Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Theodore T Tower

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Neil T Scholl

Dave Allen Soerens

Mark Michael Mleziva

Ryan J McEneany

Davis Dang Hoang Nhan

WanDuk Lee

Austin N Pickett

Karen Goeders

Yuriy Galabura

John Gavin MacDonald

Garry Roland Woltman

William Grover Reeves

Adrienne Rae Loyd

Candace Dyan Krautkramer

Teresa Marie Zander

Jennifer Elizabeth Pozniak

Richard Joseph Hantke

Kathy Geralyn Richardson

Antonio J Carrillo Ojeda

Kristi Jo Bryant

Jose Kollakompil Abraham

Angela Rae Heck

Sheila Marie Heyrman

Debra Ann Haase

Kim Hoertsch

James Hongxue Wang

Peiguang Zhou

Jason C Cohen

Stacy Averic Mundschau

David Glen Biggs

Thomas Allan Eby

James Martin Kaun

Paula Mary Sosalla

Shiming Zhuang

Antonio J Carrillo

Kazuhiro Takahashi

Alphonse Carl DeMarco

Lori A Eslinger

Peter Robert Elliker

Yusuke Ueda

Megumi Tomioka

Ryan J Mceneany

James M Kaun

Debra A Haase

Kim M Hoertsch

Superabsorbent particles having a median size of from about 50 to about 2,000 micrometers and containing nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers are provided. The superabsorbent particles exhibit a Vortex Time of about 80 seconds or less.

Nanoporous superabsorbent particles

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent member positioned between a topsheet and a backsheet is provided. The absorbent member contains at least one layer that comprises superabsorbent particles containing nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers.

Absorbent article containing nanoporous superabsorbent particles

Superabsorbent particles have a median size of from about 50 to about 2,000 micrometers and contain a porous network that includes a plurality of nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers, wherein the superabsorbent particles exhibit a Vortex Time of about 80 seconds or less and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) of 5 darcys or more, of 10 darcys or more, of 20 darcys or more, of 30 darcys or more, of 60 darcys or more, or of 90 darcys or more. A method for forming such superabsorbent particles includes forming a composition that contains a superabsorbent polymer and a solvent system; contacting the composition with a non-solvent system to initiate formation of the porous network through phase inversion; removing non-solvent from the composition; and surface crosslinking the superabsorbent particles.

A method for forming porous fibers is provided. The fibers are formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase, which includes a matrix polymer, and a nanoinclusion additive that is at least partially incompatible with the matrix polymer so that it becomes dispersed within the continuous phase as discrete nano-scale phase domains. The method generally includes traversing a bundle of the fibers over one or more draw bars that are in contact with a fluidic medium (e.g., water). In certain embodiments, for example, the draw bar(s) are submerged in the fluidic medium. The fluidic medium is lower than the melting temperature of the matrix polymer.

Method for forming porous fibers

A polymeric material having a multimodal pore size distribution is provided. The material is formed by applying a stress to a thermoplastic composition that contains first and second inclusion additives dispersed within a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer. Through the use of particular types of inclusion additives and careful control over the manner in which such additives are dispersed within the polymer matrix, the present inventors have discovered that a unique, multimodal porous structure can be achieved.

Polymeric material with a multimodal pore size distribution

A method for forming porous fibers is provided. The fibers are formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase, which includes a matrix polymer, and a nanoinclusion additive that is at least partially incompatible with the matrix polymer so that it becomes dispersed within the continuous phase as discrete nano-scale phase domains. The method includes traversing a bundle of the fibers through a multi-stage drawing system that includes at least a first fluidic drawing stage and a second fluidic drawing stage. The first drawing stage employs a first fluidic medium having a first temperature and the second drawing stage employs a second fluidic medium having a second temperature. The first and second temperatures are both lower than the melting temperature of the matrix polymer, and the first temperature is greater than the second temperature.

