Absorbent article

• US 6,649,807 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Mizutani, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stephens, Jacqueline F
• Application Number:
  US10/010,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 604/365, 604/367, 604/370, 604/375, 604/385.01, 604/383, 604/378, 604/380, 604/385.28
• US Class Current: 604/367
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5116 being formed of multiple layers A61F13/5123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5123 the apertures being formed on a multilayer top sheet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51305 having areas of different permeability

Abstract

Disclosed is an absorbent article including a sheet which is composed of: a resin layer having a plurality of apertures and forming a liquid-receiving face of the sheet; and a fibrous layer underlying the resin layer. The fibrous layer contains hydrophobic fibers and hydrophilic fibers shorter than the hydrophobic fibers. At least a part of the hydrophilic fibers form aggregates that disperse in the fibrous layer, and at least a part of the aggregates are bonded to the surfaces of the hydrophobic fibers.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein

the topsheet includes:

a resin layer having a plurality of apertures and forming a liquid-receiving face of the topsheet; and

a fibrous layer underlying the resin layer, and

the fibrous layer contains hydrophobic synthetic fibers and hydrophilic fibers shorter than the hydrophobic fibers, and at least a part of the hydrophilic fibers are formed into aggregates, wherein the aggregates are separate from each other and are uniformly dispersed in the fibrous layer, and are bonded to surfaces of the hydrophobic fibers.

2. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fibrous layer is formed with a plurality of through-holes.

3. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein a fiber density of the aggregates is higher than a fiber density of a portion of the fibrous layer without the aggregates.

4. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fibrous layer contains from 70 to 98% by weight of hydrophobic fibers and from 2 to 30% by weight of hydrophilic fibers.

5. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic fibers have a length of from 38 to 64 mm, and the hydrophilic fibers have a length of from 5 to 25 mm.

6. An absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and having leakage-preventing side walls on a liquid-receiving side of the article, the leakage-preventing side walls extending in a longitudinal direction of the article and lying opposite one another in a width direction of the article, wherein

the leakage-preventing side wall includes:

a resin layer having a plurality of apertures and forming a liquid-receiving face of the side wall; and

a fibrous layer underlying the resin layer, and

the fibrous layer contains hydrophobic synthetic fibers and hydrophilic fibers shorter than the hydrophobic fibers, and at least a part of the hydrophilic fibers are formed into aggregates, wherein the aggregates are separate from each other and are uniformly dispersed in the fibrous layer, and are bonded to surfaces of the hydrophobic fibers.

7. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 6, wherein the fiber density of the hydrophilic fiber aggregates is higher than the fiber density of a portion of the fibrous layer not containing the aggregates therein.

8. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 6, wherein the fibrous layer contains from 70 to 98% by weight of hydrophobic fibers and from 2 to 30% by weight of hydrophilic fibers.

9. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 6, wherein the hydrophobic fibers have a length of from 38 to 64 mm, and the hydrophilic fibers have a length of from 5 to 25 mm.