Sanitary article and method for making the same

Abstract

A sanitary article includes an absorbent pad including an upper sheet layer, a lower sheet layer, and a pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination. The powder layer combination is constituted by alternate layers of pulverized pulp and superabsorbent polymer (SAP) powder. A method for making the sanitary article is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a sanitary article, comprising the following steps:
 (a) providing a loading route which includes a plurality of zones arranged in series in a linear direction;   (b) providing a conveying web member which includes a plurality of loading regions that are displaced from each other in the linear direction;   (c) causing the conveying web member to move along the linear direction such that each of the loading regions sequentially passes through the plurality of zones;   (d) sprinkling a first fraction of a predetermined amount of pulverized pulp onto a respective one of the loading regions when the respective one of the loading regions is being moved through a first one of the plurality of zones so as to form a first pulp layer on the respective one of the loading regions;   (e) sprinkling a first fraction of a predetermined amount of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) powder onto the first pulp layer when the respective one of the loading regions loaded with the first pulp layer is being moved through a second one of the plurality of zones so as to form a first SAP layer on the first pulp layer;   (f) sprinkling a second fraction of the predetermined amount of the pulverized pulp onto the first SAP layer when the respective one of the loading regions loaded with the first pulp layer and the first SAP layer is being moved through a third one of the plurality of zones so as to form a second pulp layer on the first SAP layer;   (g) sprinkling a second fraction of the predetermined amount of the SAP powder onto the second pulp layer when the respective one of the loading regions loaded with the second pulp layer, the first SAP layer, and the first pulp layer is being moved through a fourth one of the plurality of zones so as to form a second SAP layer on the second pulp layer, thereby forming a transferable pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination; and   (h) transferring the transferable pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination so as to permit the transferable pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination to be sandwiched between upper and lower sheets.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (h) includes the following substeps:
 (h1) advancing the lower sheet in the linear direction downstream of the fourth one of the plurality of zones;   (h2) advancing the upper sheet in the linear direction such that the upper sheet covers a leading segment of the lower sheet while leaving a trailing segment of the lower sheet uncovered by the upper sheet; and   (h3) transferring the transferable pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination by suction to the trailing segment of the lower sheet so as to be advanced therewith to be sandwiched between the upper and lower sheets.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step (i) of pressing together the upper and lower sheets with the transferable pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination sandwiched therebetween into an absorbent laminate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein step (i) is implemented at room temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the absorbent laminate has a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm to 3 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising a step (j) of cutting the absorbent laminate into a plurality of absorbent pads. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, based on a total weight of each of the absorbent pads, each of the absorbent pads has the pulverized pulp in an amount ranging from 25 wt % to 65 wt %, and the SAP powder in an amount ranging from 5 wt % to 65 wt %. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, between steps (g) and (h), a step (k) of sprinkling a third fraction of the predetermined amount of the pulverized pulp onto the second SAP layer when the respective one of the loading regions loaded with the first and second pulp layers and the first and second SAP layers is being moved through a fifth one of the plurality of zones so as to form a third pulp layer, such that the transferable pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination includes the first, second and third pulp layers and the first and second SAP layers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pulverized pulp is in dry form. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the upper and lower sheets is made of a water-absorbent material. 
     
     
         11 . A sanitary article comprising an absorbent pad which includes:
 an upper sheet layer;   a lower sheet layer; and   a pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination enclosed between said upper and lower sheet layers, and made by the following steps of:
 (i) sprinkling a first fraction of a predetermined amount of pulverized pulp to form a first pulp layer; 
 (ii) sprinkling a first fraction of a predetermined amount of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) powder onto said first pulp layer so as to form a first SAP layer on said first pulp layer; 
 (iii) sprinkling a second fraction of said predetermined amount of said pulverized pulp onto said first SAP layer as to form a second pulp layer on said first SAP layer; 
 (iv) sprinkling a second fraction of said predetermined amount of said SAP powder onto said second pulp layer so as to form a second SAP layer on said first pulp layer; and 
 (v) sprinkling a third fraction of said predetermined amount of said pulverized pulp onto said second SAP layer so as to form a third pulp layer on said second SAP layer, thereby forming said pulp-and-SAP powder layer combination. 
   
     
     
         12 . The sanitary article of  claim 11 , wherein said absorbent pad has a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm to 3 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The sanitary article of  claim 11 , wherein, based on the total weight of said absorbent pad, said absorbent pad has said pulverized pulp in an amount ranging from 25 wt % to 65 wt %, and said SAP powder in an amount ranging from 5 wt % to 65 wt %. 
     
     
         14 . The sanitary article of  claim 11 , further comprising a liquid-permeable layer and a liquid-impermeable layer, said absorbent pad being enclosed between said liquid permeable layer and said liquid-impermeable layer. 
     
     
         15 . The sanitary article of  claim 14 , further comprising an absorbent enhancement layer disposed between said absorbent pad and said liquid-permeable layer.