Shorts-type disposable personal hygiene article

Abstract

The utility model relates to personal hygiene nursing product technical field especially short pants type disposable personal hygiene product. The personal hygiene product includes elastomer cutting piece and absorbent component, the absorbent component includes: the top sheet layer of liquid permeable, the bottom film of liquid impermeable and the absorbent core body between top sheet layer and bottom film and in the crotch area along the longitudinal direction extension, the absorbent component is in front waist area and rear waist area and is combined to the side of elastomer cutting piece facing the wearer, and the absorbent component is in crotch area and is disconnected with elastomer cutting piece. The utility model discloses the design of disconnecting type in crotch area to absorbent component and elastomer cutting piece, reduces rigid airtight adhesive use, improves the use comfort of product, avoids the stuffiness and skin irritation, reduces the bulge and wrinkle due to complete adhesion, makes the product present the appearance of flat and smooth in crotch area, is closer to ordinary underpants whether in vision or body feeling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of personal hygiene care products, and in particular to a shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the feminine hygiene product market has become increasingly segmented. Period panties, designed specifically for nighttime or peak menstrual flow periods, have gained popularity due to their leak-proof properties and ease of wear. However, existing period panties on the market generally resemble baby diapers in structure and design, resulting in a bulky overall silhouette and a lack of targeted optimization for the body shape and aesthetic needs of adult women. These products typically use multi-layered composite materials to improve absorbency, but the stacking of multiple layers inevitably increases the overall thickness, affecting breathability. During prolonged wear, especially at night or in hot environments, insufficient breathability can cause discomfort such as localized stuffiness and dampness, reducing the user experience.

[0003] Furthermore, existing menstrual panties often fail to adequately consider their invisibility and aesthetics in various daily life scenarios. Their waist, hip, and crotch cuts differ significantly from regular underwear, making them easily visible when worn with close-fitting clothing or light-colored outer pants, failing to meet modern women's demands for both overall aesthetics and concealment. With the diversification of women's daily activities, such as commuting, traveling, and exercising, consumers' needs for menstrual panties have expanded beyond basic protection; they now expect excellent breathability, a lightweight and form-fitting feel, and a natural, invisible effect similar to regular underwear.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of women's menstrual panty product that can overcome the technical limitations of existing products, such as bulky structure, poor breathability, and insufficient invisibility, while ensuring absorption and leak prevention functions. This would better meet the comprehensive needs of modern women for comfort, aesthetics, and functionality in different life scenarios. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and at least accomplishes one or more of the aforementioned objectives.

[0006] This utility model provides a shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product, having mutually perpendicular longitudinal and transverse directions, and a thickness direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions. The personal hygiene product is divided into a front waist area, a back waist area, and a crotch area connecting the front waist area and the back waist area along the longitudinal direction. The personal hygiene product includes an elastomer fabric and an absorbent assembly. The absorbent assembly includes, along the thickness direction: a liquid-permeable top sheet layer, the top sheet layer being arranged facing the wearer's body; a liquid-impermeable bottom film, the bottom film being disposed opposite to the top sheet layer along the thickness direction and arranged facing the elastomer fabric; and an absorbent core, the absorbent core being sandwiched between the top sheet layer and the bottom film and extending along the longitudinal direction in the crotch area. The absorbent assembly is coupled to the side of the elastomer fabric facing the wearer in the front waist area and the back waist area, and the absorbent assembly is detached from the elastomer fabric in the crotch area.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the absorbent component has an elastic zone in the crotch area, and the elastic zone contains an elastic material. After the elastic material retracts, the absorbent component conforms to the wearer's crotch.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic material is one or more of spandex filaments, polymer films, elastic nonwoven fabrics, elastic strands, and elastic composite materials.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic material is an elastic strand that extends along the longitudinal direction and is spaced apart along the transverse direction.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic zone has 4 to 300 elastic strands, and the center distance between two adjacent elastic strands is 1 mm to 50 mm.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic strand has a breaking strength of 0.9-2 cN / dtex; a breaking elongation of 500%-800%; a fineness of 40-1200 dtex; and an elastic modulus of 0.01-1 N / m. 2 The elastic recovery rate is as follows: when the elongation of the elastic strand is ≤400%, the recovery rate is 95-99%; when the elongation of the elastic strand is ≤200%, the recovery rate is 100%.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic material is located between any two adjacent layers of the absorbing component in the thickness direction.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the elastomer fabric is disposable underwear, and / or the elastomer fabric has uniform tension in the longitudinal direction and / or the transverse direction.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the elastomer sheet is a laminate having multiple elastic strands.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic strands extend along the transverse direction, and a plurality of the elastic strands are arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction.

