Absorbent articles with channels and/or pockets

Abstract

An absorbent article includes 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 first continuous channel and a second continuous channel, each substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent. The first and second channels each have lateral widths parallel to the lateral axis. A profile of the lateral widths of each channel over a longitudinal length of at least 50 mm of the channel taken along the longitudinal axis is substantially constant. The average lateral width of the first channel differs from an average lateral width of the second channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . 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 front region, a crotch region, and a back region;   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, at least present in the crotch region, and at least partially oriented in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article; and 
 a second continuous channel substantially free of the superabsorbent polymers, at least present in the crotch region and at least partially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article; 
   
       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 and wherein an average lateral width of the first channel differs from an average lateral width of the second channel. 
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second channel is curved. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 3 , wherein the first material forms a C-wrap only partially around the second material. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first channel and the second channel have the same longitudinal length within the absorbent article. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second channels are at least present at the same longitudinal level as the lateral axis. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially constant lateral width of the first channel is in the range of about 5 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first channel is positioned on one side of the longitudinal axis and the second channel is positioned on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . 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 
 wherein the first continuous channel comprises a length and a width, wherein the the width varies along a portion of the length. 
   
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 9 , wherein the width varies along the entire length. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 9 , wherein the width is substantially constant along another portion of the length. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 9  wherein the first continuous channel comprises a curvilinear portion. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 9  further comprising a second continuous channel. 
     
     
         14 . 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 
   
       wherein the first continuous channel having a length, and wherein a profile of lateral widths of the first continuous channel over a portion of the length on a first side of the lateral axis is different than a profile of the lateral widths of the first continuous channel over a portion of the length on a second side of the lateral axis. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 14 , wherein the first continuous channel is permanent. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 14 , wherein the first continuous channel comprises a curvilinear portion. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 14  further comprising a second continuous channel. 
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the average lateral widths of at the first and second continuous channels differ. 
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article of  claim 16  wherein the first continuous channel is at least present at a crotch point.