Unicharm submits US patent application for 'absorbent article and production method thereof'

Nevin Barich

WASHINGTON , January 9, 2014 (Politics & Government Week) – From Washington, D.C., VerticalNews journalists report that a patent application by the inventors Kato, Nobuyuki (Kanonji-shi, JP); Tamura, Tatsuya (Kanonji-shi, JP); Hayashi, Toshihisa (Kanonji-shi, JP); Kitagawa, Masashi (Kanonji-shi, JP), filed on February 27, 2012, was made available online on January 2, 2014.

The patent's assignee is Uni-Charm Corporation.

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: "An absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable sheet and an absorption body with a compressed groove disposed at least in longitudinal edge parts on both sides of the central region of the absorption body and a plurality of point-like compressed parts disposed with a spacing from one another, is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The compressed groove integrates the liquid-permeable sheet with the absorption body and also blocks lateral spreading of any liquid excrement, such as menstrual blood and urine. The point-like compressed parts of this absorbent article can control the movement of the material of the absorption body so that the material is uniformly maintained in the entire absorption body, thereby resisting twisting of the absorbent article."

As a supplement to the background information on this patent application, VerticalNews correspondents also obtained the inventors' summary information for this patent application: "Technical Problem

"The inventor(s) has noted that with an arrangement as described above, the body fluid discharged in the central part of the absorbent article can sometimes pass across the compressed groove and reach side parts of the absorbent article. For example, depending on the lifestyle or use, the wearer may not be able to freely replace the absorbent article, such as sanitary napkin. In such a case, the wearer may sit or move while wearing the absorbent article for 6 hours or more hours, and therefore, the body fluid of the wearer may reach the side part of the absorbent article. An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article which has an improved resistance to body fluids of the wearer diffusing to the side part of the absorbent article, even when the wearer moves while wearing the absorbent article for a long time, i.e., the liquid leakage preventing performance is more enhanced, and a production method for such an article.

"Solution to Problem

"The present invention employs the following configurations so as to attain the above-described object.

"A first aspect of the present invention provides an absorbent article comprising a liquid-pervious surface sheet, a liquid-impervious backside sheet provided at the position opposing the surface sheet, and an absorption body provided between the surface sheet and the backside sheet, wherein the absorbent article comprises a continuous oval like or nearly circular first compressed groove surrounding the central part of the absorbent article, which is formed by compressing the surface sheet and the absorption body in the thickness direction, and a plurality of concave parts provided inside and outside the first compressed groove, which are formed by compressing the surface sheet and the absorption body in the thickness direction by pin embossing, are disposed, and an uncompressed region is present inside, outside and along the first compressed groove, and the distance between the first compressed groove and the concave part is larger than the distance between the concave part and a concave part adjacent to the concave part.

"According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for producing an absorbent article of the present invention comprises a step of producing an absorption body, a step of covering the absorption body with a surface sheet, and a forming step of passing the absorption body covered with the surface sheet between an upper roller equipped with a convex part for forming a compressed groove and a pin for pin embossing and a lower roller located to face the upper roller, thereby forming a compressed groove created resulting from compression of the surface sheet and the absorption body in the thickness direction and a plurality of concave parts created resulting from compression of the surface sheet and the absorption body in the thickness direction by pin embossing.

"Advantageous Effects of the Invention

"According to the present invention, an absorbent article that has improved liquid leakage preventing performance, and a production method thereof can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

"FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the concave parts in the central part of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the production method of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the upper roller and the lower roller of an embossing apparatus used at the time of producing the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the high compression area and the low compression area provided in a modified example of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the upper roller of an embossing apparatus used for forming the concave part provided in a modified example of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the lower roller of an embossing apparatus used for forming the high compression area and the low compression area provided in a modified example of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 8 is a view for explaining a modified example of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 9 is a photograph showing how the artificial menstrual blood diffuses on the widthwise side of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 10 is a photograph showing how the artificial menstrual blood diffuses on the widthwise side of an absorbent article where an uncompressed region is substantially absent.

"FIG. 11 is a photograph taken to measure the density of the absorption body of the absorbent article in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

"FIG. 12 is a photograph taken to measure the density of the absorption body of an absorbent article where the difference between the density in the portion of the compressed groove of the absorption body and the density in the portion of the uncompressed region of the absorption body is reduced."

For additional information on this patent application, see: Kato, Nobuyuki; Tamura, Tatsuya; Hayashi, Toshihisa; Kitagawa, Masashi. Absorbent Article and Production Method Thereof. Filed February 27, 2012 and posted January 2, 2014. Patent URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=1504&p=31&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=20131226.PD.&OS=PD/20131226&RS=PD/20131226

Keywords for this news article include: Uni-Charm Corporation.

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