[0016] This invention features a detachable design between the absorbent component and the elastomer fabric in the crotch area, reducing or even eliminating the use of stiff and non-breathable adhesives. This improves the product's comfort, avoids stuffiness and skin irritation, and allows the absorbent component to more flexibly and dynamically conform to the wearer's body curves under stress. This reduces bulges and wrinkles caused by complete adhesion, resulting in a smooth and flat appearance in the crotch area, making it closer to ordinary underwear in both appearance and feel. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The embodiments of this utility model will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a plan view of the disposable personal hygiene product of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 2 This is one embodiment of the disposable personal hygiene product in this utility model. Figure 1 Cross-sectional view at point AA;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a disposable personal hygiene product according to this utility model.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0022] 10-Front waist area; 20-Crotch area; 30-Back waist area; 40-Elastomer fabric piece; 50-Absorbent assembly; 51-Top sheet layer; 52-Absorbent core; 53-Bottom film; 60-Elastic area; 61-Elastic material; X-Transverse direction; Y-Vertical direction; Z-Thickness direction. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. The embodiments given are only for illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0024] The schematic solutions of the technical solutions disclosed in this utility model are now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the drawings are provided to illustrate some embodiments of this utility model, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to the dimensions of the specific embodiments, and certain features may be enlarged, removed, or partially cut to better illustrate and explain the disclosure of this utility model. Some components in the drawings may be repositioned according to actual needs without affecting the technical effect. The phrase "in the drawings" or similar terms appearing in the specification do not necessarily refer to all drawings or examples.

[0025] Certain directional terms used in the description of the accompanying drawings below, such as “inner,” “outer,” “above,” “below,” and other directional terms, will be understood to have their normal meaning and refer to those directions as normally viewed in the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the directional terms used in this specification are generally in accordance with the conventional directions understood by those skilled in the art.

[0026] The terms “first,” “first,” “second,” “second,” and similar terms used in this utility model do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are used to distinguish one component from other components.

[0027] Terminology Definition

[0028] Regarding personal hygiene products, "disposable" means personal hygiene products that are not typically intended to be washed or otherwise restored or reused as personal hygiene products (i.e., they are intended to be discarded after a single use and are preferably recyclable, compostable, or in other words, disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner).

[0029] "Personal hygiene products" herein refers to articles that can be placed close to or near the wearer's body (i.e., adjacent to the body) to absorb and contain various liquid, solid, and semi-solid excretions from the body. Such personal hygiene products as described herein are intended to be discarded after their limited lifespan, rather than washed or otherwise restored for reuse. It should be understood that, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, this disclosure applies to a variety of disposable personal hygiene products, including but not limited to feminine hygiene products such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, etc.

[0030] As used herein, the term "nonwoven" or "non-woven fabric" generally refers to a web with a layered structure of individual fibers or yarns, but not in a manner identifiable as a knitted fabric. Examples of suitable nonwoven or nonwoven fabrics or webs include, but are not limited to, meltblown webs, spunbond webs, bonded-carded webs, air-jet webs, co-formed webs, and hydroentangled webs.

[0031] As used herein, the term "meltblown fiber web" generally refers to a nonwoven web prepared by means of a method in which molten thermoplastic material is extruded as molten fibers through numerous, typically circular, fine die capillary pores into a stream of aggregated high-speed gas (e.g., air), thereby thinning the fibers of the molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter. Subsequently, the meltblown fibers are transported by a high-speed gas flow and placed on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly distributed meltblown fibers. Generally, the meltblown fibers can be continuous or discontinuous microfibers, typically less than 10 micrometers in diameter, and are usually viscous when placed on a collecting surface.

[0032] As used herein, the term "spunbond web" generally refers to a web comprising substantially continuous fibers of small diameter. These fibers are produced by extruding molten thermoplastic material through numerous, typically circular, small spinneret capillary openings, followed by a rapid reduction in the diameter of the extruded fibers by, for example, lead-out drawing and / or other known spunbonding mechanisms. "Proximal" and "distal" refer to the relative proximity or distance of an element from the longitudinal or lateral centerline of the structure, respectively (e.g., relative to the same longitudinal axis, the proximal edge of a longitudinally extending element is closer to the longitudinal axis than the distal edge of the same element).

[0033] "Facing the body" and "facing the clothing" refer to the relative positions of components or the relative positions of the surfaces of a component or group of components, respectively. "Facing the body" means that during wear, a component or surface is closer to the wearer than some other components or surfaces. "Facing the clothing" means that during wear, a component or surface is further away from the wearer than some other components or surfaces (i.e., the component or surface is closer to the wearer's clothing, which may be worn over disposable personal hygiene products).

[0034] As used herein, the terms "stretchable" or "extensible" generally refer to the dimensional stretchability of a material in the direction of stress, such that the dimension in the direction of stress can be extended by at least about 25%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 75% compared to its natural relaxed state. Stretchable materials do not necessarily have restorative properties or need to have significant restorative properties. For example, elastic materials are stretchable materials with restorative properties. Meltblown fiber webs can be stretchable, but their restorative properties are significantly reduced compared to their extensibility, or even non-restorative, and therefore they are stretchable but inelastic materials.

[0035] As used herein, the terms "elastomer" or "elastic" generally refer to a material that, when a tensile force is applied, is stretched in at least one direction, and when the tensile force is released, it shrinks / recovers to approximately its original size. For example, a stretched material may have an elongation at least about 50% longer than its unstretched length in its relaxed state, and, when the tensile force is released, it may recover to a length within at least 50% of its elongated length.

