Absorbent article with asymmetric channel bond

A personal hygiene absorbent article, the article comprising a front waist region, a crotch region, a back waist region, a longitudinal centerline extending in a longitudinal direction and a length L measured along the longitudinal centerline, wherein the crotch region is centered on the middle of the longitudinal centerline and extends longitudinally over 50% of the length of the article;

• the article further comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet;
• the absorbent core comprising a core wrap top layer, a core wrap bottom layer, an absorbent material layer between the core wrap top layer and bottom layer, wherein the absorbent material comprises superabsorbent polymer particles;
• wherein the absorbent material layer comprises a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinal edges;
• wherein the absorbent material layer comprises a first and second longitudinally-elongated, absorbent material-free channels, wherein the first channel and the second channel are respectively disposed symmetrically on each side of the longitudinal centerline,
• wherein each channel has an inner edge closer to the longitudinal centerline, an outer edge closer to a longitudinal edge of the absorbent layer, a channel centerline disposed at equal distance from the inner edge and the outer edge of the channel, a channel outer half between the channel centerline and the outer edge, an inner half between the channel centerline and the inner edge, and a width as measured between the inner edge and the outer edge, wherein the width is constant or varying along the length of the channel;
• wherein the absorbent layer comprises a central absorbent area between the inner edges of the first and second channels, a first lateral absorbent area between the outer edge of the first channel and the closest longitudinal edge of the absorbent layer, a second lateral absorbent area between the outer edge of the second channel and the closest longitudinal edge of the absorbent material layer;
• wherein the first channel and the second channel each comprises a first channel bond and a second channel bond respectively between the core wrap top layer and the core wrap bottom layer;
• wherein the absorbent material is partially immobilized within the core wrap by an auxiliary glue disposed on at least one of the core wrap top layer and core wrap bottom layer;
• wherein the auxiliary glue comprises a plurality of longitudinally-oriented stripes, wherein two adjacent stripes are separated by a gap;
• wherein at least one of the first channel bond and the second channel bond is asymmetric relative to the respective channel width for at least a portion of the respective channel, so that the channel width of at least one of the first channel and second channel is configured to, during use shrink on a pre-determined half of the respective channel, thus increasing the volume available for the absorbent material to swell in that half of the first channel and second channel,
• wherein the asymmetric channel bond of at least one of the first channel bond and the second channel bond is at least partially formed by the auxiliary glue being asymmetrically disposed in at least a portion of the respective channel, so that the channel bond is asymmetric relative to the channel width for at least a portion of the at least one of the first and second channels, and that the channel width is configured to, during use, shrink on a pre-determined half of the respective channel width, thus increasing the volume available for the absorbent material to swell in that half of the channel.

An absorbent core comprising a core wrap top layer, a core wrap bottom layer, an absorbent material layer between the core wrap top layer and bottom layer, wherein the absorbent material comprises superabsorbent particles optionally mixed with cellulose fibers, and a longitudinal centerline,

• wherein the absorbent material layer comprises a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinal edges,
• wherein the absorbent material layer comprises a first and second longitudinally-elongated, absorbent material-free channels, wherein the first channel and the second channel are respectively disposed symmetrically on each side of the longitudinal axis,
• wherein each channel has an inner edge closer to the longitudinal centerline, an outer edge closer to a longitudinal edge of the absorbent layer, a channel centerline disposed at equal distance from the inner edge and the outer edge of the channel, a channel outer half between the channel centerline and the outer edge, an inner half between the channel centerline and the inner edge, and a width as measured between the inner edge and the outer edge, wherein the width is constant or varying along the length of the channel;
• wherein the absorbent layer comprises a central absorbent area between the inner edges of the first and second channels, a first lateral absorbent area between the outer edge of the first channel and the closest longitudinal edge of the absorbent layer, a second lateral absorbent area between the outer edge of the second channel and the closest longitudinal edge of the absorbent material layer;
• wherein the first channel and the second channel comprise a first channel bond and a second channel bond respectively between the core wrap top layer and the core wrap bottom layer;
• wherein at least one of the first channel bond and the second channel bond is asymmetric relative to the channel width for at least a portion of the respective channel, so that the respective channel width is configured to, during use, shrink on a pre-determined half of the channel width thus increasing the volume available for the absorbent material to swell in that half of the channel.