Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Rob David Everett

David Louis Zenker

Debra Jean McDowall

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

Shannon Kathleen Melius

Clifford Jackson Ellis

Sridhar Ranganathan

Sylvia Bandy Little

Yong Li

Richard Norris Dodge, Ii

Stanley Michael Gryskiewicz

Xiaomin Zhang

Billie Jean Matthews

Hoa La Wilhelm

Violet May Grube

Thomas Gerald Bolwerk

Kuo-Shu Edward Chang

Candace Dyan Krautkramer

Barbara Ann Gossen

Toan Thanh LeMinh

Lynn Carol Brud

Dave Allen Soerens

Thomas Harold Roessler

Jian Qin

MaryAnn Zunker

Robert A Stevens

Henry Louis Griesbach, Iii

Brenda Marie Nelson

Christopher Cosgrove Creagan

Donald Joseph Sanders

Hannong Rhim

Lee Patrick Garvey

Sandra M Yarbrough

Jason Matthew Laumer

Cynthia Helen Nordness

Mark Charles Jacobs

Daniel R Laux

Roland Columbus Smith, Jr

Mark Gordon Heath

Eric Mitchell Johns

Shannon K Byerly

David F Bishop

Keith Gervaise Bellin

Maria E Signoret

David K LeMahieu

Julie Anne Draves

David G Iwanski

Violet M Grube

William D Hanson

Tom K Wentzel

Joanne Mary Lantz

Lisette Marie Curtin

An absorbent binder coating including monoethylenically unsaturated polymer units, polyacrylate ester units that include an alkoxysilane functionality, and polyolefin glycol units and/or polyolefin oxide units, can be applied to various substrates. For example, the coating can be self-applied to an article of clothing or to a person's skin to provide absorbency. Alternatively, the coating can provide moisture absorbency, as well as adhesive properties, when incorporated into various articles including medical devices, wound dressings, laminates, absorbent garments, packaging materials, and horticultural products.

Absorbent binder coating

Absorbent article including an absorbent core having multiple absorbent layers. The absorbent layers interact in a manner which desirably locates absorbed liquid in an appointed, high saturation wicking layer.

Layered absorbent structure with a zoned basis weight

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

A distinctive absorbent article includes an absorbent core having multiple absorbent layers, wherein the absorbent layers interact in such a manner which preferentially locates absorbed liquid in an appointed, high saturation wicking layer. The localization of the liquid within this wicking layer increases the potential of this layer to move liquid through capillary action due to the higher saturation level and increased amount of liquid available. The intake capability of the absorbent system is maintained or improved over current systems by keeping a second layer of the absorbent system at low saturation levels through as many insults of the product as possible, while providing optimum intake performance through appropriate control of the composite properties. The low saturation in this layer provides void volume for the incoming insult as well, as a high permeability, thus increasing the intake rate of the absorbent system as a whole, but the structure of the low saturation layer is also balanced to provide an appropriately high level of capillary tension to provide enough control of the liquid to stop leakage from occurring. This low saturation layer is used in addition to a surge material and provides intake functionality in addition to that provided by the surge material. In particular aspects of the invention, the body side layer of the absorbent core does not extend over the entire surface of the overall absorbent core, therefore is not used as the high saturation, wicking layer, but as the intake layer. This arrangement also allows the intake layer to be in direct contact with the incoming liquid, therefore allowing for more immediate access and improved intake function. In additional aspects, at least one primary layer region can have a non-uniform, selectively zoned basis weight distribution. Particular configurations of the at least one primary layer region can be constructed with a target area of such primary layer region having a basis weight which is less than a basis weight of another non-target portion of the primary layer region. Moreover, at least one primary layer region can have a heterogeneous structure. In particular constructions, the at least one primary layer region can include a plurality of two or more sublayers.

Layered absorbent structure with a zoned basis weight and a heterogeneous layer region

There is provided a fibrous web which includes a binder and which is compressed to a density of up to about 0.3 g/cc. The web may preferably be formed by the bonded carded web process or air lay process. The binder may depend on hydrogen bonding using moisture or may be a non-aqueous solution, a powder, a fibrous binder or a conjugate fiber binder including a moisture triggerable component. Conjugate fibers may be crimped. When wetted the web of this invention should expand rapidly to greater than 80% of its uncompressed thickness and greater than 90% of its thickness when saturated if starting from the uncompressed state.

Compressed absorbent composites

A distinctive absorbent article includes an absorbent core having multiple absorbent layers, wherein the absorbent layers interact in such a manner which preferentially locates absorbed liquid in an appointed, high saturation wicking layer. The localization of the liquid within this wicking layer increases the potential of this layer to move liquid through capillary action due to the higher saturation level and increased amount of liquid available. The intake capability of the absorbent system is maintained or improved over current systems by keeping a second layer of the absorbent system at low saturation levels through as many insults of the product as possible, while providing optimum intake performance through appropriate control of the composite properties. The low saturation in this layer provides void volume for the incoming insult as well, as a high permeability, thus increasing the intake rate of the absorbent system as a whole, but the structure of the low saturation layer is also balanced to provide an appropriately high level of capillary tension to provide enough control of the liquid to stop leakage from occurring. This low saturation layer is used in addition to a surge material and provides intake functionality in addition to that provided by the surge material. In particular aspects of the invention, the body side layer of the absorbent core does not extend over the entire surface of the overall absorbent core, therefore is not used as the high saturation, wicking layer, but as the intake layer. This arrangement also allows the intake layer to be in direct contact with the incoming liquid, therefore allowing for more immediate access and improved intake function.

