Disposable absorbent articles having reduced surface wetness

Details Disposable absorbent articles having reduced surface wetness Disposable absorbent articles having reduced surface wetness

1998-05-14

2000-08-22

Weiss, John G.

Surgery

Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material

Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...

6043851, 604381, 604367, 604358, A16F 1315

Patent

active

061075396

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence articles, sanitary towels, training pants and the like, such articles having good fluid handling properties and reduced tendency for surface wetness.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Disposable, absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence articles, sanitary towels, training pants and the like are well know in the art. Typically, disposable absorbent articles comprise a liquid pervious topsheet that faces the wearers body, a liquid impervious backsheet that faces the wearers clothing, and an absorbent core interposed between the liquid previous topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core must often be capable of absorbing and handling relatively large volumes of fluid like urine or other exudates discharged from the body of the wearer, and especially relatively large fluid volumes discharged over relatively short periods of time. The absorbent core needs to be capable of acquiring, distributing, and storing discharges initially deposited on the topsheet of the absorbent article. Preferably the design of the absorbent core is such that the core acquires the discharges substantially immediately after they have been deposited on the topsheet of the absorbent article, with the intention that the discharges do not accumulate on or run off the surface of the topsheet, since this may result in inefficient fluid containment by the absorbent article which may lead to wetting of outer garments and discomfort for the wearer. In addition, preferably the absorbent core will have a design that facilitates the initially retained discharges to be transported away from the area of initial retention to the ultimate storage region, which should not become prematurely saturated and so that bulk of the absorbent material in the storage core is utilised effectively.
There have been many attempts to design absorbent articles or cores to improve the above requirements, in particular when further requirements were brought up with respect to a desired reduction of product bulkiness or thickness.
In particular, substantial effort has been spent against improving the fluid handling properties of the absorbent cores by adding fluid acquisition enhancing materials thereto.
Several patent publications deal with improvements of fluid handling performance by adding specially treated cellulosic material.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,642 of Moore et al. discloses special twisted, chemically stiffened cellulosic fibres and absorbent structures made therefrom.
EP 0 640 330 of Bewick-Sonntag et al. discloses the use of such fibres in a specific arrangement with specific superabsorbent materials.
EP 0 397 110 (Latimer) discloses an absorbent article comprising a surge management portion for improved fluid handling, having specific basis weights, acquisition times and residual wetness.
EP 0 359 501 (Cadieux) discloses an absorbent structure in general by exemplifying a feminine hygiene product with density and large porosity;
such that gradients (continuous or stepwise) are generated; and such that fluid passes well between the regions.
Both-cover and transfer region tend to avoid fluid dispersion, but rather enhance transfer of the fluid to the next layer, whereas the reservoir layer also distributes.
EP 0 312 118 (Meyer) discloses an absorbent article with a fibrous topsheet with larger pores than the pores of the underlying transport layer, which in turn has lager pores than the underlying absorbent body. Further, the transport layer has to have a hydrophilicity which is less than the one of the absorbent core, and may generally be characterised as being substantially hydrophobic.
In EP 0 312 118 it is said that some liquid might remain in the transport layer and also the topsheet, so as to cause a wet feel on the surface. In order to overcome this problem, it is proposed in EP 0 312 118 to exploit the resilient compressibility of the transport layer, such that in use under the pressure exerted by the baby, the pores become smaller and then ca

REFERENCES:
patent: 5360420 (1994-11-01), Cook et al.
patent: 5364382 (1994-11-01), Latimer et al.

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