Reticulated absorbent composite
First Claim
1. An absorbent composite, comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix,wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix;
- wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An absorbent composite (10) having a fibrous matrix that includes absorbent material is disclosed. The fibrous matrix defines voids (14) and passages between the voids, which are distributed throughout the composite. Absorbent material (18) is located within some of the voids (14). Absorbent material located in these voids is expandable into the void. In a preferred embodiment, the composite'"'"'s fibrous matrix includes resilient and matrix fibers (16). The composite optionally includes a wet strength agent.
-
Citations
66 Claims
-
1. An absorbent composite, comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix,
wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix; -
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. An absorbent article comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix,
wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix; -
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
-
-
33. An absorbent article comprising:
-
liquid pervious topsheet;
a storage layer comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix;
wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids; and
a liquid impervious back sheet. - View Dependent Claims (37)
-
-
34. An absorbent article comprising:
-
a liquid pervious topsheet;
an acquisition layer for rapidly acquiring and distributing liquid;
a storage layer comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids; and
a liquid impervious back sheet.
-
-
35. An absorbent article comprising:
-
a liquid pervious topsheet;
an acquisition layer for rapidly acquiring and distributing liquid;
a storage layer comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids;
an intermediate layer interposed between the acquisition layer and the storage layer; and
a liquid impervious back sheet. - View Dependent Claims (36)
-
-
40. An absorbent article comprising:
-
a liquid pervious topsheet;
an acquisition layer for acquiring and distributing liquid;
a storage layer; and
a liquid impervious back sheet;
wherein the acquisition layer comprises an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
-
-
44. An absorbent composite, comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix,
wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix; -
wherein absorbent material is located within some of the voids;
wherein the absorbent material is expandable further into or within the voids; and
wherein the fibrous matrix comprises from about 20 to about 90 weight percent of fibers, based on the total weight of the composite. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
59. An absorbent article, comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix,
wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix; -
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids;
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable into or the voids, and wherein the fibrous matrix comprises from about 20 to about 90 percent by weight fibers based on the total weight of the matrix.
-
-
60. An absorbent article, comprising:
-
liquid pervious topsheet;
a liquid impervious back sheet; and
a storage layer intermediate the topsheet and backsheet, the storage layer comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids;
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids, and wherein the fibrous matrix comprises from about 20 to about 90 percent by weight fibers based on the total weight of the composite.
-
-
61. An absorbent article, comprising:
-
a liquid pervious topsheet;
a liquid impervious back sheet;
an acquisition layer for rapidly acquiring and distributing liquid; and
a storage layer intermediate the topsheet and backsheet, the storage layer comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids;
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids, and wherein the fibrous matrix comprises from about 20 to about 90 percent by weight fibers based on the total weight of the composite.
-
-
62. An absorbent article, comprising:
-
a liquid pervious topsheet;
a liquid impervious backsheet;
an acquisition layer for rapidly acquiring and distributing liquid;
an intermediate layer interposed between the acquisition layer and the storage layer; and
a storage layer intermediate the topsheet and backsheet, the storage layer comprising an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids;
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids, and wherein the fibrous matrix comprises from about 20 to about 90 percent by weight fibers based on the total weight of the composite.
-
-
63. An absorbent article, comprising:
-
a liquid pervious topsheet;
an acquisition layer for acquiring and distributing liquid;
a storage layer; and
a liquid impervious back sheet;
wherein the acquisition layer comprises an absorbent composite comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix;
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids;
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids, and wherein the fibrous matrix comprises from about 20 to about 90 percent by weight fibers based on the total weight of the composite.
-
-
64. An absorbent composite having absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers;
-
wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix;
wherein absorbent material is located within the voids; and
wherein the voids are formed by drying absorbent material swollen with water during the formation of the composite.
-
-
65. An absorbent composite having absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix comprises bonded cellulosic fibers, the composite being formed by the process comprising:
-
(a) contacting a foraminous support with a combination of cellulosic fibers, water, and absorbent material swellable in water to provide a wet composite, wherein the wet composite comprises cellulosic fibers, water, and absorbent material swollen with water; and
(b) drying the wet composite, wherein drying comprises removing at least a portion of the water from the swollen absorbent material to provide an absorbent composite having absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein removing at least a portion of water from the swollen absorbent material causes the absorbent material to decrease in size to create voids distributed substantially throughout the matrix.
-
-
66. An absorbent composite, comprising absorbent material dispersed within a fibrous matrix, wherein the fibrous matrix comprises crosslinked cellulosic fibers, wherein the fibrous matrix includes voids and passages between voids within the matrix;
-
wherein the absorbent material is located within some of the voids; and
wherein the absorbent material located within the voids is expandable further into or within the voids.
-
Specification