CN1191804C

CN1191804C - Internally heated absorbent article

Info

Publication number: CN1191804C
Application number: CNB97181984XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: E·H·鲁舍尔
Original assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc; Kimberly Clark Corp
Priority date: 1996-12-30
Filing date: 1997-12-19
Publication date: 2005-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2017-12-19
Also published as: WO1998029079A1; CA2276128A1; KR20000069767A; AU5729498A; CN1248901A; CZ234899A3; IL130610A0; EP0973471A1; RU2217116C2; JP2001507602A; BR9714108A; AU734471B2

Abstract

An absorbent article includes a particulate chemical mixture, which is exothermically reactive in the presence of air or moisture, for heating at least a portion of the absorbent article. The heat generated improves the absorption of body fluids by lowering the viscosity of the absorbed fluids.

Description

The absorbent product of inner heating

Invention field

Relate generally to absorbent product of the present invention relates to the absorbent product that has being exposed to the mixture of generation heat under air and/or the moisture particularly.

Background of invention

For absorb body fluids such as menstrual fluid etc., various methodologies is arranged as everyone knows and be configured to various device or equipment.Sanitary towel is the most frequently used in this class device.The relevant technologies that has earlier is used in the various patents of absorb body fluids and the protection underwear neonychium avoiding polluting and sanitary towel in relating to plentifully.Existing people points out in whole sanitary towels, have 20～25%, has to sew.One of reason of sewing is that menstrual fluid is a kind of viscous fluid with hydration composition and mucus composition.

A problem of hygroscopic material aspect of performance is, absorbed material has viscosity more, and absorbance is just low more.Basically, low viscous material can be promptly cover spare by sanitary towel be that hygroscopic piece absorbs.The higher material of menstrual fluid medium viscosity then may not can be absorbed and still be trapped in the cover part on.Perhaps, the higher material of this viscosity also might be absorbed but be trapped near points of contamination or its and hinder the absorption of low-viscosity substances.So just limited the efficient of hygroscopic piece and to the utilization rate of sanitary towel's hygroscopic capacity.In addition, this hygroscopic piece also can comprise the superabsorbent material, the latter can be from low stickum preferential absorption moisture content, the result will increase the viscosity of surplus materials.This becomes difficult more with regard to the problem that makes hygroscopic piece absorb mucus component in the menstrual fluid.

So far, adopted surfactant to improve body fluid absorption.Being used for one or more materials of body plan sanitary towel for example covers part and/or hygroscopic piece all through handling the wettability that improves material.The problem of application surface activating agent is, though be improved through the surface energy of the material of surfactant coated, if surfactant is that to talk about completely also be the viscosity that can significantly not improve body fluid.Like this, the higher material of viscosity still can not be absorbed effectively.

So just need the absorbent product of so for example sanitary towel and so on, the viscosity that they regulate viscous mass makes it to be absorbed.

General introduction of the present invention

Briefly, the present invention relates to can be used to the absorbent product of absorb body fluids.This absorbent product has cover part, block piece, is enclosed in hygroscopic piece between cover part and the block piece and the heater that is used for heating this hygroscopic piece.This heater produces about 22～about 55 ℃ temperature when being activated under being exposed to air and/or moisture.

One object of the present invention is to provide has the absorbent product that can produce heat when activating.Another object of the present invention is to provide and be provided with the sanitary towel that can produce hot device when activating in a kind of.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the sanitary towel that has heater and improved the hygroscopic piece utilization rate.

A further object of the present invention is the sanitary towel that provides such, and the compound mixture that it has can produce heat, makes that the viscosity that sticks in the menstrual fluid part can be owing to being heated of this body fluid is minimized.

The present invention proposes a kind of adult's feminine hygiene products that menstruation is used that absorbs, and it comprises: a) saturating liquid cover spare; B) liquid-tight block piece; C) hygroscopic piece between above-mentioned cover spare and block piece; And d) as the heating element heater material of this adult's feminine hygiene products one element, this heating element heater material is suitable for and is positioned to receive the outer menstruation of this adult's feminine hygiene products, and this heating element heater material and this menstruation reaction are to produce heat and so to reduce in the menstruation viscosity than the viscous composition.

