MXPA06007162A - Absorbent article and method for manufacturing such article - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an absorbent article (1;1’) such as a diaper, an incontinence shield, a sanitary towel or the like, comprising an upper, liquid-permeable cover sheet (2), a lower, liquid-impermeable cover sheet (3), and an absorption body (22) arranged between the cover sheets (2, 3), said article (1;1’) defining a longitudinal direction, a front portion (5) in the longitudinal direction, and a rear portion (6) in the longitudinal direction. The invention is characterized in that the upper cover sheet (2), together with an underlying wadding material (4), defines a laminate which, at least insaid rear portion (6), is designed with at least one through-slit (21;21’) which defines a corresponding opening for passage of bodily excretions through said slit (21;21’), and in that said slit (21;21’) is surrounded by binding areas (24) which, together with a resilient action of the wadding material (4), define a raised area (23;23’) on the surface of said article (1;1’). The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such an absorbent article. By means of the invention, an absorbent article is obtained in which, in particular, excrement is transferred into the absorption body through said slits and is bound in the underlying wadding material. This prevents leakage of the excrement. A higher degree of comfort of the user is also achieved.

Description

ABSORBENT ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAID ARTICLE TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an absorbent article such as a diaper, diaper in the form of underpants, an incontinence protector, a sanitary napkin or the like, comprising an upper cover sheet, preferably liquid permeable, a lower cover sheet, preferably impermeable to liquid, and an absorbent body positioned between the protective covers, said article defining a longitudinal direction, a front portion in the longitudinal direction, and a rear portion in the longitudinal direction. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an absorbent article such as a diaper, an incontinence protector, a sanitary napkin or the like, comprising an upper cover sheet, permeable to liquid, a lower cover sheet, preferably waterproof to the liquid, and an absorbent body placed between the protective covers, the article defining a longitudinal direction, U? S front portion in the longitudinal direction, and a rear portion in the longitudinal direction.

PREVIOUS ICA TECHNIQUE In relation to absorbent articles such as diapers, diapers in the form of underpants, incontinence guards for adults, and sanitary napkins, there has long been a general need for materials and structures that are capable of accumulating, distributing and absorbing bodily excretions from a fast and effective way. Current absorbent articles generally have good absorbency with low risk, runoff and a high degree of comfort for the person using the absorbent article. The requirement of effective absorbency in an absorbent article is important not only in the case of diapers for infants where there is a need for rapid collection, distribution and absorption of urine and excrement. In this regard, it will be appreciated that newborn and also slightly older babies frequently produce stool that is loose and dripping in consistency. In today's diapers for infants, there is, for example, the risk that this little consistency excrement spreads along the back of the diaper wearer. Said scan can pose a risk of, for example, stained clothing and bedding. In general, it can be stated that, in relation to infant diapers, even greater demands are being made on the ability to accumulate excrement through the surface material and the absorbent material of a diaper. According to the prior art, a diaper can be designed with so-called additional internal barriers (internal leg folds) which form a seal by means of which the stool can be prevented from moving along the sides of the diaper. Another previously known way to accomplish this is the use of additional transverse bags in the diaper, those bags being designed to prevent runoff at the front or back edge of the diaper. With the aforementioned solutions, the draining of excrement from a diaper is effectively prevented. However, there is still the problem that the stool can remain on the diaper cover sheet and stain! user. In addition, there is a risk that the user will experience skin irritation in said situation. This problem in turn has been solved in a known manner through the use of a diaper with an additional cover sheet comprising relatively large openings, for example a type of opening for collecting urine and excrement.

These solutions provide better protection for certain areas of the skin since the additional cover sheet isolates them. However, there is still the problem here that the stool can not penetrate into the diaper. According to the prior art, this problem has been solved through the use of special protective covers with small openings that also allow the pertetFe excrement inside the structure.

