An absorbent core comprising a front portion; a back portion; a middle portion positioned between the front portion and the back portion; and a longitudinal axis extending along a length of said core and crossing said front, middle and back portions, the absorbent core having a width extending perpendicular to said length and a perimeter comprising at least two opposing ends and at least two opposing sides positioned between said ends, said core being a multi-layer core comprising at least two distinct core layers, wherein a first core layer comprises a first concentration of super absorbent polymer therein and a second core layer comprises a second concentration of super absorbent polymer therein said first and second concentrations being different, wherein at least said first core layer comprises one or more channels, said channel(s) being continuous and interconnected at least along the length and the width of said core such that at least two channel portions extending along said length are in fluid communication via a connecting channel portion positioned proximal to said back portion.

An absorbent cores includes absorbent material enclosed a core wrap which comprises a liquid permeable substrate layer. The core contains from about 87% to about 100% of superabsorbent polymer and a tube-shaped swelling chamber having a length to width aspect ratio of less than or equal to about 5:1. The area of the core is at least twice the area of the swelling chamber, and the core contains a water responsive immobilizing agent to immobilize the superabsorbent polymer prior to water insult. The tube-shaped swelling chamber is a portion of the absorbent core containing superabsorbent polymer that is delimited by a plurality of continuous permanent seals that each join together overlapping portions of the core wrap and prevent superabsorbent polymer from moving across the seals.

The present invention generally relates to sanitary absorbent articles and in particular to disposable feminine sanitary absorbent articles that are extremely thin, highly absorbent and have superior structural integrity properties.

An absorbent article includes an absorbent core having an absorbent material enclosed in a core wrap having a top layer and a bottom layer. The bottom layer of the core wrap comprises a nonwoven comprising synthetic fibers, which has a basis weight from about 6 g/m.sup.2 to about 10 g/m.sup.2 and the nonwoven has a static coefficient of friction as measured in cross-machine direction of no more than 0.40.

An absorbent article having a fluid-handling system includes a fluid permeable bodyside liner; a fluid impermeable outer cover; an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover, wherein the absorbent core includes superabsorbent material and optionally fluff pulp; a tissue core wrap encircling the absorbent core; and a distribution sub-layer disposed between the absorbent core and the outer cover and within the core wrap, wherein the distribution sub-layer includes a three-dimensionally patterned, wetlaid, cellulosic tissue nonwoven material. The distribution sub-layer includes opposing distribution sub-layer surfaces each having a textured surface, wherein each surface includes an average material plane, a plurality of ridges extending in a z-direction from the average material plane, and a plurality of grooves alternating with the plurality of ridges, wherein the grooves depth extend in the opposite z-direction from the average material plane.

An absorbent core and an absorbent article respectively with improved properties, especially rewet performance, are disclosed. The absorbent core has at least two layers, wherein each layer comprising from 0 to 10% by weight fibrous material and from 90 to 100% by weight water-absorbent polymer particles, based on the sum of water-absorbent polymer particles and fibrous material. The surface-postcrosslinked water absorbent polymer particles within the upper layer have a sphericity of at least 0.89 and a CRC of at least 34 g/g. Preferably the water-absorbent polymer particles have a sphericity of at least 0.89 and the sum of the CRC and AUL (0.3 psi, 21 g cm.sup.2) (EDANA 442.2-02) of the water absorbent polymer particles is at least 65 g/g.

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.

Absorbent structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing may comprise, directing a stream of particles toward a layer, spraying the stream with a first adhesive, the first adhesive contacting the stream at a first contact point, spraying the stream with a second adhesive, the second adhesive contacting the stream at a second contact point, the first contact point being different from the second contact point, depositing the intermixed particles, first adhesive, and second adhesive onto the layer, and covering the mixture of the particles, the first adhesive, and the second adhesive with a second layer.

An absorbent member (4) of the present invention includes fiber clusters (11) containing synthetic fibers (11F) and includes water absorbing fibers (12F), and a plurality of the fiber clusters (11) are interlaced with each other or with the water absorbing fibers (12F). The content mass ratio of the fiber clusters (11) to the water absorbing fibers (12F) (fiber cluster ratio) is smaller in the side of a skin-facing surface (the side of a topsheet (2)) than in the side of a non-skin-facing surface (the side of a backsheet (3)) of the absorbent member (4). The fiber cluster (11) includes a main portion (110) formed by two opposite base surfaces (111) and a body surface (112) intersecting the base surfaces (111).

An absorbent article includes a polymer sheet (4) where a superabsorbent polymer (12) is disposed between an upper layer sheet (10) disposed on a skin side and a lower layer sheet (11) disposed on a non-skin side. The diffusion area of the lower layer sheet (11) is 1500 mm.sup.2 or greater. The diffusion area is measured by an absorption test method including: (1) preparing a specimen with a size of 100 mm100 mm, (2) placing a tip of a buret at a height of 10 mm above a surface of the specimen, and dropping one droplet of ion-exchanged water from the buret, and (3) after 3 minutes from a time when the droplet reaches the surface of the specimen, measuring, as the diffusion area, an area of a region of the surface of the specimen where a reflection from water is clearly visible.