Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Patrick Dean Abney

Andrew Thomas Hammond

Sarah A Kleuskens

Mark John Beitz

Stacy Elaine Evenson

Kevin Gerald Dolan

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Mark Michael Mleziva

Neil T Scholl

Daniel Robert Schlinz

Paul Douglas Beuther

David Glen Biggs

David John Enz

Davis Dang H Nhan

Alan Francis Schleinz

Antonio J Carrillo Ojeda

Kroy Donald Johnson

Ronald Alex Hilt

Sarah Ann Funk

Niall Finn

Connie May McMorrow

Daniel Lee Ellingson

Andy R Butler

Richard Thomas Wehrle

Robert Michael Hill, Jr

Mark George Everson

Steven J Roffers

Dustin J Smith

Kylie Brooke Bridger

Scott Simon Craig Kirby

Amy Q Feng

Jonathan A Baker

Rodney Allen Butler

Sara Jane Willie Stabelfeldt

Phil Penaia

Danielle Kirby

Three dimensional nonwoven materials and absorbent articles comprising such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, an absorbent article may comprise an outer cover, a bodyside liner, an absorbent body, and a nonwoven material coupled to the bodyside liner. The nonwoven material may comprise an apertured zone providing a percent open area for the apertured zone that is greater than about 15%. The nonwoven material may be coupled to liner by a front waist bond forming a front waist bonding region which extends through the apertured zone and a rear waist bond forming a rear waist bonding region, wherein the rear waist bonding region has a length that is between about 2% and about 10% of the material length and the front waist bonding region has a length that is between about 20% and about 50% of the material length.

Three-dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing thereof

An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article. The benefits of the absorbent article are achieved, in part, by a body facing material having features that help minimize contact of body exudates with the wearer's skin while also being constructed so that the body facing material does not stick to the wearer's skin in use. The body facing material includes a plurality of hollow projections, a plurality of apertures and bonded areas. The bonded areas may be formed with adhesive or by mechanical bonds.

Incorporation of apertured area into an absorbent article

The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for formation of a fluid-entangled laminate web. The laminate web includes a support layer and a nonwoven projection web having a plurality of projections which are preferably hollow. The laminate web also includes a plurality of apertures interspersed with the projections. As a result of the fluid-entangling process, entangling fluid is directed through the support layer and into the projection web which is situated on a forming surface. The force of the entangling fluid causes the two layers to be joined to one another and the fluid causes a portion of the fibers in the projection web to be forced into openings present in a forming surface thereby forming the hollow projections. The force of the entangling fluid also causes the fibers of the two layers to be moved around protrusions present in the forming surface thereby forming the apertures.

Process for making fluid-entangled laminate webs with hollow projections and apertures

A plate configured to contact a web includes a first region having a first characteristic and a second region having a second characteristic different than the first characteristic. The plate has a substantially arcuate wall with an inner surface and an outer surface. A plurality of vacuum holes extends between the inner and outer surfaces and are configured to be in fluid communication with a vacuum source. A vacuum region is adapted to contact the first region of the web and a reduced-vacuum region is adapted to receive the second region of the web. The plurality of vacuum holes are configured such that, when attached to the vacuum source, a vacuum pressure at the vacuum region is greater than a pressure at the reduced-vacuum region so that the first region of the web is held against the plate with a greater force than the second region.

Plate for an anvil roll with a reduced-vacuum region for use in a slip and cut system and method of using the same

An elastic barrier flap for an absorbent article includes a web configured to define a gap and a plurality of elastic members captured by the web. The plurality of elastic members is symmetrically arranged about the gap defined by the web. The web and plurality of elastic members are adapted to inhibit the transverse flow of body exudates released by a wearer of the absorbent article.

Barrier flap for an absorbent article

Absorbent article

Growing community of inventors

Menasha, WI, United States of America

Patrick Dean Abney