AU733393B2 - Liquid-permeable topsheet for body fluids absorbent article and method of making this topsheet - Google Patents

Liquid-permeable topsheet for body fluids absorbent article and method of making this topsheet Download PDF

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Publication number
AU733393B2
AU733393B2 AU85235/98A AU8523598A AU733393B2 AU 733393 B2 AU733393 B2 AU 733393B2 AU 85235/98 A AU85235/98 A AU 85235/98A AU 8523598 A AU8523598 A AU 8523598A AU 733393 B2 AU733393 B2 AU 733393B2
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
topsheet
ridges
openings
group
extending
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
AU85235/98A
Other versions
AU8523598A (en
Inventor
Hiroki Goda
Hisashi Takai
Tomoko Tsuji
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Unicharm Corp
Original Assignee
Unicharm Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP25716097A external-priority patent/JP3510089B2/en
Application filed by Unicharm Corp filed Critical Unicharm Corp
Publication of AU8523598A publication Critical patent/AU8523598A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of AU733393B2 publication Critical patent/AU733393B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/51Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators characterised by the outer layers
    • A61F13/511Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
    • A61F13/512Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin characterised by its apertures, e.g. perforations
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/51Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators characterised by the outer layers
    • A61F13/511Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
    • A61F13/51104Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin the top sheet having a three-dimensional cross-section, e.g. corrugations, embossments, recesses or projections
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/51Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators characterised by the outer layers
    • A61F13/511Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
    • A61F13/51121Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin characterised by the material
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24273Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including aperture
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24273Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including aperture
    • Y10T428/24298Noncircular aperture [e.g., slit, diamond, rectangular, etc.]
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24273Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including aperture
    • Y10T428/24298Noncircular aperture [e.g., slit, diamond, rectangular, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24314Slit or elongated
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T442/00Fabric [woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.]
    • Y10T442/60Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
    • Y10T442/643Including parallel strand or fiber material within the nonwoven fabric

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)

