EP0062495A2 — Absorbent pads, incontinence care products and me…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 57 words

An absorbent pad including at least one absorptive layer, at least about 50% of the total liquid absorption capacity of said pad being present in the form of water absorbent material, including water-swellable or -soluble material, having the capability of absorbing at least about 5 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 57 words

An absorbent pad including at least one absorptive layer, at least about 50% of the total liquid absorption capacity of said pad being present in the form of water absorbent material, including water-swellable or -soluble material, having the capability of absorbing at least about 5 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

A pad according to claim 1 wherein said water-absorbent material has the capability of absorbing at least about 15 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A pad according to claim 1 wherein said water-absorbent material is a water-swellable or -soluble polymeric material having the capability of absorbing at least about 35 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 47 words

A pad according to any preceding claim-wherein at least about 60% of the total liquid absorption capacity of said pad is present in said water-absorbent material having the capability of absorbing at least about 5 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 35 words

A pad according to any preceding claim including at least two layers of said water-absorbent polymeric material having between them a layer of absorbent material of lesser absorption capacity per unit'weight than said water-absorbent material.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

A pad according to any preceding claim having greater width than thickness and comprising an upper major surface and a lower major surface, said water-absorbent material being present in the pad in one or more layers which, as viewed in cross-section, have an undulating characteristic.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 85 words

A pad according to claim 6 wherein said undulations include folds in the absorbent sheet material which alternate in opposite directions to form a plurality of panels of substantially varying or uniform width which are interspersed with said folds and which are arranged across the width of the pad, so that the edges of alternate folds are presented upwardly at or adjacent one of said major surfaces and the edges of intervening folds are presented downwardly at or adjacent the other of said major surfaces.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

A pad according to claim 6 or claim 7 comprising an outer wrap of material which has less absorption capacity, per unit weight, than said water-absorbent material.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 139 words

A pad according to any preceding claim wherein said absorptive layer comprising water-absorbent material is provided with openings for appreciably enhancing the rate of liquid absorption of the pad and having a sufficient average open area per opening and being distributed throughout a substantial portion of the available surface of the absorptive layer for providing an overall ratio of the total open area of said openings to the area of said portion (without deduction for the open area) in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.25, the open area per opening being in the range of about 0.02 to about 1.3 cm 2 , and the number of openings being in the range of about 0.006 to about 0.3 openings per cm 2 of the area of that portion of the material in which the openings are provided.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 70 words

A pad according to claim 9 wherein said ratio of total open area of said openings to the area of said portion is in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.20, the open area per opening is in the range of about 0.05 to about 1 cm 2 , and the number of openings is in the range of about 0.006 to about 0.25 openings per cm 2 .

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 42 words

A pad according to any of claims 1-10 in which the water-absorbent material includes openings for enhancing the rate of liquid absorption in said pad, including hinge and flap members at the perimeters of said openings, extending outwardly from said water-absorbent material.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

A pad according to any preceding claim in which the water-absorbent material includes openings for enhancing the rate of liquid absorption in said pad, said pad including pieces which have been severed from the water-absorbent material in forming ' said openings.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pad according to any preceding claim having the property of disintegrating when flushed in a common household toilet.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 49 words

A pad according to any preceding claim within a surrounding layer of sheath material which extends beyond one or both ends of the pad to form one or more sheath extensions, and which is formed of a material which substantially retains its structural integrity on exposure to human urine.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

A pad according to any preceding claim within a surrounding layer of sheath material which is free of permanent connections between itself and the pad and includes at least one open or openable end(s) through which the pad may be discharged from the sheath.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

A pad according to any preceding claim having an overall absorptive capacity of at least about 125 ccs of natural or synthetic urine.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 55 words

A pad according to any of claims 1 through 15 having an overall, ultimate absorption capacity of at least about 200 ccs of natural or synthetic urine, and having the property of absorbing at least about 150 ccs of such urine at an evacuation or application rate of at least about 5 ccs per second.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 32 words

. A pad according to any preceding claim in combination with urinary incontinence care briefs including retaining means for removably retaining said pad in position for absorbing urine evacuated by the wearer.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 58 words

A pad in combination with briefs according to claim 18 wherein said pad includes at least one layer of said water absorbent material which, as viewed in cross-section has an undulating characteristic, the furrows and ridges formed by the undulations being oriented in the pad for extending between the wearer's legs in a direction from front to rear.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 71 words

A combination of pad and briefs according to claim 18 or 19 wherein the pad is within a surrounding layer of sheath material of greater length than said pad for forming one or more sheath extensions for attachment to the retaining means of said brief, the sheath is free of permanent connection with the pad, and at least one end of the sheath is open or openable for discharging the pad.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 221 words

A method of forming absorbent pads comprising at least one absorptive layer of water absorbent material having the capability of absorbing at least about'5 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid and having openings therein, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said water absorbent material represents at least about 50% of the total liquid absorption capacity of the raw materials processed into the pad and said openings are formed with a sufficient average open area per opening and are distributed throughout a substantial portion of the available surface of the absorptive layer for providing an overall ratio of the total open area of said openings to the area of said portion (without deduction for the open area) in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.25, the open area per opening being in the range of about 0.02 to about 1.3 cm , and the number of openings being in the range of about 0.006 to about 0.3 openings per cm of the area of that portion of the material in which the openings are provided; AND IN THAT a plurality of bends is formed in said layer running lengthwise thereof and spaced at intervals across the width of said layer for forming said layer into an elongated pad stock of greater thickness and narrower width than said layer.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 221 words

A method of forming absorbent pads comprising at least one absorptive layer of water absorbent material having the capability of absorbing at least about'5 times its own dry weight of clear water or other aqueous liquid and having openings therein, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said water absorbent material represents at least about 50% of the total liquid absorption capacity of the raw materials processed into the pad and said openings are formed with a sufficient average open area per opening and are distributed throughout a substantial portion of the available surface of the absorptive layer for providing an overall ratio of the total open area of said openings to the area of said portion (without deduction for the open area) in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.25, the open area per opening being in the range of about 0.02 to about 1.3 cm , and the number of openings being in the range of about 0.006 to about 0.3 openings per cm of the area of that portion of the material in which the openings are provided; AND IN THAT a plurality of bends is formed in said layer running lengthwise thereof and spaced at intervals across the width of said layer for forming said layer into an elongated pad stock of greater thickness and narrower width than said layer.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method according to claim 21 CHARACTERISED IN THAT said openings are formed by cutting around a portion but not the entire periphery of the openings for forming hinge and flap members, and said flap members are displaced outwardly for forming a significant open area.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 55 words

A method according to claim 21 CHARACTERISED IN THAT said cutting is performed along cutting lines which, as viewed in plan view, gently and smoothly curve past the edges of the hinge portions to ends which diverge from one another for inhibiting tear propagation in said absorptive layer(s) in and/or adjacent to the hinge, members.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 89 words

A method according to claim 22 or claim 23 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the absorptive layer material is present in a composite having a plurality of layers, coincident hinge and flap members are formed simultaneously in the plural layers, and the plural flap members are displaced so that they extend away from the layers of which said hinge and flap members are formed for locking the plural, layers together during subsequent longitudinal movement of the apertured composite through the step of forming a plurality of longitudinal bends in said composite.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 55 words

A method according to any preceding method claim CHARACTERISED IN. THAT said bends are formed by drawing said layer in strip form lengthwise through longitudinally oriented stationary members which converge both laterally and vertically, causing the strip to contract laterally and alternately displacing adjacent portions of the contracting strip for forming an undulating cross-section therein.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 178 words

A method according to any preceding claim CHARCTERISED IN THAT'the pad stock, while moving longitudinally in strip form, is cut transversely into sections at longitudinal intervals to form pads of predetermined length therefrom, compression is applied during cutting to a narrow band of material adjacent the trailing edge of each cut for causing collapsed and overlapping undulations and/or other layers to cling to one another with sufficient adherence to form a coherent leading edge at the front of each cut pad section which retains substantial structural integrity during subsequent advancement of the pad sections, said pad sections with coherent leading edges are advanced longitudinally into contact with sheath material while the latter is advancing longitudinally at an accelerated rate relative to the rate of advancement of pad stock during said transverse cutting of said pad stock, thereby causing the sections of pad stock to travel longitudinally in contact with the sheath material with a predetermined space between said sections, and the sheath material is cut transversely between said pad sections for forming pads with sheaths and sheath extensions.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 133 words

