Absorbent articles with elastic core

Abstract

An elastic absorbent assembly is presented for use in manufacturing disposable absorbent garments. The elastic assembly includes an absorbent core comprising: a base layer having a pair of side edges and a longitudinal centerline spaced inwardly from the side edges; an elastic construction supported by the base layer, the elastic construction including a plurality of spaced apart elastic elements forming a plurality of channels and a plurality of cells; and superabsorbent polymer particles coupled to the elastic elements.

1 . A disposable absorbent article having an elastic absorbent assembly, said article comprising:
 a chassis; and   an absorbent core supported by the chassis, comprising:   a base nonwoven layer having a pair of side edges and a longitudinal centerline spaced inwardly from the side edges;   an elastic construction supported by the base layer, the elastic construction including a plurality of spaced apart elastic elements forming a plurality of channels and a plurality of cells; and   superabsorbent polymer particles coupled to cells created by the elastic elements and; and a top nonwoven layer disposed over the base layer and the elastic construction, wherein the elastic elements are adhered to both the base layer and the top layer forming said cells defined between pairs of the elastics and the top and base layers, and wherein superabsorbent particles are coupled in said cells.   
     
     
         2 . The elastic absorbent assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a nonwoven liquid-permeable topsheet; and   a non-woven acquisition layer situated between the topsheet and the absorbent core;   a non-woven distribution layer situated between the acquisition layer and the absorbent core for spreading and distributing liquid over the absorbent core; and   a liquid-impermeable backsheet on which said core is disposed.   
     
     
         3 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer particles are located in at least some of the plurality of channels and the top layer is configured to seal the superabsorbent polymer particles in the channels. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The elastic absorbent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer particles are adhered within the cells created by the elastic elements. 
     
     
         6 . The elastic absorbent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer particles are bonded to the cells created by the elastic elements. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         9 . The elastic absorbent assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a first wide region, a narrow region, and a second wide region. 
     
     
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         21 . A method of making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, said method comprising the steps of:
 conveying a first sheet of material;   spinning a section of a continuous strand of elastic element on the first sheet on the platform, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first sheet along a direction generally transverse to a moving first sheet;   cutting the section of elastic element to sever the section from the continuous strand; and   repeating the spinning and cutting steps such that a plurality of spaced apart elastic elements are applied on the first sheet;   applying a second sheet of material onto the first sheet having a plurality of elastic elements applied thereon, thereby providing a web of elastic composite having at least two sheets of material and a plurality of elastic elements sandwiched therebetween, wherein said elastic elements are adhered to each of the first sheet and the second sheet such that a plurality of cells are formed between the elastics and the first and second sheets, and wherein prior to forming said cells, superabsorbent particles are applied between the first and second sheets, such that said elastic composite includes cells of superabsorbent particles defined between pairs of elastic elements adhered to the first and second sheets and between said first and second sheets.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the applying step includes applying a section of tensioned elastic element onto the moving first sheet such that the section of elastic element is retained thereby and the moving first sheet draws the strand of elastic element from the spinning assembly. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising positioning a spinning assembly relative to the platform for receiving the continuous strand and spinning an end section of the continuous strand about a plane that intersects the platform, wherein the spinning step includes operating the spinning assembly to spin the section of continuous strand about the plane. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:
 feeding a continuous strand of the elastic element to the spinning assembly from a feed source spaced apart from the spinning assembly, whereby the spinning step draws the continuous elastic strand from the feed source.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the spinning assembly includes a spin head positioned for spinning about the platform, said method further comprising the steps of:
 positioning a feed source of the continuous elastic strand in spaced apart relation to the spin head; and   feeding a continuous strand from the feed source to the spin head, whereby the spinning step draws the section of continuous elastic strand from the feed source.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the spinning step applies a plurality of elastic strands strictly on an outward face of the first sheet in mutual generally parallel relation and in transverse relation to the first sheet moving direction.