The problem with the aforementioned solutions is that the absorption material which is located under the cover sheet that is provided with openings can emerge through the openings and adhere to the user's skin. This may involve cellulose fibers, superabsorbent particles or loose fibers of polymer material. This is unsatisfactory because it provides a visual impression of a poor quality diaper. In addition, it makes it difficult to clean the user's skin, and in the worst case the user may experience skin irritation. The reason why the protective covers with previously known openings do not work satisfactorily is that the openings extend in the x-y plane of! diaper (ie, an imaginary plane that extends parallel to the surface of the diaper). The underlying absorption material is exposed in this way. To circumvent this problem, it is already known to produce a diaper with openings extending the z-plane of the diaper (i.e. at right angles to the xy> plane.) An example of such a solution is described in Swedish patent number SE 449298. A The disadvantage of the solution according to the Swedish patent SE 449298 is that the openings in the z-direction can be easily compressed when the cover sheet is exposed to pressure during use, so there is a need to solve the relative problem. to the further improvement of the collection, distribution and absorption of, in particular, excrement of poor consistency in the type of diapers used with infants and based on openings formed in the cover sheet of a diaper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A main object of the present invention is to provide an improved absorbent article in which the aforementioned problems are solved and the requirements and needs are satisfied. The above objects are achieved with an absorbent article of the type mentioned in the introduction, the article of which is characterized in that the upper cover sheet, together with an underlying batting material, defines a laminate which, at least in the rear portion, it is designed with at least one through slot defining a corresponding passage opening of bodily excretions through said slot, and wherein said slot is surrounded by junction areas fas which * together with a resilient action of the wadding material, define a raised area on the surface of said article. The above objects are also achieved by a method for manufacturing an absorbent article of the type mentioned in the introduction, which method is characterized in that it comprises joining a laminate consisting of the upper cover sheet in conjunction with an underlying batting material, forming at least one groove in the laminate on a predetermined long surface of the article, by means of which a corresponding opening is defined for the passage of bodily excretions through the groove, and forming bonding areas surrounding said groove and which, together with a resilient action of the wadding material, defines raised areas on the surface of said article. The invention achieves certain advantages. In particular, it can be seen that the invention allows a high velocity of admixture of excreted body fluid and excrement, which reduces the risk that fluid or excrement will flow out through the surface of the sheet instead of penetrating through. Of the surface. According to a first embodiment of the invention, in which the aforementioned grooves are oriented so that a number of areas are formed in the form of a protuberance, the excrement can be transferred through a top sheet and forward to a material of wadding through the open slots, after which it is distributed and is finally joined in the underlying wadding material. In this way, the slots and protruding areas act to prevent the excrement from trickling down the user's back. further, the excrement accumulates in the valleys between these areas in the form of a protuberance. Since the user's skin is located against the upper part of the protruding areas, which are substantially free of excrement, there is less irritation of the skin and greater degree of user comfort. According to a second embodiment of the invention, in which the aforementioned grooves define substantially straight lines extending substantially transversely across the upper face of the article, between the last lateral edges, high areas are obtained which with defined through the top face of the article. In this way, a structure is obtained that effectively reduces and prevents runoff of the excrement on the user's back.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention will now be described with reference to the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an absorbent article in the form of an infant diaper, in which s can use the diaper of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the diaper according to Figure 1, along the line í-l. Figure 3 is a slightly elongated perspective view of the cloth! according to Figures 1 and 2, which shows the main features of the invention in detail, Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, Figure 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of The invention, Figure 6 is a perspective view of an absorbent article in the form of a diaper that is designed according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the invention which in principle corresponds to the cross section according to Figure 2, although it shows a further embodiment of the invention, and Figure 8 shows a perspective view in which the article has been formed in accordance with a further alternative embodiment.

PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention will now be described with reference to a number of preferred embodiments indicating different types of absorbent article according to the invention. According to a first embodiment, which can be seen from Figure 1, the absorbent article is a diaper 1 a &l disposable type for infants. The diaper 1 comprises a first cover sheet that constitutes a top sheet permeable to? Liquid 2- This upper sheet 2 is placed on that side of the diaper 1 which, during use, is intended to be directed towards the person using the diaper. The diaper 1 further comprises a second cover sheet constituting a lower sheet 3 which, during e? use, is definable to be directed in allegation from the user. The lower sheet 3 is conveniently liquid-tight. A layer of a wadding material 4 is placed on the upper sheet 2. According to what is described in detail below, the upper sheet 2 and the underlying wadding material 4 form a liquid-permeable laminate and convey liquid that , according to the invention, it is used to catch excrement in particular of low consistency and dripping. Under the wadding material 4 there is an absorbent body, which is not indicated by any reference number in Figure 1 but will be described with particular reference to Figure 2. Therefore, a structure is formed in the diaper according to With the invention the cuat, from the top down, consists of a cover sheet 2 and a wadding material 4 (which together constitute a laminate), an absorbent body, and a lower sheet 3. The upper sheet permeable to the Liquid 2 according to Figure 1 conveniently consists of a fibrous material, for example a soft non-woven material, although it can alternatively of another material! or laminated materials. For example, it could consist of a perforated plastic film, for example of a thermosetting material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a network-like layer of synthetic or textile material. Likewise, different types of laminates of suitable materials can be used as the liquid-permeable upper sheet. The nonwoven materials used are preferably synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, potester. ? iylon or similar. In addition, mixtures of different types of fiber can be used for said non-woven materials. The top sheet 2 conveniently has a pore size that is large enough to allow urine to pass through even the fibers in this sheet that are hydrophobic. So, the upper sheet 2 is preferably a non-woven material, although, regardless of the material selected, the upper sheet 2 is intended in a manner known per se to receive and pass the liquid excretions of the user and transfer these downward in the direction to the underlying batting material 4. The wadding material 4 is preferably a suitable hydrophobic material of suitable resilience and thickness. In addition, the underlying lower sheet 3 is conveniently impermeable to liquid and is intended to prevent any runoff of liquid through the wadding material 4 and the absorbent body. For this purpose, the lower sheet 3 can be made from a liquid impervious material conveniently in the form of a thin liquid-tight plastic film. For example, plastic films made of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester can be used. Alternatively, a non-woven or plastic film laminate or other suitable material layers such as the liquid-tight bottom sheet 3 can be used. As can be seen from Figure 1. the diaper 1 has a substantially elongated shape and It is formed in a general way to fit around the lower trunk of an infant when it is used. It can therefore be said that the diaper 1 is designed so as to define a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction. The diaper 1 is designed with a front portion 5 in its longitudinal direction, and a back portion 6 in its longitudinal direction. When the diaper 1 is in use, the front portion 5 is positioned so that it is directed towards the belly of the wearer and down towards the groin area, while the back portion 6 is positioned so that it is directed towards the belly. The user's glutes The boundary between the front portion 5 and the rear portion 6 does not need to be defined with exact dimensions and does not occur in a specified transverse position, for example, but instead along an extended transition area in the region of crotch of the user. Regarding the function of the diaper 1, the back portion 6 is basically designed to capture a greater amount of excrement from the wearer than the front portion 5. It can therefore be said that the back portion 6 has a position and extension that correspond to the area where the excrement can be expected to accumulate. The diaper 1 is further designed with two elongated side edges 7, 8 and two transverse end edges 9, 10, more specifically a front end edge 9 and a rear end edge 10. The two side edges 7, 8 are designed with dispositions elastic 11, 12. { which are shown by dotted lines in Figure 1), for example in the form of longitudinal elastic threads, bands or the like. In this way, elastic sections are defined, the so-called leg elastics, n the side edges 7, 8, so that each lateral edge 7, 8 rests on and provides a seal against the internal surface of the user's leg. In order to avoid the runoff of urine and excrement. In addition, the diaper 1 comprises additional elastic elements 13, 14, preferably in the form of two elasticized portions along the front end edge 9 and the rear end edge 10, respectively. These elastic elements 13, 14 are designed to close against the belly and back of the wearer, respectively, as a result of which the diaper 1 provides the required fit and comfort during use. To adjust the diaper 1 on the wearer, it is additionally designed with two tape-like fastening strips 15, 16 which are positioned along respective side edges 7, 8 near the trailing edge 10. The fastening strips 15, 16 are intended to cooperate and be secured in an iiberabte manner against corresponding fastening areas 17, 18 (which are indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1) at the front end edge 9. The fastening strips 15, 16 can be secured on the fastening areas 17, 18 by means of fastening strips 15, 16 which are provided with a suitable adhesive for example, or alternatively by being designed as sailboat fasteners or in some other appropriate manner. The diaper is further designed with two longitudinal side barriers 19, 20 that move within each side edge! 7, 8 and are designed as longitudinal edges extending upwardly from the surface of the diaper 1, i.e. in such a manner as to prevent the drainage of excrement and urine from the sides of the diaper 1. The side barriers 19, 20 are conveniently provided with elastic elements (not shown in Figure 1) which are intended to raise the respective side barrier 19, 20 in a direction substantially at right angles from the plane of the top sheet 2. this way, effective barriers are formed that prevent runoff. The diaper 1 according to the invention is especially suitable for newborn babies. In such an application, the length of! diaper 1 is smaller 400 mm, while its width is less than 300 mm. However, the invention is not limited to specific sizes with respect to the external dimensions of the diaper, and instead can be adapted to different users of different sizes. The basic principle behind the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2, wherein Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the Targo of the line l-in Figure 1. As shown in the figures, the laminate consists of the upper sheet