US-12622820-B2 - Feminine hygiene pad with differing functional arrangements of topsheet apertures

US12622820B2US 12622820 B2US12622820 B2US 12622820B2US-12622820-B2

Abstract

A feminine hygiene pad is disclosed. The disclosed pad has a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, and has a topsheet including a nonwoven web, a backsheet, and an absorbent structure between the topsheet and the backsheet. The nonwoven web includes at least a first arrangement of first apertures having a first average size, and a second arrangement of second apertures having a second average size. The first average size is greater than the second average size. The first arrangement occupies a rectangular central region centered about the longitudinal axis and straddling the lateral axis. The first average size is 0.4 mm 2 to 0.6 mm 2 ; and the central region has an Average Percent Open Area of 1 to 12 percent. The second arrangement occupies one or more regions laterally and/or longitudinally outboard of the central region, and the second average size is 0.05 mm 2 to 0.2 mm 2 .

Inventors

Debora Christine Ebert
Misael Omar AVILES
Rong Deng

Assignees

THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20221031

Claims (20)

1 . A feminine hygiene pad having a longitudinal axis oriented along a y-direction, a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis oriented along an x-direction, and a pad caliper measured along a z-direction orthogonal to the longitudinal and lateral axes, and comprising a liquid permeable topsheet comprising a first fibrous nonwoven web, a backsheet beneath the topsheet, and an absorbent structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein: the first fibrous nonwoven web comprises at least two arrangements of apertures therethrough, including a first arrangement of first apertures having a first average size, and a second arrangement of second apertures having a second average size, wherein the first average size is greater than the second average size; wherein the first arrangement occupies a rectangular central region that is 80 mm long by 20 mm wide, has forward and rearward sides and left and right sides, and is centered about the longitudinal axis and lies on both forward and rearward sides of the lateral axis; the first average size is 0.4 mm 2 to 0.6 mm 2 ; and the central region has an Average Percent Open Area of 1 to 12 percent; wherein the second arrangement occupies one or more regions longitudinally outboard of the central region, and the second average size is 0.05 mm 2 to 0.2 mm 2 ; and wherein the second arrangement comprises one or more paths of the second apertures, wherein each of the one or more paths comprises a group of the second apertures such that for each of the one or more paths: each second aperture of the group is located a distance of not greater than three times a largest dimension of the second apertures in the group from its immediate neighbor second aperture in the group; or there is no break angle among the second apertures of the group that is less than 120 degrees, wherein the break angle is at an intersection of path lines through geometric centers of immediate neighboring second apertures in the group.
2 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein the second arrangement further occupies one or more regions laterally outboard of the central region, wherein the second arrangement comprises the one or more paths of apertures of the second average size oriented generally along a longitudinal direction, lying laterally outboard of either side of the central region and straddling the lateral axis.
3 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein the second arrangement comprises the one or more paths of apertures of the second average size extending at least in part along a lateral direction, lying longitudinally outboard of either or both the forward and rearward ends of the central region and straddling the longitudinal axis.
4 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 3 , wherein the paths of the apertures of the second arrangement extend over the longitudinal axis of the feminine hygiene pad along the lateral direction and wherein the paths of the apertures of the second arrangement extend along a periphery of the absorbent structure and enclose the rectangular central region.
5 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein the apertures in one or both of the first arrangement and second arrangement have an average aspect ratio of from 2.5:1 to 1:2.5.
6 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein the first nonwoven web comprises staple fibers, wherein some or all of the apertures in one or both the first and second arrangements are surrounded by densified agglomerations of material(s) of which fibers of the first nonwoven web are composed, the materials having been plastically deformed and/or fused via z-application of localized z-direction direction compression.
7 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 6 , wherein the first nonwoven web comprises a plurality of randomly distributed fiber-to-fiber bonds therewithin, the fiber-to-fiber bonds not exhibiting effects of z-direction compression in the formation thereof.
8 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 , wherein the first nonwoven web comprises bicomponent fibers.
9 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 8 wherein the bicomponent fibers are of a sheath-core bicomponent configuration having a sheath component and a core component.
10 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the core component comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of PET, PP and PE and combinations thereof.
11 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 9 wherein the sheath component comprises PE.
12 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein constituent fibers of the first nonwoven web comprise fibers that are, in weight proportion, substantially hydrophobic, or rendered hydrophobic via fiber surface finish.
13 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 wherein the first nonwoven web includes a first layer component having a first fiber constitution and a second layer component having a second fiber constitution differing from the first fiber constitution.
14 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 13 wherein the first layer comprises predominantly hydrophobic fibers and the second layer comprises predominantly hydrophilic fibers.
15 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 13 wherein the second fiber constitution comprises a combination of bicomponent fibers and hollow monocomponent fibers.
16 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 15 wherein the hollow monocomponent fibers comprise PET.
17 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 13 wherein the second fiber constitution comprises cellulosic fibers.
18 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 17 wherein the cellulosic fibers comprise regenerated cellulose.
19 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 comprising a fluid management layer disposed beneath the topsheet, the fluid management layer comprising a second fibrous nonwoven web, wherein the apertures through the first nonwoven web extend in a z-direction at least partially through the second fibrous nonwoven web, wherein the first fibrous nonwoven web and the second fibrous nonwoven web are at least partially bonded together about perimeters of apertures extending through each, wherein material at the perimeters of apertures through the topsheet is recessed along a z-direction from the uppermost surface regions of the topsheet.
20 . The feminine hygiene pad of claim 1 , wherein the one or more paths of apertures of the second average size provide: an actual effect comprising a barrier structure to prevent fluid from migrating across the topsheet to locations outside the one or more paths; and a visual effect that imparts the pad with a pillowy visual appearance.