Description

i i
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(ORIGINAL)
Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority S* Related Art: a Name of Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation Actual Inventor(s): Hisashi Takai Tomoko Tsuji Hiroki Goda Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: LIQUID-PERMEABLE TOPSHEET FOR BODY FLUIDS ABSORBENT ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THIS TOPSHEET Our Ref 539598 POF Code: 1647/76530 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1-
-IA-
LIQUID-PERMEABLE TOPSHEET FOR BODY FLUIDS ABSORBENT ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THIS TOPSHEET This invention relates to a topsheet for a body fluids absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin or a disposable diaper and also to a method of making this topsheet.
It is known to make a nonwoven fabric by subjecting a web of thermoplastic synthetic resin staple fibers each having a length of 20 70 mm to water jet streams of high pressure so that the fibers may be mechanically entangled and simultaneously liquid-permeable openings may be formed. The nonwoven fabric obtained in this manner can be used as the liquid-permeable topsheet of a sanitary napkin, a disposable diaper or the like. By such a method, the staple fibers tend to extend in parallel one to another along the direction in which the web travels.
Consequently, the staple fibers extend closely in parallel one to another particularly along peripheral edges of the respective openings. These staple fibers thereby define correspondingly clear contours of the respective openings so far as these openings are oval openings each having a major axis extending along the direction in which the web travels and a minor axis extending orthogonally to the direction.
Fig. 8 shows an example of the porous nonwoven fabric 101 obtained by the above-mentioned method. As shown, the nonwoven fabric is formed with a plurality of oval openings 102 each having a major axis A-A extending in one direction and a minor axis B-B extending in the direction orthogonal to the major axis A-A. It is now assumed that the nonwoven fabric 101 is pulled, for example, in the proximity of one (102a) of the openings 102 in the direction of the major axis A-A. A dimension of this opening 102a as measured in the direction of its major axis A-A is enlarged while a dimension thereof in the direction of its minor axis B-B is reduced, with a result that this opening 102a may be deformed narrower as indicated by imaginary lines. If many of the openings 102 are deformed narrower like the opening 102a with their dimensions in the direction of their minor axes B-B extremely •reduced, the nonwoven fabric 101 can not satisfy its desired function. This is for the reason that the openings 102 can no more smoothly guide body fluids and a time during which the body fluids stay on the topsheet, creating a discomfortable feeling of wetness against a wearer of the article.
In view of the above problem, it would clearly be -3desirable to provide a topsheet used in body fluids absorbent article so improved that a body fluid permeability is not affected even if the topsheet is pulled in either direction thereof.
In view of the above the invention provides, according to one aspect of the invention, a liquid-permeable topsheet forming at least a part of body fluids absorbent article, the topsheet including: the topsheet having skin-contacting side and skin-noncontacable side intended to and not to come in contact with the skin of a wearer of the article, respectively, the topsheet being formed by a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers each having a fineness of 0.1 10 deniers and a length of 20 70 mm and mechanically entangled so as to extend in parallel one to another substantially in one direction and to leave a plurality of liquid-permeable openings providing a total area larger than a total area provided by interstices of the entangled fibers; and the openings including a first group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by a major axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to the one direction and a minor axis thereof extending orthogonally to the one direction and a second group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by a minor axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to the one direction and a major axis thereof extending orthogonally to the one direction.
Preferably, the topsheet is formed with a plurality of ridges obliquely extending so as to intersect the one direction and protruding from the skin-noncontactable side toward the skin-contactable side.
:....Alternatively, the plurality of ridges may include a first group of ridges and a second group of ridges intersecting the first group of ridges.
According to still another embodiment, the first and second groups of openings include those formed in the first and second groups of ridges, respectively, and those formed in regions each defined by a pair of adjacent ridges belonging to the first group and a pair of adjacent ridges eeeee belonging to the second group.
The present invention also provides, according to the second aspect of the invention, a method for making a liquid-permeable topsheet defining at least a part of body fluids absorbent article, the method at least including the steps of: a. continuously feeding a web of thermoplastic synthetic fibers each having a length of 20 70 mm and conveying the web in one direction; b. directing a high pressure water jet streams onto the web being conveyed so as to entangle the fibers and simultaneously to form first group of liquid-permeable openings each having a major axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to the one direction and a minor axis thereof extending orthogonally to the one direction; and c. subjecting the web formed with the first group of S: openings to a mechanical treatment so as to form a second group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by a minor axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to the one direction and a major axis thereof extending orthogonally to the one direction.
An alternative embodiment of the method may further includes the step of forming, simultaneously with or after the treatment to form the openings, a plurality of ridges obliquely extending in parallel one to another so as to intersect the one direction in which the web is conveyed and to protrude from one side of the web.
According to still another embodiment of the method, the ridges obliquely extending so as to intersect the direction in which the web is conveyed include a first group of ridges extending in parallel one to another and a second group of ridges extending in parallel one to another so as to intersect the first group of ridges.
According to further another embodiment of the method, the mechanical treatment to form said openings may be any one of a embossing treatment and a debossing treatment of said web.
Fig. 1 is a partly cutaway perspective view of a sanitary napkin according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows, in enlarged scale, a part of a topsheet of the napkin of Fig. 1 as being pulled in a direction indicated by arrows X; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the same part of the topsheet as being pulled in a direction indicated by *arrows Y; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a variant of the invention; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V V in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI VI in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating steps for making the topsheet; and -7- Fig. 8 is a plan view of the topsheet of prior art.
Fig. 1 is a partly cutaway perspective view of a sanitary napkin 1 employing a liquid-permeable topsheet 2 according to the invention. The napkin 1 includes the liquid-permeable topsheet 2, a liquid-impermeable backsheet 3 and a liquid-absorbent core 4 disposed between these two sheets 2, 3. The topsheet 2 and the backsheet 3 are put flat and bonded together along their portions extending outward beyond peripheral edges of the absorbent core 4. The napkin 1 is configured so as to be longitudinally larger and has longitudinally opposite ends 6, 7 and transversely opposite side edges 8, 9.
Fig. 2 shows, in enlarged scale, a part of the topsheet 2. The vertical direction as viewed in this figure corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the napkin 1.
The topsheet 2 is formed by a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers 11 each having a fineness of 0.1 10 deniers and a fiber length of 20 70 mm. To obtain the nonwoven fabric, a web including the thermoplastic synthetic fibers 11 and having a basis weight of 10 50 g/m 2 is subjected to water jet streams of a high pressure so that the fibers 11 may be mechanically entangled and a plurality of first openings 12 larger than interstices among each of the entangled fibers 11 may be simultaneously formed. In the topsheet 2, the fibers 11 extend substantially in the longitudinal direction of the napkin 1.
Each of first openings 12 has a substantially oval shape defined by a major axis extending toward the longitudinally opposite ends 6, 7 and a minor axis extending toward the transversely opposite side edges 8, 9, i.e., orthogonally to the major axis. In the proximity of the e.
first opening 12, the fibers 11 extend longitudinally of the napkin 1 along side edges 13 of each of the openings 12.
The topsheet 2 additionally has a plurality of second 99Q openings 14 each presenting a substantially oval shape defined by a major axis extending toward the transversely opposite side edges 8, 9 and a minor axis extending toward the longitudinally opposite ends 6, 7. The second openings 14 are formed by using an embossing tool provided with a plurality of projections each contoured substantially in conformity with the opening 14. More specifically, the nonwoven fabric is pierced by the projections. More preferably, the nonwoven fabric is pierced by the projections which are heated so that the constituent fibers 11 of the nonwoven fabric may be thermally formed substantially in -9conformity with the openings 14.
In the topsheet 2, the first and second openings 12, 14 have their major axes dimensioned to be 0.7 7 mm and their minor axes preferably dimensioned to be less than 1/2 of the dimension of the major axes, 0.35 3.5 mm.
Substantially total quantity of body fluids discharged onto the topsheet 2 transfers through the first and second openings 12, 14 to the absorbent core 4. While portions of S* the nonwoven fabric surrounding the openings 12, 14 includes numerous fiber interstices, the interstices are substantially smaller than the openings 12, 14 and a quantity of body fluids transferring through these interstices is negligibly .4* small compared to the quantity passing through the openings 12, 14. It should be understood that the thermoplastic synthetic fibers may be also treated to become hydrophilic before it is finally formed as the topsheet, if desired.
The backsheet 3 is preferably formed by a liquidimpermeable plastic film, and more preferably formed by a breathable but liquid-impermeable plastic film. If desired, a nonwoven fabric may be laminated on an outer surface of the film to form the backsheet 3.
The absorbent core 4 may be formed by fluff pulp or a mixture of fluff pulp and polymer powder of high water absorptivity.
With the napkin 1 of the above-mentioned construction, the first opening 12 has its dimension as measured longitudinally of the napkin 1 enlarged as the topsheet 2 is pulled in the direction indicated by the arrows X toward the longitudinally opposite ends 6, 7 thereof). On the other hand, the first opening 12 has its dimension as measured transversely of the napkin 1 correspondingly 9°o e9 reduced, sometimes preventing body fluids from flowing into .i the first opening 12. While the second opening 14 also has its dimension as measured longitudinally of the napkin 1, its dimension as measured transversely of the napkin 1 is not too 99 reduced to prevent body fluids from flowing into the second opening 14.