permeable to liquid 2 and the batt material 4 is cut in certain positions by means of a number of slots 21. Through these openings, the batt material 4 is exposed for the passage and accumulation of corporal excretions from the user. It will be noted that the openings that are defined by the slots 21 extend in the z-direction of the diaper 1 (see in particular Figure 2), that is, they extend in a direction that is substantially at right angles to the piano at long from which the upper sheet 2 is oriented. According to the embodiment shown, the slots 21 are placed in a uniform pattern, as can be seen from Figure 1, by means of which the slots 21 and the formation of the upper sheet 2 form a grid-like structure, which is preferably placed in the back portion 6 of the diaper 1. In this way, the openings that are defined by the slots 21 are positioned within that area of the diaper 1 where it can be expected that the user's stool will accumulate during the use of the diaper 1. According to the embodiment shown, the slots 21 are placed in a number of rows that move all along the transverse direction to the diaper 1. As will be described below with reference to Figures 3-7, a number of different configurations may be selected for the placement and design of these slots 21 within the scope of the invention. As mentioned before, and as will be seen in particular from FIG. 2, an absorbent body 22 is placed between the laminate and the lower sheet 3, that is to say at the upper part of the lower sheet 3 but below the wadding material 4. In the according to Figure 2, the laminate, as mentioned above, consists of an upper sheet 2 and a wadding material 4. According to an alternative embodiment, what is not shown in any of the figures, the laminate it may further comprise a fibrous sheet under the wadding material. This additional sheet is also conveniently non-woven (as or the upper sheet 2) and will be placed on the upper part of the absorbent body 22. The main purpose of the placement and design of the slots 21 is to allow the excrement, which in the case of infants can be expected to be loose and dripping consistency, pass quickly and efficiently through each slot 21 and down in the direction of! underlying batting material 4. In this way, the excrement can be picked up and attached to the wadding material 4. An additional effect of the slots 21 is that they have a decelerating effect that largely prevents the excrement from dripping down the back of the user, ie the rear end edge 10. Inasmuch as the top sheet 2 is provided with grooves, the underlying batt material 4 is exposed in the z-direction at each formed opening. This opening in each protuberance reduces the dispersion of! excrement and additionally defines a storage space for the excrement, so that the contact of the excrement with the user's foot is reduced. By means of the positioning and design of the grooves 21, and in virtue of the inherent resilience and thickness of the batt material 4, mounds are formed, i.e., areas in the form of a protuberance 2, in the upper sheet 2, is deciF. uniformly placed elevations of the material on the upper face of the diaper 1. The height and elasticity of each protruding area 23 are determined, inter alia, by the properties of the underlying batting material 4. By virtue of which the slots 21 are placed in the back portion 6 of the diaper 1, the protuberances 23 are also positioned substantially below the gluteus of the wearer. By virtue of the fact that the protrusions 23 have some extension in a direction outside the surface of the diaper 1, in the z-direction, the excrement accumulates in the "valleys" that are defined between the protuberances 22. In addition, the wadding material 4 is less compressed in that part of the protrusion that abuts the groove 21, which is why the excrement can be easily picked up by the wadding material. This means that the user will feel the upper sheet 2 of the diaper very dry, which of course is an advantage with respect to the user's comfort. In addition, this reduces the risk of the user experiencing skin irritation. In the manufacture of the diaper, the aforementioned laminate is first obtained by means of the upper sheet 2 which is bonded to the batting material 4. This union is preferably of the thermal bonding type, which can be used to create bonding areas. 24 (see Figure 2), which are then used to hold the top sheet 2 together with the batt material 4. Subsequently, the slots are formed, for example, by scissors, rotating blades, perforation or the like, substantially throughout the laminate, whereby the laminate is placed on the absorbent body 22. In this way, the slots 21 are formed in the upper sheet 2, and the underlying batting material 4 is deformed by the grooving as shown in Figure 2. The protrusions 23 are then formed as a consequence of the resilience or "spring" force of the batt material 4. During slotting, the uppermost fibers in the batt material 4 are cut out so that this material backs up by jumping and rises in the opening that forms. Therefore it is important to place the joint areas 24 in relation to the slots 21 and it is selected to obtain a good strength. It is therefore a res? Lec? A of the material and wadding which gives the protuberances their alt? Fa in the z direction. The actual union process of! lamination and obtaining the slots in the laminate is not shown in detail here, although it can be conveniently based on the laminate which is oriented in the u & a web of material that is fed first through a joint station for thermal bonding and then through a shaving station where the laminate is cut through suitable positions with a number of knives. After joining the cover sheet 2 to the wadding material 4, and after the laminate thus formed has been grooved, all the laminate is placed on the absorption sheet 22. Subsequently, the lower sheet 3 can be applied. It is also possible to apply a sheet of additional material on the underside of the laminate , that is to say between the wadding material 4 and the absorption sheet 22. In this way it is prevented that the openings in the laminate disperse in an undesired manner on the xy piano, which may occur in the case of inadvertent stretching of the sheet. the sheets of material, for example when the laminate is applied on the absorption sheet 22. The structure and function of the invention will now be explained in more detail and with reference to Figure 2 and also Figure 3, which is a slightly elongated perspective view of a section of the back portion 