[0036] As used herein, the term "elastic material" includes elongated materials that are elastic, such as, but not limited to, elastic rubber bands, elastic filaments, elastic bands, elastic films, elastic fabrics (e.g., elastic fiber nonwoven sheets), and elastic composite materials. Elastic rubber bands, for example, can be made from spandex using a warp-spinning process.

[0037] As used herein, the term "bonded" refers to the joining, adhesion, connection, attachment, etc., of two elements. Two elements are considered to be bonded together when they are joined, adhered, connected, attached, etc., directly or indirectly to each other, such as when bonded to an intermediate element. Bonding can be achieved, for example, by adhesives, pressure bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, splicing, stitching, and / or welding.

[0038] As used herein, the term "ultrasonic welding" refers to a method, for example, by passing material through a slit between an ultrasonic generator and a support roller.

[0039] Shorts-style disposable personal hygiene products

[0040] Combination Figures 1 to 3 This utility model provides a disposable personal hygiene product in the form of shorts, which has mutually perpendicular longitudinal (Y) and transverse (X) directions, and a thickness direction (Z) perpendicular to both longitudinal (Y) and transverse (X) directions. The personal hygiene product is divided along the longitudinal (Y) direction into a front waist area 10, a back waist area 30, and a crotch area 20 connecting the front waist area 10 and the back waist area 30. The personal hygiene product includes an elastomer fabric 40 and an absorbent assembly 50. The absorbent assembly 50 includes, along the thickness direction (Z), a liquid-permeable top sheet 51 arranged facing the wearer's body; a liquid-impermeable bottom film 53, which is disposed opposite to the top sheet 51 along the thickness direction (Z) and arranged facing the elastomer fabric 40; and an absorbent core 52, which is sandwiched between the top sheet 51 and the bottom film 53 and extends along the longitudinal (Y) direction in the crotch area 20. Specifically, the absorbent assembly 50 is attached to the side of the elastomer fabric 40 facing the wearer in the front waist area 10 and the back waist area 30, and the absorbent assembly 50 is detached from the elastomer fabric 40 in the crotch area 20. Figure 3 The image shows the disconnected state of the absorber assembly 50 and the elastomer sheet 40.

[0041] This invention features a detachable design between the absorbent component 50 and the elastic fabric 40 in the crotch area 20. This design reduces the use of rigid and non-breathable adhesives, improves product comfort, and avoids stuffiness and skin irritation. Furthermore, the detachable design allows the absorbent component 50 to more flexibly and dynamically conform to the wearer's body curves when under stress, reducing bulges and wrinkles caused by complete adhesion. This results in a smooth and flat appearance in the crotch area 20, making the product visually and tactilely closer to ordinary underwear.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the absorbent component 50 has an elastic region 60 in the crotch area 20, and the elastic region 60 has an elastic material 61. After the elastic material 61 retracts, the absorbent component 50 fits the crotch of the wearer.

[0043] This invention features an elastic zone 60 in the crotch area 20, and the absorbent component 50 is designed to be detachable from the elastic body panel 40 in the crotch area 20. This allows the product to maintain its overall "underwear feel" after wearing, ensuring a natural wearing experience for the wearer during daily activities such as walking, sitting, and lying down. Furthermore, the elastic zone 60 can adjust its fit in real time according to the wearer's body curves and range of motion, tightly wrapping the crotch area and effectively preventing side or back leakage. While maintaining the underwear-like characteristics of the product, it fully meets consumers' core demand for leak-proof performance in hygiene products.

[0044] In another embodiment, the elastic fabric 40 can be disposable underwear. Preferably, the elastic fabric 40 has uniform tension in the longitudinal direction Y and / or the transverse direction X. In this utility model, disposable underwear is directly used as the basic carrier. From the consumer's perception perspective, the shape, material texture, and overall appearance of the disposable underwear are highly consistent with everyday underwear. This not only eliminates the functional product feel of traditional hygiene products visually, allowing consumers to intuitively experience the familiarity of underwear, but also mimics the fit and freedom of movement of underwear in terms of tactile sensation, avoiding the tightness and stiffness that may occur with traditional elastic fabrics, thus improving the psychological acceptance and physical comfort of consumers during use.

[0045] The components and additional parts of personal hygiene products will be described in more detail below.

[0046] Top layer

[0047] The topsheet layer 51 can be a single-layer or multi-layer laminate that defines a surface in direct contact with the wearer's skin and is hydrophilic to receive bodily excretions and guide them toward the absorbent core 52. The topsheet layer 51 preferably retains almost no liquid in its structure, thus providing a relatively comfortable and non-irritating feel while in close contact with the wearer's skin. In various embodiments, the topsheet layer 51 can be a single-layer structure or a multi-layer composite structure, and the multi-layer composite structure itself can include similar or different materials. The topsheet layer 51 can be constructed from various nonwoven webs such as meltblown webs, spunbond webs, hydroentangled webs, or air-permeable bonded carded webs. Examples of suitable surface layer materials include, but are not limited to, natural fiber webs (such as cotton), rayon, hydroentangled webs, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon or other thermally bondable fibers (such as bicomponent fibers), polyolefins, copolymers of polypropylene and polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, and bonded carded webs of aliphatic esters (such as polylactic acid). Perforated membrane and web materials, as well as laminates or combinations thereof, can also be used.

