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AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsDavid L. Zenker, James Martin Kaun, Michael Barth Venturino
Estimating the term…
An absorbent structure can include a matrix of fibers, wherein the matrix is reinforced with a reinforcing member, such as scrim. The scrim is secured to the fibrous matrix by entanglement of fibers with the scrim and entanglement of fibers in the matrix from opposite sides of the scrim with each other. The scrim layer can be restricted to a longitudinally extending, medial region of the absorbent. In a particular arrangement, the scrim has a cross-directional width dimension which is less than a narrowest width dimension of the fibrous matrix. The scrim can be located between two, opposed, major surfaces of the fibrous matrix. The scrim has a reduced stiffness in the cross direction which promotes fit and comfort of the absorbent structure as incorporated into a disposable absorbent garment.
An absorbent article for absorbing body fluids comprising an absorbent core being at least partially made of fibers and constructed and arranged for receiving and holding such fluids and including a reinforcing scrim member intimately associated with the absorbent core to maintain its structural integrity in use, the absorbent core having an upper region and a lower region, the scrim member being located intermediate the upper and lower regions, said scrim member comprising a network of machine direction (MD) strands extending in a machine direction, and cross direction (CD) strands extending in a cross direction, at least some of said MD strands and CD strands crossing over each other and being interconnected, the MD strands and the CD strands cooperatively defining a plurality of openings in the scrim member, said MD strands being selected and formed to provide a predetermined stiffness and strength in supporting said absorbent core in the machine direction, and said CD strands being selected and formed with at least one characteristic difference from said MD strands to provide a stiffness of the absorbent core in the cross direction that is less than said stiffness of the absorbent core in the machine direction, wherein the network of MD strands and CD strands is formed with at least some of the CD strands being continuous and having weakened points along their lengths to enhance buckling, the scrim member being attached to the absorbent core through at least one of fibers from the upper region of the absorbent core passing through openings in the scrim member and entangling with fibers from the lower region;
An absorbent article for absorbing body fluids comprising an absorbent core constructed and arranged for receiving and holding such fluids and including a reinforcing scrim member intimately associated with the absorbent core to maintain its structural integrity in use, said scrim member comprising a network of machine direction (MD) strands extending in a machine direction, and cross direction (CD) strands extending in a cross direction, at least some of said MD strands and CD strands crossing over each other and being interconnected, said MD strands being selected and formed to provide a predetermined stiffness and strength in supporting said absorbent core in the machine direction, and said CD strands being selected and formed with at least one characteristic difference from said MD strands to provide a stiffness of the absorbent core in the cross direction that is less than said stiffness of the absorbent core in the machine direction, wherein the network of MD strands and CD strands is formed with at least some of the CD strands having weakened points along their lengths to enhance buckling, the CD strands being at least one of notched, abraded and compressed at predetermined places between preselected ones of the MD strands to provide the weakened points, and wherein the weakened points on the CD strands are cut through, and such weakened points on one CD strand are offset from the weakened points on an adjacent CD strand.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.