MXPA00007042A - Diaper having a lotioned topsheet - Google Patents

Abstract

A diaper containing a liquid permeable topsheet coated with a lotion composition is described. The lotion composition reduces the adhesion of the El [on foot] of the user, thereby improving the ease of grooming of the El. The lotion composition comprises a plastic emollient or fluid such as mineral oil or petrolatum, an agent of immobilization such as a fatty alcohol or paraffin wax to immobilize the emollient on the surface of the upper sheet of the diaper, and optionally a hydrophilic surfactant to improve the wettability of the coated upper sheet. Because the emollient is substantially immobilized on the surface of the upper hello, less lotion is required to impart the therapeutic or protective benefits of the loci coating.

Description

ABSORBENT ARTICLE THAT HAS A TOP SHEET WITH LOTION TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates to absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, adult incontinence devices, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent articles having a lotion coating on the external surface of the sheet above which It is transfepble to the skin of the user, through normal contact and movement of the user and / or body heat. The lotions disclosed in the present invention reduce the adhesion of the to the user's skin, thereby improving the ease of grooming The BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many types of disposable absorbent products are available, such as diapers, which have a high capacity for absorbing urine. Disposable products of this type generally comprise some species of fluid-permeable top sheet material, an absorbent core, and a backsheet material fluid-impermeable Although these types of absorbent structures can be highly efficient for fluid absorption, they can not absorb intestinal evacuations (i.e., hereinafter referred to as El) Typically, Els are trapped between the outer surface of the supepor sheet permeable to the user's fluid and skin, much of it adhering to the user's skin To prevent the user from adhering to the wearer's skin, the caregiver often applies protective or "repellent" products such as petrolatum or mineral oil to the buttocks and anal region, before placing the absorbent article in the user This procedure usually involves the caregiver pouring oil or lotion, for example, into one of their hands by rubbing both hands together to distribute the substance above, and then rubbing the same on the skin of the infant To eliminate the need for this uneconomical, dirty and easily forgotten procedure, there have been several previous attempts to prepare absorbent articles containing a protective or therapeutic substance for skin care on the upper sheet A substance that has been applied as a lotion to diaper products to provide a protective, comforting covering, is mineral oil Mineral oil (also known as liquid petrolatum) is a mixture of liquid hydrocarbon vanes obtained by the distillation of high boiling fractions (ie 300 °) 390 ° C) of petroleum Mineral oil is liquid at temperatur As environment, for example 20 ° -25 ° C As a result, the mineral oil is relatively fluid and mobile, even when it is applied to the upper sheets of diapers. Because the mineral oil is fluid and mobile at ambient temperatures, it does not it tends to remain localized on the surface of the upper sheet, but instead migrates through the upper sheet into the diaper. In accordance, it is necessary to apply relatively high levels of mineral oil to the upper sheet to provide the benefits of The desired therapeutic or protective coating lotion This leads not only to the increased costs for these diaper products with lotion, but to other detrimental effects as well. One of these detrimental effects is a decrease in fluid handling properties as the High levels of mineral oil tend to block the openings of the upper sheet Also, as the mineral oil migrates towards the inside the diaper, it tends to act as a hydrophobic additive, thus decreasing the absorbency of the underlying absorbent core, if used This decrease in absorbency becomes more pronounced as the level of the applied mineral oil increases. Even without increasing its level, the tendency of the mineral oil to migrate once applied, has another harmful effect For example, the applied mineral oil can be transferred to and through the packaging or wrapping material of the diaper product with lotion. This can create the need for a wrapping or barrier-type wrapping films to prevent staining or other draining of mineral oil from the Diaper product Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide diaper products with lotion that (1) have desirable therapeutic or protective coating lotion benefits (2) do not require relatively high levels of coatings that are liquid at room temperature (eg, mineral oil) , (3) do not adversely affect the absorbent capacity of the diaper product, and (4) do not require special wrapping or barrier materials for packaging. U.S. Patent No. 3,585,998 to Hayford et al., Describes a baby diaper. disposable, an inner lining of which takes an arrangement of capsules that break by pressure, containing oil for babies The patent teaches that it is desirable to break the capsules before using the diaper, applying pressure with such household items as a pastry roller, hand iron, etc. The same principle of capsules that are broken by pressure, is used in the patent of the States No. 3,464,413 of Goldfarb et al., For making webs capable of delivering a medical material to a lesion The articles described by both patents have a disadvantage that is to say, unless the capsules are broken by applying pressure before using the diaper or the diaper. band, the skin care substance contained in the capsules is not either supplied in all or not it is uniformly supplied leaving some areas of the skin uncoated US Patent No. 3,896,807 to Buchalter, teaches an article impregnated with a solid oil phase of cream formulation, which forms a cream on the addition of moisture to This one major disadvantage of the article described by the reference is that the transfer of a beneficial substance from the absorbent substrate to the skin is delayed and only takes place when the bodily fluids are released. US Pat. No. 3,489,148 to Duncan et al. others teaches a baby diaper comprising a hydrophobic and oleophobic top sheet, wherein a portion of the top sheet is coated with a discontinuous film of an oleaginous material. A major disadvantage of the diapers described in the Duncan and others reference is that hydrophobic and oleophobic top leaves are slow in promoting the transfer of urine towards The Underlying Absorbent Cores Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable diaper having a hydrophilic top sheet having superior fluid handling property. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydrophilic diaper top sheet having A lotion coating on the external surface of the upper sheet, which is transfetable to the user's skin and is effective in reducing the adhesion of the skin to the skin, thereby improving the ease of grooming the skin. It is an object of the present invention, desirable, to provide diaper products with lotion that (1) have the desirable removable, cleansing, therapeutic or protective lotion coating benefits (2) do not require relatively high levels of mineral oil, (3) ) do not adversely affect the fluid handling properties of the diaper, and (4) do not require wrapping materials or barriers Special for packaging These and other objects are obtained using the present invention, as it will become apparent easier from reading the following description BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a disposable diaper having a lotion coating on the outer surface of the topsheet, which is semi-solid or solid at ambient temperatures (i.e. at 20 ° C) and is adapted to be transferred to the user's skin, where it acts to reduce the adhesion of the skin to the user's skin, thereby improving the ease of grooming them. Briefly, the disposable diapers of the present invention comprise A) a liquid-impermeable backsheet, B) a liquid-permeable, hydrophilic top sheet attached to said backsheet, said sheet having an inner surface facing said diaper and a surface facing the wearer's skin when said diaper is being used, wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of the topsheet comprises an effective amount of a lotion coating which is semi-solid or solid at 20 ° C, and which is partially transferable to the user's skin, said lotion coating comprising (i) from about 10 to about 95% of a substantially water-free emollient having a plastic or fluid consistency at 20 ° C, and comprising a member selected from the group which consists of oil-based emollients, emollients of fatty acid esters, emollients of alkyl ethoxylate, polysiloxane emollients, and mixtures thereof, (n) of from about 5 to about 90% of an agent capable of immobilizing said emollient on said surface outer of the topsheet, said immobilizing agent having a melting point of at least 35 ° C, and C) an absorbent core placed between said topsheet and said backsheet The amount of the lotion overlay in at least a part of the sheets of the diaper of the present invention, preferably vary from about 0 1 mg / in2 at approximately 25 mg / in2, more preferably from approximately 1 mg / in2 to approximately 10 mg / in2 The upper sheet of the diaper with lotion according to the present invention provides the benefits of cleansing, therapeutic or therapeutic lotion coating Desirable protectants Because the emollient is substantially immobilized on the surface of the topsheet, less lotion composition is needed to impart the desired skin care benefits In addition, special barrier or wrapping materials in the packaging of diaper products with lotion of the present invention are unnecessary. As will be discussed hereinafter, the lotion compositions of the present invention preferably have a melting profile such that are relatively immobile and located on the upper sheet of the diaper at room temperature, are transferable to the user at body temperature, and yet not fully liquid under extreme storage conditions. Importantly, the lotion compositions of the present invention they are easily transferable to the skin by means of normal contact, user movement, and / or body heat. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the lotion composition changes the surface energy of the skin and / or forms a " barrier "that reduces the affinity of the skin to the El La, therefore, has a reduced tendency to stick to the skin, and is easier to remove BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic representation illustrating a preferred method for applying the lotion composition of the present invention to diaper topsheet. Figure 2 is a schematic representation illustrating an alternate method for applying the lotion composition of the present invention to the upper sheets of the diaper Figure 3 is an absorbent article in the form of a diaper, according to the present invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As used herein, the term "comprising" implies that the various components, ingredients, or steps, may be used unitarily in the practice of the present invention. Accordingly, the term "comprising" encompasses the most restrictive terms. " consisting essentially of "and" consisting of "All percentages, ratios and proportions used herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified A Absorbent Article As used herein, the term "absorbent article" refers to devices that absorb and contain exudates from the body, and more specifically, refers to devices that are placed against a user's skin to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body the term "disposable" is used herein to describe absorbent articles that are not intended to be washed or otherwise restored or reused as an absorbent article, after a single use Examples of disposable absorbent articles include garments for feminine hygiene such as sanitary napkins and pantiliners, diapers, incontinence briefs, diaper carriers, training pants and the like Disposable absorbent articles typically comprise a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet attached to the topsheet, and an absorbent core placed between the Top sheet and back sheet Disposable absorbent articles and their components, including the supepor sheet, the back sheet, the absorbent core, and any individual layer of these components, have a body surface and a garment surface. present, "body surface" means that the surfaces of the article or component, is intended to be used towards or adjacent to the user's body, while "the garment surface" is on the opposite side, and is intended to be worn towards or positioned adjacent to the user's body or undergarment, when the disposable absorbent article is used. The following description generally discusses the absorbent core, top sheet and backsheet materials, which are useful in articles. Disposable Absorbents It should be understood that this general description applies to these components of the specific absorbent articles shown in Figure 3, and further described below, in addition to those of other disposable absorbent articles that are generally described herein In general, the absorbent core is capable of absorbing or retaining liquids, eg, menstruation, urine, and / or other body exudates. The absorbent core is preferably compressible, conformable and non-irritating to the skin of the body. user The absorbent core can be made from a wide variety of sizes and shapes (eg, rectangular, oval, hourglass, "T", dog bone, asymmetric, etc.) In addition to mixed materials, absorbent The present invention, the absorbent core can include any of a wide variety of liquid absorbent materials commonly used in absorbent articles, such as ground wood pulp, which is generally referred to as an air filter. Examples of other absorbent materials suitable for use in the absorbent core include folded cellulose wadding, melt-blown polymers including coform, fibers chemically hardened, modified or crosslinked cellulosics, synthetic fibers such as engargoladas polyester fibers, peat moss, paper, including paper wraps and paper laminates, absorbent foams, absorbent sponges, super absorbent polymers, gelling absorbent materials, or any other equivalent material or combinations of the materials or mixtures thereof The configuration and construction of the absorbent core can also be filled (for example, the absorbent core can have variable gauge zones and / or have a profile to be thicker in the center, hydrophilic gradients, gradients of the absorbent mixed material of the present invention, super absorbent gradients, or areas of lower average basis weight and lower average density, eg, acquisition zones, or may comprise one or more layers of structure) The total absorbent capacity The absorbent core must, however, be a with the design load and the intended use of the absorbent article. In addition, the size and absorbent capacity of the Absorbent core can be vanished to fit different uses, such as diapers, incontinence pads, pant liners, regular sanitary napkins, and night sanitary napkins and to fit users ranging from babies to adults The absorbent core can include other absorbent components that are often used in the absorbent articles, for example, a dusting layer, an impregnation or liquid or acquisition layer or a secondary supepor sheet to increase user comfort The upper sheet is preferably deformable, of soft feeling and non-irritant to the skin of the user In addition, the upper sheet is permeable to liquid, allowing liquids (eg, menstruation and / or urine), to easily penetrate through its thickness. An appropriate top sheet can be manufactured from a wide range of materials such as woven and non-woven materials (eg it, a nonwoven fiber web), polymeric materials, such as thermoplastic films formed with apertures, apertured plastic films, and hydroformed thermoplastic films, porous foams, crosslinked foams, crosslinked thermoplastic films, and thermoplastic films Woven and nonwoven materials suitable materials may be comprised of natural fibers (for example, wood or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (for example, polymeric fibers such as polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene fibers) or from a combination of natural and synthetic fibers When the top sheet comprising a nonwoven web, the web can be manufactured from a number of known techniques. For example, the web can be linked by spinning, carded, wet-laid, melt-blown, hydroentangled, combinations of the above, or The back sheet is impervious to liquids (for example, nstruation and / or urine) and is preferably manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid-impermeable materials can also be used. As used herein, the term "flexible" refers to materials that are deformable and will readily conform to the shape and contour and general outline of the human body. The posterior sheet prevents exudates absorbed and contained in the absorbent core moisten the articles that are brought into contact with the absorbent article, such as sheets, pants, pajamas and undergarments The backsheet can, thus, comprise a woven or non-woven material, polymeric films such as polyethylene polypropylene thermoplastic films or mixed materials such as a film coated nonwoven material A suitable backsheet is a polyethylene film having a thickness of about 0 012 mm to about 0 051 mm Illustrative polyethylene films are manufactured by Clopay Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio, under the designation P18-14 01 and by Tredegar Film Products of Terre Haute, Indiana, under the designation XP-39385. The backsheet is preferably highlighted or embossed and / or finished in matte to provide a more fabric-like appearance. In addition, the backsheet may allow the Vapors escape from the absorbent core (ie, the backsheet is breathable), while still preventing the passage of exudates through the backsheet. The size of the backsheet is dictated by the size of the absorbent core and the exact design of the selected absorbent article The backsheet and the topsheet are positioned adjacent to the garment surface and the body surface, respectively, of the absorbent core. The absorbent core is preferably attached to the topsheet, the backsheet, or both in any manner as is known by means of fixation (not shown in Figure 3), such as those well known in the art. However, modality it is of the present invention contemplated where portions of the total absorbent core are unattached to either the top sheet, the back sheet or both For example, the backsheet and / or the supepor sheet may be secured to the absorbent core or to each other by a continuous, uniform adhesive layer, a patterned adhesive layer, or an arrangement of separate spirable lines or spots of adhesive. which have been found to be satisfactory, are manufactured by HB Fuller Company of St Paul, Minnesota under the designation HL-1258 or H-2031. The attachment or attachment means will preferably comprise an open pattern network of adhesive filament as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,573,986, issued to Minetola et al., March 4, 1986, which is incorporated herein by reference. An illustrative attachment means of an open-filament pattern network comprises several strands of filaments. adhesives twisted in a spiral pattern as illustrated by the apparatus and method shown in United States Patent No. 3,911, 173 issued to Sprague, Jr on October 7 1975, United States Patent No. 4,785,996 issued to Zwieker et al. on November 22, 1978, and United States Patent No. 4,842,666 issued to Werenicz on June 27, 1989. Each of these patents is incorporated into the present by reference Alternatively, the joining means may comprise heat joints, pressure joints, ultrasonic joints, dynamic mechanical joints, or any other means of joining or combining these joining means or combination of these joining means as shown in FIG. known in the art A preferred disposable absorbent article, in which the lotion top sheets of the present invention can be used are diapers. As used herein, the term "diaper" refers to an absorbent article generally worn by infants, and incontinent people used around the user's lower torso In other words, the term "diaper" includes baby diapers, underpants, e training, adult incontinence devices, etc. Figure 3 is a plan view of the diaper 50 of the present invention in its flattened state, non-contracted state (ie, with the elastic induced contraction downward) with portions of the structures that are cut out to more clearly show the construction of the diaper 50, and with the portion of the diaper 50 that gives away from the wearer, the external surface, facing the observer As shown in Figure 3, the diaper 50 preferably comprises a liquid-permeable upper sheet 520, a liquid-impermeable backsheet 530 bonded to the upper sheet 520, an absorbent core 540, placed between the upper sheet 520 and the back sheet 530, the absorbent core 540 having a garment facing surface 542, a body facing surface 544, side edges 546, waist edges 548, and ears 549. The diaper further comprises preferably elasticized leg folds 550, multiple elastic waist feature designated as 560, and a generally multiple clamping system designated c omo 570 The diaper 50 is shown in Figure 3, having an outer surface 52, an inner surface 54, affixed to the outer surface 52, a first waist region 56, a second waist region 