Extensible absorbent layer and absorbent article

Abstract

The present invention provides an absorbent layer prepared from an absorbent nonwoven web having a first plurality of slits with a first orientation and a second plurality of slits with a second orientation, wherein the first orientation is different from the second orientation. The first plurality of slits and the second plurality of slits are at least partially through the absorbent nonwoven web, and the second plurality of slits at least partially intersects the first plurality of slits in a manner such that where the first and second plurality of slits intersect the first and second plurality of slits combine to form apertures in the absorbent nonwoven web. The present invention also provides an absorbent article having a liquid-permeable top layer, a liquid-impermeable backing layer, and the absorbent layer of the present invention positioned between the top layer and the backing layer. Also disclosed is a method of preparing the absorbent layer.

1 . An absorbent article, having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, said absorbent article comprising: 
 a) a top layer,    b) a backing layer, and    c) an absorbent layer positioned between the top layer and the backing layer, wherein said absorbent layer comprises an absorbent nonwoven web comprising a first plurality of slits having a first orientation and a second plurality of slits having a second orientation, the first orientation is different from the second orientation, the first plurality of slits and the second plurality of slits are at least partially through the absorbent nonwoven web, and the second plurality of slits at least partially intersects the first plurality of slits; wherein where the plurality of slits in the different orientations intersect, at least one aperture is formed in the absorbent nonwoven web.    
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of slits comprises non-linear slits.  
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of slits comprises non-linear slits.  
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent layer has a basis weight of between about 20 g/m 2  and about 1000 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein the absorbent layer has a basis weight of between 50 g/m 2  and 500 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article according to  claim 5 , wherein the absorbent layer has a basis weight between 70 g/m 2  and 250 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein the absorbent layer comprises a nonwoven web selected from the group consisting of an airlaid fiber layer, a coform fiber layer, a tissue layer, a meltblown fiber layer, laminates thereof, or laminates of a airlaid fiber layer, a tissue layer, a coform fiber layer, a meltblown fiber layer or laminates thereof with a nonwoven support.  
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent layer further comprises a superabsorbent material.  
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article according to  claim 7 , wherein the absorbent layer further comprises a superabsorbent material.  
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article according to  claim 7 , wherein the nonwoven support of the absorbent layer comprises a spunbond fiber layer having a basis weight in the range of 10 to 40 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article according to  claim 10 , wherein the absorbent layer comprises a laminate of an airlaid fiber layer or a coform fiber layer with a basis weight of 70 g/m 2  to 250 g/m 2  and a spunbond fiber layer with a basis weight in the range of 10 to 25 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article according to  claim 11 , wherein the airlaid fiber layer or the coform fiber layer comprises a superabsorbent material.  
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article according to  claim 3 , wherein each non-linear slit has an effective length in longitudinal direction (a) in the range between about 2 mm and about 20 mm and an effective length in lateral direction (d) in the range between about 0.5 mm and about 10 mm.  
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the top layer comprises a liquid permeable material and the backing layer comprises a liquid impermeable material.  
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional plurality of slits having an orientation different from the first and second plurality of slits, the additional plurality of slits intersects at least one of the first and second plurality of slits; wherein where the plurality of slits in the different orientations intersect, at least one aperture is formed in the absorbent nonwoven web.  
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein there are between 2 and 100 slits in the absorbent layer.  
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article according to  claim 15 , wherein there are between 2 and 100 slits in the absorbent layer.  
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article according to  claim 14 , wherein the article further comprises a garment attachment system which attaches the absorbent article to a garment of a user of the absorbent article, comprising of at least one adhesive strip on a surface of the liquid-impermeable backing layer facing away from the wearer's body and a covering release strip covering the at least one adhesive strip.  
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article according to  claim 18 , wherein the garment attachment system comprises two separate adhesive strips extending in the longitudinal direction of the sanitary napkin and either two corresponding release strips or a single release tape comprising a line of perforations dividing the single release tape into two sections corresponding to the adhesive strips.  
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article according to  claim 14 , further comprising side wings, each side wing comprising a wing attachment system for attaching the wings to the garment of a user of the absorbent article.  
     
