Absorbent article

• US 5,810,796 A
• Filed: 01/08/1997
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Original Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Inventors: Kimura, Mayumi, Hamajima, Mitsugu, Nakanishi, Minoru, Fukuhara, Yayoi
• Primary Examiner(s): Polutta, Mark O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O YONG, KI
• Application Number:
  US08/779,078
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 604/365, 604/378, 604/379, 604/380, 604/385.1, 604/387, 604/367-375
• US Class Current: 604/365
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4755 the means being a flat barrier on or inside the absorbent article, e.g. backsheet wrapped around the edges
• 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 2013/15016 for breast; pads for bras

Abstract

An absorbent article which comprises at least a liquid retentive absorbent member and a liquid impermeable antileakage layer, wherein the liquid retentive absorbent member has a bending stiffness of 0.05 to 1.0 gf·cm along its lateral direction and a compressive modulus of 2×10⁶ to 1×10⁸ dyne/cm² along its lateral direction.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a liquid retentive absorbent member and a liquid impermeable anti-leakage layer, said liquid retentive absorbent member has a bending stiffness of 0.05 to 1.0 gf·

cm along its lateral direction, the bending stiffness being measured by bending the absorbent article in the lateral direction, and a compressive modulus of 2×

10⁶ to 1×

10⁸ dyne/cm² along the lateral direction, the compressive modulus being measured by making the absorbent member into a cylindrical shape and compressing the cylindrical shape in a height direction, whereby said absorbent article is comfortable to a wearer while being substantially resistant to deformation and leakage.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said liquid retentive absorbent member includes at least a superabsorbent polymer and an absorbent sheet, said absorbent sheet being made up of at least hydrophilic fibers and thermally-fusible bonding fibers.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said liquid retentive absorbent member has an absorbent sheet containing at least a superabsorbent polymer, said absorbent sheet has a fiber aggregate layer and a fiber web layer;

and P1 means for bonding said fiber aggregate layer and said fiber web layer to form a unitary body, said fiber aggregate layer having an absorbent surface containing substantially no superabsorbent polymer on a side of said absorbent member;

said fiber web layer includes at least one of hydrophilic fibers and thermally-fusible bonding fibers, said superabsorbent polymer being adhered to the fibers constituting said absorbent sheet and being dispersed and fixed predominantly in said fiber web layer and at the interface between said fiber web layer and said fiber aggregate layer.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said liquid retentive absorbent member has a thickness of 0.3 to 1.5 mm. under a load of 2.5 g/cm² to reduce and stabilize the bending stiffness.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said liquid retentive absorbent member has a shape of at least one of a crotch of a wearer, a disposable diaper, a nursing breast pad, and a rectangle.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein said means for bonding includes at least of a mechanical entanglement of said fiber aggregate layers with said fiber web layer, hydrogen bonding with a reinforcing agent, and thermal bonding.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein said fiber web layer includes at least one of a natural cellulose fibers, synthetic hydrophilic fibers, and a combination of natural cellulose fibers and synthetic hydrophilic fibers.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein said fiber aggregate includes at least one of paper and nonwoven fabrics.

9. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein said superabsorbent polymer is substantially fixed to fibers of said fiber web and dispersed in spaces among said fibers of said fiber web to prevent gel blocking.