58, and a periphery 51 that is defined by the outer edges of the diaper 50, in which they are designated 55 to the longitudinal edges and are designated 57 to the extreme edges (Although the skilled artisan will recognize that a diaper is usually described in terms of having a pair of waist regions and a crotch region between the waist regions, in this application, for simplicity of terminology, it is described the diaper 50 as having only waist regions that include a portion of the diaper that would typically be designated as part of the crotch region) The inner surface 54 of the diaper 50 comprises that portion of the diaper 50 which is placed adjacent to the wearer's body during use (i.e., the inner surface 54 is generally formed by at least a portion of the upper sheet 520 and other components that can be attached to the upper sheet 520 and other components that can be attached to the upper sheet 520) The outer surface 52 comprises that portion of the diaper 50 which is placed away from the wearer's body (i.e., the outer surface 52 is generally formed by at least a portion of the backsheet 530 and other components that may be attached to the backsheet 530) (As used in FIG. present, the portion of the diaper 50 or its component facing towards the wearer, is also referred to as the surface facing the body. Similarly, the portion that gives away from the wearer is also referred to as the surface that faces the garment) The first waist region 56 and the second waist region 58 extend, respectively, from the end edges 57 of the periphery 51 towards the lateral center line 53 of the diaper 50. Figure 3 also shows the longitudinal center line 59. Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the diaper 50, wherein the top sheet 520 and the back sheet 530 have length and width dimensions generally larger than those of the absorbent core 540 The double elastified legs 550 and backsheet 530 extend beyond the edges of absorbent core 540 to thereby form the periphery 51 of diaper 50 The diapers of the present invention can have a number of well-known configurations, with absorbent cores of the same, being adapted to the present invention Illustrative configurations are generally described in U.S. Patent No. 3,860,003 issued to Buell on January 14, 1975, U.S. Patent No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell et al. September 29, 1992, U.S. Patent No. 5,221, 274 issued to Buell et al. On June 22, 1993 Each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference. Another diaper configuration to which the present invention can be easily adapted. invention are described in copending United States Patent Application No. of Sene 08 / 203,456, filed on February 28, 1994, and incorporated herein by reference. herein by reference The absorbent cores of the diapers described in these patents may be adapted in light of the techniques herein to include the absorbent composite of the present invention as a gelling absorbent matepal described herein. An upper sheet 520 that is particularly suitable for use in the diaper 50, is carded and thermally bonded by means well known to those skilled in the art of fabrics A top sheet satisfactory to the present invention comprises short length polypropylene fibers having a denier of about 2 2 As used herein, the term "short length fibers" refers to those fibers having a length of at least about 15 9 mm Preferably, the top sheet has a basis weight of about 14 to about 25 grams per square meter A suitable top sheet is manufactured by Veratec, Inc. a division of International Paper Company of Walpole, Mass, under the designation P-8 The top sheet 520 of the diaper 50 is preferably made of a hydrophilic material to promote the rapid transfer of liquids (eg, urine) through the top sheet. If the top sheet is made of a hydrophobic material, at least the top surface of the top sheet is treated so that it is hydrophilic, so that liquids will transfer more quickly through the top sheet This decreases the likelihood that the body exudate will flow out of the top sheet instead of being driven through the top sheet and being absorbed by the absorbent core The top sheet can be made hydrophilic, by treating it with a surfactant The appropriate methods for treating the top sheet with a surfactant include spraying the top sheet material with an agent surfactant and immerse the material within the surfactant A more detailed discussion of said treatment and hydrophilicity is contained in United States Patent No. 4,988,344 entitled "Absorbent Articles with Multiple Layer Absorbent Layers", issued to Reismg, et al. on January 29, 1991 and United States Patent No. 4,988,345 entitled "Absorbent Articles With Quick Acquisition Absorbent Cores "issued to Reismg on January 29, 1991, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment of a diaper as described herein, the backsheet 530 has a form of modified hourglass that extends beyond the absorbent core, at a minimum distance of approximately 1 3 cm to approximately 64 cm around the total periphery of the diaper The absorbent core 540 can assume any size or shape that is compatible with the diaper 50 A preferred embodiment of the diaper 50 has a modified, asymmetric T-shaped absorbent core 540 having ears in the first waist region, however, a generally rectangular shape in the second waist region Exemplary absorbent structures for use as the absorbent core of the present invention which have achieved wide acceptance and commercial success are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,610,678 entitled "High Density Absorbent Structures", issued to Weisman et al. September 9, 1986, United States Patent No. 4,673,402 entitled "Absorbent Articles with Two-Layer Cores", issued to Angstadt on December 19, 1989, and United States Patent No. 4,834,735 entitled "Absorbent Core having an Dustproof Layer ", issued to Alemany et al. On May 30, 1989. The absorbent core may further comprise the dual core system containing a core of acquisition / distribution of chemically hardened fibers placed on the absorbent storage core as detailed in U.S. Patent No. 5,234,423 entitled "Absorbent Article with Characteristics of Elastic Waist and Increased Absorbency ", issued to Alemany et al. on August 10, 1993, and United States Patent No. 5,147, 345 entitled" High Efficiency Absorbent Articles for Incontinence Management ", issued to Young, LaVon and Taylor on September 15, 1992 All of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment, the diaper 50 further comprises elasticized leg folds 550 to provide improved containment of liquids and other body exudates. An elastic waist feature 560 that provides improved fit and containment, and a system of fastener 570 forming a lateral closure that maintains the first waist region 56 and the second waist region 58 in an overlapping configuration, such that lateral stresses are maintained around the circumference of the diaper to maintain the diaper on the wearer. diaper 50 may also comprise elasticized side panels (not shown) in the waist regions 56 and 58, to provide an elastically extensible feature that provides a greater contour fit and comfort, and the most effective application of the diaper 50 The elasticized leg cuffs 550 can be built in a set number different rations, including those described in United States Patent No. 3,860,003, United States Patent No. 4,909,803 issued to Aziz et al. on March 20, 1990, United States Patent No. 4,695,278, issued to Lawson on September 22, 1987, and U.S. Patent No. 4,795,454, issued to Dragoo on January 3, 1989, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The elasticized waist feature preferably comprises an elasticised waistband (not shown) which can be constructed in a number of different configurations, including that which is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,515,595 issued to Kievit et al., on May 7, 1985, U.S. Patent No. 5,026,364 issued to Robertson on June 25, 1991, and the aforementioned United States Patent No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell et al. on September 29, 1992, each of these references being incorporated herein by reference Elasticized side panels can be constructed in a number of configurations Examples of diapers with elasticized side panels placed on the ears (ear flaps) of the diaper are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,857,067 issued to Wood et al. On August 15, 1989, United States Patent No. 4,381, 781, issued to Sciaraffa et al. On May 3, 1983, patent of the United States.

No. 4,938,753 issued to Van Gompel et al. On July 3, 1990, and United States Patent No. 5,151,092, issued to Buell et al. On September 29, 1992, each of which are incorporated herein by Reference Illustrative fastening systems 570 are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,846,815, issued to Scppps on July 11, 1989, patent of the United States No. 4,894,060 issued to Nestegard on January 16, 1990, United States Patent No. 3,848,594 issued to Buell on November 19, 1974, United States Patent No. B1 4,662,875, issued to Hirotsu et al. On May 5, 1987, and U.S. Patent No. 5,151,092, issued to Buell et al. On September 29, 1992, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The diaper 50 is preferably applied to a user by placing a of the diaper waist regions, preferably the second waist region 58, under the user's back and the rest of the diaper is directed between the user's legs, such that the other waist region, preferably the first region of waist 56, is placed through the front of the user The fastening system is then applied to effect the lateral closure The upper lotion sheets of the present invention are also useful in training pants, the term "training pants", as used herein, refers to disposable garments that have fixed sides and leg openings. Training pants are placed in position on the user inserting the legs of the user into the leg openings, and sliding the training pants towards the position around the user's lower torso Suitable training pants are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,246,433, issued to Hasse et al. on September 21, 1993. Another disposable absorbent article to which the topsheets with lotion of the present invention are useful. Invention are Articles for Incontinence The term "article for incontinence" refers to pads, undergarments (pads held in place by a suspension system of the same type, such as a belt or the like), inserts for absorbent articles, reinforcements of capacity for absorbent articles, trusses, bed pads, and the like, irrespective of whether they are worn by adults or other incontinent persons. Suitable incontinence articles are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,253,461 issued to Stpckland and others on March 3, 1981, the patent