Absorbent article including a formed fibrous article

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for a making a formed fibrous article and more specifically to method and apparatus for making a formed fibrous article useful as an absorbent core structure in a disposable sanitary article such as a sanitary napkin, panty liner, diaper or the like. The present invention also relates to a disposable sanitary article including a formed fibrous article according to the present invention as a core structure thereof.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a liquid permeable cover layer;   a liquid impermeable barrier layer;   a formed fibrous article arranged between the cover layer and the barrier layer, wherein the formed fibrous includes a planar portion and a first and second raised area extending upwardly from the planar portion, a region located between the first raised area and the second raised area, the planar portion and the first and second raised areas being both formed from a common material composition having a constant basis weight, the planar portion having a different thickness and density than each of the first raised area and second raised area;   wherein the cover layer extends over the first raised area, the second raised area, and region located between the first raised area and the second raised area; and   wherein a portion of the cover layer extending over the region located between the first raised area and the second raised area is arranged in spaced relationship to the formed fibrous article.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous article further includes a centrally extending pin embossed area extending along a longitudinally extending central axis of the article. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article according to  claim 2 , wherein the fibrous article includes an area that is free of pin embossing. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article according to  claim 3 , wherein the formed fibrous article is formed from a single material layer. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein the region located between the first raised area and the second raised area is pin embossed to include a plurality of depressions. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article according to  claim 5 , wherein the formed fibrous article is formed by a method including the steps of:
 forming a formed fibrous article having a three dimensional profile; and   pin-calendering the fibrous article in a pin calendering station between a first roll and a second roll, wherein the fibrous article is conveyed through a nip defined between the first roll and the second roll without the use of a carrier layer.   
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article according to  claim 6 , wherein the formed fibrous article is formed by a method including the steps of:
 forming the formed fibrous article; and   passing the formed fibrous article through a calendering station to thereby provide the formed fibrous article with the three dimensional profile.   
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article according to  claim 7 , wherein the calendering station includes a vacuum roll and an opposed calender roll. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article according to  claim 8 , wherein the step of forming the fibrous article comprises the steps of:
 providing fibrous pulp, maintaining the fibrous pulp in a chamber, mounting a mold to a rotating forming drum, rotating the mold on the rotating forming drum until the mold is arranged in communication with the chamber, and drawing the fibrous pulp into the mold to thereby form the fibrous article.   
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article according to  claim 9 , wherein the first roll comprises a vacuum roll and the second roll comprises a pin calender roll. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article according to  claim 10 , wherein a surface of the vacuum roll includes a plurality of holes and the pin calender roll includes a plurality of pins extending outwardly from a surface of the roll. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article according to  claim 11 , wherein each one of the plurality of pins is arranged such that it does not overlap with any of the plurality of holes. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article according to  claim 12 , wherein the fibrous article is formed in the mold and transferred to the calendering station without the use of a carrier layer. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 transferring the fibrous article from the vacuum roll of the calendering station to the vacuum roll of the pin calendering station.   
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article according to  claim 14 , wherein the fibrous article is transferred from the vacuum roll of the calendering station to the vacuum roll of the pin calendering station without the use of a carrier layer. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article according to  claim 15 , further comprising transferring the fibrous article from the vacuum wheel of the pin calendering station to a transfer wheel.