Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Chunlei Pu

Lin Miao

Xueen George Hao

Franz Aschenbrenner

SangWook Lee

Priscilla Eng Choo Goh

DooHong Kim

Meijia Ng

YeinSze Ong

Tongtong Zhang

The present application discloses and claims a three-dimensional sheet material and an absorbent article which utilizes the sheet material within the article. The three-dimensional sheet material is designed to minimize the contact area on one side of the material thereby making it useful for various applications including a body contacting top sheet or liner material.

Three-dimensional sheet material and absorbent articles including such material

An absorbent article () capable of inhibiting leakage of a fluid insult generally extends in a plane defined by a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction. The absorbent article () contains fluid-shrinkable members (), a topsheet (), and a base pad () that includes a baffle () and an absorbent core () positioned between the topsheet () and the baffle (). The topsheet () extends in the longitudinal direction to define a distal end () and an opposing proximal end (). At least a portion of the proximal end () remains generally unbonded to the baffle (). The fluid-shrinkable members () extend in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article () so that at least a portion of the fluid-shrinkable members () are located adjacent to the proximal end () of the topsheet (). Thus, when the fluid-shrinkable members () contract upon contacting a fluid insult, the proximal end () of the topsheet () can raise outwardly from the plane of the absorbent article (). The raised area creates a barrier to the leakage of fluids from the center of the absorbent article () towards its end. Contraction of the fluid-shrinkable members can also cause an outer region of the topsheet () to raise outwardly from the plane of the absorbent article () to create a barrier to the leakage of fluid from the center of the absorbent article () towards the side edge. Because such barriers are generally created only after contact with a fluid insult, their effectiveness is not diminished through use of the article prior to the insult.

Absorbent article having enhanced leakage protection

An absorbent article is provided. The article includes at least one additional layer non-integral with the absorbent layer, and positioned upon the absorbent layer. The additional layer includes at least first and second discrete portions positioned along the longitudinal direction. The at least first and second discrete portions are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction. The portions are constructed of the same base sheet material and the first portion at least partially defines an opening therein with an opening inner edge. The second portion is of a shape mated to fit along its periphery edge, at least partially within the opening. The second portion is of a shape complementary with the opening shape. Edges of the first and second portion are complementary, the inner edge of the first portion being complementary with the periphery edge of the second portion.

Absorbent personal care articles having longitudinally oriented layers in discrete portions

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Beijing, China

Chunlei Pu