MXPA99004560A - Highly efficient surge material for absorbent articles - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a surge material for personal care products which is a wettable web of fibers of 30 microns in diameter or less where the web has a permeability between about 250 and 1500 Darcys, a capillary tension between about 1.5 and 5 cm, and which maintains that permeability and capillary tension over the life of the web. It is preferred that the web has a density between about 0.02 g/cc to about 0.07 g/cc.

Description

HIGHLY EFFICIENT SURFING MATERIAL FOR ABSORBENT ITEMS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to absorbent articles particularly to absorbent structures which are useful in personal care products such as disposable diapers, incontinence guards, child care learning underpants, or sanitary napkins. More particularly, the invention relates to absorbent articles which have a part designed for a quick take, for a temporary liquid control, and for a subsequent release of the liquid emergencies repeated the rest of the article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Personal care products or absorbent articles that include diapers, training underpants, women's hygiene products such as sanitary napkins, incontinence devices and the like. These products are designed to absorb containing exudates from the body and are generally disposable or single-use items which are discarded after a relatively short period of use, usually a period of time. of hours, and that it is not intended that they be washed or used again. Such products are usually placed against or in proximity to the user's body to absorb and contain various exudates discharged from the body. All of these products typically include a liquid-permeable body side cover or liner, an outer cover or lower liquid-impervious sheet, and an absorbent structure placed between the body-side liner and the outer cover. The absorbent structure can include an underlying sprouting layer a and in as a communication contact with the forr from the side to the body, and a nucleosorbent frequently formed from a mixture or combination of cellulose pulp fluff fibers and underlying absorbent gelation particles. and in liquid communication contact with the emergence layer.

Desirably, the absorbent articles for personal care exhibit a low drainage of the product and a dry feeling for the user. It has been found that the orinad can occur at rates as high as 15 to 20 milliliters per second and at speeds as high as 280 centimeters per second and that an absorbent garment, such as a diaper can fail by wringing from the leg or from the areas of the front or back waist. The lack of capacity of the absorbent product to quickly take the liquid can also result in an excessive stagnation of liquid on the liquid. surface facing the body of the liner from side to body before the liquid is taken up by the absorbent structure. The stagnant liquid can dampen the wearer's skin and can drip from the waist leg openings of the absorbent article, causing discomfort and potential skin health problems, as well as soiling of the outer clothing or the user's bedding.

Runoff and stagnation can result in a variety of performance deficiencies in product design, or individual materials within the product. A cause of such problems is an insufficient rate of liquid intake into the absorbent core, which functions to absorb and retain exudates from the body. The intake of liquid from a given absorbent product, therefore, and particularly the side-to-body lining and emergence materials used in the absorbent product, should attempt to meet or exceed the expected liquid delivery rates within the absorbent product. An insufficient intake rate becomes even more detrimental to the operation of the product on the second, third and fourth liquid emergence. In addition, runoff can occur due to a poor wet product notch that results when multiple insults are stored at the target site and cause a sagging of the heavy and wet retention material structure.

Several approaches have been taken to reduce eliminating the runoff of absorbent articles for personal care. For example, physical barriers, such as elastized leg openings and elasticized containment flaps, have been incorporated into such absorbent products. The amount and configuration of absorbent material in the area of the absorbent structure in which typically occurs and emergence. of the liquid (sometimes referred to as the target area) have been modified.

Other approaches to improving the overall fluid intake of the absorbent articles have been focused on the side-to-body lining and its ability to rapidly pass the liquid to the absorbent structure of the absorbent article. Non-woven materials, including bonded carded fabrics and You have been linked with yarn, they have been widely used as liners from the side to the body. Such nonwoven materials are finally intended to be sufficiently open and / or porous to allow the liquid to pass quickly, while also functioning to keep the wearer's skin separate from the wetted absorbent that lies beneath the liner. Attempts to improve the liquid intake of the liner materials have included, for example, drilling the lining material, treating the fibers that form the liner material with surfactants to improve liner wettability, and altering the durability of the lining material. such surfactants.

Yet another approach has been to introduce one or more additional layers of material, typically between the body-side forr and the absorbent core, to improve the liquid intake performance of the absorbent product to provide a separation between the absorbent core and the absorbent core. Forming the side to the body adjacent to the user's skin. One of such additional layers, commonly referred to as an emergence layer, may suitably be formed from coarse nonwoven and elevated materials. Such layers, particularly the high-volume, high-rise, compression-resistant fibrous structures, provide a temporary absorption or retention function for the liquid not yet absorbed within the absorbent core, which has to reduce the return flow of the wetting back from the absorbent core to the lining Despite these improvements, there is a need for a better additional fluid intake performance of the lining materials used in the absorbent articles. In particular, there is a need for the lining materials which can be taken quickly and then control a part. grand a liquid insult per period extended between insults This improved handling is critical for narrow crotch absorbent product designs that use less retention storage material in the target region and incorporates distribution features that remove fluid for storage in locations remote in order to alleviate the problem Notch as a means to reduce runoff. present invention provides a highly efficient surfacing material which provides such take and hold liquid improvements when used in the absorbent articles.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION The objects of this invention are achieved by emergence material for personal care products which is a wettable tissue of fibers of at most 30 microns in diameter where the tissue has a permeability of about 250 and 1500 Darcys, a capillary tension of about 1.5 and 5 cm, and which maintains capillary tension permeability over tissue life. It is preferred that fabric have a density of between about 0.02 g / c about 0.07 g / cc. Such emergence material is suitable for use in narrow crotch personal care products, for example, diapers having a crotch of at least 7.6 cm in width.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view drawing of a cradle used for the fog evaluation test.

DEFINITIONS The term "disposable" includes being discarded after usually a single use and not intended to be washed and reused.

The terms "frontal" and "posterior" are used throughout this description to designate the relationships relating to the garment itself, rather than to suggest any position that the garment assumes when it is placed on a wearer.

"Hydrophilic" describes fibers or the surface of the fibers which are wetted by the aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree of wetting of the materials can, in turn, be described in terms of the contact angles and the surface tensions of the liquids and materials involved. Equipment and appropriate techniques for measuring the wettability of particular fibr materials can be provided by the Analyzer System.