Description

BACKGROUND Feminine hygiene pads, also sometimes known as sanitary napkins, have been marketed, and in use for many years, by women for purposes of intercepting and absorbing menstrual discharge, and preventing soiling of underwear, outer clothing, bedclothes, etc. Manufacturers of feminine hygiene pads continuously strive to improve the products to improve performance and consumer/user satisfaction. A focus of attention for development has been pad topsheet material. Generally, users prefer material that feels soft, pliable and comfortable against the skin; is breathable and does not have a plastic film-like feel; functions to rapidly receive and pass discharged menstrual fluid downwardly therethrough to absorbent components beneath, and alone or in combination with underlying components, maintains a relatively dry feel after a discharge, through a combination of rapid transfer of discharged fluid down to underlying absorbent components, avoidance of absorbing fluid itself, and avoidance or resistance to “re-wetting” by fluid residing in the absorbent components. For some users, it may be important that the topsheet have some opacity and resulting ability to reduce visibility of staining of the absorbent components by absorbed fluid, to the greatest extent feasible. Because these functional objectives for topsheet material are often somewhat in tension with each other with respect to material performance characteristics, producing a topsheet material that fully meets all of these objectives remains a challenge, and opportunity for improvement continues to exist. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view depiction of an example of an absorbent article in the form of a feminine hygiene pad. FIG. 2A is a schematic lateral cross section of one non-limiting example of the feminine hygiene pad of FIG. 1, taken through line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a schematic lateral cross section of one possible alternative non-limiting example of the feminine hygiene pad of FIG. 1, taken through line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective depiction of a pair of aperturing rollers in operation upon a nonwoven web. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view depiction of equipment on a manufacturing line including a pair of aperturing rollers in operation upon a nonwoven web. FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic side view depictions of differing alternative non-limiting examples of pairs of aperturing rollers. FIGS. 6A and 6B are respective schematic mid-section, and perspective, views of an example of an aperturing pin. FIG. 7 is a schematic magnified cross-section (taken along a y-z plane) depiction of an aperturing pin operating on a portion of a nonwoven web in a nip between aperturing rollers. FIG. 8 is a schematic magnified cross-section (taken along a y-z plane) depiction of a portion of a nonwoven web having an aperture therethrough. FIG. 9 is a schematic further magnified cross-section (taken along a y-z plane) depiction of the portion of the nonwoven web shown within circle 9 shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10A is a schematic magnified plan view (along a z-direction) depiction of a portion of the nonwoven web including an aperture. FIG. 10B is a magnified photograph of a portion of a nonwoven web following its exit from a nip between an aperturing roller and an opposing roller. FIG. 10C is a further magnified photograph of a portion of a nonwoven web following its exit from a nip between an aperturing roller and an opposing roller. FIG. 11 is a plan view (along a z-direction) image of a portion of a nonwoven web material having a pattern of apertures therethrough. FIG. 12 is a plan view (along a z-direction) magnified image of a portion of a nonwoven web material having an aperture therethrough. FIG. 13 is a plan view (along a z-direction) magnified image of a portion of a nonwoven web material having an aperture therethrough. FIG. 14 is a schematic expanded plan view (along a z-direction) of an example of a path of apertures. FIG. 15 is a schematic expanded z-direction cross section of a combination of a topsheet and fluid management layer having apertures formed through the combination. DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES Definitions As used herein, the following terms shall have the meaning specified thereafter: The term “integrated” as used herein is used to describe fibers of a nonwoven material which have been intertwined, entangled, and/or pushed/pulled in a positive and/or negative Z-direction (direction of the thickness of the nonwoven material). Some exemplary processes for integrating fibers of a nonwoven web include spunlacing and needlepunching. Spunlacing (also known as “hydroentangling” or (“hydroenhancing”) uses a plurality of high pressure water jets directed at a precursor batt or accumulation of fibers being conveyed along a machine direction, to entangle the fibers. Needlepunching (also known as “needling”) involves the use of specially-featured needles to mechanically push and/or pull fibers, of a precur