No. 4,597,760 and 4,597,761 issued to Bu ell, the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 4,704,115, U.S. Patent No. 4,909,802 issued to Ahr et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,964,860 issued to Gipson et al. on October 23, 1990, and in US Pat. United States patent application No. Sene No. 07 / 637,090 filed by Noel and others on January 3, 1991 (PCT Publication No. W0 92/11830 published July 23, 1992) B. - Lotion Composition The lotion compositions of the present invention are solid, or more often semi-solid at 20 ° C, ie at ambient temperatures. By "semi-solid" it is implied that the lotion composition has a typical pseudoplastic or plastic fluids When shear is not applied, the lotion compositions may have the appearance of a semi-solid, but may be flowed as the velocity Shear stress is increased This is due to the fact that, although the lotion compositions contain primarily solid components, they also include some minor liquid components. The compositions of the present invention are at least semi-solid at room temperature, to minimize the migration of the lotion. the lotion compositions preferably have a final melting point (100% liquid) above the potential stress storage conditions which may be greater than 45 ° C (for example warehouse in Apzona, trailer in Florida, etc.) Specifically, the lotion compositions of the present invention should have the following melting profile Characteristic Preferred scale Very preferred% in liquid 2-50 3-25 room temperature (20 ° C)% in liquid 25-95 30-90 at room temperature body (37 ° C) final melting point (° C) > 38 > Four. Five Being solid or semisolid at ambient temperatures, these lotion compositions do not have a tendency to flow and migrate into the upper sheet of the diaper, to which they apply. This means that less lotion composition is required to impart the benefits of Therapeutic or Protective Coating Lotion When applied to the outer surface of the upper sheets of the diaper, the lotion compositions of the present invention are transferable to the user's skin through normal contact, user movement and / or body heat. Importantly, the lotions described in the present invention reduce the adhesion of the El to the skin of the user, thereby improving the ease of grooming the upper sheets of the diaper of the present invention contain an effective amount of the lotion composition. As used herein, the term "effective amount of a lotion coating. "refers to an amount of a particular lotion composition which, when applied to an upper sheet of the diaper, will be effective in reducing the adhesion of the to the user's skin. Of course, the effective amount of a lotion coating. it will depend to a great extent, on the particular lotion composition used The lotion compositions of the present invention comprise (1) an emollient or emollients, (2) an immobilizing agent (s) for the emollient, (3) optionally a hydrophilic surfactant (s), and (4) other optional components The viscosity of the formulated lotion compositions, including emollient, immobilizing agent and optional components, should be as high as possible to keep the lotion from flowing into the diaper. Unfortunately, high viscosities also lead to that the lotion compositions are difficult to apply without processing problem Therefore, a balance must be achieved in such a way that the viscosities are high enough to maintain the lotion compositions located on the surface of the upper sheets of the diaper, but not too high that causes processing problems The proper viscosities s for lotion compositions will typically vary from about 5 to about 2,000 centipoise, preferably from about 15 to about 100 centipoise measured at 60 ° C 1. - Emollient The key active ingredient in these lotion compositions is one or more emollients As used herein, an emollient is a material that softens, comforts, moisturizes and lubricates the skin. For the purposes of the present invention, these emollients have either a plastic or fluid consistency at 20 ° C, ie, at room temperatures This particular consistency of the emollient allows the lotion composition to impart a smooth, lubricating and lotion-like feel. The emollients useful in the present invention are also substantially free of water. By "substantially free of water" it is implied that the Water is not intentionally added to the emollient The addition of water to the emollient is not necessary in the preparation or use of the lotion compositions of the present invention, and may require an additional drying step. However, minor amounts or almost nothing of water in the emollient that is collected as a result of, for example, environmental humidity can be tolerated without adverse effect Typ The emollients used in the present invention only contain about 5% or less of water, preferably about 1% less of water, most preferably about 0 5% less of water. The emollients useful in the present invention can be emollients based on petroleum, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, fatty acid ester ethoxylate emollients, fatty alcohol emollients, polyiloxane-type emollients, or mixtures of these emollients. Petroleum-based emollients include those hydrocarbons, or mixtures of hydrocarbons, which have cinnamon lengths from 16 to 32 carbon atoms Petroleum-based hydrocarbons that have these chain lengths include mineral oils (also known as "liquid petrolatum") and petrolatum (also known as "mineral wax", "petroleum jelly" and "mineral jelly"). ") Mineral oil usually refers to less viscous mixtures of hydrocarbons that have from 16 to 20 carbon atoms. Petrolatum usually refers to mixtures more hydrocarbon viscous having 16 to 32 carbon atoms Petrolatum and mineral oil are particularly preferred emollients for the lotion compositions of the present invention Suitable emollients of the fatty acid ester type include those derived from the C12-C28 fatty acids , preferably C, 6- C22 saturated fatty acids, and short chain monohydric alcohols (C, -C8, preferably C, -C3) Representative examples of such esters include methyl palmitate, ethyl stearate, isopropyl laurate, isopropyl miptate, isopropyl palmitate, ethyl exyl palmitate, and mixtures thereof Suitable emollients of this fatty acid may also be derived from esters of longer chain fatty alcohol chains (C12-C28, preferably C12-C16) and shorter chain fatty acids , for example, lactic acid, such as lauplactate and cetyl lactate Suitable alkyl ethoxylate emollients include C12 fatty alcohol ethoxylates -C22 having an average degree of toxication of from about 2 to about 30 Preferably, the fatty alcohol ethoxylate emollient is selected from the group consisting of lactyl ethoxylates, cetyl ethoxylates, and ethyl ester ethoxylates, and mixtures thereof , which have an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 2 to about 23 Representative examples of said alkyl ethoxylates include laureth-3 (a lactose ethoxylate having an average degree of toxilation of 3), laureth-23 (an ethoxylate of the product having an average degree of ethoxylation of 23), ceteth-10 (a cetyl alcohol ethoxylate having an average degree of ethoxylation of 10), a stearyl alcohol ethoxylate having an average degree of ethoxylation of 10) These emollients of alkyl ethoxylate are typically used in combination with petroleum-based emollients, such as petrolatum, in a weight ratio of emollient to ethoxylate of Oil-based emollient from about 1 1 to about 1 5, preferably from about 1 2 to about 1 4 Suitable fatty alcohol type emollients include C12-C22 fatty alcohols, preferably Cl6-Cl8 fatty alcohols. Representative examples include cetyl alcohol and alcohol ester, and mixtures thereof. These fatty alcohol emollients are typically used in combination with petroleum-based emollients, such as petrolatum, at a weight ratio of fatty alcohol emollients to petroleum based emollients of from about 1 1 to about 1 5, preferably from about 1 1 to about 1 2 Other suitable types of emollients for use herein invention, include polysiloxane compounds In general, polysiloxane materials suitable for use in the present invention include those having monomeric siloxane units of the following structure R, - Si - O - (1) I R, wherein R, and R2, for each monomeric independent siloxane unit can each independently be hydrogen or any alkyl, aplo, alkenyl, araalcaplo, arachidyl, cycloalkyl, halogenated hydrocarbon radical or other radical Any of said radicals can be substituted without Substitute The radicals R, and R2 of any particular monomer unit may differ from the corresponding functionalities of the next immediate monomeric unit. Additionally, the polysiloxane may be either a straight chain, a branched chain or have a cyclic structure. R, and R2 may additionally independently be other silicon functionalities such as, but not limited to, siloxanes, polysiloxanes, silanes and polysilanes. The radicals R, and R2 may contain any of a variety of organic functionalities including, for example, functionalities of alcohol, carboxylic acid, phenyl and amine. Illustrative alkyl radicals are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, exyl, ophthal, decyl, octadecyl, and the like. Illustrative alkenyl radicals are vimlo, aillo and the like Illustrative EPO radicals are femlo, diphenyl, naphthyl, and the like. Exemplary alkapol radicals are toyl, glycil, ethyl phenyl, and the like Illustrative aralkyl radicals are benzyl, alpha-femlethyl, beta-phenylethyl alpha-phenylbutyl, and the like Illustrative cycloalkyl radicals are cyclobutyl, aclopentyl, cycloexoyl, and the like Illustrative halogenated hydrocarbon radicals are chloromethyl, bromoethyl, tetrafluoroethyl, fluoroethyl, trifluoroethyl, trifluorotyl, hexafluoroglyl, and the like. The viscosity of useful polysiloxanes can vary so widely as the viscosity of pohsiloxanes vary from man was general, as long as the polysiloxane is flowable or can be made to be flowable for the application of the diaper upper sheet This includes, but is not limited to viscosity as low as 5 centisokes (at 37 ° C as measured by a viscometer glass), at about 20,000,000 centisokes. Preferably, the polysiloxanes have a viscosity at 37 ° C ranging from about 5 to about 5,000 centisokes, more preferably from about 5 to about 2,000 centisokes, most preferably from about 100 to about 1000 centisokes. High viscosity polysiloxanes which by themselves are resistant to flow, can be effectively deposited on the upper sheets of the diaper by such methods as, for example, emulsifying the polysiloxane in the surfactant, or providing the polysiloxane in solution with the aid of a solvent, such as exano, cataloged only for illustrative purposes L Particular methods for applying polysiloxane emollients to the upper sheets of the diaper are discussed in more detail herein below.

