Granted Patent B2

US 12,303,361 · App. 18/420,813 · Granted May 20, 2025

Inventors: Han Xu (Cincinnati, OH); Meganne Frisch (Cincinnati, OH); Jaroslav Kohut (Znojmo, CZ); Sascha Kreisel (Frankfurt am Main, DE); Jiri Kummer (Znojmo, CZ); Fang Liu (Mason, OH); Michael J. Roddy (Cincinnati, OH); Patricia Rolon (Cincinnati, OH); Eric R. Schurdak (Cincinnati, OH)

Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company

A61F13/15577A61F13/5116A61F13/51401A61F13/53C08L23/12A61F2013/15959A61F2013/5103A61F2013/51178A61F2013/51411A61F2013/51452A61F2013/53062

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a nonwoven topsheet comprising:

a first nonwoven web comprising:

continuous multi-component fibers comprising polypropylene, wherein the polypropylene has a crystallinity of between about 20% and about 41%, according to a Crystallinity Test, and wherein the polypropylene has a melting temperature of between about 130° C. and about 161° C.;

wherein the nonwoven topsheet defines a plurality of apertures, wherein the nonwoven topsheet comprises one or more melt lips at least partially surrounding one or more of the plurality of apertures, and wherein a maximum measurable aperture area equivalent diameter is between about 1.2 mm and about 10 mm, according to an Aperture Area Equivalent Diameter Test;

wherein the nonwoven topsheet has an extensibility of between about 300% and about 450%, according to a High Speed Tensile Test; and

wherein every gram per square meter of nonwoven topsheet has a neckdown modulus of greater than 56 N/m, according to a Neckdown Modulus Test;

a liquid impermeable backsheet; and

an absorbent core positioned at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the continuous multi-component fibers comprise polyethylene, and wherein the polyethylene reaches a crystallization peak maximum in less than 1360 ms, according to a Flash DSC Method.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the continuous multi-component fibers comprise bi-component spunbond fibers.

4. The absorbent article of claim 3 , wherein the bi-component spunbond fibers have a sheath-core configuration comprising a sheath and a core, wherein the sheath comprises the polyethylene, and wherein the core comprises the polypropylene.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first nonwoven web comprises a primary bond area of about 10% to about 35%, according to a Primary Bond Area Test.

6. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of apertures are formed from overbonds, and wherein portions of perimeters of at least some of the apertures comprise a melt lip.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven topsheet has an Effective Open Area of between about 7% and about 30%, according to an Effective Open Area Test.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven topsheet comprises a second nonwoven web, wherein the first nonwoven web is hydrophobic, and wherein the second nonwoven web is hydrophilic.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the apertures are non-homogeneous.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven topsheet has a lint production of between about 3% and about 9%, according to a Tape Stripping Test.

11. A nonwoven web for an absorbent article, the nonwoven web comprising:

spunbond bi-component fibers comprising polypropylene, wherein the polypropylene has a crystallinity of between about 20% and about 41%, according to a Crystallinity Test, wherein the polypropylene has a melting temperature of between about 130° C. and about 161° C., wherein the spunbond bi-component fibers comprise polyethylene, wherein the polyethylene reaches a crystallization peak maximum in less than 1360 ms, according to a Flash DSC Method, and wherein the nonwoven web has an extensibility of between about 300% and about 450%, according to a High Speed Tensile Test.

12. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , wherein the spunbond bi-component fibers comprise polyethylene, and wherein the polyethylene reaches a crystallization peak maximum in less than 1360 ms, according to the Flash DSC Method.

13. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , wherein the spunbond bi-component fibers have a sheath-core configuration comprising a sheath and a core, wherein the sheath comprises the polyethylene, and wherein the core comprises the polypropylene.

14. The nonwoven web of claim 11 ,

wherein every gram per square meter of nonwoven web has a neckdown modulus of greater than 56 N/m, according to a Neckdown Modulus Test.

15. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises a plurality of overbonds.

16. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , comprising a plurality of non-homogeneous apertures, wherein the nonwoven web has a maximum measurable aperture area equivalent diameter between about 1.5 mm and about 10 mm, according to an Aperture Area Equivalent Diameter Test.

17. The nonwoven web of claim 16 , wherein portions of perimeters of at least some of the apertures comprise a melt lip.

18. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , wherein the nonwoven web has an Effective Open Area of between about 7% and about 25%, according to an Effective Open Area Test.

19. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , wherein the nonwoven web is joined to a second nonwoven web to form a laminate, wherein the nonwoven web is hydrophobic, wherein the second nonwoven web is hydrophilic, the second nonwoven web comprising spunbond bi-component fibers comprising polypropylene, wherein the polypropylene has a crystallinity of between about 20% and about 41%, according to the Crystallinity Test, and wherein the polypropylene has a melting temperature of between about 130° C. and about 161° C.

20. The nonwoven web of claim 11 , wherein the nonwoven web has a lint production of between about 3% and about 9%, according to a Tape Stripping Test.

Continuity (3)

References Cited (370)