Superthin absorbent product

An absorbent composite comprising:

• a first fibrous layer having a given thickness dimension in uncompressed form, superabsorbent material within said first layer and cooperating with the fibers of said first layer to retain said first layer in a compressed form with a thickness dimension less than said given thickness dimension;
• and a second layer discrete from but united to said first layer, said second layer having no superabsorbent material therewithin and being denser than said first layer prior to the incorporation of the superabsorbent therein, to provide preferential wicking of liquid within said second layer, whereby liquid wetted upon said composite in a given area is transported in said second layer away from said given area and distributed to portions of said first layer remote from said given area, said superabsorbent material upon swelling permitting said first fibrous layer to expand from said compressed form upon absorption of liquid in said superabsorbent material to thereby provide increased liquid holding capacity within said first layer.

A disposable absorbent compressed composite comprising an absorbing layer, a transition zone, and a wicking layer, said absorbing layer comprising a fibrous web having a dry bulk recovery of at least about 30 percent, an initial dry bulk of at least about 40 cc/gm, a wet bulk of at least about 30 cc/gm and a weight of less than about 4 oz/yd.sup.2, said wicking layer comprising particles selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, peat moss, rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, and mixtures thereof, some of said particles extending into and becoming integral with said absorbing layer to provide said transition zone, said absorbing layer having interspersed therein superabsorbent material present in an amount between about 200 percent and 1,500 percent dry weight basis based on said fibrous web dry weight basis, said composite in its compressed form.

A disposable diaper containing an absorbent pad wherein said absorbent pad is an absorbent compressed composite comprising an absorbing layer, a transition zone, and a wicking layer, said absorbing layer comprising a fibrous web having a dry bulk recovery of at least about 30 percent, an initial dry bulk of at least about 40 cc/gm, a wet bulk of at least about 30 cc/gm and a weight of less than about 4 oz/yd.sup.2, said wicking layer comprising hydrophilic particles selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, peat moss, rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, and mixtures thereof, some of said particles extending into and becoming integral with said absorbing layer to provide said transition zone, said absorbing layer having interspersed therein superabsorbent material present in an amount between about 200 percent and 1,500 percent dry weight basis based on said fibrous web dry weight basis, said composite in its compressed form having a dry bulk less than one-half the initial dry bulk of the components of said composite.

A disposable diaper containing an absorbent pad wherein said absorbent pad is comprised of an absorbent composite comprising:

• a first fibrous layer having a given thickness dimension in uncompressed form, superabsorbent material within said first layer and cooperating with the fibers of said first layer to retain said first layer in a compressed form with a thickness dimension less than said given thickness dimension;
• and a second layer discrete from but united to said first layer, said second layer having no superabsorbent material therewithin and providing a higher capillary pressure than said first layer prior to the incorporation of the superabsorbent therein, to provide preferential wicking of liquid within said second layer, whereby liquid wetted upon said composite in a given area is transported in said second layer away from said given area and distributed to portions of said first layer remote from said given area, said superabsorbent material upon swelling permitting said first fibrous layer to expand from said compressed form upon absorption of liquid in said superabsorbent material to thereby provide increased liquid holding capacity within said first layer.

A sanitary napkin containing an absorbent pad wherein said pad is comprised of an absorbent composite comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a transition zone integrally and intimately connecting said first and second layers, said first layer comprising a fibrous web having a dry bulk recovery of at least about 30 percent, an initial dry bulk of at least about 40 cc/gm, a wet bulk of at least about 30 cc/gm and a weight less than about 4 oz/yd.sup.2, and a plurality of particles of superabsorbent material disposed substantially throughout said first layer, said second layer comprising substantially uniformly disposed, hydrophilic particles selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, peat moss, rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, and mixtures thereof, said particles being sufficiently closely spaced to adjacent particles to provide a capillary pressure to promote rapid movement of liquid along the plane of said layer, and said transition zone comprising portions of said hydrophilic particles extending into and becoming integral with said first layer with portions of said hydrophilic particles in intimate contact with said superabsorbent material, said composite in its compressed form having a dry bulk less than one-half the initial dry bulk of the components of said composite.

A sanitary napkin containing an absorbent structure, said absorbent structure being an absorbent composite comprising:

• a first fibrous layer having a given thickness dimension in uncompressed form, superabsorbent material within said first layer and cooperating with the fibers of said first layer to retain said first layer in a compressed form with a thickness dimension less than said given thickness dimension;
• and a second layer discrete from but united to said first layer, said second layer having no superabsorbent material therewithin and providing a higher capillary pressure than said first layer prior to the incorporation of the superabsorbent therein, to provide preferential wicking of liquid within said second layer, whereby liquid wetted upon said composite in a given area is transported in said second layer away from said given area and distributed to portions of said first layer remote from said given area, said superabsorbent material upon swelling permitting said first fibrous layer to expand from said compressed form upon absorption of liquid in said superabsorbent material to thereby provide increased liquid holding capacity within said first layer.

