Absorbent article having shaped absorbent core formed on a substrate

• US 7,938,813 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Mundschau, Stacy A., Tower, Theodore T., Elliker, Peter R., Kaun, James M., Wang, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephens; Jacqueline F.
• Application Number:
  US10/880,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20060009743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 604/367, 604/366, 604/365, 604/368, 604/370, 604/385.01, 604/385.101, 604/378, 604/385.201, 604/385.21
• US Class Current: 604/385.101
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15634 Making fibrous pads between sheets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15658 Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15967 by meltblown technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530496 being fixed to fibres

Abstract

An absorbent article includes a stretchable substrate layer and an absorbent core formed directly on the substrate layer, and adhesively attached to the substrate layer. The absorbent core includes about 40-99% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 1-60% by weight adhesive fibers. The absorbent core does not prevent the substrate layer or absorbent article from stretching. The absorbent article can be a personal care absorbent article or a medical absorbent article, and is suitably stretchable or elastic in at least one direction.

Claims

1. An absorbent article, comprising:

a liquid-permeable bodyside liner;

a liquid-impermeable outer cover; and

a shaped absorbent core between the bodyside liner and the outer cover;

the absorbent core comprising about 40-99% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 1-60% by weight adhesive fibers, wherein the adhesive fibers include a tackifier;

the absorbent core having a front end, a rear end and two lateral sides;

wherein the lateral sides of the absorbent core have a P/EL greater than or equal to 1.25 and a MDFME greater than or equal to 0.7 mm; and

wherein the absorbent core comprises a central region and two end regions, and at least one of the end regions is wider than the central region.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core is adhesively attached to a substrate layer along substantially an entire surface of the absorbent core.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the substrate is stretchable.

4. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the substrate is elastic.

5. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises the outer cover.

6. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises the bodyside liner.

7. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a fibrous nonwoven web, and combinations including a fibrous nonwoven web.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core comprises about 80-98% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 2-20% by weight adhesive fibers.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core further comprises cellulose fibers.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the adhesive fibers are formed of an adhesive having a viscosity less than about 10,000 centipoise at a temperature of 204°

C.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10, wherein the adhesive has a viscosity of less than about 10,000 centipoise at a temperature of 182°

C.

12. The absorbent article of claim 11, wherein the viscosity is about 1,000-8,000 centipoise.

13. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the adhesive fibers are formed of an adhesive having a storage modulus of less than or equal to about 1.0×

10 dynes/cm² at 25°

C.

14. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the adhesive fibers are formed of an adhesive having a glass transition temperature of about −

25°

C. to about 25°

C.

15. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent particles comprise a cationic polymer and an anionic polymer.

16. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has a dumbbell shape.

17. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has an I-beam shape.

18. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has a T-shape.

19. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core has an hour-glass shape.

20. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent core is adhesively attached to two substrate layers along substantially entire surfaces of the absorbent core.

21. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein both end regions of the absorbent core are wider than the central region.

22. An absorbent article, comprising:

a stretchable substrate layer; and

a shaped absorbent core comprising a combination of about 40-99% by weight superabsorbent material and about 1-60% by weight adhesive fibers, adhesively attached to the substrate layer along substantially an entire surface of the absorbent core, wherein the adhesive fibers include a tackifier;

the absorbent core having a length equal to a length of the substrate layer and a width less than a width of the substrate layer along the entire length of the absorbent core;

wherein the absorbent core combined with the substrate layer is stretchable;

wherein the absorbent core has lateral sides which have laterally extending peaks and valleys defining a P/EL greater than or equal to 1.25 and a MDFME greater than or equal to 0.7 mm; and

wherein the absorbent core comprises a central region and two end regions, and at least one of the end regions is wider than the central region.

23. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the substrate layer is elastic.

24. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the absorbent article is elastic.

25. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the substrate layer comprises a bodyside liner.

26. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the substrate layer is selected from the group consisting of a fibrous nonwoven web, and combinations including a fibrous nonwoven web.

27. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the substrate layer comprises a spacer layer.

28. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the substrate layer comprises an outer cover.

29. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein both end regions of the absorbent core are wider than the central region.

30. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the absorbent core comprises about 40-99% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 1-60% by weight adhesive fibers.

31. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the absorbent core comprises about 80-98% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 2-20% by weight adhesive fibers.

32. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the absorbent core further comprises cellulose fibers.

33. The absorbent article of claim 22, comprising two of the stretchable substrate layers adhesively attached to opposing surfaces of the absorbent core.

34. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the article is a personal care absorbent article or a medical absorbent article.

45. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein the tackifier comprises at least one of the group consisting of petroleum distillates, rosins, rosin esters, terpenes and combinations thereof.

35. An absorbent article, comprising:

a stretchable substrate layer; and

a shaped absorbent core adhesively attached to the substrate layer;

the absorbent core comprising about 40-99% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 1-60% by weight adhesive fibers and having a front end, a rear end, and two lateral sides, wherein the adhesive fibers include a tackifier;

wherein the lateral sides of the absorbent core have a P/EL greater than or equal to 1.25 and a MDFME greater than or equal to 0.7 mm; and

wherein the absorbent core comprises a central region and two end regions, and at least one of the end regions is wider than the central region.

36. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the lateral sides have laterally extending peaks and valleys defining a P/EL greater than or equal to 4.0 and a MDFME greater than or equal to 1.0 mm.

37. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the lateral sides have laterally extending peaks and valleys defining a P/EL greater than 8.0 and a MDFME greater than 2.0 mm.

38. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the substrate layer is elastic.

39. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the absorbent article is elastic.

40. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the absorbent article comprises about 80-98% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 2-20% by weight adhesive fibers.

41. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the absorbent core further comprises cellulose fibers.

42. The absorbent article of claim 35, comprising two of the stretchable substrate layers adhesively attached to opposing surfaces of the absorbent core.

43. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the article is a personal care absorbent article.

44. The absorbent article of claim 35, wherein the article is a medical absorbent article.