Absorbent articles having cuffs with skin care composition disposed thereon

Abstract

An absorbent article, such as a diaper, containing cuffs with a skin care composition disposed thereon. In one embodiment the cuff is a nonwoven leg cuff comprising spunbonded nonwoven material and characterized by the lack of a meltblown component, the nonwoven material having a basis weight of about 17 gsm and a hydrostatic head of at least about 95 mm. The spunbonded material comprises metallocene polypropylene fibers having a denier of less than about 1.3. In another embodiment, small amounts of meltblown fibers, for example, up to about 10% by weight, can be added to the metallocene polypropylene spunbonded material to increase production rates of the nonwoven material, without an unacceptable decrease in skin health benefits. The skin care composition disposed on the cuffs is transferable to the wearer's skin by normal contact and/or wearer motion and/or body heat. The skin care compositions disclosed in the present invention are selected to maintain and/or improve the skin health of the wearer upon transfer during use, for example, to provide a skin protective barrier or a therapeutic benefit; to minimize the abrasion between the cuffs and skin in the area where the cuffs contact the wearer's skin, resulting in less skin irritation; to improve BM clean up on the skin, or to improve the barrier properties of the cuffs.

1 . An absorbent article to be worn by a wearer adjacent the skin, the absorbent article comprising:
 a chassis comprising:
 an outer covering layer comprising:
 a backsheet; and 
 a liquid pervious topsheet joined to said backsheet; and 
 
 an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet; 
   a cuff joined to said chassis, each said cuff having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite said first surface, said cuff comprising a nonwoven consisting essentially of metallocene propylene spunbond fibers having a denier less than about 1.3 and wherein said nonwoven has a hydrostatic head of at least about 85 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said nonwoven consists of spunbond fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 2  wherein said nonwoven has a basis weight of less than about 17 gsm. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said nonwoven comprises less than about 10% by weight meltblown fibers and said nonwoven has a hydrohead of at least about 85 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 4  wherein said nonwoven comprises less than about 8% by weight meltblown fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said cuff further comprises an effective amount of a skin care composition disposed on said nonwoven said skin care composition being semi-solid or solid at 20° C. and at least partially transferable to a wearer's skin. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 6  wherein the quantity of said skin care composition on said nonwoven ranges from about 0.05 mg/in 2  to about 80 mg/in 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 6  wherein said skin care composition comprises:
 (i) from about 10% to about 95% of an emollient having a plastic or fluid consistency at 20° C.; and   (ii) from about 5% to about 90% of an agent capable of immobilizing said emollient on said nonwoven.   
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 8  wherein said emollient comprises a member selected from the group consisting of petroleum-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, polysiloxane emollients, sucrose ester fatty acids, alkyl ethoxylates emollients and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 8  wherein said immobilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of polyhydroxy fatty acid esters, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, C 14 -C 22  fatty alcohols, C 12 -C 22  fatty acids, C 12 -C 22  fatty alcohol ethoxylates, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 6  wherein said skin care composition further comprises aloe extract. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 6  wherein said skin care composition is disposed on said first surface. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 12  wherein said first surface of said cuff contacts the wearer's skin during use so as to form a body surface. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 12  wherein said first surface comprises the surface facing away from the wearer during use so as to form a garment surface. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 12  wherein said skin care composition is capable of being transferred from said first surface to said second surface. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said cuff comprises a gasketting cuff comprising a side flap formed from a portion of said topsheet and an elastic member operatively joined to said side flap. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said cuff comprises a barrier cuff that is formed unitarily with said topsheet. 
     
     
         18 . An absorbent article to be worn by a wearer adjacent the skin, the absorbent article comprising:
 a chassis having edges, said chassis comprising:
 an outer covering layer; and 
 an absorbent core encased in said outer covering layer; 
   a barrier cuff joined to said chassis, said barrier cuff comprising a separate barrier cuff member having a proximal edge and a distal edge in spaced relation to said proximal edge, said proximal edge being joined to said outer covering layer, a portion of said distal edge not being secured to the absorbent article, and a spacing elastic element operatively associated with said distal edge for allowing said barrier cuff member to stand upwardly away from said outer covering layer, said barrier cuff member comprising a nonwoven consisting essentially of metallocene polypropylene spunbond fibers having a denier less than about 1.3 and wherein said nonwoven has a hydrostatic head of at least about 85 mm.   
     
     
         19 . An absorbent article to be worn by a wearer adjacent the skin, the absorbent article comprising:
 a chassis having edges, said chassis comprising:
 an outer covering layer; and 
 an absorbent core encased in said outer covering layer; 
   a barrier cuff joined to said chassis, said barrier cuff comprising a separate barrier cuff member having a proximal edge and a distal edge in spaced relation to said proximal edge, said proximal edge being joined to said outer covering layer, a portion of said distal edge not being secured to the absorbent article, and a spacing elastic element operatively associated with said distal edge for allowing said barrier cuff member to stand upwardly away from said outer covering layer, said barrier cuff comprising a nonwoven consisting essentially of metallocene polypropylene spunbond fibers having a denier less than about 1.3 and wherein said nonwoven has a hydrostatic head of at least about 85 mm; and   an effective amount of a skin care composition disposed on said barrier cuff member, said skin care composition being semi-solid or solid at 20° C. and at least partially transferable to a wearer's skin.