Gregory G Taylor

US Patent:

53973160, Mar 14, 1995

Filed:

Jun 25, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/082861

Inventors:

Gary D. LaVon - Harrison OH
Gerald A. Young - Cincinnati OH
Gregory W. Taylor - West Chester OH
Donald C. Roe - West Chester OH
William S. Andes - Springfield OH

Assignee:

The Procter & Gamble Company - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61F 1315
A61F 1320

US Classification:

604369

Abstract:

This application relates to the use of slitted regions in absorbent members formed of absorbent materials that remain relatively thin until wetted with such fluids. Suitable materials include presently preferred varieties of polymeric foam materials. Single and multi-layered absorbent members incorporating slitted regions are disclosed, as well as the use of pre-formed cup-shaped slits for enhanced initial fluid acquisition. Such slitted regions in combination with planar expansion properties enable the absorbent members to respond dynamically to various fluid loading conditions to create useful structural features. The slitted regions, in combination with absorbent materials having expansion potential in at least one direction within the plane of the absorbent member, cause the slitted regions to buckle and/or deform out of the plane of the absorbent member, thereby causing the slit surfaces to displace angularly and/or translationally with respect to one another. This more fully exposes the slit surfaces to the incoming fluid for improved acquisition capabilities. The use of pre-formed cup-shaped slits enables the absorbent member to more quickly capture and absorb aqueous body fluids, and is particularly useful for containment and dewatering of moist or runny fecal material and higher viscosity fluids and/or those having a higher concentration of particulate material therein such as blood, menses, or wound fluids.