US 12,263,072 B2
Disposable absorbent article with surge layer including at least one barrier
Charles W. Colman, Roswell, GA (US); Francis P. Abuto, Roswell, GA (US); Jenny L. Day, Roswell, GA (US); and Sridhar Ranganathan, Roswell, GA (US)
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
Appl. No. 16/615,892
Filed by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
PCT Filed May 31, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/035111
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 22, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/222178, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0121524 A1, Apr. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. A61F 13/537 (2006.01); A61F 13/475 (2006.01); A61F 13/494 (2006.01); A61F 13/496 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 13/53704 (2013.01) [A61F 13/4758 (2013.01); A61F 13/494 (2013.01); A61F 13/496 (2013.01); A61F 13/53747 (2013.01); A61F 2013/53765 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An absorbent article comprising:
a bodyside liner;
an outer cover;
an absorbent body disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover; and
a surge layer disposed between the bodyside liner and the absorbent body, the surge layer having an X-Y plane, a Z-direction, and a longitudinal direction, and a plurality of barriers extending substantially through the surge layer in the Z-direction, wherein the plurality of barriers is configured to block a plurality of linear longitudinal fluid flow paths within the surge layer itself while allowing non-linear fluid flow paths in the longitudinal direction, wherein the plurality of linear longitudinal flow paths that are blocked by the plurality of barriers includes a linear longitudinal flow path through a transverse center of the surge layer.