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Absorbent article including airlaid mixture material containing thermoplastic fibers treated with phosphate ester or sulfate ester

a technology of thermoplastic fibers and airlaid mixtures, applied in the field of absorbent articles, can solve the problems of poor conformability of napkins to the body, and achieve the effects of improving fluid handling with viscous body fluids, superior fluid handling, and low stiffness

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-03-10
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] The thermally bonded airlaid matrix of the invention can provide superior fluid handling with viscous body fluids like menses. Such superior fluid handling includes acquisition of the initially discharged fluids, transportation and distribution of the fluids to other remote regions of the airlaid matrix, and containment of the fluids in the airlaid matrix. This superiority is brought by hydrophilic nature of the component fibers (i.e., both the cellulosic fibers and the thermoplastic fibers) in the thermally bonded airlaid matrix. In particular, by treating the surface of the thermoplastic fibers with the surfactant including a phosphate ester, a sulfate ester, or a derivative thereof, fluid handling with viscous body fluids is much improved. In addition, since the thermally bonded airlaid matrix provides low stiffness due to its low dry density, it can provide improved conformability of the absorbent article to the wearer's body, thereby preventing leakage of body fluids.
[0012] The foregoing answers the need for an absorbent article that can effectively prevent leakage with viscous body fluids like menses.

Problems solved by technology

It is believed that leakage is caused by combined mechanisms which are: a) slower fluid acquisition from the surface into the inside of the napkin than the discharge rate of menses from the body, and b) poor conformability of the napkin to the body, in particular around creases of the body existing from the exit of the fluids to the anus.
High stiffness of the airlaid material tends to disrupt conformability of the napkin to the body, thus resulting in leakage.

Method used

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  • Absorbent article including airlaid mixture material containing thermoplastic fibers treated with phosphate ester or sulfate ester
  • Absorbent article including airlaid mixture material containing thermoplastic fibers treated with phosphate ester or sulfate ester
  • Absorbent article including airlaid mixture material containing thermoplastic fibers treated with phosphate ester or sulfate ester

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

example 1

[0123] One layer of TBAM is produced from 82% of Kraft pulp fibers available from Rayonier Inc., GA, USA, under the trade name Rayfloc J-LD-E (“Pulp Fibers”) and 18% of acid modified polyethylene (in the sheath) / polypropylene (in the core) bicomponent fibers (1.7 decitex, 5.0 mm length) coated with a mixture of n-dodecyl (C12) phosphate ester potassium salts and n-octyl (C8) phosphate ester potassium salts, available from Chisso Corporation, Osaka, Japan, under Code No. XESC1015 (“Bico Fibers”) using an air-laying system available from M&J Fibretech A / S, Horsens, Denmark (“Air-lay System”). The subsequent thermal treatment is carried out at about 142° C. This material has basis weight of 100 g / m2 and thickness of about 2.0 mm at 20 gf / cm2 (i.e., 0.050 g / cc). This TBAM layer is preferably used as the absorbent core 50 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

example 2

[0124] One layer of TBAM is produced from 65% of Pulp Fibers, 18% of Bico Fibers, and 17% of particulate AGM which exhibit 7.3 g / g of absorption with Test Fluid mentioned using Air-lay System and subsequent thermal treatment at 153° C. This material has basis weight of about 100 g / m2 and thickness of about 2.0 mm at 20 gf / cm2 (i.e. 0.050 g / cc). This TBAM layer is preferably used as the absorbent core 50 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

example 3

[0125] One layer of TBAM is produced from 56% of Pulp Fibers, 18% of Bico Fibers, and 26% of particulate AGM which exhibit 7.3 g / g of absorption with Test Fluid mentioned using Air-lay System and subsequent thermal treatment at 150° C. This material has basis weight of about 100 g / m2 and thickness of about 1.2 mm at 20 gf / cm2 (i.e. 0.083 g / cc). This TBAM layer is preferably used as the absorbent core 50 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

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PUM

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Abstract

The invention is directed to an absorbent article, comprising: a topsheet; a backsheet; an airlaid mixture material disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. In one aspect of the invention, the airlaid mixture material includes a) cellulosic fibers, and b) thermoplastic fibers having a surface treated with a surfactant including a phosphate ester, a sulfate ester, or a derivative thereof. The cellulosic fibers and the thermoplastic fibers are bonded together to form a thermally bonded airlaid matrix which preferably has dry density of from about 0.04 to about 0.11 g / cc under pressure of 20 gf / cm2.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application No. 60 / 410,0095, filed on Sep. 12, 2002.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to absorbent articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an absorbent article including an airlaid material containing thermoplastic fibers having a surface treated with a surfactant including a phosphate ester, a sulfate ester, or a derivative thereof. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners and incontinent pads are devices that are typically worn in the crotch region of an undergarment. More specifically, sanitary napkins, for example, are worn by women in a pair of panties that is normally positioned between the wearer's legs, adjacent to the perineum area. Sanitary napkins are designed to absorb and retain body fluids or discharges (e.g., menses) from the body of women and to prevent body and clothin...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61F13/15D04H1/00
CPCA61F13/53A61F13/537A61F13/535A61F13/531Y10T442/60
Inventor MINOGUCHI, RYOGRAY, BRIAN FRANCISSEKI, SHINICHIROVENTURA, PETER DAVID
Owner THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
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