Absorbent incontinence pads

• US 6,569,137 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Absorbent Technology Institute
• Original Assignee: Absorbent Technology Institute
• Inventors: Suzuki, Migaku, Nakaoka, Kenji, Uchimoto, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grayson, Angela J
• Application Number:
  US09/758,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 604/378, 604/381, 604/368, 604/385.01
• US Class Current: 604/385.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15211 soluble or disintegratable in liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15252 compostable or biodegradable
• 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 13/539 characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers

Abstract

An absorbent incontinence pad is provided with a liquid impervious air permeable back sheet and an absorbent unit partly covered by the back sheet, wherein the absorbent unit has a non-woven fabric substrate, an absorbent zone formed by a plurality of highly absorbent layers extending in the form of bands on the surface of the non-woven fabric substrate and an air permeable zone where no such highly absorbent layer exists, which has sufficiently adequate properties to meet incontinence requirements and provides a comfortable feeling during use.

Claims

1. An absorbent incontinence pad comprising:

an absorbent unit (4) comprising a non-woven fabric substrate (5), an absorbent zone consisting of a plurality of highly absorbent layer elements (6) extending in bands on a surface of the non-woven fabric substrate (5), and an air permeable zone abutting the non-woven fabric substrate (5) formed in one or more areas where the highly absorbent layers (6) are not formed;

a back sheet (2) wrapping the absorbent unit (4) leaving part of a surface of the absorbent unit (4) uncovered; and

an acquisition layer (7) disposed on the surface of the absorbent unit (4) covering at least part of the uncovered surface thereof.

2. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 1, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is wrapped with a dispersion layer (14), and wherein the acquisition layer is disposed on the dispersion layer and covers at least part of the uncovered surface of the absorbent unit (4).

3. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 1, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is comprised of a plurality of absorbent sheets (4a, 4b) folded on each other.

4. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 3, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is composed of a first absorbent sheet (4a) and a second absorbent sheet (4b) as folded onto each other, the first absorbent sheet (4a) having highly absorbent layers (6) in a position corresponding to a first absorbent zone and a second absorbent zone and the second absorbent sheet having a highly absorbent layer (6) in a position corresponding to only the second absorbent zone.

5. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 3, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is composed of a first absorbent sheet (4a) and a second absorbent sheet (4b) as folded on each other, the first absorbent sheet (4a) having highly absorbent layers (6) in positions corresponding to a first absorbent zone and a second absorbent zone, respectively and the second absorbent sheet (4b) having a highly absorbent layer (6) in a position corresponding to only the first absorbent zone.

6. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 4 or 5, wherein a ratio (Aw:

Bw) of a width of the first absorbent zone (Aw) to a width of the second absorbent zone (Bw) is in a range of 1;

0.3 to 2.

7. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 3, wherein the plurality of absorbent sheets (4a, 4b) are bonded to each other.

8. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 3, wherein the plurality of absorbent sheets (4a, 4b) are entirely bonded to each other by means of a hot melt (9) resin interposed between the adjacent absorbent sheets.

9. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 1, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) is comprised mainly of a super absorbent polymer.

10. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 9, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) contains 60% or more by weight of a super absorbent polymer.

11. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 9, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) is comprised of a mixture of a super absorbent polymer and microfibrillated fibrils.

12. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 9, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) is divided into a plurality of rows extending in parallel with each other.

13. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 1, wherein the non-woven fabric substrate (5) is bonded with the back sheet (2) in the air permeable zone.

14. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 1, wherein all of the constituting elements of the absorbent incontinence pad are composed of biodegradable materials.

15. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 1, wherein all of the constituting elements of the absorbent incontinence pad are composed of water decomposable materials.

33. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 5, wherein a ratio (Aw:

Bw) of a width of the first absorbent zone (Aw) to a width of the second absorbent zone (Bw) is in a range of 1;

0.3 to 2.

16. An absorbent incontinence pad comprised of a topsheet (1) comprised of a liquid pervious air permeable sheeting material, a liquid impervious air permeable back sheet (2) and an absorbent unit (4) interposed between the back sheet (2) and the top sheet (1), the absorbent unit (4) comprising:

a non-woven fabric substrate (5), an absorbent zone comprised of a plurality of highly absorbent layers (6) extending in bands on a surface of the non-woven fabric substrate (5), and an air permeable zone abutting the non-woven fabric substrate (5) formed in one or more areas where the highly absorbent layers (6) are not formed.

17. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein the back sheet (2) and the top sheet (1) are bonded to each other on their perimeter portions with the absorbent unit (4) located between the top sheet (1) and back sheet (2).

18. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein the non-woven fabric substrate (5) is bonded with the top sheet (1) in the air permeable zone.

19. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein the non-woven fabric substrate (5) is bonded with the back sheet (2) and the top sheet (1) in the air permeable zone.

20. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is comprised of a plurality of absorbent sheets (4a, 4b) folded on each other.

21. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 20, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is composed of a first absorbent sheet (4a) and a second absorbent sheet (4b) as folded on each other, the first absorbent sheet (4a) having highly absorbent layers (6) in a position corresponding to a first absorbent zone and a second absorbent zone and the second absorbent sheet having a highly absorbent layer (6) in a position corresponding to only the second absorbent zone.

22. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 20, wherein the absorbent unit (4) is composed of a first absorbent sheet (4a) and a second absorbent sheet (4b) as folded on each other, the first absorbent sheet (4a) having highly absorbent layers (6) in positions corresponding to a first absorbent zone and a second absorbent zone, respectively and the second absorbent sheet (4b) having a highly absorbent layer (6) in a position corresponding to only the first absorbent zone.

23. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 21, wherein a ratio (Aw:

Bw) of a width of the first absorbent zone (Aw) to a width of the second absorbent zone (Bw) is in a range of 1;

0.3 to 2.

24. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 20, wherein the plurality of absorbent sheets (4a, 4b) are bonded to each other.

25. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 20, wherein the plurality of absorbent sheets (4a, 4b) are entirely bonded to each other by means of a hot melt (9) resin interposed between the adjacent absorbent sheets.

26. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) is comprised mainly of a super absorbent polymer.

27. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 26, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) contains 60% or more by weight of a super absorbent polymer.

28. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 26, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) is comprised of a mixture of a super absorbent polymer and microfibrillated fibrils.

29. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 26, wherein the highly absorbent layer (6) is divided into a plurality of rows extending in parallel with each other.

30. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein the non-woven fabric substrate (5) is bonded with the back sheet (2) in the air permeable zone.

31. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein all of the constituting elements of the absorbent incontinence pad are composed of biodegradable materials.

32. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 16, wherein all of the constituting elements of the absorbent incontinence pad are composed of water decomposable materials.

34. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 17, wherein the non-woven fabric substrate (5) is bonded with the top sheet (1) in the air permeable zone.

35. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 17, wherein the non-woven fabric substrate (5) is bonded with the back sheet (2) and the top sheet (1) in the air permeable zone.

36. The absorbent incontinence pad of claim 22, wherein a ratio (Aw:

Bw) of a width of the first absorbent zone (Aw) to a width of the second absorbent zone (Bw) is in a range of 1;

0.3 to 2.