# US 7,297,307 B2 · Absorbent member and a method of producing an absorbent member

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- Number: US 7,297,307 B2
- Document ID: US7297307B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/456,833
- Filed: 2003-06-09
- Published: 2003-12-25
- Granted: 2007-11-20
- Earliest claimed: 2002-06-10
- Assignees: Kao Corporation
- Inventors: Daisuke Yasumura; Masato Oshima
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7297307B2

## CPC

- A61F 13/532: inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad
- A61F 13/15626: {Making fibrous pads without outer layers}
- A61F 2013/530518: {the maximum being at the crotch}
- A61F 2013/530525: {the maximum being at front or rear}
- 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 a method of producing an absorbent member comprising feeding a superabsorbent polyer and pul fiber both in the form of a dispersion in an air stream, depositing the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber in a recess by suction through a plurality of suction holes provided in the bottom of the recess and releasing the deposited aggregate from the recess. The bottom of the recess (50) has a first suction region having an open area ratio R1 of 40 to 80% and a second suction region having an open area ratio R2 of 2 to 20% with the ratio of R1 to R2 ranging from 70/30 to 99/1. The superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber are deposited on both the first and the second suction regions. The present invention also relates to an absorbent member comprising a superabsorbent polymer and pulp fiber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing an absorbent member comprising feeding a superabsorbent polymer and pulp fiber both in the form of a dispersion in an air stream, depositing the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber in a flat bottom recess by suction through a plurality of suction holes provided in the bottom of the recess, and releasing the deposited aggregate from the recess, wherein the flat bottom of the recess has a first suction region (51) having an open area ratio R1 of 40 to 80% and a second suction region (52) having an open area ratio R2 of 2 to 20% with the ratio of R1 to R2 ranging from 70/30 to 99/1, the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber are deposited on both the first and the second suction regions, wherein a difference in open area ratio R between the first and the second suction regions (51) and (52) is made by forming suction holes at pitches different between the two regions and wherein the suction holes have an average diameter of 0.05 to 0.5 mm in each of the first and second suction regions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 1, wherein the flat bottom of the recess is substantially free from a level difference between the first suction region and the second suction region as means for controlling the thickness of the deposition of the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 1, wherein the deposition of the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber in the flat bottom recess is carried out by applying vacuum pressure lower than atmospheric pressure by 1 to 20 kPa to the first and the second suction regions from behind the bottom of the recess.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 2, wherein the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber are dispersed in an air stream in the form of a mixture thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 1, wherein the diameters of suction holes provided in the first and second suction regions fall within a range of 0.1 to 0.3 mm and average 0.2 mm in each of the first and second suctions regions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 1, wherein the difference in open area ratio R between the first and the second suction regions (51) and (52) is made by forming suction holes of the same size at pitches different between the two regions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 5, wherein the difference in open area ratio R between the first and the second suction regions (51) and (52) is made by forming suction holes of the same size at pitches different between the two regions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of producing an absorbent member according to claim 1, wherein substantially all of the suction holes in the first and second suction regions have a diameter falling within the range of 0.05 to 0.5 mm.