Surface Force Cahn SFA-222, or by an essentially equivalent system. When measured with this system, the fibers that have contact angles of less than 90 ° are designated as "wettable" or hydrophilic, while the fibers that have Contact angles equal to or greater than 90 ° are designated as "n humidifying" or hydrophobic.

"Interior" and "exterior" refer to the positions relative to the center of an absorbent garment, particularly closer transversely and / or longitudinally away from the longitudinal and transverse center of the absorbent garment.

"Layers" when used in the singular may have the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.

"Liquid" means a non-gaseous substance and / or a material that flows and can assume an internal container form within which it is poured or placed.

"Liquid communication" means that liquid such as urine is able to move from one place to another place.

"Longitudinal" and "transverse" have their usual meanings. The longitudinal axis lies in the plane of the article when it is placed flat and fully extended is generally parallel to the vertical plane that divides a user standing in the left and right body halves when the item is used. The transverse axis lies in the article plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

"Particles" refers to any geometric forms such as, but not limited to, spherical grains to cylindrical yarns or fibers, or the like.

"Sprays" and variations thereof include forcibly ejecting the liquid, either as a current ta as swirl filaments, or atomized particles through a hole, nozzle or the like, by means of a pressure d air or other gas applied, by force of gravity, or mediant centrifugal force. Spraying can be continuous or non-continuous The "yarn-bound fibers" refer to small diameter fibers which are formed by extruding the melted thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of usually circular and fine capillary vessels of a spinning organ with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as for example taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,340,563 to Appel et al., and in U.S. Patent No. 3,692,618 issued to Dorschner et al., 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al. 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 granted to Kinney, 3,502,763 granted to Hartman, and 3,542,615 granted to Dobo and others. The attached fibers with yarns are usually not sticky when they deposit on a collecting surface. The fibers bound together are generally continuous and have average diameters (from a sample of at least 10) larger than 7 microns, more particularly, between about 10 and 20 microns. The fibers may also have shapes such as those described in US Pat. Nos. 5,277.97 granted to Hogle et al., 5,466,410 issued to Hills and 5,069.97 and 5,057,368 issued to Largman et al., Which describes fibers. with unconventional shapes.

"Melt-blown fibers" means fiber formed by extruding a thermoplastic material melted through a plurality of capillaries, usually circular and thin as threads or filaments melted in d gas streams (for example air) usually warm and high speed which attenuate the filaments of melted thermoplastic material to reduce its diameter, which can be a microfiber diameter. Then, the co-melt blown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and deposited on a collecting surface to form a meltblown fabric of randomly discharged melt. Such a process is described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,849,241. The fibers blown with fusion are microfibers which can be continuous or discontinuous and are generally more small of 10 microns of average diameter and are generally sticky when they are deposited on a collecting surface As used herein, the term "coform" means a process in which at least one blown die head is arranged about a conduit through which other materials are added to the fabric while the latter is forming. Such other materials can be pulp superabsorbent particles, cellulose fibers or short, for example. The coform processes are shown in commonly assigned United States of America patents Nos. 4,818.46 granted to Lau and 4,100,324 granted to Anderson et al. The fabrics produced from the coform process are generally mentioned as coform materials.

"Conjugated fibers" refer to fibers which have been formed from at least two sources of extruded polymer from separate extruders but spun together to form a fiber. Conjugated fibers are also sometimes referred to as dicomponent or multicomponent fibers. The polymers are usually different from one another even though the conjugated fibers can be monocomponent fibers. The polymers are arranged in different zones placed in essentially constant form across the cross section of the conjugated fibers and which extend continuously along the length of the conjugate fibers. The configuration of ta conjugate fiber can be, for example, a pod / core arrangement where one polymer is surrounded by another or can be a side-by-side arrangement, a cake arrangement or an arrangement of "islands in the sea". Conjugated fibers are taught in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,108.82 issued to Kaneko et al., 5,336,552 issued to Strack et al., 5,382,400 issued to Pike et al. For fibers of component components, the polymers may be present in proportions of 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 or any other desired proportions. The fibers may also have shapes such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,227.97 to Hogle et al., 5,069,970 and 5,057,368 to Largman et al., Incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, which describe fibers with shapes. Conventional n The "biconstituent fibers" refers to fibers which are formed from at least two polymer extruded from the same extruder as a mixture. The term "mixture" is defined below. The biconstituent fibers n have the various polymer components arranged in different zones placed relatively constant across the cross-sectional area of the fiber and the various polymers n are usually continuous along the entire length of the fiber, instead of this using fibrils or protofibrilla formers which start and end at random. The fibers d biconstituyente are sometimes also mentioned as multi-constituent fiber. Fibers of this general type are discussed in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,108,827 issued to Gessner. The bicomponent and biconstituent fibers are also discussed in the text "Mixtures and Polymer Compounds" by John A. Manson Leslie H. Sperling, copyright 1976 by Plenum Press, a division of the Plenum Publishing Corporation of New York, IBS 0-306 -30831-2, pages 273 to 277.

The "carded and bonded fabric" refers to fabric that is made of short fibers which are sent through a carding or combing unit, which separates or breaks lines the short fibers in the machine direction to form a non-woven fibrous fabric oriented in the direction of the machine generally. Such fibers are usually purchased from bales which are placed in a collector or mixer / open which separates the fibers before the carding unit. Once the tissue is formed, this is then joined by one or more of the various known joining methods. One such joining method is the binding with powder, wherein a powder adhesive is distributed along the fabric and then activated, usually by heating the fabric and the adhesive with hot air. Another suitable joining method is pattern bonding, where heated calendering rolls or ultrasonic bonding equipment are used to join the fibers together, usually in a localized bonding pattern, even though the fabric can be bonded across its entire surface if desired. Another well-known and suitable joining method, particularly when short bicomponent fibers are used, is the bonding via air.

"Air placement" is a known process by which a fibrous non-woven layer can be formed. In the process of laying by air, bunches of small fibers having typical lengths ranging from about 3 to about 19 millimeters (mm) are separated are carried in an air supply and then deposited on a forming grid, usually with the help of a supply with vacuum. The randomly deposited fibers are then bonded together using, for example, hot air or a sprayed adhesive.

The phrase "personal care product" means diapers, underpants, absorbent undergarments, incontinence products for adults, and products for women's hygiene.

