Absorbent structure having enhanced intake performance characteristics and method for evaluating such characteristics
First Claim
1. An absorbent structure comprising a mixture of hydrophilic fibers and superabsorbent material, the absorbent structure having a permeability as determined by an Absorbent Structure Permeability Test and a normalized retention capacity as determined by a Retention Capacity Test, said absorbent structure having an intake factor of at least about 3 wherein the intake factor is defined as the absorbent structure permeability divided by the normalized retention capacity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An absorbent structure is constructed of hydrophilic fibers and superabsorbent material and has a permeability as determined by an Absorbent Structure Permeability Test and a normalized retention capacity as determined by a Retention Capacity Test. The absorbent structure has an intake factor of at least about 3 wherein the intake factor is defined as the absorbent structure permeability divided by the normalized retention capacity. In another embodiment, the absorbent structure is constructed at least in part of a superabsorbent material and has an intake factor of at least about 3 and less than about 50.
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Citations
31 Claims
- 1. An absorbent structure comprising a mixture of hydrophilic fibers and superabsorbent material, the absorbent structure having a permeability as determined by an Absorbent Structure Permeability Test and a normalized retention capacity as determined by a Retention Capacity Test, said absorbent structure having an intake factor of at least about 3 wherein the intake factor is defined as the absorbent structure permeability divided by the normalized retention capacity.
- 11. An absorbent structure comprising at least in part a superabsorbent material, said absorbent structure having a permeability as determined by an Absorbent Structure Permeability Test and a normalized retention capacity as determined by a Retention Capacity Test, said absorbent structure having an intake factor of at least about 3 and less than about 50 wherein the intake factor is defined as the absorbent structure permeability divided by the normalized retention capacity.
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20. An absorbent article for personal wear, said absorbent article comprising:
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a liner adapted for contiguous relationship with the body of the wearer; an outer cover in superposed relationship with the liner; and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover, the absorbent body comprising at least in part an absorbent structure having a permeability as determined by an Absorbent Structure Permeability Test and a normalized retention capacity as determined by a Retention Capacity Test, said absorbent structure having an intake factor of at least about 3 and less than about 50 wherein the intake factor is defined as the absorbent structure permeability divided by the normalized retention capacity. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of rating the liquid intake performance of an absorbent structure, said method comprising:
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conducting an Absorbent Structure Permeability Test to determine a permeability of the absorbent structure; conducting a Retention Capacity Test to determine a retention capacity of the absorbent structure; and determining an intake factor of the absorbent structure wherein the intake factor defines a rating indicative of at least one liquid intake performance characteristic of the absorbent structure, said intake factor determining step comprising dividing the absorbent structure permeability by the retention capacity. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification