Absorbent member and method of producing the same

An absorbent member comprising a web of continuous fibers and lumpy particles held in the web,

• the continuous fibers in at least part of a region where the particles are distributed in a planar direction of the web have been cut into a plurality of staple fibers;
• wherein the absorbent member comprises a middle region and two side regions;
• wherein the continuous fibers are located in the side regions, the lumpy particles are located in the middle region, and the staple fibers are located only in the middle region;
• and
• wherein the continuous fibers are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent member.

A method of producing an absorbent member having a web of continuous fibers and lumpy particles held in the web, wherein the continuous fibers in part of the web have been cut into a plurality of staple fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• spreading lumpy particles on a web of hydrophilic continuous fibers to provide a region with the particles spread and
• pressing at least part of the region in its thickness direction to press the continuous fibers in the at least part of the region onto the particles to cut the continuous fibers;
• wherein the absorbent member comprises a middle region and two side regions;
• wherein the continuous fibers are located in the side regions, the lumpy particles are located in the middle region, and the staple fibers are located only in the middle region;
• and
• wherein the continuous fibers are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent member.