Shaped absorbent article and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneeSCA Hygiene Products AB
InventorRobert Kling
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible absorbent article such as a nappy or a sanitary pad having an absorbent core and a three-dimensional shape. The absorbent article includes a thermoformed layer formed integrally therewith which substantially maintains said three-dimensional shape. The invention also relates to a method for manufacture of the same. The cost of production of three-dimensional absorbent products can thereby be significantly reduced and more complicated shapes can be obtained.
Claims14
Flexible absorbent article for use in absorbing bodily fluids, said article comprising:
- a plurality of layers including an absorbent core, wherein one or more of said layers has a three-dimensional shape defining an open volume therewithin, and a thermoformed layer formed integrally with said plurality of layers, said thermoformed layer substantially maintaining said one or more layers in said three-dimensional shape,
- wherein said thermoformed layer is in the form of a net which is integrally thermoformed with said one or more layers.
Method of manufacture of an absorbent article comprising a plurality of layers including an absorbent core, said method comprising:
- adding a thermoformable layer to one of said plurality of layers either before, during or after the manufacture of said one of said plurality of layers, wherein said one of said plurality of layers is made to assume a predetermined three-dimensional shape defining an open volume therewithin, and wherein said thermoformable layer is in the form of a net;
- and
- applying heat to said one of said plurality of layers and said thermoformable net layer whilst said one of said plurality of layers and said thermoformable net layer are in said predetermined shape so as to thermoform them substantially in accordance with said predetermined shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.