A method according to any preceding method claim CHARACTERISED IN THAT the pad stock, in strip form, prior to or subsequent to cutting of said pad stock transversely into sections of predetermined length, is brought into contact with sheath material in strip form which is wider than said pad stock,, the pad stock and sheath material are caused to advance together longitudinally while bending the sheath material along a longitudinal line or lines for surrounding the pad stock as viewed in transverse cross-section, the advancing marginal edges of the sheath material are brought into contact with one another and are caused to project outwardly relative to the nearest major surface of the pad stock, and said marginal edges are secured together to form said sheath material into sleeve stock surrounding said pad stock.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 175 words

A method according to any preceding method claim CHARACTERISED IN THAT the pad stock, in strip form, is brought into contact with a strip of liquid permeable material having less absorption capacity than said water-absorbent material, the strips of pad stock and liquid permeable material are then advanced together longitudinally while the liquid permeable material is bent along one or more longitudinal lines for-encircling the pad stock as viewed in transverse cross-section, thereby forming a wrap of such permeable material around the pad stock, said wrap and pad stock are simultaneously cut transversely at longtudinal intervals for forming pad sections, the resultant wrapped pads are brought into contact with a strip of sheath material which is wider than said pads and are caused to move longitudinally in contact with said sheath material while the latter is bent along a longitudinal line or lines for encircling the pad sections as viewed in transverse cross-section, and the marginal edges of the sheath material are then bonded to one another for forming sleeve stock surrounding the wrapped pads.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 267 words

A method according to any preceding method claim CHARACTERISED'IN THAT said layer of absorptive material is advanced longitudinally.in strip form while forming said openings therein at locations distributed substantially throughout the length of the strip, said openings are formed by cutting through said strip along a portion but not all of the perimeter of the resultant openings, thereby forming of said strip material one or more hinge and flap members at the respective openings; said flap members are displaced outwardly relative to said strip by force applied through the resultant openings, said flap members are caused to undergo further displacement in a direction inward relative to said strip and are pressed against portions of the strip adjacent the respective hinges while leaving said openings substantially open, during longitudinal advancement of said strip a plurality of bends is formed in said strip running lengthwise thereof and spaced at intervals across the width of said strip for forming said strip into an elongated pad stock of greater thickness and narrower width than said strip, subsequent to formation of said pad stock and while advancing said pad stock longitudinally it is brought into contact with a strip of liquid permeable material which is wider than the pad stock, the pad stock and liquid permeable material are caused to advance together longitudinally while bending the liquid permeable material along longitudinal lines for encircling the pad stock as viewed in transverse cross-section, thereby forming a wrap of liquid permeable material around said pad stock and, pads of predetermined length are cut from the pad stock and wrap while advancing them together longitudinally.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 196 words

A method according to claim 29 CHARACTERISED IN THAT wrapped pads of predetermined length are brought into contact with a strip of sheath material which will substantially retain its structural integrity when exposed to liquid and which is wider than said pads, the pads and sheath material are caused to advance together longitudinally at an accelerated rate relative to the rate of advancement of said pad stock and wrap during cutting, thereby causing said pads to travel longitudinally with a predetermined space therebetween which is about twice the combined length of sheath extensions to be formed subsequently, the sheath material is bent along a longitudinal line or lines for encircling the pads as viewed in transverse cross-section, the sheath material is continuously secured in surrounding relationship with the advancing pads for forming continuous running length sleeve stock which surrounds the pads and which is substantially free of permanent connection thereto, and while- advancing longitudinally the sleeve stock and pads are cut transversely at longitudinal positions intermediate the pads, thereby forming absorbent pads within sheaths which have sheath extensions extending a sufficient distance beyond the ends of said pads for handling and/or securing said pads and sheaths.

Absorbent pads, incontinence care products and methods of production

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag