Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

The Procter Gamble Company

Weyerhaeuser

National Institute for Strategic Technology Acquisition and Commercialization

National Institute for Strategic Technology Acquisition

National Institute for Strategic Technology Acquisistion and Commercialization

National Institute for Strategic Technology Acquisitions and Commercialization

Graef, Peter A.

Peter A Graef

Fred B Howard

Charles E Miller

Daniel T Bunker

Colin Elston

Shahrokh A Naieni

Clifford R Bolstad

Jeffrey D Mathews

Frank R Hunter

Mark W Bowns

Fred E Olmstead

Allan R Carney

David G Marsh

Rolland F Sultze

Kay Rokman

Walter Douglas Daniels

Pedro Antonio Rodriguez

Juhani Jansson

Eino Laine

Terry M Grant

Jeffery T Cook

Jeffrey D Matthews

Melissa L Dopps

William L Duncan

Melissa I Dopps

Richard A Edmark

An unitary stratified composite composed of a first stratum and a second stratum integrally connected by a transition zone is disclosed. The first stratum serves as a liquid acquisition stratum that rapidly acquires and then transfers liquid to the second stratum. The second stratum serves to withdraw liquid from the first stratum and further severs as a temporary storage stratum. Methods for forming the unitary stratified composite are also disclosed.

Unitary stratified composite

Methods for forming an absorbent fibrous composite containing absorbent material dispersed in bands through the composite and along the composite's length are disclosed. The methods generally include depositing a fibrous slurry on a foraminous support to form a web and depositing or injecting absorbent material into the web across its width to provide a web having absorbent material in bands along the composite's length. Drying the web provides a fluted absorbent composite. In one embodiment, the method is a wetlaid method and in another embodiment, the method is a foam-forming method. Preferably, the methods are twin-wire forming methods.

Methods for forming a fluted composite

A unitary stratified composite composed of a first stratum and a second stratum integrally connected by a transition zone is disclosed. The first stratum serves as a liquid acquisition stratum that rapidly acquires and then transfers liquid to the second stratum. The second stratum serves to withdraw liquid from the first stratum and further serves as a temporary storage stratum. Methods for forming the unitary stratified composite are also disclosed.

An absorbent composite () having a fibrous matrix that includes absorbent material is disclosed. The fibrous matrix defines voids () and passages between the voids, which are distributed throughout the composite. Absorbent material () is located within some of the voids (). Absorbent material located in these voids is expandable into the void. In a preferred embodiment, the composite's fibrous matrix includes resilient and matrix fibers (). The composite optionally includes a wet strength agent.

Reticulated absorbent composite

An absorbent composite having fibrous bands is described. The composite includes one or more fibrous bands in a fibrous base. The base includes a fibrous matrix and absorbent material. The fibrous bands are substantially free of absorbent material. Absorbent articles that include the composite and methods for forming the composite are also disclosed.

Absorbent composite having fibrous bands

A unitary absorbent composite having a plurality of strata is disclosed. In the composite, adjacent strata are separated by a transition zone integrally connecting the strata. Each stratum includes fibers and a binder, and the transition zone includes fibers from adjacent strata. Method for forming the unitary composite are also disclosed.

Unitary absorbent system

Wetlaid unitary stratified composite containing absorbent material

Wetlaid unitary stratified composite

An unitary stratified composite composed of a first stratum and a second stratum integrally connected by a transition zone is disclosed. The first stratum serves as a liquid acquisition stratum that rapidly acquires and then transfers liquid to the second stratum. The second stratum serves to withdraw liquid from the first stratum and further serves as a temporary storage stratum. Methods for forming the unitary stratified composite are also disclosed.

Absorbent article containing unitary stratified composite

Absorbent article containing a wetlaid unitary stratified composite

Absorbent article containing a foam-formed unitary stratified composite

An apparatus is disclosed for preparing a quantity of individual treated fibers from one or more fiber mats. The apparatus comprises a fiber treatment zone, and a conveyor for conveying each mat through the fiber treatment zone. In the treatment zone each mat is impregnated by an applicator with a treatment material, such as a crosslinking substance, and conveyed directly to an attrition device. The attrition device fiberizes the mats to form a fiber output having a low nit level, such as no more than about three, and a dryer both dries the fiber output and cures the crosslinking substance. The fiberizer is configured to minimize the accumulation of fiber at locations therein. Fiber is transported from the attrition device to the dryer at a high velocity under reduced pressure to promote drying. A heated retention bin is provided after drying to increase curing time in the system. A thermobonding agent may be added to the dried and cured fibers to enhance the wet strength of webs made from the fiber.

Method and apparatus for crosslinking individualized cellulose fibers

Disclosed is a process for making reduced odor individualized, crosslinked fibers which includes the steps of providing cellulosic fibers, contacting the fibers with a solution containing a C.sub.2 -C.sub.9 polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent, mechanically separating the fibers into substantially individual form, drying the fibers and reacting the crosslinking agent with the individualized fibers to form intrafiber crosslink bonds. The individualized cellulosic fibers are then contacted with a strong alkaline solution and strong oxidizing agent to reduce the odor and increase the brightness. Preferably, the crosslinking agent is citric acid, and preferably, between about 1.0 weight % and about 12.0 weight % of the crosslinking agent reacts to form the intrafiber crosslink bonds. Preferably, the alkaline solution is an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, and preferably, about 0.09 weight % of the sodium hydroxide, on a dry fiber weight basis, is applied to the crosslinked fibers. Preferably, the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide, and preferably, about 0.04 weight % of the hydrogen peroxide, on a dry fiber weight basis, is applied to the crosslinked fiber. The reduced odor individualized, crosslinked fibers are useful in a variety of absorbent structure applications.

Process for preparing reduced odor and improved brightness

Growing community of inventors

Puyallup, WA, United States of America

Peter A Graef