Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Michael John Niemeyer

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

Richard Louis Underhill

Marianne Keevill Leick

Michael Barth Venturino

Mary Lou McDaniel

Heidi Bauerlein Hopkins

Katie Ann Boland

Susan Mary Oates

Susan Marie Trefethren

Greg Joseph DeGrave

Emily Nicole Schmitz

Lori Tassone Holmes

David William Koenig

Jian Qin

Scott J Smith

Sridhar Ranganathan

Richard Norris Dodge, Ii

David Roland Otts

Melissa Christine Putzer

Mark Joy

Sandra Marie Rogers

Markus Frank

Whei-Neen Hsu

Kenneth Raymond Schueler, Jr

Steven Michael Hurley

Thomas Mathias Kolb

Nancy Birbiglia Lange

A method of manufacturing an absorbent web includes moving a foraminous member in a machine direction. The foraminous member has at least one masking plate with a partitioned area including at least one partition defining a plurality of segments. The method further includes drawing air through the foraminous member and depositing fibrous material onto the foraminous member to form an absorbent web. The absorbent web has a bridged area with a reduced basis weight corresponding to the partitioned area of the masking plate. The bridged area has vertical interfaces separating web segments and fibrous material at least partly bridging the vertical interfaces.

Method of manufacturing bridged absorbent structures

An absorbent structure includes a first area of fibrous absorbent material and a second area of fibrous absorbent material. The first area has a greater basis weight than the second area. The second area includes a plurality of segments separated by vertical interfaces. Each of the vertical interfaces has a width less than 1 cm. Bridging of fibrous absorbent material extends across the vertical interfaces.

Bridged absorbent structure

Feminine pad

A disposable absorbent article has a liquid permeable liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover for absorbing liquid body waste. A flow control layer is disposed between the liner and the absorbent body. The flow control layer is adapted to retard the flow of liquid body waste penetrating the liner toward the absorbent body. The flow control layer has a plurality of apertures for permitting at least some of the liquid body waste that passes through the liner to flow past the flow control layer toward the absorbent body without migrating laterally outward around lateral side edges of the flow control layer.

Disposable absorbent article having an apertured flow control layer

Feminine pad package

An absorbent structure made at least in part from a superabsorbent material having a retention capacity (CRC) as determined by a Centrifuge Retention Capacity Test of at least about 25 g/g and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) as determined by a Free Swell Gel Bed Permeability Test of at least 575&#xd7;10cm. In another embodiment, the absorbent structure is made at least in part from a superabsorbent material having a retention capacity (CRC) as determined by a Centrifuge Retention Capacity Test of at least about 25 g/g, an absorbency under load (AUL) at 0.9 psi as determined by an Absorbency Under Load Test of at least 18 and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) as determined by a Free Swell Gel Bed Permeability Test of at least about 350&#xd7;10cm.

Absorbent structure with superabsorbent material

A method of making absorbent pads is disclosed. The method includes homogeneously mixing superabsorbent material and fluff in a forming chamber of an online drum former and wrapping a porous fabric over a forming screen on a forming drum of the drum former. The method further includes forming an absorbent pad from the homogeneously mixed superabsorbent material and fluff pulp as the homogeneously mixed superabsorbent material and fluff pulp exits the forming chamber onto the forming screen and compacting the absorbent pad to a density of at least 0.28 grams per cubic centimeter after the absorbent pad leaves the forming screen.

Method for producing thin, high capacity absorbent structure

A disposable absorbent article having improved interactive graphics is disclosed. The disposable absorbent article defines a front waist end, a back waist end, and a length which extends between the front and back waist ends. In particular embodiments, the article includes an active graphic disposed on the bodyside liner and/or outer cover, and the active graphic is positioned within one of a frontmost 30% and a backmost 30% of the article's length. In particular embodiments, the article includes an active graphic disposed on the article's bodyside liner and/or outer cover, and the active graphic consists essentially of insoluble ink. In particular embodiments, the article includes an active graphic disposed on the article's bodyside liner and/or outer cover, and the article is adapted to provide for an at least partial disappearance of the active graphic without requiring that the active graphic directly contact liquid to effect the at least partial disappearance.

Disposable absorbent article having interactive graphics

A disposable absorbent article having a liner, an outer cover and an absorbent body therebetween for absorbing liquid body waste penetrating the liner. In one embodiment, the absorbent body has an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer has a lower absorbent capacity per unit weight than the outer layer. A flow control layer between the inner layer and the outer layer at least retards the flow of liquid body waste from the inner layer to the outer layer to facilitate a prolonged feeling of wetness to the wearer. In another embodiment, a surge layer lies between the liner and an absorbent body. A flow control layer between the liner and the surge layer, or between the surge layer and the absorbent body, at least retards the flow of liquid body waste through the surge layer toward the absorbent body.

Disposable absorbent article

A disposable absorbent article has a liner, an outer cover and an absorbent body therebetween for absorbing liquid body waste penetrating the liner. A flow control layer having lateral side edges is positioned between the liner and the absorbent body, with at least a portion of each lateral side edge of the flow control layer spaced laterally inward from lateral side edges of the absorbent body. The flow control layer is at least in part liquid impermeable to retard the flow of liquid body waste penetrating the liner toward the absorbent body whereby at least a portion of the liquid body waste that penetrates the liner is directed by the flow control layer to migrate laterally outward toward the lateral side edges of the flow control layer for subsequent flow around the flow control layer toward the absorbent body.

A thin, flexible, high capacity absorbent pad and a method of making such absorbent pads. The absorbent pad contains high levels of superabsorbent material homogeneously mixed with cellulose pulp fluff. The absorbent pad is subjected to high density compaction to achieve the thinness and high absorbent capacity of the invention. The absorbent pad can be used in absorbent articles, such as diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, incontinence products, and swim wear.

Thin, high capacity absorbent structure and method for producing same

A disposable absorbent article comprises a liner, an outer cover and an absorbent body therebetween for absorbing liquid body waste penetrating the liner. In one embodiment, the absorbent body comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer has a lower absorbent capacity per unit weight than the outer layer. A flow control layer between the inner layer and the outer layer at least retards the flow of liquid body waste from the inner layer to the outer layer to facilitate a prolonged feeling of wetness to the wearer. In another embodiment, a surge layer lies between the liner and an absorbent body. A flow control layer between the liner and the surge layer, or between the surge layer and the absorbent body, at least retards the flow of liquid body waste through the surge layer toward the absorbent body.

The present invention is directed to an absorbent composite containing superabsorbent material. The superabsorbent material is in the form of superabsorbent particles having a bimodal particle size distribution. Use of superabsorbent material having a bimodal particle size distribution in the absorbent structure results in enhanced fluid distribution and fluid intake of the absorbent composite. The absorbent composite of the present invention is useful in disposable personal care products.

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Michael John Niemeyer