Absorbent article with improved, wet-formed absorbent

US6706945B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Shannon Kathleen Melius · Appleton, US
• David Arthur Fell · Menasha, US
• Violet May Grube · Greenville, US
• Andrew Edsel Huntoon · Appleton, US
• Toan Thanh LeMinh · Greenville, US
• Sridhar Ranganathan · Suwanee, US
• William G. Reeves · Appleton, US
• Lawrence Howell Sawyer · Neenah, US
• Dave Allen Soerens · Neenah, US
• Heather Sorebo · Appleton, US
• Michael Veith · Sankt Ingbert, DE
• Palani Raj Ramaswami Wallajapet · Neenah, US
• David Zenker · Neenah, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 10, 2000
• Grant date: Mar 16, 2004
• Expiry date: Mar 11, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61F13/15203
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention provides an absorbent article (10) having a longitudinal direction (26), and a lateral, cross direction (24). The article includes a liquid permeable top sheet layer (28), a substantially liquid impermeable backsheet layer (30), and an absorbent structure (32) having a primary retention portion (48) sandwiched between the top sheet and backsheet layers. The retention portion (48) includes a wet-formed mixture of fibers and superabsorbent material. The retention portion has a selected edge-wise compression value, such as an edge-wise compression value of not more than a maximum of about 9 g/gsm, and a modified circular bend value, such as a modified circular bend value of at least minimum of about 0.3 g/gsm. In particular aspects, the retention portion (48) can include cellulosic fibers.