The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 01, 2024
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2018
Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Jin Chen, Appleton, WI (US);
Xuedong Song, Alpharetta, GA (US);
William Clayton Bunyard, DePere, WI (US);
Andrew M. Long, Neenah, WI (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
A disposable absorbent product includes a double-network polymer element including a cross-linked, covalently-bonded polymer and a reversible, partially ionicly-bonded polymer, wherein the element has a moisture level less than or equal to 15 percent of the total weight of the element, wherein the element comprises a latent retractive force, and wherein the element is configured to release the retractive force to achieve a dimensional change in the disposable absorbent product with exposure of the element to an aqueous liquid. Manufacturing a disposable absorbent product includes producing a double-network hydrogel; elongating by force and dehydrating while still elongated the double-network hydrogel, wherein elongating and dehydrating captures a latent retractive force in the element; and positioning the element in a disposable absorbent product such that a dimensional change in the disposable absorbent product is achieved with exposure of the element to an aqueous liquid.