Preferred polysiloxane compounds for use in the present invention are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,059,282 (Ampulski et al.), Issued October 22, 1991., which is incorporated herein by reference Particularly preferred polysiloxane compounds for use as emollients in the lotion compositions of the present invention, polymethylsiloxane femlo functional compounds (e.g. Dow Corning 556 polyphenylmethylsiloxane cosmetic grade fluid) and dimethicones of functional cetyl or functional stearic such as Dow 2502 and Dow 2503 polysiloxane fluids, in addition to said substitution with functional or alkyl functional groups, the effective substitution can be made with amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl, ether, polyester, aldehyde, cebone, amide, ester, and lime. Of these effective substituent groups, the family of groups comprising phenyl, amino, alkyl, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, are more preferred than the others, and phenyl functional groups are most preferred. oil-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, fatty acid ester ethoxylates so, fatty alcohol emollients of alkyl ethoxylate emollients, and polysiloxanes, the emollients useful in the present invention may include minor amounts, eg, up to about 10% of the total emollient) of other conventional emollients. These other, conventional emollients include propylene col, glicepna, tpetilenglicol, esparmeati or other waxes, fatty acids, and ethers of fatty alcohol that have from 12 to 28 carbon atoms in their fat chain, ta homo stearic acid, propoxylated fatty alcohols, g ceptums, acetog cepdos and glycerides ethoxylates of C12-C28 fatty acids, other fatty esters of polyhydroxy alcohols, lanolin and their derivatives These other emollients should be included in a manner such that the solid or semi-solid characteristics of the lotion composition are maintained The amount of emollient that can be included in the composition of lotion it will depend on a variety of factors, including the particular emollient involved, the similar desired lotion benefits, the other components in the lotion composition, and similar factors. The lotion composition may comprise from about 10 to about 95% of the emollient. Lotion composition comprises from about 20 to about 80%, most preferably from about 40 to about 75%, of the emollient 2. Immobilization agent A particularly key component of the lotion compositions of the present invention is an agent capable of immobilizing the emollient in the upper sheet of the diaper, to which the lotion composition is applied. Because the emollient in the composition has a plastic or fluid consistency at 20 ° C, this tends to flow or migrate, even when subjected to annoying shear stress. When applied to an upper sheet of the diaper, especially in a molten or fused state, the emollient will not remain primary over the surface of the upper sheet Instead, the emollient will tend to migrate and flow into the diaper This migration of the emollient into the diaper can cause undesirable effects on the absorbency of the diaper core, due to the hydrophobic characteristics of many. of the emollients used in the lotion compositions of the present invention This also suggests that much or more emollient has to be applied to the upper sheet of the diaper to achieve the desired therapeutic or protective lotion benefits By increasing the emollient level, not only does the cost increase, but also exasperates the undesirable effect on the absorbency of the diaper core The immobilization agent counteracts this tendency of the emollient to migrate or flow maintaining the emollient located primarily on the surface of the leaf supepor of the diaper, to which the lotion composition is applied This is believed to be due, in part, to the fact that the immobilization agent raises the melting point of the lotion composition above that of the emollient. immobilization agent is also miscible with the emollient (or solubilized in the emollient with the aid of an appropriate emulsifier), this traps the emollient on the surface of the diaper upper sheet as well This is also advantageous for "fixing" the immobilization agent on the surface of the diaper upper sheet This can be achieved by using immobilization agents that rapidly crystallize (ie, solidify) on the surface of the top sheet. Also, external cooling of the diaper upper sheet treated via blowers, fans, etc., can accelerate the crystallization of the immobilization agent In addition to being miscible with (or solubilized in) the emollient, the immobilization agent needs to have a melting point of at least about 35 ° C. This is such that the immobilization agent by itself will not have a tendency to migrate or flow Preferred immobilizing agents will have melting points of at least about 40 ° C. Typically, the immobilization agent will have a melting point in the range of about 50 to about 150 ° C. Immobilizing agents suitable for the present invention can comprise a member selected from the group consisting of C14-C22 fatty alcohols, and Ct2-C22 fatty alcohol ethoxylates, having an average degree of ethoxylated from 2 to about 30 and mixtures thereof. Preferred immobilizing agents include C 1 -C 8 fatty alcohols, most preferably selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol ico and its mixtures Mixtures of ethyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are particularly preferred Other preferred immobilizing agents include C16-C, 8 fatty acids, most preferably selected from the group consisting of palmitic acid, stearic acid, and mixtures thereof. Blends of palmitic acid and stearic acid are particularly preferred. Still other preferred immobilizing agents include C16-C fatty alcohol ethoxylate, which have an average degree of ethoxylation. varying from about 5 to about 20 Preferably, the fatty alcohols, the fatty acids and the fatty alcohols are linear. Importantly, these preferred immobilizing agents such as the C16-Cl8 fatty alcohols increase the rate of crystallization of the lotion. , causing the lotion to crystallize rapidly on the surface of the substrate. Lower levels of lotion, can therefore be used or a superior sensation of lotion can be supplied. Traditionally, larger amounts of lotion were needed to generate softness because of the flow of these fluids towards the diaper core Other types of immobilizing agents can be used either alone or in combination with the fatty alcohols, fatty acids, and fatty alcohol ethoxylates described above. Example of these other types of immobilizing agents include polydroxy fatty acid esters, polydroxy fatty acid amides, and their mixtures Preferred esters and amides will have 3 or more free hydroxy groups in the poxy moiety, and are typically non-ionic in character Because of the possible skin sensitivity of those using diaper tops to which it is applied. the lotion composition, these esters and amides should also be relatively light and non-irritating to the skin The polydroxy fatty acid esters suitable for use in the present invention will have the formula wherein R is a C5-C31 hydrocarbyl group, preferably straight chain C7-C19 alkyl or alkemyl, more preferably straight-chain C9-C6 alkyl or alkenyl, most preferably C ^ -C alkyl or alkenyl. , straight chain, or mixtures thereof, and is a polyhydroxy hydrocarbyl portion having a hydrocarbyl chain with at least 2 free hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, and n is at least 1 the appropriate Y groups can be polyol derivatives such as glycerol , pentaeptptol, sugars such as raffinose, maltodestroy, galactose, sucrose, glucose, gylose, fructose, maltose, lactose, mannose, and ephrose, sugar alcohols such as eptptol, gylitol, malt, maltol, and sorbitol, of alcohol anhydrides of sugar such as sorbitan Another class of polydroxy fatty acid esters suitable for use in the present invention comprise certain sorbitan esters, preferably the sorbitan ester of saturated fatty acids of C 16 -C 22 A Because of the manner in which they are typically manufactured, these sorbitan esters usually comprise mixtures of mono, di, tp, esters, etc. Representative examples of appropriate sorbitan esters include sorbitan palmitates (eg, SPAN 40), sorbitan stearates (for example SPAN 60), and sorbitan behenates, which comprise one or more of the mono-di and t-ester versions of these sorbitan esters, for example, mono-, di- and tppalmitate of sorbitan, mono-di- and tpesterato of sorbitan, mono, di- and tp behenate of sorbitan, also as mono-di- and t-ester mixtures of sorbitan of mixed bait acid Mixtures of different sorbitan esters can also be used, such as sorbitan palmitates with sorbitan stearates Particularly preferred sorbitan esters are sorbitan stearates, typically as a mixture of monodo or tp-esters (plus some tetraester), such as SPAN 60 and sorbitan stearates sold under the trade name GLYCOMUL-S by Lanza, In. Although these sorbitan esters typically contain mixtures of mono-, di- and tp-esters, plus some tetraester, the mono- and di-esters are usually the species predominant in these mixtures Another class of polyhydroxy fatty acid esters suitable for use in the present invention, comprise certain glycemic monoesters, preferably glycosyl monoesters of C16-C22 saturated fatty acids such as glycemic monostearate, glycepl mono palmitate, and glycepl monobehenate. Again, like sorbitan esters, glyceryl monoester mixtures will typically contain some However, such mixtures should predominantly contain the glyceryl monoester species that are useful in the present invention. Another class of polyhydroxy fatty acid esters suitable for use in the present invention comprise certain fatty acid esters. of sucrose, preferably saturated fatty acid esters of C ^ -C ^ sucrose. Monoesters and di-esters of sucrose are particularly preferred, and include sucrose mono- and di-stearate and sucrose mono- and di-laurate. polyhydroxy fatty acid amides suitable for use in the present invention will have the formula Or R1 II I R2- cN- Z wherein R is H, hydrocarbyl of C, -C4, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, methoxyethyl, methoxypropyl or a mixture thereof, preferably alkyl of C, -C 4, methoxyethyl or methoxypropyl, more preferably C, or C 2 alkyl or methoxypropyl, most preferably C, (ie, methyl) or methoxypropyl, and R 2 is a C 5 -C 3 hydrocarbyl group, preferably alkyl or C7-C alkene, 9, straight chain, more preferably C9-C, straight chain alkyl or alkenyl, 7, most preferably C2-C3 alkyl or alkenyl, straight chain, or mixtures thereof, and Z is a polyhydroxydrocarbyl moiety having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain See U.S. Patent No. 5,174,927 (Honsa), issued December 29, 1992 (incorporated herein