US 11,911,250 B2
Absorbent structure for absorbent articles
Rodrigo Rosati, Frankfurt am Main (DE); Carsten Heinrich Kreuzer, Hofheim (DE); Hans Adolf Jackels, Mechernich (DE); Blanca Arizti, Frankfurt am Main (DE); Ernesto G Bianchi, Oberursel (DE); and Donald Carroll Roe, West Chester, OH (US)
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed by The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed on May 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/738,485.
Application 17/738,485 is a continuation of application No. 16/541,267, filed on Aug. 15, 2019, granted, now 11,602,467.
Application 16/541,267 is a continuation of application No. 15/887,341, filed on Feb. 2, 2018, granted, now 11,135,105, issued on Oct. 5, 2021.
Application 15/887,341 is a continuation of application No. 13/491,642, filed on Jun. 8, 2012, granted, now 10,561,546, issued on Feb. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/495,401, filed on Jun. 10, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2022/0265487 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 13/535 (2006.01); A61F 13/532 (2006.01); A61F 13/53 (2006.01); A61F 13/537 (2006.01); A61K 38/10 (2006.01); A61K 38/12 (2006.01); A61K 45/06 (2006.01); A61K 9/00 (2006.01); A61K 38/16 (2006.01); C07K 7/52 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 13/535 (2013.01) [A61F 13/532 (2013.01); A61F 13/537 (2013.01); A61K 9/0019 (2013.01); A61K 38/10 (2013.01); A61K 38/12 (2013.01); A61K 38/16 (2013.01); A61K 45/06 (2013.01); C07K 7/52 (2013.01); A61F 2013/530554 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of making an absorbent structure for an absorbent article, the absorbent structure comprising:
a supporting sheet and an absorbent layer supported thereon, the absorbent layer comprising an absorbent material that comprises at least a superabsorbent polymer material;
the absorbent structure and the absorbent layer having a longitudinal dimension and an average length, a transverse dimension and an average width, a height, and front, back and crotch regions arranged sequentially in the longitudinal dimension, the absorbent layer also having a longitudinal axis and perpendicular thereto a transverse axis;
the absorbent layer having a first longitudinally extending side portion on one side of the longitudinal axis, and a second longitudinally extending side portion on the other side of the longitudinal axis;
wherein the absorbent layer has at least a first channel present in the first side portion, and a second channel present in the second side portion, the channels being substantially free of the superabsorbent polymer material, and extending through the height of the absorbent layer; and
wherein the absorbent structure comprises one or more adhesive materials to at least partially immobilize the absorbent layer onto the supporting sheet,
wherein the method comprises:
placing the supporting sheet onto raised portions with a shape and dimensions corresponding to the first and second channels, such that the supporting sheet is provided with raised portions and remaining portions;
depositing the absorbent material onto the supporting sheet, wherein the absorbent material does not remain on the raised portions of the supporting sheet, but remains only on the remaining portions of the supporting sheet; and
applying a pressure to the supporting sheet of the absorbent structure, the pressure being applied selectively to the portions of the supporting sheet that correspond to the channels, to thereby fold the supporting sheet into the channels.