TEST METHODS Multiple insult test (evaluation of MIST): in this test a fabric, material or structure composed of two or more materials were placed in an acrylic crib for similar curvature of the body of a user such as an infant. Such a cun is illustrated in Figure 1. The cradle has a width on the page of the drawing as shown of 33 cm and the ends are blocked at a height of 19 cm, an interior distance of between the upper arms of 30.5 cm and a angle between the upper arms of 60 °. The crib has a 6.5 mm wide slot at the lowest point running at the length of the crib on the page.

The material to be tested was placed on a piece of polyethylene film of the same size as the sample and placed in the cradle. The material to be tested and insulted with 100 mm of a salt water solution of 8.5 grams of sodium chloride per liter, at a rate of 20 cc / sec with a standard nozzle at the center of the material and 6.4 mm above the material . The amount of runoff was recorded. The material is immediately removed from the crib, weighed, and placed on a 40/60 dry pulp / superabsorbent pad having a density of 0.2 g / cc in a horizontal position under a pressure of 0.01 pounds per square inch. Weighed after 5, 15 and 30 minutes to determine the dislodgement of fluid from the material inside the superabsorbent pad as well as the retention of fluid in the material. The pulp fluff the superabsorbent used in this test is pulp CR-2054 d Kimberly-Clark (Dallas, Texas) and superabsorbent FAVOR 870 d Stockhausen Company (of Greensboro, North Carolina 27406) when other pulp and comparable absorbents can be used provided they give a 50 grams per square meter and 0.2 g / cc deconstruction pad which after immersion in a water solution salted under swelling-free conditions for 5 minutes, retains at least 20 grams of salt water solution per one gram of debris pad after having undergone a difference of air pressure, by means of vacuum suction for example, d about 0.5 pounds per square inch (about 3.4 kPa) applied across the thickness of the pad per minute. If the tested piece is made of other components (eg it is a laminate) the components or layers are separated, weighed to determine the liquid by dividing them between them after they are reassembled after which they are weighed and placed back on the superabsorbent / delete This test was repeated using the fresh debridement pads in each insult so that a total of three insults are entered and the fluid divider measured over 1.5 hours with 10 minutes between the insults. Five tests of each sample material are recommended.

Permeability: The permeability (k) can be calculated with the Kozeny-Carman equation. This is a widely used method. References include an article by R.W.

Hoyland and R. Field in the newspaper "Document of Technology Industry ", December 1976, page 291-299 and Pore Structure and Fluid Transport of Porous Media by F.A.L. Dullien, 1979, Academic Press, Inc. ISBN 0-12-223650-5.

Variable Equation Dimensions Calculated Permeability S '(l-e) 5 9.87 x lO "* Darcys _ 3.3e} Constant Kozeny r [l + 57 (l-e) J] dimensionless ~ (l-e) ° Area =? - cm2 / g r, .. ft P. surface per mass of material Heavy mass f V average component density Area of g / cm3 = Sv P «-or surface per solid volume of material Porosity cm Radius of fiber r?, eff without dimensions SA, effective for cylinders pd.L 4 l04 g / cm3 long 4pd ,? for spheres 3 8 d; pd, 2 6? l04 where di = diameter of component i (microns) Pi = density of component i (g / cm3) = fraction of mass of component i in woven BW = weight of sample / area (g / m2) = thickness of sample (mm ) under 0.05 pounds per square inch (23.9dyne / cm2) or 2.39 Pases (N / m2) load Permeability Example Calculation For a structure which contains 57% southern softwood pulp, 40% superabsorbent and 3% glutinous fiber, and has a basis weight of 617.58 g / m2 and a volume thickness of 5.97 mm of 0.05 pounds per inch square the example permeability calculation follows.

The component properties are as follows (note that the form is approximate): Component Shape Diameter d. Density Mass (microns) p .. (g / cm3) Fraction X.

Soft wood Cylinder 13.3 1.55 0.57 south Superabsorbent Sphere 1125 1.50 0.40 Glutinant Cylinder 17.5 0.925 0.03 pwob (g / cm3) BW 10 * t p ^ g / cm3) = 6 Z-58. (5.97) 103 p ^ ig / c 3) = 0.1034 e - -? - S P, 0.1034 0.1034 0.1034 = 1-0.57- - 0.40 -0.03- 1.55 1.49 0.925 e = 0.9309 Sv (cm2 / g) = x, 'G ,,. ÍG P, Sv (cm2 / g) = 1194 So (cm-1) = SvPavβ Soícm1) = 1194x1.496 Soícm'1) = 1786 K .. 3.5e5 r. , (l-e) «í ll i" J ~ * K = 10.94 k eJ 1 KSß2 (l-e) 2 9.87 x 10"* k (0.9309) 3 1 (10.94) (l786) 2 (l-0.9309) 3 9.87 x 10" 9 k = 491 darcys Caliber of material (thickness). The caliber of the material is a thickness measurement and is measured at 0.05 pounds per square inch with a Starret-type volume tester, in units of millimeters.

Density. The density of the materials is calculated by dividing the weight per unit area of a sample in grams per square meter (gsm) by the volume of the sample in millimeters (mm) to 68.9 Passes and multiplying the result by 0.001 to convert the value to grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc). A total of three samples were evaluated and averaged for the density values.

Transmission time and vertical liquid flow of an absorbent structure. A sample strip of approximately 5 cm by 38 cm material was placed vertically so that when the sample strip was placed on top of a liquid reservoir at the beginning of the test, the bottom of the sample strip touched only the surface of the liquid. The liquid used was a salt water solution of 8.5 g / 1. The relative humidity should be maintained at around 90 to around 98 percent during the evaluation. The sample strip was placed above the known liquid weight and volume and a stopwatch was started as soon as the lower edge of the sample strip touched the surface of the solution.

The vertical distance of the front liquid moving upwards from the sample strip and the weight of liquid absorbed by the sample strip at various times of recording. The time against the front height of the liquid s drew to determine the transmission time to about centimeters and to about 15 centimeters. The weight of liquid absorbed by the sample strip from the beginning of the evaluation to around 5 centimeters and to about 1 centimeters in height was also determined from the data. The vertical liquid flow rate of the sample strip at a particular altitude was calculated by dividing the grams of liquid absorbed by the sample strip of each of: the bas (gsm) weight of the strip; the time, in minutes necessary for the liquid to reach the particular height; the width, inches, of the sample strip. The capillary tension in the materials n containing superabsorbents (emergence materials) was simply measured by the vertical transmission height d equilibrium of 8.5g / l salt water solution after 3 minutes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Traditional absorbent systems for personal care products can be generalized with the functions of contention and control of emergement (retention) or SC.