[0048] The topsheet 51 defines the body-facing surface of the personal hygiene product, which can directly contact the wearer's body and is liquid-permeable to receive bodily waste. The topsheet 51 is ideally provided to offer comfort and functionality by guiding bodily waste away from the wearer's body, through its own structure, and towards the absorbent core 52. The topsheet 51 ideally retains almost no liquid in its structure to provide a relatively comfortable and non-irritating surface near the wearer's skin.

[0049] The top sheet 51 can be a single layer of material or a multilayer that has been laminated together. The top sheet 51 can be made of any material, such as one or more woven sheets, one or more fibrous nonwoven sheets, one or more porous membrane sheets (e.g., blown or extruded films), which can be single or multiple layers, one or more foam sheets (e.g., fibrous webs, open-cell or closed-cell foams), coated nonwoven sheets, or combinations of any of these materials. This combination can be bonded, thermally or ultrasonically laminated into a uniform planar sheet structure to form the top sheet 51.

[0050] In various embodiments, the topsheet layer 51 may be composed of various nonwoven webs, such as meltblown webs, spunbond webs, hydroentangled webs, or air-bonded carded webs. Examples of suitable topsheet layer 51 materials may include, but are not limited to, natural fiber webs (e.g., cotton), rayon, hydroentangled webs, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon or other thermally bonded fibers (e.g., bicomponent fibers) bonded carded webs, polyolefins, copolymers of polypropylene and polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, and aliphatic esters such as polylactic acid. Fine-porous membranes and fibrous web materials, as well as laminates and / or compositions of these materials, may also be used. Examples of suitable topsheet layer 51 may be bonded carded webs made of polypropylene and polyethylene, such as products available from Sandler Corp., Germany. U.S. Patent 4,801,494 to Datta et al., U.S. Patent 4,908,026 to Sukiennik et al., and WO2009 / 062998 to Texol teach various other topsheet materials that can be used as topsheet layer 51, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additional topsheet layer 51 materials may include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Patent 4,397,644 to Matthews et al., U.S. Patent 4,629,643 to Curro et al., U.S. Patent 5,188,625 to Van Iten et al., U.S. Patent 5,382,400 to Pike et al., U.S. Patent 5,533,991 to Kirby et al., U.S. Patent 6,410,823 to Daley et al., and U.S. Publication 2012 / 0289917 to Abuto et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0051] In various embodiments, the top sheet layer 51 may include a plurality of pores formed therethrough to allow bodily waste to more easily enter the absorbent core 52. The pores may be arranged randomly or uniformly throughout the top sheet layer 51. The size, shape, diameter, and number of the pores may vary to suit the specific needs of the personal hygiene product.

[0052] In various embodiments, the top sheet layer 51 may have a basis weight ranging from about 5 gsm, 10 gsm, 15 gsm, 20 gsm, or 25 gsm to about 50 gsm, 100 gsm, 120 gsm, 125 gsm, or 150 gsm. For example, in one embodiment, the top sheet layer 51 may be composed of an air-bonded carded web having a basis weight ranging from about 15 gsm to about 100 gsm. In another example, the top sheet layer 51 may be composed of an air-bonded carded web having a basis weight ranging from about 20 gsm to about 50 gsm.

[0053] In various embodiments, the topsheet layer 51 may be at least partially hydrophilic. In various embodiments, a portion of the topsheet layer 51 may be hydrophilic and a portion of the topsheet layer 51 may be hydrophobic. In various embodiments, the hydrophobic portion of the topsheet layer 51 may be an inherently hydrophobic material or may be a material treated with a hydrophobic coating.

[0054] In various embodiments, the topsheet layer 51 may be a multi-component topsheet, such as having two or more different nonwoven or membrane materials, the different materials positioned at different locations along the transverse direction of the personal hygiene article. For example, the topsheet layer 51 may be two or more layers of material having a central portion positioned along and across the longitudinal axis of the personal hygiene article, with transverse side portions located on either side of the central portion and attached to each side edge of the central portion. The central portion may be made of a first material, and the side portions may be made of the same or different material as the central portion. In such embodiments, the central portion may be at least partially hydrophilic and the side portions may be inherently hydrophobic or may be treated with a hydrophobic coating. Examples of multi-component topsheet layer structures are generally described in U.S. Patent 5,961,505 to Coe, U.S. Patent 5,415,640 to Kirby, and U.S. Patent 6,117,523 to Sugahara, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0055] In various embodiments, the central portion of the topsheet layer 51 may be symmetrically positioned about the longitudinal axis of the personal hygiene product. This centrally longitudinally oriented central portion may be an air-bonded carded web (“TABCW”) with a basis weight between about 15 gsm and about 100 gsm. The previously described nonwoven, woven, and porous membrane topsheet materials may also be used as the central portion of the topsheet layer 51. In various embodiments, the central portion may be composed of a TABCW material with a basis weight of about 20 gsm to about 50 gsm. Different nonwoven, woven, or membrane materials may be used as the sides of the topsheet layer 51. The choice of this topsheet layer 51 material may vary based on the overall desired properties of the topsheet layer 51. For example, it may be necessary to have a hydrophilic material in the central portion and a hydrophobic barrier material in the sides to prevent leakage and increase the dryness of the side areas. Such sides may be bonded to the central portion along or adjacent to the longitudinally oriented side edges by adhesive, thermal, ultrasonic, or other means. Conventional personal hygiene product construction adhesives may be used to bond the sides to the central portion. Either the central portion and / or the side portion can be treated with surfactants and / or skin-health-beneficial agents known in the art.