by reference), these polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are described, as well as their preparation. The Z portion will preferably be derived from a reduced sugar in an amination reaction most preferably gliatil. Appropriate reduced sugars include glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose, and gylose High-dextrose corn syrups, high-fructose corn syrups, and high-maltose corn syrups can also be used, as well as individual sugars ld above. These corn syrups can produce mixtures and sugar components for the Z portion The Z portion preferably will be selected from the group consng of e CH2- (CH0H) N-CH20H, -CH (CH2OH) - \ (CHOH) n -,] - CH2OH, -CH2OH-CH2- (CHOH) 2 (CHOR3) (CHOH) - CH2OH, where n is a integer from 3 to 5, and R3 is H or a sylnic or aliphatic monosaccharide. Very preferred are glycityls where n is 4, particularly -CH2- (CHOH) 4-CH2OH In the above formula, R 'can be, for example N-methyl, N-ethyl, N-propyl, N-isopropyl, N-butyl, N-2-hydroxyl, N-methoxypropyl or N-2-hydroxypropyl R2 may be selected to provide, for example, cocamides, steramides, polyamides , lauramides, mipstamides, cappcamides, palmitamides, ceboamides, etc. The Z-portion can be 1-deoxyglutatyl, 2-deox? fruct? t? l, 1-deox? malt? t? lo, 1-deox? lact? t? , 1-deoxyglactant, 1-deoximaniquilo, 1-deox? Maltotpot? T? Lo, etc. The highly preferred polyhydroxy fatty acid amides have the general formula wherein R 'is methyl or methoxypropyl, R2 is a straight chain alkyl or alkenyl group of C, -C, 7 These include N-laupl-N-methyl glucamide, N-laupl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide, N-cocoyl -N-methyl glucamide, N-cocoyl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide, N-palmityl-N-methoxytripoyl glucamide, N-cocoyl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide, N-palmityl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide, N-tseboyl-N-methyl glucamide , or N-tseboyl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide As previously noted, some of the immobilization agents require an emulsifier for solubilization in the emollient. This is particularly the case for certain of the glucamides such as N-alkyl-methoxypropyl glucamides having HLB values of at least about 7 Appropriate emulsifiers will typically include those having HLB values below about 7 In this respect, the sorbitan esters described previously, such as sorbitan stearates, have HLB values of about 4. 9 or less They have been found useful in the solubilization of these glucamide immobilization agents in petrolatum. Other suitable emulsifiers include steareth-2 (this from polyethylene glycol of stearyl alcohol which conform to the formula CH3 (CH2)] 7 (OCH2CH2) "OH, where n has an average value of 2, sorbitan stearate, isosorbide laurate, and glycemic monostearate. The emulsifier can be included in an amount sufficient to solubilize the immobilizing agent in the emollient, such that a substantially homogeneous mixture is obtained. For example, a mixing approximately 1 1 of N-cocoyl-N-methyl glucamide and petrolatum which will not normally melt in a single phase mixture, will melt in a single phase mixture upon the addition of 20% of a mixture of 1 1 Steareth-2 and sorbitan tpestarate as the emulsifier. Other type of ingredients that can be used as immobilization agents, either alone or in combination with immobilizing agents. previously mentioned, include waxes such as carnauba wax, beeswax, candelilla, paraffin, ceresin, esparto, oupcup, prayer wax, and other known waxes Preferably, the wax is a paraffin wax. An example of a particularly preferred paraffin wax is the paraphm SP 434 of Strahl and Pitsch In PO Box 1098 West Babylon , NY 11704 The amount of immobilization agent to be included in the lotion composition will depend on a variety of factors, including the particular emollient involved, the particular immobilizing agent involved, if an emulsifier is required to solubilize the immobilizing agent in the emollient, the other components of the lotion composition and similar factors The lotion composition may comprise from about 5 to about 90% of the immobilizing agent. Preferably, the lotion composition comprises from about 5 to about 50%, most preferably about 10 to about 40% of the immobilization agent 3. Optional hydrophilic surfactant As mentioned above it is highly desirable that the diaper topsheet be made of a hydrophilic material to promote the rapid transfer of liquids (eg, urine) through the topsheet. Similarly, it is important that the composition The lotion is also able to moisten sufficiently to ensure that liquids are transferred through the top sheet more quickly. This decreases the likelihood that body exudates will flow out or deviate from the lotion coating instead of being directed through. of the top sheet, and to be absorbed by the absorbent core Depending on the particular immobilizing agent used in the lotion composition of the present invention, an additional hydrophilic surfactant (or a mixture of hydrophilic surfactants), may, or may not, be required to improve the Wetting capacity For example, some immobilization agents, such as N-cocoyl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide have HLB values of at least about 7, and are capable of sufficiently wetting without the addition of hydrophilic surfactants. immobilization such as the HLB fatty alcohols having HLB values of less than about 7 will require the addition of the hydrophilic surfactant to improve the wettability, when the lotion composition is applied to the upper sheets of the diaper Similarly, an emollient hydrophobic such as petrolatum will require the addition of a hydrophilic surfactant The appropriate hydrophilic surfactants will be miscible with the emollient and the immobilizing agent, to form homogeneous mixtures Because of the possible skin sensitivity of those using the disposable absorbent products, to which the compo lotion, these surfactants must also be relatively mild and non-irritating to the skin. Typically, these hydrophilic surfactants are non-ionic so that they are not only non-irritating to the skin, but also avoid other undesirable effects on any laminated structure of the skin. underlying tissue, e.g., reduction in tensile strength The appropriate nonionic surfactants may be substantially non-migratory after the lotion composition has been applied to the upper sheets of the diaper, and will typically have HLB values on the scale from about 4 to about 20, preferably from about 7 to about 20. To be non-migratory, these nonionic surfactants will typically have melting temperatures greater than the temperatures commonly encountered during storage, shipping, sale, and use of the disposable absorbent products, By e At least about 30 ° C in this respect, nonionic surfactants will preferably have melting points similar to those of the immobilization agents previously described Suitable nonionic surfactants for use in the lotion compositions of the present invention include alkyl glycosides, alkylglycoside ethers as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,011,389 (Langdon, et al.), Issued March 8. 1977, alkyl polyethoxylated esters such as Pegosperse 1000MS (available from Lanza, In, Fair Lawn, New Jersey), mono-, di and / or triesters of ethoxylated sorbitone of C, 2-C, 8 fatty acids having an average degree of ethoxylation of from about 2 to about 20, preferably from about 2 to about 10, such as TWEEN 60 (sorbitan esters of stearic acid having an average degree of ethoxylation of about 20) and TWEEN 61 (sorbitan esters of stearic acid having an average degree of ethoxylation of about 4), and the condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with from about 1 to about 54 moles of ethylene oxide The alkyl chain of the aliphatic alcohol is typically a straight chain (linear) configuration and contains from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms Particularly preferred are the condensation products of the alcohols having an alkyl group containing from about 11 to about 22 atoms, with from about 2 to about 30 moles of ethylene oxides per mole of alcohol Examples of these ethoxylated alcohols include the condensation products of the midistyl alcohol with 7 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol The condensation products of the coconut alcohol (a mixture of fatty alcohols having alkyl chains ranging in length from 10 to 14 carbon atoms), with about 6 moles of ethylene oxide A number of suitable ethoxylated alcohols are commercially available including TERGITOL 15-S-9 (the condensation product of linear alcohols of C? rC15 with 9 moles of ethylene oxide), marketed by Union Carbide Corporation, KYRO EOB (condensation product of Ct3-C15 linear alcohols with 9 moles of ethylene oxide), marketed by The Procter & Gamble Co, the NEODOL brand name surfactants sold by Shell Chemical Co, in particular NEODOL 25-12 (condensation product of linear C12-C15 alcohols with 12 moles of ethylene oxide) and NEODOL 23-6 5T (condensation product of C12-C linear alcohols, 3 with 6 5 moles of ethylene oxide that has been distilled (primary distillation to remove certain impurities), and especially the brand-name surfactants PLURAFAC marketed by BASF Corp , in particular PLURAFAC to -38 (a straight chain alcohol condensation product of C18 with 28 moles of ethylene oxide) (Certain of the hydrophilic agents, in particular the ethoxylated alcohols such as NEODOL-25-12, can also function as alkyl ethoxylate emollients) Other examples of preferred ethoxylated alcohol surfactants include the ICI class of the surfactants of Bpj and their mixtures, with Bpj 72 (ie Steareth-2) and Bpj 76 (ie Steareth-10) which is especially preferred Also, mixtures of ethyl alcohol and ethoxylated stearyl alcohol at an average degree of ethoxylation of from about 10 to about 20, can also be used as the hydrophobic surfactant. Another type of surfactant suitable for use in the present invention includes OT aerosol, a dioctyl ester of sodium sulfosuxic acid commercialized by American Cynamid Company Still another type of surfactant suitable for use in the present invention includes copolymers of Silicon such as General Eletpc SF 1188 (a copolymer of a polydimethylsiloxane and a polyoxyalkylene ether) and General Electric SF 1228 (a silicone ether copolymer) These cylindrical surfactants can be used in combination with other types of hydrophilic surfactants discussed above, such as ethoxylated alcohols. These silicone surfactants have been found to be effective at concentrations as low as 0 1%, more preferably from about 0-25 to about 1%, by weight of the lotion composition The amount of the hydrophilic surfactant required to increase the capacity of the lotion