MXPA97002458A - Absorbe sanitary device - Google Patents

Abstract

An absorbent sanitary article (10) is provided, for example an incontinence device for use by an adult woman, the device (10) having a top side adapted in use to face towards the user, and a back side adapted to give away of the user. The device is elongated, and has a region (12), and end regions (14, 16) that unite the central region (12), and that slope upwards from the central region (12) as seen from the upper side . The device is provided with separate, elasticized, upright, longitudinally extending barriers of the device, adjacent to its lateral, laterally opposite edges, and which, in cooperation with the end regions, define a mating surface with the user, the barriers being formed by erect portions of the upper leaf

Description

ABSORBENT SANITARY DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an absorbent sanitary device, for example in the form of a catameneal pad or a sanitary pad. However, this is particularly related to devices for incontinence, and more particularly, devices for managing light or moderate incontinence in adult women. A feature that is particularly important in a device for incontinence is its ability to mold to the adjacent part of the wearer's body, such that urine and other bodily fluids are directed towards the device and do not deviate from it. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which this is achieved to a particularly greater limit. This is achieved by the use of an advantageous elastification system. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an absorbent sanitary device having a top side adapted, in use, to face towards the user and a rear side adapted to give away from the user, the device being elongated and having its regions end faces generally directed upwards as seen from the upper side, the device comprising, as seen from the upper side towards the rear side, an upper sheet which is permeable to liquids, a fluid storage core, and a waterproof back sheet the liquids sealed to the topsheet at least along a pair of sealing lines, which extend longitudinally, laterally apart, the device being provided with separate, elastic, erected, longitudinally extending barriers of the device along at least part of the length of the same, adjacent to the laterally opposite lateral edges of the and the same, inwards of said sealing lines, whose barriers, in cooperation with said end regions, define a coupling surface with the user, the barriers being formed by elasticized, upright portions of the upper sheet. According to another aspect thereof, there is provided an absorbent device having an upper side adapted in use to face towards the user and a rear side adapted to give away from the user, the device being elongated and having its end regions directed generally upwards as seen from the upper side, the device comprising, as seen from the upper side towards the rear side, an upper sheet which is permeable to liquids, a fluid storage core, and a rear sheet impermeable to the liquid sealed to the top sheet at least along a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced sealing lines, the device being provided with separate, elasticized, erect, longitudinally extending barriers of the device along the length of the device. at least part of the length thereof, adjacent to the laterally opposite lateral edges thereof , whose barriers in cooperation with said end regions, define a coupling surface with the user, the "barriers" being formed by elasticized, upright portions of the upper sheet, the sheet material having a greater width than the material of the sheet. back sheet. According to still another aspect of the present, a sanitary absorbent device is provided having an upper side adapted in use to face the user and a rear side adapted to be away from the user, the device being elongated and having its end regions directed generally upwards as seen from the upper side, the device comprising, as seen from the upper side, towards the rear side, an upper sheet which is permeable to liquids, a fluid storage core and a waterproof backsheet the liquids sealed to the top sheet in at least along a pair of sealing lines that extend longitudinally, laterally separated, the device being provided with separate, elasticized, upright barriers, extending longitudinally of the device along at least part of the length thereof, adjacent laterally opposite lateral edges thereof, whose barriers, in cooperation with said end regions define a coupling surface with the user, the barriers being formed by elasticized, upright portions of the upper sheet, the elasticization of said elasticized portions extending over at least 35% of the length of the device. Each of said barriers can be elasticized by means of a line of hot melt adhesive material, and said material can be deactivated and at least one area so as to cause it to be inelastic in said area, thereby influencing the form of the device and / or increases the addition of said material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment showing the user's side (i.e. the side to which, in use, it faces the user's body); ); Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1 in a stressed condition, i.e. the device assumes a planar configuration; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross section through the center of the device of Figure 1, showing the layers of which it is formed; Figure 4 shows the patterns of the adhesive applied to the various layers of the device of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a second embodiment; and Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring first to Figure 3, it can be seen that, considering starting from the user's side thereof, the device comprises the following layers: (a) UPPER LEAF The upper layer (user side), is an upper sheet 20 which can be comfortable to the touch, provides a dry sensation on an absorbent core filled with liquid, and rapidly passes the fluid into the core. This is permeable to liquid in the central longitudinal zone 22 and is impermeable to the liquid at least in the two lateral zones 24. As can be seen in Figure 3, the boundary between the central zone and each of the lateral zones coincides with a line of elastic glue, which is described in greater detail, below, although it is not essential that this is so. The topsheet may be of a variety of known materials, provided that they have a fluid-permeable central region and a fluid impermeable edge region, for example: (a) a top sheet of film formed as described in U.S. Patent No. 3929135, or in any of the disclosures of European Patent Nos. EP-A-0018020, EP-A-0018684 and EP-A-0059506, (b) a film / fiber composite, partially perforated described in EP-A-207904, the perforated area thereof provides a liquid permeable area, and an area without perforations thereof provides an impermeable area, (c) a non-woven film produced by the bonding process by spinning or by a process of thermal bonding, carding, treated by hydrophobic finishing agents appropriate to give areas that are liquid permeable and liquid impervious respectively, or (d) a sheet produced by several other processes practiced s today. (b) SECONDARY UPPER LEAF This element 26 has the characteristics of accepting at a high velocity the fluid discharges, serving as a temporary reservoir for the fluid, and then draining substantially completely towards the storage core in order to remain empty for Subsequent fluid loads, in addition, this element must resist collapse when it is wetted in such a way that it maintains its performance through multiple loads. This element must have all these things while also remaining extremely thin. A weft laid by synthetic fiber air can be used for this purpose. The secondary sheet must preferably have hydrophilic properties. This material preferably has the following characteristics: (a) A thickness of from 1 to 10 mm, preferably from 1.5 to 10 mm, even more preferably from 1.8 to 7.5 mm, and even more preferably from 2 to 6 mm, the thickness being measured with the blade under a pressure of 2kPa. (b) A basis weight of 35 to 300 g / m2, more preferably of in excess of 40 to 200 g / m2, and even more preferably 42 or 43 to 200 g / m2. (c) The sheet has a volume of at least 15 cm3 / g, when the sheet is under a pressure of 2 kPa. More preferably, the volume is from 16 to 65 cm3 / g, even more preferably from 30 to 50 cm3 / g. Still more preferably, the minimum value for the volume is 32, 33, 34 or 35 cm3 / g. (d) The ability to discharge the storage core by at least 95%, and more preferably at least 99% of the fluid received in a charge. (e) A wet collapse at 2.7kPa of no more than 45%, and more preferably no greater than 40%. (f) A wet elasticity at 0.1 kPa of not more than 40%, more preferably not greater than 30% and even more preferably not greater than 25%. (g) A wetting time of no more than 5 sec., and preferably no longer than 2 sec. (h) It is formed of fibers having a diameter of not more than about 20 μm, more preferably of about 15 to about 20 μm, and a length, at least when the sheet is a weft placed in air, of not more than 20 mm, preferably not more than 12 mm, and most preferably about 6 mm. A suitable form of top sheet is described in our Italian Patent Application no. TO 93a 000 402. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, there are 2 secondary sheets 28, 30, each of which has the aforementioned characteristics. The two layers of the secondary sheet are adhered to one another by, for example, a spiro hot melt adhesive, the term "spiro" referring to the adhesive which is applied in a spiral pattern. The use of a pattern, as it faces a continuous layer, safely preserves the permeable ability of the fluid to not be significantly damaged. (c) STORAGE NUCLEUS The storage core 32 is a thin, high capacity absorbent core. Although thin when dry, this element of the structure preferably expands when wetted to provide a high capacity for handling firm fluid, and must avoid collapse when wetted. The storage core by itself is preferably formed, as illustrated by a plurality of layers. For example, as shown in Figure 3, this may be a 3-layer structure in which the upper and lower layers of a cellulose tissue material (and may be the same, or different from, one another). The upper layer 34 is a non-woven web, placed in air, thermobonded, of short cellulose fibers, the lower layer 36 is a non-woven web placed by air also of short cellulose fibers, and the intermediate layer 38 is of a hydrogel insoluble in water. This is a polymer material in the form of particles, capable of absorbing a large quantity of liquids and retaining it under moderate pressures. This is commonly known by the abbreviation "AGM". It is important that the secondary sheet and the storage core work together. In particular, given the shape of the secondary sheet described above, it is possible in this structure to avoid the typical problem of the gel block in the storage core, because the secondary sheet provides the total distribution of the fluid, and then drains to the Absorbing core every time the storage core has not yet received fluid. As an alternative to the shape of the storage core described above, it can be one of a number of thin, high capacity materials. For example, the storage core can be a sheet of molten AGM particles as described in International Patent Applications Nos. 091/14733, W091 / 14734, 091/15352 and W091 / 15368, or a foam-sized capacity, as described, for example in Patent Publications K? "" International Nos. W093 / 04092, W093 / 03699, W093 / 04093, 093/04113 and W093 / 04115. Another possibility is to use a core that is a mixture of cellulose fluff and AGM. Even more preferably, the storage core may be a core comprising AGM as described in International Patent Application No. PCT / US93 / 06128, or as described in Italian Patent Application No. TO 03 A 01028 filed on December 31, 1993. TO 93 A 01028 describes a layered absorbent structure characterized in comprising, in combination, first and second layers of fibrous material, an intermediate layer comprising a hydrogelling absorbent material in an amount exceeding 120g / m2, distributed between the first and second fibrous layers, at least one of the first and second fibrous layers, second layers being permeable to the liquids, and also the intermediate layer comprising a thermoplastic material, the intermediate layer joining the first and second fibrous layers together, with the intermediate layer between / • - them. (d) REAR WATERPROOF SHEET 5 The backsheet 40 is impervious to liquids, and, thereby, prevents fluid that can be pressed from the absorbent core from staining the wearer's body or clothing. Suitable materials are well known in the art, including nonwoven and woven fabrics that have been treated to make them liquid repellent, liquid resistant, breathable or vapor permeable materials, and those materials described in the Patent. of the United States No. 3,881,489 and United States Patent No. 3,989,867 may also be used. are those materials that are impervious to fluid and vapor, to which they provide additional protection to the transfer of fluids. Especially preferred materials include thermoplastic films formed.

