Absorbent article having a nonwoven and apertured film coversheet

Abstract

An absorbent article having improved strikethrough, rewet characteristics, and feel is disclosed. The absorbent article has a topsheet comprising a nonwoven material and apertured thermoplastic film. The apertured thermoplastic film is treated with a surfactant preferably by incorporating the surfactant into the resin used to make the thermoplastic film. The combination of the nonwoven material and the surfactant-treated apertured thermoplastic film permit liquids to rapidly penetrate the topsheet while preventing liquid in the absorbent core of the article from flowing back through the topsheet. The nonwoven material provides the topsheet with improved, less plastic-like feel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid pervious topsheet for an absorbent article, said topsheet comprising a fibrous nonwoven material and an apertured plastic film placed together so that at least a portion of the fibers of said nonwoven material are embedded in some portion of said film, wherein said film is treated with a surfactant to enhance the overall permeability of said topsheet. 
     
     
       2. The topsheet of claim 1 wherein said film is comprised of a thermoplastic resinous material and said surfactant was mixed with said thermoplastic resinous material and incorporated into said film. 
     
     
       3. The topsheet of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven material is also treated with a surfactant. 
     
     
       4. An absorbent article having a body-facing side, said absorbent article comprising: a liquid pervious topsheet, said topsheet comprising a fibrous nonwoven material that forms the body-facing side of said absorbent article, and an apertured plastic film that underlies said nonwoven material, wherein at least a portion of the fibers of said nonwoven material are embedded in some portion of said film and said film is treated with a surfactant to enhance the overall permeability of said topsheet;   a liquid impervious backsheet joined to said topsheet; and   an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet.   
     
     
       5. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said film is comprised of a thermoplastic resinous material and said surfactant was mixed with said thermoplastic resinous material and incorporated into said film. 
     
     
       6. A liquid pervious topsheet for an absorbent article having a body-facing side, said topsheet comprising a fibrous nonwoven material and an apertured, thermoplastic film placed together in a face-to-face relationship so that said nonwoven material forms the body-facing side of the absorbent article, and said film underlies said nonwoven material such that at least a portion of the fibers of said nonwoven material are embedded in some portion of said film, wherein said film is comprised of a liquid impervious thermoplastic resinous material which is treated with a surfactant to enhance the overall permeability of said topsheet, and said film has a thickness of from about 0.001 to 0.002 inches and is provided with tapered capillaries in the form of frustums of cones that define apertures, said tapered capillaries each having a base opening adjacent said nonwoven material and an oppositely disposed apex opening, an angle of taper of from about 10° to about 60° , a base opening dimension of from about 0.006 to about 0.250 inch, and an apex opening dimension of from about 0.004 to about 0.100 inch. 
     
     
       7. A composite liquid pervious topsheet for an absorbent article having a body-facing side, said topsheet comprising: a nonwoven material comprising a plurality of fibers, said nonwoven material having a body-facing side and a garment-facing side, said fibers comprising thermally bonded polypropylene fibers, said nonwoven material having a basis weight from about 8 g/sq. m to about 12 g/sq. m;   and   a three-dimensional plastic film having a body-facing side and a garment-facing side and comprised of a liquid impervious thermoplastic resinous material, said film being provided with a plurality of apertures and having a surfactant therein to enhance the overall permeability of said topsheet; wherein:   said nonwoven material and said film are arranged so that said body-facing side of said nonwoven material is disposed above said body-facing side of said film, and said garment-facing side of said nonwoven material lies between said body-facing side of said film and said garment-facing side of said film.