Absorbent article with a channel-forming area and a masking layer

An absorbent article comprising:

• a liquid permeable topsheet;
• a liquid impermeable backsheet;
• an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material and a core wrap, wherein the absorbent material is sandwiched between a top side and a bottom side of the core wrap, wherein the absorbent core comprises at least one channel-forming area that is substantially free of absorbent material, and wherein the channel-forming area forms a three-dimensional channel when the absorbent material swells;
• a masking layer between the absorbent core and the backsheet, the masking layer having a higher basis weight than the material forming the bottom side of the core wrap, wherein the masking layer comprises an air-through bonded carded nonwoven;
• wherein a wearer-facing side of the masking layer and the bottom side of the core wrap are only partially bonded to each other, their interface thus comprising a bonded portion and an unbonded portion, the bonding portion covering from 5% to 50% of the surface of the interface, and wherein the masking layer can decouple from the three-dimensional channel when the absorbent material swells.

An absorbent article comprising:

• a liquid permeable topsheet;
• a liquid impermeable backsheet;
• an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material and a core wrap, wherein the absorbent material is sandwiched between a top side and a bottom side of the core wrap, wherein the absorbent core comprises at least one channel-forming area that is substantially free of absorbent material, and wherein the channel-forming area forms a three-dimensional channel when the absorbent material swells;
• a masking layer between the absorbent core and the backsheet, wherein the masking layer comprises an air-through bonded carded nonwoven;
• wherein a wearer-facing side of the masking layer and the bottom side of the core wrap are only partially bonded to each other, their interface thus comprising a bonded portion and an unbonded portion;
• and
• wherein the entirety of the channel-forming area corresponds to the unbonded portion.