The emergence control materials, the "S" in SC, are provided to quickly accept the incoming insult and either absorb, retain, channel or otherwise handle the liquid so that it does not run out of the article. The emergence layer can also be referred to as a take-up layer, a transfer layer, a transport layer and the like. An emergence material typically must be able to handle an incoming insult of between about 60 and 100 cubic centimeters at an insult volumetric flow rate of from about 5 to about 20 cubic centimeters / second, for infants, for example.

The containment or retention materials, the "C" in SC, must absorb the insult quickly and efficiently. These must be able to pull the liquid from the distribution layer and absorb the liquid without a significant gel blocking or a blocking of liquid penetration further into the absorbent by the expansion of the outer layers of the absorbent. The retention materials often contain high-rate superabsorbent materials such as mixtures of polyacrylate superabsorbent and fluff. These materials absorb and retain the liquid quickly.

As mentioned above, traditional absorbent systems that have the functions of emergence and containment control usually sustain the vast majority of any insult in the target area, usually l crotch. This results in products for person care that have crotches which are very wide. Examples of the retention and location capacity of the containment of various commercial diapers are presented in Table 3 of the United States of America Patent Application No. 08 / 755,136 filed the same day and assigned to the same transferee of this application. entitled ABSORBENT ARTICLES WITH CONTROLLABLE FILLING PATRON.

In contrast to traditional absorbent systems, the patent application "ABSORBENT ARTICLES WITH CONTROLLABLE FILLING PATTERNS" presents an absorbent system which includes components that have been designed, arranged assembled so that within a certain time after each insult, the Liquid will be located in a pre-specified area of the absorbent system, for example, remote target area. Using an absorbent system arbitrarily divided into five zones, these absorbent systems have a "fill ratio" of grams of fluid located in the central target zone, usually in the crotch, at one of the two end zones which is less than 5: after each of the three insults of 100 ml separated by 30 minutes. It is preferred that this filling ratio be d less than 3: 1, and more preferable that it be 2.5: 1. Many commercial diapers currently available have a supply of filling of 20: 1, 50: 1 or even larger, for example this must hold an insult of fluid in the crotch.

In addition to the control materials and sprouting containment in traditional absorbent systems, recent work has introduced another layer that interacts with and can interpose between layers S and C. This new layer is a distribution layer, which produces a with emergence control, distribution and containment or "SDC".

The distribution materials, the "D" in SDC must be able to move the fluid from the point of the initial depot to where storage is desired. The distribution must take place at such an acceptable rate that the area of target insult, usually the crotch area, is ready for the next discharge. By "be ready for the next discharge" it is meant that enough liquid is removed outside the target area so that the next discharge results in the absorption of liquid and runoff within acceptable volumes. The time between insults can vary from just a few minutes to hours generally depending on the age of the user.

Absorbent products such as, for example, diapers generally also have a liner which goes against the wearer, a bottom sheet which is the top layer.

Exterior. An absorbent product may also contain other layers such as the multifunctional materials described in the patent application Serial No. 08 / 754,414 filed on the same day and assigned to the assignee of the present application and which names MULTIFUNCTIONAL ABSORBENT MATERIALS AND PRODUCT MADE FROM THE SAME. Even though it seems obvious, it should be noted that in order to function effectively, the materials used in the absorbent systems for the personal care product must have sufficient contact to transfer liquid therein.

The lining is sometimes mentioned as a forr on the side of the body or upper sheet and is adjacent to the matter of emergence. In the direction of the thickness of the article, the lining material is the layer against the wearer's skin in this way the first layer in contact with the liquid or other exudate of the wearer. The lining also serves to isolate the user's foot from liquids maintained in an absorbent structure and must be docile, soft feeling and non-irritating.

Various materials may be used to form the body-side liner of the present invention, including perforated plastic films, woven fabrics, woven fabrics, porous foams, and similar cross-linked foams. Nonwoven materials have been found to be particularly suitable for use in forming the forr from the side to the body, including the fabrics joined with spinning blown with fusion of polyolefin filaments, polyamide polyester (or other similar fiber-forming polymer), carded and bonded fabrics of natural polymers (eg rayon or cotton fibers) and / or synthetic polymer fibers (for example of polyester polypropylene). For example the side-to-body forr can be a non-woven fabric bonded with filament of synthetic polypropylene filaments having an average fiber size (from a sample of at least 10) varying from about 12 to about 48 microns , and more particularly from around 18 to around 4 micras. The non-woven fabric can have a basis weight (for example varying from about 10.0 grams per square meter) (gsm) at about 68.0 grams per square meter, and more particularly from about 14.0 grams per square meter to about 42.0 grams per square meter, or volume or thickness varying from about 0.13 millimeter (mm) to about 1.0 millimeters, and more particularly from about 0.18 millimeters to about 0.55 millimeters, a density of between about 0.025 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc). Additionally the permeability of such woven fabric can be from about 150 Darcys to about 5000 Darcys. The non-woven fabric can be treated on the surface with a selected amount of surfactant, such as about 0.28% Triton X-102 surfactant or otherwise processed to impart the desired level of wettability and hydrophilicity If a surfactant is used, it may be an internal additive applied to the fabric by any conventional means, such as spraying, printing, embedding, co-brush coating and the like.

The emergence layer is most typically interposed between and in an intimate liquid communication contact with the side-to-body liner and another layer such as a distribution or retention layer. The emergence layer is generally below the inner (unexposed) surface of the lining from the side to the body. To further improve the transfer of the liquid, it may be desirable to hold the upper and / or lower surfaces of the emergence layer to the liner and distribution layer, respectively. Conventional joining techniques can be used including without limitation, adhesive bonding (using thermally activated and solvent-based adhesives, water-based adhesives), thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, perforation and bolt piercing, as well as combinations of the above or other appropriate bonding methods . If, for example, the emergence layer is adhesively bonded to the side-to-body liner, the amount of aggregate adhesive must be sufficient to provide the desired level or levels of attachment without excessively restricting the flow of liquid from the liner into the interior of the liner. emergence layer. The emergence material of this invention will be discussed in more detail below.

