Method for producing absorbent structures having absorbent pads and absorbent inserts

A method for producing absorbent structures, comprising:

• forming an array of absorbent pads comprising cellulose fluff, wherein each absorbent pad of said array of absorbent pads has at least one through-opening,
• forming an array of fluff-free absorbent inserts, each fluff-free absorbent insert comprising at least one non-woven layer in which superabsorbent material is incorporated, and
• arranging said fluff-free absorbent inserts within respective through-openings of said absorbent pads so as to form an array of absorbent structures, each of which comprises an absorbent pad and at least one fluff-free absorbent insert inserted in the through-opening of the respective absorbent pad,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• fixing said array of fluff-free absorbent inserts on a first continuous non-woven web in positions spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction,
• feeding a second continuous non-woven web onto an outer surface of a forming wheel and forming said array of absorbent pads in spaced apart positions along the longitudinal direction on said second continuous non-woven web,
• overlapping said second continuous non-woven web to said first continuous non-woven web,
• and—at the same time—inserting said fluff-free absorbent inserts into respective through-openings of said absorbent pads and sandwiching said array of absorbent pads and said array of fluff-free absorbent inserts between said first and second continuous non-woven webs.