US-12622823-B2 - Absorbent article having flex bond channel regions

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article having a front end region, a back end region, and a middle region disposed between the front and back end regions. The absorbent article includes a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core structure disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and a flex bond channel region formed in at least the middle region. The absorbent core structure includes an upper nonwoven layer having polymer fibers; a lower nonwoven layer having polymer fibers; and an inner core layer disposed between the upper and lower nonwoven layers. The flex bond channel region has a dry channel depth of at least 1.0 mm and a channel width of from about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm. The flex bond channel region has a CD Bending Resistance Index of from about 1.1 to about 3.0, and a Dry MD Bending Resistance of less than about 0.04 N/mm.

Inventors

• Christopher Philip Bewick-Sonntag
• Rong Deng
• John David Norcom

Assignees

• THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230517

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A disposable absorbent article comprising: a front end region, a back end region, and a middle region disposed between the front end region and back end region; a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core structure comprises: a. an upper nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; b. a lower nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; and c. an inner core layer disposed between the upper nonwoven layer and the lower nonwoven layer, wherein the inner core layer comprises cellulosic fibers and superabsorbent particles; and a flex bond channel region formed in at least the middle region, wherein the flex bond channel region has a dry channel depth of at least 1.0 mm and a channel width of from about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm; and wherein the flex bond channel region has a CD Bending Resistance Index of from about 1.1 to about 3.0, and a Dry MD Bending Resistance of less than about 0.04 N/mm as measured according to the Flex Bond Channel MD Bending Resistance Method; wherein the flex bond channel region comprises one or more flex bond embossments and a flex bond land area disposed between each of the one or more flex bond embossments, and wherein each of the flex bond land areas have a length of from about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm.
2. 2 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the flex bond channel region has a minimum channel length of at least about 50 mm.
3. 3 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the flex bond embossments have an embossment length of from about 1.0 mm to about 4.0 mm.
4. 4 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article comprises an inner flex bond channel region and an outer flex bond channel region.
5. 5 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article has an average density of between about 0.045 g/cm 3 and about 0.15 g/cm 3 .
6. 6 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the upper nonwoven has a basis weight of from about 35 gsm to about 85 gsm.
7. 7 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the lower nonwoven has a basis weight of from about 10 gsm to about 40 gsm.
8. 8 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer comprises from about 125 to about 400 gsm cellulosic fibers.
9. 9 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer comprises from about 50% to about 85% cellulosic fibers, by weight of the inner core layer, and from about 15% to about 50% superabsorbent particles, by weight of the inner core layer.
10. 10 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article has a CD Dry Bending Stiffness between about 10 N·mm2 to about 30 N·mm2 as measured according to the Wet and Dry CD and MD 3 Point Bend Method, and a 5th Cycle Wet % Recovery of between about 29% and about 40% as measured according to the Wet and Dry Bunched Compression Method.
11. 11 . A disposable absorbent article comprising: a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; wherein the topsheet forms a wearer facing surface of the absorbent article and the backsheet forms an outward facing surface of the absorbent article; wherein the absorbent core structure comprises: a. an upper nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; b. a lower nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; and c. an inner core layer disposed between the upper nonwoven layer and the lower nonwoven layer; wherein the inner core layer comprises cellulosic fibers and superabsorbent particles; wherein the inner core layer comprises from about 125 to about 400 gsm cellulosic fibers; wherein the wearer facing surface of the absorbent article comprises a flex bond channel region having a Dry MD Bending Resistance of less than about 0.04 N/mm as measured according to Flex Bond Channel MD Bending Resistance Method and a channel density of from about 0.05 g/cm 3 to about 0.3 g/cm 3 .
12. 12 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the flex bond channel region has a channel depth of at least 1 mm.
13. 13 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the flex bond channel region has a channel width of from about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm.
14. 14 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 13 , wherein the flex bond channel region has a minimum channel length of about 50 mm.
15. 15 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the absorbent article has a thickness, and wherein the flex bond channel region has an average channel depth of about 20% to about 80% the thickness of the absorbent article.
16. 16 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein the outward facing surface comprises one or more flex bond depressions.