Multi-stage drawing technique for forming porous fibers

Stretchable elastic laminates having an improved cloth-like appearance, as well as methods of preparing the laminates, are disclosed herein. Particularly, the present disclosure is directed to methods of preparing tissue-elastic laminates with uniform tissue fractures as the laminate is stretched 50%, or even 100%, or more in at least one of the machine direction (MD) or cross direction (CD).

Methods to make stretchable elastic laminates

An electronic discriminating device incorporating a non-contact electronic sensor array, a controller, and a signaling device that may indicate the presence of urine and/or bowel movement is disclosed. In particular, the electronic discriminating device can discriminate between an insult of urine only and an insult containing bowel movement. The device can then generate different alerts based on the type of insult. The electronic discriminating device may also emit a signal at or near the opening of an absorbent article or transmit the alert wirelessly to a radio, computer device, or smartphone.

Electronic discriminating device for body exudate detection

A visually-coordinated absorbent product includes an absorbent article component including a garment side outer cover and a body side liner, wherein the article component has at least a first and second visual characteristic, and wherein the first visual characteristic is different from the second visual characteristic. The absorbent product also includes a first packaging component including at least first and second visual characteristics, wherein first and second visual characteristics of the absorbent article are coordinated to the first and second visual characteristics of the packaging component, and wherein at least a portion of one of the garment side outer cover and the body side liner is configured with the article component first visual characteristic and at least a portion of one of the garment side outer cover and the body side liner is configured with the article component second visual characteristic.

Visually-coordinated absorbent product

An absorbent article incorporating a non-contact electronic sensor array that may indicate the presence of a body exudate is disclosed. In particular, the absorbent article includes at least a non-contact electronic sensor array that may include one or more gas sensors, a controller and a signaling device. The signaling device is capable of alerting a user (wearer or caregiver) that an insult of urine or bowel movement has occurred. In accordance with the present disclosure, various attachment mechanisms are disclosed for attaching the non-contact electronic sensor array, controller and signaling device to an absorbent article.

Absorbent article with sensor array for body exudate detection

A visually coordinated absorbent product includes a article component having a body side liner, a garment side outer cover and an absorbent core disposed between the body side liner and the garment side outer cover. The article component has at least a first and second visual characteristic, wherein the first visual characteristic is different than the second visual characteristic. The article component is disposed in a packaging component having at least the first and second visual characteristics. In one embodiment, the packaging component is an individual pouch sized and configured to hold a single, individual article component. In various embodiments, the visual characteristics can include color, embossment, printing, and/or side sealing.

Visually coordinated absorbent product

A room planning system for simulating the use of products during the performance of an activity in a room space is disclosed. The system includes a virtual room space comprising a virtual representation of an actual room space, an environment database having a collection of environment data defining attributes of the actual room space, and a product database having a collection of product data defining attributes of at least one product to be used for performing an activity in the room space. The system includes a user interface for selecting a virtual product and arranging the virtual product in the virtual room space. A simulation generator is programmed to simulate the performance of an activity in the virtual room space and to provide a feasibility analysis of the activity based at least in part on the arrangement of the virtual product in the virtual room space.

Virtual room use simulator and room planning system

A disposable garment having a multicolored scene graphic is disclosed. In particular embodiments, the multicolored scene graphic includes a focal graphic and a background graphic, wherein the background graphic appears blurry relative to the focal graphic to enhance the conspicuousness of the focal graphic. Methods for making such articles are also disclosed.

Disposable garment having improved graphics

An absorbent article includes a stretchable substrate layer and an absorbent core formed directly on the substrate layer, and adhesively attached to the substrate layer. The absorbent core includes about 40-99% by weight superabsorbent particles and about 1-60% by weight adhesive fibers. The absorbent core does not prevent the substrate layer or absorbent article from stretching. The absorbent article can be a personal care absorbent article or a medical absorbent article, and is suitably stretchable or elastic in at least one direction.

Absorbent article having shaped absorbent core formed on a substrate

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Theodore T Tower