Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-27
2001-01-23
Ruhl, Dennis (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C428S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177605
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an absorbent composite web comprising a fluid distributing, apertured primary material and an absorbent secondary material. The apertures of the primary material are substantially filled-in by the secondary material which may also cover the bottom surface of the primary material thereby producing a multi-layered, absorbent composite web.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has long been known in the disposable absorbent article art that it is extremely desirable to construct absorptive devices such as disposable diapers, catamenial pads, sanitary napkins, incontinence briefs, incontinence pads, and the like, which present a dry surface feel to the user for improving wearer comfort and to minimize the development of undesirable skin conditions due to prolonged exposure to moisture absorbed within the absorbent article. Accordingly, it is generally desirable to promote fluid transfer in a direction away from the wearer and into an absorbent element, while resisting fluid transfer in the reverse direction.
Conventional absorbent articles typically include an absorbent element (sometimes referred to as an absorbent core) interposed between a fluid pervious body-contacting element (sometimes referred to as a topsheet or an overwrap) and a fluid impervious protective barrier (sometimes referred to as a backsheet). The absorbent element is, of course, intended to receive and contain body fluids such as menses and urine. The body-contacting element is intended to provide more or less comfortable and dry-feeling contact with body surfaces while allowing free passage of fluids therethrough and into the absorbent element. The protective barrier is intended to prevent body fluids, which are expelled or which escape from the absorbent element, from soiling the user's garments.
The comfort of the user is enhanced if the absorbent article, in addition to its properties of high fluid transmisivity and fluid retention, exhibits the characteristic of uni-directional fluid transmisivity. This will improve what is known as the rewet characteristic of the absorbent product. Fluid should quickly and easily transmit through the topsheet and into the absorbent core. As the absorbent core becomes saturated, fluid will tend to pass back through the absorbent article, or rewet, causing user discomfort. As the absorbent core becomes increasingly saturated during use or is subjected to a pressure, there will be a tendency of the fluid to transmit back through the cover, or rewet the cover's surface and hence the body of the user. This discomfort caused by rewetting can cause the user to discard the absorbent product before its useful life has terminated. Therefore, it is desirable to inhibit such rewetting and thereby reduce user discomfort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the invention provides an absorbent composite web comprising a primary material having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of apertures extending therethrough from the top surface to the bottom surface. Furthermore, a secondary material is preferably positioned adjacent to the primary material bottom surface whereby the secondary material extends into the plurality of apertures within the primary material.
In one application of the embodiment herein, the secondary material of the web may comprise from about 10 wt. % to about 90 wt. % of cellulosic material. In a further embodiment herein, the secondary material may comprise from about 10 wt. % to about 90 wt. % of synthetic material. A web herein preferably comprises a secondary material having both cellulosic material and synthetic material.
Preferably, the web herein comprises a primary material that may comprise bi-component fibers, monocomponent fibers, tri-component fibers or a combination of all three.
In a particularly preferred embodiment herein, the primary material may further comprise a wetting agent, e.g., a surfactant, to more efficiently draw fluid away from a user and/or the top surface of the primary material. Also preferably, the secondary material may comprise an element selected from the group consisting of absorbent gelling material, superabsorbent polymers, silica, perfume, cyclodextrins, zeolite, charcoal, silica, cyclodextrins and combinations thereof.
In an alternative embodiment herein, the web may further comprise a tertiary material having a top surface placed immediately adjacent to the bottom of the secondary material.
In one embodiment of the invention herein, a disposable diaper comprises a chassis having an upper surface and a bottom surface, a front portion, a back portion positioned opposite to the front portion, a crotch portion positioned between the front portion and the back portion, a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, a pair of end edges being parallel to the transverse axis and a pair of longitudinal edges being parallel to the longitudinal axis. The chassis further comprises a topsheet and a backsheet joined to the topsheet. The backsheet has an inner surface and an outer surface. A fluid handling member is positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet. The fluid handling member comprises a primary material having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of apertures extending from the top surface of the primary material to its bottom surface. Furthermore, a secondary material is positioned adjacent to the primary material bottom surface. The secondary material extends into the plurality of apertures in the primary material.
The fluid handling member may comprise at least a portion of the topsheet and/or the absorbent core. Also, if there is a separate topsheet and/or absorbent core, the fluid handling member is preferably positioned between and placed adjacent to the topsheet and the absorbent core, respectively.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3620894 (1971-11-01), Oates
patent: 4960477 (1990-10-01), Mesek
patent: 5785697 (1998-07-01), Trombetta et al.
patent: 5961506 (1999-10-01), Guidotti et al.
Darby Dennis A.
Trombetta Liberatore A.
Osborne, Jr. Thomas J.
Ruhl Dennis
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Tucker Joan B.
Weirich David M.
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