[0056] Absorbing core

[0057] The top sheet 51 and the bottom film 53 can be joined together along their periphery to form a seal, thereby enclosing the absorbent core 52 between them and trapping bodily excretions that seep into it through the top sheet. The absorbent core 52 is typically located primarily in the crotch area 20, but may also extend into the front waist area 10 at one end and into the rear waist area 30 at the other end.

[0058] The absorbent core 52 may be a composite material made of laminated liquid-absorbing raw materials, exhibiting a degree of stretchability and comfort, being non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining bodily excretions. The absorbent core 52 can typically be any monolayer structure or combination of layered components, exhibiting a level of compressibility, fit, non-irritation to the wearer's skin, and the ability to absorb and retain liquids and other bodily excretions. In various embodiments, the absorbent core 52 may be formed from a variety of different materials and may contain any number of desired layers. For example, in one embodiment, the absorbent core 52 may include a core support layer and an absorbent material layer. The absorbent material layer may be made of any suitable absorbent material, such as superabsorbent polymer (SAP). SAP refers to polymers that absorb and retain a very large amount of liquid relative to their own mass. Crosslinkable hydrogels, classified as hydrogels, absorb aqueous solutions through hydrogen bonds and other polar forces with water molecules. The absorbency of SAP is partly based on its ionicity (an index of the ion concentration in aqueous solutions) and the hydrophilic polar functional groups of SAP. SAP is generally manufactured by polymerizing acrylic acid mixed with sodium hydroxide in the presence of an initiator to form sodium polyacrylate (sometimes called sodium polyacrylate). Other materials can also be used to manufacture superabsorbent polymers, such as polyacrylamide copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, and starch-grafted copolymers of crosslinked polyethylene oxide and polyacrylonitrile. SAP can exist in personal hygiene products in particulate or fibrous form.

[0059] In various embodiments, the absorbent core 52 may also include optional amounts of superabsorbent material, if desired. Examples of suitable superabsorbent materials may include poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylamide), poly(vinyl ether), copolymers of maleic anhydride with vinyl ether and α-olefins, poly(vinylpyrrolidone), poly(vinylmorpholinone), polyvinyl alcohol, and their salts and copolymers. Other superabsorbent materials may include unmodified and modified natural polymers, such as hydrolyzed acrylonitrile-grafted starch, acrylic acid-grafted starch, methylcellulose, chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and natural gums, such as alginate, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, etc. Mixtures of natural and wholly or partially synthetic superabsorbent polymers may also be used. The superabsorbent material may be present in the absorbent core 52 in any amount as needed.

[0060] In various embodiments, the absorbent core 52 may comprise one or more layers (e.g., two layers) of an absorbent web material made of cellulose fibers (e.g., wood pulp fibers), other natural fibers, synthetic fibers, woven or nonwoven sheets, loosely woven webs, or other stabilizing structures, superabsorbent materials, adhesive materials, surfactants, selected hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials, pigments, detergents, odor control agents, and combinations thereof. In embodiments, the absorbent web material may comprise a cellulose fluff matrix and may also comprise a superabsorbent material. The cellulose fluff may comprise a mixture of wood pulp fluff.

[0061] In various embodiments, the absorbent core 52 may be a single-layer structure and may include a matrix such as cellulose fluff and a superabsorbent material. In various embodiments, the absorbent core 52 may have at least two layers of material, such as a body-facing layer and a clothing-facing layer. In various embodiments, the two layers may be identical to each other. In various embodiments, the two layers may be different from each other. In such embodiments, the two layers may provide different absorbency properties deemed suitable for personal hygiene products. In various embodiments, the body-facing layer of the absorbent core 52 may be composed of an air-laid material and the clothing-facing layer of the absorbent core 52 may be composed of a compressed sheet containing a superabsorbent polymer. In such embodiments, the air-laid material may have a basis weight of about 40 gsm to about 200 gsm and the compressed sheet containing the superabsorbent polymer may be a cellulose fluff-based material, which may be a combination of cellulose pulp and SAP encapsulated by a tissue carrier, having a basis weight of about 40 gsm to about 400 gsm.

[0062] Regardless of the combination of absorbent materials used in the absorbent core 52, the absorbent materials can be formed into a web structure using various conventional methods and techniques. For example, absorbent fiber webs can be formed using techniques such as, but not limited to, dry forming, air forming, wet forming, foam forming, and combinations thereof. Co-formed nonwoven materials can also be used. The methods and equipment used to implement these techniques are well known in the art.