The present invention also proposes a kind of sanitary towel, and it comprises: a) saturating liquid cover spare; B) liquid-tight block piece; C) hygroscopic piece between described liquid cover spare and block piece; And d) as the heating element heater material of an element of sanitary towel, this heating element heater material is suitable for and is positioned to receive the outer menstruation of this hygroscopic piece, and when this heating element heater material receives this menstruation, effectively improve the temperature of hygroscopic piece, and in the corresponding reduction menstruation than the viscosity of viscous composition.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is the top view of an embodiment of absorbent product of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the cross-sectional figure along 2-2 line among Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is the cross-sectional figure of another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is the cross-sectional figure of yet another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is the cross-sectional figure of further embodiment of this invention;

The detailed description of most preferred embodiment

Though the ending of this description has been specifically noted with claims and the clear and definite interest field relevant with the present invention, can believe, with reference to the accompanying drawing that describes in detail below in conjunction with the present invention, can understand the present invention quickly.

With reference to figure 1～5, wherein identical parts are to indicate with identical label, and Fig. 1 shows the top view of bright sanitary towel of the present invention 10.As shown in drawings, when observing from top to bottom, this face of being seen is that contiguous wearer places in use, and this sanitary towel 10 comprises the cover spare 12 of liquid, short and narrower hygroscopic piece 14 and liquid-tight back of the body spare or the block piece 16 than cover part 12.Shown in Fig. 2～4, cover part 12 and block piece 16 are stretched over outside the edge 18 of hygroscopic piece 14, to surround the periphery 20 of hygroscopic piece 14 and definite sanitary towel 10.Here used edge or " hygroscopic piece edge " are at the first-class valency of meaning, and it comprises the border that hygroscopic piece 14 is stopped, unless specify, are not limited to refer to the longitudinal edge or the horizontal edge of hygroscopic piece 14.Though not shown in the figures bright, expert scholar can recognize that cover part 12, hygroscopic piece 14 and block piece 16 are can be conterminal, but this is not an ideal situation.Cover part 12 and block piece 16 can be sealed together in any suitable manner, only otherwise stay hard, the undesirable residue of wearer's discomfort are got final product.Here the speech of using " sealing " comprises such configuration, even cover part 12 directly is attached on the block piece 16 or will cover part 12 is fixed to one earlier and does not show and be fixed on the block piece 16 subsequently on the bright middleware again.The method of installing cover part 12 and block piece 16 is that expert scholar is known, comprises adopting hot-melt adhesive, contact adhesive, construction adhesive, double-sided belt, heat seal and ultrasonic bonds.

Here the speech of using " sanitary towel " is meant the goods that wear and be close to its pudendum for the women, is used for absorbing and storing various ejections such as blood, menstruation and the urine of discharging from health, and no longer washs and reuse and abandoned after stained.Vestibule part device between interior and part lip outside with respect to the women wearer is also included within the scope of the present invention.

Sanitary towel 10 also comprises being positioned at covers under the part 12 and heater 22 best and hygroscopic piece 14 vicinities.This heater 22 can comprise one or more grooves, wherein contain material heat release or electrochemical reaction, this reacting substance is being that oxygen or moisture can produce heat when activating, this heater 22 or can comprise a kind of can be effectively from the wearer from the hot material of distribution on one's body.This heater 22 preferably can reduce blood through in than the viscosity of viscous composition, allow bigger fluid activity, utilized the hygroscopic capacity of hygroscopic piece thus better.When adopt heat release or during electrochemical reacting substance, heater 22 should produce enough heat and form about 22～about 55 ℃ temperature, is more preferably about 27.5～about 46 ℃ temperature, and preferably about 27.5～about 37 ℃ temperature.

Observe sanitary towel 10 in more detail, this sanitary towel 10 is avette in the drawings but is not limited thereto.Sanitary towel 10 can have hourglass shape, runway shape or any other shape or structure that allows this sanitary towel 10 and wearer to connect airtight.Sanitary towel 10 of the present invention can have any thickness and can keep one period that is enough to make its rarefaction for dense condensed liquid stream, and its thickness can be from several millimeters to about 15 millimeters.