As described in the jointly owned and previously cited patent application of MULTIFUNCTIONAL ABSORBENT MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS MADE OF THEM, the multifunctional material has been designed to assist the emergence materials 1) by accepting a part of the discharge volume during the flow forced, for example during a real discharge, 2) by desorbing the material d emergence of the liquid during and after discharges, 3 by allowing a part of the volume of insult to pass through itself (the multifunctional material) to the distribution matter and 4) by permanently absorbing a part of the liquid insult. If such multifunctional material is used, the multifunctional material and emergence should be designed to work together as described in the jointly owned and previously cited patent application MATERIAL MULTIFUNCTIONAL ABSORBENTS AND PRODUCTS MADE OF THEM The basic structure of the multifunctional material is a mix unique of superabsorbent material, of high volume wet elastic pulp, and of a structural stabilizer component such as polyolefin binder fiber. The multifunctional material has a permeability of between about 10 and 1000 Darcys, a capillary tension of between about 2 and 1 centimeters, and a runoff rate of less than about 25 ml per 100 ml of insulti, over its life. The "life" of multifunctional material is considered to be three insults d 100 ml each where each insult is separated by 3 minutes In order to achieve the required capillary and permeability, it is preferred that the multifunctional material have between 30 and 75% by weight of slow-acting superabsorbent, between 25 and 70% by weight of pulp and from a positive amount of about 10%. of a binder component. The material should have a density between about 0.05 and 0.5 g / cc. The base weight of the material will vary depending on the product application but should generally be between about 20 and 700 grams per square meter. The multifunctional material is preferably located between the emergence and distribution layers.

The distribution layer must be able to move fluid from the initial initial deposit point to where storage is desired. The distribution must take place at an acceptable rate so that the target's insult area, usually the crotch, is ready for the next discharge. The time between downloads may vary from just a few minutes to hours, generally depending on the user's age. In order to achieve this transport function, a distribution cap must have a high capillary tension value. The capillary tension in the distribution materials is measured simply by the equilibrium transmission of 8.5 g / ml of salt water solution water according to the vertical liquid flow test, not by the given method for the materials that contain superabsorbents. A layer d Successful distribution should have a capillary tension greater than l of the adjacent layer (on the side towards the user) preferably a capillary tension of at least about 15 centimeters. Due to the generally inverted relationship between capillary tension and permeability, such high capillary tension indicates that the distribution layer will usually have a low permeability.

Another desired liquid transport property of a suitable distribution material is that it exhibits a vertical liquid flow rate, at a height of about 15 centimeters, suitably at least about 0.002 grams of liquid per minute. per square meter (gsm) d distribution material per inch width in cross section of distribution material g / (min * gsm * inch) to about 0.1 g / (min * gsm * inch). As used herein, the vertical liquid flow rate value of a distribution material is intended to represent the amount of the liquid transported through a limit by a specified vertical distance outward from a centralized liquid discharge location per minute. by standardized amount of distribution material. The vertical liquid flow rate, at a height of about 15 centimeters, of a distribution layer can be measured according to the test method described here.

Another property of the desired liquid transport of a dispensing material is that it exhibits a vertical liquid flow rate at a height of about one centimeter, suitably at least about 0.0 g / (min * gsm * inch) ) to about 0.5 g / (min * gsm * inch). The vertical liquid flow rate, at a height of about 5 centimeters of an absorbent structure can be measured according to the test method described herein.

The materials from which the distribution cap can be made include woven fabrics, and woven fabrics, foams and filamentary materials. For example, the distribution layer may be a layer of non-woven fabric composed of a woven fabric bonded to the upper side with d melting of polyolefin, polyester, polyamide (or other tissue forming polymer) filaments. Such nonwoven fabric layers may include homopolymer and biconstitutant fibers conjugated to short or other lengths and mixtures of such fibers with other types of fibers. The distribution layer can also be a bonded and carded fabric, an air-laid fabric or a wet-laid pulp structure composed of natural and / or synthetic fibers, or a combination thereof. The distribution layer d may have a basis weight of from 35 to 300 grams per square meter, or more preferably from 80 to 20 grams per square meter, a density of between about 0.1 of 0.5 g / cc and a permeability of between about 50 and 1000 Darcys.

The retention materials are typically cellulosic or superabsorbent materials and mixtures thereof. Such materials are usually designed to rapidly absorb liquids and retain them usually without a release. The superabsorbents are commercially available from a number of manufacturers including The Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Michigan and Stockhausen GmbH. As described in the jointly granted and previously cited patent application entitled ABSORBENT ARTICLES WITH CONTROLLABLE FILL PATTERNS, the retention materials can be zoned and their composition chosen to move liquids out of the target area to more storage locations. remote. Such a design more efficiently uses the complete absorbent article, and in the case of a diaper, for example, helps to allow the production of a narrower crotch article. The filling patterns and materials shown in the absorbent articles with controllable filling patterns result in a liquid by weight in the target area of less than 5 times that in the remote storage locations after an insult or multiple insults (up to three) of 100 ml, a significant improvement over previous designs.

The lower sheet is sometimes mentioned as the outer cover and is the layer farthest from the user. The outer cover is typically formed of a thin thermoplastic film, such as a polyethylene film which is essentially impermeable to liquid. The outer cover works to prevent the body exudates contained in an absorbent structure from wetting or soiling the wearer's clothing, bedding or other materials that make contact with the diaper. The outer cover can, for example, be a polyethylene film having an initial thickness d from about 0.012 millimeters to about 0.1 millimeters. The outer cover of polymer film can be etched and / or finished to matte to provide a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Other alternate constructions for the outer covering include woven or woven fibrous fabrics which have been constructed or treated to impart the desired level of liquid impermeability, or laminate formed from a woven or non-woven fabric and a thermoplastic film. The outer cover can optionally be composed of a "breathable, microporous and vapor or gas permeable material, which is vapor or gas impervious but essentially impermeable to liquid. The ability to breathe can be imparted to the polymer film by , for example, using fillers in the film polymer formula, extruding the polymer / filler formula d into a film and then stretching the film sufficiently to create gaps around the filling particles, thereby constituting the breathable film. Generally, the more filler is used and the higher the degree of stretch, the greater the degree of ability to breathe. The backs can also serve the function of a hunter member for the mechanical fasteners, in the case, for example where a non-woven fabric is the outer surface.

