# US 6,720,471 B1 · Absorbent articles having reduced rewet with distribution materials positioned underneath storage material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,720,471 B1 - Document ID: US6720471B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/674,053 - Filed: 2000-10-25 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 1998-04-28 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Silke Arndt; Bruno Johannes Ehrnsperger; Mattias Schmidt; Gary Dean Lavon; Frank Neumann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6720471B1 ## CPC - A61F 13/53747: {the layer is facing the topsheet (layer is part of the topsheet A61F13/511)} - A61F 13/15203: {Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency (chemical aspects A61L15/00)} - A61F 13/5376: {characterised by the performance of the layer, e.g. acquisition rate, distribution time, transfer time} - A61F 2013/15487: {Capillary properties, e.g. wicking} - 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 The present invention relates to an absorbent article, such as for use in hygienic applications, which has an ultimate fluid storage region, and a fluid distribution region positioned between the ultimate storage region and the garment oriented surface of the article, which is in fluid communication with the ultimate fluid storage region, whereby the ultimate fluid storage region comprises material which has a Capillary Sorption Desorption Capacity at 100 cm (CSDC 100) of at least 10 g/g. Further, the liquid distribution layer comprises material having a Capillary Sorption Absorption Height at 30% of its maximum capacity (CSAH 30) of at least 25 cm. The total article provides a reduced tendency for rewetting. Particularly suitable distribution material for the present invention can be foam materials, preferably polymeric foam derived from high internal phase water-in-oil emulsions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Absorbent article, having a fluid receiving surface oriented towards the wearer during use, and a garment oriented surface opposite said fluid receiving surface, said article comprising an ultimate fluid storage region, and a fluid distribution region positioned between said ultimate fluid storage region and said garment oriented surface, and in fluid communication with said ultimate fluid storage region wherein said ultimate fluid storage region and said fluid distribution region have substantially the same x-dimension, characterized in that said article has a rewet value of less than 150 mg when submitted to the PACoRM test, and in that said ultimate fluid storage region comprises ultimate fluid storage material which has a Capillary Sorption Desorption Capacity at 100 cm (CSDC 100) of at least 10 g/g; and said fluid distribution region comprises fluid distribution material having a Capillary Sorption Absorption Height at 30% of its maximum capacity (CSAH 30) of at least 25 cm, said absorbent article further comprising an absorbent core, and having a total ultimate storage capacity, further wherein said core comprises an ultimate liquid storage material providing at least 60% of said total ultimate storage capacity of said absorbent core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, having a rewet value of less than 120 mg when submitted to the PACoRM test. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said ultimate fluid storage material has a CSDC 100 value of more than 20 g/g. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said storage region has a SFC value of more than 25×10−7 cm3sec/g. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said storage region has an in-plane permeability value of at least 10 Darcy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said fluid distribution material has a CSAH 30 of at least 50 cm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, having a crotch region, wherein in the crotch region said fluid distribution material has a permeability value at 50% saturation (k(50)), which is at least 15% of the permeability value at 100% saturation (k(100)). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said fluid distribution material has a permeability at 100% saturation (k(100)) of at least 1 Darcy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said fluid distribution material has an expansion factor of at least 4. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said fluid distribution region comprises foam material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An absorbent article according to claim 10, wherein said foam material is a polymeric foam material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An absorbent article according to claim 11, wherein said polymeric foam material is derived from high internal phase water-in-oil emulsions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) An absorbent article according to claim 11, wherein said polymeric foam material has a compression under a load of 5.2 kPa (0.74 psi) of less than 75%. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) An absorbent article according to claim 10, having a distribution region, wherein said distribution region foam material is non-uniform material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An absorbent article according to claim 14, wherein said non-uniform material has non-uniform properties, which are selected from the group of pore size, hydrophilicity, compression under load, and CSDC, and CSAC at corresponding heights. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the fluid distribution region comprises fibrous material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises fibrous material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises superabsorbent material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) An absorbent article according to claim 18, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises from about 50% by weight superabsorbent material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) An absorbent article according to claim 18, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises bonding means for said superabsorbent material, said bonding means being selected from the group consisting of hydrophillic glue fibers and melt-blown adhesive. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) An absorbent article according to claim 18, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises superabsorbent material having a SFC of at least 50×10−7 cm3sec/g. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) An absorbent article according to claim 18, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises superabsorbent material having a Free Swell Rate of less than 0.4 g/g sec. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) An absorbent article according to any of claim 18, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region comprises superabsorbent material of the mixed-bed ion exchange type. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) An absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said ultimate fluid storage region is essentially free of void, apertures, or gaps having an individual void, aperture or gap volume of more than 10 mm3. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1, having a crotch region, whereby the crotch region has a lower ultimate fluid storage capability than one or more waist region(s) together. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) An absorbent article according to claim 25, comprising an absorbent core, and having a crotch width, wherein the crotch width of the absorbent core is not greater than 7.5 cm (3 inch). ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) Absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein average basis weight of the ultimate fluid storage material is less than 450 g/m2.