A nonwoven fabric is provided. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, wherein at least one of the surfaces has a TS7 value of less than about 15 dB V.sup.2 rms, and wherein the first surface has a TS7 value that is higher than the second surface TS7 value.

Disclosed is an absorbent article continuous in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction comprising a front elastic belt region, a back elastic belt region, a crotch region, a waist opening and two leg openings; the front and back elastic belt regions being a laminate comprising an inner sheet made of nonwoven fiber, and an outer sheet made of nonwoven fiber, and a plurality of elastic bodies configured to stretch the front and back elastic belt regions in the transverse direction, the outer sheet having a material caliper of at least about 0.25 mm at 500. Pa; the article further comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; the absorbent core existing through the entire longitudinal dimension of the crotch region and extending at least partly in the back elastic belt region; the back elastic belt region having a maximum caliper MaxBC and a minimum caliper MinBC according to the measurements herein, wherein the difference between the MaxBC and the MinBC is no greater than about 5 mm.

An absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material and a core wrap is provided. The core comprises at least one channel-forming area that is substantially free of absorbent material. The absorbent article comprises a masking layer between the bottom side of the core wrap and the backsheet. The masking layer and the bottom side of the core wrap are only partially bonded to each other at their interface, the interface thus comprising a bonded portion and an unbonded portion, wherein the channel-forming area at least partially corresponds to the unbonded portion of the interface, so that when the absorbent material swells, the masking layer can decouple from the three-dimensional channels.

An absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material and a core wrap is provided. The article comprises an intermediate layer between the bottom side of the core wrap and the backsheet. The intermediate layer and the absorbent core are only partially bonded to each other at their interface and the interface comprises a bonded portion and a unbonded portion. The intermediate layer can at least partially decouple from the absorbent core in the unbonded portion, which increases flexibility of the article in the transversal direction.

The present invention relates to sanitary protection article that is structured and arranged to maintain menstrual fluid within the vagina and thereby prevent the menstrual fluid from escaping the body. The present invention also relates to a method of selectively maintaining menstrual fluid within the vagina by means of using such article.

An absorbent article includes a liquid permeable, apertured topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, and an acquisition material disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the absorbent core. The acquisition material has a caliper in the range of about 2.5 mm to about 10 mm, according to the Caliper Test, and an Air Permeability in the range of about 5,000 l/m.sup.2/s to about 11,000 l/m.sup.2/s, according to the Air Permeability Test. The acquisition material has a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of three-dimensional features extending outwardly from the first surface or the second surface.

The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. The elastomeric laminates may include a first substrate, a second substrate, and an elastic material located between the first and second substrates. During assembly of an elastomeric laminate, a beam is rotated to unwind the elastic strands from the beam, wherein the strands may include a spin finish. First bonds are applied to bond discrete lengths of the stretched elastic strands with and between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the discrete first bonds are arranged intermittently along the machine direction. In addition, second bonds are applied between consecutive first bonds to bond the first and second substrates directly to each other, wherein the second bonds extend in the machine direction and may be separated from each other in a cross direction by at least one elastic strand.

The incontinence pad comprises a fluid permeable topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core being located between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core comprises a first core layer and a fluid control layer. The first core layer comprises 100 gsm superabsorbent material or more. The absorbent core has a varying thickness profile as seen in the longitudinal direction (L), with a first thickness (T1) in the intermediate portion and a second thickness (T2) in the rear portion. The first thickness (T1) in the intermediate portion is from 9 mm or more and the second thickness (T2) is 4 mm or less, as measured under a load of load of 0.5 kPa. The region which has the second thickness (T2) extends 30 mm or more in the longitudinal direction (L) from the core rear edge and toward the core front edge.

A urine incontinence pad has an absorbent core having a first core layer and a fluid control layer. The absorbent core has a varying thickness profile as seen in the longitudinal direction, with the intermediate portion having a first thickness under a load of 0.5 kPa and a first compressed thickness under a load of 2.5 kPa. The rear and front portions each have a second thickness under a load of 0.5 kPa and a second compressed thickness under a load of 2.5 kPa, wherein the second thickness is from 37% to 15% of the first thickness, the second compressed thickness is from 37% to 15% of the first compressed thickness and a ratio between the first and the second compressed thickness under a load of 2.5 kPa is equal or greater than a ratio between the first and the second thickness, under a load of 0.5 kPa.

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, and wherein in at least one of the microzones, the first region exhibits a Contact Angle of greater than 90 degrees, as measured by the Contact Angle Test Method detailed herein, and the second region exhibits a Time to Wick of less than 10 seconds, as measured by the Time to Wick Test Method detailed herein.