Expandable absorbent core and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020121525-A1
Application number	US-201916596843-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2019
Priority date	Oct 17, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An expandable absorbent structure comprises an expansion loop core configured to expand in response to absorption of a liquid and an expansion loop material structure surrounding the expansion loop core and having a trough therein, wherein the trough is formed from a first portion of the expansion loop material structure folded over a second portion of the expansion loop material structure at a first elbow of the expansion loop material structure. In response to an increase in size of the expansion loop core, the expansion loop core presses against the expansion loop material structure to cause a length of the trough to decrease.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An expandable absorbent structure comprising:
an expansion loop core configured to expand in response to absorption of a liquid; an expansion loop material structure surrounding the expansion loop core and having a trough therein, wherein the trough is formed from a first portion of the expansion loop material structure folded over a second portion of the expansion loop material structure at a first elbow of the expansion loop material structure; and wherein, in response to an increase in size of the expansion loop core, the expansion loop core presses against the expansion loop material structure to cause a length of the trough to decrease.

2 . The absorbent structure of claim 1 , wherein the expansion loop material structure comprises:
a first side wall; a second side wall; and a middle section between the first and second side walls; and wherein the first elbow of the expansion loop material structure is positioned closer to the middle section than to the first and second side walls.

3 . The absorbent structure of claim 1 , wherein the expansion loop material structure comprises a continuous sheet of material having a first leg and a second leg coupled together; and
wherein the second leg comprises the first and second portions of the expansion loop material structure folded over each other.

4 . The absorbent structure of claim 1 , wherein the expansion loop material structure comprises:
a first sheet of material having a first leg end and a second leg end; and a second sheet of material having a first leg end coupled to the first leg end of the first sheet of material and a second leg end coupled to the second leg end of the first sheet of material.

5 . The absorbent structure of claim 4 , wherein the trough is formed in the first sheet of material adjacently to the first leg end of the first sheet of material.

6 . The absorbent structure of claim 5 , wherein a second trough is formed adjacently to the second leg end of the first sheet of material;
wherein the second trough is formed from a third portion of the expansion loop material structure folded over a fourth portion of the expansion loop material structure at a second elbow of the expansion loop material structure; and wherein the third and fourth portions are adjacent to the second leg end of the first sheet of material.

7 . The absorbent structure of claim 4 , wherein the trough is formed between the first and second leg ends of the second sheet of material.

8 . The absorbent structure of claim 7 , wherein the first elbow of the expansion loop material structure is positioned closer to a middle section of the expansion loop core than to the first and second leg ends of the second sheet of material.

9 . The absorbent structure of claim 7 , wherein the expansion loop material structure has a third portion folded over the second portion of the expansion loop material structure at a second elbow adjacent to the trough.

10 . The absorbent structure of claim 1 , wherein the expansion loop core comprises at least one of a fibrous material and a super absorbent polymer.

11 . An absorbent product comprising:
a first core; and an expansion loop positioned adjacently to the first core and comprising:
a second core configured to expand in response to absorption of a liquid; and
a loop material surrounding the second core and comprising:
a first portion;
a second portion overlapping the first portion; and
a first elbow joining the first portion to the second portion;
wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the first elbow form a trough;

wherein the first core and the second core expand in response to liquid absorption; and wherein, in response to expansion of the second core, the second core presses against the loop material to reduce a length of the trough.

12 . The absorbent product of claim 11 , wherein the expansion loop is configured to absorb liquid transferred thereto via the first core.

13 . The absorbent product of claim 11 further comprising:
a liquid permeable layer;
a liquid impermeable layer coupled to the liquid permeable layer; and
wherein the first core and the expansion loop are positioned between the liquid permeable layer and the liquid impermeable layer.

14 . The absorbent product of claim 13 further comprising an acquisition distribution layer positioned between the first core and the liquid permeable layer.

15 . A method of making an expandable absorbent structure comprising:
positioning a liquid absorption core adjacently to a liquid permeable material; folding a first leg of the liquid permeable material about a first end of the liquid absorption core to create a trough in the first leg, wherein the trough is formed by:
a first portion of the first leg;
a second portion of the first leg overlapping the first portion; and
an elbow of the first leg joining the first portion to the second portion;
folding a second leg of the liquid permeable material about a second end of the liquid absorption core, the second end of the liquid absorption core opposite the first end of the liquid absorption core; and bonding the first leg to the second leg.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein folding the first leg comprises positioning the first portion closer to the liquid absorption core than the second portion; and
wherein bonding the first leg to the second leg comprises bonding the second leg to the second portion.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising positioning a second material sheet adjacently to the liquid permeable material, wherein the liquid permeable material comprises a first material sheet; and
wherein bonding the first leg to the second leg comprises bonding the first material sheet to the second material sheet.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein folding the second leg comprises folding the second leg to create a trough in the second leg, wherein the trough in the second leg is formed by:
a first portion of the second leg; a second portion of the second leg overlapping the first portion of the second leg; and an elbow of the second leg joining the first portion of the second leg to the second portion of the second leg.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the liquid absorption core has a first side adjacent to the first portion of the first leg and a second side opposite the first side; and
further comprising affixing at least a portion of the second side of the liquid absorption core to the liquid permeable material.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising affixing a portion of the first side of the liquid absorption core to the trough.

Assignees

• Joa Curt G Inc

Inventors

• Nelson Christopher J
• Roehrborn Scott A
• Bruckschen Troy L

Classifications

• A61F13/53708 Primary

  the layer having a promotional function on liquid propagation in at least one direction · CPC title

• A61F13/539

  characterised by the connection of the absorbent layers with each other or with the outer layers · CPC title

• A61F2013/5315

  with a tissue-wrapped core · CPC title

• A61F2013/5349

  being a tissue-wrapped core · CPC title

• A61F13/535 Primary

  inhomogeneous in the plane of the pad, e.g. core absorbent layers being of different sizes ({A61F13/5323,} A61F13/537 take precedence) · CPC title