6 of! diaper 1. Figures 2 and 3 show how top sheet 2 is cut along certain areas in a manner that defines a number of slots 21, which provide an open passage extending in the direction z through the surface. upper of the upper sheet 2 and downward towards the underlying batting material 4. The wadding material 4 conveniently consists of a relatively thick and soft material, which functions as a transport and distribution layer for the liquid excrement and the urine that pass through the upper leaf 2 (i.e. the slots 21 or through the upper sheet 2 itself). The wadding material conveniently consists of a continuous layer that is located along the entire surface of the diaper 1. Alternatively, the wadding material may be placed only in part of, or parts of, the diaper surface. The absorbent body 22 consists of a highly absorbent material, for optimal absorption and storage of the body excretions. According to the embodiment, the diaper 1 is designed so that the wadding material in the back portion 6 of the diaper 1 is thicker than the wadding material in the front portion 5 (see Figure 1) of the diaper 1. more precisely, the wadding material has a much larger volume (ie volume per unit weight) in the back portion 6 of! diaper 1 wherein it is expected that most of the excrement will accumulate and where the grooves 21 in the top sheet 2 are also cut. In this way, the layer of wadding material 4 is optimally used to catch the excrement, which of course is expected to take place mainly in the posterior portion β. For the layer of batt material 4 to be able to capture large amounts of liquid quickly, it has a fiber structure with relatively large pores, ie with a capillary structure that allows the effective collection of the liquid. The layer of matter! of wadding 4 is preferably of the type of fiber batt which can be bonded or detached and which can be based on synthetic or natural fibers. Through the appropriate choice of wadding material, a desired structure of the protuberances 23 is also obtained. More specifically, the choice of fibers in the wadding material layer 4, and the density and elasticity or strength of these Finally, it determines the tendency of the wadding material 4 to press upwards in the areas around the slots 21, so that the aforementioned upwardly projecting protuberances 23, can be formed. It is understood that the elasticity or resistance means that the material has an ability to assume, or seeks to assume, its original thickness or height after compression. In order to obtain the protuberances 23 which are high in relation to the level of the rest of the upper sheet 2, and therefore also obtain distinct and large openings defined by the grooves 21, the material with particularly resilient resilience can be used in the wadding material 4 in the back portion 6 of the diaper 1. This will be described in detail later. It is intended that the batt material layer 4 is primarily a transport layer for the rapid transport of bodily fluids towards the absorbent body 22. Said in other wordsThe layer of batting material 4 does not have to be highly absorbent. The underlying high-absorbency layer 22 is intended, in comparison, for a high degree of liquid absorption and, for this purpose, is conveniently made of flake cellulose pulp. The highly absorbent material in the absorbent body 22 may also include the so-called superabsorbents, which are polymeric compounds with the ability to absorb several times their own weight of liquids, such as body fluids. The absorbent body 22 may alternatively consist of absorbent synthetic fibers, or mixtures of natural fibers and synthetic fibers. The absorbent body 22 according to the invention can be designed as shown in Figure 2, or it can alternatively be designed in a manner in which the superabsorbents are mixed. Therefore, the invention can be achieved both with an absorbent body that is defined by different sheets of material or with a single sheet with good properties with respect to the collection, distribution and storage of body fluids. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the diaper 1 is preferably joined by means of ultrasonic welding so that the joining areas 24 are defined. These bonding areas 24 consist of a number of lines joining the top sheet 2 to the wadding material 4 and are placed in a predefined manner near the slots 22. These bonding areas 24 are also indicated in Figure 1. As can also be seen in Figure 2 and Figure 3, these bonding areas 24 are positioned so as to hold the layers of material 2, 4 together around the protrusions 23 formed on the upper face of the diaper 1. As can be seen in particular from Figure 3, these bonding areas 24 define additional a kind of grid system with straight lines in the longitudinal direction and transverse direction! of the diaper 1. These lines surround the different protuberances 23. As has been stated before, the cloth! 1 was conveniently dyed through thermal bonding. However, the invention is not limited to this method, and instead the joining can be done by means of adhesive bonding or some other suitable method of forming the bonding areas 24 described above. Regardless of which joining method is selected, each joining area 24 can be designed as a series of discrete points, solid lines, wide fields or other similar configurations. Various parameters such as the width of the joining areas (in the case where these are wide fields) or the placement and dimensions of the points (in the case of a series of points) may also be varied within the scope of the invention. . To obtain a strong bond between the sheets of material, it is possible to select the fiber materials in the cover sheet 2 and the material! of wadding 4 in such a way that the fibers from both sheets are fused together in the bonding areas 24. With respect to the width of each bonding area 24, it can be established that it is conveniently of the order of 0.5-15 mm in a design suitable for a water diaper with the invention. The bonding areas 24 are also placed in a predetermined manner so that the slots 21 (and hence also the protuberances 23) will be capable of being formed according to the invention. As can be seen from Figure 3, two specific dimensions, a and b, can be defined in the longitudinal direction of the diaper. It is assumed here that the bonding areas 24 are designed as a grid system with substantially straight lines extending in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the diaper. It is further assumed that the grooves 21 are placed in line with each