Patent ID: 6746976
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: A61F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A thin until wet material suitable for use as an acquisition layer in an absorbent article, the material comprising a blend of fibers, said fibers consisting of a blend of crosslinked cellulosic fibers and high surface area cellulosic fibers, said material further comprising polymeric temporary binding means and a wet strength means, said material being held in a compressed state by said temporary binding means until exposure to an aqueous liquid, wherein:when said material is saturated by an aqueous fluid, said material has an expanded wet density of between about 0.04 grams/cm3 and about 0.4 gram/cm3 and a medium capillary desorption height (CDH) of less than about 25 cm; said temporary binding means helps maintain said material at a compressed dry density of between about 0.06 grams/cm3 and about 1.2 grams/cm3 until said material is exposed to an aqueous fluid wherein, upon such exposure, said temporary binding means releases so that said material expands at a compressed initial z-direction expansion rate of at least about 0.5 millimeters/second; and the ratio of said compressed dry density to said expanded wet density is greater than about 1.5:1.