In relation to the emergence materials, various woven fabrics and non-woven fabrics can be used to construct an emergence layer. For example, the emergence layer may be a nonwoven fabric layer composed of a meltblown fabric or bonded with polyolefin filament yarn. Such nonwoven fabric layers may include conjugated, biconstituent and homopolymer fibers of short lengths and blends of such fibers with other types of fibers. The emergence layer may also be a carded and bonded fabric or an air-laid fabric composed of natural and / or synthetic fibers. The carded and bonded fabric may, for example, be a carded and bonded fabric, a carded and bonded fabric with infrared, or a carded fabric bonded through air. The bonded carded fabrics may optionally include a mixture or combination of different fibers, and the fiber lengths within a selected fabric may vary from about 3 millimeters to about 60 millimeters. The layers of previous emergence that have had a basis weight of at least about 0.50 ounces per square yard (about 1 gram per square meter), a density of at least d about 0.010 grams per cubic centimeter at a pressure of 68.9 Passes , a volume of at least about 1 millimeter at a pressure of 68.9 Passes, a volume recovery of at least about 75 percent, a permeability of about 500 to about 5000 Darcys, a surface area by hollow volume of at least d about 20 square centimeters per cubic centimeter. Examples of emerging materials can be found in U.S. Patent No. 5,490.84 issued to Ellis and others and in U.S. Patent No. 5,364,382 issued to Latimer. The emergence layers may be composed of an essentially hydrophobic material, and the hydrophobic material may be auxiliary treated with a surfactant or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of wettability and hydrophilicity. The emergence layers may have a generally uniform thickness and an area of cross section.

The emergence material of this invention is designed to refer to a number of critical aspects of liquid intake and control. These critical aspects include the permeability, the capillary tension, the pore structure, the uniformity and the elasticity of the sprouting material.

The emergence material structures of this invention should have permeability levels of from 250-1500 Darcys throughout the life of the product to allow a quick fluid intake for multiple insults. In combination with the permeability range, the emergence material must have a capillary tension level of 1.5-5 centimeters. The capillary tension range provides high control over the liquid within the emergence material that would otherwise be spread uncontrollably as the user moves, causing runoff, particularly in narrow crotch width designs. When referring to diapers and underpants, a narrow crotch is one which is at most 7.6 centimeters wide, more particularly at least 5 centimeters wide.

The target range of capillary tension is achieved by incorporating wettable fibers such as cellulosic or synthetic fibers into a fabric of material of emergence. The emergence material can be a mixture of cellulosic or synthetic fibers or can be a single homogeneous fiber type structure. The tissue of emergence material must be humid, but not each fiber must be humid to the same degree. The inventors have found that it is beneficial if at least 10% by weight of these cellulosic or synthetic fibers are highly wettable in the sense that they must have less than a durable contact angle of 50 °. with synthetic urine. Wettability can be achieved by internal addition to more commonly, treatment with a surfactant. Additionally, the range of fiber size in the tissue of emergence material ranges from a subdenier (0.5 denier or about 6.8 microns) to 30 microns in diameter (about 6 deniers) and more preferably the fiber size range is from 9.6 microns to about 22 microns in diameter. The density of the fabric from being relatively low in the emergence material of the invention, preferably ranging from about 0.02 g / cc to about 0.07 g / cc.

The combination of fine denier and low density provides a high fiber surface area for very high control over the movement of the liquid. This combination also results in pores within this type of structure which are highly connected. This means that the fluid can move along the fine fibers to access the void volume provided by the pores within the structure. The fine fibers create pores that can trap and retain the liquid for improved liquid control compared to previous art structures. However, because the pores are highly connected, liquid tightly retained and controlled can still be very rapidly desorbed to the underlying retention materials (or others).

In another aspect to this invention, the fibers forming the emergence material of this invention should be uniformly dispersed therethrough. Uniformly dispersed fibers are desired to ensure that the desired properties of capillary tension and permeability are present throughout the volume of the structure. Uniformity is also important to ensure the connectivity potential of the pores generated by the specific fiber range and density.

Finally, the elasticity of the emergence material helps to maintain the appropriate hollow volumes in order to take and control incoming liquid insults that can exceed 100 milliliters and vary from 30-15 milliliters over the life of the material. The "life of the material as used herein is simulated by at least three insults of 10 milliliters each of which are separated from each other by 30 minutes, and the" appropriate void volumes "mean hollow volumes of between about 30 and 150 ml The elastic nature of these sprouting materials is provided by the joint that occurs in the high number of cruc points provided by the low denier fibers.

A number of structures were tested in a multiple discharge test that used an acrylic crib that is curved to similar a curvature of the body of real users. as infants who use disposable diapers according to the MIST evaluation test. The results are given in Table 1 where the sample dimensions are in inches, ns refers to the number of times the structure was tested, and runoff after every three insults is given in milliliters and the fluid retained is given in grams of fluid per gram of tested material. The structures are placed in the cradle in a symmetrical manner so that the discharge is introduced at the sample half. The discharge volume is 100 milliliters and s enters at 20 milliliters / second. The amount of drainage is recorded, then the sample is removed from the cradle and placed on an absorbent retention structure for 5 minutes under 0.01 pounds per square inch. The absorbent structure is a 40/60 mixture of superabsorbent gel and fluff. After 30 minutes the emergence material is placed back in the cradle and insults are again made and the drip is recorded. The insult discharge procedure is repeated three times to simulate a situation of multiple discharges in the real environment. Examples 1-8 they are samples 11 centimeters wide by 2 centimeters long to provide 100 milliliters of hollow volume. Examples 9-11 are samples of 5 centimeters wide by 17 centimeters long placed in layers to provide 100 milliliters of accessible hollow volume. Note that the test samples that contained approximately 15 cubic centimeters of total volume calculated by multiplying the thickness times times length times. L Test configuration, however, resulted in less than 10 centimeters of total length accessible and usable to the insulting discharges in approximately 100 cubic centimeters of accessible hollow volume. It has been empirically found that the samples in the MIST test cradle use about inches in length on each side of the discharge point, 10.2 centimeters, not the full sample length, which results in the 100 cubic centimeters calculated from hollow volume.

