Julia A Carter

US Patent:

6642429, Nov 4, 2003

Filed:

Jun 26, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/603278

Inventors:

Julia Carter - Tampa FL
Darryl Franklin Clark - Alpharetta GA
Bryan David Haynes - Cumming GA
Matthew Boyd Lake - Alpharetta GA
Caroline L. Miller - Zachary LA
Kevin Edward Smith - Highlands Ranch CO
Ty Jackson Stokes - Suwanee GA
Jeffrey Lawrence McManus - Canton GA

Assignee:

Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. - Neenah WI

International Classification:

A61F 1315

US Classification:

604367, 604369, 604370

Abstract:

A personal care absorbent article made of a nonwoven material having a plurality of polymeric fibers having a fiber interior comprising at least one of a liquid fluid and a gaseous fluid. The nonwoven materials are produced by heating at least one polymer to a melting point, forming a molten polymer; extruding the molten polymer through a plurality of capillaries, injecting a liquid fluid and/or a gaseous fluid into the molten polymer prior to, during and/or after the extruding step, forming a plurality of fluid-filled polymeric fibers, wherein the liquid fluid and/or gaseous fluid is dispersed within the interior of the polymeric fibers, and depositing the fluid-filled polymeric fibers onto a web forming surface, forming a nonwoven material.