Disposable absorbent article

• US 6,458,111 B1
• Filed: 05/24/2000
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Onishi, Kazuaki, Ishikawa, Norihiko, Yabe, Yoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanatta, A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muromoto, Jr., Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US09/577,142
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.1, 604/369, 604/378, 604/381, 604/385.19, 604/385.24, 604/398, 604/380, 604/385.2, 604/387, 604/397-402, 604/385.01, 604/385.08, 604/385.101
• US Class Current: 604/385.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article including a fecal matter retaining layer, the retaining layer including a three dimensional structure having a thickness of 5˜100 mm adapted to be placed against a wearer'"'"'s hip is formed with at least one opening having an area of 20˜30000 mm² and at least one fecal matter retaining cavity having a depth of 2.5 mm.

Claims

1. A disposable absorbent article having a crotch section corresponding to a crotch region of a wearer and front and rear sections disposed at longitudinally opposite ends of the crotch section, said absorbent article comprising an inner surface intended to come in contact with the wearer'"'"'s skin and an outer surface opposed to said inner surface, said inner surface being provided with at least one fecal matter retaining cavity adapted to receive fecal matter discharged on said inner surface, said at least one fecal matter retaining cavity being arranged so that, when said article is put on the wearer'"'"'s body, said at least one fecal matter retaining cavity will be placed against a predetermined region of the wearer'"'"'s hip extending around his/her anus;

wherein;

said absorbent article comprises a fecal matter retaining layer having a thickness of from about 5 to about 100 mm provided with said at least one fecal matter retaining cavity having an opening area of from about 20 to about 30000 mm² and a depth of at least 2.5 mm;

said retaining layer comprises a three dimensional network structure having air/water permeability in a thickness direction defined between said inner and outer surfaces and a planar direction intersecting said thickness direction at substantially the right angle and elastic compressivity in said thickness direction; and

said retaining layer is present in all the front, crotch and rear sections of said absorbent article.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein said inner surface of said article is formed at least partially by a top layer comprising a hydrophobic sheet, said top layer covering said retaining layer at least in the vicinity of said at least one retaining cavity, said at least one retaining cavity extending downward from an opening formed through said top layer to said retaining layer;

and

said outer surface of said article is formed by a back layer comprising a liquid impervious sheet.

3. The article according to claim 1, wherein said three dimensional network structure of said retaining layer is exposed through an inner peripheral surface of said at least one retaining cavity.

4. The article according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least one retaining cavity has a depth of at least ½

of a thickness of said retaining layer.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein said at least one retaining cavity comprises a plurality of retaining cavities and at least one of said retaining cavities extends through said retaining layer.

6. The article according to claim 1, wherein said retaining layer elastically recovers at least 50% of an initial thickness thereof after being compressed in said thickness direction.

7. The article according to claim 1, wherein said retaining layer is an elastic member comprising thermoplastic synthetic fibers with a basis weight of from about 100 to about 1500 g/m² and a fineness of from about 6 to about 100 deniers, said fibers being heat-sealed and/or mechanically intertwined together to form said three dimensional network structure, and

said retaining layer has a compressivity such that, under a load of about 35 g/cm², said retaining layer has a thickness T2 of from about 40 to about 80% of a thickness T1 said retaining layer has under a load of about 2 g/cm².

8. The article according to claim 7, wherein said thermoplastic synthetic fibers contained in said retaining layer are hydrophilic.

9. The article according to claim 1, wherein said retaining layer comprises thermoplastic synthetic fibers of 100 parts by weight and non meltable hydrophilic fibers of 1˜

100 parts by weight.

10. The article according to claim 1, wherein said retaining layer is further formed with a plurality of channels each having a cross-sectional area of at least 1 mm² and extending laterally from an opening formed in a inner peripheral surface of said retaining cavity in parallel to said top layer.

11. The article according to claim 2, further comprising an absorbent layer comprising a water absorbent material disposed between said retaining layer and said back layer.

