemaker, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O YONG, KI
• Application Number:
  US08/499,115
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 604/368, 604/365, 604/375, 604/370, 604/378, 604/366, 604/367, 604/369, 604/374, 264/5, 264/239, 264/256, 264/257
• US Class Current: 604/368
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/531 having a homogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15284 characterized by quantifiable properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15463 Absorbency

Abstract

A personal hygiene article having an increased capacity for absorbing fluids is disclosed. The article contains a surface layer containing at least one fluid permeable material and a sublayer containing at least about 10 wt. % of a fluffed wood pulp for retaining fluids. Articles of the invention have improved absorbance properties under re-wet conditions even in the absence of organic cross-linking agents or fiber modifiers.

Claims

1. A method for making an absorbent composite useful for personal hygiene articles which comprises:

treating a wood fiber pulp containing wood fibers with a base at a temperature ranging from about 0°

C. to about 80°

C. thereby forming a treated wood fiber pulp containing wood fibers;

dry shredding the treated wood fiber pulp to form an absorbent sublayer material comprised of fluffed base-treated wood pulp;

providing at least one fluid permeable topsheet layer and at least one substantially fluid impermeable backsheet layer; and

interposing the sublayer material between the topsheet layer and backsheet layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sublayer material contains about 50% by weight of treated cellulosic fiber pulp and about 50% by weight unprocessed fibers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sublayer material contains from about 10 to about 100% by weight of treated cellulosic fiber pulp and from about 0 to about 90% by weight of a super-absorbing polymer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sublayer material is further characterized as having a strike-through acquisition re-wet weight of less than about 40 grams.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sublayer material has a pre-poured saturated drainage (PSD) capacity greater than about 400 mL.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting at least a portion of the topsheet layer to at least a portion of the backsheet layer so as to define a closed space between the layers containing the sublayer.