Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Hoa La Wilhelm

Dave Allen Soerens

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

Sylvia Bandy Little

Tamara Lee Mace

Connie Lynn Hetzler

David Louis Zenker

Richard Norris Dodge, Ii

Kuo-Shu Edward Chang

Cathleen Mae Uttecht

Yong Li

Stanley Michael Gryskiewicz

Billie Jean Matthews

Margaret Gwyn Latimer

Rob David Everett

Andrew Scott Burnes

Richard Allen Anderson

James Brian Riddle

Jian Qin

Eugenio Go Varona

Candace Dyan Krautkramer

Debra Jean McDowall

Clifford Jackson Ellis

Toan Thanh LeMinh

James Hongxue Wang

Sridhar Ranganathan

Sheng-Hsin Hu

Fred R Radwanski

Stanley Roy Kellenberger

Carl Gerard Rippl

Alan Francis Schleinz

David W Heyn

Lee Delson Wilhelm

Diane Michele Underhill

Allen Todd Leak

Kenneth Raymond Schueler, Jr

Jeffrey Jennings Krueger

Jenny L Day

Gregory Marc Lefkowitz

Jerome James Workman, Jr

Dale Arthur Peterson

Jennifer Marie Bauerle

An absorbent core is provided including a substrate that performs at least one fluid handling function. At least a portion of at least one region of the substrate has been modified by aperturing, calendering, coating, creping, heating, printing stretching, or a combination thereof to impart at least one different fluid handling function. The substrate is folded to provide a plurality of panels wherein at least a portion of one panel corresponds to at least a portion of the modified region of the substrate. An absorbent article including the absorbent core and a process for making the absorbent core are also disclosed.

Absorbent core including folded substrate

An absorbent composition includes absorbent material, such as superabsorbent material, surface-treated with at least two different compatible agents. The superabsorbent material may be coated with multiple surface treatment agents in such a manner that each of the surface treatment agents is exposed on a surface of the superabsorbent material. For example, one surface treatment agent may be in a liquid coating form and another surface treatment agent may be in a powder form, each applied separately to the superabsorbent material.

Absorbent composition having multiple surface treatments

An absorbent structure expands to a greater extent along one surface than along an opposite surface when in the presence of a liquid. The absorbent structure may include a single layer, or two or more layers intimately bonded to one another. When in the presence of a liquid, the more expandable surface causes an increase in concavity in the X-Y plane of the structure, with the concavity being in the direction of the less expandable surface. One or both surfaces can be treated to adjust the respective level of expandability. By inducing a formed shape upon hydration swelling, a trough shape can be generated to facilitate absorbent properties, containment, and fit. The invention includes absorbent articles having such an absorbent structure incorporated therein.

Differentially expanding absorbent structure

An absorbent core is provided including a substrate that performs at least one fluid handling function. At least a portion of at least one region of the substrate has been modified by aperturing, calendering, coating, creping, heating, printing, stretching, or a combination thereof to impart at least one different fluid handling function. The substrate is folded to provide a plurality of panels wherein at least a portion of one panel corresponds to at least a portion of the modified region of the substrate. An absorbent article including the absorbent core and a process for making the absorbent core are also disclosed.

An absorbent composite is provided including a substrate, at least a portion of which is coated with an absorbent adhesive composition. The substrate is folded upon itself to provide a plurality of panels. A personal care product including the absorbent composite is also disclosed.

Absorbent composite including a folded substrate and an absorbent adhesive composition

A wearable article equipped with a multi-level alert system detects and emits signals corresponding to various abnormal levels of a substance in a mammalian extract. By providing different signals corresponding to multiple abnormal levels of the substance, the wearer is simultaneously alerted to the existence of an abnormality, and informed of the level of severity.

Wearable article with multi-level alert system

Superabsorbent material treated to resist damage when subjected to an Absorbent Product Processing Simulation Test, which simulates the mechanical damage that occurs during current commercial diaper manufacturing processes. The treated superabsorbent material has a centrifuge retention capacity of about 15 grams or greater of 0.9 weight percent sodium chloride per gram of the superabsorbent material and a gel bed permeability (GBP) at 0 psi swell pressure on pre-screened particles of about 200 (&#xd7;10cm) or greater. After subjecting the treated superabsorbent material to the Absorbent Product Processing Simulation Test, the treated superabsorbent may exhibit minimal reduction in GBP of pre-screened or un-screened particles at 0 psi or at 0.3 psi swell pressure, as well as possibly exhibiting minimal reduction in average particle size diameter (PSD). The superabsorbent material can be treated by adding an aqueous solution of a hydrophilic soft polymer to the superabsorbent material, mixing the superabsorbent material with the aqueous solution, and drying the superabsorbent material.

Damage-resistant superabsorbent materials

An absorbent article ( ) has a longitudinal direction ( ) and a lateral direction ( ). The article includes a backsheet layer ( ), a liquid-permeable topsheet layer ( ), and an absorbent body ( ) sandwiched between the backsheet layer ( ) and topsheet layer ( ). A surge management member ( ) is joined between the topsheet layer ( ) and the absorbent body ( ), and the surge management member ( ) includes at least a first nonwoven fabric layer ( ). In particular aspects, the article ( ) can be bent around a wearer's body contours with a reduced tendency to form a transverse channel crease ( ) along the cross-direction of the surge management member, particularly when the surge member ( ) is curved through the wearer's crotch region. In further aspects, the article ( ) can be bent around a predetermined radius of curvature substantially without forming, within the surge management member ( ), a severe channel crease ( ) that extends over a significant portion of a corresponding lateral width ( ) of the surge management member ( ).

