US 11,938,010 B2
Absorbent core, articles comprising said core, and methods of making
Ainas Weber, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler (DE); Manfred Breu, Luxem (DE); Christel Mailinger, Elz (DE); and Thomas Heege, Düngenheim (DE)
Assigned to ONTEX BV, Buggenhout (BE); and ONTEX GROUP NV, Erembodegem (BE)
Filed by ONTEX BV, Buggenhout (BE); and ONTEX GROUP NV, Erembodegem (BE)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/917,308.
Application 16/917,308 is a continuation of application No. 16/473,862, granted, now 10,729,599, previously published as PCT/EP2017/084195, filed on Dec. 21, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 16206993 (EP), filed on Dec. 27, 2016; and application No. 2017/0132 (BE), filed on Sep. 27, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0330293 A1, Oct. 22, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 13/532 (2006.01); A61F 13/15 (2006.01); A61F 13/42 (2006.01); A61F 13/475 (2006.01); A61F 13/531 (2006.01); A61F 13/533 (2006.01); A61F 13/534 (2006.01); A61F 13/539 (2006.01); B32B 37/02 (2006.01); B32B 37/10 (2006.01); B32B 37/14 (2006.01); B32B 37/22 (2006.01); A61F 13/53 (2006.01); B29D 99/00 (2010.01); B29K 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 13/532 (2013.01) [A61F 13/15658 (2013.01); A61F 13/42 (2013.01); A61F 13/4756 (2013.01); A61F 13/531 (2013.01); A61F 13/533 (2013.01); A61F 13/534 (2013.01); A61F 13/539 (2013.01); B32B 37/02 (2013.01); B32B 37/1018 (2013.01); B32B 37/142 (2013.01); B32B 37/22 (2013.01); A61F 13/1565 (2013.01); A61F 2013/15926 (2013.01); A61F 2013/423 (2013.01); A61F 2013/530131 (2013.01); A61F 2013/530481 (2013.01); A61F 2013/530868 (2013.01); A61F 2013/53908 (2013.01); B29D 99/0064 (2013.01); B29K 2023/00 (2013.01); B29K 2713/00 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An absorbent core (101) comprising:
a front portion (122);
a back portion (124);
a crotch portion (126) positioned between the front portion (122) and the back portion (124); and
a longitudinal axis extending along a length of said core (101) and crossing said front, crotch and back portions (122, 126, 124), the absorbent core (101) having a width extending perpendicular to said length and a perimeter comprising at least two opposing ends (102, 103) and at least two opposing sides (104, 105) positioned between said ends (102, 103) characterized in that the absorbent core (101) comprises one or more substantially interconnected channels (106) extending through the crotch portion (126) along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and further extending along at least a portion of said width of the core from one side of the core to the other, wherein said one or more substantially interconnected channels (106) are substantially free of three-dimensional absorbent material and comprises a first nonwoven web bonded to a second nonwoven web by one or more adhesives, and wherein each substantially interconnected channel (106) comprises:
a first channel portion (107) extending substantially along the longitudinal axis proximal to a first side (104) of the core (101);
a second channel portion (108) extending substantially along the longitudinal axis proximal to a second side (105) of the core (101); and
at least one connecting channel portion (109) in fluid communication with said first and second channel portions (107, 108), and wherein the connecting channel portion (109) extends substantially along the width of said core (101) forming a closed end shape within a surface of said core (101) along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis, said closed end being substantially curvilinear in shape forming a convex shape between the first and second channel portions (107, 108).