Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Monica C Fontenot

Terry Pearce Ford

James Jay Tanner

John Joseph Lassig

Victor Michael Gentile

Barbara Jean Burns

Alan Grady Shuman

Jonathan Robert Owen

Fung-jou Chen

Richard John Schmidt

Bruce Scott Williamson

Ryan Clinton Frank

John Wesley Fowler

Jeanette Ann Allen

Gina Kay Rolsten

A container liner, shelf liner or drawer liner that will absorb liquids spilled or leaked into a container or onto a shelf or drawer. The liner is a layered product having a layer which is impervious to liquids and an absorbent layer. The absorbent layer further contains a material which is capable of controlling odors, such as those odors found in refrigerators and waste receptacles. The liner of the present invention provides the benefit of absorbing spills and controlling odors in containers such as refrigerators and waste receptacles.

Container, shelf and drawer liners providing absorbency and odor control

The present invention pertains to an airlaid composite which is made of pulp fibers, at least about 2% by weight bicomponent fiber, and moisture. This airlaid composite is unique in that a uniformly even composite is made which upon calendering, becomes a thin structure which maintains significant absorbency when saturated. The bicomponent fibers of the present invention include a first polymer component and a second polymer component, and the first polymer component melts at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the second polymer component. Mixing of the pulp fibers with the bicomponent fibers is done in such a way that the fibers are evenly dispersed in the airlaid composite. This airlaid composite is then heated such that at least a portion of the first polymer component of the bicomponent fiber is melted, which bond the bicomponent fibers to many of the pulp and bicomponent fibers when cooled. Moisture is added on to the composite to further facilitate bonding when the composite is subsequently subjected to calendering. Optionally, a sheet layer may be attached to the airlaid composite to form a multi-layered absorbent structure. Such composites and absorbent structures are characterized by a drape stiffness of at least about 5 cm, an absorbency of at least about 12 g/g, and a dry tensile strength of at least about 1300.

Absorbent structure including a thin, calendered airlaid composite and a process for making the composite

Thin absorbent food pads with a bulk under 0.5 cm are provided having an insulation layer and from 3 to 30 sheets of compressed wet resilient cellulosic material wherein the absorbent pad has an absorbent capacity of at least 10 grams fluid per gram absorbent material and which expands in volume by at least 50%, relative to dry volume, upon wetting. The thin absorbent pads may be provided by calendering the insulation layer and cellulosic sheets under a force of about 100 to 1500 pounds per linear inch, thereby reducing the bulk of the pad by 30 to 60% and creating a pad which will significantly expand upon wetting to achieve an aqueous absorbent capacity of about 0.85 grams fluid per square centimeter (5.5 g/square inch).

Thin absorbent pads for food products

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Marietta, GA, United States of America

Monica C Fontenot