Although Table 1 illustrates the functional data for the examples that fall within the scope of invention, Table 2 illustrates the structural compositional data for the same examples. The tissues in Tabl 2 were all bound through air. The denier, the percentage by weight and the type of fibers are given under the headings "fibr 1" and "fiber 2" and the properties are in the columns labeled in the units shown. Although the examples only include carded and bonded weaving and air-laying technologies, other technologies can provide the structural characteristics that cause the desired functional behavior. Note that all bonded and bonded fabrics used fibers from BASF Fibers, 6805 Morrison Boulevard Charlotte, North Carolina 28211-3577 which were bicomponent sheath / core / terephthalate d polyethylene / polyethylene (PE / PET) fiber with a finished d polyethylene glycol based on C S-2 as fiber 1. All air-laid materials used Fiber Hercule Inc. Fiber Division 7107 from Alcovy Road, Covington, Georgi 30209-2508 which were polyethylene / polypropylene (PE) fibers / PPP) of bicomponent sheath / core of type T-425 as fib 2. Rayon fibers were from Merge fibers 18453 of 1. denier of Courtaulds Fibers Incorporated of Axis, Alabama. Erase was CR 1654 pulp, commercially available from Kimberl Clark Corporation of Dallas, Texas and is predominantly southern softwood pulp pulp.

For the emergence material of this invention, the insult drip pain must first be equal to less than 30 ml from an insult of 100 ml delivered at 2 ml / second with the two remaining insults being equal to less than 45 ml each. . In the most preferred additions all three insults have drained values of less than equal to 25 ml.

In the examples that follow the component properties used in the calculations here were as follows: Note that the relationship between denier and diameter e as follows: diameter (microns) = (denier / (pi x fiber density x 9 x 105) 12 x 104.

EXAMPLES Example 1 is a carded and bonded fabric which illustrates a good balance of the desired properties. This structure contains 90% by weight of bicomponent fibers d 11. 3 centimeters of PE / PET core / sheath of 3 denier. The durable moisturizable nature in this fabric is supplied by a cellulose (1.5 denier rayon) present at 10% by weight. The capillary tension level is 1.7 centimeters. This cellulosic level does not collapse significantly upon being insulted so that the desired structural properties are similar through the three insults and the desired fluid control properties are very consistent through the insults multiple discharges. Additionally, because the two fibers present in the structure are 1.5 denier or 3 denier, the similar denier rang maintains a similar pore size range through the structure resulting in a highly connected structure that is very desorbed below. of the most preferred range of 2 g / g. A very desorbed tissue prepares the structure for a subsequent insult by regenerating the hollow volume.

Examples 2 and 3 are air placed materials that incorporate higher levels of cellulose (70-80% po weight of lint) to provide the durable wettable nature of the fabric. The initial structural properties the initial capillary tension levels are good and this is reflected in the very low first runoff values, however, the high cellulose content leads to a significant wet breakdown. The final properties and function are difficult to maintain due to the wet landslide and at 80% debris of Example 3, the material fails the third insult. The deformation in use by a user will cause an even higher degree of collapse with such high cellulosic content material and moisture levels will very likely be greater than one.

Examples 4 and 5 are carded and bonded fabrics and illustrate the tendency to collapse with wetting and retain fluid as it is increased in concentration to the low moisture modulus component. Example 4 contains 10% rayon d 1.5 denier to provide wettability to the emergence material while example 5 contains 50% rayon d 1.5 denier to provide this characteristic. Both have acceptable runoff values, but the upper cellulose containing fabric of Example 5 collapses with moisture and this way has higher second and third runoff.

In Example 6, the cellulose content (eraser) is 40% by weight, with much lower than the 80% level in examples 3 of placed by air. At this 40% level, with a 6-denier synthetic component of 60%, the drainage values are low and consistent from discharge to discharge because the structural characteristics of the fabric are more consistently maintained. Example 6 illustrated the preferred balancing of properties for air positioning technology.

Examples 7-9 are again carded and bonded woven materials, but unlike example 1, these examples use 100% synthetic with wettable treatments to provide the wettable nature. These samples have the capillarity and permeability specified per are based on all synthetic fibers with the topical treatment for wettability. Topical surface treatments with adequate durability may work well with appropriate material structures of the present invention.

Even though the examples of material work well, the higher capillary tension, the lower permeability structures provide better performance in these examples. The functional data illustrates that the material structures of this invention can also provide runoff values for narrow crotch designs. The low permeability of the higher density, however, results in potential picking restrictions at high volume rates. In addition to a higher density, a higher mass is required to deliver an adequate hollow volume. The most preferred structures to provide the lowest multiple slurry runoffs, the best tapping rate, and the lowest mass for the necessary void volume, incorporate the smallest diameter (0.5 denier) fibers with the most wettable surface (= 30). ° angle of contact with urine) and be the most uniform stable structure at the pore level.

The technology and the deficiencies of priv matter limit the assembly of the structure required for the optimum balancing of the properties of tap operation, for this material can be defined and simulated by the current mathematical modeling tools. The prophetic examples of Table 3 illustrate the structures suitable for mathematical modeling tools which were developed by placing fiber size, tissue density and contact angle limitations and calculating the other value to achieve the desired permeability. The predictive examples can be calculated by using a permeability model as in the Kozeny-Carmen equation that is known in the art. The concordance between the measured and calculated permeability can be seen from the data in Table 2 where the examples 1-6 which have both permeability are measured and calculated which coincide quite well. Once the fiber size and tissue density have been identified, the contact angle required to achieve a desired capillary tension is calculated using, for example, the LaPlace equation, which is well known in the art.

Using the data in Table 3 and comparing prophetic example A to B, C to D, and E to F one can see the benefit of reducing the fiber size and density of the id on the mass required to achieve a certain level of hollow volume. It is important to point out that for a reduction of given fiber size, the density of the fabric must also be reduced in order to maintain the desired level of permeability. Comparing the prophetic example A to C one can see that the extra extra is required to provide the hollow volume with a lower permeability structure when The same fiber size is used. Comparing the prophetic examples of B, D, one can see that the density of mass tissue controls the mass requirements to achieve the requirements of hollow volume. The benefit of using smaller fiber sizes is the ability to achieve lower permeability with the same fiber mass.

Table 4 describes the comparative example materials that fall outside the scope of the invention. All samples are 7 inches by 8 inches. In Table 4, "training teaching" refers to the method for making and weaving wherein BWC means the carded and bonded fabric, and the blown with fusion and the air-laid have their conventional meanings. The density is given in gm / cc, K is the permeability calculated in Darcys, BW is the basis weight in grams per square meter and the runoff for three insults is given in ml. The first three examples in this Table illustrate the facts made in accordance with US Pat. No. 5,364,382.

