Method of making absorbent foam composites

• US 9,744,755 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Thompson, Jr., Delton R., Stagg, Timothy V., LaLiberte, Thomas R., Wood, Leigh E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, William
• Application Number:
  US13/854,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15617 Making absorbent pads from fibres or pulverulent material with or without treatment of the fibres
• 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 2013/530802 characterized by the foam or sponge other than superabsorbent A61F2013/530649 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/268 Release layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0084 Foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/045 Slitting
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/047 Perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/062 Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/025 Polyolefin vinyl or acrylic copolymers B32B2266/0221, B32B2266/0242
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0257 Polyamide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0264 Polyester
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0278 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/726 Permeability to liquids, absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2375/00 Polyureas; Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2556/00 Patches, e.g. medical patches, repair patches
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/12 characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/04 Punching, slitting or perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/24 : one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 : Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]

Abstract

A method of making absorbent foam composites and absorbent foam composites produced therefrom. The method comprises casting an absorbent foam layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side onto a barrier layer having a first side and second side opposite the first side, where the second side of the absorbent foam layer is in contact with the first side of the barrier layer; joining a second absorbent layer to the second side of the barrier layer before, during, or after the casting step; and breaching the barrier layer after the casting step so that the foam layer and second absorbent layer are in fluid communication. The absorbent foam composites can be used in a variety of applications, including personal hygiene articles, medical bandages, pet pads and agricultural pads.

Claims

1. A method of making an absorbent foam composite comprising:

casting an hydrophilic open-celled absorbent foam layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side onto a barrier layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, where the second side of the absorbent foam layer is in contact with the first side of the barrier layer;

joining a second absorbent layer to the second side of the barrier layer before, during, or after the casting step; and

breaching the barrier layer after the casting step so that the absorbent foam layer and second absorbent layer are in fluid communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the absorbent foam layer comprises polyurethane foam.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second absorbent layer comprises superabsorbent polymer sandwiched between two layers of cellulosic fiber tissue.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second absorbent layer comprises a preformed fibrous web with superabsorbent polymer dispersed within.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer comprises at least one of films, coated nonwoven materials, and coated papers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer comprises polyester film.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer is a film comprising at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, and co-polymers thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer is breached by pin perforation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer is breached by skip slitting.

10. A method of making an absorbent foam composite comprising:

casting an hydrophilic open-celled absorbent foam layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side onto a barrier layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, where the second side of the absorbent foam layer is in contact with the first side of the barrier layer;

joining a second absorbent layer to the second side of the barrier layer before, during, or after the casting step;

adding a second barrier layer to the first side of the absorbent foam layer during the casting step, where the second barrier layer has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and the second side of the second barrier layer is in contact with the first side of the absorbent foam layer;

joining a third absorbent layer to the first side of the second barrier layer before, during or after the casting step;

breaching the two barrier layers so that the absorbent foam layer is in fluid contact with each of the second and third absorbent layers; and

skiving the foam layer to create two absorbent foam composites.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the absorbent foam layer comprises polyurethane foam.