The Procter Gamble Company

Christine Elisabeth Zipf

Bruno Johannes Ehrnsperger

Hans Adolf Jackels

Claus Peter Stoelzel

Andrea Peri

Roland Engel

An absorbent article includes a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core being disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core includes an absorbent material disposed in an absorbent deposition area and enclosed in a core wrap. The core further includes a first swelling chamber, a second swelling chamber, and an external zone. The absorbent material comprises superabsorbent polymer. One or more permanent seals separate the first swelling chamber and the second swelling chamber from the external zone. The swelling chambers consist of absorbent material immobilized by water-responsive bonds, wherein the water-responsive bonds deteriorate upon exposure to water such that the absorbent material is flowable in the wet state; and the external zone comprises absorbent material that is immobilized by thermoplastic adhesive, such that the absorbent material is immobilized in the wet state.

Absorbent core having swelling chamber

An absorbent article includes a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core being disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core include san absorbent material disposed in an absorbent deposition area and enclosed in a core wrap. The core further includes a swelling chamber disposed in between two external zones. The absorbent material comprises superabsorbent polymer. One or more permanent seals separate the chamber from each of the two external zones. The swelling chamber consists of absorbent material immobilized by water-responsive bonds, wherein said water-responsive bonds deteriorate upon exposure to water such that the absorbent material is flowable in the wet state; and the two external zones comprise absorbent material that is immobilized by thermoplastic adhesive, such that the absorbent material is immobilized in the wet state.

A package comprising a stack of absorbent articles which are bi- or tri-folded, and each article comprises a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core comprises an absorbent layer comprising a central portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, a first folding guide between the central portion and the first side portion, and a second folding guide between the central portion and the second side portion. Each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side. Neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides. When the absorbent core is folded along the folding guides, the central portion and the side portions form a three-dimensional basin and the gaps between the winglets decrease, the neighboring sides optionally coming into contact. The articles in the package are either bi-folded along a transversal fold line and are compressed at an In-Bag Compression Rate of from 5% to 50%, or the articles are tri-folded along a first fold line and a second fold line parallel to the transversal direction.

Package for absorbent articles forming a three-dimensional basin

Absorbent cores comprising a core wrap which comprises a liquid permeable substrate layer, the core containing from about 87% to about 100% of superabsorbent polymer and having a funnel-shaped swelling chamber. The area of the core is at least twice the area of the swelling chamber, and the core contains a water responsive immobilizing agent to immobilize the superabsorbent polymer prior to water insult. The funnel-shaped swelling chamber is a portion of the absorbent core containing superabsorbent polymer and delimited by continuous permanent seals. Two permanent continuous seals form first opposing funnel wall segments, wherein first opposing funnel wall segments collectively comprise a first chamber angle about 20&#xb0; to about 120&#xb0;, the first chamber angle being the sum of angles formed by each first opposing wall segment with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Absorbent core having funnel-shaped swelling chamber

An absorbent cores includes absorbent material enclosed a core wrap which comprises a liquid permeable substrate layer. The core contains from about 87% to about 100% of superabsorbent polymer and a tube-shaped swelling chamber having a length to width aspect ratio of less than or equal to about 5:1. The area of the core is at least twice the area of the swelling chamber, and the core contains a water responsive immobilizing agent to immobilize the superabsorbent polymer prior to water insult. The tube-shaped swelling chamber is a portion of the absorbent core containing superabsorbent polymer that is delimited by a plurality of continuous permanent seals that each join together overlapping portions of the core wrap and prevent superabsorbent polymer from moving across the seals.

Absorbent core having tube-shaped swelling chamber

An absorbent core includes a core wrap having a top layer and a bottom layer enclosing superabsorbent polymer. The absorbent core is substantially free of cellulose fibers. The absorbent layer comprises a non-rectangular central portion having a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinally-extending side edges. Each side edge defines a recess along a portion of its length; a first side portion present in one of the recess and a second side portion present in the other recess. The proximal edges of the side portions are convex; and either the distal edges of the side portions are concave so that the side portions are crescent-shaped; or the distal edges of the side portions is straight. The absorbent core further includes a first and second folding guide, and when the absorbent core is folded along the folding guides, the central portion and the side portions form a three-dimensional basin.

Absorbent cores for absorbent articles

An absorbent article such as a diaper comprises a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core. The absorbent layer comprises at least a longitudinally-extending central portion, and a first and second side portions disposed transversally outward of the central portion. The absorbent core further comprises first and second folding guides between the central portion and the side portions. Each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side, and wherein neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides. The central portion and the side portions form a three-dimensional basin when the absorbent core is folded along the folding guides. The article further may comprise at least one liquid management layer substantially free of superabsorbent polymer between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The absorbent core may be substantially free of cellulose fibers.

Absorbent articles forming a three-dimensional basin

An absorbent article such as a diaper comprises a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core. The absorbent layer comprises at least a longitudinally-extending central portion, and a first and second side portions disposed transversally outward of the central portion. The absorbent core further comprises first and second curved folding guides between the central portion and the side portions. Each side portion comprises a plurality of winglets, each winglet having a proximal side relative to a folding guide and extending outward from this proximal side, and wherein neighboring winglets are separated by a gap between their neighboring sides. The central portion and the side portions form a three-dimensional basin when the absorbent core is folded along the folding guides. The absorbent core is substantially free of cellulose fibers. The article further may comprise at least one liquid management layer substantially free of superabsorbent polymer between the topsheet and the absorbent core.

An absorbent article, such as a diaper, comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core. The absorbent layer comprises a longitudinally-extending central portion, and a first and second side portions disposed transversally outward of the central portion. The absorbent core further comprises first and second folding guides between the central portion and the side portions. The central portion and the side portions form a three-dimensional basin when the absorbent core is folded along the folding guides. The article further comprises at least one liquid management layer substantially free of superabsorbent polymer between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The liquid management layer comprises a central portion, first and second side portions, and first and second folding guides which are at least partially superposed with the folding guides of the absorbent core.

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Lauda-Königshofen, Germany

Christine Elisabeth Zipf