Absorbent article and method of production

• US 7,598,428 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health Aktiebolag (Essity AB)
• Original Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Essity AB)
• Inventors: Gustavsson, Anette, Drevik, Solgun
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephens; Jacqueline F.
• Application Number:
  US11/251,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 604/378, 604/379, 604/380, 604/381, 604/383, 604/385.3, 604/385.08, 442/394, 442/286, 442/327, 156/252, 156/259, 156/257, 156/229, 156/324, 156/204, 156/211, 156/227, 156/164, 156/163
• US Class Current: 604/378
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15707 Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5146 having apertures of perforations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/532 inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/8405 Additives, e.g. for odour, disinfectant or pH control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1026 with slitting or removal of material at reshaping area prior to reshaping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1056 Perforating lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1064 Partial cutting [e.g., grooving or incising]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/674 Nonwoven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet

Abstract

An absorbent article having a first liquid permeable surface layer, a essentially liquid impermeable backing layer and, located between said liquid permeable surface layer and said liquid impermeable backing layer, an absorbent body having at least one layer. The absorbent article has cavities which are essentially cone-shaped and extend at least through part of the absorbent body, said cavities having a tip part and a base, the tip part being located towards or in the liquid permeable surface layer and the base being located away from the liquid permeable surface layer. A method of production of an absorbent article with cone-shaped cavities is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a breathable absorbent article, the method comprising:

A. locating an absorbent body on a backing layer, the absorbent body including at least one layer and having a first and a second surface, the backing layer disposed on the second surface and formed of a liquid impermeable material;

B. locating a liquid permeable surface layer on the first surface of the perforated absorbent body, the absorbent body lying between the liquid permeable surface layer and the perforated backing layer;

C. subsequent to step B perforating the backing layer and at least part of the absorbent body so that the backing layer and the at least part of the absorbent body are provided with empty cavities, wherein the backing layer enters the part of each cavity disposed in the absorbent body to form at least a portion of a wall of the cavity, the cavities being substantially cone-shaped and extending in a tapering manner from the backing layer towards the first surface of the absorbent body, wherein the smallest cross section of each cavity is located closer to the liquid permeable surface layer than is the largest cross section of the cavity to facilitate the entry of drying air into the cavities; and

joining the liquid permeable surface layer and the backing layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cavities run all the way through the backing layer and the absorbent body.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cavities are spaced from the outer surface of the liquid permeable surface layer.