Absorbent article

An absorbent article ( ) has a longitudinal direction ( ), a lateral, transverse direction ( ), an article front portion ( ), an article back portion ( ), and an intermediate portion ( ) interconnecting the front and back portions. The article includes an elastomerically stretchable backsheet member ( ), a liquid-permeable topsheet layer ( ), and an elastomerically stretchable retention portion ( ) sandwiched between the backsheet member ( ) and the topsheet layer ( ). The topsheet layer can be elastomerically stretchable, and the absorbent article ( ) can also provide a selected combination of physical properties, such as a composite-article elongation-at-peak-load value which is at least about 50 percent.

Absorbent product containing an elastic absorbent component

There is provided an absorbent system for personal care products which may be transversely divided into about an equally sized center zone, two intermediate zones and two end zones where the ratio of the amount of liquid stored in the center zone to the amount of liquid stored in at least one of the end zones 30 minutes each of three insults of 80 ml according to a MIST Evaluation Test after less than 5:1. Such an absorbent system may be used in personal care products like diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, absorbent underpants, adult incontinence products, and the like.

Absorbent articles with controllable fill patterns

An absorbent article (,) has a longitudinal direction (,), a lateral direction (,), a first waistband portion (,), a second waistband portion (,) and an intermediate portion (,) interconnecting the first and second waistband portions. The article (,) includes a backsheet layer (,); a liquid permeable top sheet layer (,); and an absorbent structure (,) sandwiched between the backsheet and topsheet layers. The absorbent structure includes a retention portion (,) having a first retention section (,) and a longitudinally opposed second retention section (,). A liquid distribution, waist belt component (,) has a belt first end region (,), a belt second end region (,) and a belt medial region (,) interconnecting the belt first and second end regions. The belt first end region (,) is joined to the article in liquid communication with the first retention section (,), and the distribution belt component (,) has sufficient lateral length to extend along a wearer's waist area to position the belt second end region (,) in liquid communication with the second retention section (,) when the article is worn.

Absorbent article with a liquid distribution, belt component

An absorbent article (,) has a longitudinal direction (,), a lateral, transverse direction (,), an article front portion (,), an article back portion (,), and an intermediate portion (,) interconnecting the front and back portions. The article includes an elastomerically stretchable backsheet member (,), a liquid-permeable topsheet layer (,), and an elastomerically stretchable retention portion (,) sandwiched between the backsheet member (,) and the topsheet layer (,). The topsheet layer can be elastomerically stretchable, and the absorbent article (,) can also provide a selected combination of physical properties, such as a composite-article elongation-at-peak-load value which is at least about 50 percent.

There is provided an absorbent system for personal care products which may be transversely divided into about an equally sized center zone, two intermediate zones and two end zones where the ratio of the amount of liquid stored in the center zone to the amount of liquid stored in at least one of the end zones 30 minutes after each of three insults of 80 ml according to a MIST Evaluation Test is less than 5:1. Such an absorbent system may be used in personal care products like diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, absorbent underpants, adult incontinence products, and the like.

An absorbent article (10) has a front waistband portion (14), a back waistband portion (12) and an intermediate portion (16). The article comprises a flexible backsheet member (30), and a liquid permeable topsheet layer (28). An absorbent body structure (32), with a retention portion (48), is sandwiched between the backsheet member (30) and the topsheet layer (28), and a wetness indicator (40) visually shows a presence of liquid in selected areas of the article. The wetness indicator is provided by at least one indicator section of the backsheet member (30) which includes a polymer sheet layer (96). Desirably, The wetness indicator is provided by at least one indicator section of the backsheet member (30) which includes a backsheet laminate material having a fibrous nonwoven web (94) attached to a polymer sheet layer (96). The indicator section of the backsheet member (30) includes a plurality of translucent windows (98) which are arranged in an area pattern and are formed by a selected thermal treatment of the polymer sheet layer (96). In particular arrangements, the translucent windows (98) can be arranged in an area pattern and can be formed by a bonding of the fibrous nonwoven web (94) to the polymer sheet layer (96) in the backsheet laminate material. A layer of contrast material (44) may be attached to the article at an operative location which is interposed between an intended wearer of the article and the indicator section of the backsheet member (30). In particular arrangements, the contrast layer (44) can have a first appearance through the translucent windows (98) when the contrast material is dry, and can have a visually different second appearance through the translucent windows (98) when the contrast material is wetted with water or other aqueous liquid.

Absorbent article with wetness indicator

There is provided a surge material for personal care products which is a wettable web of fibers of 30 microns in diameter or less where the web has a permeability between about 250 and 1500 Darcys, a capillary tension between about 1.5 and 5 cm, and which maintains that permeability and capillary tension over the life of the web. Its preferred that the web have a density between about 0.02 g/cc to about 0.07 g/cc.

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Appleton, WI, United States of America

Hoa La Wilhelm