[0063] The shape of the absorbent core 52 can vary as needed and can include any of a variety of shapes, including but not limited to triangles, rectangles, dog-bone shapes, and ovals. In various embodiments, the shape of the absorbent core 52 may generally correspond to the overall shape of the personal hygiene product. The size of the absorbent core 52 may be substantially similar to the size of the personal hygiene product; however, it should be understood that while the size of the absorbent core 52 may be similar, it is generally smaller than the size of the entire personal hygiene product in order to be adequately contained therein.

[0064] For example, suitable materials and / or structures for the absorbent core 52 may include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,610,678 to Weisman et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,610,636 to Yahiaoui et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,610,903 to Latimer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,358,282 to Krueger et al., and U.S. Publication No. 2010 / 017426 to Di Luccio et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0065] In various embodiments, the absorbent core 56 may include optional amounts of superabsorbent material, if desired. Examples of suitable superabsorbent materials may include poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylamide), poly(vinyl ether), copolymers of maleic anhydride with vinyl ether and α-olefin, poly(vinylpyrrolidone), poly(vinylmorpholinone), poly(vinyl alcohol), and their salts and copolymers. Other superabsorbent materials may include unmodified and modified natural polymers, such as hydrolyzed acrylonitrile-grafted starch, acrylic acid-grafted starch, methylcellulose, deacetylated chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and natural gums such as alginate, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, etc. Mixtures of natural and wholly or partially synthetic superabsorbent polymers may also be used. The superabsorbent material may be present in the absorbent core 56 in any amount as desired.

[0066] Regardless of the combination of absorbent materials used in the absorbent core 56, the absorbent materials can be formed into a web structure using various conventional methods and techniques. For example, the absorbent web can be formed using techniques such as, but not limited to, dry forming, air forming, wet forming, foam forming, and combinations thereof. Co-formed nonwoven materials can also be used. Methods and equipment for performing such techniques are well known in the art.

[0067] Base film

[0068] The bottom membrane 53 is typically liquid-impermeable and is the portion of the absorbent assembly 50 facing the wearer's clothing. The bottom membrane 53 allows air or vapor to escape from the absorbent assembly 50 while still blocking the passage of liquid. Any liquid-impermeable material can generally be used to form the bottom membrane 53. The bottom membrane 53 can consist of a single layer or multiple layers, and these one or more layers can themselves comprise similar or different materials. Suitable materials that can be used include microporous polymer membranes, polyolefin membranes such as polyethylene or polypropylene, nonwoven fabrics and nonwoven laminates, and membrane / nonwoven laminates. The specific structure and composition of the bottom membrane 53 can be selected from a variety of known membranes and / or fabrics, with specific materials suitably selected to provide desired levels of liquid barrier, strength, abrasion resistance, tactile properties, aesthetics, etc. In various embodiments, a polyethylene membrane can be used, which may have a thickness ranging from about 0.2 or 0.5 mils to about 3.0 or 5.0 mils. The bottom membrane 53 can be made of a thin plastic film, but other liquid-impermeable materials may also be used. The base layer 53 inhibits the seepage of liquid bodily fluids into the absorbent assembly 50 and wets items such as sheets and clothing, as well as the wearer and caregiver. Examples of materials used for the inner layer may be printed 19gsm Berry Plastics XP-8695H film or equivalents, commercially available from BerryPlastics Corporation, Evansville, IN, USA.

[0069] Examples of the base film 53 may be polyethylene films, such as those available from Pliant Corporation, Schaumburg, IL, USA. Another example may include a polypropylene film filled with calcium carbonate. In another embodiment, the base film 53 may be a hydrophobic nonwoven material with water-barrier properties, such as a nonwoven laminate, examples of which may be a four-layer laminate of spunbond, meltblown, meltblown, and spunbond. Thus, the base film 53 may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure, such as having multiple film layers or laminates of film layers and nonwoven fiber layers. A suitable base film 53 may be constructed from materials such as those described in the following patents: U.S. Patent No. 4,578,069 to Whitehead et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,376,799 to Tusim et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,695,849 to Shawver et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,075,179 to McCormack et al., and U.S. Patent No. 6,376,095 to Cheung et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0070] Elastic materials, elastic zones

[0071] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the elastic region 60 contains several elastic materials 61 that extend longitudinally Y and are spaced apart transversely X.

[0072] In various embodiments, such as in Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the elastic material 61 in the personal hygiene product can be elastic strands. The elastic strands can have circular, semi-circular, square, rectangular, elliptical, or other geometric configurations. In a preferred embodiment, the elastic region 61 can have 4 to 300 of the elastic strands, and the center-to-center distance between two adjacent elastic strands can be 1 mm to 50 mm. In a further preferred embodiment, the elastic region 61 can have 10 to 250 of the elastic strands, and the center-to-center distance between two adjacent elastic strands is 3 mm to 45 mm.

[0073] The elastic material 61 arranged in the personal hygiene product is advantageously designed for comfort and fit, and serves to prevent leakage. The elastic material 61 can be disposed online or offline between any two adjacent layers in the thickness direction of the personal hygiene product, for example... Figure 2 The absorber core 52 and the base film 53 are shown. The tensile strength of the elastic strands can be 0.9-2 cN / dtex; the elongation at break can be 500%-800%; the fineness can be 40-1200 dtex; and the elastic modulus can be 0.01-1 N / m. 2 The elastic recovery rate can be: 95-99% when the elongation of the elastic material is ≤400%; and 100% when the elongation of the elastic material is ≤200%.

