Three-dimensional materials having apertures and voids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020179177-A1
Application number	US-201716551896-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2017
Priority date	Mar 9, 2017
Publication date	Jun 11, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable nonwoven topsheet, a nonwoven second material that is a separate material from the topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core positioned intermediate the second material and the backsheet. The second material is positioned intermediate the topsheet and absorbent core and is generally planar. The topsheet comprises a plurality of recesses and raised areas, and voids are defined in the raised areas under the topsheet. A first aperture is formed in a substantially central location of the raised areas. The recesses each form a base positioned most distal from the substantially central locations of the raised areas. A second aperture is formed in the bases of the recesses. The first aperture extends through the topsheet, and the second aperture extends through the topsheet and at least partially through the second material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An absorbent article comprising:
a liquid permeable nonwoven topsheet; a nonwoven second material, wherein the second material is a separate material from the topsheet; a liquid impermeable backsheet; an absorbent core positioned at least partially intermediate the second material and the liquid impermeable backsheet; wherein the second material is positioned intermediate the liquid permeable topsheet and the absorbent core; wherein the topsheet comprises a plurality of recesses and a plurality of raised areas; wherein the second material is generally planar; wherein portions of the recesses are joined to portions of the second material; wherein a first aperture is formed in a substantially central location of at least a majority of the raised areas, and wherein the first aperture extends through only the topsheet; wherein the recesses each comprise a base positioned most distal from the substantially central locations of the raised areas; wherein a second aperture is formed in at least a majority of the bases of the recesses, and wherein the second aperture extends through the topsheet and at least partially through the second material; wherein sections of the recesses and the raised areas intermediate the first apertures and the second apertures are free of any apertures; and wherein a void is defined intermediate a garment-facing surface of the topsheet and a wearer-facing surface of the second material in the raised areas.

2 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises an acquisition material.

3 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the topsheet is free of continuous ridges and continuous grooves.

4 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the topsheet is free from contact with the second material in the raised areas.

5 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the topsheet is hydrophobic, and wherein the second material is hydrophilic.

6 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the topsheet is more hydrophobic than the second material.

7 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the topsheet is less hydrophilic than the second material.

8 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first apertures are in fluid communication with the voids.

9 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first apertures and the second apertures are cylindrical or ovate.

10 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first apertures and the second apertures do not form conical shapes.

11 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first apertures and the second apertures have a major axis that is less than 4 mm.

12 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the raised areas form more than 50% of a total area of the topsheet.

13 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the raised areas are discrete.

14 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein a third aperture is defined in the second material under each of at least a majority of the raised areas.

15 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the second material defines a plurality of third apertures under each of at least a majority of the raised areas.

16 . An absorbent article comprising:
a liquid permeable nonwoven topsheet; a nonwoven second material, wherein the second material is a separate material from the topsheet; a liquid impermeable backsheet; an absorbent core positioned at least partially intermediate the second material and the liquid impermeable backsheet; wherein the second material is positioned intermediate the liquid permeable topsheet and the absorbent core; wherein the topsheet comprises a plurality of recesses and a plurality of raised areas; wherein the recesses each comprise a base positioned most distal from the raised areas; wherein the second material is generally planar; wherein portions of the recesses are joined to portions of the second material; wherein an aperture is formed in at least a majority of the bases of the recesses, and wherein the aperture extends through the topsheet and at least partially through the second material; wherein the raised areas are free of apertures; wherein a void is defined intermediate a garment-facing surface of the topsheet and a wearer-facing surface of the second material in the raised areas; and wherein the topsheet or the second material comprises a hydrophobic cotton-containing layer.

17 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein the topsheet comprises the hydrophobic cotton-containing layer on a garment-facing surface of a liquid permeable layer.

18 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein the second material comprises the hydrophobic cotton-containing layer on a wearer-facing surface of a nonwoven layer.

19 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein one or more of the raised areas comprise a substantially planar outer portion.

20 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein the opacity of the topsheet is greater than about 40% and the opacity of the second material is greater than about 45%.

Assignees

• Erdem Gueltekin
• Yuan Yi
• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Erdem Gueltekin
• Yuan Yi

Classifications

• B32B3/26

  characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids {(foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205); characterised by an apertured layer} · CPC title

• A61F13/15203 Primary

  Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency (chemical aspects A61L15/00) · CPC title

• A61F13/53747 Primary

  the layer is facing the topsheet (layer is part of the topsheet A61F13/511) · CPC title

• A61F13/512

  characterised by its apertures, e.g. perforations · CPC title

• A61F13/5123

  the apertures being formed on a multilayer top sheet · CPC title