Biaxially stretchable outer cover for an absorbent article

摘要

An outer cover for use with an absorbent article having a layer of nonwoven fibrous material and optionally including a polymeric layer laminated or printed onto the layer of nonwoven fibrous material. The outer cover includes at least one plastic component and at least one elastic component in the nonwoven fibrous material and/or optional polymeric layer. The outer cover can have different structural combinations of spunbond fibers, meltblown fibers, and/or nanofibers. The combination of plastic and elastic components results in an outer cover that has favorable mechanical, physical, and aesthetic properties. The outer cover can be rendered either uniaxially or biaxially stretchable via a mechanical activation process.

主权项

1. An outer cover for an absorbent article, the outer cover comprising:
(a) a first layer of nonwoven fibers having a first number-average fiber diameter, the nonwoven fibers of the first layer including core-sheath type bi-component fibers wherein the bi-component fibers comprise a core formed from elastomeric polypropylene and a sheath formed from polyethylene; (b) a second layer of nonwoven fibers having a second number-average fiber diameter less than the first number-average fiber diameter, the second layer of nonwoven fibers disposed on the first layer of nonwoven fibers such that at least some of the fibers from the second layer are in contact with at least some of the fibers of the first layer; wherein the outer cover has been mechanically deformed; wherein the first layer of nonwoven fibers comprises spunbond fibers and the second layer of fibers comprises elastomeric and plastic nanofibers; and wherein the outer cover has a first cycle % set of about 20% or less as determined by the hysteresis test with 75% maximum strain.