Referring to Fig. 3, sanitary towel 10 also can comprise one or more other layers 24, their design be used for improving in a preferred manner, improvement or transfering fluid mobile.Layer comprise cellulosic and material polymer more like this, as chiffon, superabsorbent thing and melt-blown material.Like this layer and material can be bought from many places, are that to be familiar with the personage of disposable absorbent article such as sanitary towel, diaper and incontinence device known simultaneously.Sanitary towel 10 also can comprise and can be used to make sanitary towel 10 in use to cooperate the shaping piece of wearer's build.

Cover part 12 is designed to be used for the Body contact with the wearer, thereby should easily permeate for body fluid.Cover body 12 should not stimulate wearer's skin and preferably not absorb obviously its surperficial body fluid of pollution of amount.Cover body 12 can be by weaving or non-woven natural or synthetic material is made.But the material that is suitable for comprises the bonding carded webs of the fiber of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon or other thermal.The thin film fabric and the Web materials of other polyolefin such as polypropylene and poly copolymer, linear low density polyethylene, pore also can be worked well.The compound material of ideal especially polymer and non-woven fabric material.Another kind of cover part material then is polyacrylic nonwoven fabric.This fabric can comprise about TiO 2 pigment of 1%～about 6% so that it has clean white appearance.Preferably use uniform spunbonded materials, this is because on it is vertical full intensity is arranged, even after its porous, so just can in use resist and tear or draw back.The basic weight of optimal polypropylene fabric is about 10～40 gram/rice ², and be more preferably about 12～about 30 gram/rice ²

In order to help liquid infiltration to cross fabric, cover body 12 also usable surface activating agent is handled and is improved its hydrophilic.Surfactant can comprise partial additive or inner material such as the polysiloxanes that applies.

What contiguous cover part 12 was provided with is hygroscopic piece 14.The material that is used for hygroscopic piece 14 is designed to be used for the absorber ejection and comprises menstrual fluid liquid, blood and urine.The material that is suitable for comprises wood pulp fluff, artificial silk, Cotton Gossypii and meltblown polymer such as polyester, polypropylene or common moulding material.Moulding material is the compositions of the air-flow shaping of meltblown polymer such as polypropylene and water absorbent fiber altogether.Hygroscopic piece 14 can be a complex, and it comprises and can be formed by various natural or synthetic fibers, wood pulp cellulose, regenerated cellulose or cotton fiber, air lay chiffon or pulps and other fibers.Hygroscopic piece 14 can be made by other known materials that is used for absorbent product, and this comprises the plain oakum of multi-layer fiber, cellulose sponge, the synthetic sponge of hydrophilic, as polyurethane etc.The capacity of hygroscopic piece 14 can change according to the purpose purposes of final products.

The body fluid of shelves part 16 contained absorption in hygroscopic piece 14 and wear the effect of playing separator between the people of sanitary towel 10.Therefore, block piece 16 is nonhygroscopic and can not sees through liquid.Block piece 16 should be that softness is complied with, and this is to keep because a part of block piece 16 will be close to wearer's place, thigh district.Here the speech of using " compliance " refers to a kind of like this material, and promptly this material can promptly be imitated with human body external shape and profile roughly.In a most preferred embodiment, block piece 16 allows air or steam to pass through sanitary towel 10 but passes through hygroscopic piece 14 by liquid.A kind of good material of block piece 16 is little concavo-convex polymer such as polyethylene or polyacrylic film, the about 0.012～about 1.0mm of its thickness.Two component films also can use, and equally also can use through being treated as liquid-tight woven and non-woven fabric.

Referring to Fig. 1 and 2, heater 22 be positioned at the cover part 12 under and be located among the hygroscopic piece 14.Heater 22 can comprise among the material 30 that is packaged in the air permeable that matches and moisture vapor transmission gas.This material 30 can be synthetic or natural weaving or non-woven material.Material 30 preferably can allow air and moisture by and keeping so granulous chemical mixture simultaneously.The non-limitative example of material 30 comprises polyester nonwoven thing and non-woven spunbond polypropylene.Natural material also is suitable for and comprises this chemical mixture.Cotton Gossypii is exactly to be suitable for the natural material that encapsulates this chemical mixture.