(E) CLIP ADHESIVE A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 42 is provided on the reverse side of the backsheet to enable it to be adhesively bonded to the wearer's panties. 25 (f) DESPENDABLE PAPER A removable silicone paper 44 removably covers the fastening adhesive of the panty 42 to allow the incontinence device to be packaged, and handled by the user before use, without attaching 5 of unintentionally likewise or to anything else. The release paper 44 is removed per user before use. Such release papers are well known in the art. The various layers are adhered to one another by adhesives arranged in suitable patterns and these are shown in FIG. 4. This sample: (i) The peel-off paper 44 and its adjacent layer of fastening adhesive of the panty 42 ( paper 44 extends beyond the adhesive 42, both at its ends and at its side edges). (Ii) The backsheet 40 and a layer of hot melt adhesive 46 extending to the total length thereof, by which the core 32 is joined. (Iii) The layers of the secondary top sheet 28 , 30, each with a respective layer 48, 50 of spiro hot melt adhesive extending to the total length thereof, whereby, respectively, the layer 28 is attached to the layer 30, and the layer 30 is attached to core 32. (In the drawing of layer 30 of Figure 4, the lateral boundary of the absorbent core is indicated by the dotted line). (Iv) A plurality of longitudinally spaced, longitudinally extending lines of hot melt adhesive 52 by means of which the upper sheet 20 is fixed to the layer of the secondary upper sheet 28, and the laterally outermost lines 53 by the which the upper sheet is fixed to the back sheet 40. The device 10 as described hereinabove with reference to the drawings would lie in a flattened plane. As illustrated in Figure 1, the device in fact has a generally planar central region 12 and an upward inclined region 14, 16 at each end. However, the basic requirements are for a device that is generally curved as seen in the longitudinal section, and this can take the slight curved shape that extends from one end of the device to the other, instead of having a region there. distinct flat central and extreme regions of upward inclination. The generally curved shape in any way that is achieved, enables the device to conform to a considerable degree to the user's body, with advantageous consequences in terms of its ability to capture urine and other bodily fluids. The effect just described is achieved by two elasticizing lines 54, 56, which are applied to the underside of the upper sheet 30. The elasticization preferably takes the form of two lines of a hot melt adhesive which is capable of being deactivated, and a phenomenon that is described in more detail below. Compositions suitable for the purpose of the present invention are described in our copending Italian Patent Applications () entitled (DR52 titles). In order to give some theoretical background, it should be noted that for any elastic adhesive composition the elastic modulus G 'can be measured as a function of temperature. At room temperature G '> G ", where G" is the viscous module. Even at a certain temperature, which coincides with the softening point of the material, G 'and G "cross each other at uniformly higher temperatures G" > G 'and the material is liquid, whereas when G' > G "the material is solid, at any temperature below the softening point, the value of G 'is related to the accumulation of the elastic tension, in this way, we subject the material to a certain temperature at a pressure at least equal or greater than the value of G 'at that temperature, the material itself, even if you remain solid, flows and the internal tensions relax.When this happens, the material ceases to be elastic, and is said to be or be " deactivated. "The required pressure is 0 at the softening point (at this temperature the material begins to turn into a liquid and any internal tension disappears spontaneously), while lower temperatures G 'increases as the temperature drops. Facts are used to provide the elasticizing lines 54, 56. A hot-melt adhesive is extruded, preferably having a composition as described in the Patent Application. Italian copendiente, lately mentioned, to give elongated pieces of adhesive, for example, filaments thereof. These are cooled, stretched to the desired elongation and tension, and applied to the lower surface of the upper sheet. A method for carrying out this procedure in our co-pending Italian Patent Application No. () filed on (), entitled (). The adhesion between the filaments