Comparative Example 1 is a bonded and carded fabric that mixes low denier cotton (1.5) and higher denier PET fibers (40). This large difference in fiber sizes creates intermixed pore sizes which interfere with the pore connectivity within the structure. The large pores maintain the level of capillary tension low and outside of this invention even when a wettable component (cotton) is in the structure. In addition, the intermixed pore sizes cause the local areas to have permeability levels above the calculated average and shown in Table 4. These areas in the fabric have very low control over the fluid. The low capillary tension of some areas of higher permeability result in high runoff values, outside the scope of this invention.

Comparative Example 2 is also a bonded and carded fabric that mixes a wide range of fiber sizes. In this case the capillary tension is low and the permeability is high through the structure resulting in unacceptable valves of a superior runoff.

Comparative example 3 is a meltblown forming technology, again with a very wide range of fiber sizes as shown by the standard deviation, resulting in local areas of high permeability and therefore reduced control over the liquid .

The last four structures in the Table illustrate the woven materials carded and attached and placed by air that also fall outside the scope of this invention.

Comparative example 4, for example, has a starting capillary tension level that is above the desired 5 cm level and a permeability below the desired 25 Darcys limit. Even though these levels produce the first acceptable insult drip values, the high cellulose content in combination with the lower denier fibers n can maintain performance. Wet collapse causes an increase in capillary tension and a decrease in permeability resulting in high and unacceptable second and third discharge discharge valves. Comparative Example 5 illustrates a similar mechanism of wet collapse with the second and third high runoff.

The comparative example 6 is a carded and bonded tissue structure which is close to the limits of both capillary tension and permeability levels, but which mixes large and small fibers which results in two properties n being uniformly maintained throughout the structure . Even when the difference in fiber sizes is not as great as in comparative examples 1, 2 and 3, the difference is large enough to intermix pores and for inadequate liquid control.

Finally, comparative example 7 is a structure placed by air that uses a very high cellulose content (80%). With this amount of rubbish, the initial operation is good, but the wet collapse prevents a great operation on the second and third insults.

Table 1 ? n Table. 2 Table 3 Proph Radius of Density Angle Tension PermeaMasa etic hair fiber fabric bility for 100 Ex. (Micras) (gm / cc) contact (cm) (miera ml (degrees) cuadra- volume da) hollow (gm) A 13.9 0.05 57 2.5 1000 5.28 B 6.7 0.02 47 2.5 1000 2.04 C 14.0 0.06 63 2.5 750 6.42 D 5.8 0.02 54 2.5 750 2.04 E 13.1 0.07 69 2.5 500 7.58 F 6.5 0.03 64 2.5 500 3.1 G 4.8 0.02 61 2.5 500 2.04 Table 4 Although only a few embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications to exemplary embodiments are possible without departing materially from the novel teachings and the advantages of this invention. Therefore, all these modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. In the claims, the media clauses plus function are intended to cover the structures described herein, carrying out the recited function and not only the structural equivalents without also the equivalent structures. Therefore even when a nail and a screw may not be equivalent structures in the sense that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to ensure wood cuts together, while a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of the fastening d parts of wood, a nail and a screw can be equivalent structures.

Claims (19)

1. - A sprouting material for personal care products comprising a woven fiber fabric of at most 30 microns in diameter where tissue has a permeability of between about 250 and 150 Darcys, a capillary tension of between about 1.5 and centimeters, and which maintains said permeability and capillary tension over the life of the tissue.

2. - A product for personal care selects the group consisting of diapers, underpants d learning, absorbent undergarments, adult incontinence products and products for the hygiene of women that comprises the material of clause 1.

3. - The product as claimed in clause 2 characterized in that said product for personal care is a product for the hygiene of women.

4. - The product as claimed in clause 2 characterized in that said product for personal care is a product for adult incontinence.

5. - The product as claimed in clause 2 characterized in that said product for personal care is a diaper.

6. - The product as claimed in clause 5 characterized in that it has a crotch width d to more than 7.6 centimeters.

7. - A personal care product comprising the emergence material as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that it has less than 25 ml d runoff from each of three insults of 100 m delivered at a rate of 20 ml / second to 30 minute intervals between each insult according to a MIST evaluation test.

8. - A surfacing material for personal care products comprising a fabric having at least 10% by weight of wettable fibers of at most 30 mm in diameter where said fabric is produced by a method selected from the group consisting of of carded and joined, and placed by air and where said fabric has a density of about 0.02 g / cc to alredcedor of 0.07 g / cc and a capillary tension of between about 1.5 and 5 centimeters.

9. - A product for the care person selected from group consisting of diapers, briefs apprenticeship, absorbent undergarments, adult incontinence products and products for the hygiene of women that includes the material as claimed in clause 8.

10. - The product as claimed in clause 9, characterized in that said product for personal hygiene is a product for feminine hygiene.

11. - The product as claimed in clause 9, characterized in that said product for personal care is a product for adult incontinence.

12. - The product as claimed in clause 9, characterized in that said product for personal care is a diaper.

13. - The diaper as claimed in clause 12, characterized in that it has a crotch width of at least 7.6 centimeters.

14. - A sprouting material for personal care products comprising a weave of from about 10 to 100 percent by weight of wettable fibers of at most 30 microns in diameter, wherein said fabric has a density of from about 0.02 g / cc to around 0.07 g / cc, a permeability of between about 250 and 1500 Darcys a capillary tension of between about 1.5 and 5 centimeters, and which maintains said permeability and capillary tension through three discharged 100 ml each where each discharge is separated by 30 minutes.

15. - A product for personal care selected to the group consisting of diapers, underpants d learning, absorbent undergarments, incontinence products for adults and products for the hygiene of the woman comprising the material as claimed in clause 14.

16. - The product as claimed in clause 15 characterized in that said product for personal care is a product for the hygiene of women.

17. - The product as claimed in clause 15 characterized by said product for personal care is a product for adult incontinence.

18. - The product as claimed in clause 15 characterized in that said product for personal care is a diaper.

19. - The diaper as claimed in clause characterized because it has a crotch width of at least 7.6 centimeters.