The present invention relates to absorbent articles (1) and arrays (10) of absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, baby or adult diapers or pants, comprising a body facing surface (20), a garment facing surface (12) and an absorbent core (4) between the body facing surface (20) and the garment facing surface (12). The body facing surface (20) comprises at least one central region (2) comprising a first plurality of discrete elements (5a) viewable from the body facing surface (20) and two flanking regions (3a, 3b) comprising a second plurality of discrete elements (6a) viewable from the body facing surface (20). They are characterised in that the average perimeter of the elements from the central region is smaller than the average perimeter of the elements within the flanking regions. This may allow absorbent articles to have an improved structural functionality communication and an improved visual experience for the user.

An absorbent article is provided, which effectively utilizes the entire absorber by quickly diffusing a body fluid, and reduces discomfort in a wearer by suppressing unpleasant dampness and twisting after absorption of the body fluid. An absorbent article of the present invention includes a liquid permeable top surface sheet, a liquid impermeable back surface sheet, and an absorber disposed between the top surface sheet and the back surface sheet. A top surface sheet side of the absorbent article is provided with extending a plurality of compressed lines in each of which a plurality of recess portions formed by compressing the top surface sheet and the absorber are arranged. The plurality of compressed lines form intersection regions where the compressed lines intersect with each other. The compressed recess portions are not formed in the intersection regions.

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 is hydrophobic and the second region is hydrophilic.

A hydroformed composite material includes an expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer was created, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed composite material includes a formed film layer that includes a plurality of extended cells containing continuous fibers and/or fibrils of the expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer.

The absorbent article as disclosed herein has longitudinal side edges extending in a longitudinal direction and transverse front and rear end edges extending in a transverse direction. The absorbent article comprises a fluid permeable surface layer, a backsheet and an intermediate layer located between the fluid permeable surface layer and the backsheet. The surface layer has a wearer-facing portion facing the user during use. The surface layer is an air through bonded fibrous nonwoven surface layer having a basis weight of from 14 to 30 g/m2 and a density of from 20 to 90 kg/m3. The intermediate layer extends under from 70 to 100% of the wearer-facing portion of the surface layer. The intermediate layer and the surface layer have a respective elongation at 10 N/50 mm. The elongation of the intermediate layer is lower than the elongation of the surface layer.

An absorbent article includes a concave groove whose transverse plane shape satisfies (1) a relationship between a depth “h” of a bottom surface portion of the concave groove, and a distance “S” from a bottom end “G” of the concave groove to an upper end “K” from which a concavity of the concave groove starts is 1.5h<S, (2) a relationship between a width “b” of a bottom surface of the concave groove, and a width “B” between the upper ends “K” and “K” at both sides of the concave groove is B≧3b, and (3) a relationship between a dimension “a” of a square concave groove expressed by a product of the width “b” of the bottom surface of the concave groove and the depth “h” of the bottom surface portion, and a cross-sectional dimension “A” of the concave groove is A≧2a.

A personal care absorbent article is disclosed which employs a combination of void spaces, also referred to as channels, in the crotch region of the article in conjunction with shaping elastic members located outside the lateral side edges of the absorbent core, that, when coupled with strategic alignment of certain components and specifically-located folding lines, will create an article with improved convex or outward curvature of the chassis upon unfolding which provides increased spatial separation of the topsheet or body side liner of the article from the genital area of the wearer. In addition, due to the manipulation of the specific location of such elements in the article, gender specific product designs can be created which are specifically tailored to more appropriately deal with the differences in location of the male and female genitalia.

An absorbent article includes a body side liner, a back sheet, an absorbent body positioned between the body side liner and the back sheet, and a distribution layer positioned between the absorbent body and the back sheet. The absorbent body defines a first opening having an opening length that is at least 50% the absorbent body length. The first opening has a median anterior portion width that is greater than a median central portion width that is greater than a median posterior portion width. The first opening includes a well, a channel, and a taper. The well transitions into the channel via a first convex transition and a concave transition. The channel transitions into the taper via a second convex transition.

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.

Absorbent articles comprising pleats and methods for forming pleated absorbent articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, an absorbent article extending in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction may comprise a bodyside liner, an outer cover, an absorbent core disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover, and a pleat extending in the longitudinal direction and having a lower pleat portion and an upper pleat portion, the pleat having a pleat height, wherein the lower pleat portion has a greater stiffness than the upper pleat portion.