[0074] Furthermore, the elastic material 61 can be one or more of spandex filaments, elastic nonwoven fabrics, polyester films, and elastic composite materials. The specifications of spandex filaments can range from, for example, 50D to 1000D. The basis weight range of the elastic nonwoven fabric can be, for example, 10gsm to 300gsm. The basis weight range of the polyester film can be 10gsm to 100gsm. The basis weight range of the elastic composite material can be 10gsm to 300gsm.

[0075] In various embodiments, the elastic material 61 in the personal hygiene product may be an elastic polymer film layer. In various embodiments, a suitable elastic polymer film layer may be a stretch-bonded laminate (SBL), wherein the elastic core or intermediate layer is stretched before two opposing outer nonwoven web layers are bonded thereto. Another suitable material for an elastic polymer film layer is a necking-bonded laminate (NBL). NBL materials are three-layer laminates, but the elastic core or intermediate layer is not pre-stretched before being attached to the two outer nonwoven web layers. Instead, the opposing outer nonwoven web layers are necked-stretched before the elastic core or intermediate layer is bonded to them. Other examples of such elastic materials that can be used as elastic polymer film layers include continuous filament stretch-bonded laminates (CFSBL), vertical filament laminates (VFL), necking-stretch-bonded laminates (NSBL), or necking-heat-laminated laminates (NTL). Combinations of these materials may also be used. Such materials are described in U.S. Patents 4,720,415 to VanderWielen et al., 5,366,793 to Fitts et al., 5,385,775 to Wright, 6,969,441 to Welch et al., 6,978,486 to Zhou et al., 7,803,244 to Siqueira et al., and 5,226,992 to Morman et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The elastic laminates just described will generally comprise an elastic layer and at least one surface-bonded nonwoven web layer, such as meltblown, spunbond, or air-permeable bonded webs.

[0076] When fixing the elastic material 61 between two adjacent layers, an adhesive can be applied to the surface of the elastic material 61, and then the elastic material 61 can be placed on the lower layer of the two layers, and then the upper layer can be used to cover the elastic material 61 and the lower layer. Alternatively, the adhesive can be applied to either of the two adjacent layers, and then the elastic material 61 and the other layer can be placed. Of course, it is also possible to bond the elastic material 61 to only one of the two adjacent layers (for example, to the lower layer of the two adjacent layers), and leave the elastic material 61 unbonded to the other layer of the two layers.

[0077] After the elastic material 61 is bonded to at least one of the upper and lower layers with an adhesive, the shrinkage of the elastic material 61 at the location of the adhesive will cause the bonded layer to shrink as well, thereby forming an effective elastic region. If the elastic material 61 is bonded to at least one of the upper and lower layers in an intermittent manner, that is, by intermittently applying adhesive, so that one or more spaced segments of the elastic material 61 are bonded to at least one of the upper and lower layers, while other segments can shrink freely relative to the layer, then an elastic region 60 is formed at the location of the one or more bonded segments of the elastic material 61.

[0078] The elastic zone 60 can occupy 1% to 100% of the entire longitudinal length of the personal hygiene product, for example, 60%. The longitudinal dimension of the elastic zone 60 near the front edge of the personal hygiene product can be 1% to 100% of the entire longitudinal dimension of the personal hygiene product, for example, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or 70%.

[0079] As described above, the elastic material 61 is sandwiched between any two suitable adjacent layers of the absorbent assembly 50, and another layer adjacent to these two layers, such as the next adjacent layer, can be bonded to these two layers by intermittent application of adhesive, wherein the location where adhesive is present forms a bonded area, and the location where no adhesive is present forms a non-bonded area.

[0080] elastic fabric

[0081] The elastomer sheet 40 may be made of an elastic material such that the elastomer sheet 40 is stretchable in the transverse direction X when a tensile force is applied, and retracts / returns to at least a portion of its stretched length when the tensile force is released, preferably retracting / returning to its original size.

[0082] In various embodiments, the elastomer sheet 40 can be a laminate containing an elastic material, which can be an elastic strand. Preferably, the elastomer sheet 40 is a laminate containing multiple elastic strands. The elastic strands can possess the technical features described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0083] To form the elastomeric sheet 40, the elastic material within the elastomeric sheet 40 may be sandwiched between a single nonwoven material folded into itself or between two separate nonwoven materials. The elastic material may be sandwiched or held between the nonwoven layers by adhesives, ultrasonic bonding, thermoforming, or any other method deemed suitable. The elastic material within the elastomeric sheet 40 may extend continuously between two opposite side edges in the transverse X of the personal hygiene product, providing continuous tension of the elastic material in the transverse X. In other words, the elastic material within the elastomeric sheet 40 remains active and is capable of continuous stretching / retraction along the entire length of the transverse X.

