Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Greg Arthur Wendt

Kimberly Kay Underhill

Bernhardt Edward Kressner

Kai F. Chiu

James Sigward Rugowski

Fung-jou Chen

Michael Alan Hermans

Mark Alan Burazin

Janice G Nielsen

Harry L Spiegelberg

Paul Joseph Datta

David Glen Biggs

Richard Joseph Kamps

Walter Theodore Schultz

Jeffrey Dean Lindsay

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Kevin Joseph Vogt

James Leo Baggot

Gregory James Wideman

Wendy Ann Jahner

Yong Li

James Jay Tanner

Andrew Peter Bakken

Timothy M McFarland

Ronald Frederick Gropp

David Henry Hollenberg

William James Raynor, Jr

Pamela Mary Thompson

Tom Russell Belau

Michael Franklin Kalmon

Kurt T Otto

Mark D Perkins

Kevin Berkebile

Michael Stephen Vance

Christopher Scott Kowalski

Robert David Forrester

Michael John Flattum

Duane Gerard Krzysik

Garry Roland Woltman

Sridhar Ranganathan

Heather Anne Sorebo

William Grover Reeves

Richard Warren Tanzer

Palani Raj Ramaswami Wallajapet

Jacek K Dutkiewicz

Anthony John Wisneski

Kathy Geralyn Richardson

Kai F Chiu

Janica S Behnke

Wendy L Hamilton

Cristina Asensio Mullally

Wendy Lynn Van Dyke

Barbara Sue Funk

Paula Cardinahl Winkel

Kristin Ann Goerg-Wood

Gary Douglas Williams

Patsy Ann Krautkramer

Krzysztof Andrzej Szymonski

Steven Alexander Engel

Gary Chester Anderson

Emmanuelle Cecile Damay

James S Rugowski

Jian Oin

William George Stoeger

Kimberly K Underhill

Maug Hla Win

Cristina Asensio Muilally

William Dee Lloyd

Cristina Asensio Mullalhy

Donald Francis Guay

Sirlei Auler Waterhouse

Larry L Spiegelberg

Janice G Neilson

The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles including one or more discrete components. Representative discrete components include the nonwoven layer of the outer cover, the barrier film layer of the outer cover, the absorbent core, the bodyside liner, fasteners, ears and attachment panels. The discrete components include a continuous detector material. A representative continuous detector material may be an optical brightener. The discrete components also include a masking block. The masking block may decrease or eliminate the detectable presence of an optical brightener.

Components of articles including continuous detector materials

A body conformance system () includes at least one liquid-permeable, flexible containment layer (), and an operative quantity of substantially free-flowing particulate material () constrained by the flexible containment layer (). In a particular aspect, the substantially free-flowing particulate material () can exhibit a selected avalanche-time between avalanches. In another aspect, the particulate material can exhibit a selected, minimum retention capacity. In a further aspect, the system can exhibit a distinctive gap-protrusion area (). In yet another aspect, the containment layer () can include a material that has a relatively high permeability to liquid, but a relatively high resistance to a passage of the particulate material.

Enhanced body conformance with the use of free flowing particles

The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles including one or more discrete components. Representative discrete components include the nonwoven layer of the outer cover, the absorbent core, the bodyside liner, fasteners, ears and attachment panels. The discrete components include a material having a Surface Topographic Variance value of 30 micrometers or greater. The material includes a printed block having a Printed Block Sensor Value that is about three times greater than a Sensor Value for the area of the material outside of the printed block.

Components of articles including contrasting printed blocks

Nonwoven product having patterned indicia

New and improved methods and products are disclosed relating to softness of fibrous webs. Increased softness, among other things, is obtained by abrading the surface of the web to create fuzziness from protruding fibers.

Method of mechanical softening of sheet material

A method includes the steps of co-extruding a first component and a second component. The first component has a recovery percentage Rand the second component has a recovery percentage R, wherein Ris higher than R. The first and second components are directed through a spin pack to form a plurality of continuous, molten fibers. The molten fibers are then muted through a quenching chamber to form a plurality of continuous cooled fibers. The coiled fibers are then routed through a drawing unit to form a plurality of continuous, solid linear fibers. Each of the solid fibers is then stretched by at least 50 percent before it is allowed to relax. The relaxation step forms the linear fibers into a plurality of continuous 3-dimensional fibers each having a coiled configuration over at least a portion of its length. The continuous 3-dimensional, coiled fibers are then deposited onto a moving support to form a web.

Method of forming a 3-dimensional fiber into a web

Paper sheets useful for tissues, paper towels, napkins, disposable absorbent products and the like can be made to exhibit a high degree of wet resiliency. This property is achieved by using a combination of high yield pulp fibers (such as bleached chemithermomechanical pulp fibers) and a wet strength agent in an uncreped throughdrying process. The resulting product, when wetted, can spring back after being crumpled in one's hand.

Wet-resilient webs and disposable articles made therewith

Highly textured tissue sheets, particularly suitable for use as bath tissue, are produced by throughdrying and have a low number and/or low amount of pinholes. The low number or amount of pinholes is provided by using a throughdrying fabric having parallel wide ridges with a height suited to the particular tissue sheet being produced.

Wide wale tissue sheets and method of making same

Paper sheet having improved rate of absorbency

A 3-dimensional fiber is disclosed that is constructed from first and second components. The first component is capable of being stretched and has a recovery percentage R . The second component is also capable of being stretched and has a recovery percentage R , wherein R is higher than R . The first and second components are combined to form a linear fiber having an initial length that can be stretched at least 50%. The stretched fiber has the ability to retract to a length of from about 5% to about 90% of the stretched length to form a 3-dimensional fiber that exhibits elongation properties of at least 250% in at least one direction from the retracted length before the fiber becomes linear. A web formed from a plurality of 3-dimensional fibers is also disclosed.

3-dimensional fiber and a web made therefrom

An absorbent article ( ) includes a backsheet layer ( ), a liquid permeable topsheet layer ( ), and an absorbent body ( ) sandwiched between the backsheet and topsheet layers. The absorbent body ( ) includes a first fibrous stratum ( ) having a first quantity of absorbent fibers, a second fibrous stratum ( ) having a second quantity of absorbent fibers, and at least a third fibrous stratum ( ) which is located between and integrally formed with the first and second fibrous strata ( ). In particular aspects, the third fibrous stratum ( ) includes an operative quantity of a substantially hydrophilic, wet-strength agent. In other aspects, the wet-strength agent is distributed in the third quantity of absorbent fibers to render the third fibrous stratum ( ) substantially non-dispersible.

High-strength, stabilized absorbent article

Webs can be embossed and laminated using irregular bonding patterns with the pin-on-pin embossing process. Different patterns are provided onto each web and the webs are joined in a bonding nip to form a laminate. The bonding pattern formed in the bonding nip is irregular. The irregularity of the bonding pattern reduces vibrations within the machinery and allows increased machine speed. The irregularity of the pattern can be determined using the Self-Similarity Count or the Energy Suppression Factor method.

Embossing and laminating irregular bonding patterns

A process for producing additive composition treated multi-ply tissue products is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, at least one (1) ply of the tissue product is treated with an additive composition, such as a lotion. Once the additive composition is applied to the tissue product, the tissue is then hot embossed by being fed through, for example, a heated bonding nip. It has been discovered that the hot embossing step improves the adhesion between the multiple plies.

Ply bonded lotion treated tissue and method for making same

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Bernhardt Edward Kressner