Disposable wearing article for fluid distribution having filled void, density gradient and spacer members

• US 7,015,370 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Miou, Nakashita, Masashi, Watanabe, Maki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAHN, LAURA HILL
• Application Number:
  US10/634,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 604378-381, 604/367, 604/385.101, 604/385.01, 604/358
• US Class Current: 604/378
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/512 characterised by its apertures, e.g. perforations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/534 having an inhomogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence; homogeneous cores with tissue wrapping A61F13/53
• 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 13/53747 the layer is facing the topsheet layer is part of the topsheet A61F13/511
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53734 with compressed lines
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53778 with grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53782 with holes

Abstract

A wearing article absorption of body fluids has an inner sheet, an outer sheet and a body fluid absorbent first panel underlying the inner sheet. The inner sheet and the first panel are formed in central regions thereof with a void to be filled with a hydrophobic second panel which is elastically compressible and liquid-pervious. A plurality of narrow strips, each comprising water-absorbent fibers compressed to a high density, and a hydrophobic and liquid-pervious spacer member underlying the narrow strips are interposed between the second panel and the outer sheet.

Claims

1. A disposable wearing article for absorption of body fluids having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and a thickness direction said disposable wearing article comprising:

an inner sheet lying in a top in said thickness direction so as to face a wearer'"'"'s body;

an outer sheet lying in a bottom in said thickness direction; and

a body fluid absorbent first panel interposed between said inner and outer sheets and containing water-absorbent fibers,

said inner sheet comprising a liquid-pervious sheet or a liquid-impervious sheet and said outer sheet comprising a liquid-impervious sheet; and

said inner sheet and said first panel underlying said inner sheet lacking a part of a substantially central portion in said longitudinal direction as well as in said transverse direction as cut off so as to define a void, said void being filled with a second panel which is liquid-pervious and hydrophobic and has compressive elasticity in said thickness direction,

said disposable wearing article further comprising;

a plurality of narrow strips extending parallel to one another in one of said longitudinal and transverse directions beyond said second panel which narrow strips are spaced apart from one another so as to come in contact with a lower surface of said first panel, said narrow strips containing therein water-absorbent fibers compressed to a density higher than that of said water-absorbent fibers of said first panel; and

a hydrophobic liquid-pervious spacer member lying aside from said narrow strips toward said outer sheet and extending beyond said second panel in bath said longitudinal direction and said transverse direction to space said first panel and parts of said narrow strips apart from said outer sheet toward said inner sheet.

2. The wearing article according to claim 1, wherein said first panel comprises 100 to 10 wt. % of the water-absorbent fibers and 0 to 90 wt % of a super-absorbent polymer and said water-absorbent fibers in said first panel have a density of 0.04 to 0.10 g/cm.sup.3.

3. The wearing article according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of narrow strips comprises 100 to 20 wt % of water-absotbent fibers, 0 to 80 wt % of super-absorbent polymer and 0 to 20 wt % of thermoplastic synthetic fibers and said water-absorbent fibers of said plurality of narrow strips has a density of 0.10 to 0.40 g/cm³ at least 0.03 g/cm³ higher than that of said water-absorbent fibers in said first panel.

4. The wearing article according to claim 1, wherein said second panel comprises a first layer lying aside toward said inner sheet and a second layer lying aside toward said outer sheet both as viewed in said thickness direction, said first layer being formed by a laminate of thermoplastic synthetic resin film and thermoplastic synthetic fibers placed on the inner side of said film and said second layer being formed by opened-cell polyurethane foam, said laminate forming a plurality of narrow strips extending adjacent to one another in one of said longitudinal and transverse directions, and each of said ulurality of narrow strips being formed on an upper surface with crests and troughs that alternate in a longitudinal direction of said narrow strips so that said crests in one of said narrow strips lie adjacent to said troughs in an adjacent narrow strip and said thermoplastic synthetic fibers are exposed on side surfaces of said crests, crests, said troughs being defined by and between the crests.

5. The wearing article according to claim 1, wherein said second panel comprises a porous liquid-pervious thermoplastic synthetic resin sheet.