Method for assessing the permanency of channels in an absorbent core

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016341653-A1
Application number	US-201615158621-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for evaluating the permanency of channels in an absorbent core, the method comprising the steps of: providing an absorbent core ( 28 ), optionally in an absorbent article ( 20 ), wherein the absorbent layer comprises at least one channel ( 26 ), preferably at least two channels, extending in the longitudinal direction; providing a liquid ( 40 ); pouring the liquid into the absorbent core so that the absorbent core absorbs at least some of the liquid; optionally squeezing or shaking the absorbent core; cutting the absorbent core in the transversal direction; and evaluating the presence or absence of channel bonds ( 27 ), and if channel bonds are present optionally evaluating the quality of the channel bonds.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for evaluating the permanency of channel(s) in an absorbent core, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an absorbent core, extending in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, wherein the absorbent core comprises a core wrap having a top layer and a bottom layer, and an absorbent layer between the top layer and the bottom layer, wherein the absorbent layer comprises an absorbent material and at least one channel, extending generally in the longitudinal direction; providing a liquid; pouring the liquid into the absorbent core so that the absorbent layer absorbs at least some of the liquid; cutting the absorbent core in the transversal direction in an area of the core where the at least one channel is present; and evaluating the presence or absence of channel bonds between the top layer and the bottom layer through the cut in the core.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the pouring step takes place before the cutting step and the method further comprising the step of exerting a physical action on the absorbent core between the step of pouring the liquid into the core and the step of cutting the core.

3 . A method according to claim 2 , wherein the physical action is manually squeezing and/or shaking the absorbent core.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of pouring the liquid comprises a first pouring step wherein a first quantity of liquid is poured, and a second pouring step wherein a second quantity of liquid is poured.

5 . A method according to claim 4 , wherein the first quantity of liquid and the second quantity of liquid are about equal.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is an aqueous liquid comprising a colorant.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent core comprises a first channel and a second channel disposed symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the core, and wherein the channels are straight and oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction or the channels are concavely curved towards the longitudinal axis of the core.

8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein, at the time of providing the absorbent core, the at least one channel is an area within the absorbent layer substantially free of absorbent material, and wherein the top layer of the core wrap is attached to the bottom layer of the core wrap by a core wrap bond through the substantially absorbent material free channel.

9 . A method according to claim 8 , wherein the core wrap bond is formed by at least one method selected from gluing, pressure bonding, heat bonding and/or ultrasonic bonding.

10 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent layer is substantially free of cellulose fibers.

11 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent core is comprised in an absorbent article having a topsheet on a wearer-facing side, a backsheet on a garment-facing side and the absorbent core is between the topsheet and the backsheet.

12 . A method for comparing a first absorbent core with a second absorbent core, the method including the steps of:
providing a first absorbent core, extending in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, wherein the absorbent core comprises a core wrap having a top layer and a bottom layer, and an absorbent layer between the top layer and the bottom layer, wherein the absorbent layer comprises absorbent material and at least one channel; providing a liquid; pouring the liquid into the first absorbent core so that the absorbent layer absorbs at least some of the liquid; cutting the first absorbent core in a direction perpendicular to the at least one channel in an area of the first absorbent core where the at least one channel is present to form a first cut; then evaluating the first absorbent core to obtain a first result relative to the presence or absence, and/or the quality, of channel bonds of the first absorbent core; providing a second absorbent core comprising a second absorbent layer, wherein the second absorbent core extends in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction; pouring the liquid into the second absorbent core so that the second absorbent layer absorbs at least some of the liquid; cutting the second absorbent core to form a second cut; evaluating the second absorbent core to obtain a second result relative to the presence or absence, and/or the quality, of channel bonds in the second absorbent core; and comparing the first result to the second result.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , the at least one channel extends generally in the longitudinal direction of the first absorbent core.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein at the time of providing the first absorbent core, the first absorbent core comprises channel bonds formed by gluing of the top layer of the core wrap to the bottom layer of the core wrap through the at least one channel.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein at the time of providing the second absorbent core, the second absorbent core does not comprise channels, or comprises channels which are un-bonded, or comprises channels which are less strongly bonded than the channels of the first absorbent core.

16 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the step of cutting the second absorbent core further comprises aligning the first and second cores such that the longitudinal directions of said cores are substantially parallel and wherein the second cut is substantially parallel to the first cut.

17 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the second absorbent core comprises at least one channel and the step of cutting the second absorbent core comprises cutting the second absorbent core in an area where the at least one channel is present.

18 . The method according to claim 17 wherein the second cut is perpendicular to the at least one channel of the second absorbent core.

19 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the same quantity of liquid is poured into the first core and the second core.

20 . A method for evaluating the permanency of channels in an absorbent article, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an absorbent article, extending in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and wherein the absorbent article comprises at least one channel generally extending in the longitudinal or transversal direction; providing a liquid; pouring the liquid into the absorbent article so that the absorbent article absorbs at least some of the liquid; cutting the absorbent article in a direction generally perpendicular to the at least one channel in an area where the at least one channel is present; and evaluating the presence or absence of channel bonds.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Molas Gemma Baquer
• Le Nguyen Huynh-Trang
• Wiesemann Frank

Classifications

• G01N2015/0866

  Sorption · CPC title

• G01N15/0806 Primary

  Details, e.g. sample holders, mounting samples for testing · CPC title

• A61F2013/8491

  including test methods · CPC title

• G01N15/088

  Investigating volume, surface area, size or distribution of pores; Porosimetry · CPC title

• A61F13/84 Primary

  Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads · CPC title