A breathable thermoplastic polymer film may be produced and adapted for use as a breathable diaper backsheet. The film may comprise a blend of LLDPE, mLLDPE and calcium carbonate, and may have improved tear strength and melt strength such that instances of tears or break offs during the machine direction orientation portion of the production process are significantly reduced or eliminated. In addition, the film may have sufficient tear strength to permit omission of CDI processing needed to strengthen weaker prior art films. In this regard, undesired streaking of colors or printed aspects of the film may be reduced or avoided completely.

A nonwoven web with apertures, suitable for use in a disposable absorbent article, is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of producing a nonwoven web with apertures. The nonwoven web comprises greater than 50%, by weight of the web, of thermoplastic fibers. Each of the aperture is defined by an opening in a first surface of the nonwoven web and a side wall. The side walls of the apertures have a mean height of less than 460 μm. Also disclosed is an absorbent article comprising the nonwoven web. A topsheet, backsheet, or other component of the absorbent article may comprise the nonwoven web.

A bandage for fixation of a limb is disclosed, the bandage comprising at least one flexible, thermoplastic polymer splint which is shaped and in plasticized condition attached to the surface of a longitudinal strip of fabric which is elastic in its length direction, the fabric and splint having a length sufficient for wrapping in layers about a limb. The splint is formed to the shape of a wave wherein adjacent splint ribs are interconnected at a wave crest or a wave trough respectively, wherein at least one of the wave crests and the wave troughs is located near, i.e. in the region of, a longitudinal edge of the strip of fabric. A method for manufacture of the splint-armored bandage is likewise disclosed.

A system of absorbent articles is described. The system includes a first absorbent article having a first pad length, a first pad width, and a first core width; a second absorbent article having a second pad length, a second pad width, and a second core width; a third absorbent article having a third pad length, a third pad width, and a third core width; and a product selection guide identifying the first, second, and the third absorbent articles. Each of the first, second, and the third absorbent articles has a caliper of 3-6 mm The percent difference in pad attributes between the first, second, and the third absorbent articles is at least one of: (i) about 8 to about 29 in pad length; (ii) about 7 to about 25 in pad width; and (iii) about 8 to about 30 in core width.

A nonwoven fabric for an outer sheet of an absorbent article has a liquid-impermeable sheet having moisture vapor permeability, the nonwoven fabric having a thickness direction and a planar direction, and a first surface and a second surface, the nonwoven fabric including thermoplastic resin fibers, and cellulosic fibers that are cellulosic fibers of which at least a portion form a plurality of fiber masses, the nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of gaps that are adjacent to first regions of each of the plurality of fiber masses that are facing the first surface, wherein each of the plurality of fiber masses are not joined with the thermoplastic resin fibers.

A process of making an absorbent article is disclosed. A liquid permeable topsheet web extending substantially continuously in a machine direction a backsheet web, and an intermediate layer are provided. The topsheet web has first and second surfaces. The backsheet web extends substantially continuously in the machine direction. The intermediate layer has a first and second surface. The topsheet and intermediate layer are aligned in a face to face relationship such that the second surface of the topsheet in in contact with the first surface of the intermediate layer and simultaneously mechanically deformed which combines the topsheet with the intermediate layer. The topsheet web and intermediate layer are nested together such that a majority of the three-dimensional protrusions formed in the topsheet web coincide with and fit together with a majority of the three-dimensional protrusions formed in the intermediate layer to provide a topsheet/intermediate layer laminate web having three-dimensional protrusions.

An absorbent of a disposable diaper is formed of a lower layer absorbent and an upper layer absorbent, wherein a pair of left and right slits is extended in a front-rear direction region including a crotch portion, wherein the left slit and the right slit are spaced apart in a width direction, wherein a top sheet includes a depressed portion that falls into the slits, and wherein, in at least a region located between the slits in the top sheet, a large number of convex portions is arranged in a zigzag manner while being spaced apart by an interval, and the interval between the adjacent convex portions in the width direction is shorter than each of sizes in the width direction of the convex portions located at the front side and at a rear side of a part of the interval.

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, wherein the intensive property is one or more of thickness, basis weight, or volumetric density, and wherein the first surface has a TS7 value different than a TS7 value of the second surface.

The present disclosure relates to a sanitary article such as a sanitary napkin, a panty liner, a diaper or an incontinence pad, including a liquid permeable topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core enclosed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a fibrous layer positioned between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The topsheet includes a coating having a) an oil composition and b) one or more surface active agent(s) including a non-ionic surfactant, wherein the weight ratio of the oil composition and the surface active agent(s) is at least 1:1, and wherein the oil composition is present in an amount of at least 0.3 g/m.sup.2 of the topsheet and wherein the fibrous layer is an oil protecting layer consisting essentially of non-absorbent fibers.

A method for isolating microorganisms from areas external and proximate a menstruating user's genital area is also disclosed. The method utilizes an absorbent article having a topsheet formed of nonwoven web material having favorable skin-feel qualities associated with nonwovens, and including hydrophilic fibers. A tendency of the topsheet material to absorb and retain discharged menstrual fluid, resulting from presence of hydrophilic fibers, is mitigated by inclusion of an absorbent core structure including suitable absorbent, open-celled foam material disposed directly beneath the topsheet in closely maintained, direct face-to-face contact with the outward-facing surface thereof. The absorbent foam may be suitably manufactured so as to have the ability to effectively draw fluid from the topsheet and retain it away from the topsheet. In such configuration, growth of microorganisms that might by supported by fluid retained by the topsheet, proximate the wearer's skin surfaces, is reduced or prevented.