and the upper sheet can be improved by pressing, for example with a roller. This roller can be heated to a moderate temperature to improve adhesion between the filaments and the top sheet. The combination of pressure and temperature should not be so large to cause deactivation, at least not over the total length of the filaments as described in Italian Patent Application No. () (title), the roller may have a surface smooth, or it may have an entrance surface in such a way that it presses the filaments in contact with the upper sheet only in the selected areas. Although, as already established adhesive filaments should not be deactivated through their total length, these can be, and preferably are deactivated over certain regions. At a plurality of separate points along the central part thereof, where it runs along the central region 12, the adhesive filaments may be subjected to a temperature or a pressure, or preferably a combination of temperature and pressure that, although sufficient to improve the adhesion of the filaments to the upper sheet at those points, is insufficient to cause deactivation. However, each filament is deactivated over the entirety of each of its end portions, where it runs along the upward inclined region 14, 16. This is done in such a way that the filaments are not in the stressed state in those parts, and sections 14, 16 do not curve as seen in the lateral elevation. The improved adhesion at the selected points, and the deactivation along the regions 14, 16, can be carried out using heat and / or pressure applied by the same member, for example a single roller, or by different members, by example, rollers. When a single member is used to perform both functions, the simple member may have a first zone where the applied temperature and / or pressure are sufficient to cause adhesion, insufficient to cause deactivation, and a second zone where the temperature and / or pressure is sufficient to cause deactivation. Typically, deactivation is carried out with a combination of temperature and pressure, in such a way that the required temperature is less than or equal to the softening point. In one example, the article has end regions each 45mm in length, over which the filaments are completely deactivated and a central region 156 mm in length on which the filaments are adhered to the top sheet on a plurality of short elements , each of 3mm in length, the center-to-center separation of these elements being 7.8mm. It should be understood that these values are given by way of example only. The measurements applied to the article in its extended state, ie, before the adhesive filaments are allowed to cause contraction of the central region. The filaments do not need to extend over the entire length of the article, and they can be extended only over part of the length thereof. Preferably, however, the filaments, whether or not they are in full length, have an elasticized portion extending over at least 35% of the length of the article, and these may extend over 40%, 45%, 50% or even more. In the examples just mentioned, the value is over 60%. Once the elasticizing lines 54, 56 have been applied to the upper sheet 20, it is thermally hooked to the backsheet 40, the adhesion being assisted in the crotch region by means of the additive lines 53. This step , the elasticizing lines 54, 56 are in tension. When this tension is released, the elasticity there causes the adjacent parts of the upper sheet (which are not adhered to the secondary upper sheet located below them) to rise in this way producing the lateral barriers 60, 62 (see Figure 3). ), and causing the incontinence device as a whole to assume the curved shape shown in Figure 1. Typically, the width of the top sheet, before assembling, exceeds that of the back sheet by approximately 45mm, thus allowing the formation of two barriers, each approximately 10 mm in height. These barriers 60, 62, together with the upwardly inclined end regions 14, 16, thus define a peak, a type of seal that couples the user's body, and help to prevent fluids escaping at the edges of the device. , before the device has taken the time to absorb it. It will be seen that each barrier has a triangular cross section, with the generally vertical triangle face walls not adhering to each other. All or part of the interior of one of these walls may be permeable to the fluid, but the other of these walls must be impermeable to the fluid. An example of a device for incontinence according to the invention will now be explained in more detail.

EXAMPLE This is a device for light incontinence to be used by an adult woman. The device is hourglass shaped as indicated in the drawings, and has a length of 246mm, a width at its widest point of 98mm, a width at its narrowest point of 76mm, and a weight of 10.58 grs . The details of the components used in the construction are shown in the following table. The corresponding measurements appear in the drawings, all of which are in mm.

PICTURE With reference to the above table, the top sheet is a laminated film / fiber composite material, partially perforated, as already mentioned with reference to EP-A-207904; The composite material can be rolled by ring, and the perforated region is 65mm wide. Ring rolling is used to provide the composite material with a degree of extension capacity. Suitable processes for ring rolling are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4107364, 5143679, 5156793 and 5167897. The absorbent core is a layered structure of the type described above. The upper fibrous layer is placed by air, thermally bonded, (approximately 76% cellulose fibers and approximately 24% two component fiber PE-PP) 219mm long, 56mm wide, and with a basis weight of 75 g / m2; the intermediate layer of 219 mm long and 48 mm wide, comprises AGM particles (XZ 9100'2.01 per Dow Chemical) with a basis weight of 385 g / m2; the lower fibrous layer is placed by air bound with latex (100% cellulose fibers 219mm long, 56mm wide and with a base weight of 55 g / mz) The upper secondary sheet is 100% two-component fiber PE-PP placed by thermally bonded air The backsheet is a 40 μm thick thermoplastic film The elastic glue is of the type described above The mode shown in Figure 5 is similar in most respects to that of Figure 3, and the same references are used for the corresponding elements, but increased by 100. The two modalities differ in that in figure 5 the upper sheet 20 wraps around the edges of the rear sheet 40, thus avoiding the flanges extending laterally of the upper sheet and the rear sheet that are present in Figure 3, in the region where the two are joined together The modality shown in Figure 6 is similar to the d The previous modalities, and the same reference numbers are used as for Figure 3, but increased by 200. The main difference of the previous modalities is that the upper sheet instead on its external lateral edge and seals itself, enclosing the Elasticizing lines A number of tests are referred to in the pre-citation description, and details are given below as to how these tests are conducted.

COLUMN IN HUMID The samples of 39 x 50mm are made of so many superimposed layers of material as needed to give a total basis weight of 500 g / m2. The samples are completely immersed in synthetic urine (the composition of which is given below) and left in it for a minute. These are then placed on a per-formed prexiglass plate and subjected to three dynamic compression and decompression cycles (press head speed 10mm / min, maximum load for each 2.7kPa cycle). The minimum thickness of the sample under compression is measured. The wet collapse is: (initial thickness - minimum thickness / initial thickness of the sample) x 100 (%) WET ELASTICITY In the test described above, the final thickness of the sample is measured after the last decompression. Then the wet elasticity is obtained as: (initial thickness - final thickness) / initial thickness x 100 (%).

