Absorbent article with compressed grooves

• US 6,858,771 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshimasa, Wataru, Nishitani, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bogart, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 604378-380, 604/385.01, 604/385.23, 604/385.101
• US Class Current: 604/380
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4756 the means consisting of grooves, e.g. channels, depressions or embossments, resulting in a heterogeneous surface level
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53713 the layer having a promotional function on liquid propagation in the vertical direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/53747 the layer is facing the topsheet layer is part of the topsheet A61F13/511
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5376 characterised by the performance of the layer, e.g. acquisition rate, distribution time, transfer time
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15422 Density
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15463 Absorbency
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530941 through the thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53721 with capillary means

Abstract

Disclosed is an absorbent article including a backsheet, an absorbent storage layer, a liquid guide layer, and a top layer. The absorbent storage layer, the liquid guide layer and the top layer satisfy the following relationships: the liquid guide layer>the absorbent storage layer>the top layer with respect to a water absorbency due to capillary phenomenon; the liquid guide layer>the absorbent storage layer>the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount less than a maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer; and the absorbent storage layer>the liquid guide layer>the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount more than the maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a backsheet;

an absorbent storage layer formed with compressed grooves, which are at opposite sides of a longitudinally extending centerline of the absorbent article and extend at least in the longitudinal direction;

a liquid guide layer; and

a top layer formed of at least one liquid-permeable layer, wherein the backsheet, the absorbent storage layer, the liquid guide layer, and the top layer are laminated one upon each other in the order named, wherein

the absorbent storage layer, the liquid guide layer and the top layer satisfy the following relationships;

the liquid guide layer is greater that the absorbent storage layer which is greater than the top layer with respect to a water absorbency due to capillary phenomenon;

the liquid guide layer is greater than the absorbent storage layer which is greater than the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount less than a maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer; and

the absorbent storage layer is greater than the liquid guide layer which is greater than the top layer with respect to a retention ratio of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount more than the maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer;

wherein the water absorbency due to capillary phenomenon of the compressed grooves is higher than that of the liquid guide layer.

2. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the liquid guide layer is greater than the absorbent storage layer with respect to a diffusion area of a liquid dropped onto the top layer in an amount more than the maximum water absorption amount of the liquid guide layer.

3. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top layer has a density of 0.01 to 0.1 g/cm³, the liquid guide layer has a density of 0.05 to 0.2 g/cm³, and the density of the liquid guide layer is larger than the density of the top layer.

4. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 3, wherein the absorbent storage layer has a density of 0.05 to 0.2 g/cm³, the liquid guide layer has a basis weight of 15 to 150 g/m², the absorbent storage layer has a basis weight of 150 to 850 g/m², and the basis weight of the absorbent storage layer is larger than the basis weight of the liquid guide layer.

5. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top layer and the liquid guide layer are joined to each other through joining means extending in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article.

6. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein the liquid guide layer has a length smaller than that of the absorbent storage layer and a width smaller than that of the absorbent storage layer, and longitudinally opposed front and rear edges and laterally opposed side edges of the liquid guide layer are inwardly spaced apart from longitudinally opposed front and rear edges and laterally opposed side edges of absorbent storage layer.

7. The absorbent article as set forth in claim 1, wherein an area of the liquid guide layer is smaller than those of the top layer and the absorbent storage layer, and the liquid guide layer is positioned between the compressed grooves.