Absorbent article having a body-accommodating absorbent core

An absorbent article oriented along imaginary X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:

• (a) a liquid permeable cover;
• (b) a liquid impermeable baffle;
• and
• (c) an absorbent core having a length along said Y-axis, a width along said X-axis, and a thickness along said Z-axis, wherein said absorbent core is positioned between said cover and said baffle, and wherein said absorbent core includes a flexure axis which extends longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core in alignment with the Y-axis, said central portion being disposed between first and second side portions, said central portion having a relatively lower density and said first and second side portions having relatively higher densities, said first and second side portions being displaced generally transversely outwardly from, and extending in directions generally along the relatively lower density central portion,
• said relatively lower density portion of said absorbent core comprising low density absorbent material including bicomponent fusible fibers having an outer layer, which melts at relatively lower temperatures, and an inner core which melts at relatively higher temperatures.

An absorbent article oriented along imaginary X-, Y-, and Z-axes, said absorbent article comprising:

• (a) a liquid permeable cover;
• (b) a liquid impermeable baffle;
• and
• (c) an absorbent core having a length along said Y-axis, a width along said X-axis, and a thickness along said Z-axis, wherein said absorbent core is positioned between said cover and said baffle, and wherein said absorbent core includes a flexure axis which extends longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core in alignment with the Y-axis, said central portion being disposed between first and second side portions, said central portion having a relatively lower density and said first and second side portions having relatively higher densities,
• wherein second and third flexure axes are laterally spaced from the first flexure axis a distance of about 5 millimeters to about 25 millimeters.

An absorbent core having a body-facing surface, a length along an imaginary Y-axis, a width along an imaginary X-axis, and a thickness along an imaginary Z-axis, said absorbent core comprising:

• (a) a first flexure axis extending along the Y-axis and extending longitudinally through a central portion of said absorbent core, said central portion being disposed between first and second side portions, said central portion having a relatively lower density and said first and second side portions having relatively higher densities;
• (b) said first and second side portions of said absorbent core extending laterally from the first flexure axis, each of said first and second side portions having a longitudinally-extending outer boundary, said first side portion having a second flexure axis defined by cuts extending in the Z-direction, said second side portion having a third flexure axis defined by cuts extending in the Z-direction, the second and third flexure axes each including a line defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits in combination with uncut portions of said absorbent core between respective ones of the slits, said slits along said second and third flexure axes being spaced from adjacent slits along respective lengths of said second and third flexure axes by distances of about 5 millimeters to about 35 millimeters whereby said first and second side portions of said absorbent core comprise unslit regions thereof which extend from the first flexure axis to respective said longitudinally-extending outer boundaries of said first and second side portions.