Flexible absorbent article with improved body fit
An absorbent article that has a thin, conformable absorbent core where the core has at least two layers, each including a different superabsorbent material, and each being typically substantially free of cellulosic fibers, is described. The absorbent article has a Circular Bend Flexibility of less than about 15 N. The core includes a storage layer and an acquisition/storage layer each a specific basis capacity of and absorption efficiency.
1. An absorbent article comprising:
a) a fluid permeable topsheet;
b) a backsheet, said backsheet being joined to said topsheet about a periphery of said absorbent article; and
c) a core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, said core comprising:
i) a storage system comprising at least one storage layer comprising at least one region, said storage system comprising less than 10% by weight of cellulose fibers and comprising at least 95% by weight of a superabsorbent material, said storage system region having a basis capacity of more than 10 l/m 2 and an absorption efficiency of at least 6.5 ml/cm 3 ;
ii) an acquisition system comprising:
a) an acquisition layer comprising a non-woven; and
b) an acquisition/storage layer comprising at least one region, said acquisition/storage layer comprising less than 10% by weight of cellulose fibers and comprising at least 95% by weight of a superabsorbent material, said acquisition/storage region having a basis capacity of from 1.5 to 10 l/m 2 and an absorption efficiency of from 2 to 14 ml/cm 3 ;
wherein said absorbent article has a circular bend flexibility of less than about 15 N in a crotch region thereof;
wherein said superabsorbent material of said storage system is stabilized by a fibrous layer of thermoplastic adhesive.
2. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein said regions(s) of the storage layer has (have) a basis capacity of at least 15 l/m 2 and an absorption efficiency of at least 9 ml/cm 3 .
3. An absorbent article as in claim 1 whereby said regions(s) of the acquisition/storage layer has (have) a basis capacity of from 1.8 l/m 2 to 4 l/m 2 and an absorption efficiency of from between 4 and 9 ml/cm 3 .
4. An absorbent article as in claim 1 wherein, the absorbent article has an acquisition rate selected from measurements of at least one of the following gushes:
a) on the third gush of less than about 170 seconds; or
b) on the fourth gush of less than about 190 seconds.
5. An absorbent material as in claim 1 whereby said superabsorbent material in said acquisition/storage layer has a modified SFC of 400×10 −7 cm 3 ·s/g or more, and said superabsorbent material in said storage layer has a SFC of 80×10 −7 cm 3 ·s/g or more.
6. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent article has a circular bend flexibility of less than about 11 N in a crotch region thereof.
7. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said core has a circular bend flexibility of less than about 10 N.
8. An absorbent article according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent article further has a dry caliper less than about 4 mm.