Absorbent member and a method of producing an absorbent member

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of producing an absorbent member comprising feeding a superabsorbent polyer and pul fiber both in the form of a dispersion in an air stream, depositing the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber in a recess by suction through a plurality of suction holes provided in the bottom of the recess and releasing the deposited aggregate from the recess. The bottom of the recess ( 50 ) has a first suction region having an open area ratio R 1 of 40 to 80% and a second suction region have an open area ratio R 2 of 2 to 20% with the ratio of R 1 to R 2 ranging from 70/30 to 99/1. The superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber are deposited on both the first and the second suction regions. The present invention also relates to an absorbent member comprising a superabsorbent polymer and pulp fiber.

1 . An absorbent member comprising a superabsorbent polymer and pulp fiber, which has a high basis weight portion having a high content of the superabsorbent polymer and a high content of the pulp fiber each per unit area, and a low basis weight portion having a lower content of the superabsorbent polymer and a lower content of the pulp fiber each per unit area than the high basis weight portion, the high basis weight portion and the low basis weight portion being integrally formed with physical continuity, and the high basis weight portion and the low basis weight portion have substantially the same density; and 
 said absorbent article further comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and a liquid retentive absorbent member interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet and having a substantially oblong shape with longitudinal ends; and    wherein the high basis weight portion additionally possesses a higher content of the superabsorbent polymer and a higher content of the pulp fiber each per unit area than any other portion, and the high basis weight portion being disposed in an area near to one of the longitudinal ends of the absorbent article.    
     
     
         2 . The absorbent member according to  claim 1 , wherein the high basis weight portion and the low basis weight portion are each composed of a plurality of layers superposed in the thickness direction, each of the layers being integrally formed with physical continuity over the entire area of the high and the low basis weight portions.  
     
     
         3 . The absorbent member according to  claim 1 , wherein the differences in proportion (weight %) of the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber respectively between the high basis weight portion and low basis weight portion of the absorbent member, based on the total weight of the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber in the high basis weight or low basis weight portion, is within ±5%.  
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the high basis weight portion is disposed in an area facing the urethra of a wearer.