Absorbent article and method for producing the same

• US 6,129,717 A
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Wada, Ichiro, Ishikawa, Norihiko, Fujita, Chimari, Fujioka, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REICHLE, KARIN M
• Application Number:
  US08/881,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 604/368, 604/365, 604/378-380, 604/369, 604/384, 604/374-377, 604/385.01
• US Class Current: 604/368
• 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 2013/15284 characterized by quantifiable properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53051 being only in particular parts or specially arranged
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530562 being arranged in discontinuous pattern

Abstract

An absorbent article including an inner sheet and first and second outer sheets. The first outer sheet is of a fine interstice while the second outer sheet is fluid permeable. Through crepe processing, a great number of recesses are formed on an absorbent crepe sheet having wrinkles as the inner sheet. Highly absorbent polymers are charged in the recesses. Then, the first outer sheet adheres to the face on the opening side of the recesses of the inner sheet, while the second outer sheet adheres to the face of the opposite side of the inner sheet. The second outer sheet is positioned toward the side of fluid absorption. When a fluid is applied on the absorbent article, the fluid passes through the second outer sheet onto the inner sheet and the highly absorbent polymers. Because the crepe wrinkles are elongated and extended when the inner sheet absorbs fluid, the recesses are enlarged.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a first outer sheet;

a second outer sheet being fluid permeable;

a fluid absorbent inner sheet made of an absorbent crepe paper having wrinkles capable of extending on fluid absorption between the first outer sheet and the second outer sheet, a plurality of recesses being formed on the inner sheet so that the inner sheet is composed of bottom portions of said recesses, wall portions of the recesses and a remaining portion excluding the recesses, said absorbent crepe paper having a crepe ratio of 5-65% and wherein the inner sheet is bonded to the first outer sheet at the remaining portion with an insoluble adhesive, thereby closing the recesses with the first outer sheet to form a plurality of absorbent regions between the first outer sheet and the inner sheet, and bonded to the second outer sheet at the bottom portions with an insoluble adhesive, thereby forming spaces between the second outer sheet and the inner sheet adjacent said recesses; and

absorbent polymers capable of swelling on fluid absorption or absorbent materials together with the absorbent polymers charged in the recesses of the inner sheet whereby upon fluid absorption, the wall portions of said recesses expand while a thickness between the first outer sheet and the second outer sheet does not significantly expand and the absorbent regions expand toward the spaces.

2. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are formed at a ratio of 2 recesses/cm² or more to 13 recesses/cm² or less on the inner sheet.

3. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the first outer sheet is finer than the second outer sheet.

4. An absorbent article according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid impermeable back sheet disposed on the first outer sheet and a fluid permeable top sheet disposed on the second outer sheet with said absorbent article interposed between the back sheet and the top sheet.