Personal care product with fluid partitioning

US6627789B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Thomas William VanDenBogart · Slinger, US
• Amy Michele Achter · Neenah, US
• Bruce Achter · Alpharetta, US
• Barbara Burns · Auburn, US
• Michael Allen Daley · Alpharetta, US
• Peter Elliker · Appleton, US
• David M. Jackson · Roswell, US
• Nancy Donaldson Kollin · Roswell, US
• Gregory Marc Lefkowitz · Atlanta, US
• Sylvia Bandy Little · Marietta, US
• Tamara Lee Mace · Marietta, US
• David Michael Matela · Alpharetta, US
• Cynthia Phillips · Neenah, US
• David Charles Potts · Dunwoody, US
• Lawrence Howell Sawyer · Neenah, US
• Michael Veith · Sankt Ingbert, DE
• Kevin Wilson Wood · Neenah, US
• Dmitry Yavich · Neenah, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 1, 2000
• Grant date: Sep 30, 2003
• Expiry date: Sep 1, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61F2013/530481
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

There is provided an intake/retention/transfer material for personal care products like feminine hygiene products, which is a heterogeneous composite containing between 5 and 25 weight percent of a superabsorbent or gelling material and having a density less than 0.17 g/cc. A more particular embodiment contains less than 20 weight percent and a still more particular embodiment contains 15 weight percent or less of a superabsorbent or gelling material. Also provided are absorbent articles which contain the class of intake/transfer materials mentioned above along with additional absorbent layers such that the absorption of a menses simulant provides fluid partitioning of less than 72% of fluid in the intake/transfer/retention composite. Additionally said composite should have retention capacity values greater than 2.7 g/g.