other in the transverse direction of! diaper 1. The first dimension referred to refers to the distance between two adjacent slots 21, as seen in the longitudinal direction of! corduroy!. The aforementioned second dimension b refers to the distance between a slot 21 and the joining area 24 placed opposite the slot 21. According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1-3, the distance a is of the order of 10-100 mm, preferably 15-50 mm, while the distance b is of the order of up to 10 mm, preferably 1-10 m. As shown in Figure 3, each slot 21 additionally defines a length c, ie in the transverse direction of the diaper, which is preferably of the order of 10-20 mm. This means that the joining areas 24 which move substantially in the longitudinal direction of the diaper between two neighboring protuberances 23 are placed at a distance d that slightly exceeds the length c of each slot 21. The details of the different preferred dimensions a, b , c, d given here may also be applied with reference to Figures 4-7. According to a further embodiment of the invention, which is shown in Figure 4, there are no bonding areas that move in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1, and instead only the bonding areas 24 that are used are displaced in the transverse direction of the diaper. The placement and length of the grooves 21 provide the conditions for forming protuberances of the type that have been described above. According to a third embodiment of the invention, which is shown in Figure 5, not every second row of protuberances 23 is offset in the transverse direction of the diaper, as is the case in the embodiments according to Figures 3 and 4 , and instead the protuberances 23 are placed as regular grids across the surface of! diaper 1. In other words, the protuberances 23 are placed in line with each other both in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction of the diaper !. This third embodiment is provided with joining areas 24 in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction! of the diaper, or, alternatively, only in the transverse direction of the diaper (see Figure 3). According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, which is shown in a perspective view in Figure 6, the protuberances 23 can be placed in an arrangement which, in comparison with Figures 3-5, is not oriented along lines straight. Instead, the protrusions 23 here are placed along an arc-like or fan-like structure to thereby adapt the ability of the diaper 1 to accumulate the excrement to the body shape of the person wearing the diaper. 1. In this embodiment, the openings that are defined by the slots 21 are therefore directed more distinctly inward toward the crotch region of the user. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding essentially to Figure 2, although it shows a further embodiment of the invention in which two slots 21 are formed in each protuberance 23. Therefore, here, the material is slit so much on the front edge as in the back edge of each protrusion 23, instead of only on the front edge, which is the case with the above mentioned modalities (see Figure 2 for example). In this embodiment, the top sheet 2 defines a class similar to arc in each protrusion 23. The alternative embodiments shown in Figures 4-6 can also be designed with double slots as shown in Figure 7. In the As shown in Figure 7, the distance between two grooves 21 (ie through the protrusion 23) can be of the order of 4-100 mm, preferably 10-40 mm. The distance between two slots, seen through! Union area 24 can also be of the order of 3-20 mm, preferably 5-15 mm. It will be noted that although the bonding areas 24 may consist of the Fectas lines shown in Figures 3-5, other configurations of the welding seams may be selected alternately, for example "short" or "punched" lines, which are placed in such a way as to allow adequate formation of the protuberances 23. It will also be noted that the weld seams do not have to be in the form of straight lines, and curved weld seams may be desirable instead of them in some applications (see Figure 6). The general requirement satisfied by the invention is that of ensuring that the slots 21 define openings extending in the z-direction of the diaper 1 and allow the optimal passage of the excrement collected in the back portion towards the wadding material 4. 6 of the cloth! 1. It will be noted here that the openings defined in the slots 21 are configured in such a way that an especially effective stool collection is achieved in a direction along the diaper 1 which is displaced rearward and substantially parallel to the upper sheet 2 (see in particular, Figure 2). In this way, the excrement is transferred substantially straight to the openings in the slots 21. t >In accordance with the embodiment shown, the protuberances 23 are arranged in a substantially rectangular grid which are arranged in a number of substantially parallel rows along the longitudinal direction of the diaper. These rows extend transversely through the diaper 1, ie between the two side barriers 19, 20 of the diaper (see Figure 1). Preferably, each second row of protuberances 23 is slightly offset, in the transverse direction! of the diaper, in relation to the nearby area (s). In this way, the protrusions 23 are positioned so as to form an alternating and "overlapping" pattern such as a protrusion 23 in a given row is located in line with a space between two protuberances 23 of a nearby row. This in turn means that the slots 21 can provide maximum access to e! loose stool that is allowed to pass into the underlying batting material 4. The placement and dimensions of the slots 21 and protuberances 23 may vary within the scope of the invention. As an alternative for the relatively uniform patterns shown in Figures 1-7, the protrusions 23 can form any desired configurations that provide the desired Pickup of the particular stool. Likewise, the dimensions of the slots 21 and protuberances 23 may vary within the scope of the invention. The protuberances, for example, do not have to be rectangular or square, and instead of eyl, they can be of another form, for example semicircular. In addition, the protuberances do not all have the same shape and size, and different types of protuberances may be present in different areas of the back portion 6 of the diaper instead. The height of the protuberances 23 on the surface of the upper sheet 2 can also vary within the scope of the invention. A higher height generally provides better access to the underlying