Gender-differentiated absorbent articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017027768-A1
Application number	US-201415303276-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an absorbent article having a body facing liner, a backsheet coupled to the body facing liner, an absorbent body positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet, and a fluid acquisition layer having a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, the fluid acquisition layer being positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet includes providing a web of body facing liner material in face-to-face relation to a web of fluid acquisition layer material, bonding the body facing liner material to the fluid acquisition layer material using an embossing roller, wherein the embossing roller has an axis and a circumferential surface having a circumferential lane, the circumferential lane having azimuthally-alternating target zone and channel zone embossing patterns, and phasing the embossing roller relative to the web to produce female products and male products.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for manufacturing an absorbent article having a body facing liner, a backsheet coupled to the body facing liner, an absorbent body positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet, and a fluid acquisition layer having a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, the fluid acquisition layer being positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet, the method comprising:
providing a web of body facing liner material in face-to-face relation to a web of fluid acquisition layer material; bonding the body facing liner material to the fluid acquisition layer material using an embossing roller, wherein the embossing roller has an axis and a circumferential surface having a circumferential lane, the circumferential lane having azimuthally-alternating target zone and channel zone embossing patterns; and phasing the embossing roller relative to the web to produce female products and male products.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating individual body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combinations from the bonded web.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combination has a front waist region and a crotch region, further comprising phasing the embossing roller relative to the web such that a portion of the body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combinations has the target zone in the front waist region, and another portion of the body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combinations has the target zone in the crotch region.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combination has a front waist region, and wherein the target zone of a body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combination for use in a boy product is positioned closer to the front waist region than the target zone of a body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combination for use in a girl product.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target zone and the channel zone each have a bond pattern, wherein each bond pattern has a bond density, and wherein the bond density of the target zone bond pattern is less than the bond density of the channel zone bond pattern.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bond density of the target zone bond pattern for a male product is different from the bond density of the target zone bond pattern for a female product.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel zone includes generally linear figures and the target zone includes elliptical, circular, or ovate figures.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target zone includes generally closed figures, and wherein the channel zone includes generally open figures.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bond patterns have a bond density, and wherein the bond density varies along the longitudinal direction.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a bond pattern is registered with respect to the longitudinal axis, the transverse axis, or to both axes.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid acquisition layer is pigmented.

12 . An absorbent article including a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis being defined in a plane parallel to the absorbent article in a laid flat configuration, the absorbent article having a front waist region and a crotch region and comprising:
a body facing liner; a backsheet coupled to the body facing liner; an absorbent body positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet; and a fluid acquisition layer having a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, the fluid acquisition layer being positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet, wherein the fluid acquisition is bonded to the body facing liner in a target zone and in a channel zone, wherein the target zone has a bonding pattern different from a bonding pattern of the channel zone, and wherein the target zone is located primarily in the front waist region for an absorbent article intended for males, and primarily in the crotch region for an absorbent article intended for females.

13 . The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the target zone and the channel zone each have a bond pattern, wherein each bond pattern has a bond density, and wherein the bond density of the target zone bond pattern is less than the bond density of the channel zone bond pattern.

14 . The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the channel zone includes generally linear figures and the target zone includes elliptical, circular, or ovate figures.

15 . The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the target zone includes generally closed figures, and wherein the channel zone includes generally open figures.

16 . The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the bond patterns have a bond density, and wherein the bond density varies along the longitudinal direction.

17 . The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein a bond pattern is registered with respect to the longitudinal axis, the transverse axis, or to both axes.

18 . A method for manufacturing an absorbent article having a body facing liner, a backsheet coupled to the body facing liner, an absorbent body positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet, and a fluid acquisition layer having a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, the fluid acquisition layer being positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet, the method comprising:
providing a web of body facing liner material in face-to-face relation to a web of fluid acquisition layer material; bonding the body facing liner material to the fluid acquisition layer material using an embossing roller, wherein the embossing roller has an axis and a circumferential surface, wherein the circumferential surface is divided into at least first and second circumferential lanes, each circumferential lane having azimuthally-alternating target zone and channel zone embossing patterns, and wherein the second circumferential lane is azimuthally offset from the first circumferential lane; and separating individual body facing liner/fluid acquisition layer combinations from the bonded web.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the target zone and channel zone embossing patterns of the first circumferential lane are identical to the target zone and channel zone embossing patterns of the second circumferential lane.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the embossing roller includes third and fourth circumferential lanes.

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Stabelfeldt Sara Jane Wille
• Zehner Georgia Lynn
• Dawson Nancy Ellen

Classifications

• A61F2013/15918

  for die cutting · CPC title

• A61F13/15723

  Partitioning batts; Cutting · CPC title

• A61F13/491 Primary

  specially adapted for gender distinct urine discharge pattern · CPC title

• A61F13/15707

  Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping · CPC title

• A61F13/15699

  Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs · CPC title