Sca Hygiene Products Ab

Charlotta Hansson

Kent Vartiainen

Ingrid Gustafson

Berith Porsö

Maria Fernkvist

Göran Forsbring

Eje Österdahl

Mats Birring

An absorbent article includes a breathable backsheet material layer. At least a part of the layer includes a polymeric material exhibiting a discontinuous change in free volume in response to any of the following conditions or variables: liquid contact, the presence of certain ions, temperature and/or pH. One example of such polymeric materials is side chain liquid crystalline polymers which are able to undergo a phase transition between an isotropic phase and a nematic phase. The discontinuous change in free volume involves an abrupt change of the permeability of the breathable material layer.

Absorbent article containing a breathable material layer

A multicomponent superabsorbent fiber includes a first superabsorbent material and a second superabsorbent material. In at least a part of the length direction (L) of the superabsorbent fiber, the first superabsorbent material and the second superabsorbent material are located side-by-side in the cross-direction (C) of the superabsorbent fiber. The first and second superabsorbent materials are selected such that at a given point during their swelling, the swelling capacity (SC) of the first superabsorbent material is greater than the swelling capacity of the second superabsorbent material so that the superabsorbent fiber () curls upon contact with liquid. Also, a method for reducing gel-blocking in a superabsorbent fiber.

Bicomponent superabsorbent fibre

An absorbent article includes an absorbent structure. The edge portions in the absorbent structure's middle portion have a first mean pore size, and the central portion in the middle portion of the absorbent structure has a second mean pore size, the first mean pore size being greater than the second mean pore size. The absorbent article can be folded along the longitudinal centre axis so that a part of the article on one side of the longitudinal centre line and a corresponding part of the article on the other side of the longitudinal centre line are brought together to lie against one another at a plane of the longitudinal centre line on the upper surface of the article. The edge portions which have the greater, first mean pore size thereby form an area of the absorbent article that is first wetted during use.

Absorbent article including an absorbent structure

Growing community of inventors

Göteborg, Sweden

Charlotta Hansson