Patent ID: 9675498
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. An absorbent article having non-uniform dimensioned side barrier features, the absorbent article including a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and a depth direction, and having longitudinally directed side edges and longitudinal ends comprising: a lower structure having longitudinally directed side edges, said lower structure including a backsheet layer, a first fluid permeable topsheet layer bonded to said backsheet layer, and a first absorbent core layer sandwiched between said first fluid permeable topsheet layer and said backsheet layer, said first absorbent core layer having lateral-most side edges, an upper structure in fluid communication with said lower structure, said upper structure adjacent and bonded to said lower structure on said first fluid permeable topsheet layer, and including a second fluid permeable topsheet layer and at least one absorbent additional layer selected from the group consisting of a transfer layer, a second absorbent core layer, a lofty layer, wherein said second fluid permeable topsheet layer is folded about the at least one additional layer to create substantially straight side barrier feature lateral-most edges, said side barrier feature lateral-most edges being inboard of said lateral-most side edges of said first absorbent core layer, said upper structure bonded to said lower structure at said side barrier feature lateral-most edges, and at least at one of said article longitudinal ends, wherein said upper structure includes embossment channels or embossment features which extend in the longitudinal direction of said article and, when the article is viewed in a top plan view, the embossment channels or embossment features have a concave curve-shaped configuration in the transverse direction of the absorbent article with respect to said substantially straight side barrier feature lateral-most edges, and said embossment channels or embossment features are within at least two layers of said upper structure of said article, such that said concave curve-shaped embossment channels or embossment features and said substantially straight side barrier feature lateral-most edges define side barrier features of the absorbent article, wherein said side barrier features have non-uniform lateral width dimensions when the lateral width dimensions of the side barrier features are measured between said concave curve-shaped embossment channels or embossment features and said substantially straight side barrier feature lateral-most edges along the longitudinal direction of said article, or a combination of non-uniform lateral width and non-uniform height dimensions along the longitudinal direction of said article, wherein said side barrier features are separable from and elevate above said lower structure along a portion of said side barrier feature lateral-most edges corresponding to said non-uniform width dimension, allowing said side barrier features to conform to the inner thighs of a user of said article, as a result of said non-uniform lateral width dimensions, the absorbent article further comprising wings extending laterally along the article longitudinally directed side edges wherein said concave curve-shaped embossment channels or embossment features are concave in the transverse direction of the absorbent article with respect to said side barrier lateral-most edges adjacent to said wings.