# US 10,729,599 B2 · Absorbent core, articles comprising said core, and methods of making

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- Number: US 10,729,599 B2
- Document ID: US10729599B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/473,862
- Filed: 2017-12-21
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2020-08-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-27
- Assignees: Ontex BVBA; Ontex Group NV
- Applicants: Ontex Bvba; Ontex Group NV
- Inventors: Ainas Weber; Manfred Breu; Christel Mailinger; Thomas Heege
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10729599B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/532: inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
- A61F 13/15634: {Making fibrous pads between sheets or webs}
- A61F 13/15658: {Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof}
- A61F 13/42: with wetness indicator or alarm
- A61F 13/4756: {the means consisting of grooves, e.g. channels, depressions or embossments, resulting in a heterogeneous surface level}
- A61F 13/531: having a homogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad (A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence)
- A61F 13/533: having discontinuous areas of compression
- A61F 13/534: having an inhomogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad (A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence)
- A61F 13/539: characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers
- B32B 37/02: characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations
- B32B 37/1018: {using only vacuum}
- B32B 37/142: {Laminating of sheets, panels or inserts, e.g. stiffeners, by wrapping in at least one outer layer, or inserting into a preformed pocket}
- B32B 37/22: involving the assembly of both discrete and continuous layers
- A61F 13/1565: {by depositing continuous layers of fibrous material between webs, e.g. wrapping layers of fibrous material}
- A61F 2013/15926: {for vacuum forming}
- A61F 2013/423: {the alarm being a volume change or a movement of a component}
- A61F 2013/530131: {being made in fibre but being not pulp}
- A61F 2013/530481: {having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials}
- A61F 2013/530868: {characterized by the liquid distribution or transport means other than wicking layer (A61F13/537 takes precedence)}
- A61F 2013/53908: {with adhesive}
- B29D 99/0064: {Producing wearing apparel}
- B29K 2023/00: Use of polyalkenes {or derivatives thereof} as moulding material
- B29K 2713/00: Use of textile products or fabrics for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts (B29K2105/06 takes precedence)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

An absorbent core comprising substantially continuous zones of one or more high fluid distribution structures and discontinuous zones of fluid absorption structures surrounding the one or more high fluid distribution structures, wherein the one or more high fluid distribution structures are arranged to distribute fluid across the absorbent core at a speed that is faster than the speed of fluid distribution across the absorbent core by said discontinuous fluid absorption structures, and wherein said continuous zones extend along a path that is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the perimeter of the core, said portion of the perimeter of the core comprising at least a portion of the sides of the core and one of the ends of the core.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An absorbent core (101) comprising:
a front portion (122);
a back portion (124);
a crotch portion (126) positioned between the front portion (122) and the back portion (124); and a longitudinal axis extending along a length of said core (101) and crossing said front, crotch and back portions (122, 126, 124), the absorbent core (101) having a lateral axis extending perpendicular to said length and a perimeter comprising at least two opposing ends (102, 103) and at least two opposing sides (104, 105) positioned between said ends (102, 103) characterized in that the absorbent core (101) comprises one or more substantially interconnected channels (106) extending through at least 60% of the crotch portion (126) along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and further extending along at least a portion of said lateral axis of the core from one side of the core to the other, wherein the one or more substantially interconnected channels (106) are substantially free of three-dimensional absorbent material, said one or more substantially interconnected channels (106) being symmetric or asymmetric about the longitudinal axis, and wherein each substantially interconnected channel (106) comprises:
a first channel portion (107) extending substantially along the longitudinal axis nearest to a first side (104) of the core (101);
a second channel portion (108) extending substantially along the longitudinal axis nearest to a second side (105) of the core (101);
a single connecting channel portion (109) in fluid communication with said first and second channel portions (107, 108), and having a first distance (d1) between the first channel portion (107) and the second channel portion (108), a second distance (d2) between the first channel portion (107) and the second channel portion (108), wherein the first distance (d1) is nearest to the front portion (122) of the core (101) and the second distance (d2) is nearest to the back portion (124) of the absorbent core (101), and wherein the first distance (d1) is greater than the second distance (d2); and
wherein at least one substantially interconnected channel (106) forms a shape having an open end in the form of two diverging ends that extend almost entirely to the first and second sides (104, 105).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 wherein the connecting channel portion (109) extends in the lateral direction of said core (101).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 2, wherein the connecting channel portion (109) forms a closed end shape within a surface of said core (101) along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis, and positioned opposite to an open end shape formed by non-connected first and second terminal positions (110,111) of the first and second channel portions (107, 108) respectively, of the interconnected channel (106), said non-connected first and second terminal positions (110, 111) being distal to each other and proximal to the first and second sides (104, 105) of said core (101) respectively, said terminal positions (110, 111) facing away from each other such to form a funnel-shaped gap therebetween.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 3 wherein the closed end is substantially curvilinear in shape, forming a convex shape between the first and second channel portions (107, 108), or is substantially linear in shape, forming a straight or triangular shape between the first and second channel portions (107, 108).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 wherein the first distance (d1) is at least 1.5d2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 wherein the first distance (d1) is from 1.8d2 to 3d2.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 comprising a first nonwoven web, in the form of a backsheet; a second nonwoven web, in the form of a topsheet; and a three-dimensional absorbent material positioned between the first and second nonwoven webs to form an absorbent core laminate, wherein the three-dimensional absorbent material comprises a fibrous web comprising airlaid fibers, and comprises a predetermined amount of super absorbent polymer dispersed therethrough.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of substantially interconnected channels arranged in a substantially concentric manner.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 further comprising one or more disconnected channels.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the one or more disconnected channels is arranged concentrically to the one or more substantially interconnected channels.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The absorbent core (101) according to claim 1 wherein the one or more substantially interconnected channels (106) have a regular or irregular depth, said depth being measured on an axis perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, wherein the cross-section of said channels (106) is selected from the group consisting of curved, polygonal and a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An absorbent article (10, 20, 300) comprising a core (101) according to claim 1, said article being selected from disposable diapers or diaper pants; disposable incontinence diapers or diaper pants; sanitary napkins; and panty liners.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The absorbent article according to claim 12, wherein the channels in said core remain visible both before and after use of the article, and wherein the channels are more visible after use than before use of the article.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The absorbent article according to claim 12 comprising a topsheet and a backsheet enclosing the core (101), wherein at least one of the backsheet or topsheet comprises a color that is different from the color of the core.