The exothermic agent that can be used for the present invention can be easily with the menstrual fluid of airborne oxygen, absorption in water or the two react and in reaction, produce the material of heat.When heater 22 produces when hot by the exothermic reaction with oxygen.The just inevitable and air exchange of this reactant.Below cited be not specific restriction, described reactant can be the mixture of following substances: oxidizable substance, as ferrum, as-reduced ferrum, nickel, sodium sulfide and/or sodium sulfate; Oxidization acceleration agent and catalyst such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, activated carbon, carbon dust and comprise chemical compound, the manganese of copper and the mixture of forming by water retention agents such as wood powder or pulp powder.Other exothermic agent is described in United States Patent (USP) 4331731 and 4573447, and their disclosed contents are incorporated herein by reference.

For example, the chemical mixture of heater 22 can comprise a kind of intermedium, and it has the aqueous solution that the fine granularity carbon by the sodium chloride and 15% (weight) of 10% (weight) of the Vermiculitum, 55% (weight) of 30% (weight) is formed.This intermedium mixes with thin iron powder in about 1: 1 ratio.Why preferred iron powder is because it can produce heat with airborne oxygen reaction rapidly in the condition that has moisture.In addition, this material is good heat conductor, allows equably districution temperature and avoids forming partial temperature-sensitive zone.The fineness of iron powder can change to change the heat that reaction rate changes generation therefrom.Generally, the content of this metal powder is big more, and the heat of reaction is also big more.

Sodium chloride is to be used for the oxidation of catalysis ferrum, because it is very easily bought and be inexpensive, is ideal especially.But sodium chloride can be replaced by other suitable chlorides and sulfate, for example potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, iron sulfate, potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate.

Expert scholar as can be known, the component of above-mentioned chemical mixture, granularity and composition quality can be done significant the variation and form the mixture of heat and colder reaction.

When the used heater 22 of the present invention is when carrying out by the activated electrochemical reaction of water, electrochemical reaction at this moment produces heat by Applied Electrochemistry activated reducible and activated oxidable of electrochemistry.Reducible can be by forming as the polarization of the air on the another kind of material of hydrogen reduction negative electrode.This oxidable can be the paper tinsel material that is formed by aluminum or magnesium or both alloys.This reducible is separated by absorbent material such as felt with oxidable.Form electrolytical salt and preferably join in reducible or place it contiguous, need remove the saturated with water absorbing material to remove from dry granular shape form.So just can make heater 22 prolong it and preserve the life-span.Preferably allow electrolytic salt be added to equably in negative electrode or reducible.In the situation of the air depolarization negative electrode of carbon that adopts deexcitation or manganese dioxide, edible salt is made equably dry mixed according to 1 to 2.5 gram salt than about 1 gram carbon with activated carbon or manganese dioxide at first.The salt of preferably about 1.5 grams of aforementioned proportion is than the carbon or the manganese dioxide of about 1 gram.

Heater 22 also can comprise the material that can be effectively distributes from the heat of wearer's health on hygroscopic piece 14.This class material preferably has high thermal conductivity with respect to hygroscopic piece 14.The thermal conductivity of material can promptly be determined by known method.

Referring to Fig. 3, wherein show the cross section of understanding another embodiment of the present invention.Heater 22 makes the top and hygroscopic piece 14 adjacency of heater 22 between hygroscopic piece 14 and block piece 16, and its underpart and block piece 16 adjacency.Similar with described in Fig. 1 and 2 of heater 22, the chemical mixture that constitutes heater 22 is then surrounded by encapsulating material 30.

Referring to Fig. 4, wherein show and understand the cross section of an embodiment more of the present invention.Heater 22 is at block piece 16 with between the maintenance layer 28 below the block piece 16.Block piece 16 and maintenance layer 28 are secured together, and surround heater 22.In this embodiment, although described chemical mixture is encapsulated within the aforementioned encapsulating material 30, this is not to be necessary.Maintenance layer 28 can be by forming with block piece 16 materials similar.Best, keep layer 28 to make by breathable material such as spunbond porose coating materials etc.Keep layer 28 can comprise one or more holes or hole 32, and though with the exchange rate that improves oxygen this keep layer 28 composition air penetrability how.Hole or hole 32 preferably are positioned on the surface that faces clothing that keeps layer 28, and the size in hole or hole 32 should make described chemical mixture in that do not use in the described encapsulating material 30 also not can loss, but still can pass through encapsulating material 30 and air exchange.When encapsulating material 30 for example is to use polyolefin film and can not breathe freely with air exchange the time, hole 32 is necessary.