A tampon having as its absorbent portion a disposable absorbent compressed composite comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a transition zone integrally and intimately connecting said first and second layers and being substantially coextensive therewith, said first layer comprising a fibrous web having a dry bulk recovery of at least about 30 percent, an initial dry bulk of at least about 40 cc/gm, a wet bulk of at least about 30 cc/gm and a weight less than about 4 oz/yd.sup.2, and a plurality of particles of superabsorbent material disposed substantially throughout said first layer, said second layer comprising substantially uniformly disposed, hydrophilic particles selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, peat moss, rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, and mixtures thereof, said transition zone comprising portions of said hydrophilic particles extending into and becoming integral with said first layer with portions of said hydrophilic particles in intimate contact with said superabsorbent material, said composite in its compressed form having a dry bulk less than one-half the initial dry bulk of the components of said composite.

A tampon containing an absorbent structure said absorbent structure being an absorbent composite comprising:

• a first fibrous layer having a given thickness dimension in uncompressed form, superabsorbent material within said first layer and cooperating with the fibers of said first layer to retain said first layer in a compressed form with a thickness dimension less than said given thickness dimension;
• and a second layer discrete from but united to said first layer, said second layer having no superabsorbent material therewithin and having a higher capillary pressure than said first layer prior to incorporation of the superabsorbent therein, to provide preferential wicking of liquid within said second layer, whereby liquid wetted upon said composite in a given area is transported in said second layer away from said given area and distributed to portions of said first layer remote from said given area, said superabsorbent material upon swelling permitting said first fibrous layer to expand from said compressed form upon absorption of liquid in said superabsorbent material to thereby provide increased liquid holding capacity within said first layer.

A wipe comprising a nonwoven fabric as a substrate having affixed thereto a disposable absorbent compressed composite comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a transition zone integrally and intimately connecting said first and second layers said first layer comprising a fibrous web having a dry bulk recovery of at least about 30 percent, an initial dry bulk of at least about 40 cc/gm, a wet bulk of at least about 30 cc/gm, and a weight less than about 4 oz/yd.sup.2, and a plurality of particles of superabsorbent material disposed substantially throughout said first layer, said second layer comprising substantially uniformly randomly disposed, hydrophilic particles selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, peat moss, rayon fibers, acrylic fibers and mixtures thereof, said particles being sufficiently closely spaced to adjacent particles to provide a higher capillary pressure to promote rapid movement of liquid along the plane of said layer, and said transition zone comprising portions of said hydrophilic particles extending into and becoming integral with said first layer with portions of said hydrophilic particles in intimate contact with said superabsorbent material, said composite in its compressed form having a dry bulk less than one-half the initial dry bulk of the components of said composite in an uncompressed form.

A wipe comprising a nonwoven fabric having affixed thereto an absorbent composite comprising:

• a first fibrous layer having a given thickness dimension in uncompressed form, superabsorbent material within said first layer and cooperating with the fibers of said first layer to retain said first layer in a compressed form with a thickness dimension less than said given thickness dimension;
• and a second layer discrete from but united to said first layer, said second layer having no superabsorbent material therewithin and having a higher capillary pressure than said first layer prior to the incorporation of superabsorbent therein, to provide preferential wicking of liquid within said second layer, whereby liquid wetted upon said composite in a given area is transported in said second layer away from said given area and distributed to portions of said first layer remote from said given area, said superabsorbent material upon swelling permitting said first fibrous layer to expand from said compressed form upon absorption of liquid in said superabsorbent material to thereby provide increased liquid holding capacity within said first layer.

A method for forming a disposable absorbent compressed composite comprising forming a fibrous web having a dry bulk recovery of at least about 30 percent, an initial dry bulk of at least about 40 cc/gm, a wet bulk of at least about 30 cc/gm and a weight of less than about 4 oz/yd.sup.2 ;

• interspersing therein superabsorbent material in an amount between about 200 percent and about 1,500 percent, dry weight basis, based on said fibrous web dry weight basis to form an absorbing layer;
• superposing thereon a wicking layer comprised of hydrophilic particles selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, peat moss, rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, and mixtures thereof, and, compressing said layers sufficiently to reduce the dry bulk by at least 50 percent of the initial dry bulk of the components of said composite.