# US 5,807,366 A · Absorbent article having a particle size gradient

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- Number: US 5,807,366 A
- Document ID: US5807366A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/878,298
- Filed: 1997-06-18
- Granted: 1998-09-15
- Earliest claimed: 1994-12-08
- Inventors: John Milani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5807366A

## CPC

- A61F 13/532: inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
- A61F 13/15658: {Forming continuous, e.g. composite, fibrous webs, e.g. involving the application of pulverulent material on parts thereof}
- A61F 13/534: having an inhomogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad (A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence)
- A61F 2013/15406: {Basis weight}
- A61F 2013/15422: {Density}
- A61F 2013/15447: {Fibre dimension, e.g. denier or tex}
- A61F 2013/15463: {Absorbency}
- A61F 2013/530576: {having different size in different parts}
- 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)

## Abstract

An absorbent structure containing an absorbent particle size gradient is disclosed. The absorbent structure may also include a fiber size gradient. The absorbent structure may also include absorbent particles coupled to loosely distributed fibers and more particularly, the absorbent particles may be electrostatically coupled to the loosely distributed fibers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An absorbent article having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension, the absorbent article comprising: absorbent particles, which have been subjected to corona charging present in a generally continuous size gradient in at least one said dimension of the absorbent article.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent particles are water absorbent.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent particle size gradient includes a coarse particle zone and a fine particle zone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The absorbent article of claim 3 wherein the coarse particle zone is centrally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The absorbent article of claim 3 wherein the fine particle zone is peripherally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The absorbent article of claim 3 wherein the coarse zone is peripherally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the absorbent particles are present in a size gradient in the width dimension of the absorbent article.

### Claim 8

An absorbent article having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension comprising:
multiple-sized fibers and multiple-sized absorbent particles which have been subjected to corona charging;
wherein the multiple-sized absorbent particles are present in a particle size gradient in the width dimension of the absorbent article; and
wherein the size gradient includes a coarse particle zone and a fine particle zone and wherein the coarse particle zone is centrally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 9

An absorbent article having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension comprising:
multiple-sized fibers and multiple-sized absorbent particles which have been subjected to corona charging;
wherein the multiple-sized absorbent particles are present in a particle size gradient which includes a coarse particle zone and a fine particle zone;
wherein the multiple-sized fibers are present in a fiber size gradient which includes a coarse fiber zone and a fine fiber zone;
wherein the coarse fiber zone is combined with the coarse particle zone and wherein the fine fiber zone is combined with the fine particle zone; and
wherein said coarse fiber zone and said coarse particle zone are centrally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 10

An absorbent article having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension, the absorbent article comprising: absorbent particles, which have been subjected to corona charging, wherein the absorbent particles are present in a size gradient in the length dimension of the absorbent article.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the absorbent particles are water absorbent.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the size gradient includes a coarse particle zone and a fine particle zone, wherein the coarse particle zone is centrally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The absorbent article of claim 10 here in the size gradient includes a coarse particle zone and a fine particle zone.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The absorbent article of claim 13 wherein the fine particle zone is peripherally located in the absorbent article.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The absorbent article of claim 13 wherein the coarse particle zone is centrally located in the absorbent article.