Absorbent article with self-forming absorbent binder layer
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsRussell Paul George, Dave Allen Soerens, Jason Matthew Laumer, Cathleen Mae Uttecht
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An absorbent article for personal care use includes a fluid intake layer, a flexible absorbent binder layer and a support layer. The flexible absorbent binder layer is formed between the intake layer and the support layer, and is bound to both layers. The flexible absorbent binder layer is formed from an absorbent binder composition which is applied in a liquid form, and which is capable of spontaneous crosslinking at about 120° C. or less. The absorbent article has a simplified structure and a simplified manufacturing method compared to conventional personal care absorbent articles.
Claims21
An absorbent article, comprising the following three layers in sequence and adjacent to each other:
- a) a fluid intake layer;
- b) a flexible absorbent binder layer;
- and
- c) a support layer;
- wherein the flexible absorbent binder layer is formed between the fluid intake layer and the support layer and is bound to the fluid intake layer and the support layer;
- the flexible absorbent binder being formed by crosslinking an absorbent binder composition including about 15 to about 99.9% by mass monoethylenically unsaturated polymer units, about 0.1 to about 20% by mass ester units selected from the group consisting of acrylate and methacrylate units that include an alkoxysilane functionality, and zero to about 75% by mass of units selected from the group consisting of polyolefin glycol and polyolefin oxide units.
An absorbent structure comprising the following three layers in sequence and bound to each other:
- a) a fluid intake layer;
- b) a flexible absorbent binder layer;
- and
- c) a support layer;
- wherein the flexible absorbent binder layer is formed between the fluid intake layer and the support layer by crosslinking an absorbent binder composition including a water-soluble ionic polymer capable of sufficient non-radiative crosslinking within about 10 minutes at a temperature of about 120° C. or less, to reach an absorbent capacity of at least one gram per gram using the centrifuge retention capacity test.
A method of making an absorbent article, comprising the steps of:
- providing a fluid intake layer;
- providing a support layer;
- applying an absorbent binder composition to at least one of the fluid intake layer and the support layer;
- bringing the layers together so that the absorbent binder composition contacts both the fluid intake layer and the support layer;
- and
- crosslinking the absorbent binder composition to provide a flexible absorbent binder layer bound to both the fluid intake layer and the support layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.