Absorbent Articles with Channels and/or Pockets

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed, in part, to an absorbent article comprising a front waist edge, a rear waist edge longitudinally opposing the front waist edge, and a longitudinal axis extending from a midpoint of the front waist edge to a midpoint of the rear waist edge. The absorbent article comprises a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core comprises a channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article. The channel has lateral widths taken parallel to the lateral axis. A profile of the lateral widths of the channel over a longitudinal length of at least 50 mm of the channel taken along the longitudinal axis is substantially constant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a front waist edge;   a rear waist edge longitudinally opposing the front waist edge;   a longitudinal axis extending from a midpoint of the front waist edge to a midpoint of the rear waist edge;   a liquid permeable topsheet;   a liquid impermeable backsheet; and   an absorbent core disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet and comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymers, wherein the absorbent core comprises a channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, wherein the channel comprises:
 an arcuate portion facing the longitudinal axis, wherein an angle between a tangent line of the arcuate portion and the longitudinal axis is greater than or equal to 20 degrees; and 
 the channel has lateral widths taken parallel to the lateral axis, wherein a profile of the lateral widths of the channel over a longitudinal length of at least 50 mm of the channel taken along the longitudinal axis is substantially constant. 
   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially constant lateral width is in the range of about 5 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is greater than or equal to 30 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent core comprises a second channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, wherein the second channel has lateral widths taken parallel to the lateral axis, and wherein the second channel is positioned on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis as the channel. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein a profile of the lateral widths of the second channel over the longitudinal length is substantially constant. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein a profile of the lateral widths of the second channel over the longitudinal length varies. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the second channel has a second arcuate portion facing the longitudinal axis, wherein a second angle between a second tangent line taken from the second arcuate portion and the longitudinal axis is greater than or equal to 20 degrees, and wherein the second tangent line has a positive or a negative slope. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the channel is symmetrical to the second channel about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the lateral widths of the channel and the second channel are substantially the same at a point along the channel and the second channel. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the core wrap comprises a first material and a second material, and the first and second material are bonded to each other through a portion of the channel. 
     
     
         11 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a front waist edge;   a rear waist edge longitudinally opposing the front waist edge;   a first side edge;   a second side edge laterally opposing the first side edge;   a longitudinal axis extending from a midpoint of the front waist edge to a midpoint of the rear waist edge;   a lateral axis extending from a midpoint of the first side edge to a midpoint of the second side edge;   a liquid permeable topsheet;   a liquid impermeable backsheet; and   an absorbent core disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet and comprising:
 an absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymers; 
 a first continuous channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article; and 
 a second continuous channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article,: 
   wherein the first and second channels are spaced apart by a minimum lateral distance of at least 5 mm;   wherein the first and second channels each have lateral widths taken parallel to the lateral axis, and wherein a profile of the lateral widths of each channel over a longitudinal length of at least 50 mm of the respective channel is substantially constant.   
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second channels are symmetrically arranged relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the first and/or second channel is curved. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , comprising a core wrap enclosing the absorbent material and having a first material and a second material, wherein the first material is bonded to the second material in the channels. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 14 , wherein the first material forms a C-wrap only partially around the second material. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the first channel and the second channel have the same longitudinal length within the absorbent article. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the first and the second channels are at least present at the same longitudinal level as the lateral axis. 
     
     
         18 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a front waist edge;   a rear waist edge longitudinally opposing the front waist edge;   a first side edge;   a second side edge laterally opposing the first side edge;   a longitudinal axis extending from a midpoint of the front waist edge to a midpoint of the rear waist edge;   a lateral axis extending from a midpoint of the first side edge to a midpoint of the second side edge;   a liquid permeable topsheet;   a liquid impermeable backsheet; and   an absorbent core disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet and comprising:
 an absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymers; 
 a first continuous channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article; and 
 a second continuous channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article; 
   wherein the first and second channels are spaced apart by a minimum lateral distance of at least 5 mm;   wherein the first and second channels each have lateral widths taken parallel to the lateral axis, and wherein a profile of the lateral widths of each channel over a longitudinal length of at least 50 mm of the respective channel varies.   
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second channels are symmetrically arranged relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article of  claim 18 , wherein the first and/or second channel is curved.