An absorbent article (20) having an absorbent core comprising at least about 80% of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) by weight of its absorbent material. An acquisition-distribution system (ADS) (50) is at least partially disposed between the absorbent core and the topsheet. The ADS extends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article at least from a point A1 disposed at a distance D from the front edge to a point A2 disposed at a distance D from the back edge of the article, D being equal to 32% of the length L of the article. The ADS has a basis weight which may be at least 20% lower at the point A2 than at the point A1.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an absorbent article in which a bonding part for bonding a liquid-permeable layer to an absorbent core has been formed in a low-basis-weight region of the absorbent core and which has all of sufficient flexural rigidity of the bonding part, sufficient bonding strength of the bonding part, and sufficient liquid-absorbing properties. This problem is solved with an absorbent core which comprises a first region that has a given absorbent-material basis weight and second regions (regions 411a, 411b) that have a lower absorbent-material basis weight than the first region, wherein the ratio of the basis weight of a highly absorbing polymer to the basis weight of the absorbent material in the second regions is regulated to 10/100 to 47/100, and compressed parts are formed inside the second regions.

A method of making a printed, elastic laminate has the steps of transversely stretching and then relaxing a longitudinally elongated elastic film then printing a motif on the film. The printed elastic film is cut into longitudinally extending strips that are then bonded transversely next to each other between two surface webs through at least one of which the motif is visible to form a laminate. The laminate is then transversely stretched at least at the strips.

A disposable absorbent article having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core structure disposed therebetween. The absorbent core structure includes an upper nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers and having a basis weight of from about 30 to about 85 gsm; a lower nonwoven layer comprising polymer fibers; and an inner core layer disposed between the upper and lower nonwoven layers. The inner core layer comprises a mixture of cellulose pulp and superabsorbent particles. The cellulosic pulp comprises from about 25% to about 70% of a short cellulosic fiber, by weight of the cellulose pulp, wherein the short cellulosic fiber has an average fiber length of less than about 2 mm. The absorbent core structure has an average density of between about 0.045 g/cm.sup.3 and about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3. At least a portion of the inner core layer is contained within the nonwoven layers by sealing a portion of a first and second side region of the upper and lower nonwoven layers.

An apparatus for forming a wrapped absorbent structure feeds a continuous web layer onto a depression of a core-forming drum, with absorbent material deposited onto the continuous web layer and into the depression and another continuous web layer being applied over the continuous web layer and the absorbent material to enclose the absorbent material therebetween. A pleating system forms one or more folds in one or both of the continuous web layers, with each fold being a continuous fold running in the machine direction so as to form a pleated web layer having portions overlapped in a cross-machine direction. An attachment means forms substantially temporary bonds in the overlapped portions of the pleated web layer that have a bond strength great enough to maintain the continuous fold in the wrapped absorbent core during forming of the wrapped absorbent structure and when the absorbent material is in a substantially dry state.

A feminine hygiene article is provided with a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core between the topsheet and backsheet. The absorbent core has first and second longitudinal core edges. The feminine hygiene article includes a first wing extending laterally outboard the first longitudinal core edge. The first wing includes a first layer, a second layer, a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion and an outer most edge portion. The first wing has a first wing portion extending from the first longitudinal core edge to a first edge and a second wing portion extending from the first edge to the outer most edge portion. The first and second layers are joined by an adhesive in the first wing portion. The first layer and the second layer are joined by mechanical bonding in the second wing portion. A method is also provided for forming the improved feminine hygiene product.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling disposable pant diapers having contoured elastic belts. During the assembly process, opposing end regions of chassis are connected with the elastic belts in the form of first and second continuous elastic laminates. The chassis are then folded to place the elastic laminates into a facing relationship. The inner longitudinal edges of one or both the elastic laminates are then cut to define a contoured shape. Discrete pieces of trim material may be removed from one or both the elastic laminates, and the first and second continuous elastic laminates are cut in the cross direction to form discrete pant diapers. In some configurations, a single knife both removes the trim material and cuts the elastic laminates in cross direction. And in some configurations, a first knife removes the trim material and a second knife cuts the elastic laminates in cross direction.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling disposable pant diapers having contoured elastic belts. During the assembly process, opposing end regions of chassis are connected with the elastic belts in the form of first and second continuous elastic laminates. The chassis are then folded to place the elastic laminates into a facing relationship. The inner longitudinal edges of one or both the elastic laminates are then cut to define a contoured shape. Discrete pieces of trim material may be removed from one or both the elastic laminates, and the first and second continuous elastic laminates are cut in the cross direction to form discrete pant diapers. In some configurations, a single knife both removes the trim material and cuts the elastic laminates in cross direction. And in some configurations, a first knife removes the trim material and a second knife cuts the elastic laminates in cross direction.

A manufacturing apparatus of an absorbent body includes: a duct to convey fibrillated fibers via an air flow; a first drum to allow the fibers conveyed through the duct to be accumulated on an outer peripheral face by the suction force from the interior to convey a fiber body of the accumulated fibers, the first drum being a first pattern drum to define the shape of the fiber body; a spraying device to spray absorbent particles; a second drum to convey an aggregate obtained by collecting the sprayed particles on an outer peripheral face by the suction force from the interior, the second drum being a second pattern drum to control the distribution of the aggregate; and a layering unit to layer the fiber body and the aggregate to each other.

An absorbent core for an absorbent article is provided an absorbent material, the absorbent core comprising one or more first zones comprising a first amount of absorbent material and one or more second zones comprising a second amount of absorbent material, wherein each second zone is at least partly delimited from the other second zones by the one or more first zones characterized in that the first amount of bulk absorbent material is different than the second amount of absorbent material, each amount of absorbent material being determined as weight per unit area.