An absorbent pad having first and second longitudinal pad side edge. The absorbent pad includes a fluid permeable topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core. The absorbent core has first and second longitudinal side edges. The absorbent core in its longitudinal direction has a front portion, a rear portion and an intermediate portion located between the front portion and the rear portion, the front portion, the rear portion and the intermediate portion being of equal lengths. An elastic element is disposed between the fluid permeable topsheet and the backsheet outside of the respective longitudinal core side edges. A width of the absorbent core in the front portion and the intermediate portion varies no more than 25 mm along a length of the absorbent core. The respective elastic elements each extends along at least a part of the front portion and over at least 30% of the intermediate portion.

An absorbent pad having first and second longitudinal pad side edge. The absorbent pad includes a fluid permeable topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core. The absorbent core has first and second longitudinal side edges. The absorbent core in its longitudinal direction has a front portion, a rear portion and an intermediate portion located between the front portion and the rear portion, the front portion, the rear portion and the intermediate portion being of equal lengths. An elastic element is disposed between the fluid permeable topsheet and the backsheet outside of the respective longitudinal core side edges. A width of the absorbent core in the front portion and the intermediate portion varies no more than 25 mm along a length of the absorbent core. The respective elastic elements each extends along at least a part of the front portion and over at least 30% of the intermediate portion.

In order to absorb a small amount of liquid, to prevent an absorbent article from being disintegrated by the absorbed liquid, and to prevent piping of a toilet from being clogged even if the absorbent article is flushed into a flush toilet, the absorbent article includes a pulp layer containing a crushed pulp or fibers mainly containing a crushed pulp, and the pulp layer has a water repellent surface layer portion formed by applying a water repellent agent to at least one surface layer portion.

In order to absorb a small amount of liquid, to prevent an absorbent article from being disintegrated by the absorbed liquid, and to prevent piping of a toilet from being clogged even if the absorbent article is flushed into a flush toilet, the absorbent article includes a pulp layer containing a crushed pulp or fibers mainly containing a crushed pulp, and the pulp layer has a water repellent surface layer portion formed by applying a water repellent agent to at least one surface layer portion.

An absorbent article including an absorbent main body including an absorbent core; and a pair of leak-proof walls. The pair of leak-proof walls are on respective widthwise side portions of the absorbent main body. Each of the leak-proof walls is capable of standing on a skin side in the thickness direction. The absorbent core includes a low-basis-weight portion in a widthwise central portion. The low-basis-weight portion has a basis weight of the absorbent core smaller than the basis weight in a surrounding portion. A joined part is formed by joining a surface of the skin-side portion and a surface of the non-skin-side portion, the surfaces facing to each other. The joined part is provided inside a distal end of the leak-proof wall and outside the low-basis-weight portion in the width direction. A part of the joined part and a part of the low-basis-weight portion overlap in the longitudinal direction.

An absorbent article including an absorbent main body including an absorbent core; and a pair of leak-proof walls. The pair of leak-proof walls are on respective widthwise side portions of the absorbent main body. Each of the leak-proof walls is capable of standing on a skin side in the thickness direction. The absorbent core includes a low-basis-weight portion in a widthwise central portion. The low-basis-weight portion has a basis weight of the absorbent core smaller than the basis weight in a surrounding portion. A joined part is formed by joining a surface of the skin-side portion and a surface of the non-skin-side portion, the surfaces facing to each other. The joined part is provided inside a distal end of the leak-proof wall and outside the low-basis-weight portion in the width direction. A part of the joined part and a part of the low-basis-weight portion overlap in the longitudinal direction.

