Disposable absorbent mat structure for removal and retention of wet and

Abstract

A disposable absorbent structure for the removal and retention of moisture and/or particulate from a soiled object coming in contact therewith. The structure preferably comprises a macroscopically patterned, three-dimensionally expanded, shear resistant uppermost layer having an object contacting surface and a non-object contacting surface, said uppermost layer exhibiting a pattern of protuberances extending upwardly from a first plane and terminating in a second plane substantially parallel to and remote from the first plane. The uppermost layer further exhibits a multiplicity of discrete apertures in its second plane and is pervious to moisture in its first plane. A moisture absorbent substrate having its uppermost surface coextensive with the uppermost object contacting layer is secured substantially continuously to substantially all of the non-object contacting surface of the uppermost layer. The discrete apertures located in the second plane of the uppermost layer expose the subjacent portions of the moisture absorbent substrate directly to the soiled object when the disposable absorbent structure contacts the object. Under normal use conditions, the portions of the uppermost layer initially located in the first plane and the portions of the uppermost layer initially located in the second plane undergo resilient deformation to move closer toward one another, but do not become coplanar with one another when subjected to compressive loads. When the compressive loads are removed, they move in the direction of their initial positions. Absorbent structures of the present invention function to transfer moisture and/or particulate from a soiled object into the moisture absorbent substrate via the discrete apertures in and/or the moisture-pervious portions of the uppermost layer of the structure. Once moisture and particulate enter the moisture absorbent substrate, they are effectively isolated from objects coming in contact with the structure by the uppermost object contacting layer.