Comfortable diaper

• US 7,750,203 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Busam, Ludwig, Maier, Volker, Link, Siegfried, Ehrnsperger, Bruno Johannes, Lindner, Torsten, Tombuelt, Thomas, Stiehl, Gabriele, Becker, Uwe Jurgen, Siddiquee, Sanaul Kabir
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva; Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chapman; Ginger T
• Application Number:
  US10/776,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 604/358, 604/364, 604/366, 604/367, 604/368, 604/370, 604/375, 604/378
• US Class Current: 604/366
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5323 having absorbent material located in discrete regions, e.g. pockets
• 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 13/539 characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530481 having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials

Abstract

An absorbent article, preferably a disposable absorbent article such as a diaper, is disclosed that provides an improved immobilization of absorbent polymer material when the article is fully or partially urine loaded. This absorbent core is useful for providing an absorbent article of increased wearing comfort. Specifically disclosed is an absorbent core useful for an absorbent article comprising a substrate layer and absorbent material, the absorbent material comprising an absorbent polymer material, the absorbent material optionally comprising absorbent fibrous material, the absorbent fibrous material not representing more than 20% of the weight of absorbent polymer material, wherein the absorbent material is immobilized when wet such that the absorbent core achieves a wet immobilization of more than 50%, preferably of more than 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% according to the Wet Immobilization Test described herein.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a chassis including a liquid impervious backsheet and a liquid pervious topsheet; and

an absorbent core located between said backsheet and said topsheet wherein said absorbent core comprises;

a. first and second substrate layers;

b. a discontinuous layer of absorbent material deposited on said first and second substrate layers; and

c. a thermoplastic material, wherein said thermoplastic material contacts at least portions of said absorbent material and at least portions of said first and second substrate layers forming areas of junction where said thermoplastic material contacts said substrate layers in order to immobilize said absorbent material on said first and second substrate layers,

wherein said first and second substrate layers are combined together such that said thermoplastic material of each said first and second substrate layers contact one another and such that said absorbent material of said first substrate layer faces said areas of junction of said second substrate layer and said absorbent material of said second substrate layer faces said areas of junction of said first substrate layer, such that said areas of junction are offset;

wherein said absorbent material comprises an absorbent polymer.

2. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic material is a hot melt adhesive.

3. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic material is fiberized.

4. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic material substantially immobilizes said absorbent polymers.

5. An absorbent article according to claim 1, the absorbent core having a distribution of absorbent polymer material wherein the distribution of absorbent polymer material is profiled.

6. The absorbent article of claim 5, wherein the front half of said absorbent core comprises more than about 60% of the absorbent capacity.

7. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said absorbent polymer material is present throughout the area of said absorbent core in an average basis weight of at least about 100 g/m².

8. An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said substrate layers comprises a permanently hydrophilic non-woven.

9. An absorbent article according to claim 1 having a crotch width of less than about 80 mm.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary adhesive to improve the adhesion of the thermoplastic layer.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein said absorbent polymer material is immobilized when wet such that said absorbent core achieves a wet immobilization of more than about 50% according to the Wet Immobilization Test described herein.

12. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein said first and second substrate layers do not contact each other in areas where said absorbent material is present.