17. 17 . A disposable absorbent article comprising: a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core structure comprises an upper nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers and an inner core layer comprising from about 125 gsm to about 400 gsm cellulosic fibers; wherein the inner core layer has a wearer facing surface and an outward facing surface and the upper nonwoven layer is in direct contact with the wearer facing surface of the inner core layer; and a flex bond channel region comprising one or more flex bond embossments having an embossment length of from about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm; wherein the flex bond channel region has a channel depth of at least 1.0 mm and a channel width of from about 1.0 mm to about 4.0 mm; wherein the flex bond channel region has a Dry MD Bending Resistance of less than about 0.04 N/mm as measured according to Flex Bond Channel MD Bending Resistance Method, wherein the flex bond channel region has a channel density of from about 0.05 g/cm 3 to about 0.3 g/cm 3 .
18. 18 . The disposable absorbent article of claim 17 , wherein the absorbent core structure further comprises a lower nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers and is in direct contact with the outward facing surface of the inner core layer.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/413,638, filed Oct. 6, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/345,582, filed May 25, 2022, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/413,634, filed Oct. 6, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/480,335, filed Jan. 18, 2023, the entire disclosures of which are fully incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to an absorbent article having flex bond channel regions. More particularly, to an absorbent article having flex bond channel regions yet is still flexible and conforms closely to the body. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Absorbent articles are widely used among consumers, e.g., diapers, training pants, feminine pads, adult incontinence pads, etc. Generally, absorbent articles such as these comprise a topsheet and a backsheet, with an absorbent core structure disposed therebetween. These absorbent articles are designed to absorb and retain liquids and other discharges from the human body to prevent body and garment soiling. To absorb body fluid effectively without leakage, the absorbent article should conform closely to the wearer's body such that the absorbent article can catch body fluid in an intended place of the absorbent article (e.g., the center of the absorbent core structure). Historically, for menstrual applications, channels created by embossing have been leveraged to create bending lines in thicker and/or stiffer products to provide specific in-use pad shapes and to help improve the fit to the body. In traditional cellulose based absorbent core structures, channels are formed by applying a high compressive force in order to densify the cellulose to a point where the cellulose is irreversibly compressed. While such channels may provide a preferential bending location within the absorbent article, the high compression force (i.e., densification) needed to create the channel (and keep the channel in place) creates stiffness that can hinder the ability of the absorbent article to conform to the wearer's body in both the longitudinal and lateral directions. As such, these products are not believed to conform or fit to the body of the wearer as closely as possible, particularly at the portions that are adjacent to the discharge portion of body fluids in use, and thus, leakage is possible. To effectively conform to the body, it is desired that an absorbent article can bend at preferential locations in both a longitudinal and lateral direction. There is a need for an absorbent article that comprises channels yet can still be conformable to the body and flexible in both the longitudinal and lateral direction. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure solves the problem of absorbent articles having channels that are stiff and nonconformable by providing an absorbent core structure that can sandwich a liquid-absorbent material between two nonwoven layers that can plastically deform to form a flex bond channel region without high densification of the absorbent core structure and/or inner core layer. As described herein, the flex bond channel region may be flexible in both the longitudinal and lateral directions, thus allowing the absorbent article to conform closely to the body. An absorbent article comprises a front end region, a back end region, and a middle region disposed between the front end and back end regions; a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent core structure comprises: (a) an upper nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; (b) a lower nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; and (c) an inner core layer disposed between the upper nonwoven layer and the lower nonwoven layer, wherein the inner core layer comprises cellulosic fibers and superabsorbent particles; and a flex bond channel region formed in at least the middle region, wherein the flex bond channel region has a dry channel depth of at least 1.0 mm and a width of from about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm; and wherein the flex bond channel region has a CD Bending Resistance Index of from about 1.1 to about 3.0, and a Dry MD Bending Resistance of less than about 0.04 N/mm as measured according to Flex Bond Channel MD Bending Resistance Method. A disposable absorbent article comprises a topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent core structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; wherein the topsheet forms a wearer facing surface of the absorbent article and the backsheet forms an outward facing surface of the absorbent article; wherein the absorbent core structure comprises: (a) an upper nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; (b) a lower nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; and (c) an inner core layer disposed between the upper nonwoven layer and the lower nonwoven layer; wherein the inner core layer comprises cellulosic fibers and superabsorbent particles; wherein the inner core