Arrays of absorbent articles having signals or combinations of signals that help communicate functional features of the component article, including the presence and/or absence of channels.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core having at least two longitudinally extending channel-forming areas and a wetness indicator. The core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side, which are attached to each other through areas substantially free of absorbent material, so that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material. The wetness indicator is placed between the channel-forming areas or between at least one channel-forming area and at least one longitudinally extending side edge of the article, as seen for the exterior of the article.

Nonwoven materials having at least one layer comprising high core bicomponent fibers are provided. The nonwoven materials can have multiple layers and are suitable for use in a variety of applications, including in absorbent products. Such nonwoven materials can be patterned to create a three-dimensional topography including indentations formed of valleys and ridges. The nonwoven materials can have improved resiliency and strength and can retain their structure under wetted conditions and after tension and compression. The nonwoven materials can further facilitate the transfer of the liquid through the nonwoven material for improved liquid distribution and can also have improved liquid retention properties.

An absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges, front and rear transverse edges, a front end region, a rear end region, and a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions. The absorbent article has a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels formed at least in the central region. The traversal distance of the pair of outwardly convex longitudinal central channels decreases towards both ends of the channels to define a central closed area. The absorbent article has a rear channel defining a rear closed area in the rear end region.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core having a longitudinally extending channel-forming area and a wetness indicator. The core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side, which are attached to each other through areas substantially free of absorbent material, so that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid a channel is formed along the area substantially free of absorbent material.

An absorbent core for absorbent articles such as diapers. The core comprises a core wrap comprising a top side and a bottom side, an absorbent material between the top side and the bottom side, a first and second longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and substantially free of absorbent material preferably through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap. The core has a central absorbent zone between the first and the second channel-forming areas and a first and second lateral absorbent zones disposed laterally outwardly. The average basis weight of the absorbent material in the central absorbent zone is lower than the average basis weight of the absorbent material in the lateral absorbent zones.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core having at least two longitudinally extending channel-forming areas and a wetness indicator. The core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side, which are attached to each other through areas substantially free of absorbent material, so that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material. The wetness indicator is placed between the channel-forming areas or between at least one channel-forming area and at least one longitudinally extending side edge of the article, as seen for the exterior of the article.

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.

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.

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.