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing how the first and second openings 12, 14 are deformed as the topsheet 2 is pulled toward the transversely opposite side edges 8, 9, in the direction indicated by the arrows Y. As shown, the first opening 12 is not so significantly deformed to prevent body fluids from flowing thereinto. On the other hand, the second opening 14 has its dimension as measured transversely of the napkin 1 enlarged and its dimension as measured longitudinally of the napkin 1 is further reduced, -11sometimes preventing body fluids from flowing thereinto.
It will be apparent from the behavior of the topsheet 2 as illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3, body fluids discharged on to the the topsheet 2 can rapidly transfer through the first or second openings 12, 14 to the absorbent core 4, depending on the direction in which the napkin 1 is pulled. In this manner, rapid transfer body fluids from the topsheet 2 to the absorbent core 4 is reliably assured.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 2 showing a variant of the invention, a sectional view thereof taken along line V V and a sectional view thereof taken along line VI VI both in Fig. 4. It should be understood that the fibers 11 are not shown in these figures. The topsheet 2 according to this variant is formed with a plurality of first ridges 21 extending obliquely upward from left to right as viewed in Fig. 4 in parallel one to another. The topsheet 2 is formed also with a plurality of second ridges 22 extending obliquely downward from right to left as viewed in Fig. 4. Imaginary lines indicate respective crests 21A, 22A of the ridges 21, 22.
The topsheet 2 has a skin-contactable side 26 intended to come in contact with the wearer's skin and a skinnoncontactable side 27 intended not to come in contact with -12the wearer's skin when the napkin 1 is worn. As viewed in the transverse section of the ridges 21, 22, the side 27 is configured so as to come in contact with the wearer's skin (not shown) at the crests 21A. 22A. The first and second openings 12, 14 are distributed not only on the ridges 21, 22 but also in the regions each defined by a pair of adjacent first ridges 21 and a pair of adjacent second ridges 22 crossing the pair of adjacent first ridges 21. The ridges 21, 22 have a substantially uniform height of 0.2 2 mm, preferably of 0.3 1.5 mm. Both each pair of adjacent ridges 21 and each pair of adjacent second ridges 22 are preferably spaced from each other by a crest-to-crest distance of 2 7 mm, respectively. The presence of the first and second openings 12, 14 as well as the first and second ridges 21, 22 gives the topsheet 2 shown by Figs. 4 6 an appearance characterized by fine irregularities and openings like knitted goods. Such an appearance is quite different from that of an ordinary flat nonwoven fabric. It should be understood that the ridges formed on the topsheet 2 may include only one group of the first and second ridge groups 21, 22.
Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the steps for making the topsheet 2 shown by Fig. 4. Thermoplastic synthetic -13staple fibers 41 are treated by a combing roll 42 to form a web 44 which is conveyed by an endless belt 43 to a high pressure water jet apparatus 46. The apparatus 46 includes jet nozzle means 47 having a plurarity of articles and a solid molding roll 48. The roll 48 having a plurality of projections (not shown) distributed thereon in a desired pattern and each of the projections is contoured substantially in conformity with that of the first opening 12. Each of the projections has its major axis being aligned S with the direction in which the web 44 travels. Having been treated by the apparatus 46, the web 44 takes a form of nonwoven fabric composed of the entangled fibers and having a plurality of the first openings 12. Then the web 44 passes between a pair of first embossing rolls 47A, 47B and thereby the second openings 14 are mechanically formed. The web 44 then passes between a pair of second embossing rolls 48A, 48B and thereby the first and second ridge groups 21, 22. The treatment by the first and second embossing roll pairs 47A, 47B; 48A, 48B is preferably carried out at an intermediate temperature between the normal room temperature and a temperature corresponding to the melting point, more preferably at a temperature substantially corresponding to a softening temperature of the web 44. After embossing -14treatment, the web 44 is taken up in the form of a roll and cut into appropriate dimension to be used as the topsheet 2.
The steps for making the topsheet 2 may be modified so as to form the second openings 14 as well as the first and second ridge groups 21, 22 simultaneously by a single step of embossing treatment. It is also possible to replace at least one of the first and second embossing roll pairs 47A, 47B; 48A, 48B by a debossing roll pair.
The topsheet according to the invention used in body .fluids absorbent article includes the first openings each substantially in oval shape having its major axis extending in a given direction and the second openings each substantially in oval shape having its major axis extending orthogonally to the given direction. With such an unique arrangement, a desired liquid-permeability of the topsheet 9.
can be maintained by the first openings or the second openings, depending on whether the topsheet is pulled in the given direction or in the direction orthogonal to the given direction.
With the embodiment of the topsheet having a plurality of ridges, the ridges cooperate with the presence of the first and second openings to give the topsheet an outer appearance like the knitted goods.

