Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-09-18
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S358000, C604S359000, C604S367000, C604S385230
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290686
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to an absorbent article in which discrete superabsorbent entities are attached to a substrate. The superabsorbent entities have edges which overlap each other when the substrate is in a relaxed, non-extended position, and when the absorbent article is dry.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Absorbent composites having a superabsorbent material contained in discrete pockets in a substrate are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,542, issued Feb. 11, 1997 to Melius et al. A plurality of pockets having spaces between them are formed in a substrate which can be a cloth-like woven or nonwoven web, a closed or open-celled foam, a perforated film, an elastic material, or a fibrous web. A superabsorbent material is loaded into the pockets. When the composite becomes wet, the superabsorbent expands, and the adjacent pockets are urged toward each other.
This expansion of pockets may cause the entire absorbent composite to expand, in a lateral and/or longitudinal direction. Thus, the dimensions of the absorbent composite (and, often, the entire absorbent article) may increase laterally and/or longitudinally when the article becomes wet. An absorbent article which fits snugly or tightly when dry, may fit loosely and not as well when wet. There is a need or desire for an absorbent article containing discrete superabsorbent entities, whose lateral and longitudinal dimensions do not significantly change when the article becomes wet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an absorbent article having discrete superabsorbent entities attached to a substrate layer. The superabsorbent entities are imbricated, meaning that the adjacent superabsorbent entities have overlapping edges when the absorbent article is dry. When the absorbent article becomes wet and the superabsorbent expands, the amount of overlap between adjacent superabsorbent entities increases. The net effect is that the expansion of superabsorbent increases the thickness of the superabsorbent composite without significantly increasing the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the absorbent composite.
The discrete superabsorbent entities may be in the form of rectangular tiles, circular or semi-circular plates or saucers, elliptical or ovular pillows, or any other shape which permits the edges of adjacent entities to overlap each other while being attached to the same substrate. Each superabsorbent entity may include a quantity of superabsorbent particles or fibers contained in a liquid-permeable cover or “pillowcase” which maintains the discreteness of the entities, i.e., which allows aqueous liquid to pass through but does not permit passage of the contained superabsorbent particles or fibers. The cover sheet may be a fibrous woven or nonwoven web, an apertured film, or open-celled foam material, a mesh plastic screen or net, or a combination including one or more of these.
The substrate may be a stretchable or non-stretchable layer material, and may be a film, a woven or nonwoven web, a foam layer, or a combination including one or more of these. Each discrete superabsorbent entity is affixed to the substrate along a point or line which leaves most of the entity free of binding from the substrate, and able to lift off of the substrate to facilitate the imbrication of adjacent entities.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide an absorbent composite having discrete superabsorbent entities attached to a substrate, which expands more in thickness (the “Z” direction) when wet than in the lateral or longitudinal (“X” or “Y”) directions.
It is also a feature and advantage of the invention to provide an absorbent article having consistent fit whether wet or dry, and having more expansion in the “Z” direction when wet, than in the “X” or “Y” directions.
The foregoing and other features and advantages will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5364382 (1994-11-01), Latimer et al.
patent: 5509915 (1996-04-01), Hanson et al.
patent: 5863288 (1999-01-01), Baker
patent: 5968029 (1999-10-01), Chappell et al.
patent: 5977003 (1999-11-01), Wilshaw et al.
patent: 6160198 (2000-12-01), Roe et al.
patent: 6171290 (2001-01-01), Boisse et al.
Kidwell Michele
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Pauley Petersen Kinne & Fejer
Weiss John G.
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