Thin absorbent article having rapid uptake of liquid

An absorbent article, comprising:

• an absorbent retention portion which is located adjacent said backsheet layer, said retention portion comprising a matrix of substantially hydrophilic fibers having a distribution of high-absorbency particle material therein, said hydrophilic fibers and high-absorbency particles provided in a fiber-to-particle ratio which is not more than about 70:30 and is not less than about 30:70 by weight;
• a surge management layer located over a body side surface of said retention portion, said surge layer comprising bicomponent fibers having a denier of not more than about 3 d, said surge layer constructed to provide for a liquid Penetration Rate index of not less than about 2.67 ml/sec, and said surge layer comprising a composite nonwoven bonded-carded-web which includes a fibrous bodyside layer portion an a fibrous outerside layer portion;
• said body side layer portion having a basis weight within the range of about 10-34 gsm, and composed of bicomponent fibers having a fiber denier within the range of about 0.9-3.0 d;
• said outer side layer portion having a basis weight within the range of about 24-44 gsm, and composed of a fiber blend, said blend comprising about 60 wt % of about 6 denier PET fibers and about 40 wt % of about 1.8 denier bicomponent fibers;
• and
• a multi-element wrapsheet which is located between said backsheet layer and said surge management layer and is placed adjacent major surfaces of said retention portion;
• said multi-element wrapsheet including a bodyside wrap layer and a separate outerside wrap layer, each of which extends past all or some peripheral edges of said fiber matrix to provide an outwardly protruding flange-type bonding region over which an entire or partial periphery of the bodyside wrap layer is connected to an entire or partial periphery of the outerside wrap layer.

An absorbent article, comprising:

• a backsheet layer;
• a fibrous, liquid permeable topsheet layer disposed in facing relation with said backsheet layer;
• an absorbent retention portion which is interposed between said backsheet layer and said topsheet layer, said retention portion comprising a matrix of substantially hydrophilic fibers having a distribution of high-absorbency particle material therein, said hydrophilic fibers and high-absorbency particles provided in a fiber-to-particle ratio which is not more than about 70:30 and is not less than about 30:70 by weight, and said matrix defining a periphery having contoured side edges with inwardly bowed portions;
• and
• a fibrous wrapsheet located between said backsheet layer and said topsheet layer and placed immediately adjacent major surfaces of said retention portion, said wrapsheet including a bodyside wrap layer and an outerside wrap layer, each of which extends past all or some of the peripheral edges of said fiber matrix to provide an outwardly protruding, flange-type bonding region over which an entire or partial periphery of the bodyside wrap layer is connected to a periphery of the outerside wrap layer, said wrapsheet having curved side edges which are closed about said contoured edges of said matrix by said flange-type bonding region to seal said bonding region against migration of said high-absorbency particles.

An absorbent article, comprising:

• a backsheet layer;
• a fibrous, liquid permeable topsheet layer which is disposed in facing relation with said backsheet layer;
• an absorbent retention portion which is interposed between said backsheet layer and said topsheet layer, said retention portion comprising a matrix of substantially hydrophilic fibers defining peripheral edges and having a distribution of high-absorbency particle material therein, said hydrophilic fibers and high-absorbency particles provided in a fiber-to-particle ratio which is not more than about 70:30 and is not less than about 30:70 by weight;
• and
• a fibrous wrapsheet located between said backsheet layer and said topsheet layer and placed immediately adjacent major surfaces of said retention portion, said wrapsheet including a bodyside wrap layer and a separate outerside wrap layer, each of which extends past all or some of the peripheral edges of said fiber matrix to provide an outwardly protruding, flange-type bonding region over which an entire or partial periphery of the bodyside wrap layer is connected to a periphery of the outerside wrap layer, and said bodyside wrap layer having a relatively lower porosity than said outerside wrap layer.

An absorbent article, comprising:

• a backsheet layer;
• a fibrous, liquid permeable topsheet layer for positioning against a wearer's skin, said topsheet layer having length and width dimensions and disposed in facing relation with said backsheet layer;
• an absorbent retention portion which is interposed between said backsheet layer and topsheet layer, said retention portion having length and width dimensions smaller than corresponding dimensions of said topsheet layer and comprising a matrix of substantially hydrophilic fibers having a distribution of high-absorbency particle material therein, said hydrophilic fibers and high-absorbency particles provided in a fiber-to-particle ratio which is not more than about 70:30 and is not less than about 30:70 by weight;
• a fibrous surge management layer located in an adjacent, facing relation with at least one major, facing surface of said topsheet layer, said surge layer having a fibrous bodyside layer and a fibrous outerside layer comprising bicomponent fibers having a denier of not more than about 3 d, said surge layer constructed to provide for a liquid Penetration Rate index of not less than about 2.67 ml/sec;
• and
• a multi-element wrapsheet which is located between said backsheet layer and said surge management layer and placed adjacent major surfaces of said retention portion, said multi-element wrapsheet including a bodyside wrap layer and a separate outerside wrap layer, each of which extends past all or some peripheral edges of said fiber matrix to provide an outwardly protruding, flange-type bonding region over which an entire or partial periphery of the bodyside wrap layer is connected to an entire or partial periphery of the outerside wrap layer, wherein said outerside wrap layer has a greater porosity than said bodyside wrap layer and wherein at least said bodyside wrap layer has a pore distribution wherein no more than about 5 percent of the pores, as measured by Coulter porometry, are greater than about 50 micrometers in diameter.

An absorbent article, comprising:

• a backsheet layer;
• a fibrous, liquid permeable topsheet layer disposed in facing relation with said backsheet layer;
• an absorbent retention portion which is interposed between said backsheet layer and said topsheet layer, said retention portion comprising a matrix of substantially hydrophilic fibers having a distribution of high-absorbency particle material therein, said hydrophilic fibers and high-absorbency particles provided in a fiber-to-particle ratio which is not more than about 70:30 and is not less than about 30:70 by weight, and said matrix defining a periphery having contoured side edges with inwardly bowed portions;
• and
• a fibrous wrapsheet located between said backsheet layer and said topsheet layer and placed immediately adjacent major surfaces of said retention portion, said wrapsheet including a bodyside wrap layer and an outerside wrap layer, each of which extends past all or some of the peripheral edges of said fiber matrix to provide an outwardly protruding, flange-type bonding region over which an entire or partial periphery of the bodyside wrap layer is connected to a periphery of the outerside wrap layer, said bodyside wrap layer having a relatively lower porosity than said outerside wrap layer, and said wrapsheet having curved side edges which are closed about said contoured edges of said matrix by said flange-type bonding region to seal said bonding region against migration of said high-absorbency particles.