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US 9,675,501 B2Granted
Absorbent article including superabsorbent yarn
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsYeinSze Ong, Franz Aschenbrenner, DooHong Kim, Meijia Ng
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AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsYeinSze Ong, Franz Aschenbrenner, DooHong Kim, Meijia Ng
Estimating the term…
The present invention discloses and claims an absorbent article which utilizes an absorbent portion that includes superabsorbent yarn as part of the absorbent portion, such that liquid is wicked to the perimeter or select regions of the absorbent portion, or the perimeter of the absorbent article itself, taking full advantage of either the depth, width, length or combination of dimensions of the absorbent portion, or absorbent article. The superabsorbent yarn can be one or more of several types, including encapsulated yarn, multilayered encapsulated yarn, coated yarn and sliver-formed yarn as long as such yarn includes at least two components, those being a superabsorbent polymer and a second material which promotes distribution of liquid along the yarn length. In alternatives of the invention, such absorbent article utilizing the superabsorbent yarn provides passive visual signals to consumers, of article saturation levels prior to leakage.
An absorbent article having a longitudinal and transverse direction, and comprising a fluid permeable topsheet having an inside surface, a fluid impermeable backsheet having an inside surface, an absorbent portion positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, characterized in that said absorbent portion is comprised of at least free strand superabsorbent yarn affixed to a carrier sheet, which carrier sheet is adjacent said fluid impermeable backsheet and bonded either to said topsheet inside surface or said backsheet inside surface, said free strand superabsorbent yarn including superabsorbent and fluid permeable components said fluid permeable components for either distributing fluid within said yarn length or alternatively for retaining fluid, wherein said free strand superabsorbent yarn is encapsulated superabsorbent yarn.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.