Absorbent article with high absorbent material content

Abstract

An absorbent article comprising a pair of leg cuffs with an raised section and an absorbent core comprising at least one channel at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the article. The article has crotch width before use as measured between the proximal edges of the leg cuffs at the level of the crotch point of from to 70 mm to 200 mm, and a Relative Crotch Width Reduction (RCWR) of at least 30 mm/kg.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising a front edge, a back edge, a longitudinal axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the article, a length L as measured along the longitudinal axis from the front edge to the back edge, and a crotch point defined as the point placed at a distance two fifths of L from the front edge of the article on the longitudinal axis, the absorbent article comprising:
 a liquid permeable topsheet;   a liquid impermeable backsheet;   an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet and comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material, wherein the absorbent material comprises at least 80% of superabsorbent polymers by weight of the absorbent material, wherein the absorbent core comprises at least one channel at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the article;   wherein the at least one channel remains or becomes visible at least through the backsheet when the absorbent article is loaded with a fluid as disclosed in the Wet Channel Integrity Test herein.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel is substantially free of absorbent material. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , comprising at least a pair of channels. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the channels of the pair of channels are symmetrically disposed relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel has a length projected on the longitudinal axis of the article which is at least about 10% of the length L of the absorbent article. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel is curvilinear. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article comprises an acquisition-distribution system comprising one or more layers, and wherein the acquisition-distribution system is at least partially disposed between the absorbent core and the topsheet. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of barrier leg cuffs extending at least partially between the front edge and the back edge of the absorbent article on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and present at least at the longitudinal position of the crotch point 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 8  wherein each barrier leg cuff is delimited by a proximal edge joined and a free terminal edge and wherein a majority the at least one channel is disposed inboard of the free edges of the barrier leg cuffs when the article is in a flattened state. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent core comprises a first absorbent layer and a second absorbent layer, wherein the first absorbent layer comprises a first substrate and a first layer of superabsorbent polymers, wherein the second absorbent layer comprises a second substrate and a second layer of superabsorbent polymers, wherein the absorbent core comprises a fibrous thermoplastic adhesive material at least partially bonding the layers of superabsorbent polymers to their respective substrates, and wherein the first substrate and the second substrate form the core wrap. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent core of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent material of the absorbent core comprises at least about 90% of superabsorbent polymers by total weight of the absorbent material. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the top side and the bottom side are bonded to each other through at least a portion of the at least one channel. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the basis weight of the superabsorbent polymers is not homogenously distributed along the longitudinal axis of the core. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent core comprises from about 5 g to about 60 g of superabsorbent polymers. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the caliper of the article, as measured at the crotch point according to the Caliper Test, is from about 5 mm to about 12 mm. 
     
     
         16 . An absorbent article comprising a front edge, a back edge, a longitudinal axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the article, a length L as measured along the longitudinal axis from the front edge to the back edge, and a crotch point defined as the point placed at a distance two fifths of L from the front edge of the article on the longitudinal axis, the absorbent article comprising:
 a liquid permeable topsheet;   a liquid impermeable backsheet;   a pair of barrier leg cuffs extending at least partially between the front edge and the back edge of the absorbent article on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and present at least at the longitudinal position of the crotch point, each barrier leg cuff being delimited by a proximal edge joined directly or indirectly to the topsheet or the backsheet and a free terminal edge;   an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet and comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material, wherein the absorbent core comprises at least one channel at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the article wherein the at least one channel is defined by continuous side portions;   wherein the at least one channel remains or becomes visible at least through the topsheet and/or backsheet when the absorbent article is loaded with a fluid as disclosed in the Wet Channel Integrity Test herein.   
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , wherein the absorbent material comprises at least 80% of superabsorbent polymers by weight of the absorbent material. 
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one channel is substantially free of absorbent material. 
     
     
         19 . An absorbent article comprising a front edge, a back edge, a longitudinal axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the article, a length L as measured along the longitudinal axis from the front edge to the back edge, and a crotch point defined as the point placed at a distance two fifths of L from the front edge of the article on the longitudinal axis, the absorbent article comprising:
 a liquid permeable topsheet;   a liquid impermeable backsheet;   a pair of barrier leg cuffs extending at least partially between the front edge and the back edge of the absorbent article on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and present at least at the longitudinal position of the crotch point, each barrier leg cuff being delimited by a proximal edge joined directly or indirectly to the topsheet or the backsheet and a free terminal edge;   an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet and comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material, wherein the absorbent core comprises at least one channel at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the article;   wherein the at least one channel remains or becomes visible at least through the topsheet and/or backsheet when the absorbent article is loaded with a fluid as disclosed in the Wet Channel Integrity Test herein; and   wherein the absorbent article comprises an acquisition-distribution system comprising one or more layers, and wherein the acquisition-distribution system is at least partially disposed between the absorbent core and the topsheet.   
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one channel is substantially free of absorbent material.