[0084] While the elastic material in the elastomer fabric 40 may extend continuously between two opposite side edges in the transverse X direction to maintain continuous tension of the elastic material in the transverse X direction of the personal hygiene product, in various embodiments, it may be desirable to vary the tension of the elastic material in the longitudinal Y direction of the personal hygiene product. Varying the tension of the elastic material in the longitudinal Y direction of the personal hygiene product allows areas of the personal hygiene product to respond to strain applied to specific areas by the wearer, independently of other areas, thereby improving the way the personal hygiene product fits the body. Since wearers of personal hygiene products have various shapes and sizes, providing variable tension strain to the personal hygiene product in the longitudinal Y direction allows the personal hygiene product to better conform to the curvature of the wearer's body. During the formation of the elastic material, the tension of the elastic material in the elastomer fabric 40 can be varied by changing the number, fraction, spacing, or elongation stress of the elastic material.

[0085] The elastic materials within the elastomer sheet 40 are polymer membrane materials that can be sandwiched between two nonwoven layers. In various embodiments, it may be desirable to change the tension of the elastomer sheet 40 in the longitudinal direction Y. In various embodiments, the tension of the polymer membrane materials can be changed by utilizing multiple polymer membrane materials arranged side-by-side in the longitudinal direction Y, wherein each polymer membrane material has different elastic properties than adjacent polymer membrane materials. In various embodiments, the tension can be changed through the formation process of the elastomer sheet 40, wherein individual polymer membrane materials undergo variable stretching during manufacturing, thereby changing the tension within the polymer membrane materials.

[0086] For the sake of brevity and simplicity, any range of values ​​shown in this disclosure considers all values ​​within that range and should be interpreted as supporting claims enumerating any subranges, the endpoints of which are all values ​​within the considered specified range. By way of hypothetical examples, disclosures with ranges of 1 to 5 should be considered to support claims with any of the following ranges: 1 to 5, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1 to 2, 2 to 5, 2 to 4, 2 to 3, 3 to 5, 3 to 4, and 4 to 5.

[0087] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be construed as strictly limited to the precise numerical values ​​stated. Rather, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to represent the value and a functionally equivalent range around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to represent “approximately 40 mm”.

[0088] All documents referenced in the “Detailed Description” section are incorporated herein by reference in the relevant sections; no reference to any document should be construed as an admission that it is prior art concerning the invention. In the event of any conflict between the meaning or definition of any term in this written document and any meaning or definition of a term in the documents incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall prevail.

[0089] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is contemplated that all such changes and modifications falling within the scope of the invention be covered in the appended claims.

[0090] When describing elements of this disclosure or its preferred embodiments, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” are intended to indicate the presence of one or more of the element. The words “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive, meaning that additional elements besides those listed may be present. Many modifications and variations may be made to this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments described above should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product having mutually perpendicular longitudinal (Y) and transverse (X) directions, and a thickness direction (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal (Y) and transverse (X) directions, the personal hygiene product being divided along the longitudinal (Y) direction into a front waist area (10), a back waist area (30), and a crotch area (20) connecting the front waist area (10) and the back waist area (30), the personal hygiene product including an elastomer fabric (40) and an absorbent assembly (50), the absorbent assembly (50) comprising along the thickness direction (Z): A liquid-permeable top sheet layer (51) is arranged to face the wearer's body; An impermeable bottom film (53) is disposed opposite to the top sheet layer (51) along the thickness direction (Z) and arranged to face the elastomer sheet (40); Absorbent core (52), the absorbent core (52) is sandwiched between the top sheet layer (51) and the bottom film (53) and extends along the longitudinal direction (Y) in the crotch area (20); The absorbent component (50) is coupled to the side of the elastomer fabric (40) facing the wearer in the front waist area (10) and the back waist area (30), and the absorbent component (50) is detachable from the elastomer fabric (40) in the crotch area (20).

2. The disposable personal hygiene product in shorts type according to claim 1, characterized in that, The absorbent component (50) has an elastic region (60) in the crotch area (20), and the elastic region (60) contains an elastic material (61). After the elastic material (61) retracts, the absorbent component (50) fits the crotch of the wearer.

3. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic material (61) is an elastic strand that extends along the longitudinal direction (Y) and is spaced apart along the transverse direction (X).

4. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic zone (60) has 4 to 300 elastic strands, and the center distance between two adjacent elastic strands is 1 mm to 50 mm.

5. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic strand has a breaking strength of 0.9-2 cN / dtex; an elongation at break of 500%-800%; a fineness of 40-1200 dtex; and an elastic modulus of 0.01-1 N / m. 2 The elastic recovery rate is as follows: when the elongation of the elastic strand is ≤400%, the recovery rate is 95-99%; when the elongation of the elastic strand is ≤200%, the recovery rate is 100%.

6. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic material (61) is located between any two adjacent layers of the absorbent assembly (50) in the thickness direction (Z).

7. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic fabric piece (40) is a disposable underwear, and / or the elastic fabric piece (40) has uniform tension in the longitudinal direction (Y) and / or the transverse direction (X).

8. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastomer sheet (40) is a laminate containing an elastic material.

9. The shorts-type disposable personal hygiene product according to claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic material is an elastic strand, which extends continuously along the transverse direction (X), and multiple elastic strands are arranged at intervals along the longitudinal direction (Y).

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