Absorbent body for use in an absorbent article
An absorbent body for use in an absorbent article can have an improved body exudate distribution capability. The absorbent body can have an anterior region, a posterior region, and a crotch region located between the anterior region and the posterior region. An exudate capture zone can be located within the crotch region of the absorbent body. The exudate capture zone can have a primary compressed element which has a longitudinal direction length greater than a transverse direction width. The primary compressed element within the exudate capture zone can be encircled by a plurality of primary compressed points. Each of the encircled primary compressed element and the encircling primary compressed points can provide an initial pathway for body exudates to travel from the body facing surface of the absorbent body and into other regions of the absorbent body in both the longitudinal direction and transverse direction of the absorbent body.
1 . An absorbent body comprising:
a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction;
a longitudinal direction axis and a transverse direction axis;
an anterior region, a posterior region, and a crotch region located between the anterior region and the posterior region;
an exudate capture zone located within the crotch region, the exudate capture zone comprising:
a first primary compressed element having a first longitudinal direction axis, a first longitudinal direction length, and a first transverse direction width, wherein the first longitudinal direction length is greater than the first transverse direction width and wherein the first longitudinal direction axis is parallel with the longitudinal direction axis of the absorbent body;
a plurality of primary compressed points encircling the first primary compressed element wherein each of the plurality of primary compressed points has a second longitudinal direction length and a second transverse direction width, wherein the first longitudinal direction length of the first primary compressed element is greater than the second longitudinal direction length and the second transverse direction width of each of the primary compressed points of the plurality of primary compressed points encircling the first primary compressed element; and
wherein the first primary compressed element comprises a first void area that is free of material, and each of the plurality of primary compressed points comprises a second void area that is free of material.
2 . The absorbent body of claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal direction length of the first primary compressed element is from 7 to 20 mm and the first transverse direction width of the first primary compressed element is from 1 to 4 mm.
3 . The absorbent body of claim 1 wherein the second longitudinal direction length of each of the primary compressed points of the plurality of primary compressed points is from 1 to 4 mm and wherein the second transverse direction width of each of the primary compressed points of the plurality of primary compressed points is from 1 to 4 mm.
4 . The absorbent body of claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal direction axis of the first primary compressed element is aligned in the longitudinal direction with a second longitudinal direction axis of one of the primary compressed points of the plurality of primary compressed points.
5 . The absorbent body of claim 4 wherein the aligned primary compressed element and primary compressed point are separated from each other by a first distance, in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body, from 2 to 10 mm.
6 . The absorbent body of claim 1 further comprising a second primary compressed element parallel with the first primary compressed element and encircled by the plurality of primary compressed points, wherein the second primary compressed element has a second longitudinal direction axis, a second longitudinal direction length, and a second transverse direction width, wherein the second longitudinal direction length is greater than the second transverse direction width and wherein the second longitudinal direction axis is parallel with the longitudinal direction axis of the absorbent body.
7 . The absorbent body of claim 6 wherein the second longitudinal direction length of the second primary compressed element is from 7 to 20 mm and the second transverse direction width of the second primary compressed element is from 1 to 4 mm.
8 . The absorbent body of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of secondary compressed elements within the crotch region.
9 . The absorbent body of claim 8 wherein one of the plurality of secondary compressed elements has a second longitudinal direction axis which is aligned in the longitudinal direction with the first longitudinal direction axis of the first primary compressed element and wherein the first primary compressed element is separated, in the longitudinal direction, from the aligned secondary compressed element by a distance of less than 10 mm.
10 . The absorbent body of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of secondary compressed points within the crotch region.
11 . The absorbent body of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tertiary compressed elements in each of the anterior region and posterior region of the absorbent body.
12 . The absorbent body of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tertiary compressed points in each of the anterior region and posterior region of the absorbent body.
13 . The absorbent body of claim 1 wherein the proportion of the area of the compressed element and compressed points with respect to the area of the absorbent body is less than 15%.
14 . An absorbent article comprising:
a topsheet layer;
a backsheet layer; and
the absorbent body of claim 1 .
15 . The absorbent article of claim 14 further comprising a surge layer positioned between the absorbent body and the topsheet layer.
16 . An absorbent body comprising:
a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
an anterior region, a posterior region, and a crotch region located between the anterior region and the posterior region;
a plurality of compressed elements in the anterior region, the posterior region, and the crotch region, each of the plurality of compressed elements including a void that is a rectangular shape having a length and a width, wherein the length is longer than the width, and the length runs parallel to the longitudinal axis; and
a plurality of compressed points in the anterior region, the posterior region, and the crotch region.
17 . The absorbent body of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of compressed elements comprises primary compressed elements, secondary compressed elements, and tertiary compressed elements;
wherein:
the primary compressed elements are in an exudate capture zone of the crotch region;
the secondary compressed elements are in the crotch region, at least one of the secondary compressed elements being aligned with at least one of the primary compressed elements;
the tertiary compressed elements are in the anterior region and the posterior region, at least one of the tertiary compressed elements being aligned with at least one of the secondary compressed elements.
18 . The absorbent body of claim 17 , wherein the secondary compressed elements are arranged along eight axes parallel to the longitudinal axis.
19 . The absorbent body of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of compressed points in the anterior region and the posterior region are arranged along eight axes parallel to the longitudinal axis.
20 . An absorbent article comprising the absorbent body of claim 16 .