Layered absorbent structure

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.

A method and apparatus for enveloping a series of absorbent cores with a fluid-permeable layer includes a first web supplying mechanism for providing a first layer of fluid-permeable material, and a depositing mechanism for positioning a series of absorbent cores on the first layer. Each of the absorbent cores defines a periphery thereof and includes superabsorbent material therein. A second web supplying means provides a second layer of fluid-permeable material to sandwich the absorbent cores between the first and second layers. A sealing mechanism secures the first layer to the second layer along an attachment region thereof which is located adjacent to at least a pair of side edge regions of the absorbent cores. The attachment region is constructed to substantially prevent movement of superabsorbent material from the absorbent cores through the attachment region. A separating mechanism removes selected regions of the first and second layers which are located adjacent to the attachment region and are spaced from the absorbent cores.

Method and apparatus for sealing absorbent materials in an absorbent

A distinctive absorbent article comprises a substantially liquid-impermeable outer cover member having a length and a width. The outer cover provides a rear waistband portion and a front waistband portion, and has a layer of polymer film material on an outer surface of the front waistband portion of the outer cover. A liquid permeable topsheet layer is provided for contacting a wearer's skin, and an absorbent body is interposed between the outer cover and the topsheet layer. The absorbent body has a length and width which are smaller than the outer cover length and width, thereby providing end margins and side margins of the outer cover. An adhesive fastening mechanism adheres to the film layer to secure the front and rear waistband portions of the outer cover about the wearer. An elastic member is connected to provide elasticized gathers along a cross-direction of the rear waistband portion of the outer cover. An outermost layer of substantially nonwettable, resilient material is connected to overlie the polymer film of the outer cover along the front waistband portion of the outer cover, thereby sandwiching the polymer film between the topsheet layer and the outermost layer of resilient material. The outermost resilient material has a lengthwise extent which is less than the length of the outer cover.

Absorbent article having an umbilical protection feature and an

Generally stated, the present invention provides a distinctive absorbent article which includes a backsheet layer and an absorbent retention portion which is superposed on the backsheet layer. The retention portion has a length and a width, and has laterally opposed side edges thereof and longitudinally opposed end edges thereof. A surge management portion is located adjacent a bodyside surface of the retention portion. The surge management portion is constructed to temporarily hold received liquid and release the liquid to the retention portion. The surge management portion has a width, opposed side edges thereof and opposed end edges thereof, and has a length thereof which is less than the length of the retention portion. The end edges of the surge management portion are located longitudinally inboard from the end edges of the retention portion. A porous topsheet layer is disposed in facing relation with the backsheet layer to sandwich the retention portion and the surge management portion between the backsheet layer and the topsheet layer. The topsheet layer has marginal regions thereof attached to marginal regions of the backsheet layer. The attached marginal regions of the topsheet and backsheet layers are located laterally outboard of the side edge regions of the surge management portion. A surfactant material is applied to a medial section of the topsheet layer to provide a greater wettability of the medial section, as compared to a remainder of the topsheet layer. The medial section has a width which is substantially not more than the width of the surge management portion.

Absorbent article having an improved surge management

Generally stated, the present invention provides a distinctive absorbent article comprising a backsheet layer, and a topsheet layer which is disposed in facing relation with the backsheet layer. An absorbent body is interposed between the backsheet layer and topsheet layer. The absorbent body includes a retention portion which comprises a matrix of substantially hydrophilic fibers having a distribution of high-absorbency particulate material therein. The hydrophilic fibers and high-absorbency particles can be provided in a fiber-to-particle weight ratio within the range of about 70:30 to about 30:70. A surge management layer, comprising bicomponent fibers having a denier of not more than about 3 d, is located adjacent at least one major, facing surface of the topsheet layer, and can cooperate with the article components to provide for a liquid Penetration Rate index of not less than about 2.67 ml/sec.

Thin absorbent article having rapid uptake of liquid

Disclosed herein is a fibrous nonwoven web which is particularly well-suited for use as a surge layer in personal care absorbent articles including, but not limited to, diapers, training pants, incontinence garments, sanitary napkins, bandages and the like. The fibrous nonwoven web is made from a plurality of fibers heat bonded to one another to form a nonwoven web having a basis weight of at least 20 grams per square meter, a void volume of between about 40 and about 60 centimeters per gram of web while under a pressure of 689 dynes per square centimeter, a permeability of about 5,000 to about 8,000 darcy, a porosity of about 97.2 percent to about 98.8 percent and a surface area per void of about 24 to about 49 square centimeters per cubic centimeter. The fibrous nonwoven web will have a saturation capacity of between about 30 and about 50 grams of 0.9 percent saline solution per gram of web and a compression resilience in both the wet and dry state of at least about 60 percent.

Surge management fibrous nonwoven web for personal care absorbent

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Rob David Everett