     
         21 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the apertures have an effective length in longitudinal direction in the range between about 2 mm and about 20 mm and an effective width in lateral direction in the range between about 0.5 mm and about 10 mm.  
     
     
         22 . An apertured absorbent nonwoven web comprising a first plurality of slits having a first orientation and a second plurality of slits having a second orientation, the first orientation is different from the second orientation, the first plurality of slits and the second plurality of slits are at least partially through the absorbent nonwoven web, and the second plurality of slits at least partially intersects the first plurality of slits; wherein where the plurality of slits in the different orientations intersect, at least one aperture is formed in the absorbent nonwoven web.  
     
     
         23 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web of  claim 22 , wherein the first plurality of slits comprises non-linear slits.  
     
     
         24 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web of  claim 23 , wherein the second plurality of slits comprises non-linear slits.  
     
     
         25 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 22 , wherein the absorbent nonwoven web material has a basis weight of between 20 g/m 2  and 1000 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         26 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 25 , wherein the absorbent nonwoven web has a basis weight of between 50 g/m 2  and 500 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         27 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 22 , wherein the absorbent nonwoven web comprises a nonwoven web selected from the group consisting of an airlaid fiber layer, a coform fiber layer, a tissue layer, a meltblown fiber layer, laminates thereof, or laminates of a airlaid fiber layer, a tissue layer, a coform fiber layer, a meltblown fiber layer or laminates thereof with a nonwoven support.  
     
     
         28 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 27 , wherein the absorbent nonwoven web comprises a laminate of an airlaid fiber layer or a coform fiber layer with a basis weight of 70 g/m 2  to 250 g/m 2  and a spunbond fiber layer with a basis weight in the range of 10 to 40 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         29 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 24 , wherein each non-linear slit has an effective length in longitudinal direction in the range between about 2 mm and about 20 mm and an effective length in lateral direction in the range between about 0.5 mm and about 10 mm.  
     
     
         30 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 22 , wherein the apertures formed by the first and second plurality of slits has an effective length in longitudinal direction in the range between about 2 mm and about 20 mm and an effective width in lateral direction in the range between about 0.5 mm and about 10 mm.  
     
     
         31 . The apertured absorbent nonwoven web according to  claim 22 , further comprising at least one additional plurality of slits having an orientation different from the first and second plurality of slits, the additional plurality of slits intersects at least one of the first and second plurality of slits; wherein where the plurality of slits in the different orientations intersect, at least one aperture is formed in the absorbent nonwoven web.  
     
     
         32 . A process for preparing an apertured web, said process comprising: 
 a) providing a web of a material;    b) providing a slitting apparatus comprising an anvil roll, a first cutting roll and a second cutting roll, wherein the first cutting and second cutting rolls are in communication with the anvil roll;    c) passing the web between the first cutting roll and the anvil to form a first plurality of slits in the web; and    d) passing the web between the second cutting roll and the anvil to form a second plurality of slits in the web, wherein at least one slit in the second plurality of slits intersects at least one slit from the first plurality of slits such that at least one aperture is formed in the web.    
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 32 , wherein the first cutting roll has a series of protrusions which are non-linear and the first plurality of slits are non-linear.  
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 33 , wherein the second cutting roll has a series of protrusions which are non-linear and the second plurality of slits are non-linear.  
     
     
         35 . The process according to  claim 32 , wherein the first cutting roll and the second cutting roll are driven in unison with the anvil roll.  
     
     
         36 . The process according to  claim 32 , further comprising providing at least one additional cutting roll which is in communication with the anvil roll and passing the web between the at least one additional cutting roll and the anvil roll.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus for aperturing a web comprising an anvil roll, a first cutting roll and a second cutting roll, wherein the first cutting and second cutting rolls are in communication with the anvil roll, each cutting roll comprises a series of protrusions that are capable of forming slits in a web passed between the anvil and each cutting roll; at least some of the protrusions of the first cutting roll and some of the protrusions of the second cutting roll are aligned on the anvil such that at least a portion of slits cut in the first cutting roll overlap at least a portion of the slits cut by the second cutting roll and where the slits overlap one another.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , further comprising at least one additional cutting roll, wherein the additional cutting rolls are in communication with the anvil roll and has a series of protrusions that are capable of forming slits in a web passed between the anvil and each cutting roll.