WATERTIGHT TIME In this test, samples of the secondary leaf that have a volume of approximately 5 cm3 are tested. The samples are placed horizontally on the surface of the synthetic urine by means of a metallic net. The wetting time is the time needed for each sample to be completely soaked.

SYNTHETIC URINE The synthetic urine used was a solution in distilled water of the following salts (in% weight): 2% Urea, 0.9% sodium chloride, 0.11% magnesium sulfate (heptahydrate) 0.6% calcium chloride ( anidro).

Claims (11)

1. An absorbent sanitary device having a top side adapted to face the user and a back or back side adapted to be away from the user, the device being elongated and having its end regions generally directed upwards as seen from the top side, the diapoaititive comprising, as viewed from the upper side towards the rear side, a topsheet that is permeable to liquid, a fluid storage core, and a liquid impermeable backsheet sealed to the topsheet at least lengthwise of a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced sealing lines, the device being provided with separate, elasticized, erected, longitudinally extending barriers of the device along at least part of the length thereof, adjacent to each other. the lateral edges, laterally opposite of the same, inwards of said sealing lines, whose lines, in cooperation with said end regions, define a coupling surface with the user, the barriers being formed by elastic, upright portions of the upper sheet.

2. An absorbent sanitary device having a top side adapted to face towards the user and a back or back side adapted to give away from the user, the device being elongated and having its end regions directed generally upwards as seen from the side upper, the device comprising, as seen from the upper side towards the rear side, an upper sheet which is liquid permeable, a fluid storage core, and a liquid impermeable back sheet sealed to the upper sheet at least along a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced sealing lines, the device being provided with separate, elasticized, upright barriers extending longitudinally of the device along at least part of the length thereof; adjacent to their lateral, laterally opposite edges, whose barriers, in cooperation with said extreme regions, efinen a surface of coupling with the user, the barriers formed by elasticized, upright portions of the upper sheet, the material of the upper sheet having a greater width than the material of the back sheet.

3. An absorbent sanitary device having a top side adapted to face towards the user and a back or back side adapted to give away from the user, the device being elongated and having its end regions generally directed upwards as seen from the side upper, the device comprising, as viewed from the upper side towards the rear side, an upper sheet which is liquid permeable, a fluid storage core, and a liquid impermeable back sheet sealed to the upper sheet at least along a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced sealing lines, the device being provided with separate, elasticized, upright barriers extending longitudinally of the device along at least part of the length thereof; adjacent to their lateral, laterally opposite edges, whose barriers, in cooperation with said extreme regions, they effine a coupling surface with the user, the barriers being formed by elasticized, upright portions of the upper sheet, the elastification of said elastified portions extending over at least 35% of the length of the device. An absorbent sanitary device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least one secondary upper sheet placed between the first mentioned upper sheet and the storage core to act as a temporary fluid deposit. 5. An absorbent sanitary device according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the backsheet has a layer of adhesive on the side thereof that faces away from the fluid storage core, said adhesive being adapted to allow the device to be secured to a wearer's garment. 6. An absorbent sanitary device according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that each of said barriers is elasticized by means of a line of hot melt adhesive material. An absorbent sanitary device according to claim 6, further characterized in that said line of hot melt adhesive is applied to the side of the upper sheet which, in use, gives away from the user. 8. An absorbent sanitary device according to claim 7, further characterized in that said adhesive material is deactivated in at least one area to cause it to be inelastic in said zone, thereby influencing the shape of the device and / or increasing the adhesion of said material. An absorbent sanitary device according to claim 8, further characterized in that said material is deactivated along the end sections at each end thereof, which runs adjacent to said end regions of the device. An absorbent sanitary device according to any of claims 7 to 9, further characterized in that each line of hot melt adhesive is adhered to the upper sheet, or adhered thereto more firmly, at a plurality of separate points a along a central part of the same, this adherence, or firmer adhesion, being achieved by temperature or pressure, or a combination thereof. 11. An absorbent sanitary device according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that it is in the form of an incontinence device for use by an adult woman.