Absorbent articles having channel-forming areas and wetness indicator

Abstract

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core having a longitudinally extending channel-forming area and a wetness indicator. The core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side, which are attached to each other through areas substantially free of absorbent material, so that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid a channel is formed along the area substantially free of absorbent material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article having a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinally extending side edges,
 the absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and backsheet, and   the absorbent core comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material;   wherein the core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side;   wherein the absorbent core comprises a first channel-forming area and a second channel-forming area, wherein each channel-forming area is substantially free of absorbent material and in each channel-forming area, the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap, such that when the absorbent material swells upon absorption of a liquid, the core wrap forms channels along these areas substantially free of absorbent material; and   wherein the absorbent article further comprises a wetness indicator, and the wetness indicator is spaced apart from both the first and the second channel-forming areas such that the wetness indicator does not overlap the first or second channel-forming areas.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the wetness indicator comprises a composition that changes appearance when contacted with urine. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the wetness indicator comprises an appearing signal. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the wetness indicator comprises a disappearing signal. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the wetness indicator comprise a color change signal. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a pH indicator and/or a water soluble dye. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the wetness indicator is placed between the bottom side of the core wrap and the inner surface of the backsheet. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent material comprises about 70% or more of superabsorbent polymer particles by weight of the absorbent material. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent material comprises wood pulp. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first channel-forming area is shorter than the second channel-forming area. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second channel-forming areas each have a width in at least in some part of the channel-forming areas of about 2 mm or wider. 
     
     
         12 . An absorbent article having a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinally extending side edges,
 the absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and backsheet, and   the absorbent core comprising a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material comprising absorbent material;   a wetness indicator comprising a first shape; and   a longitudinally extending channel-forming area that is substantially free of the absorbent material and comprises a second shape;   wherein the longitudinal extending channel-forming area and the wetness indicator comprise different shapes.   
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein the core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side and wherein the top side is attached to the bottom side in the channel-forming area. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein the second shape comprises a curvature. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein the first shape comprises a substantially constant width and the second shape comprises a varying width. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 12  wherein the wetness indicator comprises a composition having a pH indicator and/or a water soluble dye. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein the wetness indicator comprises an appearing signal. 
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein the wetness indicator comprises a disappearing signal. 
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein the wetness indicator comprise a color change signal.