Claims (6)

1. A liquid-permeable topsheet forming at least a part of body fluids absorbent article, said topsheet including: said topsheet having a skin-contactable side and a skin-noncontactable side intended to and not intended to come in contact with the skin of a wearer of said article, respectively, said topsheet being formed by a nonwoven fabric *o made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers each having a fineness S of 0.1 10 deniers and a length of 20 70 mm and mechanically entangled so as to extend in parallel one to another substantially in one direction and to leave a plurality of liquid-permeable openings providing a total area larger than a total area provided by interstices of the entangled fibers; and said openings including a first group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by a major axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to said one direction and a minor axis thereof extending orthogonally to said one direction and a second group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by a minor axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to said one direction and a major axis thereof extending orthogonally to said one direction.
2. The topsheet according to Claim 1, wherein said topsheet is formed with a plurality of ridges obliquely extending so as to intersect said one direction and protruding from said skin-noncontactable side toward said skin-contactable side. S: 3. The topsheet according to Claim 2, wherein said plurality of ridges include a first group of ridges and a second group of ridges intersecting said first group of ridges. The topsheet according to Claim 3, wherein said first and second groups of openings include those formed in said first and second groups of ridges, respectively, and those formed in regions each defined by a pair of adjacent ridges belonging to said first group and a pair of adjacent ridges belonging to said second group. A method for making a liquid-permeable topsheet defining at least a part of body fluids absorbent article, said method including the steps of: -17- a. continuously feeding a web of thermoplastic synthetic fibers each having a length of 20 70 mm and conveying the web in one direction; b. directing a high pressure water jet streams onto said web being conveyed so as to entangle said fibers and simultaneously to form first group of liquid-permeable openings each having a major axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to said one direction and a minor B axis thereof extending orthogonally to said one direction; and c. subjecting the web formed with said first group of openings to a mechanical treatment so as to form a second group of openings each having a substantially oval shape *.:defined by a minor axis thereof extending substantially in parallel to said, one direction and a major axis thereof 6 S. extending orthogonally to said one direction.
6. The method according to Claim 5, further including the step of forming, simultaneously with or after the treatment to form said openings, a plurality of ridges obliquely extending in parallel one to another so as to intersect said one direction in which said web is conveyed and to protrude from one side of said web. -18-
7. The method according to Claim 6, wherein said ridges obliquely extending so as to intersect said direction in which said web is conveyed include a first group of ridges extending in parallel one to another and a second group of ridges extending in parallel one to another so as to intersect said first group of ridges.
8. The method according to Claim 5, wherein said mechanical treatment to form said openings is any one of a embossing treatment and a debossing treatment of said web.
9. A liquid-permeable topsheet forming at least a part of a body fluids absorbent article substantially as herein described with reference to the S• accompanying drawing Figs. 1 to 7. 15 10. A method of making a liquid-permeable topsheet defining at least a part of a body fluids absorbent article substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing Figs. 1 to 7. DATED: 17 September, 1998 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
AU85235/98A 1997-09-22 1998-09-18 Liquid-permeable topsheet for body fluids absorbent article and method of making this topsheet Ceased AU733393B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP25716097A JP3510089B2 (en) 1997-09-22 1997-09-22 Liquid permeable surface sheet for body fluid absorbing article and method for producing the sheet
JP9-257160 1997-09-22

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
AU8523598A AU8523598A (en) 1999-04-01
AU733393B2 true AU733393B2 (en) 2001-05-10

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AU85235/98A Ceased AU733393B2 (en) 1997-09-22 1998-09-18 Liquid-permeable topsheet for body fluids absorbent article and method of making this topsheet

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KR (1) KR100585971B1 (en)
AU (1) AU733393B2 (en)
DE (1) DE69809006T2 (en)
ID (1) ID20914A (en)
MY (1) MY115604A (en)
TW (1) TW496152U (en)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4859519A (en) * 1987-09-03 1989-08-22 Cabe Jr Alex W Method and apparatus for preparing textured apertured film
CA2136675C (en) * 1993-12-17 2005-02-15 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Liquid permeable, quilted film laminates

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DE69809006D1 (en) 2002-12-05
ID20914A (en) 1999-03-25
MY115604A (en) 2003-07-31
KR19990029927A (en) 1999-04-26
DE69809006T2 (en) 2003-06-18
KR100585971B1 (en) 2006-09-27
AU8523598A (en) 1999-04-01
TW496152U (en) 2002-07-21

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