12. The article according to claim 11, wherein said absorbent layer has a basis weight of from about 20 to about 600 g/m² and an absorptivity of at least 8 g/g for physiological saline.

13. The article according to claim 11, wherein said absorbent layer is exposed at a bottom of said retaining cavity.

14. The article according to claim 11, wherein said absorbent layer has a basis weight of from about 20 to about 600 g/m² and 40˜

100 parts by weight of said basis weight are occupied by absorbent fibers.

15. The article according to claim 7, wherein at least 50% by weight of the thermoplastic synthetic fibers contained in said retaining layer are of a fineness of from about 10 to about 70 deniers.

16. The article according to claim 11, wherein said absorbent layer has a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mm.

17. The article according to claim 11, wherein from 0 to about 70% by weight of said absorbent layer is occupied by resin having high water absorptivity.

18. A disposable absorbent article, comprising a hydrophobic topsheet having an opening through which fecal matter can pass, a fecal matter retaining layer, a moisture absorbent layer and a liquid-impervious backsheet successively laminated one with another in this order so that said fecal matter retaining layer and moisture absorbent layer are enclosed between said topsheet and backsheet, wherein:

said topsheet is formed with at least one said opening having an area of from about 20 to about 30000 mm²;

said retaining layer is an elastic member having a thickness of from about 5 to about 100 mm, air/water permeability in a thickness direction and in a planar direction intersecting said thickness direction at substantially the right angle, elastic recovery of at least 50% from a compressed state in said thickness direction; and

said retaining layer is provided with at least one fecal matter retaining cavity formed immediately below said opening of said topsheet so as to have substantially the same opening area as said area of said opening and a depth of at least 2.5 mm.

19. A disposable absorbent article having a crotch section corresponding to a crotch region of a wearer and front and rear sections disposed at longitudinally opposite ends of the crotch section, said absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and a core completely enclosed between and by said topsheet and backsheet;

wherein

said core comprises a fecal matter retaining layer immediately beneath said topsheet, and a moisture absorbent layer beneath said retaining layer;

said topsheet is formed with at least a through opening in a region that will be placed against a predetermined region of the wearer'"'"'s hip extending around his/her anus when said article is put on the wearer'"'"'s body;

said retaining layer is an elastic, compression recoverable member having three dimensional air/water permeability, and said retaining layer is provided with at least a fecal matter retaining cavity formed corresponding to and immediately below said through opening of said topsheet; and

said retaining layer is present in all the front, crotch and rear sections of said absorbent article.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein said absorbent core is coexistent with said retaining layer substantially throughout an entire area of said retaining layer.

21. The article of claim 19, wherein an overall thickness of said core is substantially uniform throughout an entire area thereof, except for said retaining cavity.

22. The article of claim 20, wherein a thickness of said absorbent layer is substantially uniform throughout an entire area thereof.

23. The article of claim 19, wherein said retaining cavity extends through an entire thickness of said retaining layer so that said absorbent layer is exposed at a bottom of said retaining cavity.

24. The article of claim 19, wherein said topsheet comprises an upper layer which is hydrophobic and a lower layer which is liquid-pervious, said hydrophobic layer is present at least in the vicinity of a periphery of said opening.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein said hydrophobic layer is not present in edge regions of said core.

26. The article of claim 19, wherein

said topsheet is further formed with at least a slit extending through an entire thickness thereof and outwardly from said opening; and

said retaining layer is further provided with at least a channel formed corresponding to and immediately below said slit of said topsheet so that fecal matter discharged on top of said channel may directly pass through said slit to be received in said channel.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein said slit and channel communicate at least two said retaining cavities.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein a depth of said channel is less that that of said retaining cavity.

29. The article of claim 19, wherein said absorbent layer extends substantially continuously, seamlessly in all the front, crotch and rear sections of said absorbent article.