composition to a desired level will depend on the HLB value and the level of the immobilizing agent used, the HLB value of the surfactant used and the Similar The lotion composition may comprise from about 1 to about 50% of the hydrophilic surfactant when it is required to increase the wettability properties of the composition. Preferably, the lotion composition comprises from about 1 to about 25%, most preferably from about 10 to about 20%, of the hydrophilic surfactant when it is required to increase the wetting capacity 4. - Other optional components The lotion compositions may comprise other optional components typically present in emollients, creams and lotions of this type. These optional components include water, viscosity modifiers, perfumes, antibacterial disinfectant actives, pharmaceutical actives, film formers, deodorants, agents obscurants, astringents, solvents and the like. In addition, stabilizers may be added to increase the shelf life of the lotion composition such as cellulose derivatives, proteins and lecithin. All of these materials are well known in the art as additives to said formulations, and they can be employed in appropriate amounts in the lotion compositions of the present invention C- Treatment of the upper sheets of the diaper with the lotion composition In the preparation of the diaper products with lotion according to the present invention, the lotion composition is applied to the outer surface, (i.e., the surface that gives towards the body) of a supepor sheet from the diaper You can use any of a variety of application methods that evenly distribute lubricating materials that have a molten or liquid consistency. Appropriate methods include spraying, stamping (eg flexographic printing), coating (eg gravure coating), extrusion, or combinations of these application techniques, for example by spraying the lotion composition on a rotating surface, such as a calender roll, which is then transferred to the outer surface of the sheet Top of the diaper The way to apply the lotion composition to the upper sheet of the diaper it must be such that the upper sheet does not become saturated with the lotion composition. If the upper sheet becomes saturated with the lotion composition, there is a greater potential for the lotion to block the openings of the upper sheet, reducing the capacity of the sheet. the top sheet of transmitting fluid to the underlying absorbent core Also, saturation of the top sheet is not required to obtain the benefits of therapeutic and / or protective lotion Particularly appropriate application methods will apply to lotion composition primarily to the outer surface of the diaper supepor sheet The minimum level of lotion that is applied to the upper diaper sheets is an effective amount to reduce the adhesion of the to the user's skin. The lotion composition is preferably applied to the upper sheets. of the diaper of the present invention in an amount ranging from about 0 1 mg / in2 to about 25 mg / in2 more preferably from about 1 mg / in2 to about 10mg / in2 (milligrams of lotion per square inch of coated top sheet) Because the emollient is immobilized substantially on the surface of the top sheet, less lotion composition is needed to impart the desired skin care benefits Such relatively low levels of the lotion composition are suitable for imparting the desired therapeutic lotion and / or protective benefits to the top sheet, still not saturating the properties of absorbency and wettability of the upper sheets The lotion composition can be applied to the total surface of the upper sheet or parts thereof Preferably, the lotion composition is applied on a strip lined with and centered on the line longitudinal center of the disposable absorbent article Most preferably, as described in the present examples below, the lotion composition is applied to a discrete version of the top sheet, eg, a patch 3 75 inches wide (lateral direction of the diaper) and 7 inches long (longitudinal direction of the diaper), generally disposed towards the s second waist region The lotion composition can also be applied non-uniformly to the outer surface of the upper sheet of the diaper. By "non-uniform" it is implied that the amount, pattern of distribution, etc. of the lotion composition can be vary over the surface of the top sheet For example, some parts of the treated surface of the top sheet may have a greater or lesser amount of lotion composition, including portions of the surface that do not have any lotion composition thereon Lotion can be applied to the top sheet at any point during assembly For example, the lotion composition can be applied to the top sheet of the finished disposable absorbent article before it has been packaged. The lotion composition can also be applied to the top sheet before which is combined with other raw materials to form a finished disposable absorbent product. The lotion composition is typically applied from a molten substance thereof to the upper sheet of the diaper Because the lotion composition fuses significantly above the ambient temperatures, is usually applied as a hot coating to the topsheet. Typically the lotion composition is heated to a temperature in scale from about 35 ° to about 100 ° C, preferably from 40 ° to about 90 ° C, before being applied to the upper sheet of the diaper Once the molten lotion composition has been applied to the upper sheet of the diaper, it is allowed to cool and solidify to form a solidified coating or film on the surface of the upper sheet. Preferably, the process of Application is designed to help the cooling / setting of the lotion When applying the compositions of the present invention of the upper sheets of the diaper, the methods of spraying, gravure coating and extrusion coating are preferred. Figure 1 illustrates 1 of said preferred methods involving spraying the coating on the top sheet of the diaper before the top sheet is assembled with the other raw materials in a finished product Referring to Figure 1, a web of the non-woven top sheet 1 is unwound from a roll of the top top sheet 2 (rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow) 2a) and advancing towards the spray station 6 where one side of the weft is sprayed with a hot, molten lotion composition (eg 65 ° C) After leaving the spray station 6, the weft of the sheet upper non-woven 1 becomes a top sheet pattern with lotion indicated by 3 The upper sheet with lotion 3 web is then advanced around the rotating roller 4 and the rod Rotating screw 8, and then wound on the main roller of the supepor sheet with lotion (rotating in the direction indicated by arrow 10a) Figure 2 illustrates a preferred alternate method involving intermittent continuous spraying of the lotion composition on a diaper top sheet during the conversion operation. Referring to Figure 2, the conveyor 1 advances in the direction shown by the arrows on the rotating rollers 3 and 4, and arrives back to the conveyor belt 2 The conveyor belt 1 brings the no-flush diaper 5 to the spray station 6, where the patch of the upper sheet 7 is sprayed with a molten lotion composition, hot (for example at 65 ° C) After leaving the spray station 6, the diaper without lotion 5 becomes a diaper with lotion 8 having a top sheet with lotion The amount of the lotion composition transferred to the patch of the top sheet 7 is controlled by (1) the speed at which the molten lotion composition is sprayed from the spray station 6, and / or (2) the speed to which the conveyor belt 1 travels under the dew station 6 SPECIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PREPARATION OF TOP OF THE DIAPER LEAVES WITH LOTION ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION The following are specific illustrations of treating the upper sheets of the diaper with lotion compositions according to the present invention Example 1 A. Preparation of Lotion Compositions A water-free lotion composition is made by mixing together the following molten (i.e. liquid) components mineral oil (incarnate white mineral oil, 8U USP, made by Witco Corp), cetearyl alcohol (a primary alcohol of C16- Linear, mixed C1ß made by The Procter & Gamble Co, under the name TA-1618), Steareth-2 (Bpj 72, a linear alcohol ethoxylate of C18 having an average degree of ethoxylation of 2, made by ICI America) The percentages by weight of these components are shown in Table 1 below TABLE 1 B. Preparation of the top sheet of the diaper with lotion by spraying the hot melt state The lotion composition A is placed in a heated tank operating at a temperature of 125 ° F The composition is subsequently sprayed (using a spray head) Dynatec E84B1758 operating at a temperature of 165 ° F and a spray pressure of 2 40 psig) on the top sheet of a diaper with an area of 3 75 inches in width (lateral direction of the diaper) and inches in length (longitudinal direction of the diaper), the patch starting one inch forward of the lateral center line and extending towards the back of the product Level of adding = (9 3 g / m2) Example 2 The composition lotion A (prepared in accordance with the procedure of Example 1), is subsequently sprayed onto the top sheet of a diaper on a strip 3 75 inches wide (lateral direction of the diaper) centered on the longitudinal center line and extending to the total length of the product Level of adding = (9 3 g / m2) Example 3 The lotion composition A (prepared according to the procedure of example 1) is subsequently sprayed onto the top sheet of a diaper on a strip 3 75 inches wide (lateral direction of the diaper) centered on the longitudinal centerline and an area of 7 inches long (longitudinal direction of the diaper), starting the patch an inch forward of the lateral center line and extending towards the back of the product The level of adding = (4 65 g / m2) Example 4 A. Preparation of Lotion Compositions A water-free lotion composition is made by mixing together the following molten (i.e. liquid) mineral oil (incarnate white mineral oil, USP made by Witco Corp), and cetearyl alcohol ( a primary alcohol of C, 6-C18 made by Procter &Gamble Co under the name TA-1618 The percentages by weight of these components are shown in Table II below Table II B. Preparation of the tissue with lotion by hot melt spraying. The lotion composition B is placed in a heated tank operating at a temperature of 125 ° F. The composition is subsequently sprayed (using a Dynatec sprayer E84B1758, which operates at a temperature of 165 ° F and a spray pressure of 2 40 psig). ) on the top sheet of a diaper in an area of 3 75 inches in width (lateral direction of the diaper) and 7 inches in length (longitudinal direction of the diaper), started in patch 1 inch forward of the lateral centerline and extending toward the