Hole 32 can be formed by multitude of different ways, comprises shearing, acanthopore and punching etc.In some cases, hole 32 can be arranged on the very narrow zone or belt-like zone that keeps on the layer 28.And it is opposite with the foraminous situation that all distributes on the whole maintenance layer 28.By hole 32 is arranged along an arrowband, just can slow down moisture by encapsulating material 30 with from chemical mixture loss outwardly.So just can in chemical mixture, keep humid atmosphere and prolong its life-span.

Referring to Fig. 5, wherein show the cross section of understanding another embodiment of the present invention.The chemical mixture of heater 22 can randomly or equably distribute, or with top similar with regard to the described situation in Fig. 1～4, on the discernible pocket that is confined to disperse, and only contains more a spot of chemical mixture on each pocket.

Top with reference to several optimum examples and with respect to a series of selectable special elaborations with illustrate the present invention, but expert scholar is not breaking away under the spiritual prerequisite of the present invention, can grasp its all displacement format, reduced form, correction form and change form.Therefore, should regard top description as the example of preferable range of the present invention is released rather than its restriction.

Claims

1. one kind absorbs adult's feminine hygiene products that menstruation is used, and it comprises:

A) saturating liquid cover spare;

B) liquid-tight block piece;

C) hygroscopic piece between above-mentioned cover spare and block piece; And

D) as the heating element heater material of this adult's feminine hygiene products one element, this heating element heater material is suitable for and is positioned to receive the outer menstruation of this adult's feminine hygiene products, and this heating element heater material and this menstruation reaction are to produce heat and so to reduce in the menstruation viscosity than the viscous composition.

2. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the temperature that described heating element heater material production is 22～55 ℃.

3. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the temperature that described heating element heater material production is 27.5～46 ℃.

4. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the temperature that described heating element heater material production is 27.5～37 ℃.

5. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described heating element heater material is the chemical mixture that randomly is distributed in the described hygroscopic piece.

6. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described chemical mixture is a basic uniform distribution in whole described hygroscopic piece.

7. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described heating element heater material is positioned on the discrete discernible pocket.

8. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described heating element heater material comprises the chemical mixture that produces heat with the oxygen reaction.

9. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 8, wherein, described chemical mixture comprises oxidizable substance, oxidization acceleration agent and catalyst.

10. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 9, wherein, described oxidizable substance comprises ferrum.

11. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described heating element heater material is the electrochemistry heating element heater.

12. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 11, wherein, water in described heating element heater material and the described this menstruation reacts and produces heat, therefore and reduce the viscosity of menstruation, thereby menstruation more freely flows into this adult's feminine hygiene products, thereby increases the utilization of the moisture absorption of hygroscopic piece.

13. adult's feminine hygiene products as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described heating element heater material has high thermal conductivity with respect to described hygroscopic piece.

14. a sanitary towel, it comprises:

A) saturating liquid cover spare;

B) liquid-tight block piece;

C) hygroscopic piece between described liquid cover spare and block piece; With

D) as the heating element heater material of an element of sanitary towel, this heating element heater material is suitable for and is positioned to receive the outer menstruation of this hygroscopic piece, and when this heating element heater material receives this menstruation, effectively improve the temperature of hygroscopic piece, and in the corresponding reduction menstruation than the viscosity of viscous composition.

15. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 14, wherein, described heating element heater material is positioned at described hygroscopic piece.

16. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 14, wherein, described hygroscopic piece is between described heating element heater material and described cover spare.

17. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 14, wherein, described heating element heater material comprises the chemical mixture that is evenly distributed to substantially in the described hygroscopic piece.

18. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 14, wherein, described heating element heater material is positioned on the discrete discernible pocket.

19. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 14, wherein, described heating element heater material is the chemical mixture that randomly is distributed in the described hygroscopic piece.

20. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 17, wherein, described heating element heater material reaction produces 22 ℃～55 ℃ temperature.

21. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 20, wherein, described heating element heater material comprises ferrum.

22. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 14 also is included in the maintenance layer of described block piece below, between the heating element heater material is located at described block piece and keeps layer.

23. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 22, wherein, described maintenance layer comprises the hole.

24. sanitary towel as claimed in claim 23, wherein, described heating element heater material comprises ferruginous chemical mixture, and wherein said chemical mixture and oxygen reaction produce 22 ℃～55 ℃ temperature.