batting material 4, which, as shown for example in Figure 3, can be distinguished in the openings which are defined by the slots 21. A greater height of the protuberances 23 also provides the user with an improved feeling of dryness, because the excrement then accumulates to a greater degree in fos valleys between the protrusions 23, which in turn slows the dispersion of the excrement and additionally isolates the skin. of the user of the contact with the excrement. A further improved effect can be obtained if the upper sheet 2 is grooved in at least part of the transverse gable ends of each protrusion 23, ie in such a way that a greater part of the "rejule" surrounding each protrusion 23 is open for exposing the underlying batting material 4. The wadding material 4 will lift the upper sheet 2 to a greater extent, so that the protuberances 23 are raised effectively. Furthermore, the gables are thus formed where they open directly within the batt material 4. According to an alternative embodiment, the protuberances can be formed by perforating squares from a sheet of full batting material. Matter! of remaining wadding then defines the protuberances. This is covered by the cover material which, for example, is welded or stuck firmly in the valleys between the protuberances and is shaved where the squares of wadding are located. A principle behind the invention is that the inherent elasticity and hardness of the batt material 4, and therefore its resilient properties also, create conditions for the formation of the aforementioned protuberances 23. An additional factor for determining the shape of the protuberances 23 is the thickness of! matter! of wadding 4, and also the placement and sizing of the grooves and the joining areas. Practical tests have shown that a permanent compression of less of 20% and a base weight of 60-200g / m2 can be parameters of matter! suitable for e! Wadding material used in connection with the invention. A measure of permanent compression is obtained by first measuring the difference between the thickness of the material after a certain compressive force has been applied and subsequently removed (having allowed the material to recover) and the original thickness of the material. material. This value is then divided between the original thickness and gives a value of the permanent compression of! matter! in question. A customary measurement method for permanent compression is ISO 1856: 1980. An alternative embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 8 which shows a diaper 1 'substantially of the same type as that shown in Figure 1., although the upper sheet 2 'of the diaper is designed in an alternative way. The components in Figure 8 which correspond to similar components in Figure 1 have been indicated by the same reference numerals of Figure 1. In contrast to the modalities shown in Figures 1-7, Figure 8 describes a variant of the invention in which relatively long slots 21 'have been formed and are transversely shifted "with respect to the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 * More precisely, in this embodiment a number of these transverse slots 21 * have been used which preferably they move between respective lateral barriers 19, 20 of the diaper 1 \ In Figure 8, three of these slots 21 are shown, although the number of slots 21 'may vary within the scope of the invention. According to Figure 8, the different layers of material of the cloth 1 'are also joined in suitable positions.The ultrasonic welding is conveniently used to form a number of areas of junction 24 ', appropriately in the form of a long line moving in front of each slot 21 *. In this way, a bonded structure is formed with large transverse openings in the z-direction, which facilitates the collection of excrement in an underlying batting material 4. The end portion of each slot 21 * can be secured in the respective side lateral barrier 19, 20 of the diaper 1 '. In this way, each end portion of the slots 21 'will be raised together with the side barriers 19, 20 in an effective manner. As in the case of the protruding areas 23 shown in Figures 1-3, the height of the transverse raised areas 23 'according to Figure 8 is also affected by the properties of ios included in the material of underlying wadding 4, for example, its volume, elasticity and resilience. Figure 8 shows how, in the openings that are defined in each slot 21 ', the material is exposed in the underlying batt material 4. As in the embodiments according to Figures 1-7, the fundamental principle of diapering 1 'according to Figure 8 is that the topsheet 2' is provided with slots 21 'of a type that the material of Wadding 4 is exposed for example by passing bodily excretions through said slots 21 '. The embodiment according to Figure 4 is especially effective with respect to the ability to slow the flow of excrement so that the latter does not drain through the trailing end edge of the diaper V. As regards the dimensions, the embodiment according to Figure 8 is designed such that the length of the slots 21 'is preferably substantially the same as or slightly less than the width of the diaper Y terminated between the side barriers 19, 20. In addition, they are Long transverse grooves may alternatively be curved, that is as an alternative urfa to the substantially straight grooves 21 * shown in Figure 8. The invention is not limited to the modalities described above and can instead be modified within the scope of the invention. of the appended claims. For example, the principle behind the invention can be applied not only to diapers, but also, for example, to incontinence guards for collecting urine and excrement from adults suffering from incontinence. Similarly, the invention can be used in principle in sanitary napkins. The components involved can have different dimensions. For example, the size, height and placement of the protuberances (according to Figures 1-7) and the raised areas (according to Figure 8) may vary. Similarly, the wadding material 4 can be designed in different ways, for example with different material types of appropriately selected dimensions and material properties.

The structures that have been described previously can also be combined with other constructions suitable for collecting body excretions. For example, an absorbent article according to the invention can be complemented with other types of bags, barrier structures and surface material in order to additionally improve the function with respect to the collection of excrement, for example.