back of the product The add level = 9 3 gr / m2 (0 006 gr / in2) EXAMPLE 5 A. Preparation of Lotion Composition A water-free lotion composition (Lotion D) was made by mixing together the following molten (ie, liquid) components White Protopet® 1S (white petrolatum made by Witco Corp), cetearyl alcohol (a C16-Cl8 primary alcohol, linear, mixed, made by The Procter &Gamble Co., under the name TA-1618), Steareth-2 (Bpj 762, a linear alcohol ethoxylate of C, 8 having a degree ethoxylation average of 2, made by ICI America) The percentages by weight of these components are shown in Table I below. A water-free lotion composition (Lotion C) was made by mixing together the following molten (i.e., liquid) components. , in the percentages by weight shown in Table III below, according to the procedure of Example 2 Picture lll B. Preparation of tissue with lotion by hot melt spraying. The lotion composition C is placed in a heated tank operating at a temperature of 125 ° F. The composition is subsequently sprayed (using a Dynatec sprayer E84B1758, which operates at a temperature of 165 ° F and a spray pressure of 2 40 psig). ) on the top sheet of a diaper in an area of 3 75 inches in width (lateral direction of the diaper) and 7 inches in length (longitudinal direction of the diaper), started in patch 1 inch forward of the lateral centerline and extending toward the back of the product The add level = 9 3 gr / m2 (0 006 gr / in2) EXAMPLE 6 A. Preparation of Lotion Composition A water-free lotion composition (Lotion C) was made by mixing together the following molten (i.e., liquid) components White Protopet® 1S (white petrolatum made by Witco Corp), Fluid Cosmetic Grade Dow Corning 556 (a polyphenylmethylsiloxane made by Dow Corning Corporation), An example of a wax Particularly preferred paraffin is Paraffin SP 434 (a paraffin wax made by Strahl and Pitsch Inc), cetearyl alcohol (a linear, mixed C16-C18 primary alcohol, made by The Procter &Gamble Co., under the name TA- 1618), PEG 2000 (a polyethylene glycol having a MW of 200, made by Sigma-Aldpch Corp) The percentages by weight of these components are shown in Table IV below Table IV B. Preparation of tissue with lotion by hot melt spraying. The lotion composition D is placed in a heated tank operating at a temperature of 150 ° F. The composition is subsequently sprayed (using a Dynatec E84B1758 sprayer, which operates at a temperature of 170 ° F and a spray pressure of 2 40 psig). ) on the top sheet of a diaper in an area of 3 75 inches in width (lateral direction of the diaper) and 7 inches in length (longitudinal direction of the diaper), started in patch 1 inch forward of the lateral center line and extending toward the back of the product The add level = 9 3 gr / m2 (0 006 gr / in2)

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS An absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion comprising a) a liquid-impermeable backsheet, b) a liquid-permeable top sheet attached to said backsheet, said sheet having an inner surface facing the inside of said absorbent article and an external surface facing the user's skin when said absorbent article is being used, wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of the top sheet comprises an effective amount of a lotion coating which is semi-solid or solid at 20 °. C, said lotion coating characterized in that it comprises (I) from about 10 to about 95% of a substantially water-free emollient having a plastic or fluid consistency at 0 ° C, wherein the emollient contains about 5% or less of water, and wherein the emollient comprises a member selected from the group consisting of oil-based emollients. or, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, and mixtures thereof, (n) from about 5 to about 90% of an immobilizing agent capable of immobilizing said emollient on said outer surface of the upper sheet, the immobilizing agent miscible with said emollient, said immobilizing agent having a melting point of at least about 35 °, wherein the immobilizing agent comprises a member selected from the group consisting of waxes, polyhydroxy fatty acid esters, amides of fatty acid pohhydroxy, C14-C22 fatty alcohols, C12-C22 fatty acids, C12-C22 fatty alcohol ethoxylates, and mixtures thereof, and C) an absorbent core placed between said supepor sheet and said back sheet 2 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that said article is a sanitary napkin 3 The absorbent article having an upper sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that said emollient contains about 5% or less of water and comprises an oil-based emollient selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, petrolatum and mixtures thereof 4 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 3, further characterized in that said emollient is petrolatum 5 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 4, further characterized in that said emollient is oil mineral 6 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that the amount of the lotion coating on said portion of the outer surface of the top sheet varies from about 0 1 mg / in2 to about 25 mg / in2 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 6, further characterized in that the amount of the lotion coating on said portion of the outer surface of the top sheet varies from about 1 mg / in2 to about 10 mg / in2 The absorbent article having a supeporous sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that said emollient comprises a fatty acid ester emollient selected from methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, isopropyl laurate, isopropyl mpstate, palmitate of isopropyl, ethylhexyl palmitate, lactyl lactate and cetyl lactate, and mixtures thereof The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that said emollient comprises an alkyl ethoxylate emollient selected from the group consisting of C12-CIB fatty alcohol ethoxylates having an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 2 to about 30 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that said lotion coating comprises from about 5 to about 50% of said immobilizing agent, said immobilizing agent having a melting point of at least about 40 ° C. The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 10, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a C14-C22 fatty alcohol. The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 11, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises an alcohol. of C, 6-C18 selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and mixtures thereof The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 10, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a polyhydroxy fatty acid ester that has e the formula wherein R is a C5-C31 hydrocarbyl group, Y is a polyhydroxy hydrocarbyl moiety having a hydrocarbyl chain with at least 2 free hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, and n is at least 14 Absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 13, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a polyhydroxy fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of sorbitan esters of C16-C22 saturated fatty acids, glycemic monoesters of saturated fatty acids of C16-C22, and sucrose esters of C12-C22 saturated fatty acid The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 14, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a polyhydroxy fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of sorbitan palmttatos, sorbitap stearates, sorb behenates titan, glyceous monostearate, glyceous monopalmitate, glycemic monobehenate, sucrose mono- and di-stearates, and sucrose mono- and di-laurate. The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion in accordance with claim 15. , further characterized in that said immobilizing agent comprises sorbitan stearates 17 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 10, further characterized in that said agent Immobilization comprises a polyhydroxy fatty acid amide having the formula O R 1 I i R 2 -C-N-Z wherein R1 is H, hydrocarbyl of Ct-C4, 2-hydroxyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, methoxyethyl, methoxypropyl or a mixture thereof.R2 is a hydrocarbyl group of C5- C31, and Z a portion of pohhydroxyhydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain 18 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 17, further characterized in that R 'is N- methyl, N-ethyl, N-propyl, N-isopropyl, N-butyl, N-2-hydroxyl, N-methoxypropyl or N-2-hydroxyl-propyl, R 2 is straight-chain alkyl or alkene ,, - C17, or a mixture thereof, and Z is glycityl The absorbent article having a lotion top sheet according to claim 18, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a polyhydroxy fatty acid amide selected from the group consisting of N-laupl-N-methyl glucamide, N-laupl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide, N-cocoyl-N-methyl glucamide, N-cocoyl-N-methoxypropyl glucamide, N-palmityl-N-methoxytripoyl glucamide, N-tallowyl-N-methyl glucamide, or N-tallow N-methoxypropyl glucamide The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 10, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a paraffin wax 21 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that said immobilization agent comprises a wax selected from carnauba wax, beeswax, candelilla wax, paraffin wax, ceresin wax, and sparto, oupcup, prayer wax, and mixtures thereof 22 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 1, further characterized in that said lotion coating further comprises about 1 to about 50% of a hydrophilic surfactant, said hydrophilic surfactant having a HLB value of at least about 4 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 22, further characterized in that said lotion coating further comprises about 1 to about 25% of said hydrophilic surfactant, said Hydrophilic surfactant preferably non-ionic, and having a HLB value of from about 4 to about 20 The absorbent article having a lotion top sheet according to claim 3, further characterized in that said hydrophilic surfactant comprises an ethoxylated alcohol having an alkyl chain of about 8. at about 22 carbon atoms, and having an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 1 to about 54 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 24, further characterized in that said ethoxylated alcohol has a alkyl chain of about 11 to about 22 carbon atoms, and having an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 2 to about 30 The absorbent article having a top sheet with lotion according to claim 25, further characterized in that said agent hydrophilic surfactant comprises and an ethoxylated sorbitan ester of an acid grade Cl 2 -C 18, having an average degree of ethoxylation of about 2 to about 20