Bodily fluid absorbent matrix and method for manufacturing the same

A method for manufacturing a bodily fluid absorbent matrix including an aggregate of bodily fluid absorbent material interposed between a liquid-permeable first sheet lying on the skin-facing side in a bodily fluid absorbent wearing article and a liquid-permeable or liquid-impermeable second sheet lying on the side of garment-facing side opposite to the skin-facing side, wherein

• the method includes at least the steps as follows:
• (1) a step of providing the absorbent matrix with:
• an upper layer portion and a lower layer portion which are stacked on each other in the thickness direction and have the same thickness;
• and the aggregate including hydrophilic fibers as the bodily fluid absorbent material, and a plurality of first aggregates each formed of a portion of the bodily fluid absorbent material intended to form the lower layer portions are arranged intermittently in the machine direction and transported in the machine direction;
• (2) a step of interposing the respective first aggregates between a pair of air-permeable first support means running in the machine direction between a first nozzle array for high pressure steam jets and a first suction port for suction of steam so that the respective first aggregates are subjected to high pressure steam jets from the first nozzle array under the suction effect of the first suction port to obtain second aggregates corresponding to the first aggregates compressed in the thickness direction thereof;
• (3) a step of stacking a plurality of third aggregates of bodily fluid absorbent material intended to form the upper layer portions on the respective second aggregates to obtain fourth aggregates;
• and
• (4) a step of interposing the fourth aggregates between a pair of air-permeable second support means running in the machine direction between a second nozzle array for high pressure stream jets and a second suction port for suction of steam facing each other so that the third aggregates in the fourth aggregates are subjected to high pressure steam jets from the second nozzle array under the suction effect from the second suction port to compress the fourth aggregates and thereby to obtain fifth aggregates from the fourth aggregates.