Claims (19)

1. REIVI N DICACIONES 1 . Absorbent article (1; 1 *) such as diaper, an incontinence protector, a sanitary napkin or the like, comprising a top cover sheet, permeable to! liquid (2), a lower cover sheet, preferably impermeable to liquid (3), and an absorbent body (22) positioned between the protective covers (2, 3), said article (1; 1 ') defining a longitudinal direction , a front portion (5) in the longitudinal direction, and a back portion (6) in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that the upper cover sheet (2), together with a material! of underlying batt (4), defines a laminate which, at least in said rear portion (6), is designed with at least one through groove (21; 21 ') which defines a corresponding opening for the passage of excretions bodily through the slot (21; 21 '.}., and in which the slot (21; 21') is surrounded by junction areas (24) which, together with a corresponding action of the wadding material (4; ), define a raised area (23; 23 ') on the surface of said article (1.1") 2. Absorbent article (1; 1') according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening that is defined in said slot (21; 21 ') extends in a direction that is substantially at right angles to a piano along which the surface of the article (1; 1') extends 3. Absorbent article (1; 1 *) in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening that is defined in each slot (21; 21 ') with nfronta substantially in the direction towards the front portion (5) of article (1). 4. Absorbent article (1; 1") according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the joining areas (24) are formed by thermal bonding 5. Absorbent article (1; 1 ') in accordance with any of the previous claims, characterized in that the joining areas (24) define lines, points or elongated areas that extend along a number of lines substantially parallel in the transverse direction of said article (1; 1 '). Absorbing article (1; 1 ') of confoFidad with any of the previous claims, characterized in that the joining areas (24) define lines, points or elongated areas that extend along a number of lines substantively substantially parallel to each other. The longitudinal direction of said article (1; 1 '). 7. Absorbent article { 1; 1 *) according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the joining areas (24) of fining lines, points, or elongated areas defining an arc-shaped configuration so that the openings that are defined by each slot (21; 21") face towards an imaginary position for the crotch region of the person using said article (1; 1 ') 8. Absorbing article (1; 1') according to any of claims 5-7, characterized in that it comprises a slot (21; 21 ') between two joining areas (24). 9. Absorbent article (1; 1") according to any of claims 5-7, characterized in that it comprises two grooves between two joining areas (24) 10. Absorbing article (1) of? Nity with any of the preceding claims , characterized in that it comprises a number of grooves (21) that are oriented such that a corresponding number of raised areas (23) define protuberances that are formed along rows that move substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the article ( 1), close rows that are out of phase so that a protuberance (23) in a row is in line with a space between two protuberances (23) of a nearby row 11. Absorbent article (1; 1e) in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each slot (1; 1 ') is positioned so that the wadding material (4) is exposed to capture body excretions with a d-direction. distribution that is substantially parallel to the upper cover sheet (2; 2r). Absorbent article (1. 1f) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slot (1; V) is placed substantially in the posterior portion (6) of the article (1; 1 '), the posterior portion (6) which is defined as an area in which the excrement can be expected to accumulate. 13. Absorbent article (1; 1 '.} According to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wadding material (4) has a substantially larger volume in said posterior portion (6) than in the rest of the article. Absorbent article (1; V.) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between two close areas of union in the longitudinal direction of the article is of the order of 10-100 mm, preferably 15-50. mm. 15. Absorbent article (1; 1 ') according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between a joining area (24) and a groove (21) behind it in the longitudinal direction of the article is of! order of up to 10 mm, preferably 1-10 mm. Absorbent article (1; V) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the groove (21) in the transverse direction of the article is of the order of 10-20 mm. 17. Method for manufacturing an absorbent article (1; 1 ') such as a diaper, an incontinence protector, a sanitary napkin or the like, comprising an upper cover sheet, permeable to liquid (2), a lower cover sheet , impermeable to the liquid (3), and an absorbent body (22) placed between the protective covers (2, 3), said article (1; 1 ') defining a longitudinal direction, a front portion. { 5} in the longitudinal direction, and a back portion (6) in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that the method comprises: joining a laminate consisting of said top cover sheet (2) in conjunction with an underlying batting material (4), forming connecting areas (24) that surround the groove (21; 21 ') and that, together with a resi ient action of the material! of wadding (4), define raised areas (23; 23 *) on the surface of the article (1; 1 '), and form at least one slot (21; 21') in the laminate on a predetermined surface (6) Throughout said article, by means of which a corresponding opening is defined for the passage of bodily excretions through said slot (21; 21 '). 18. Method for manufacturing an absorbent article (1; 1 ') according to claim 17, characterized in that the formation of bonding areas (24) comprises a thermal bonding process. 19. Method for manufacturing an absorbent article (1; 1 ') according to claim 18, characterized in that the fibers from the cover sheet (2) and the wadding material (4) are fused together in the joining areas ( 24).