A method for making an absorbent article comprising an absorbent core comprising one or more channels, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a first endless moving surface comprising a plurality of molds, each mold comprising a non-porous insert therein, typically said insert having the inverse shape of said channel(s), wherein the molds are in fluid communication with an under-pressure source except for said insert; ii. feeding a first nonwoven web to said first endless moving surface and over one or more said molds; iii. depositing an absorbent material, comprising cellulose fibers and/or superabsorbent polymer particles, over at least a portion of said nonwoven web; iv. removing said absorbent material from areas of the nonwoven web corresponding to said insert; v. applying a second nonwoven web directly or indirectly over the absorbent material, or folding said first nonwoven web, such to sandwich said absorbent material between upper and lower layers of said nonwoven web(s); vi. joining said upper and lower layers together at least in the areas of the nonwoven web(s) corresponding to the insert to form an absorbent core having one or more channels substantially free of absorbent material; vii. optionally joining an acquisition distribution layer to said absorbent core, typically a skin facing surface of said upper layer; viii. optionally laminating said absorbent core and acquisition distribution layer between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impervious backsheet; wherein step vi. comprises the step of selectively applying a first pressure onto the absorbent core, preferably only, in a central portion thereof and a second pressure, preferably only, along peripheral longitudinal side edges thereof miming opposite and parallel to each other and being outboard of said central portion, said central portion corresponding at least to a region of the core comprising said channel(s), and wherein said first and second pressures are successively applied along a machine direction (MD).

A method for making an absorbent article comprising an absorbent core comprising one or more channels, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a first endless moving surface comprising a plurality of molds, each mold comprising a non-porous insert therein, typically said insert having the inverse shape of said channel(s), wherein the molds are in fluid communication with an under-pressure source except for said insert; ii. feeding a first nonwoven web to said first endless moving surface and over one or more said molds; iii. depositing an absorbent material, comprising cellulose fibers and/or superabsorbent polymer particles, over at least a portion of said nonwoven web; iv. removing said absorbent material from areas of the nonwoven web corresponding to said insert; v. applying a second nonwoven web directly or indirectly over the absorbent material, or folding said first nonwoven web, such to sandwich said absorbent material between upper and lower layers of said nonwoven web(s); vi. joining said upper and lower layers together at least in the areas of the nonwoven web(s) corresponding to the insert to form an absorbent core having one or more channels substantially free of absorbent material; vii. optionally joining an acquisition distribution layer to said absorbent core, typically a skin facing surface of said upper layer; viii. optionally laminating said absorbent core and acquisition distribution layer between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impervious backsheet; wherein step vi. comprises the step of selectively applying a first pressure onto the absorbent core, preferably only, in a central portion thereof and a second pressure, preferably only, along peripheral longitudinal side edges thereof miming opposite and parallel to each other and being outboard of said central portion, said central portion corresponding at least to a region of the core comprising said channel(s), and wherein said first and second pressures are successively applied along a machine direction (MD).

A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, said method comprising guiding a first sheet material along a rotating member, wherein a surface of said rotating member is provided with a pattern with at least one suction zone and at least one non-suction zone; applying an absorbent material on said first sheet material on the rotating member; locally removing the absorbent material applied on at least one attachment portion of the first sheet material located above the at least one non-suction zone, such that at least one remaining portion of the first sheet material located above the at least one suction zone is covered with absorbent material and substantially no absorbent material is present on the at least one attachment portion; applying a second sheet material on top of the absorbent material on the first sheet material.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core sandwiched between a liquid permeable topsheet and a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an acquisition distribution layer positioned between said topsheet and said absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core comprises absorbent material selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, superabsorbent polymers and combinations thereof, wherein said absorbent core comprises at least one core wrap substrate enclosing said absorbent material, and wherein a top layer of said core wrap is adhered to a bottom layer of said core wrap to form one or more channels substantially free of said absorbent material, wherein said channels have a length extending along a longitudinal axis and the absorbent core has a length extending along said longitudinal axis and wherein the length of said channels is from 10% to 95% of the length of said absorbent core and wherein said channels each follow a substantially continuous path such as from a first end of a channel to a second end of the same channel wherein the acquisition distribution layer comprises a spunbond and/or carded nonwoven layer comprising synthetic fibers, wherein said synthetic fibers are comprised at a level of greater than 80% wt by weight of said acquisition distribution layer, and wherein said acquisition distribution layer has a basis weight of from 10 to 50 g/m.sup.2.