Process and apparatus for forming a stabilized absorbent web
An apparatus and process for forming an absorbent web (26) includes an airlaying of a first fibrous stratum (28) which has a first quantity of absorbent fibers; an airlaying of a second fibrous stratum (34) which has a second quantity of absorbent fibers; and an airlaying of a third, intermediate fibrous stratum (40) which has a third quantity of absorbent fibers. The intermediate fibrous stratum has a location that is interposed between the first fibrous stratum and the second fibrous stratum. A liquid, wet-strength agent is distributed onto the fibers of the intermediate fibrous stratum (40) during the airlaying of the intermediate fibrous stratum to thereby render the intermediate fibrous stratum substantially non-dispersible. The process and apparatus are configured to operatively form or join the intermediate fibrous stratum (40) with at least the first fibrous stratum (28), and in desired aspects, the invention can integrally form or join the intermediate fibrous stratum (40) with both of the first and second fibrous strata (28) and (34), respectively. In a particular aspect, the invention can configure the first and second fibrous strata (28) and (34) to be substantially dispersible in an aqueous liquid, and in a further aspect, the composite strata of the web (26) can be operatively compressed prior to a curing of the wet-strength agent.
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
A A D A D A
A61F A61F D04H A61F D04H A61F
inventional inventional inventional inventional inventional additional
Yong Anthony John Michael Franklin
Li Wisneski Kalmon